The Pirates' Who's Who: Giving Particulars Of The Lives and Deaths Of The Pirates And BuccaneersGosse, Philip
History
The Pirates' Who's Who: Giving Particulars Of The Lives and Deaths Of The Pirates And Buccaneers
Gosse, Philip
Pirates
He sailed with Captain Dew from the Barbadoes with a Commission from the
Governor to join with the Royal African Company in an attack on the French
factory at Goori, at Gambia. Instead of going to West Africa, Tew and his
crew turned pirates, and sailed to the Red Sea. Here he met with a great
Indian ship, which he had the hardiness to attack, and soon took her, and
each of his men received as his share L3,000, and with this booty they
sailed to Madagascar. He was already held in high esteem by the pirates
who resided in that favourite stronghold. At one time he joined Misson,
the originator of "piracy-without-tears" at his garden city of Libertatia.
A quarrel arose between Misson's French followers and Tew's English
pirates. A duel was arranged between the two leaders, but by the tact of
another pirate--an unfrocked Italian priest--all was settled amicably, Tew
being appointed Admiral and the diplomatic ex-priest suitably chosen as
Secretary of State to the little republic. Such a reputation for kindness
had Tew that ships seldom resisted him, but on knowing who their assailant
was they gave themselves up freely. Some of Tew's men started a daughter
colony on their own account, and the Admiral sailed after them to try and
persuade them to return to the fold at Libertatia. The men refused, and
while Tew was arguing and trying to persuade them to change their minds,
his ship was lost in a sudden storm. Tew was soon rescued by the ship
_Bijoux_ with Misson on board, who, with a few men, had escaped being
massacred by the natives. Misson, giving Tew an equal share of his gold
and diamonds, sailed away, while Tew managed to return to Rhode Island in
New England, where he settled down for a while. To show the honesty of
this man, being now affluent, he kept a promise to the friends in Bermuda
who originally set him up with a ship, by sending them fourteen times the
original cost of the sloop as their just share of the profits.
At last, Tew found the call of the sea and the lure of the "grand account"
too great to resist, and he consented to take command of a pirate ship
which was to go on a cruise in the Red Sea. Arrived there, Tew attacked a
big ship belonging to the Great Mogul, and during the battle was mortally
wounded.
His historian tells us "a shot carried away the rim of Tew's belly, who
held his bowels with his hands for some space. When he dropped, it struck
such terror to his men that they suffered themselves to be taken without
further resistance." Thus fell fighting a fine sailor, a brave man, and a
successful pirate, and one who cheated the gallows awaiting him at
Execution Dock.
THOMAS, CAPTAIN, _alias_ STEDE BONNET.
THOMAS, JOHN.
Of Jamaica.
This Welsh pirate was one of Major Stede Bonnet's crew of the _Royal
James_. Hanged at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1718.
THOMPSON, CAPTAIN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account