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
Wafer's subsequent adventures are recounted by Basil Ringrose in his
"Dangerous Voyage and Bold Assaults of Captain Bartholomew Sharp and
Others," and by William Dampier in his "New Voyage Round the World."
After taking part in 1679 in the futile expedition of the buccaneers to
Panama, Wafer joined the party of malcontents who left Captain Sharp and
returned on foot across the Isthmus of Darien. Wafer was accidentally
wounded in the knee by an explosion of gunpowder on May 5th, 1681, which
he recounts in his narrative as follows: "I was sitting on the ground near
one of our Men, who was drying of Gunpowder in a Silver Plate: But not
managing it as he should, it blew up and scorch'd my knee to that degree,
that the bone was left bare, the Flesh being torn away, and my Thigh burnt
for a great way above it. I applied to it immediately such Remedies as I
had in my knapsack: and being unwilling to be left behind by my
companions, I made hard shift to jog on."
The whole story of these adventures is told by Wafer in a book he wrote,
and which was published in London in 1699. It is called "A New Voyage and
Description of the Isthmus of America, giving an Account of the Author's
Abode there," and is illustrated by some quaint copperplates.
Wafer and his companions suffered extreme hardships as they struggled
through the dense tropical jungle during the wettest season of the year.
On one occasion when in danger of his life, Wafer was spared by the
Indians owing to his skill as a phlebotomist, after he had been allowed to
exhibit his skill to an Indian chief called Lacentra, when he bled one of
his wives so successfully that the chief made Wafer his inseparable
companion, to the no little discomfort of the buccaneer, who wished to
reach the Atlantic and rejoin his companions who had left him behind.
Wafer described the birds, animals, fishes, and insects with considerable
minuteness, although it is obvious that he had no special training in, or
great gift for, natural history. Wafer eventually reached Philadelphia,
where he availed himself of King James's general pardon to pirates.
WAKE, CAPTAIN THOMAS.
A notorious pirate, one of those particularly named in the Royal Warrant
issued in 1695 to Captain Kidd, authorizing him to go in search of the
American pirates.
WALDEN, JOHN, _alias_ "MISS NANNEY."
Born in Somersetshire.
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