The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-06-09
Blackboard, the Pirate of Colonial
Days.

The career of Teach, alias Blackboard,
says All the Year Round, throws Gu
rious light upon the manner in which
his maiesty's colonies were then gov
erned. Teach went into business at
once, and having cultivated a very
good understanding" with Charles Eden,
Esq, the governor of North Carolina
with an excellent prospect of success.
His friend, the governor, made no scru-
pie of converting a court of vice adj
miralty at Bath Town, which condemned
his captures as lawful prizes, although
he never held commission in his life.
"These proceedings" adds his biogra-
pher, " show that governors are but
men," Blackboard was typical pirate,
possessed with a mania for getting mar
ried. His friend. the governor, after the
manner of the plantation, married him
to his fourteenth wife-a young creature
OF sixteen-whom he treated scandal
ously. 1t is not on record that Black
beard like Bluebeard, slew his wives.
On the contrary, he had, at the period
referred to, about dozen living in va
rious places. Obviously he was a man
of domestic instincts, modified by row
ing life, and liked to have somebody to
welcome him home wherever he was.
rived from q" that large quantity of hair
which, like a frightful meteor, covered
his whole face, and frightened America
more than any comet that has appeared
for long time This beard was black,
which he suffered to grow to an eX-
tIavagant length; as to breadth, it came
I'D to his ewes; he was accustomed to
twist it with ribbons in small tails after
the manner of our Families wigs and
turn them about his ears; in time of
action he wore sling over his shoulders,
with three braces of pistols" This was
the regular pirate fashion, and its use Is
obvious In boarding, the pistol was
the favorite weapon of the rovers, who
ALWAYS wore two or three brace in silk
sling. hung rather around the neck than
over the shoulders. Armed thus, the
freebooter was nearly as well off as if he
possessed a revolver He had only to
cock and fire, drop on pistol and
seize another ready to his hand, without
the risk of losing his weapons. This re-
lance en- the pistol was, doubtless, one
reason of the success of the rovers in close
fighting. To add terror to his appear
ance Blackboard stuck LIGHTED matches
under his hat, which, appearing on each
side of his face, his eyes naturally looking
fierce and wild, made him altogether
such figure that Imagination cannot
form an idea of fury from hell to look
more frightful." He was a frolicksome
fellow, this Capt. Teach, in his grim
way. One day, being at sea, and being
little flushed with drink, he deter
mined to make a little inferno of his
own" and to that end went down into
the hold. with two or three others, and
having filled several pots full of brim-
stone, set them on fire, and was proud of
having held out the longest against suffo-
cation. Another evening, being in a
pleasant mood, drinking and playing
cards with a few choice and kindred
spirits, he blew out the light, and cross
ing his hands under the table, fired his
pistols, tanning one man for lite; and
when asked the meaning of this said " If
he did not now and then kill one of them,
they would forget who he was" One
eyre story of Blackboard and his crew
runs thus: "Once upon a cruise they
found out that they had man on board
more than their crew; such a one was
seen several days among them, some
times below and some times on deck, yet
no man in the ship could give an account
of who he was or from whence he came
but that he disappeared little before
they were cast away IN their great snip;
but it seems they verify believed it was
the devil" Like many other great bad
men, Blackboard did not improve upon
acquaintance, and his friends, the plan
tiers, at last got tired of his society. Re
dress from the governor of North Caro-
lima was hopeless, and the governor of
Virginia was applied to. This gentle
man at once sent Lieut.. Maynard with
couple of sloops, to capture the pirate.
A desperate fight ensued. After some
very hard firing, Blackboard, after hurl-
ing on the enemy some new-fashioned
sort of grenades L case bottles, filled
with powder and slugs-boarded him; but
this time met his MATCH and fell dead,
after receiving twenty-five wounds, fight
ing like fury to the last. His head was
cut off and swung to the bowsprit of the
slOop.