The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-14
PIRATE BLACKBOARD,
TERROR OF rHE SEAS ~ DArsPAsT'
.sso,,, of His Bloody and Desperate Ca
reer-subdued by Nirginians ana MS
Grow Hung at Williamsburg.


and about the cepes auu NUMEROUS i"'V'"
ofbor sopnds there turks for the antiquarian
ss,,nch interest as amid hor valleys and
non the mountain peaks The proud and
tona anpellaiion. Old North State. so often
mon the lips Of Dor loyal children, IS not a
misnomor. but rests upon o solid founda-
don Of fact. for tho first English settlement
in America was upon her shores. GiancinS
back from the present TO that remote
period when the bones of Raleien's hIs'
colonists bleached upon the sands OF hosi-
oke Island her history Is checkereo VIII
alternate lights and shadows.
FLAG or TERROR.
Pamlico Sound, now the haven OF the
storm.tossedf mariner and the home OK
Yeaceful industry. was once the theatre OF
fsr different scenes. In the beginning OF
tbe last century its placid waters reflected
gae which struck terror % thousands OF
hearts and paralyzed the commerce OF ths
New World: the thiokly clustering vines ana
luxuriant qrowths fringing its shores con coz
cealed like the original Eden, hlu-
nc devil the foe Of God and man
Riackbsard. the pirate. From strange
tsndenrv of human nature the lie OF the
,,jrate possesses fascinating interest not
only for the small boy who deVours the
races OF his half-dime yeHOw-bac novel.
and better taste. Indeed. some OF the
greatest writers have been unable 70 resist
tbe Vaccinations Of this wide and tempting
Geld Sir Walter Scott MarryRtt and Cooper
thought il not unworthy their mighty pens
and the genius of Byron attained one OF us
highest fights in the description OF the
prisoner Conrad. III the lonely turret, barring
his bosom 70 the midnight storm and de-
fvinp the lightning OF offended Heaven 70
iransfx him. OF all this unhoy brood
blackboard was facile prnceps. as milton
saws of Satan: by merit raised TO tnht
bad eminencen Ii was an Arabic tradition
relative 10 the great unknown Atlantic.
tbet the gnarled and bony hand of the devil
rose from out the waves of the sea OF DARK
ness 10 seize the presumptuous mariner. ana
in his diabolc career Blackboard seemed 70
be the i'm personatiOn Of this mystic monster
Perhaps a greater demon never proWled the
seas or walked the earth in human form.
BLAcKHEAD's APPEARANCE.
Even in personal appearance he was hid
cons and repulsive, nature having stamped
him both as physical and moral monster
The name by which he was known through
ont the world was derived from singular
circumstance. which illustrates his savage
ferocity. His naturally dark and forbidding
face was covered almost TO his fierce, sensu-
Gus eyes with shaggy. black beard reach
ing below the waist. This hirsute edorn-
%
cultivated with sedulous care. ne was &C
customed 10 braid with ribbons and 10
twist about his ears until IL stood forth Ike
projecting horns Into the ends OF these be
stuck small slowly burning fuses, whose
sulphurous fumes enyeloped him IN lurd
hue and rendered HIM not uniting repre-
sentation Of the satanic ideal, whose char
acter he so successfully emulated. In time
OF action he slung around his neck scarf
into which were thrust three brace OF PTS
tolls Our readers, even those who are not
endowed with Dantesque powers OF imagi-
nation. and especially our feminine friends,
can readily fancy the impression such an
aspect would create when met upon the
lonely ocean with the black flag tiuttering
above his head and his merciless face light
ing up with CLEAN of demoniacal Joy as
his helpless victims walked the fatal plank.
HIS EABLg CAREER.
The real name of THE man was Edward
Teach. and he was a native Of Bristol Eng
land OF his early career nothing definite
is known. He first energies from Obscurity
as a common sailor on board prlyateer
commanded by Captain Benjamin Hornl-
gold, sailing from Jamaica and preylng
upon French commerce. In that humble
capacity he distinguished himself by his
skill and courage. which attracted the at
tentiOn of his not over scrupulOus COM
lnander, who soon entrusted him with
prize he had captured. In l7l7 these two
choice spirits spread their sails from Prov-
dence (auspiclOus name) for America, cap
turing on voyage three vessels laden with
wine, -four and miscellaneous cnrgoes. which
they Appropriated to their own use and
turned the crews adrift. The speed of their
vessels being crippled by foul bottoms, they
cleaned upon the coast OF Virginia and sal
lied forth in quest of fresh booty. On this
cruise they secured the most valuable prize
vet captured. large French Guineaman,
richly freighted. bound for Martinique. AT
this luncture HornigOld's ayarlce seems 10
have been satisfied, or more likely his heart
failed him. for taking the two vessels with
which they originally sailed he returned to
Providence and availed himself OF q pardon
offered by the king 10 all pirates who should
surrender in o specified time.
CAREER OF CRIME.
Teach. however. only emboldened by sue
cess, now assumed an independent charac-
ter and begun that career of crime which
rendered his name 50 infamous. He fitted
out the French Guineaman. mounted her
with forty guns, and from some freak
christened her The Queen Annes Revenge
His first objective point was the Island OF
St. Vincent. IN the vicinity of which a rich
prize the ship Great Allan, soon fell into
bis net What disposition was made of her
unfortunate crew does not appear: it 10 not
improbable they we're forced to walk the
x.
was rhed and burnt.
During thus bloody cruise an event oc-
cured which proved that Teach was not
simply depredator upon unressting meT-
chantmen. but made of sterner stuff. This
was his celebrated encounter with the Scar
borough, man-of-war. WhileiOowliug along
one day under spanking breeze. the cry
which always creates such thrill of ex-
element on board cruiser rang from the
masthead, Sail-ho. Teach Immediately or
deTed his helm up, crowded on all sail and
bore down on what he supposed would
prove a rich Argosy. But as he raised the
strangers hull the stately proportions OF a
man-of-wer stood revealed. aud rs he ranged
alongside puff of white smoke answered
his hail, while the Red Dragon of St.
George. soaring proudly 10 the peak, hut-
tered in the tropic breeze. What was to be-
done IN this awkward dilemma The aver
age freebooter would either have struck his
oolors or hauled of in instant and ignomin-
ious fight. But such denouement was not
very perpleXing nor even disappointing 20
Black beard. who rocked little whether he
fought for gold or gore. The rudy glow Of
either was equally grateful to his eye. How
ever numerous and dark his vices he was
nevertheless perfect master % the sailors
difficult profession, and possessed. too, Of a
courage 70 which fear WAS utterly I'M
known. Hosting the black flag in bitter
defiance sno beating 10 quarters, he unhesi-
tat.ngiy accepted the gage OF battle. The
vessels were about evenly matched and
handled with consummate skill, and on that
tropic sen. enyeioped in smoke they fought
for hours. circling round and round without
any material advantage to either combatept
until the gloom Of nfoht fal 49,. IL, d.