Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-03-20

, position, but after nn exchange or expert
ences tho two girls agroed to tell tho cap
tain, as his jealousy was becoming too So
rious. Captain Rackham was tho only
person on board who knew that two OF his
"hatnds' were women; ne as avon hotoro be
know her sex, somewhat puzzled that one
SO quiot and gentle looking as Mary Read
should havo voluntarily enlisted with pl-
rates. and ono day asked her why she con-
tinued to run tho risk Of a felon's dca:h.
Sho said It was because all pirates woro
brave, and that courageous men have to
starve OH shore. Ito my choice" sho Is
reported to have said, 'tho penalty for n
pirato's life should not bo less than death
for IL Is tho fear OF felon's death that
kocps castardly men out Of the service.
Those ashore who cheat widows and rob
orphans and are just bold enough to OPP
pross their neighbors because they arc too
poor to sock justice would be robbing at
sea- A crowd OF rogues would be plum
dering II pillago had no dangers, mcr'
chants would DO deferred from vcnturing
a valuable cargo aloat, frcebooting would
bo trado not worth following. The re-
wards of piracy are only for the braveP'
Such were tho rcputed sentiments OF
this remarkable person, who clearly knew
what sho was about when she elected to
sail under tho jolly Roger
But oven under tho black flag the little
god may throw his darts and Ii cano 10
pass that one day Captain Rackham's
company received an addition In the per
son Of handsome young carpenter. Ho
was ono of the crow of prize" and ho
elected like Mary TO throw in his lot
with the pirates, who wore truly glad to
havo him, since carpenters were not very
plentiful in tho service" and 10 was
often difficult enough to effect repairs.
Mary nt onco fell over head and ears III
lovo with him, and she did n desperate
thing in order to secure his attention.
One day there was quarrel among the
crew, which ended in one OF them ohnl-
longing the carpenter to fight u duel.
Mary knew that such encounters always
ended i'm tho death Of one Of tho combat
ants, and she determined to prevent her
beloved from fighting. So she deliberate
ly insulted his challenger before tho whole |
ships company, and on being challenged |
In turn insisted that the last insult |
should bo wiped out before tho first. As |
cavalry soldier she had acquired re-
markablc skill with tho sword, and she |
knew that she was superior to any ordi-
nary antagonist. She met her man, she |
fought and after few passes ran him |
through ard laid him dead at her feet.
This exploit naturally led to explana- |
tions with the carpenter, with the result |
that they became man and wife Thus |
were there two married couples on board |
this strange pirate craft, and nobody knexy |
Of the fact but the two couples themselves. |
Not only that, but these two women |
pirates were the most adventurous and |
courageous members Of the whole crew. |
There was little of the woman about either |
of them, but Mary Read was the more
womAnly and sentimentally inclined of
the two. She was probably also the more
emotional, as she was also the more deep
In hor affections.
They wero both condemned along with
the rest Of the pirate gang, but were re-
prieved on their Sex being made known.
Mary Read died in her cell soon afterward. |
For Anne Bonney intercession was made |
by influential colonists who had known |
her father, and who remembered her in
her innocent girlhood She was released, |
and her subsequent history is unrecorded
1t Is said that she showed no emotion at
the execution of her husband, whose body
was hung in chains on Rackham cay,
along with his two chief officers, as ter
ror TO all freebooters. After ornamcnting |
Rackham cay for couple of years the glib
bet was swept away in tho great hurricane
of 1722, and on portion of the wreck of
the scaffold n negro, who had been washed
overheard from one Of the vessels in the
harbor, hoated ashore.
Thus the last use of the notorious pirate
was to save life after his own death.
Since then all trace Of Rackham and his |
companions has disappeared, and the |
name Is only known to navigators Of our
time as indicating ono Of the landmarks In |
making Port Royal. What became of the |
children of these two remarkable couples |
Is not recorded. In 1929 tho capture of |
the notorious Zargonaza, with her desper
ate crew Of ruffians commanded by Ara
gomez, marked the end OF buccaneering |
and picafooning in these waters. On that |
occasion the gibbet on Gallows point was
extended to hold 16 freebooters in row.
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