The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-04
WOMEN PIRATES.


match for their male companions gam
ed enviable renown among the Famous
pirates that menaced the seas in the
eighteenth century, says the chicago
chronicle. In the life of each there
was a thread of romance, but their ca
reers, though brilliant, We're short.
Mary Read was born in England. Her
father was a seafaring man, who mar
ried when quite young, and the first
child was a boy. A grandmother con-
tributed a crown d week TO it's support.
Soon after Mary was born the boy died,
and Mary was brought up as boy
in order to deceive the grandmother
into keeping up the weekly payments.
When IS years old Mary Read went
tn work as a footboy for French
lady. Growing bold and strong and
having d rowing mind, she entered
the naval service aboard a warship
Then she appeared in Flanders and
carried arms in a regiment of infantry
as a cadet. She behaved with great
bravery in action, but failed to get a
commission While in the army she
revealed her sex to a fellow soldier.
Mary and the trooper were married
They set up an eating house, which
was the sign of the Three Horseshoes,
near the castle of NBreda, where they
soon run into good trade. But this
happiness lasted not long, for the hus-
band died. a'-
The widow fell into hard times and
poverty. Again she assumed her mas
cuIine apparel and sailed for the West
Indies The ship was captured by Eng
fish pirates, and she being the only
English person on board they kept her
among them, plundered the vessel and
let it go.
Mary Read often declared that the
life of a pirate was always abhorred
by her and that she went into it I'M
der compulsion, but in time of action
no robber of the sea was more reso-
lutte, none more ready to board or I'M
dertake anything that was hazardous.
That she was woman was unknown
on the ship for months.
Among the prisoners taken was
young man of most engaging behavior,
or, at least, he was so in the eyes OF
Mary Read, who became so smitten
with his person and address that she
could neither rest night nor day. She
expressed her love by a most generous
action.
This young man had quarrel with
one of the pirates and their ship, then
lying al anchor near one of the is
lands, they had made an appointment
to go ashore and fight according to the
custom of pirates. Mary was to the
last degree uneasy and anxious for the
fate of her lover. She would not have
him refuse the challenge, because she
could not bear the thought of his being
branded with cowardice; on the other
hand, she dreaded the evSnt and appre-
hended the fellow might be too hard
for him.
In this dilemma she showed that she
feared more for the life of her lover
than she did for her own. She resolved
to quarrel with the pirate herself. She
did so. Having challenged him ashore,
the appointed time being two hours
sooner than that when he was to meet
her lover, fought him at sword and pis-
tol and killed him upon the spot.
1t is true she had fought before when
she had been insulted by some of the
robber band, but on this occasion it was
altogether in her lovers cause that she
stood as It were betwixt him and
death, as if she could not live without
him. If he had had no regard for her
before the action would have bound
him to her forever. But there was no
need for ties or obligations. His incli-
nation toward her was sufficient. In
fine, they plighted their troth to each
other, which Mary Read said she look
conscience, as if it had been done by
minister of the church.
When the pirate ship was attacked
and taken, the fighting being at close
quarters, Mary Read and two comrades
We're the only ones who stayed on deck.
She called to those below to come up
and fight like men, and, finding they did
not stir, she fired her arms down the
hold among them, killing one and
wounding others.
The trial of the captured pirates was
held on the Island of Jamaica in No
vember of 1920.
Her husband, as Mary called him,
was acquitted.
Many had compassion for the wom-
an, yet the court could not avoid find
ing her guilty. One witness swore that
while a captive on the piratical craft he
had accidentally fallen into converse
ton with her suppoSing her to be a
young man, and had asked what pleas
ure was to be found in such an enter
prise, even in danger from fire and
sword, with the certainty of dying an
ignominious death if taken alive. Mary
Read replied
AS to hanging, it is no great hard
ship. Were it not for that every cow
ardly fellow would turn pirate and so
infest the seas that men of courage
would starve. If it was put to the
choice of pirates they would not have
the punishment less than death, the
fear of which keeps some dastardly
rogues honest and prevents the over
crowding of the ocean by the land ras-
Gals"
She was convicted and sentenced, but
her execution was respited. She was
seized with a violent fever and died i'll
prison.
Anne Bonny was another female pi-
rate. She was born in Ireland. She en-
lgrated to Carolina. While she lived
with her father she was looked upon as
one that would be good fortune, where
lore it was thought her father expect
ed a good match for her But she
spoiled all, for without his consent she
married a young fellow who belonged
TO the sea and was not worth a cent.
Her father was provoked to such an
extent that he turned her out of door.
Inc newly welded pair, disappointed,
shipped for the Island of Providence,
among the Bahamas, the husband hop
ing to find employment there.
At Providence Island Annie became
acquainted with Rackam. the pirate,
Who making courtship to her, soon
found means of gaining her affections,
so that she consented to elope with
MN and so to sea in male attire.
IN the piratical expeditions nobody
was more courageous than she.
Anne Benny was captured at the
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