Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-02
A REAL PIRATE.
Some Interesting History and Exploits
of the Famous "BIaekbeard."

some interesting TIIStoIJ anu Exploits
of the Famous "BIaekbeard."
All the world has heard Of BLACK
beard" the English sailor who, after
having been a highly respected officer
in his majesty's navy, turned pirate
and raised the black flag against ev-
erything afioat.
This notorious sea robber, whose
real name was Teck, believe, took
his pseudonym from the fact that he
wore a very heavy black beard, which
he was in the habit Of doing up in
|, two large braids and tying them up
| behind his ears. He was man Of
gigantic proportions and Of surpass-
ing strength. His heart was as cruel
as that Of tiger. Every now and
then, when there was nothing else in
sight, he would shoot one or two Of
his own men-just to keep his prac-
tice up.
In the early years Of the eighteenth
century Blackboard patrolled the wa
ters Of Europe, but 1t finally became
too hot for him there and he struck
out for the coasts Of North America.
How well he piled his trade in the
new field is evidenced by the fact that
from Nova Scotia to Florida he sue
ceeded in making his name a mortal
terror.
In a captured ship Of forty guns he
entered Charleston harbor and held
the town up for a large ransom. From
Charleston he passed into the waters
Of North Carolina, plundering and
Staying right and left, and in their dis
tress the "Tar Heels" being able to
get no aid from their own governor,
Eden, appealed to Gov. Spotswood Of
Virginia, to relieve them of the terri
BILE pirate, who was making their lives
a living hell.
Spotswood did not listen to the ap-
peal in vain. Looking about for some
one to put a quietus upon Blackboard
he found the person he wanted in one
Robert Maynard, a young officer on
his majesty's ship Pearl, which hap
pened to be lying at the time in Ches-
apeake bay.
Manning a couple Of small craft
with some sixty men, Maynard set out
early in November, 171S, in search of
Blackboard and on the 21st Of the
same month found him at Ocracoge
Inlet, North Carolina. Blackboard did
not know what fear was; young May
nard was as full Of fight as a hungry
wildcat, and the ball opened at once.
The dancing was to the tune Of mo
quarter" For over three hours May
nard and his sixty men fought the pi-
rate and his fifty associates.
Blackboard sprang to the rail of his
ship, and seizing a bottle Of whisky,
drank from it and shouted: "Damna-
ton seize my soul If give you any
quarter or take any from you!"
| "I neither ask for nor will I grant
you any quarter" roared back May
nard.
In the shallow waters Of the Caro-
lima Sound the pirates ship ground
ed and Maynard made for her, in
tending to board her in the final
death grapple, but as the two vessels
came together Blackboard anticipat-
ed his intended movement and jump
ed aboard of her with sixteen Of his
followers. Maynard had but thirteen
men left by this time, but with these
he tackled the sixteen pirates and
their desperate leader.
Crossing swords with Blackboard,
Maynard succeeded in dealing him a
death thrust in the throat and in the
meantime his men, had killed or
wounded all of Blackbeard's followers.
With the sea robbers head swing
ing by its long black hair from the
bowsprit Of his little craft, Maynard
sailed back to Virginia to receive the
congratulations Of the governor and
the loving thanks Of all dwellers along
the American >seaboard.-New York
American.