Overview:
This book delves into the thrilling world of pirates and buccaneers, chronicling their rise, exploits, and eventual demise. From the notorious Captain Morgan’s ruthless attacks on Spanish settlements to the brief but spectacular career of Captain Avery, the book paints a vivid picture of the seafaring world of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The second half of the book then shifts focus to the fascinating history of Arctic exploration, starting with the early Norse voyages and culminating with the late 19th and early 20th century searches for the North Pole. The book highlights the incredible bravery and resilience of explorers facing treacherous ice, extreme cold, and unforgiving landscapes.
Key Findings:
- Pirates and buccaneers thrived in the Caribbean due to lax Spanish enforcement and the riches available.
- Leaders like Captain Morgan and Lolonois were notorious for their brutality and cruelty towards their victims.
- The search for the Northwest Passage fueled numerous expeditions, some of which ended in tragedy.
- The North Pole remained elusive despite the bravery of explorers like Parry, Nares, and Markham.
- The history of Arctic exploration is a story of human endurance and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.
Learning:
- Piracy: This text offers a glimpse into the complex world of pirates and buccaneers. It highlights the motivations, strategies, and ultimately the consequences of their actions. Learn how factors like political instability, greed, and opportunity fueled the growth of these rogue groups.
- Arctic Exploration: The reader will learn about the historical context of Arctic exploration and the motivations behind various expeditions, from the search for new trade routes to the quest for scientific discovery.
- Survival: Discover the incredible resilience of explorers facing extreme conditions, starvation, and the dangers of the Arctic environment.
Historical Context:
This text was written in the early 20th century. It provides a historical perspective on the era of piracy and buccaneering, a period when the world was still being explored and the lines between privateering and piracy were often blurred. The book also reflects a strong sense of national pride in British seafaring achievements and exploration.
Facts:
- First Pirate: The first pirate was likely a “hardy Norseman” who engaged in sea robbery.
- Origin of “Bucaneer”: The term “buccaneer” referred to French settlers of St. Domingo who hunted and dried wild cattle and fish.
- West Indies as Home: The West Indies provided ideal conditions for pirates with numerous uninhabited islands, harbors, and ample resources.
- Spanish Governors and Piracy: Impecunious Spanish governors, seeking to enrich themselves, granted commissions to vessels to seize ships, leading to widespread piracy.
- Henry Jennings’ Raid: Captain Henry Jennings and his men looted a Spanish galleon in 1716, sparking further piracy.
- Esquemeling’s Narrative: Joseph Esquemeling was a buccaneer who wrote a detailed account of the pirate world.
- “Baptism” Ceremony: A ceremony known as “baptism” was used by French and Dutch sailors when passing through dangerous waters.
- Wild Dogs of Tortuga: Wild dogs were introduced to the island of Tortuga by Spanish settlers to hunt down native Indians.
- Planter Cruelty: Planters in the Caribbean were notorious for their brutal treatment of slaves, both Europeans and indigenous people.
- Pierre le Grand: Pierre le Grand, or Peter the Great, was the first pirate of Tortuga and was famous for capturing a Spanish vessel with only 28 men.
- Tortuga as Pirate Base: The island of Tortuga quickly became a hub for pirates, with over 20 pirate ships operating out of the port.
- “No Prey, No Pay”: The pirates’ motto was “No prey, no pay”, meaning that only successful voyages resulted in payment.
- Pearl Fleet: The Spanish “Pearl Fleet” was targeted by pirates due to its rich haul of pearls.
- Roche Brasiliano: Roche Brasiliano, a Dutch pirate, became notorious for his brutality and excessive drinking.
- Lolonois’ Brutality: Francis Lolonois, a French pirate, was known for his cruelty and savage punishments.
- Maracaibo and Gibraltar: Lolonois plundered the cities of Maracaibo and Gibraltar, causing widespread fear and devastation.
- “Tobacco de Sacerdotes”: The tobacco grown in the area around Maracaibo was of high quality and known as “Tobacco de Sacerdotes” (Priests’ tobacco).
- Captain Morgan: Henry Morgan was a Welsh pirate who became one of the most successful and ruthless buccaneers.
- Mansvelt’s Fleet: Mansvelt, another pirate, assembled a fleet of 15 vessels manned by 500 men, before his untimely death.
- Puerto Bello: Morgan’s attack and sack of Puerto Bello in 1671 demonstrated his cunning and brutality.
- Panama: Morgan’s ultimately successful attack on Panama in 1671 resulted in the burning of the city.
- Captain Sawkins: Captain Sawkins, another pirate, attacked a Spanish fleet near Panama in 1680.
Statistics:
- Jennings’ Loot: Henry Jennings and his crew seized 350,000 pieces of silver from a Spanish galleon.
- Portuguez’s Capture: Bartholomew Portuguez captured a Spanish ship laden with 120,000 lbs. of cocoa nuts and 70,000 pieces of eight.
- Brasiliano’s Spoils: Roche Brasiliano acquired a haul of pearls worth 100,000 pieces of eight after capturing a Spanish ship.
- Davis’s Pillage: John Davis and his crew stole jewels and coins worth 10,000 pounds from Nicaragua.
- Lolonois’s Fleet: Francis Lolonois commanded a fleet of 8 vessels and 660 men.
- Maracaibo’s Wealth: The city of Maracaibo was inhabited by 3,000-4,000 people and had a lucrative trade in tobacco, hides, and cocoa nuts.
- Lolonois’s Maracaibo Raid: Lolonois’s sack of Maracaibo resulted in the pirates obtaining over a quarter million pieces of eight.
- Morgan’s Puerto Bello Loot: Morgan’s plunder from Puerto Bello amounted to a quarter million dollars.
- Morgan’s Maracaibo Ransom: The inhabitants of Maracaibo paid a ransom of 20,000 pieces of eight and 500 cows to Morgan.
- Morgan’s Panama Ransom: Morgan demanded and received a ransom of 100,000 pieces of eight for sparing Panama.
- Sawkins’s Panama Raid: Captain Sawkins and his crew captured a Spanish fleet near Panama, securing 51,000 pieces of eight.
- Kidd’s Shares: Captain Kidd received 40 shares of the loot from his piratical exploits, totaling 8,000 pounds.
- Avery’s Spoils: Captain Avery captured the Great Mogul’s ship, acquiring vast riches estimated to be worth over £200,000.
- Roberts’s Crew: Captain Roberts commanded a crew of 150 men.
- Roberts’s Loot: Roberts captured a Portuguese ship carrying 11,000 golden moidores.
- Misson’s Crew: Captain Misson commanded a crew of 150 men.
- Misson’s Prize: Misson’s largest prize was a Portuguese ship carrying 50 guns, netting over £200,000.
- Polaris Crew: The crew of the Polaris, Captain Hall’s ship, was rescued after being stranded on a floating ice floe for six months.
- Tegethoff Crew: The crew of the Tegethoff, an Austro-Hungarian expedition ship, spent two years beset in the ice.
- First Arctic Voyage by Ship: The Alert, under Captain Nares, reached 82° 24′ N., the highest latitude ever attained by a ship.
- Markham and Parr’s Latitude: Commander Markham and Lieutenant Parr reached 83° 20′ 26″ N., the highest latitude ever reached by land.
- Wrangell’s Journey: Wrangell traveled over 170 miles from land on dog sledges during his Arctic explorations.
- The Victory: Sir John Ross’s steamship, the Victory, was the first steam vessel employed in Arctic exploration.
Terms:
- Bucaneer: A French settler of St. Domingo who hunted wild cattle and fish, later often becoming a pirate.
- Keys: Low sandy islands in the Caribbean, often used as pirate hideouts.
- Galleons: Large, heavily armed ships used by Spain to transport treasure.
- Letter of Marque: A document issued by a government that authorizes a private person to attack enemy ships.
- Logwood: A type of wood used for dyeing, commonly traded in the Caribbean.
- Vice-Admiral: A naval officer who ranks below an admiral.
- Pedreros: Small mortar-pieces, commonly used by Spanish ships.
- “Brulot”: A fire-ship, designed to set enemy vessels ablaze.
- Kaiyack: A small, one-person canoe used by Arctic peoples.
- Oomiak: A larger, open boat used by Arctic peoples to transport people and goods.
- Teyma: A gesture of greeting and friendship used by the Esquimaux.
- “Tripe de Roche”: A lichen eaten by explorers in the Arctic for sustenance.
- “Young” Ice: Thin, new ice forming on the surface of the water, which can be difficult to navigate.
- Hummocks: Rounded hills or mounds of ice.
- Glaciers: Large masses of ice that move slowly over land.
- Icebergs: Large, floating masses of ice that break off from glaciers.
- Parahelia: Mock suns, an optical phenomenon that occurs in the Arctic.
- Sledges: Vehicles used for transport over snow and ice.
- Cairn: A pile of stones erected as a landmark or monument.
- Pemmican: A concentrated food made from dried meat and fat, used by explorers.
- “Goggles”: Eye protection used to prevent snow blindness.
- “Kamoogas”: Leather shoes worn with snowshoes.
Examples:
- Pierre le Grand’s Attack: Pierre le Grand attacked a Spanish vessel with only one boat and 28 men, capturing the ship and its cargo.
- Portuguez’s Escape: Portuguez escaped execution by stabbing his guard and swimming to shore with the help of wine jars.
- Brasiliano’s Brutality: Brasiliano was known to order men to be roasted alive on spits for not showing him hog yards to plunder.
- Lolonois’s Torture: Lolonois tortured prisoners with burning matches and other cruel methods to extract information about hidden treasure.
- Morgan’s Treachery: Morgan tricked a French pirate captain into dinner and then took him prisoner, using his ship and crew for his own purposes.
- Sawkins’s Naval Battle: Captain Sawkins and his men fought a valiant battle against a Spanish fleet, boarding and capturing their ships.
- Kidd’s Deception: Kidd used French flags and passes to deceive ships, later claiming that he was a privateer.
- Avery’s Greed: After capturing the Great Mogul’s ship, Avery seized the treasure and then abandoned his allies, making off with the largest portion for himself.
- Roberts’s Deception: Roberts used a false flag and a Portuguese prisoner to trick a ship into boarding and ultimately capture.
- Misson’s Code: Captain Misson, despite being a pirate, adopted a code of honor and humane treatment for his prisoners, sparing their lives and distributing captured goods among his crew.
Conclusion:
This book offers a fascinating and detailed account of the world of piracy and buccaneering in the 17th and 18th centuries, highlighting their incredible audacity, brutal tactics, and ultimately their downfall. It also chronicles the compelling history of Arctic exploration, emphasizing the incredible challenges, bravery, and ingenuity of those who dared to venture into the frozen north. The reader will gain insights into the motivations and complexities of these individuals, the dangers they faced, and the lasting impact of their discoveries on our understanding of the world.