Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates“This is the most authoritative and highly literate account of these pernicious people that I have ever read.”—Patrick O'Brian “[A] wonderfully entertaining history of pirates and piracy . . . a rip-roaring read . . . fascinating and unexpected.”—Men's Journal This rollicking account of the golden age of piracy is packed with vivid history and high seas adventure. David Cordingly, an acclaimed expert on pirates, reveals the spellbinding truth behind the legends of Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Sir Francis Drake, the fierce female brigands Mary Read and Anne Bonny, and others who rode and robbed upon the world's most dangerous waters. Here, in thrilling detail, are the weapons they used, the ships they sailed, and the ways they fought—and were defeated. Under the Black Flag also charts the paths of fictional pirates such as Captain Hook and Long John Silver. The definitive resource on the subject, this book is as captivating as it is supremely entertaining. Praise for Under the Black Flag “[A] lively history . . . If you've ever been seduced by the myth of the cutlass-wielding pirate, consider David Cordingly's Under the Black Flag.”—USA Today, “Best Bets” “Engagingly told . . . a tale of the power of imaginative literature to re-create the past.”—Los Angeles Times “Entirely engaging and informative . . . a witty and spirited book.”—The Washington Post Book World “Plenty of thrills and adventure to satisfy any reader.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer |
Contents
Wooden Legs and Parrots | 3 |
Plundering the Treasure Ports | 26 |
Sir Henry Morgan | 42 |
Women Pirates and Pirates Women | 56 |
Storms Shipwrecks and Life at Sea | 79 |
Into Action Under the Pirate Flag | 104 |
Torture Violence and Marooning | 125 |
Pirate Islands and Other Haunts | 141 |
Hunting Down the Pirates | 194 |
Trials Executions and Hanging in Chains | 223 |
The Romance of Piracy | 241 |
Appendix I | 245 |
Appendix II | 248 |
Appendix III | 250 |
Appendix IV | 253 |
Glossary of Sea Terms | 275 |
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Common terms and phrases
Admiralty Adventure anchor Anne Bonny armed ashore Bahamas Bartholomew Roberts Basil Ringrose Bay of Campeche black flag Blackbeard boats Boston British buccaneers Calico Jack Cape Captain Kidd captured Caribbean castle coast of Africa colonies commanded corsairs Court crew CSPC Dampier death deck Defoe Drake drinking eighteenth century England execution Exquemelin film fire fleet forced French Galley gold Governor guns hanged harbor headed Henry Hispaniola HMS Pearl HMS Swallow Ibid Jamaica John Johnson Johnson's General History Kidd's London looted Lord Madagascar Mary Read mast Maynard merchant ship Morgan naval Panama pieces of eight piracy pirate attacks pirate captain pirate ship pirate sloop pistols plunder Port Royal Portobello prisoners privateers Rackam raids Rediker reported rigged Royal Fortune Royal Navy sailed schooner seamen sent ship's silver slaves South Stevenson story taken took town trade Treasure Island trial vessel voyage warship West Indies Whydah William women Woodes Rogers