"Why did men go a-pirating, or 'on the account' as the pirates called it? The sailors said it was few ships and many men, hard work and small pay, long voyages, bad food and cruel commanders." — IntroductionWhatever their reasons, large numbers of pirates plied the waters off the coast of New England on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, plundering merchant vessels and often inflicting grievous injuries on captains, passengers, and crews.Now the grim saga of these maritime marauders comes to life in the pages of this meticulously researched study. Drawing on detailed information from documents in state archives, admiralty records, printed reports of trials, articles from contemporary newspapers and other sources, these accounts recall the infamous exploits of a murderous band of brigands: the notorious William Kidd; George Lowther, who captured 33 vessels in 17 months; Charles Harris, who was hanged at Newport with 25 of his crew; John Phillips, who became a pirate and died a gentleman; John Quelch and his crew, who were hanged at Boston and their gold distributed; as well as the sinister doings of Ned Low, Thomas Tew, Samuel Bellamy, William Fly, and others.Enhanced with nearly 50 contemporary engravings and rare maps, this exciting narrative will fascinate maritime history buffs and any lover of thrilling real-life adventure on the high seas.
