The Long-Lost Secret Diary of the World's Worst Pirate Read online

  One of the locals pointed us in the direction of the governor’s mansion. We strode down a dusty street flanked by carpenters, blacksmiths, and churches.

  At the end of the street was a tall white building. We stepped up to the front door and knocked.

  A woman in a pale blue dress answered.

  “I’m here to see the governor,” I said.

  “He’s busy,” she said. “I could try and get you an appointment if you like.”

  “It’s urgent,” I said. I tried to think of a way to say the next part that wouldn’t make me sound crazy. “I think I might be his son.”

  “He has no son,” she said. “His son was lost at sea.”

  My heart leapt. Dad must have thought I’d been killed by the pirates when they took over our ship. This was going to be the best surprise ever for him.

  “No he wasn’t,” I said. “I wasn’t, I mean. It’s me!”

  The woman peered at me for a moment before wandering off into the dark hallway.

  I heard her opening another door and murmuring.

  A horrible thought struck me. What if the governor wasn’t my dad at all, but someone who’d actually lost their son at sea? I’d look like the worst practical joker of all time. And the governor of a town wasn’t a good person to get on the wrong side of.

  The woman was coming back. There was somebody with her.

  It was Dad. So that rickety old pirate ship had made it back to shore after all.

  Dad glanced at me and scowled.

  “Just as I thought,” he said. “Some street urchin trying his luck.”

  “No!” I shouted. “It’s me!” I ran my hands down my face, wiping away some of the dirt. Since dad had last seen me, I’d become coated with layers of grime, my hair had grown long and straggly, and my skin had reddened in the sun. It’s no wonder he didn’t recognize me.

  Dad stepped forward and placed his hands on my shoulders.

  “Thomas?” he asked. “Is that really you? I thought we’d lost you in the pirate attack.”

  “They kidnapped me,” I said. I heard George tutting behind me. “But I managed to fight my way to freedom. With the help of my friend George here.”

  I turned to look at George, who was scowling. I don’t think she was pleased with my white lie about the pirates taking me against my will. But I was hardly going to admit I’d chosen to become one. Dad would confine me to my room for ten years if he discovered that.

  Tuesday, April 18th

  Dad took me inside to meet Mom, who cried for about an hour. They were happy to pay the reward to the sailors, and they’d probably have forked out even more.

  So after all that time at sea, I’m now settling down in an actual house. And guess what? George is too. Mom and Dad were so impressed to hear how she’d saved my life, they offered to let her stay. She’s been given her own room down the corridor from mine.

  Even better, she’s going to get a proper dress tomorrow. I can’t wait to see her face when she finds out she’s going to become a civilized lady.

  Wednesday, April 19th

  A dressmaker called Frances came round this morning to measure George.

  George went bright red while Mom and Frances fussed around her and made her stand up straight. She didn’t look as overjoyed as I’d hoped, but I’m sure she’ll appreciate it when the dress is finished.

  Mom has already given her a pair of shoes, and she’s stomping up and down the corridor now to get used to them. It’s as weird for her to walk in heels as it was for me to walk on the swaying ship when we first set sail.

  Thursday, April 20th

  George joined us for dinner this evening. Our chef served fish, and George grabbed it with both hands as if we were still on the desert island.

  Mom showed her how to use her knife and fork. George still wolfed down the food too fast and rushed away without asking to be excused, but I’m sure she’ll become more civilized soon. One step at a time.

  Friday, April 21st

  I spent most of today showing George the books in Dad’s study. She can’t read or write yet, but she’s very curious and I think she’ll be a quick learner. I wish I had some of my old fairy tale books to help her. The only things we have here are the Bible and Dad’s law books, and they’re very difficult to read.

  George’s dress was finished this afternoon and she wore it to dinner. She sat down quietly and ate with cutlery while Dad talked about his business in the town. You’d never guess she’d spent her life running around in filthy clothes and no shoes until just a few days ago.

  Saturday, April 22nd

  I went down to the docks with George today to look at the ships. Tiny rowing boats and single-masted sloops were bobbing around the big merchant vessels.

  We spotted the boat that had rescued us from the desert island, and the crew waved at us.

  I told George I’d enjoyed my time at sea, but I was glad to be back on land again. Being a pirate was quite an experience, but I didn’t regret leaving that dangerous life behind.

  I went back to the house, but George said she wanted to stay and look at the docks a little longer.

  Sunday, April 23rd

  I was woken by footsteps in the hallway early this morning. I thought we might have robbers, but when I opened the door I saw a small figure creeping around.

  It was George, and she was back in her old clothes.

  She spotted me and dashed out the front door.

  I caught up with her on the street outside.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “But the crew of the merchant ship has agreed to take me on as a deck cleaner. We leave at dawn.”

  “You don’t need to scrub decks anymore,” I said. “We’re going to teach you to be civilized.”

  George sighed and looked down at her bare feet.

  “I could no more survive in a place like this than you could on a desert island,” she said. “I belong at sea.”

  “I was fine on the island,” I said. “I’d have got the hang of fishing eventually.”

  George skulked off down the road. I paced after her and offered to fetch her dress and shoes, but she said she wouldn’t need them.

  She said she hopes to end up on another pirate ship, and she still wants to captain one eventually. I thought getting captured by the navy and almost hanged would have put her off, but it’s only made her more determined. I really hope she doesn’t end up dancing the hempen jig somewhere. But she loves being a pirate so much she’s prepared to take the risk, and I couldn’t change her mind.

  I watched George board the ship as the first streaks of light were appearing in the sky. She waved as they set off, then turned to face the open sea.

  A History of Pirates

  Thomas’s diary was written in the early 18th century, at a time when piracy was rife in the Caribbean. This may have been the classic pirate era, but sea robbers have been around throughout history.

  There are records of pirates in ancient Greece. They would sail around the Aegean Sea, attacking trade ships and ports. As well as stealing valuable goods, they would take prisoners to sell as slaves.

  The Romans also suffered the same problem. Julius Caesar was kidnapped by pirates around 75 BC, but they released him for a ransom. He took his revenge by tracking them down and killing them. It was an early sign of the ruthless leader he was to become.

  Scandinavian seafarers attacked merchant ships and villages from the 8th century to the 11th century. They’re better known as Vikings, but they also were a type of pirate.

  In the Middle Ages, some countries began to use pirates to attack their enemies. They became known as privateers. King Henry III of England used them against the French in the 13th century, allowing some crews a “letter of marque” that gave them the right to plunder other ships.

  Privateers flourished when Spa
nish ships gathered treasure from the “New World” of North and South America from the 16th century. Sailors like Sir Francis Drake traveled to the Spanish Main to prey on them. The association of pirates and treasure stuck, even though most of them pursued much less exciting things, as Thomas found.

  King James I tried to call an end to privateering in 1603 by withdrawing all letters of marque, but many continued attacking ships anyway.

  Early on, Thomas meets Samuel, a pirate who escaped slavery. The Transatlantic Slave Trade was a dark period in world history that lasted from the 16th to the 19th century. During this time, between 10 million and 12 million Africans were captured, forced onto ships, and sold into slavery. Slave ships were overcrowded and unsanitary, and the treatment of enslaved people was brutal and inhumane.

  Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, pirates plundered merchant ships in the Caribbean. This is the era most people think of when they hear the word pirate today. However, as Thomas discovered, pirates were ruthless criminals with little in common with the jolly figures of legend.

  Many popular myths about pirates come from books such as Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, which featured Long John Silver. Further characters such as Captain Hook from Peter Pan and Captain Jack Sparrow from the film series Pirates of the Caribbean also have shaped our notions.

  Far removed from these fun adventure stories, piracy continues today. In areas such as East Asia, boats carrying valuable items often are attacked by robbers. Life for these modern pirates is dangerous and brutal, just as it has been for pirates in every age.

  How Do We Know About Pirates?

  A large amount of evidence from the classic era of piracy survives. There are journals written by people who sailed with them. There are countless maps, records, codes of conduct, and official documents such as the letters of marque issued by kings. Objects like compasses, telescopes, and weapons can teach us about this time, too.

  Much of our information about pirates in the 17th and 18th centuries comes from books that were published at the time. One of the most famous is called A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, which was published in 1724. It contained biographies of famous figures such as Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Anne Bonny.

  The book influenced authors like J.M. Barrie and Robert Louis Stevenson, and played a huge part in shaping our ideas about sea robbers. When studying a document like this, we have to work out which parts are true and which parts were exaggerated to make the stories more exciting.

  Timeline

  Around 500 BC

  Pirate attacks are common around the Greek islands during this time. Ships carrying precious cargoes of tin, silver, copper, and amber are targeted.

  67 BC

  When pirates steal Roman grain supplies, Pompey the Great wages war on them. Many are wiped out, but the problem doesn’t go away for long.

  AD 793

  Vikings destroy the abbey of Lindisfarne off the northeast coast of England. This often is seen as the start of the Viking era. The Norse seafarers would plunder ships and villages for the next three centuries.

  Around 1100

  Pirates from the Barbary Coast of Africa plunder trade vessels in the Mediterranean.

  1243

  King Henry III gives some sailors permission to target enemies in return for a share of the profits. This begins the era of the privateer, when pirates are authorized to attack certain ships.

  1492

  Christopher Columbus sails to the West Indies. Soon, Spanish ships are voyaging to the New World to grab treasure, and pirates are preying on them.

  1562

  The privateer John Hawkins captures three hundred African people to sell in the Caribbean. The slave trade is a profitable business, but the enslaved people suffer horrific cruelty. Some escape and end up on pirate ships.

  1603

  King James I tries to outlaw privateers, but many carry on pirate activity without his permission.

  1630s

  Criminals known as buccaneers are driven off the island of Hispaniola by the Spanish. They become pirates, looting merchant ships.

  1704

  Alexander Selkirk is stranded on a desert island off the coast of Chile. He manages to survive until he’s rescued over four years later. The idea of a castaway living on a desert island soon grabs the imagination of the public.

  1718

  The notorious pirate Edward “Blackbeard” Teach is defeated by the British navy at the Ocracoke Inlet, off the coast of North Carolina.

  1724

  The book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates is published. It stirs up interest in pirates and inspires many more books.

  1883

  Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is published. It has a massive influence on the way the public thinks about pirates.

  2009

  The cargo ship Maersk Alabama is hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. This event inspired the 2013 film Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi, which drew attention to piracy in the modern era.

  Pirate Hall of Fame

  Sea robbers have been around throughout history, but the most famous pirates come from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Here are the ocean-faring rogues whose names live on today.

  Sir Francis Drake (c.1540–1596)

  Sir Francis Drake was an English privateer who was permitted to attack Spanish ships by Queen Elizabeth I. He sailed around the world between 1577 and 1580, capturing a huge cargo of treasure along the way. He was knighted soon after his return.

  Henry Morgan (c.1635–1688)

  Henry Morgan was a Welsh seafarer who started out as a privateer. His crew captured Panama City in 1671, an amazing achievement for a gang of outlaws rather than an official army.

  Francois L’Olonnais (c.1635–c.1668)

  Francois L’Olonnais was a French pirate who forged a reputation for nastiness and struck fear into his enemies. According to 17th century author Alexander Exquemelin, L’Olonnais once cut out a victim’s heart and ate it in front of another prisoner.

  Edward Teach (1680–1718)

  Known as “Blackbeard,” Edward Teach made himself look frightening by tying ribbons into his beard and wearing a sling of pistols over his shoulder. He was even known to have twisted burning ropes into his hair. He is believed to have killed his own crew members just for fun.

  Bartholomew Roberts (c.1682–1722)

  Also known as “Black Bart,” Bartholomew Roberts was one of the most successful pirates of all. He captured hundreds of ships in the early 18th century. Unusually for a pirate, he didn’t drink, and he hated gambling and smoking. Roberts made his crews follow strict rules like turning off lights and candles at eight o’clock at night.

  Ned Low (c.1690–c.1724)

  A notoriously violent English pirate who had a reputation for torturing his victims. According to reports, he sliced off his enemies’ ears and noses and set fire to their hands and feet.

  Anne Bonny (c.1700–c.1782)

  Anne Bonny was a female seafarer who served on the ship of her boyfriend, Calico Jack. Also on the crew was another famous female pirate Mary Read. Biographies of both were included in the 1724 book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates.

  John Rackham (1682–1720)

  Better known as “Calico Jack,” John Rackham operated in the Caribbean in the early 18th century. His flag of a skull and two crossed swords is still commonly used as a symbol of piracy today. When Calico Jack’s ship was attacked by the British navy in 1720, he supposedly hid in the hold while his female crew members, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, went out to fight.

  Long John Silver

  Okay, he wasn’t real. But the villain of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island has done more
than any genuine person to fix our notions of pirates. He has a pet parrot who perches on his shoulder and repeats the words “Pieces of eight,” he uses phrases like “Shiver me timbers,” and he loves treasure. Pirate costumes in fancy dress shops are greatly influenced by film portrayals of this character.

  Glossary

  Bilge

  The bottom part of the inside of a ship. The water that collected here was removed by a pump or with a bucket.

  Bow

  The front of a ship.

  Buccaneer

  This name originally referred to pirates from the island of Hispaniola in the 17th century, but became a general term for pirates.

  Caltrops

  Metal spikes designed to always land with a spike facing up. They were used as weapons against barefooted pirates.

  Cat-O’-Nine-Tails A whip with nine strands on the end used to punish those who’d broken the rules.

  Corsair

  A name given to pirates from the Barbary Coast of North Africa who plundered ships in the Mediterranean.

  Cutlass

  A sword with a short, broad blade that was easy to wield in crowded battles.

  Dock

  A place on the coast where ships stop for cargo and passengers.

  Galley

  The kitchen of a ship. The word also can refer to a type of ship powered by rowers.

  Grog

  A mixture of rum and water drunk by sailors.

  Hardtack

  A cheap long-lasting type of biscuit that was popular on ships.

  Jolly Roger

  The name for a pirate’s flag. The most famous ones are the skull and crossbones and the skull and crossed swords, but in practice, every pirate had their own unique design.