HKB
MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CREW
The Major was a Gentleman of Fortune and Distinction in the Island of Barbadoes, who before his Piracy bore the character of a worthy honest man, and no-body could ever account for this his undertaking, for he wanted neither learning nor understanding. He fitted out a Sloop with ten guns and sixty men, which he named the Revenge, at his own expence, and sailed from Barbadoes for the Cape of Virginia, where he took the Anne from Glasgow, the Turbet from Barbadoes, the Endeavour from Bristol, the Young from Leith, and many others. From thence he went to New York, and there took a Sloop, and then stood in at Gardiner's Island where he bought provisions, and went off. August, 1717, he came off at the Bar of South Carolina, and took a Sloop and Brigantine, which they plundered, and then he dismissed the Brigantine, but took the Sloop with him to an Inlet in North-Carolina, where he careened, and set her on fire.
Afterwards he put to sea, but could not agree with the men what course to take; for the Major being no sailor, was obliged to submit to many things his men imposed upon him, when falling in with Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard, who was a good sailor, but a hardened villain, Bonnet's Crew joined with him, and put Bonnet aboard Blackbeard's Ship.
But Blackbeard losing his Ship at Topsail Inlet, surrendered to the King's Proclamation; when Bonnet re-assumed the command of his own Sloop, and sailed directly for Bath Town in North-Carolina, where he also surrenders himself, and receives a certificate. There getting a clearance for his Sloop, he pretended to sail for the Island of St. Thomas, to get the Emperor's Commission to go a-Privateering upon the Spaniards. But returning to Topsail Inlet, he found that Blackbeard and his gang were gone, with their effects; and that they had set on shore, on a small sandy island about a league from the continent, seventeen men, without any provisions, or vessel to escape. There they had been two nights and one day without any sustenance, when, to their inexpressible joy, they saw Major Bonnet, who had been informed of their being there by two of Blackbeard's crew, who had escaped to avoid his cruelty.
Then he steered his course towards Virginia, where meeting with a Pink having Provisions on board, and they being in want, he took out of her ten barrels of pork, and five hundredweight of bread, and gave her, in exchange, ten casks of Rice, and an old cable.
Two days after they took a Sloop of sixty tons, from which they took two hogsheads of rum, and two of molasses, and then put in her eight men, to take care of the Prize; but they not liking her new acquaintance took the first opportunity to get off with her.