Blackbeard! For two years, until his untimely death in 1718, the notorious pirate wrecked havoc on Atlantic coastal shipping. Many tales have been told about the bold deeds of this tall and wild sea rover, but few know about a daring crime that linked Blackbeard with the highest levels of government, a crime that would send two colonies to war and foreshadow the American Revolution. In her page-turning narrative based on a true story, Margaret Hoffman spins a tale of political intrigue, villainy, and romance. Her infamous pirate emerges as a man of considerable charm and gallantry who not only becomes the confidante of the governor of North Carolina, but also wins the heart of a beautiful, young heiress. Legends and myths about Blackbeard continue three centuries after his death, but the true story is the most incredible of all. With the recent discovery of Blackbeard's sunken ship,"Queen Anne's Revenge," this book is sure to become as much a treasure as that ill-fated but much sought after shipwreck.
Chapter Three: Treachery at Topsail Inlet
The seaman had barely returned to his former position when the leadsman shouted, "Captain, she's by the mark two! Headed straight for the bar, she is! She'll run aground!"
Before Blackbeard could answer, there was a crash and the sound of wood rending. The sailors barely had time to scurry down the ratlines before the main mast had broken and all the stays parted.
All hell broke loose on the ship.
To make matters worse, Major Bonnet let forth such an earsplitting shiek, it almost shattered Blackbeard's eardrums. Then Major Bonnet waved his arms frantically and wailed in dismay, "By God in heaven, we're sinking!"
"Foundering," Blackbeard corrected.
Technical language was the least of Major Bonnet's worries at the moment. In utter agony, the distraught Bonnet cried. "We're doomed!"
Blackbeard smiled in amusement at Major Bonnet. Such a lack of bravery was indeed rare in a man.
Then, averting his attention to more important matters, Blackbeard placed his speaking trumpet to his lips and, in the voice of an experienced and concerned sea captain, called to Israel Hands, "We've run aground. Warp her out. Throw a line now and double-quick!"
On cue, Hands who had been waiting for such a call, threw his lines of his own ship across to the Queen Anne's Revenge. But his efforts were to no avail. In a moment there was another crack from the Adventure. She, too, was now stuck in the sand. As the moment occasioned, Hands' face took on an extreme expression of bewilderment.
Major Bonnet ran back and forth across the deck, waving his arms in mid-air and staring wide-eyed at the Adventure. This was all too much for him. He had been rendered totally speechless.
Assured now that Major Bonnet had suffered enough trauma for one day, Blackbeard calmly patted Bonnet's shoulder. He assumed a contrived look of sorrow and utter hopelessness. "Now if this ain't a fine mess, eh, me hearty?" he asked Bonnet.
Bonnet, whose power of speech still had not been fully restored, could only nod in agreement.
"Aye, we're in a bad way," Blackbeard said. "Shipwrecked and the king's navy dead on our tails. It's a dirty piece of luck, it is. Aye, Blackbeard the pirate has no luck, not I." Blackbeard paused, sniffing sadly to himself....
"Yes," Blackbeard continued, "I reckon we'll have to take the pardon which comes hard, you see, for an old sea dog like me."
Take the pardon, questioned Bonnet to himself?
Blackbeard waited for a moment.
Finally, Bonnet's face broke into a broad smile.
Obviously Major Bonnet had had his fill or pirarcy. In fact, there was nothing he would have liked better at this moment than to take the pardon. "Aye," Major Bonnet said, his speech now fully restored....
Blackbeard smiled as he watched the litte man disappear down the hatch to collect his belongings. Indeed, thought Blackbeard, his plan had been executed with amazing cunning. He watched as Major Bonnet, waving, doffed his hat and departed.
It was easy enough to transfer all the goods to the Adventure. The transference took little more than an hour to complete. Nevertheless, there was time enough for some of the crew to guess what their captain was up to. Huddling together in a group and eyeing Blackbeard, they came to the obvious conclusion he was about to rob poor Major Bonnet. Those that were going to share in this loot thought it necesary to take things into their own hands. One swarthy pirate stepped forward and proclaimed, "Captin, the crew's gotten wind of your plan and a villainous plan it is -- your wanting to nail what is another's loot"...
"You'll pay for this," Blackbeard shouted. "So you're outs with your grievances, are you? But I'm still your captain. And you'll do what I say until the time comes when another takes my place." Then he immediately ordered a small boat to be dropped over the side.
"Into the dory!" Teach shouted. "All of your miserable sea dogs."
Eyes already moist with tears, lips trembling, the men looked at their captain in fear.
"Straightaway!" Blackbeard yelled.
The men scrambled into the boat and it was lowered into the water.
"But Captain," pleaded one of the men, looking at the only land, "that island's a maroon island, to be sure. If ever there was an island to perish on, that's one. Without bird not beast nor herb for sustenance." He broke into tears.
"Then perish ye will!" Captain Teach said, heedless of the man's pleas.
And in a grand finale, he cut the ropes to the boat.
"Get the ship underway," Teach shouted to the others, as the rising tide loosened the Adventure from the sand bar. Unlike the Queen Anne's Revenge, she was undamaged. "Stand by to loose the topsails."
Two days later, in blissful ignorance of his fate, Major Bonnet returned to find twenty-five marooned men on an island and his ship, the Revenge, robbed of all its loot. Vowing to search the seven seas to take his revenge on his adversary, careful not to get his feet wet as he stepped onto the deck of the Revenge, Major Stede Bonnet gathered up his men to sail the North American coast.
