Today, me hearties, I shall pass on te ye a few tidbits and tales o' the greatest
real pirate what e'er sailed the seas - Capt. Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard.
English born, Teach begun his career aboard privateers sailin' from Jamaica and distinguished hisself fer his boldness and courage, but were n'er raised te any position o' command until such time as he went piratin'. He were aboard the ship o' the pirate Capt. Hornigold and were given' by him a prize (fer that were what pirates called their captured ships) they had taken along their journeys. The two separated ways a while after and Teach fitted out his ship with some 40 cannon and renamed her "Queen Ann's Revenge". It were in that ship that he came te be known as the most fearsome pirate upon the waters and took in his way a great many prizes, plunderin' 'em fer whate'er they had o' value and takin' a few te sail in consort with his own ship.
That bit o' history said, I shall not dwell upon Teach's many ventures a-piratin', fer they be too plentiful te mention here. Rather, I shall give ye some facts and stories what may give ye a view o' the nature o' the man.
The black beard, what gave Teach his more common name, were o' great length and breadth. He wore it often tied in braids with colored ribbons in it. Aye, and when in action upon some hapless ship and boardin' her, he would place slow-burnin' fuses beneath his hat and light 'em aflame - the smoke what would billow from 'em givin' him a demon-like appearance what would scare the willy's out o' most o' his victims. Add te that, he were dressed all in black and most would think it were death itself comin' fer 'em!
His humors upon ship ran in odd ways, friends. Now, boredom must o' ran powerful strong upon most journeys, fer Teach once (with a bit o' drink in him) called a few o' his men te come with him and "let us make a Hell of our own and try how long we can bear it". So, the lot o' 'em went below-decks into the Hold and shut up all the hatches and such. Thar they filled a bunch o' pots full o' Brimstone and such and set it aflame. Thar they sat, the smoke and smell fillin' their lungs and near suffocatin' 'em, 'till one o' the men could stand no more and begged fer air. Aye, Teach let 'em out o' the Hold, then strut about, proud te have held out longest!
Upon a no'er occasion, Teach were drinkin' in his Quarters with a few o'er men o' the crew and while they be sittin' thar, he quietly draws out two o' his pistol beneath the table. One o' the fellows saw it happenin' and excused hisself out o' the room, but left the o'ers behind. When his pistols be ready, Teach blew out the candle, crossed his hands, and shot his guns at the men. One shot did no harm, but the o'er shot hit one o' his men thro the knee and left it lamed fer life. When the men rightly asked why he'd done such a thing, he answered that if he did not from time te time kill one o' 'em, they may ferget who he be!
Near his death, Teach took hisself a young wife in North Carolina - she were reported te be his 14th!! Aye and at that time, thar were a good 12 o' 'em still livin' all about the places he'd travelled. Aye, and upon their weddin' night, he were kind enough te share her with a few o' his crew. Generous he be, eh?
And with that, friends, we shall skip te the end o' Teach's days. He were stayin' a bit in his ship's hideout upon Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, when two sloops were sent out by the Governor te seek the pirate and bring him te justice. Aye, and find him they did. Upon the morn o' November 22, 1718, the ship o' Teach and the two sloops set te battle. In the course o' events, the Captain o' one o' the sloops, sent most o' his men below-decks te make it appear te Teach that he were damaged and lost most o' his men by the battle. Thinkin' he were about te win, Teach and his men boarded the sloop and set te take down the last o' the sailors upon her. Just then, the sloops Captain called the rest o' his men upon deck and they come out with pistols and cutlasses at the ready. Teach and his men were numbered about even with the sloop's crew and fought fiercly fer their very lives. Teach hisself were given nigh on 25 wounds durin' the fight. Teach nearly had the sloop's Captain beat when he managed te break his cutlass off at the hilt, but one o' the sloop's men came at Teach with his cutlass and gave him a nasty wound upon his neck. Teach congratulated the man on a fine job o' fightin', but the man thot it not quite good enough and commenced te give him yet another strike, cuttin' Teach's head full off. It were rumored that when Teach's body were thrown o'erboard, it swam three times around the sloop before sinkin'! Aye, and Teach's head were hung from the sloop's bowsprit as she sailed back te her harbor, as proof o' the death o' the most fearsome pirate what e'er lived and struck fear upon the seas.
And now, mateys, if ye should be interested in a modern bit o' the history o' Teach, ye should look here:
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/qar/ fer they be dredgin' up the remains o' the Queen Ann's Revenge what ran aground upon Ocracoke Island some five months b'fore Teach's death. A bit o' an interestin' project it be.
And so, that brings us te the end o' our pirate fact fer today. Remember, me hearties, this November 22, te keep Edward Teach/Blackbeard in yer thots upon the 285th anniversary o' his death. All us pirates owe him a great debt o' gratitude fer given us tales o' his exploits te thrill by!
Hey!! It doesn't even sound like you missed me!!!
Hope everyone is great!! 
, he says hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see that we have more members!!!!
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haha here i am...but i really wont be back on...
