Of Captain Bellamy

AS we cannot, with any certainty, deduce this man from his origin, we shall begin where we find him first a declared enemy to Mankind, Capt. Bellamy and Paul Williams, in two sloops, had been upon a Spanish wreck, ¹ and not finding their expectation answered, as has been mentioned in former parts of this history, they resolved not to lose their labour, and agreed to go upon the account, a term among the Pirates which speaks their profession. The first who had the misfortune to fall in their way, was Captain Prince, bound from Jamaica to London, in a galley built at that port, whose cargo consisted of elephants teeth, gold dust, and other rich merchandise. This prise not only enriched, but strengthened them; they immediately mounted this galley with 28 guns, and put aboard 150 hands of different nations. Bellamy was declared Captain, and the vessel had her old name continued, which was Whidaw. This happened about the latter end of February, 1717. They, now thus fitted for the continuing of their desperate resolution, shaped their course for Virginia, which coast they very much infested, taking several vessels. They were upon shifting this station, when they were very near, as the Psalmist expresses it, going quick down into hell, for the heavens beginning to lower prognosticated a storm. At the first appearance of the sky being likely to be overcast, Bellamy took in all his small sails, and Williams double reefed his main sail, which was hardly done when a thunder shower overtook them with such violence, that the Whidaw was very near over-setting. They immediately put before the wind, for they had no other way of working, having only the goose wings of the foresail to scud with. Happy for them the wind was at west and by north, for had it been easterly, they must have infallibly perished upon the coast. The storm increased towards the night, and not only put them by all sail but obliged the Whidaw to bring her yards a-port, and all they could do with tackles to the goose neck of the tiller, four men in the gun room, and two at the wheel, was to keep her head to the sea, for had she once broached to, they must infallibly have foundered. The heavens, in the meanwhile, were covered with sheets of lightning, which the sea, by the agitation of the saline particles, seemed to imitate. The darkness of the night was such, as the Scripture says, as might be felt. The terrible hollow roaring of the winds could be only equalled by the repeated, I may say incessant, claps of thunder, sufficient to strike a dread of the Supreme Being who commands the sea and the winds, one would imagine, in every heart. But among these wretches the effect was different, for they endeavoured by their blasphemies, oaths and horrid imprecations, to drown the uproar of jarring elements. Bellamy swore he was sorry he could not run out his guns to return the salute, meaning the thunder, that he fancied the Gods had got drunk over their tipple, and were gone together by the ears.