Trying to Reason With the Hurricane Season

[Mission]

I'm reading the book Daily Life of Pirates by David F. Marley and I came across this statement:

"Captain Stede Bonnet's boatswain Ignatius Pell, for instance, confessed to the South Carolina authorities in 1718 that the crew of the pirate sloop Revenge had chosen to linger for a month and a half in the Cape Fear River estuary, because they had wished to wait out the hurricane season before returning toward Saint Thomas in the distant Virgin Islands." (Marley, p. 79)

This makes perfectly good sense, although Marley doesn't cite the source where he found that pearl of knowledge. It has been repeated on several websites including a blog where the author quotes one part of Pell's testimony which contains nothing whatsoever to back this idea up! (Of course, the blogger indicates he quoted Pell's entire testimony, so he clearly didn't read the entire transcript of the trial.)

So I found the transcript of the trial - all 70 pages of it - and read it. I found nothing whatsoever to back this up. Pell testified multiple times, but he never mentioned the reason they were holed up at Cape Fear.

I thought maybe it came from the General History, but all it has to say on the matter is (1st edition),

"The last Day of July, our Rovers with the Vessels last taken, left Delaware Bay, and sailed to Cape Fear River, where they staid too long for their Safety, for the Pyrate Sloop which they now new named the Royal James, proved very leaky, so that

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they were obliged to remain here almost two Months, to refit and repair their Vessel: They took in this River a small Shallop, which they ripped up to mend the Sloop, and retarded the further Prosecution of their Voyage, as before mentioned, till the News came to Carolina, of a Pyrate Sloop's being there to carreen with her Prizes." (Johnson, 1st ed., pl 96-7)

Does anyone know where the idea that Bonnet was hanging out in South Carolina to wait out the hurricane season came from? Is there another document where Pell was conversing with the South Carolina authorities?

[Brit.Privateer]

That's strange, I had not heard this reason before. I always thought they stayed in the Cape Fear area to careen and repair vessels. I will have to look around later to see if I can find anything on this.

One other note (besides Cape Fear is in North Carolina, so he was not hanging out in South Carolina), I noticed this in terms of when hurricane season begins and ends for southeastern North Carolina:
http://www.myreporter.com/?p=1125
I can testify to this, I was living in North Carolina in late August 2011 and that's when we got hit by a small hurricane. While habitation of North Carolina at the point Stede Bonnet was there hadn't been terribly long, it's possible locals could have learned this and informed Bonnet's crew. With that information, I would have thought Bonnet would run south - but I suspect he stayed to repair and careen, if not hope for something else happening where he could get out of that way of life.

Edited February 13, 2014 by Brit.Privateer

[Mission]

I did find period evidence for careening in Johnson as quoted in the first post.

Mea culpa. South Carolina is where I read that the trial took place, so that's where I got that from.

[Brit.Privateer]

Sorry, I've seen people harped upon here in North Carolina for confusing places for being in South Carolina. Habit I guess. Doesn't help the two states also share a few place names in common (for instance, there are towns named Greenville in both North and South Carolina).

[Red John]

. . . and then there is Beaufort, NC, and Beaufort, SC . . . which no one here ever confuses because they are pronounced radically different . . . so no worries, Mate . . . all good!

. . . but I still can't quite forgive the author that said Stede Bonnet was apprehended after a running fight at Cape Fear . . . SC!!! . . . really? c'mon dude . . . there's only one! . . . and the fact it was not in SC was very significant, esp. a few months later when Edward had his bad day there at Ocracoke, NC, at the hands of men out of Virginia . . .

Thanks for all your contributions, Brit Privateer! and if you ever make it over, first round's on me mate . . . Aye!

[Red John]

One post script: the author I mentioned about the Cape Fear error is not a regular contributor to this Pub. He's written several lovely illustrated books published by Osprey and similar folks, for the most part very enjoyable. I forget exactly which book had the error, but I think it was a general history of piracy. The error may also be in an original source, but I don't believe so.

Mission, thanks for all your excellent work and your contributions to our Pub, too!

[Mission]

Actually, the SC mistake was mine, not Marley's. So that's on me. Bonnet's trial took place in Charleston, South Carolina, just as Marley says it did.

Note that I am not saying he is wrong, I am just wondering if there isn't another source out there. I wanted to use this quote in a piece I'm writing. I was looking for the original, period quote but I can't find it. Marley's research seems pretty good on the whole.

[LookingGlass]

I have studied many primary and secondary sources regarding Stede Bonnet during his weeks in the Cape Fear River and I have never seen a reference that mentions them waiting out storms. If the author quoted Pell using the phrase "hurricane season," that alone ought to cast doubt on the statement. "Hurricane," derived from the Taino "huracan"by the Spanish, was not part of the English vernacular that described tropical cyclones in 1718. Furthermore, if Bonnet had wanted to wait out the late-summer and fall storm season, there were many better places to be than the coast of either Carolinas.

Actually, you are not entirely incorrect about South Carolina. In 1718, the border between the two colonies of Carolina was generally accepted to be the Cape Fear River. So, since Bonnet was anchored near the watering hole known today as Bonnet's Creek, he could have been considered to be in SC. The battle of the sandbars against Col. Rhett and his Charlestonians took place down river, probably not far from the shoal upon which a Bald Head Island ferry ran hard aground on last December. The ferry's name was "Adventure." http://www.wral.com/bald-head-ferry-runs-aground-passengers-hurt/13224387/ (As Mark Twain once said, "History doesn't repeat itself but it does rhyme").

North Carolina was at odds over its borders with South Carolina and Virginia for a long time. The border with South Carolina is still being adjusted. See New York Times: Untangling a Border Could Leave a Mess for Some. And this more recent story: http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9423588

[Mission]

Very interesting!

When I read through the court transcript, I was looking for any reference that may have been made to weather, but I found none there.

When did the term hurricane become part of the English? It comes up repeatedly in period books, although a case could be made that it was not used in 1718. Some of these books report on a time before 1718, but they were actually published after that time. So the term could have been added. I do my best to explain the publishing dates where it is relevant.

Still, Jean-Baptiste Labat specifically mentions hurricane season in his book published in 1722. (Although it should be noted that this is an English translation of the original French manuscript.)

"The Bourgeois or owner of our barque employed a few carpenters and sawyers at St. Lucia, and had come there to bring these men provisions and stores, and ship all the lumber they had cut….

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I found a sufficient store there of wild pig boucanne and pigeon to realize that one need not die of hunger, so I sent for my hammock, and some biscuits, wine and brandy, and resolved to spend the night in the woods with our people [on St. Lucia]. As it was the hurricane season they worked hard till it was late at night, getting their lumber to the beach and putting it on board." (Labat, p. 140-1)

The term itself comes up repeatedly.

"[1694] And the same time proved a hurricane at the island of Barbados, which was lost several ships, it proving a dreadful storm all over the West Indies." (Edward Barlow, Barlow’s Journal of his Life at Sea in King’s Ships, East and West Indiamen & Other Merchantman From 1659 to 1703, p. 449)

Note that Barlow's book was not published until 1935. It is not clear how much editing of the original material took place.

Hamilton's account British sea-captain Alexander Hamilton's A new account of the East Indies, 17th-18th century talks about a hurricane (which probably should more properly called a Monsoon today, given its location). Again, while the events are from period, but the book was published long afterwards, so a case could be made that the term was added, although the text suggests that it was not: (Hamilton was writing his account in the 1730s, though.)

"In Anno 1703 I was bound from Surat to Amoy {Xiamen], and off the Maccao Islands, in the Month of August, I met with a severe Hurricane. We had visible Signs of an approaching Storm before it came, the air was in great Agitation by much Lightning continually flashing, but no Thunder nor Rain. We prepared for its coming from Noon to Sunset, making every Thing in the Ship fast, our Yards lowered as low as conveniently they could be, and our Sails made fast with Coils of small Ropes, besides their usual furling Lines. At Nine in the Night it laid our Ship’s Gunnel under Water, and I wisht our Main-mast had been away, which about Ten was effected, and it carried our Mizzen-mast along with it. On its going over board our Ship came to Rights a little, and her lee Gunnel was clear of the Water, but much Water getting down at the Hatches, we had five Foot Water in the Ship, and no Possibility of getting it out by pumping, for our Main-mast breaking in the Parteners of the Upper Deck, disabled both our Pumps. About Midnight we had cleared the Ship of the Main and Mizzen-masts, but cutting the Rigging that kept them fast to the Ship. By this time the Wind had shifted from North-east to South-east, and had rather increased than aswaged, and those two Winds had put the Sea in two violent Motions, however, we got our Ship before the Wind, but broaching too brought her Head almost to the Sea, which met her so

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Violently, that it broke quite over the Ship, carrying away our Fore-mast and Boltsprit, two Anchors from the lee Bough, three great Guns of twenty two Hundred each, with our Pinnace and Yole. We soon cleared ourselves of the Anchors, by cutting the Cables, and, before Day, we were quite of our Fore-mast and Boltsprit. About Eight in the Morning the Storm abated, but between seventy and eighty bruised and wounded, who were carefully drest by our Surgeons, and all recovered." (Hamilton, p. 485-6)

And the General History itself mentions them in both books:

"[Low] They now steered for the Leeward Islands, but in their Voyage met with such a Hurricane of Wind, that the like had not been known, the Sea ran Mountains high, and seemed to threaten them every Moment with Destruction, it was no Time now to look out for Plunder, but to save themselves, if possible, from perishing. All Hands were continually employed Night, and Day, on Board the Brigantine, and all little enough, for the Waves went over her, so that they were forced to keep the pump constantly going, besides baling

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with Buckets; but finding themselves not able to keep her free, and feeing the utmost Danger before their Eyes, they turn'd to the Table, and hoisted out their Provisions, and other heavy Goods, and threw them over-board, with six Of the Guns, so that by lightening the Vessel, she might rife to the Top of the Sea with the Waves : They were also going to cut away their Mast, but considering how dangerous it would be, to be left in such a Condition, they resolved to delay it to the last, which was Prudence in them to do, for a Ship without Masts or Sails, lies like a Log upon the Water, and if attack'd, must fight with Disadvantage, the working of her being the most artful Part of the Engagement, because she may sometimes bring all her great Guns on one Side, to bear upon her Enemy, when the disabled Ship can do little or nothing." (Johnson, The General History of the Pyrates, 3^rd Edition, p. 370-1)

"[Halsey] In a short time after came on a hurricane, which obliged the Neptune to cut away all her masts, and lost the three ships belonging to the pirates, which was their whole fleet." (Johnson, The History of the Pirates, p. 102)

“[North] From this coast they made for Madagascar, and near the island of Mascarenhas lost all their masts in a hurricane. They put up jury masts, came to St. Mary's and new masted.” (Johnson, History of the Pirates, p. 194)

Sea-surgeon John Atkins blames them for causing health problems:

"Of 50 Sails in this Harbour [in Port Royal, Jamaica], only 4 Men-of-War and 2 Merchant-Ships rid it out, but with all their Masts and Booms blown away. All the Men we left at Gun Kay were washed off and perished, except one Indian that drove into Harbour upon a broken Gallows that had been there erected. Wrecks, and drowned Men were every where seen along shore; general Complaints of Loss at Land (least at St. Jago) which made it a melancholy Scene, and to finish the Misfortune, the Slackness of the Sea-Breezes, Calms and Lightning, stagnating Waters, Broods of Insects thence, and a Shock or two of Earthquake that succeeded to the Hurricane, combined to spread a baneful Influence, and brought on a contagious Distemper, fatal for some Months through the Island." (John Atkins, The Navy Surgeon, p. 241)

So it sounds as if the term were around at least by the 1720s and quite possibly before that.

[Brit.Privateer]

I was about to say, the Oxford English Dictionary says the term hurricane in the English language has plenty of use all the way back to the mid sixteenth century.

Also, interesting you list Alexander Hamilton's A New Account of the East Indies - we don't know much about the author besides what he wrote in that book. Scholars haven't found much value in his work because his descriptions and depictions of places and events in India and Asia are shown to be pretty mixed up or inaccurate. It seems that Hamilton wasn't the best person for writing about such things. I do wonder how good his nautical descriptions are though.

[Mission]

Yeah, we raked Hamilton over the coals in another thread I started a few years ago. But he did use the word hurricane, so I threw him in there.

(BTW, Hamilton was probably actually Daniel Defoe writing under a pseudonym. I'm sure JRR Moore said that was so. )

[Brit.Privateer]

Either it was Defoe or a really screwed up Scotsman.

[Fox]

I think it's been established fairly well that Defoe was actually the only person who could write in the early 18th century.

[Mission]

The man must never have left his desk. It's amazing that he had time to gather material for his next book/pamphlet..

[Brit.Privateer]

I think it's been established fairly well that Defoe was actually the only person who could write in the early 18th century.

I actually say that at times when aggrivated with authorship of General History of Pyracy discussions, but I spin it as "Apparently, Defoe wrote everything in England from 1700-1730, unless Johnathan Swift wrote it."

[Fox]

Jonathan Swift was actually Defoe disguised as a woman.

[Brit.Privateer]

Jonathan Swift was actually Defoe disguised as a woman.

Oh, so like Jane Austen then? Blackadder revealed that:

Edmund: Yes, I gave myself a female pseudonym. Everybody's doing it these days: Mrs. Ratcliffe, Jane Austen--

Baldric: What, Jane Austen's a man?

Edmund: Of course -- a huge Yorkshireman with a beard like a rhododendron bush.

Baldric: Oh, quite a small one, then?

Edmund: Well, compared to Dorothy Wordsworth's, certainly. James Boswell is the only real woman writing at the moment, and that's just because she wants to get inside Johnson's britches.