A General History of the Pirates · Chapter
Of Captain Spriggs, and His Crew explained
This chapter details the exploits of Captain Spriggs and his pirate crew, including their cruel treatment of prisoners, such as forcing Captain Hawkins to eat candles and marooning him on an uninhabited island.
What happens
This chapter details the exploits of Captain Spriggs and his pirate crew, including their cruel treatment of prisoners, such as forcing Captain Hawkins to eat candles and marooning him on an uninhabited island. It also recounts their pursuit of Captain Solgard, their capture of various vessels, and their brutal games with horses on deck. The chapter concludes with the story of Mr. Rowry, whose crew mutinied and attempted piracy but were thwarted when Rowry escaped and sought help from the Portuguese governor of St. Thomas.
Themes in this chapter
Violence, Brutality, and Moral Depravity
The chapter vividly describes extreme cruelty, including forcing a prisoner to eat candles, whipping, and marooning, highlighting the pirates' moral depravity.
Corruption of Colonial Governance
The Portuguese governor's refusal to surrender the pirates, possibly for personal gain, illustrates the corruption within colonial administrations that enabled piracy.
Characters to notice
- Spriggs
Captain Spriggs leads the pirate crew, orchestrating cruel punishments and seeking revenge on Captain Solgard.
- Hawkins
Captain Hawkins is captured, forced to eat candles, and marooned on Roatán island by Spriggs' crew.
- Peter Solgard
Captain Solgard is the target of Spriggs' vengeance for attacking and capturing Charles Harris.
- Rowry
Mr. Rowry is the master of a Bristol brigantine whose crew mutinies; he escapes and reports to the governor of St. Thomas.
- Charles Harris
Charles Harris was the consort of Spriggs and Low, captured by Captain Solgard.
Key passages
“they unanimously agreed to make a bonfire of Hawkins’ ship, which was immediately done, and in half an hour she was all of a blaze.”
The pirates decided to burn Hawkins' ship, and within half an hour it was completely engulfed in flames.
Demonstrates the pirates' wanton destruction and lack of regard for property.
“the pirates mounted the horses and rid them about the deck backwards and forwards a full gallop, like madmen at New Market, cursing, swearing, and hallowing, at such a rate, that made the poor creatures wild”
The pirates rode the horses at full gallop around the deck, shouting and cursing wildly, which terrified the animals.
Illustrates the pirates' cruel and chaotic behavior for entertainment.
“they hoisted the men as high as the main and foretops, and let them run down amain, enough to break all the bones in their skins”
They raised the prisoners up to the tops of the masts and then let them fall rapidly, risking severe injury.
Shows the extreme physical torture inflicted on captives.