11. Joining Piracy’s Big Names
Early in his piratical career, Black Sam Bellamy fell in with captain Benjamin Hornigold and his first mate Blackbeard of the Marianne. In 1716, Hornigold’s refusal to attack English ships led his crew to vote him out as captain, and kick him and Blackbeard off the ship. Bellamy, who had none of Hornigold’s compunctions about preying on English vessels, was elected captain in his stead.
Black Sam’s biggest haul was the Whydah Gally, which he overtook on its maiden voyage after a three day chase, and captured it with a rich haul of gold, ivory, indigo, and other high value goods. Upgrading the Whydah Gally with extra cannon and turning it into his flagship, Bellamy then fell upon the shipping lanes to the Carolinas and New England, and feasted.