The Age of Pirates | A Gold Chain Or A Wooden Leg | 1
American History Tellers
Audible
4.6 • 19K Ratings
🗓️ 12 October 2022
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
At the end of the 17th century, pirates stalked the coast of North America and the waters of the Caribbean, attacking merchant vessels from every nation. But they were more than just armed robbers of the high seas. They were also crucial figures in the growth of England’s American colonies, supplying them with vital goods that were often unavailable otherwise.
One of these early pirates, Captain Thomas Tew, hailed from the bustling port city of Newport, Rhode Island. Soon he would cruise halfway around the world to the Red Sea, lured by stories of riches beyond his wildest dreams.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, Prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music, |
| 0:05.6 | download the app today. |
| 0:09.6 | Imagine, it's just after dawn in 1692. |
| 0:22.0 | A high breeze stirs up white caps on the water. |
| 0:25.2 | Or first may to board the slupe amity, sailing with a crew of 60 men under Captain Thomas |
| 0:30.9 | 2. |
| 0:31.9 | You're both from the English colony of Rhode Island, but today, you're thousands of miles |
| 0:35.8 | from home in the Indian Ocean. |
| 0:38.4 | You were commissioned into service by an English colonial governor to hunt French ships, |
| 0:43.1 | but you've gone rogue and abandoned the terms of your commission. |
| 0:46.1 | Instead, you're hoping to get rich by raiding merchant vessels. |
| 0:50.7 | And it looks like you finally found one. |
| 0:53.2 | Captain 2 walks up to you as you study the approaching ship through your spyglass. |
| 0:57.0 | Well, she looks promising, Captain. |
| 0:59.5 | Flying Google Colors. |
| 1:01.1 | Clearly a merchant ship. |
| 1:02.8 | Let me see. |
| 1:04.6 | Captain 2 grabs your spyglass and squins through it. |
| 1:07.6 | His face breaks into a smile. |
| 1:09.3 | Oh, she's perfect. |
| 1:11.2 | Hacked with spices and fabric at that. |
| 1:13.9 | Enough riches that no one in our crew will have to work again. |
... |
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