The Pirates' Who's Who Part 24

HILL, CORPORAL JOHN.

In charge of the guard at Fort Royal, Falmouth, Maine, which all deserted one night, and went to sea with the pirate Captain Pound. Killed at Tarpaulin Cove in 1689.

HILLIARD, JOHN.

Was "chief man" of the company of Captain Bartholomew Sharp on his "dangerous voyage" to the South Seas. Died on January 2nd, 1681, of dropsy; buried at sea with the usual buccaneers' honours.

HINCHER, DR. JOHN.

Of Edinburgh University.

Tried for piracy in July, 1723, at Newport, Rhode Island, but acquitted.

This young doctor, his age was only 22, was taken off a prize by Captain Low against his will, to act as ship's surgeon with the pirates.

HIND, ISRAEL, or HYNDE.

Of Bristol.

One of Captain Roberts's crew. Hanged at Cape Coast Castle in 1722, at the age of 30.

HINGSON, JOHN.

One of Wafer's party left behind and lost in the forest when Dampier crossed the Isthmus of Darien on foot in 1681.

HITCHENS, ROBERT.

A Devonshire man, born in the year 1515.

Took to piracy early in life. Sailed with the pirate Captain Heidon, and was wrecked on Alderney in the year 1564. Arrested and tried for piracy, and was hanged in chains at low-water mark at St. Martin's Point, Guernsey, in 1564, at the age of 50.

HOLDING, ANTHONY.

One of John Quelch's crew of the brigantine _Charles_. Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.

HOLFORD, CAPTAIN. Buccaneer.

Of Jamaica.

An old friend of the notorious pirate Vane. In 1718 he happened to arrive in his ship at a small uninhabited island in the Bay of Honduras to find Vane on sh.o.r.e and dest.i.tute. Vane thought he would be saved by Holford, but the latter was quite frank in refusing, saying: "I shan't trust you aboard my ship unless I carry you a prisoner, for I shall have you caballing with my men, knock me on the head, and run away with my ship a-pyrating." It was owing to Holford that Vane was eventually taken a prisoner to Jamaica and there hanged.

HOLLAND, CAPTAIN RICHARD.

An Irishman.

Commanded a Spanish pirate vessel in the West Indies in 1724. The crew consisted of sixty Spaniards, eighteen French, and eighteen English sailors. Holland had originally belonged to the Royal Navy, but deserted from the _Suffolk_ at Naples, and took shelter in a convent in that city.

In August, 1724, Holland's ship took as prizes the _John and Mary_, the _Prudent Hannah of Boston_, and the _Dolphin_, of Topsham, all on their way to Virginia. From out of the _John and Mary_ he took thirty-six men slaves, some gold dust, the captain's clothes, four great guns and small arms, and 400 gallons of rum.

HOPKINS, MR. Buccaneer and apothecary.

First lieutenant to Captain Dover (a doctor of physic) on board the _d.u.c.h.ess_ privateer, of Bristol. Mr. Hopkins was an apothecary by profession, not a sailor, but being a kinsman to the captain, no doubt was given promotion. He sailed from Bristol on August 2nd, 1708.

h.o.r.e, CAPTAIN.

About 1650 h.o.r.e turned from a privateer into a pirate, and was very active and successful in taking prizes between New York and Newport, occasionally sailing to Madagascar to waylay ships of the East India Company.

HORNIGOLD, CAPTAIN BENJAMIN.

Commanded a sloop in 1716 and cruised off the Guinea coast with Teach, taking a big French Guinea ship. He then sailed to the Bahama Islands, where, in 1718, Woodes Rogers had just arrived with the offer of a pardon to all pirates who surrendered themselves. Teach went off again "on the account," but Hornigold surrendered. Shortly afterwards Hornigold was wrecked on a reef and drowned.

HOW, THOMAS.

A native of Barnstaple in Devon.

One of Captain Bartholomew Roberts's crew. Condemned to death for piracy, but reprieved and sold to the Royal African Company to work on their plantations for seven years.

HOWARD, THOMAS.

Born in London, the son of a Thames lighterman. Sailing to Jamaica, he deserted his ship and, with some companions of a like mind, stole a canoe and set off to the Grand Cayman Islands, and there met with some 200 buccaneers and pirates. Joining with these, they took several vessels, lastly a well-armed Spanish ship. In her they cruised off the coast of Virginia, taking a large New England brigantine, of which Howard was appointed quartermaster. Their next prize was a fine Virginian galley, twenty-four guns, crowded with convicts being transplanted to America.

These pa.s.sengers were only too willing to join the pirates.

Next, they sailed away to Guinea, where they took numerous prizes. Here they were attacked by a big Portuguese ship of thirty-six guns, which they defeated. Having by now got together a well appointed pirate fleet, they sailed round the Cape of Good Hope to Madagascar, the happy home of the South Sea pirates. Their ship, the _Alexander_, was wrecked and lost on a reef, and Howard, together with the English and Dutch members of the crew, seized the treasure, and drove off the Portuguese and Spanish sailors and also the captain, and got to sh.o.r.e in a boat. They then broke up their ship, and lived for a while by fishing and hunting. On one of these hunting parties, the men ran away and left Howard behind.

Howard was found by the King of Anquala, who took care of him until he was picked up by a ship. Later on, Howard became captain of a fine vessel, the _Prosperous_, thirty-six guns, which he and some other pirates had seized at Madagascar. In her, Howard went cruising, eventually in company with Captain Bowen, attacking a Moorish fleet off St. John's Island. Howard followed the Moorish ships up a river, and, after a fierce fight, seized the largest and richest prize, a ship containing upward of a million dollars worth of goods. Howard, having now made a considerable fortune, retired from the piratical life and went to India, and there married a native woman and settled down. Howard, who was a morose, sour kind of man, ill-treated his wife, and he was at length murdered by some of her relations.

HUGGIT, THOMAS.

Of London.

Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in July, 1723. Age 30.

HULL, CAPTAIN EDWARD.

Commanded the _Swallow_ "frigott" in which he sailed from Boston in 1653, and captured several French and Dutch ships. He afterwards sold his vessels and went with his share of the plunder to England, where he settled down.