Pyrates and chests are almost synonymous. Almost.
There are some fairly well-known pyrate chests, and those are the ones I’ve been plunderin’ lately. Namely, the mysterious chest of Billy Bones of Treasure Island fame; Blackbeard’s medicine chest adventure in Charles Towne; the infamous chest of Captain William Kidd; and the chest of Captain Thomas Tew.
Today’s plunder is Blackbeard’s 400 lb Medicine Chest! Get your grog and let’s set sail!
Blackbeard most likely had his own personal sea chest sequestered somewhere in his captain’s cabin on board his flag ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, but that’s not what we’re plunderin’ today, mateys. Today, we take a closer look at the infamous chest that Blackbeard (allegedly) acquired as a ransom for his blockade of Charles Towne in 1718.
If you’ve been out to sea for a spell, you might need reminding that one of the most famous acts of piracy was Blackbeard’s blockade of Charles Towne harbor in May 1718. Blackbeard and his mini armada of pirate ships entered the harbor of Charles Towne and brought the colonial port to a complete standstill for a week. Did Blackbeard have a grudge against Charles Towne? Don’t think so. Did he just want to set be pyrate king of Charles Towne harbor? Probably not. So, what did he want? The very strong rumour (that most have accepted as “fact”) is that Blackbeard demanded ONE thing from Charles Towne: Medicine.
The tale goes that, (after some pretty serious threats), Blackbeard was given a chest that held 400 lbs. of medicine. Aye, 400 lbs. Mates, that’s A LOT of medicine! To give you some comparison, here are a few things that weigh 400 lbs:
A Bengal tiger, a Kawasaki Ninja crotch rocket, a male adult gorilla, and a grand piano.
Other accounts of the ransom simply describe a “chest” or “medicine chest”. Medicine chests certainly existed and were kept on board sailing ships; of course, one would probably need a physician to properly utilize a medicine chest and its contents, aye?
When Blackbeard captured the French ship, La Concorde, (that he re-named Queen Anne’s Revenge), he “…let most of the French crew go, but forced the ship’s three surgeons to stay.” It is likely that at least some, (and maybe all three), of the captured French surgeons were with Blackbeard when he blockaded Charles Towne harbor.
The risk of blockading an important port city for days, knowing that the arrival of pyrate hunters was inevitable, was enormous. Blackbeard was flirting with the low end of a noose in a very large way. So, to take a death-defying risk for medicinal supplies, someone must have been really, really ill. In fact, probably more than one crew member was sick with something quite nasty.
Fast forward to 2015, in the shipwreck of Queen Anne’s Revenge,marine archaeologists found some (rather frightening) surgical instruments. Experts think that the tools belonged to one, or more, of Blackbeard’s captured French physicians.
Among the discovered surgical instruments, a urethral syringe that was used to treat syphilis. Physicians used the syringe to inject mercury into the urethra of the infected individual. OW!!
Other surgical instruments found: A clyster pump – used for medical enemas:
A porringer – used for bloodletting:
Also found (so far):
- A cast brass mortar and pestle and two sets of nesting weights – used in preparing medicine
- The remains of galley pots – used to store balms, salves and other potions
- A silver needle and scissors – used in surgeries
- Two pairs of brass set screws – used for tourniquets, (limited bleeding during amputations)
Simply put, surgical instruments that are certain to invoke nightmares! Yeesh!
Anyhow…that’s some heavy plunderin’.
So, here we go with the pyrate chest plunderin’ checklist:
Chest: (Allegedly) Obtained as the ransom for Blackbeard’s blockade of Charles Towne, May 1718
Chest Type: Either a large chest of 400 lbs of medicine OR a proper medicine chest
Real or fiction: Real
Chest contents: Allegedly, simply (A LOT of) medicine
Whereabouts of chest: Probably somewhere near Ocracoke, North Carolina; maybe even still in the wreck of Queen Anne’s Revenge (Blackbeard’s flagship)
Okay, good work, mateys! Time for RUM!
Next time: Captain William Kidd’s Infamous Treasure Chest(s)
Virginia Chandler 