Unusual, unlikely, and unprepared best describe Stede Bonnet who
was an educated, affluent and respected plantation owner, until
he decided to become a pirate. Major Bonnet, as he was known for
his affiliation with the island militia, was a wealthy sugar
plantation owner from a respected English family. He lived in
Bridgetown, in Barbados, where he mingled with the island's
elite. In 1717, in his middle age, he abruptly abandoned his
comfortable life for a career as a pirate. It was a career in
which he had no experience. His decision scandalized the polite
society of Barbados, and Bonnet's acquaintances thought him
emotionally disturbed. Others speculated he turned to piracy to
escape his nagging wife. Rather than stealing or capturing a
ship, Bonnet bought one, something unheard of for a pirate. The
ship had a single gun deck with 10 pieces of artillery, and
Bonnet named it "The Revenge." Bonnet recruited his gang from
local taverns, organizing a band of about 70 men. Rather than
drawing up a contract for t