Treasure Wreck: The Fortunes And Fate of the Pirate Ship Whydah [Paperback]

Arthur T., II Vanderbilt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2007

When the pirate ship Whydah went down in a violent storm just off the coast of Massachusetts in 1717, she took a huge treasury of stolen gold and jewels with her. Pieces of eight have continued to wash ashore since that ill-fated voyage, luring treasure seekers and undersea salvage experts. Here is the story of this plunder, of the pirates who amassed this horde during one legendary year upon the Spanish Main, and the tragedy of their loss upon the shoals of Cape Cod. It is updated to cover salvage efforts still underway in the Whydah's deep-sea grave. Had it not been for the love of Maria Hallett, whose spirit is still said to stalk the coast, Captain Samuel "Black" Bellamy might not have risked the Whydah's return through those threatening shoals, so close to the "hanging port" of Boston. This book traces the story of those who survived the wreck only to be imprisoned and then assailed by the soul-saving Reverend Cotton Mather. This is a true adventure of the high seas; a story inextricably melded with legend of the Cape Cod coast.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Whydah, heavily loaded with booty from a year's worth of piracy, sank very close to the shore of Cape Cod in a storm in 1717. What had brought the ship to that area is not certain, but it may have been the love of Captain Samuel "Black" Bellamy for Maria Hallett, a local beauty by whom he had already fathered a child. In any event, that is the legend. The existence of the wreck was known, but it was not until 1984 that it was found by Barry Clifford. The tale of the discovery as related here is not particularly exciting. What is exceptionally well done, however, is Vanderbilt's re-creation of early 18th century Cape Cod, the lives of pirates, the capture of the Whydah's survivors and their ordeals in Boston, not the least of which was incessant haranguing by Rev. Cotton Mather. Illustrations.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Treasure Wreck is, at once, superb and disappointing. There are eight chapters on the history of the pirate ship Whydah but only one on the trea sure hunt, archaeological excavation, legal battles, and exciting personalities that surround the Whydah today. The buccaneer spirit pervades the writing, which is lively and literate, complete with romantic musings on pirates and adventurers. We get only a glimpse, however, of Barry Clifford, the mod ern adventurer whose quest for pirate gold and history led to the Whydah 's rediscovery 270 years after it sank beneath the waves off the Massachu setts coast. A more thorough look at the questions, challenges, and op portunities that this 18th-century wreck presents today would have been valuable. Jay R. Kaufman, Mass achusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium, Cambridge
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 171 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing; 2 Rev Exp edition (July 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764327399
• ISBN-13: 978-0764327391
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Studying Pirates is the Life for Me!!!, August 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Treasure Wreck: The Fortunes and Fate of the Pirate Ship Whydah (Hardcover)

I find this book well-written and exciting and interesting, but alas, TOO SHORT! The author gives background information about "Black Sam" Bellamy who was not nearly as notorious as many other pirates. His name survived 300 years of history, because his ship, The Whydah, broke up in a fog off the Cape Cod coast. And in 1984 the sunken ship was discovered by the former high school teacher, Barry Clifford. The book is about the expedition to bring to the surface artifacts for scientists to study to find out more about pirates. I think now is a good time to publish another book about those scientific findings. Now that Blackbeard's ship is being excavated off the North Carolina coast, scientists are finding out more. How about a book on both of these ships? A children's book I read this summer has photos of some of the artifacts found on Blackbeard's ship. It also has a lot of facts about the pirates of the Atlantic and Caribbean. The name of the book is The Diary of a Slave Girl, Ruby Jo. She sees Blackbeard and his 4 shiploads of pirates hold Charles Town hostage in 1718. That book is a fun read for both kids and adults.