Undetermined day, May 1718
- Charleston, South Carolina -
Learn & Lather!
In May 1718, the harbor of Charles Town (now Charleston), South Carolina, was blockaded by Blackbeard the pirate. Several ships were seized during the blockade as well as an unknown number of hostages whose lives were ransomed for a chest of medicine. When the chest was delivered, Blackbeard released the hostages and sailed to North Carolina.
My plan to insert myself among ...
...the pirates worked better than I thought, and I was soon shoulder to shoulder with two of them. Ten or fifteen minutes later, however, I found myself swimming in the Cooper River. I was disappointed that I did not have the chance to meet—or see—Captain Blackbeard, but I will return and try again. (Remember to wear an inflatable life vest under clothing if collecting near water. The current was strong in the Cooper River and I would have drowned had I not been close to shore.)
Key (borrowed) – A bottle of camphor retrieved from the bank of the Cooper River following the blockade.
Arrivals – Mid-morning. I covered Mr. Franklin before our departure to this place as I did not know if my arrival would be on land or in the river. Fortunately, we arrived on land. There was much excitement in the town and a crowd of people had gathered on, and around, the docks.
Scent/s – To my great surprise, the scent that emanated from the pirates’ clothing was not foul. Instead, their smell, which seemed to exude a mix of spices, rum, and coconut, recalled a warm Caribbean Island. [ Custom coated fabric (SX2) collected the scent in 8 minutes 3 seconds (conditions: cold, wet, and windy). ]
Image from Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division -https://www.loc.gov/item/2004626926/