Burning the pirated pieces of eight
Chapter 12. The Atlantic Coast and its Caribbean pirates
Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
While having lunch, the proprietor proudly provided us with an elaborate and detailed account of his family’s history. His name was Johann Bonn and he claimed to be a descendant of the infamous pirate woman Anne Bonne.
Among the many tall tales he narrated he explained how the Corn Islands and the Bay Islands, offshore from Honduras, were the pirate bases during the XVII and XVIII centuries. The pirates would attack the Spanish frigates on their way to Europe or to Colombia. Knowing they would be attacked, the Spaniards sent the ships in groups, realizing that even if a few were boarded by pirates the rest could escape and sail on. Grandfather than added his own bit of knowledge:
“Sure they would load them with riches. Beforehand they knew that they would lose a vessel or two to the pirates, but that was alright; just a calculated risk, you have to understand. But in the end, the crafty Spanish also knew the loot would find its way back. Once the pirates had plundered the ships, they would head to the nearby Honduran port of Tela. There they would celebrate drinking with the local women, you see? Since Tela was part of the Spaniard colonies, the goods did come back to the Crown!”
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