Stephenson:Neal:Quicksilver:166:Teach (Neal Stephenson)

From the Quicksilver Metaweb.

Blackbeard is mostly known as a pirate along the North Carolina coast who was most active a few years later (circa 1717). But pirates were obviously quite mobile. Teach was not unknown in Boston and it's plausible to put him here in 1713.

Link

"... Teach soon began to increase his reputation once again by

creating his well-known Blackbeard persona. He knew that if he

looked frightening then ships might surrender to him sooner. He

let his hair grow and started a beard that would almost cover his

face. He twisted his long hair and beard in pigtails and he was

known to tie colored ribbons on the ends. During battle he put

lit slow burning hemp cord under his hat near his ears that would

smoke and envelop him in a cloud. To add to his menacing appearance

he also wore several pistols (as much as six) along with his knives and

cutlass at his waist. He himself created the name "Blackbeard" and

soon his frightful image was well known. While in battle the opposing

crew often surrendered at the mere sight of him in a rage, some even

called him the Devil-incarnate. Obviously Teach's Blackbeard persona

worked! The fear his new image created had the psycholigcal effect he

wanted. ..."

(http://tinpan.fortunecity.com/lennon/897/teach.html)

Blackbeard is known to have buried treasure on Gardiner's Island, in Eastern Long Island Sound, some 100 miles from Boston (or so). When captured, Blackbeard returned 24 casks of treasure to the Governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As recently as the US Civil War, a Captain John Merrill was seen with pieces of 8 he'd claimed were buried on Pilot Island (now Tavern Island) in Norwalk, CT.