The coast off of the North African Ottoman provinces of Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco in 1803 was as dangerous a place as anywhere on earth. It was known as the Barbary Coast and was a very lucrative business for Pirates. Capturing merchant ships and enslaving or ransoming their crews provided the rulers of these nations with wealth and naval power.
Although the majority of pirates in history have been men, there were a handful of women who were active in the Golden Age of Piracy. Some women had been pirate captains and some commanded entire pirate fleets. There was only one that operated a ship with a crew entirely made up of women, a ship that was very different from all others.
A woman named Abigail was the vicious and sadistic captain of the schooner Fastidious. She was the daughter of an American captain of a whaling ship and was raised in the seaport village of Sag Harbor, New York. Her mother was physically abusive and her father was always out to sea. Before her twelfth birthday, she ran away from home to work on a merchant brigantine, known as a brig. She cut her hair, dressed in boys' clothes, and took a job as a cabin boy. She was known as Abe.
She did well in her job. Always ambitious, and on her own time she observed everything and learned how to run a ship. She was on her way to earning a position as a midshipman. One problem though; she was a female. By the time she was fourteen, her body was changing. It was difficult to hide her sprouting breasts. At fifteen she was menstruating. Puberty was in high gear and she was starting to become attracted to some of the men on the ship.
Her emotions were held in check though. She knew it was for her own safety. If the crew ever found out that their Cabin Boy was a budding woman and she would have, at the very least, been thrown off the ship. At worst, they would have used her for their manly urges.
Those urges were never spoken of in 1803. Abigail, now an eighteen-year-old woman was having a case of raging hormones. While onboard the ship she would see the men. Some would be naked; she became fascinated with their penises. Due to the lack of women on the ship, she witnessed many of the crew masturbating and occasionally some of the men would pleasure one another. She would find a place to hide and touch herself. She discovered how to satisfy her own needs.
Abigail was working in the mess, preparing the evening meal. The sky was clear and the seas were exceptionally calm. The ship took a hard turn to port and she could hear the commotion from up above. She felt the ship shudder and was knocked off her feet. Then there was an eerie calm as the ship seemed to be dead in the water. She left the galley to go topside to see what was happening. Just as she came into daylight, she saw it.
A large black Skull and Crossbones flag of a pirate raider was flying high in the sky right next to her vessel. A ragtag bunch of thieves was boarding the merchant ship and rounding up the crew. There was nowhere to run. As her crewmates were gathered on the deck, they were made to give up any possessions and weapons on board. They were also told to strip off their clothes, known as slops.
When the pirates ordered Abigail to remove her clothes she refused. One of the pirates hit her. Another pulled a sword out and threatened to behead her if she didn’t obey. She had no choice. In front of her captain, crew, and the band of marauders, she removed her slops. Everyone on deck fell silent. The cabin boy that they knew as Abe had soft skin, beautiful breasts, and a small patch of hair where a man’s phallus should be.
The pirates’ eyes lit up when they realized the prize they captured. The Sailing Master, the man in charge of the boarding bandits ordered the young damsel to be removed from the brig and shackled in the Captain’s quarters. He thought his Captain would enjoy this prize after he and his band of thieves finished pilfering the ship’s cargo.
Abigail waited for hours in the bowels of the pirate ship, scared, cold, and naked. Being alone gave her too much time to think. What was he going to do? Would he keep her as his own? She started to have fantasies. Although she was a virgin, being on a ship for so long with men, she knew what they were capable of.
Finally, the door to the cabin swung open and the Captain and Quartermaster entered. Abigail noticed that the Captain was young, only a few years older than she was.
He looked at the Quartermaster and yelled, “Get this child some breeches and a coat! We are thieves, not barbarians!”
The Quartermaster scurried quickly to find something to cover Abigail’s naked body. In a matter of minutes, he returned with a set of clothes for her to wear.
He removed the shackles and said, “My name is William Parker. You are on my schooner, the Black Monarch. What were you doing on that Brigantine young lady?”
She couldn’t believe it. This man, the Captain of a pirate ship was treating her kindly. His crew was plundering the brig while William Parker was pouring tea for the two of them as if they were courting. She was confused.
“Years ago, I ran away from home. I cut my hair and posed as a boy so I could work as a cabin boy on a merchant ship. I’ve been sailing the world and hiding the fact that I am a woman. Until today, no one never knew.”
Parker was fascinated. “You’re no longer a cabin boy. You understand, you are my property now. I could sell you as a slave in Tripoli. You would bring in a small fortune at auction.”
A shiver climbed her spine at the thought of being sold into slavery. “I know how a ship operates. I’ve acted as a cook, handled sails, stood watch, performed the task of a powder monkey, and even a gunner. I can sail with you.”
Looking her up and down as if she were livestock. “What do they call you?”
“They knew me as Abraham. My Christian name is Abigail.”
Captain Parker sat in silence, deep in thought. He moved to his desk and removed a piece of paper from a drawer. It was a document that all on the ship swore allegiance to, ‘The Pirate Code of Conduct’.
His eyes focused on one section in particular. He read out loud, “No woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man was to be found seducing any of the latter sex, and carried her to sea, disguised, he was to suffer death.”
Abigail stared at the floor. She knew his crew discovered her true identity. “I can serve you, act as your wench, provide you comfort, and attend to your needs. You would enjoy me, I’ve kept my virtue.”
She could see his mind at work, then he spoke. “I will give up my share of the spoils from this raid and keep you as my prize. The crew will be satisfied and not dare question my decision. You will do as I say and keep away from all aboard.”
Initially, a sense of contentment came over her. Then, she understood what her life was going to be like.
Her servitude started almost immediately. That day, Abigail lost her purity to her new master. Captain Parker took her by the hand and guided her to his bunk. The breeches and coat that he kindly provided just a short time ago were now being torn from her body. She stood naked before him. He was rough, pushing her down. He dropped his slops to the floor exposing himself. He was large.
Captain Parker thrust into her like a wild beast, grunting with each push. She closed her eyes tight. The pain was like nothing she imagined. He put his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. Then, in just minutes, it was over. The warm rush she felt was a combination of blood and his seed. Lying there, all she could think was ‘How could anyone like this?’
Abigail used bedsheets to clean herself with. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Parker exited the cabin, leaving her to second guess herself, wondering if she made the right choice. The tears stopped as she pulled up her breeches, and wrapped the coat around her body. She sat for a long while, her expression was blank. Eventually, her eyes closed and she fell fast asleep.
