Black Sam Bellamy was the son of a poor tenant farmer in Devon, England. By the age of 12 he had left home in search of adventure and glory. After serving in the Royal Navy as a teenager, Bellamy left for North America. Landing in Cape Cod, Bellamy met and started a relationship with the young Maria Hallett, whose parents did not approve of the penniless sailor.
Looking to improve his social status and wealth, Bellamy went looking for treasure. Soon enough, he was commanding his own fleet of pirates. The capture of the Whydah Gally provided him an immense treasure, and he and his crew headed for home. Just 500 feet from the shore of Cape Cod, the Whydah Gally was wrecked during a vicious Nor’easter. The vast riches aboard the Whydah were lost for almost 300 years.
This is the story of Samuel Bellamy, the Whydah Gally, and the discovery of its treasure.
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Sources
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