During the 17th and 18th centuries (known as the Golden Age of Piracy), there were many places that pirates liked to go when they wanted a vacation or a hideout. In the Caribbean, a favorite spot was the Bahamas. On the other side of the world was a tropical island known as Sainte-Marie, near Madagascar (another pirate haven). Although the island was only two miles wide by twenty-six miles long, it was considered a paradise for pirates. First and foremost, it was near a main sailing route for merchant ships returning from the East Indies. Also, food was abundant, including exotic fruits, chickens, pigs, zebu, and turtles. This was good news for pirates who had been at sea living on rations of stew and hardtack. Even better, booze was abundant. The islanders concocted a potent cocktail called toke that was made from fermented honey, sugar, and fruit juice. Pirates loved the sweet drink and the pretty Malagasy women that were of African, Arab, European, and Indonesian descent who served them.
But perhaps what made Sainte-Marie, called St. Mary’s Island by the English, most appealing was the security. Pirates were in a safe haven here, thanks to the coral reef that surrounded much of the island (see image. The reef kept pirates safe from surprise attacks. Furthermore, a fort had been built by pirates and was always well-manned and well-equipped. There is evidence that there were as many as forty or fifty guns in its arsenal. One clever pirate named Baldridge built a settlement on the southern end of the island. It came to be known as Pirate Village. The island became a trading post for Indian Ocean pirates. Eventually, Baldridge was killed by the natives for selling many of the islanders into slavery. He was replaced as the “White Chief” by Edward Welch.
Welch had to start over given that the natives burned all the structures to the ground after killing Baldridge. Welch built a bigger and better fortress. Next, he constructed a warehouse (to store all the goods being traded), a large tavern, and homes for the pirate families. Ships returned to the island to buy and sell goods, which included fine European clothing and sewing accessories, rum, weapons, pipes, salt, ale, and much more. Among the many pirates who frequented the island over the years were Robert Culliford, Thomas Tew, Henry Avery, and Captain William Kidd. Kidd hid out here for quite a while before finally heading home to face the many charges the Crown had waged against him, including counts of treason and piracy.
Today, the island is a popular place for diving due to the coral reef and numerous pirate shipwrecks. When it was no longer seaworthy, Captain Kidd was forced to sink his flagship, Adventure Galley, before leaving the island in a stolen ship.
PIRATE CEMETERY ON SAINTE-MARIE ISLAND