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A
Popular Clan legend is that of the Pirates
of Fugmore Bay and its great Colossus.
The location of Fugmore Bay is not known.
Some researchers claim that it was a small
island in the Atlantic Ocean just off the
trading routes. Others that it was in
the Mediterranean Sea. The only primary
source material on the pirate colony is from
the Confession of
Myrth MacThoi, who lived in the colony
from about 1715-1735 before sailing home to
England. Upon her return, she was
arrested and delivered to Newgate Prison
where her confession was heard.
From her description, we find that the
island itself was actually a caldera of a
large volcano which collapsed in on itself,
forming a harbor and pleasing island
populated with flora and fauna.
Unfortunately, her story does not give a
specific location for the haven. The shallow
harbor entrance admitted only pirating
vessels and not the heavy warships employed
by the imperial navies. The caldera
walls were ribbed with defensive guns and
herds of sheep to distract attackers.
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The capstone of the
isle's defenses was its great Colossus. Described by Myrth
as "a figger of a man an
eighth of a mile in height, loafeing on his back as the MacThoy men
are wont."
It was below the
Colossus' knees that ships passed into the harbor. She notes
that one could clearly see the Colossus'
"pride
greeting all comers with the boldest of salootes."
Sailors aboard her ship added that during sieges Colossus'
"pride" lowered thus blocking entrance.
Fugmore Bay was a
financial success for the Clan until after 1718 when the arrival
of Governor Woodes Rogers at Nassau signaled the end of what would
become known as the Golden Age of Piracy. In 1726, it was
finally forced to close its gates to Nev'r-do-wells.
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