The First Natural Scientist Was A Pirate Obsessed With Coconuts

And he was OBSESSED with coconuts.
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At the shoreline of a West African island, a pirate lies concealed amongst the shrubbery, excitedly watching the waters. Most pirates would have kept an eye out for ships to rob, but William Dampier was observing a flock of flamingos, for the first time in his life. He writes feverishly in his journal, a description that modern ornithologists would fawn over. Then he goes on to describe their excellent taste. Like any pirate would, Dampier shot one of the bird, and had it roasted over a campfire.
This shows the two sides of Dampier. One was a bold adventurer, eager to earn his fortune from stealing Spanish gold. The other was an explorer, the first Englishman to describe guacamole, the effects of marijuana, and the first naturalist to visit all five continents. This is not only the tale of a notorious pirate, but one of the world's most prominent natural scientists and explorers.
Sources:
A New Voyage Around The World - William Dampier
Two Voyages to Campechy - William Dampier
A Pirate of Exquisite Mind - Diana and Michael Preston
A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America - Lionel Wafer
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Early Life
4:24 Buccaneer
7:44 First Circumnavigation
12:31 Natural Scientist
18:06 Privateer Career
22:13 Conclusion
22:59 Outro
#history #pirates #dampier #williamdampier #biographies