Contrary to popular views, "Devil Dog" Flint, the thoroughly dangerous pirate, ran a highly disciplined ship and had little patience with either the failings or the fears of his crew.
One man aboard Flint's ship had only been with him a few weeks and now was in the midst of his first voyage across the open sea. A storm had been brewing all day and at last a howling gale was upon them, so that the ship slid down the incline of tremendous waves, riding the crest for agonizing moments, and then pitched down again in a stomach-churning descent.
The new man, hanging on for dear life, happened to gasp within the captain's hearing,
"How far are we from land?"
The captain turned to face him, glared, and replied, "Only four or five miles."
For a few seconds the man felt relief, but then remembered that they were three days at sea.
"Four or five miles," he cried, "what direction?"
"Straight down," snarled Flint.