20. Mary Read, Pirate (1690 � 1721)
Raised as a boy by her mother in England, Read joined the British military at a young
age. On a trip to the West Indies, the ship she was traveling on was captured by pirates, and Read decided that a pirate�s life was
for her. When she later joined a new crew, a female pirate by the name of Anne Bonny took a liking to her. In a scene straight out
of a movie, Bonny attempted to seduce Read, only to discover that she, too, was a female pirate. The two became lifelong companions.
After being captured in 1720, Read and Bonny became the only two women to ever be convicted of piracy.
One story tells of Read winning
a duel by ripping her shirt open, and then taking advantage of her opponent�s surprise to defeat him.
