Captain Napin

Captain Napin (died 1718, first name unknown, last name occasionally Napping) was a pirate active in the Caribbean and off the American east coast. He is best known for sailing alongside Benjamin Hornigold.

History

Little is recorded of Napin's early life. In April 1717 he was sailing alongside Benjamin Hornigold.

Nathaniel Brooker of the snow Restoration reported being attacked in August 1717 by Napin and Thomas Nichols while sailing from London to Boston (Hornigold was not present). The pirates released Restoration after looting it of everything from provisions and trade goods to kettles and frying pans. Brooker described Napin's jolly roger flag: he "had in his flag a death’s head and an hourglass." Napin and his 12-gun, 100-man sloop but Napin never arrived to accept the pardon. A later report arrived stating that "It seems one of them [the Spanish ships] by Diego Philippe carried out Napping who was taken with Capt. Bowling and put him ashore on St. Andrews Island, sending him off with his gunner and two negroes arm'd, and one of the three then shot Napping, the fire of the pistol being plainly seen by many of the sloop's company." Governor Woodes Rogers confirmed his death, noting that "Napping was murder'd, for his skull is brought hither and his bones buri'd by the Englishmen yt.[that] was left on Andrew's Island."