The identity of Captain Charles Johnson has long been a mystery. Suspected as a pseudonym for Daniel Defoe, or even as a pirate himself, neither has ever been confirmed. His books are the prime source of information on the great age of piracy and road adventurers and have inspired numerous plays, books and films including Treasure Island, Peter Pan and Pirates of the Caribbean. Sam Willis is an award-winning historian and broadcaster whose work includes the three-part BBC documentary Britain's Outlaws: Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues.