This island was first sighted by Columbus in 1493 and is today part of the US Virgin Islands, which lie to the east of Puerto Rico. By the mid-1600s, Dutch, French, and English pirates, and the Spanish government were struggling for possession of the island. The Danes established a permanent colony in 1672, which became an important centre for Danish slave trade. Pirates were allowed to settle in the colony and were encouraged to trade there. A few notable pirates who operated there at some point include Captain Kidd, Stede Bonnet, and Black Sam Bellamy. The island was bought by the USA from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million in gold, becoming part of the US Virgin Islands.