_Iniquitous Settlement of the Island =Saint Christopher= by the
=English= and =French=. =Tortuga= seized by the Hunters.
Origin of the name =Buccaneer=. The name =Flibustier=. Customs
attributed to the =Buccaneers=._
The increase of trade of the English and French to the _West Indies_, and
the growing importance of the freebooters or adventurers concerned in it,
who, unassisted but by each other, had begun to acquire territory and to
form establishments in spite of all opposition from the Spaniards,
attracted the attention of the British and French governments, and
suggested to them a scheme of confederacy, in which some of the principal
adventurers were consulted. The project adopted by them was, to plant a
royal colony of each nation, on some one island, and at the same time; by
which a constant mutual support would be secured. In as far as regarded
the concerns of Europeans with each other, this plan was unimpeachable.
The Island chosen by the projectors, as the best suited to their purpose,
was one of the _Small Antilles_ or _Caribbee Islands_, known by the name
of _St. Christopher_, which is in length about seven leagues, and in
breadth two and a half.
[Sidenote: 1625. The Island Saint Christopher settled by the English and
French.] Thus the governments of _Great Britain_ and _France_, like
friendly fellow-travellers, and not like rivals who were to contend in a
race, began their West-Indian career by joint consent at the same point
both in time and place. In the year 1625, and on the same day, a colony of
British and a colony of French, in the names and on the behalf of their
respective nations, landed on this small island, the division of which
had been settled by previous agreement.
The Island _St. Christopher_ was at that time inhabited by Caribbe
Indians. The Spaniards had never possessed a settlement on it, but their
ships had been accustomed to stop there, to traffic for provisions and
refreshments. The French and English who came to take possession, landed
without obtaining the consent of the native Caribbe inhabitants; and,
because danger was apprehended from their discontent, under pretence that
the Caribbs were friends to the Spaniards, these new colonists fell upon
them by surprise in the night, killed their principal leaders, and forced
the rest to quit the Island and seek another home. De Rochefort, in his
_Histoire Morale des Isles Antilles_ (p. 284.) mentions the English and
French killing the Caribb Chiefs, in the following terms: '_Ils se
defirent en une nuit de tous les plus factieux de cette nation!_' Thus in
usurpation and barbarity was founded the first colony established under
the authority of the British and French governments in the _West Indies_;
which colony was the parent of our African slave trade. When accounts of
the conquest and of the proceedings at _Saint Christopher_ were
transmitted to _Europe_, they were approved; West-India companies were
established, and licences granted to take out colonists. De Rochefort has
oddly enough remarked, that the French, English, and Dutch, in their first
establishments in the _West Indies_, did not follow the cruel maxims of
the Spaniards. True it is, however, that they only copied in part. In
their usurpations their aim went no farther than to dispossess, and they
did not seek to make slaves of the people whom they deprived of their
land.
The English and French in a short time had disagreements, and began to
make complaints of each other. The English took possession of the small
Island _Nevis_, which is separated only by a narrow channel from the
South end of _St. Christopher_. P. Charlevoix says, 'the ambition of the
English disturbed the good understanding between the colonists of the two
nations; but M. de Cusac arriving with a squadron of the French King's
ships, by taking and sinking some British ships lying there, brought the
English Governor to reason, and to confine himself to the treaty of
Partition.' [Sidenote: 1629. The English and French driven from Saint
Christopher by the Spaniards.] After effecting this amicable adjustment,
De Cusac sailed from _St. Christopher_; and was scarcely clear of the
Island when a powerful fleet, consisting of thirty-nine large ships,
arrived from _Spain_, and anchored in the Road. Almost without opposition
the Spaniards became masters of the Island, although the English and
French, if they had cordially joined, could have mustered a force of
twelve hundred men. Intelligence that the Spaniards intended this attack,
had been timely received in _France_; and M. de Cusac's squadron had in
consequence been dispatched to assist in the defence of _St. Christopher_;
but the Spaniards being slow in their preparations, their fleet did not
arrive at the time expected, and De Cusac, hearing no news of them,
presumed that they had given up their design against _St. Christopher_.
Without strengthening the joint colony, he gave the English a lesson on
moderation, little calculated to incline them to co-operate heartily with
the French in defence of the Island, and sailed on a cruise to the _Gulf
of Mexico_. Shortly after his departure, towards the end of the year 1629,
the Spanish fleet arrived. The colonists almost immediately despaired of
being able to oppose so great a force. Many of the French embarked in
their ships in time to effect their escape, and to take refuge among the
islands northward. The remainder, with the English, lay at the disposal of
the Spanish commander, Don Frederic de _Toledo_. At this time _Spain_ was
at war with _England_, _France_, and _Holland_; and this armament was
designed ultimately to act against the Hollanders in _Brasil_, but was
ordered by the way to drive the English and the French from the Island of
_Saint Christopher_. Don Frederic would not weaken his force by leaving a
garrison there, and was in haste to prosecute his voyage to _Brasil_. As
the settlement of _Saint Christopher_ had been established on regular
government authorities, the settlers were treated as prisoners of war. To
clear the Island in the most speedy manner, Don Frederic took many of the
English on board his own fleet, and made as many of the other colonists
embark as could be crowded in any vessels which could be found for them.
He saw them get under sail, and leave the Island; and from those who
remained, he required their parole, that they would depart by the earliest
opportunity which should present itself, warning them, at the same time,
that if, on his return from _Brasil_, he found any Englishmen or Frenchmen
at _Saint Christopher_, they should be put to the sword. [Sidenote: 1630.
They return.] After this, he sailed for _Brasil_. As soon, however, as it
was known that the Spanish fleet had left the West-Indian sea, the
colonists, both English and French, returned to _Saint Christopher_, and
repossessed themselves of their old quarters.
The settlement of the Island _Saint Christopher_ gave great encouragement
to the hunters on the West coast of _Hispaniola_. Their manufactories for
the curing of meat, and for drying the skins, multiplied; and as the value
of them increased, they began to think it of consequence to provide for
their security. [Sidenote: The Island Tortuga seized by the English and
French Hunters.] To this end they took possession of the small Island
_Tortuga_, near the North-west end of _Hispaniola_, where the Spaniards
had placed a garrison, but which was too small to make opposition. There
was a road for shipping, with good anchorage, at _Tortuga_; and its
separation from the main land of _Hispaniola_ seemed to be a good
guarantee from sudden and unexpected attack. They built magazines there,
for the lodgement of their goods, and regarded this Island as their head
quarters, or place of general rendezvous to which to repair in times of
danger. They elected no chief, erected no fortification, set up no
authorities, nor fettered themselves by any engagement. All was voluntary;
and they were negligently contented at having done so much towards their
security.
[Sidenote: Whence the Name Buccaneer.] About the time of their taking
possession of _Tortuga_, they began to be known by the name of Buccaneers,
of which appellation it will be proper to speak at some length.
The flesh of the cattle killed by the hunters, was cured to keep good for
use, after a manner learnt from the Caribbe Indians, which was as follows:
The meat was laid to be dried upon a wooden grate or hurdle (_grille de
bois_) which the Indians called _barbecu_, placed at a good distance over
a slow fire. The meat when cured was called _boucan_, and the same name
was given to the place of their cookery. Pere Labat describes _Viande
boucannee_ to be, _Viande seche a petit feu et a la fumee_. The Caribbes
are said to have sometimes served their prisoners after this fashion,
'_Ils les mangent apres les avoir bien boucannee, c'est a dire, rotis bien
sec_[5].' The boucan was a very favourite method of cooking among these
Indians. A Caribbe has been known, on returning home from fishing,
fatigued and pressed with hunger, to have had the patience to wait the
roasting of a fish on a wooden grate fixed two feet above the ground, over
a fire so small as sometimes to require the whole day to dress it[6].
The flesh of the cattle was in general dried in the smoke, without being
salted. The _Dictionnaire de Trevoux_ explains _Boucaner_ to be '_faire
sorer sans sel_,' to dry red without salt. But the flesh of wild hogs, and
also of the beeves when intended for keeping a length of time, was first
salted. The same thing was practised among the Brasilians. It was remarked
in one of the earliest visits of the Portuguese to _Brasil_, that the
natives (who were cannibals) kept human flesh salted and smoked, hanging
up in their houses[7]. The meat cured by the Buccaneers to sell to
shipping for sea-store, it is probable was all salted. The process is thus
described: 'The bones being taken out, the flesh was cut into convenient
pieces and salted, and the next day was taken to the _boucan_.' Sometimes,
to give a peculiar relish to the meat, the skin of the animal was cast
into the fire under it. The meat thus cured was of a fine red colour, and
of excellent flavour; but in six months after it was boucanned, it had
little taste left, except of salt. The boucanned hog's flesh continued
good a much longer time than the flesh of the beeves, if kept in dry
places.
From adopting the boucan of the Caribbes, the hunters in _Hispaniola_, the
Spaniards excepted, came to be called Boucaniers, but afterwards,
according to a pronunciation more in favour with the English,
Buccaneers[8]. Many of the French hunters were natives of _Normandy_;
whence it became proverbial in some of the sea-ports of _Normandy_ to say
of a smoky house, _c'est un vrai Boucan_.
[Sidenote: The name Flibustier.] The French Buccaneers and Adventurers
were also called Flibustiers, and more frequently by that than by any
other name. The word Flibustier is merely the French mariner's mode of
pronouncing the English word Freebooter, a name which long preceded that
of Boucanier or Buccaneer, as the occupation of cruising against the
Spaniards preceded that of hunting and curing meat. Some authors have
given a derivation to the name _Flibustier_ from the word Flyboat,
because, say they, the French hunters in _Hispaniola_ bought vessels of
the Dutch, called Flyboats, to cruise upon the Spaniards. There are two
objections to this derivation. First, the word _flyboat_, is only an
English translation of the Dutch word _fluyt_, which is the proper
denomination of the vessel intended by it. Secondly, it would not very
readily occur to any one to purchase Dutch fluyts, or flyboats, for
chasing vessels.
Some have understood the Boucanier and Flibustier to be distinct both in
person and character[9]. This was probably the case with a few, after the
settlement of _Tortuga_; but before, and very generally afterwards, the
occupations were joined, making one of amphibious character. Ships from
all parts of the _West Indies_ frequented _Tortuga_, and it continually
happened that some among the crews quitted their ships to turn Buccaneers;
whilst among the Buccaneers some would be desirous to quit their hunting
employment, to go on a cruise, to make a voyage, or to return to _Europe_.
The two occupations of hunting and cruising being so common to the same
person, caused the names Flibustier and Buccaneer to be esteemed
synonimous, signifying always and principally the being at war with the
Spaniards. The Buccaneer and Flibustier therefore, as long as they
continued in a state of independence, are to be considered as the same
character, exercising sometimes one, sometimes the other employment; and
either name was taken by them indifferently, whether they were employed on
the sea or on the land. But a fanciful kind of inversion took place,
through the different caprices of the French and English adventurers. The
greater part of the first cattle hunters were French, and the greater
number of the first cruisers against the Spaniards were English. The
French adventurers, nevertheless, had a partiality for the name of
Flibustier; whilst the English shewed a like preference for the name of
Buccaneer, which, as will be seen, was assumed by many hundred seamen of
their nation, who were never employed either in hunting or in the boucan.
[Sidenote: Customs attributed to the Buccaneers.] A propensity to make
things which are extraordinary appear more so, has caused many peculiar
customs to be attributed to the Buccaneers, which, it is pretended, were
observed as strictly as if they had been established laws. It is said that
every Buccaneer had his chosen and declared comrade, between whom property
was in common, and if one died, the survivor was inheritor of the whole.
This was called by the French _Matelotage_. It is however acknowledged
that the _Matelotage_ was not a compulsatory regulation; and that the
Buccaneers sometimes bequeathed by will. A general right of participation
in some things, among which was meat for present consumption, was
acknowledged among them; and it is said, that bolts, locks, and every
species of fastening, were prohibited, it being held that the use of such
securities would have impeached the honour of their vocation. Yet on
commencing Buccaneer, it was customary with those who were of respectable
lineage, to relinquish their family name, and assume some other, as a _nom
de guerre_. Their dress, which was uniformly slovenly when engaged in the
business of hunting or of the boucan, is mentioned as a prescribed
_costume_, but which doubtless was prescribed only by their own negligence
and indolence; in particular, that they wore an unwashed shirt and
pantaloons dyed in the blood of the animals they had killed. Other
distinctions, equally capricious, and to little purpose, are related,
which have no connexion with their history. Some curious anecdotes are
produced, to shew the great respect some among them entertained for
religion and for morality. A certain Flibustier captain, named Daniel,
shot one of his crew in the church, for behaving irreverently during the
performance of mass. Raveneau de Lussan (whose adventures will be
frequently mentioned) took the occupation of a Buccaneer, because he was
in debt, and wished, as every honest man should do, to have wherewithal to
satisfy his creditors.
In their sea enterprises, they followed most of the customs which are
generally observed in private ships of war; and sometimes were held
together by a subscribed written agreement, by the English called
Charter-party; by the French _Chasse-partie_, which might in this case be
construed a Chasing agreement. Whenever it happened that _Spain_ was at
open and declared war with any of the maritime nations of _Europe_, the
Buccaneers who were natives of the country at war with her, obtained
commissions, which rendered the vessels in which they cruised, regular
privateers.
The English adventurers sometimes, as is seen in Dampier, called
themselves Privateers, applying the term to persons in the same manner we
now apply it to private ships of war. The Dutch, whose terms are generally
faithful to the meaning intended, called the adventurers _Zee Roovers_;
the word _roover_ in the Dutch language comprising the joint sense of the
two English words rover and robber.