The etymology of the word Buccaneer has been traced by Oxmelin, to a custom which prevailed among the original inhabitants of the Caribbee islands, of roasting their prisoners of war upon frames of clay, placed over very strong fires. These clay frames were called bar bacoa ; the place where they were erected soucAN, and the operation boucaner, to roast and smoke. What these savages did to their unfortunate prisoners, the hunters practised on the animals slain in the chase, and from that practice they derived their name.
Of these hunters, some were exclusively employed in the pursuit of wild beeves, while others devoted them selves entirely to the chase of wild boars. Though the first of these classes alone Nverc properly distinguished by the name Buccaneers, it was commonly given to both ; and, indeed, the only d.flercnce between them seems to have consisted in the objects of their pursuit ; for in their dress, their weapons, and their manners, they were exactly alike. In their rambling mode of life, the Buccaneers seem to have relinquished all the habits of Europeans, aim to have acquired, in their general cus toms and mann( rs, a striking resemblance to the wan dering Arabs and Tartars. With them the chase was not the occasional amusement or occupation of a clay, but the continued and serious business of whole months and years. They set out on their hunting expeditions in large bands, carrying along with them small tents of linen, which they pitched dui ing their journey wherever they intended to pess the night. Having reached the place of their destination, they erected small sheds, which they thatched with leaves of the palm-tree ; and their tents, spread beneath these sheds, were, during the whole of the hunting season, their only abodes. On these occasions, they possessed every thing in common. living in strict harmony, and prevented by no private jealousies or animosities from pursuing, with united zeal, the grand object of their association.
Each hunter was provided with a number of dogs, one or two of which were •rticularly trained for tracing the prey ; and with a musket of a peculiar construction, manufactured in Europe expressly for their use. They were all, likewise, accompanied by their own servants, who shared the same fare, and generally engaged in the same emp.oyment with their masters, but were held, notwithstanding, in tl,e most rigorous bondage, and frequently treated with extreme cruelty. During these expeditions, the life of the Buccaneers was labo rious, and their fare but mean. When the hunt was finished, however, and they had returned home with their spoils, they indulged in every species of extrava gance and licentiousness, till the want of money again compelled them to submit to the same privations and toils. The few and simple laws which these people had adopted, corresponded well with the rude and primitive state of their society. When two of them happened to quarrel, they referred to the rest of their comrades the cause of their dispute ; and if their interference could not produce an accommodation, the affair was decided by duel. Their hunting pieces were the weapons which they made use of on these occasions; and, after mea sui ing their ground, they drew lots for the privilege of taking the first aim. When one of them fell, a strict inquest was held upon his body ; and if it was found that his adversary had taken any unfair advantage, he was immediately tied to a tree, and shot through the head.
Such was the state in which the Buccaneers conti nued to live for more than half a century after their first establishment in Tortuga and Hispaniola, which took place about the year 1632. Several circumstances then concurred to make them, as well as the other settlers in these islands, relinquish their usual employments, and attempt some new means of subsistence. The cattle and wild boars were now nearly exterminated; the as saults of the Spaniards had become more frequent and harassing; and, what was a still more formidable evil, the French government had created a \Vest Indian Company, with peculiar privileges, to colonize the islands which the valour of the adventurers had won, and to establish there a regular trade. Thus deprived of all the advantages which their situation had hitherto afforded, they were still hesitating what new course they ought to pursue, when the splendid success of Pierre Le Grand, a Norman pirate, induced many of them to quit their habitations, and again to try their fortune in cruis ing against the Spaniards, by whom they had been so much annoyed. With a crew of only twenty-eight de termined fellows, sworn to adhere in all extremities to their leader and to each other, Pierre had resolved to attack, in an open boat, the ship of the vice-admiral of the Spanish fleet, which then lay at anchor in the chan nel of Bahama. He set out about the dusk of evening on this daring exploit ; and to render their attack more desperate, had directed holes to be made in the boat, that it might sink as soon as they had reached the ene my's ship. The Spaniards, who had not perceived their approach, were easily overpowered ; the captain and officers were compelled to surrender ; and Le Grand, detaining as mate of the crew as were necessary to work and man the vessel, carried off his magnificent prize in triumph to France. This romantic adventure excited a general spirit of emulation among the Buccaneers of Tortuga, to whom it opened, at the same time, the most flattering prospects. So sanguine indeed were their hopes, and so eager their thirst for spoil, that, without waiting till they could procure proper vessels, they ven tured forth in their canoes ; and entering the port of the Havannah, carried off a number of boats laden with tobacco, and other articles of value. These prizes ena bled them to fit out ships of considerable size, and to undertake voyages of greater length. In their next ex pedition they took several large vessels laden with plate ; their success attracted crowds of new adventurers ; and they became so formidable, that the Spaniards found it necessary to send out several large ships of war for the protection of their trade. These pirates, though after wards joined by the turbulent and daring spirits of va rious nations, still retained the name of Buccaneers; and continued to be, for more than twenty years, the terror of every regular trader to the American shores. Even the legends of romance can scarce furnish any pa rallel to their exploits; and 'the singular character of their society renders their history an anomie in the an nals of the world.