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RANDOM ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA POST

BUCCANEERS-band of piratical adventurers of different nationalities united in opposition of spain in carribean during 17th century.
island of st. domingo was of several in west indies which had early in the 16th c been almost de-populated of natives by the oppressive colonial policy of spain. along it's coast there were several isolted establishments presided over by spaniards who were deprived of a free and convenient market for the produce of the soil because of monopolies impossed by spain. accordingly, english, french, and dutch vessels welcomed eagerly and their cargos bought.
the isl;and, thinned of former inhabitants, had become the home of herds of wild cattle, whicch multiplied and it became habit of the smugglers to provision ships at st. domingo. the natives still left, were skilled in preserving the meat in little establishments called boucans. the adventurers learned boucaning from the natives and hispaniola became place of extensive illicit butcher trade, a sailor in these days of piracy was an expert marksman.
spanish monopolies were the pest of every port from mexico to cape horn; and seamen who sailed the carribean were filled with a natural hate of everything spanish.
in 1625, indirect assistance and encouragement previously given culminated in a combined venture on behalf of the Buccs by the english govt. and french. each contributed a hand of colonists and selected the island of st. christopher in the west indies, where the settlers planted. the E + F were not friendly in 1629, the colonists were surprised and partly dispersed by a 39 sail spanish fleet. many were carried off and threats towards future settlement of the island, but on departure of the fleet, the scattered bands returned and encouranged to stay. Buccs now profitable employment, operations extended. a storehouse secure from attacks of the spanish required. the small island of totuga NW of hispaniola seized for this purpose in 1630 and converted into magazine for the goods of the rivals and now the headquarters. St domingo still hunting grounds.
spain aware, but could not attack immediately, for 8 years waited for an opportunity. when most of the bs were away, attacked tortuga. killed as many inhabitants as they could find, the Bs#300, returned and took arms on spain. recruited from everywhere and for 75 yrs, became scourge of spain and her dominions.
france, not idle in watching its interests. in 1641, their Gov-general for the french west indies took tortuga. expelled the english.
english preoccupied by other stuff and Bs had to maintain themselves.
1654, spain retook tortuga but fell again in 6 yrs and back and forth.
then refuge found in jamaica in 1655. the Bs now a mercenary navy, ready to fight spain for anybody.
Bs history divided into 3 distinct epochs.
1st-their rise to the capture of panama by morgan in 1671, during which time their characteristic peculiarity, as robbers, was that they were hampered neither by govt. aid, nor by govt restriction. mansvelt and morgan
2nd-from 1671 to their greatest union and power 1685, when not just the carribean, but the whole pacific Ca to chili. Capt. swan!
3rd-1685 onward. division and disintegration, when independence and honor of previous periods degenerated into vice and brutality.
the proximate causes of the disappearance of this body of men are in european policy. the accession of william of orange to the english throne in 1689, raised the jealousy of louis XIV and the war was protracted and severe. F & E rovers in the carribean couldn't forget, broke the Bs bond against the spanish. the peace of Ryswick in 1697 and the F&E making nice to the dying spanish king, but in 1700 phillip V of spain, 1st of the BOURBANS, rose from is fallen state. and by this time ths Bs at war amongst themselves.