Folio Archives 292: Buccaneers of America by A. O. Exquemelin 1972
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Buccaneers of America, Comprising a pertinent and truthful description of the principal acts of depredation and inhuman cruelty committed by the English and French buccaneers against the Spaniards in America by A. O. Exquemelin 1972
In this fascinating first hand history, Exquemelin initially describes the islands of the northern Caribbean and their fauna, with some exaggerations (eg. caymans 70ft. long, turtles weighing two tons), then goes on to detail, probably with greater accuracy, the exploits of the pirates with whom he became associated.
Initially based on Tortuga, an island off the North coast of Haiti, he roamed with his comrades in arms from the Cayman Islands to Cartagena (in modern Colombia) and Florida, marauding villages and capturing ships along the way. Their illicit gains were usually short lived, being squandered on wine and women (one prostitute was paid 500 pieces of gold jut to parade naked before them). A pirate’s life seemed to relatively short before they ended up being shot during a raid, drowned or on the gallows, and much of it was lived while totally inebriated.
At 194 pages, it makes for an entertaining as well as educational easy read.
The book is introduced by Jack Beeching (eleven pages) and translated by Alexis Brown, There are ten contemporary portraits (all appear rather fierce and unhappy) and etchings, two of them being double page spreads. The brown endleaves are printed in white with a map of the Caribbean and there are two additional internal line maps of Hispaniola and Maracaibo Bay.
This edition is quarter bound in blue leather with light brown wood veneer boards. Several other FS books of this era also had wood veneer covers. The page tops are stained dark brown and the brown slipcase measures 26.2x16.4cm.
Endleaves
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
In this fascinating first hand history, Exquemelin initially describes the islands of the northern Caribbean and their fauna, with some exaggerations (eg. caymans 70ft. long, turtles weighing two tons), then goes on to detail, probably with greater accuracy, the exploits of the pirates with whom he became associated.
Initially based on Tortuga, an island off the North coast of Haiti, he roamed with his comrades in arms from the Cayman Islands to Cartagena (in modern Colombia) and Florida, marauding villages and capturing ships along the way. Their illicit gains were usually short lived, being squandered on wine and women (one prostitute was paid 500 pieces of gold jut to parade naked before them). A pirate’s life seemed to relatively short before they ended up being shot during a raid, drowned or on the gallows, and much of it was lived while totally inebriated.
At 194 pages, it makes for an entertaining as well as educational easy read.
The book is introduced by Jack Beeching (eleven pages) and translated by Alexis Brown, There are ten contemporary portraits (all appear rather fierce and unhappy) and etchings, two of them being double page spreads. The brown endleaves are printed in white with a map of the Caribbean and there are two additional internal line maps of Hispaniola and Maracaibo Bay.
This edition is quarter bound in blue leather with light brown wood veneer boards. Several other FS books of this era also had wood veneer covers. The page tops are stained dark brown and the brown slipcase measures 26.2x16.4cm.
Endleaves
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
