The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-13
ORIGIN Of THE BUCCANEERS
They Were PeaceabIe Beef-Traders
Until Prosecuted by Spain.

Mr.; Frank r. Stockton will contribute to
Buccaneers of Our Coast" In his first ar
ticle, in the November st. Nicholas, Mr..
Stockton says:
The first pirates who made themselves
known in American waters were the famous
buccaneers. They began, their career in a
very commonplace and unobjectionable man
ner, and the name by which they were known
had originally no piratical significance. 1t
was derived from the French word boUcanier,
sgnifying "a drier of beef
Some of the West Indian islands, especially
San Domingo, were almost overrun with wild
cattle of various kinds; and this owing
to the fact that the Spamards had killed off
nearly all the natives, and so had left the
interior of the islands to the herds of cattle,
which had increased rapidly. There We're a
few settlements Oh the seacoast; but the
Spaniards did not allow the inhabitants of
these to trade with any nation but their own,
and consequently the people were badly sup
piled with the necessaries of life.
But the trading vessels which sailed from
Europe to that part of the Caribbean sea
were manned by bold and daring sailors; and
when they knew that San Domingo contained
an abundance of beef cattle, they did not
plenish their stores. The natives of the
island were skilled in the art OF preparing
beef by smoking and drying livery much
in the same way in which our Indians pre-
pare ''jerked meat for winter use.
But so many vessels came to San Domingo
for beef that there were not enough people
the island TO 90 all me hunting ana QTy-
ing that was necessary; so these trading YES
sells frequently anchored in some quiet cove,
and the crews went on shore and devoted
themselves to securing a cargo of beef-not
only enough for their own USE but for trad
ing purposes: ard thus they became known
as "beef-driers" or buccaneers.
When the Spaniards heard of this new
industry which has arisen within the limits
of their possessions, they pursued the vessels
of the buccaneers wherever they were SEEM
and relentless,y destroyed them and their
crews But there were not enough Spanish
vessels to put down the trade in dried beef;
more European vessels, generally Engl sh
and French stopped at San Domingo, and
mere bands Of hunting sailors made their
way into the interior. When these dearng fell
lows knew that the Spaniards were determin-
ed to break up their trade, they became more
determined that it should not be broken up
and they armed themselves and their vessels
so that they might be able to make a de-
Tense against che Spanish men-of- war.
Thus gradually and almost imperceptibly
a state of maritime warfare grew UP N the
waters of the West Indians between Spain
and the beef-traders Of other nations; and
from being obliged to fight, the buccaneers
became glad to fight. provided that it was
Spain they fought True to her policy of
despotism ana cruelty when dealing with her
American possessions, Spain waged a bitter
and bloody war against the buccaneers who
dared to interfere with the commercial re-
lations between herself and her West India
colonies; and in return the buccaneers were
just as bitter aud savage in their warfare
against Spain. From defending themselves
against Spanish attacks, they began TO attack
Spaniards whenever there was any chaGce
of success, at first only upon the sea- but
afterward on land.