Note 306 — Chapter XVI · THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIRATES.

Exquemeling was sent to Tortuga in 1666, in one of the Dutch West India Company’s ships, and on his arrival was sold for thirty crowns into three years’ servitude. He says very neatly: “Je ne dis rien de ce qui a donné lieu à mon embarquement, suivi d’un si fâcheux esclavage, parce que cela seroit hors de propos, et ne pourroit estre qu’ennuyeux.” He was cruelly treated. After gaining his freedom he joined the buccaneers, apparently because there was nothing else to do. He went home in 1674 in a Dutch ship, “remerciant Dieu de m’avoir retiré de cette miserable vie, estant la première occasion de la quitter que j’eusse rencontré depuis cinq années.” Oexmelin, Histoire des Avanturiers, Paris, 1686, i. 13; ii. 312. The English version of his book is entitled “History of the Bucaniers of America” (London, 1684). The Spanish version is known as “Los Piratas.” Not only do the titles thus differ, but each translator has added more or less material from other sources, in order to exalt the fame of the rascals of his own nation.