ely the English were again driven out of St.
Kitt's, the French, as on the former occasion, committing outrages quite
unjustifiable among civilised nations even in war. They also took St.
Eustatius from the Dutch.

As if there were not enough pirates in the West Indies, the French
brought some more from their own coast--the celebrated corsairs, who had
held a position in Europe during the wars similar to that of the
buccaneers in America. Some rovers, who had lately settled in Cayenne,
were agreeably surprised at the beginning of the year 1689 by the
arrival of Du Casse, who soon enrolled them under his banner and started
to pillage the Dutch and English colonies.

The first attack was made upon Surinam with nine vessels, but after
three days' fighting the Dutch obliged the corsairs to retire, leaving
one ship aground to be captured. Two of the squadron were, however,
more successful in Berbice, which, after the enemy had destroyed one or
two plantations, was obliged to pay a ransom of twenty thousand guilders
(L1,666), which was settled by a draft on the proprietors in Amsterdam,
and which curiously enough appears to have been afterwards paid. Another
privateer destroyed the small settlement in the Pomeroon river, and
obliged the few inhabitants to fly to Essequebo, and to afterwards
abandon the place altogether. Du Casse then went on to the islands,
where he did much damage to both Dutch and English, finally, in 1697,
Spain being also on the other side, joining De Pointis to attack and
capture Carthagena.

The corsairs were privateers with proper commissions, authorised by the
French Government to pillage and destroy and divide the plunder among
themselves after setting aside the king's share. Up to the present
France could hardly be said to have a navy, and these private
adventurers to some extent filled its place. True, there were a few
king's ships, but the treasury was often so bare that they could not be
properly armed or manned without assistance from outside. Then, perhaps,
one or more would be put at the disposal of a renowned corsair, on
condition that the State should be put to no expense. Courtiers,
ministers, and merchants would come forward and form a joint stock
company, equip the ship or fleet as the case might be, and share the
plunder.

Du Casse settled down as Governor of the French part of Hispaniola,
which by this time had been taken over, and he appears to have
encouraged the buccaneers on ac