t regarding
whether he spoiled their apparel or not, were they men or women.

"Among themselves, and to each other, these Pirates are extremely
liberal and free. If any one of them has lost his goods, which often
happens in their manner of life, they freely give him, and make him
partaker of what they have. In taverns and ale-houses they always have
great credit; but in such houses at Jamaica they ought not to run very
deep in debt, seeing the inhabitants of that island easily sell one
another for debt. Thus it happened to my patron, or master, to be sold
for a debt of a tavern wherein he had spent the greater part of his
money. This man had, within the space of three months before, three
thousand pieces of eight in ready cash, all which he wasted in that
short space of time, and became as poor as I have told you."

The same free-handed and lurid manner of life prevailed on the little
island of Tortuga, off the coast of Hayti, where the French and English
buccaneers had a lawless kingdom of their own. In his account of the
career of the infamous L'Ollonais, Esquemeling goes on to say:

"Departing therefore thence, they took their course towards the island
Hispaniola, and arrived thither in eight days, casting anchor in a port
called Isla de la Vaca, or Cow Island. This isle is inhabited by
French buccaneers[9] who most commonly sell the flesh they hunt to
Pirates and others who now and then put in there with intent of
victualing or trading with them. Here they unladed the whole cargo of
riches which they had robbed; the usual storehouse of the Pirates being
commonly under the shelter of the buccaneers. Here also they made a
dividend amongst them of all of their prizes and gains, according to
that order and degree which belonged to everyone. Having cast up the
account and made exact calculation of all they had purchased, they
found in ready money two hundred and three-score thousand pieces of
eight. Whereupon, this being divided, everyone received to his share
in money, and also in pieces of silk, linen and other commodities, the
value of above hundred pieces of eight. Those who had been wounded in
this expedition received their part before all the rest; I mean such
recompenses as I spoke of the first Book, for the loss of their limbs
which many sustained.[10]

"Afterwards they weighed all the plate that was uncoined, reckoning
after the rate of ten pieces of eight for every pound. The jewels were
prized