e
for planting and the chase, all were called buccaneers indiscriminately.

Previously to the great and sudden augmentation of their forces, by the
immigration from St. Christopher's about the year 1660, the buccaneers
had taken possession of Tortuga, the geographical position and character
of which island was well suited to their commercial and piratical
purposes. This little island had been occupied by a few Spaniards as
early as 1591; but their numbers were so small as not to interfere with
the object of the buccaneers, while its rocky conformation afforded
peculiar facilities for defence in the event of attack.

The greatly increasing numbers of the buccaneers at length aroused the
colonial voluptuaries of Spain to a sense of their danger. It was
perceived that while the colonists were dwindling away, the outlaws were
becoming so formidable in their numbers that they soon might be enabled
to contest for the mastery of the island of Hispaniola itself. They
therefore commenced a war upon them, and not being able to prosecute it
with sufficient vigor themselves, they called to their aid troops from
the other Spanish islands, and also from the continent. With these
auxiliaries the barbarians were hunted with great severity, and many of
them massacred. Finding themselves pursued in this manner, the outlaws
banded together for mutual defence. Their avocations required them often
to separate in the daytime; but they assembled in considerable numbers
at night; and if individuals were missing, diligent search was made
until their fate was ascertained. If he returned from an extended chase,
it was well. If not--if it was discovered that he had fallen a victim to
the Spaniards, or had been taken prisoner--his loss was requited with
terrible vengeance. Everything Spanish was devoted to destruction,
without distinction of age or sex. But in this partisan warfare, the
buccaneers maintained a decided advantage. When too hotly pressed, they
could fly to their canoes or hoys, as they were called, and escape to
Tortuga; and if the Spaniards pursued them thither in numbers too
powerful for an open combat, they would return back again to their
principal island. Despairing at length of success in this mode of
warfare, the Spaniards resolved to conquer the ruffians by destroying
their means of subsistence. For this purpose, by a general hunt over the
whole island, the wild bulls were killed, and the droves of cattle
previously roaming t