College Archives

Privateers, Pirates, and the Perils of the Sea 
A Glimpse into 17th and 18th Century Maritime Culture 
Curated by Renata Boulay ('26) - Archives Inter (Fall 2024)

Maritime culture of the 17th and 18th century emerged from a rocky environment of intense global competition. Trading empires such as the Dutch, British, and Spanish were in constant rivalry for resources, land, money, and power. While these countries engaged in battle with each other on both land and sea, they were also engaged in a conflict with nature itself – a constant struggle for control of the ocean, something no one could truly master. No matter how skilled a sailor was, the winds and waves would always have the upper hand. Unpredictable weather and topography made for a constantly shifting and treacherous field of operation that could steal lives and dash hope in an instant. Shipwreck, disease, storms, creatures of the deep, mutiny, and piracy were just some of the fears in the mind of a 17th century sailor. However, despite this peril, countless people set out to sea – some sought adventure, some sought wealth, others freedom, and still yet others were not given a choice. 

This exhibit highlights three books from the Vining Collection: William Dampier’s A New Voyage Round the World, Alexandre Exquemelin’s Bucaniers of America, and The Mariner’s Chronicle.  

The Forgotten Contributions of Captain William Dampier

A once influential figure, William Dampier was a renaissance man of the 17^th century – explorer, author, pirate, cartographer, British Naval captain, naturalist, illustrator, and hydrographer. Dampier was also a man of many “firsts;” he was the first Englishman to reach Australia and document it, including interactions with the Aboriginal peoples. He was also the first person to circumnavigate the world three times, and in doing so recorded detailed accounts of the lands he travelled to. These accounts included descriptions and illustrations of the flora and fauna, native peoples, and culinary phenomena unfamiliar to Europe. He recorded recipes for what we would call mango chutney and guacamole, as well as descriptions of exotic meat such as flamingo and manatee, and even introduced words such as “barbeque,” “cashew,” and “tortilla.” Dampier, through his exploits, writing, illustration, and collection of samples helped advance 17^th century scientific knowledge in a radical way that continued its impact for years to come.  

Image: An early copy of Dampier's A New Voyage Round the World published in London in 1697. The page is open to a tri-fold map showing the known world on the left side and the title page on the right side. (Vining G 420 .D15w 1697)

Portrait of William Dampier (c. 1832)

Image: Drawn portrait or engraving of William Dampier c. 1832.

Alexandre Exquemelin and His Pirate Memoir

Although little is known about the early life of Alexandre Olivier Exquemelin, what is remembered today are the spine-tingling accounts of ruthless pirates and buccaneers who prowled the Caribbean, recorded in his book Bucaniers of America, or, A true account of the most remarkable assaults committed of late years upon the coasts of the West-Indies, by the bucaniers of Jamaica and Tortuga, both English and French ... especially the unparallel'd exploits of Sir Henry Morgan, our English Jamaican hero.  

What we do know about Exquemelin is that he was, presumably, a Dutch or French indentured servant in the West Indies but later became a surgeon on board a ship with the famed Captain Henry Morgan. During his time at sea, Exquemelin recorded encounters with other pirates such as François l'Olonnais, Rock Brasiliano, and Bartholomew the Portuguese. It was thanks to Exquemelin’s writing that we have accounts of these men, their lifestyles, and exploits, which overall provide one of the earliest and most comprehensive accounts of the “Golden Age of Piracy.” 

However, these accounts of piratical undertakings are far from the romanticized and theatrical view we may hold today. Exquemelin provides narratives of extreme cruelty inflicted by the pirates upon towns, innocent people, and particularly, the Spanish Fleet.  

Regardless of how true these accounts may be, there is no denying that Exquemelin caused a sensation. His books provoked the imagination, spreading a fearful curiosity that has trickled down through time. Even today, pirates remain icons of history, often symbolizing an enticing free and reckless lifestyle that continues to be perpetuated in media, literature, and pop culture. 

Image: First edition of Alexandre Exquemelin’s Bucaniers of America published in the original Dutch in Amsterdam. The open page shows numerous scenes of pirate raids and battles surrounding the original Dutch title. (Vining F 2161 .E71)

Bucaniers of America (1704)

Image: Exquemelin's Bucaniers of America was first written in Dutch, then translated into English in 1684. This copy is a third edition published in London and is open to an “engraving,” or picture, of the ruthless French pirate Francis L’Olonois. (Vining F 2161 .E767)

Bartholomew the Portuguese (c. 17th c.)

Image: Engraving of Bartholomew the Portuguese (c. 17th century) from Exquemelin's Bucaniers of America.

Henry Morgan

In Alexandre Exquemlin’s Bucaniers of America, there are many chapters dedicated to the particular attacks of Henry Morgan and his torturing of victims; however, Morgan took the publisher of Exquemelin’s book to court over false accounts and won. In the book The Governors of Jamaica in the Seventeenth Century, of which Henry Morgan was one, there is a quotation from the “London Gazette” June 8, 1685 that refers to The History of the Bucaniers as containing “many False, Scandalous, and Malicious Reflections on the Life and Actions of Sir Henry Morgan of Jamaica Kt.” The text continues by revealing that Morgan ultimately received £200 compensation, but due to heavy drinking, illness, and a generally taxing lifestyle, he died only a few months after this ordeal.   

Image: Engraving of Henry Morgan (c. 17th century) from Exquemelin's Bucaniers of America. 

The Mariner’s Chronicle: Treacherous Tides

In the book The mariner's chronicle, of shipwrecks, fires, famines and other disasters at sea containing narratives of the most noted calamities and providential deliverances which have resulted from maritime enterprise, both in Europe and America; together with an account of the whale fishery, the title almost completely reveals the content. This book, published in 1843 in Boston, tells the tales of sailors and expeditions gone awry. It encompasses much of the sailing culture from the 17^th and 19^th centuries, including the hazards of nature such as storms, run-ins with pirates, and whaling trips gone wrong. The chronicle also includes sixty engravings, or images, that portray various disasters at sea. The stories here provide both intriguing and cautionary tales of danger, adventure, and woe – all with the common theme of the sea.  

Image: This book was printed in Boston in 1834 and contains numerous engravings of disasters at sea. On the right page, there is an image of a whaling ship sinking, and on the left – the top image shows the burning of the ship Kent, while the bottom image depicts the exploding of the steamboat Helen McGregor. 

Lead Shot (c.1715)

Image: Slightly blurred photo of a piece of lead shot from c. 1715 next to a quarter for size reference. Courtesy of a private collection.

Lead Shot Certificate

Mel Fisher Center, Inc.
Certificate of Historic Artifact 
from the 
1715 Spanish Plate Fleet

This is to certify that this Lead Shot was recovered from a shipwreck site of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet. Lead Shot of this type were ammunition for early handguns such as the musket or pistol.

Because they were loaded with rich cargo of treasures accumulated in the New World, the ships of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet were well armed for their transatlantic voyage from Cuba to Spain. On July 31, 1715, the Fleet was driven by a fierce hurricane onto the treacherous Florida reefs and destroyed.

To the bottom left is a photo with 3-4 examples of lead shot with a small section of a ruler about 1 inch in length. Underneath it says "Photograph is representation of Lead Shot assemblage." To the right of this photo is written: "Certified on this 21st day of July 2023" with the signature of Taffi Fisher Abt. In the center of the certificate seems to be a watermark of a Spanish soldier/sailor holding a gun and a sword.

A Local Look

Image: Cyprian Southack’s 1734 Map of Cape Cod notes the lost pirate ship Whidah. A red arrow locates the spot of the wreck on the map. Today, the Whydah Pirate Museum houses the partially excavated wreck and treasure in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. For more information, visit the museum's website!