Sunday, January 23, 2011

Piratas de América (2 libros)

Esquemeling, John & Basil Ringrose, Piratas de América, Buenos Aires: Edit. Colombia, s.f. (carpeta blanda muy deteriorada)

Exquemelin, A.O., Piratas de América, Barcelona: Barral Deitores, 1971.

From The New York Times, published April 10, 1910:
John Esquemeling was a Flemish sailor who in 1666 sailed for the Tortugas in a French ship belonging to the West India Company. The expedition proving a failure, he, with all his crew, was sold, according to custom, into slavery. A generous master allowed him to pursue his liberty for a stipulated sum out of his future earnings, and, being at a loss for any other method of livlihood, he "determined", in his own words, "to enter into the wicked order of the Pirates or Robbers at Sea."


John Esquemeling was a member of Henry Morgan's pirate band, and an eye witness of the incidents related. Although not definitely known, the author of the capture of Porto Bello and the burning of Panama, is thought to have been from The Netherlands as his account first appeared in the Dutch language. It was later translated into Spanish and then into English. The English translation appeared as a part of the book called The Buccaneers of America, published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co., of London. The author's account is both graphic and picturesque and is written in the third person. With the exception of a few instances where he speaks of the extraordinary exploits of the English under Morgan, as matters of course, he has taken no sides, and is as prone to criticize his leader, as any individual on the opposite side.

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