PRIVATEERS AND PIRATES 167

trousers of white linen covering his legs to the knee,
below which came embroidered stockings. Around
his neck he wore a chain of beaten gold and from
his belt protruded a dagger's hilt set with sparkling
jewels.

These picturesque pirates and privateers swag-
gered about the taverns in the shadow of the Stadt-
Euys or lounged along the wharves at the harbor.
Everywhere they were the center of attention, and
their tales of adventure were listened to with the
most eager interest. But these adventurers in
the end pushed things so far that the Government
in England found itself obliged to take vigorous
action against them. James expressly instructed
the provincial Governors Andros and Dongan to
suppress "all pirates and sea rovers," for they had
become so bold in their activities along the Spanish
Main that lawful trading was languishing and mer-
chants were in terror.

Many of the adventurers in the West Indies
having been originally engaged in the honest busi-
ness of boucanning, or smoking fish and meat after
the manner of the Carib savages, they and their
piratical comrades were generally known in Europe
as "buchaniers" or "buccaneers/' By the Hol-
landers they were named "zee rovers9'; by the