The Illustrated Pirate Diaries by Alexander Exquemelin

The Illustrated Pirate Diaries by Alexander Exquemelin

"Morgan hurled himself at the fuse, and saved all his comrades' lives. His bravery was already the stuff of legend, and this exploit made his men even more determined to follow him anywhere."

Of all the pirates to terrorize the Caribbean waters, none are as notorious as Sir Henry Morgan. His fame rests in part on an extraordinary document: the diary of buccaneer Alexander Exquemelin, who sailed under Morgan and recorded his infamous and bloody adventures. Originally published in 1678, Exquemelin's classic account of joining "the wicked order of pirates," and of the most fearsome buccaneers of the era, has remained in print for more than 300 years. Now, in a special illustrated edition filled with maps, paintings, photographs, and fascinating background on pirate culture, his unforgettable diary comes to new life, bringing the authentic world of the buccaneers to a modern audience far better than any movie could.

Alexander Exquemelin was born about 1645, probably in France. In 1666 he went with the French West India Company to Tortuga in the West Indies. He eventually joined the buccaneers based there, with whom be served as a ship surgeon until 1674, after which he settled in Holland. Buccaneers of America, originally published in Dutch as De Americaensche Zee-Roovers, first appeared in 1678.