This is the first edition, in Dutch, of one of the most important books about pirates ever written.  Alexandre Exquemelin, a native of Hafleur, went to the Caribbean in 1666 with the French West Indies Company.  He served as surgeon for nearly ten years with various buccaneers and gives an eyewitness account of the adventures of Henry Morgan, François Lolonois, Pierre le Grand, and Bartholomew Portugues.  Exquemelin’s vivid writing style narrates a story with color, drama, vitality, and authenticity.  His descriptions are filled with vivid scenes of violence in exotic locations, and this edition is enhanced with full-page engravings of the buccaneers and their exploits.