[fernando]

This is ( again ) from a book i have on Piracy and Corso ( Privateers ):
... Contraband operations by the Dutch caused the evacuation of local French residents from the western Hispaniola, which contributed for the abandon of several domestic animals which, in wild conditions, reproduced abundantely.
This has increased hunting activities. Wild bulls and pigs were then prepared the Caribean Indian way ( buccan ), which pleased passing by contrabandists, corsairs and pirates, both for its taste and also for its capacity to be stocked, due to its smoke treatment. This was the first reason for these guys being called buccaneers whom, gathering some wealth with the meat trade, became a threat to the people in the oriental part of the island. Quickly the hostilities started between both sides and, within time, most of these bucaneers quit their frequent wandering into the mountains, living in isolated straw huts, adopting piratic habits.
As weaponry, they used at the belt three or four knives and a machete (cutlass ?) and a pouch with gunpowder and lead. Generaly they used a musket made in Dieppe, of large caliber and long barrel, shooting bullits of two ounces weight. They preferred gunpowder from Cheerburg, at the time known as the best quality, becoming named as bucaneer gunpowder.
From what i understand, in a politic perspective they were not considered as "classic" pirates, but a disperse comunity of hunters and bandoleers ( bandits ), this not meaning they didn't worry the authorities. They lived as savages, regconizing nobody and accepting no leadership among therm, doing a thousand atrocities.