TERROR OF THE SPANISH MAIN

The pirate tactics of the 17th century would be considered terrorism today, but that didn’t prevent governments of the time from hiring Henry Morgan (1635—1688) and his ilk to pillage on their behalf; Morgan received a royal commission, at age 33, to learn whether Spain really intended to invade Jamaica and was ultimately rewarded with a knighthood. As usual, Marrin (Empires Lost and Won, 1997, etc.) writes vividly, lacing the high-seas excitement with lucid, exacting descriptions of the economic and political factors of the era, as well as likely—and dreadful, involving vermin, disease, starvation—conditions aboard ships. Most surprising is the depiction of Morgan’s civic role, as governor of Port Royal, Jamaica (1680—1682), which benefitted not only from the buccaneer’s ill-gotten gold, but a thriving slave market as well. (index, not seen, b&w illustrations, maps, notes, bibliography) (Biography. 11-15)