many branches, each terminated by an umbel of white flowers, which are succeeded by oblong hairy seeds. The seeds of this plant enter into the celebrated compounds mithridate and theraca. 4. B. rigidum, hard or rigid ferula, is a native of Sicily. It is a low perennial plant, with short, stiff, and very narrow leaves. The foot stalk rises a foot in height, and is crowned with an umbel of small white flowers, to which succeed small, oblong, channelled seeds. 5. B. levigatum, a native of the Cape. Mr. Masson introduced this species into England in 1774. BUBONA, in ancient mythology, the tutelar goddess of the larger cattle. BUBONIUM, a name given by some botanists to the aster atticus, or golden star-wort, because it was supposed to be efficacious in maladies of the groin. BUBONIUS LAPIS, a figured stone, in shape resembling an owl's head, of a flinty substance, black within, and cineritious without; thus denominated by Dr. Plott. BUBONOCELE, n. s. Lat. from ßeßw the groin, and knλn, a rupture. A particular kind of rupture, when the intestines break down into the groin. See HERNIA INGUIRALIS. When the intestine, or omentum, falls through the rings of the abdominal muscles into the groin, it is called hernia inguinalis, or if into the scrotum, scrotalis: these two, though the first only is properly so called, are known by the name of bubonocele. Sharp. BUBROMA, in botany, a genus of the dodecandria order, and polyadelphia class of plants: CAL. perianth three-leaved; leaves. ovate, concave, acute, reflected, deciduous: COR. petals five, concave, inserted into the nectary at the base: STAM. filaments five, filiform, upright, bent outwards at the tip; antheræ three on each filament; the cells marginated: PIST. germ superior, roundish, hispid; style filiform; stigma simple: PERICARP, capsule, subglobular, woody, muricated all round with clubshaped tubercles, five-celled; cells lined with a thin membrane: SEEDS numerous, angular, almost reniform. B. guazuma, bastard cedar, grows from forty to fifty feet in height; trunk nearly the size of a man's body, covered with a dark-brown, furrowed, bark; branches horizontal; leaves alternate; racemes corymbose; flowers small. A native of the East and West Indies. A decoction of the inner bark is very glutinous, and is said to be excellent in the elephantiasis, a disorder common among the negroes. BU'BUKLE, n. s. A red pimple. who flourished in the beginning of the seventeenth century. In the reign of king James I. he was made one of the gentlemen of the privy chamber, knighted, and constituted master of the revels. He wrote, 1. The History of the Reign of Richard III. in which he takes great pains to wipe off the bloody stains that have blotted his character, and represents the person and actions of that prince in a much less odious light, than other historians have done: 2. A Treatise of the Art of Revels; and 3. A work entitled the Third Universitie of England. BUCARDIA, or BUCARDITES, in natural history, a name given by many authors to a stone, in some degree resembling the figure of an ox's heart. It is usually of the substance of the coarser stones, and is no other than a quantity of the matter of such stone, received while moist into the cavity of a large cockle, and thence, assuming the figure of the inside of that shell, the depression of the head of the cockle, where the cardo or hinge of this shell is, makes a long and large dent in the formed mass, which gives it a heart-like shape. Plott mentions a bucardites, which he found at Stretford in Staffordshire, which weighed twenty pounds, though broken half away, curiously reticulated, with a white-spar colored stone. BUCARDIUM, in natural history, a name given by authors to a kind of heart shell, resembling an ox's heart in shape; it is of the genus of the cordiformes, or heart-shells, and differs from the other kinds, in being of a more globular figure. BUCCA, in anatomy, the cheek. BUCCE MUSCULUS, in anatomy, a name given by some to the muscle more usually called the buccinator, and contrahens labiorem. BUCCA FERREA, in botany, a name given by Michaeli to a genus of plants, since called rappia by Linnæus. BUCCALES GLANDULE are small glands dispersed over the inner side of the cheeks and lips. BUCCAN, the place where the Buccaniers smoke and dry their meat. The name is also applied to the grate or hurdle, made of Brasil wood, upon which the meat is hung above the fire. BUCCANIERS', n. s. A name assumed by pirates on the coast of America, from boucan, a kind of wooden frame used by the savages of Cayenne for drying flesh or fish. BUCCANIER, or BUCANIER, one who dries and smokes flesh or fish after the manner of the Indians. The name was particularly given to the first French settlers on the island of St. Do His face is all bubukles, and whelks, and knobs, and mingo, whose sole employment consisted in flames of fire. Shakspeare BUBULCA, in ichthyology, a small freshwater fish, called by some bouviera and petense. It is small, flat, and very short, approaching to a round rather than a long shape, and of a fine silvery whiteness, seldom above two inches in length. BUBULCUS, BUBULUS, names of the constellation Bootes. BUC (George), a learned English antiquary, hunting wild bulls or boars, in order to sell their hides and flesh. It has also been applied to those famous piratical adventurers, chiefly English and French, who joined together to make depredations on the Spaniards of America. The latter had not been long in possession of the West Indies and the continent of America, when other nations, especially the English and French, began to follow them. But though the Spaniards were unable to people such extensive countries. themselves, they were resolved that no other nation should join with them in it; and therefore made war on all those who attempted to settle in any of the Antilles or Carribee islands. The French, however, were at last fortunate enough to acquire some footing in the island of St. Christopher; but, by the time they began to form a regular government, the Spaniards found means to dislodge them. Upon this the fugitives, considering at how great a distance they were from their mother country, and how near to the island of Hispaniola or St. Domingo, the northern parts of which were then uninhabited and full of swine and black cattle, immediately resolved to take possession of that country, in conjunction with some adventurers from Great Britain. The Dutch had promised to supply them plentifully with all kinds of necessaries they might require, in exchange for the hides and tallow they should procure by hunting. These new settlers obtained the name of buccaniers, from their custom of buccaning their beef and pork to preserve it for consumption. And upon some of them growing tired of this new way of life, and commencing planters, many more chose to turn open pirates, trusting to find among those who remained on shore a quick sale for all the plunder they could make at sea. The new body of adventurers were called free-booters, from their making free booty of whatever came in their way. Numbers of emigrants from France, soon joined the settlers in quality of indented servants, though they toiled like slaves during the three years for which they generally bound themselves. Thus the colony consisted of four classes: buccaniers; free-booters; planters; and indented servants; who began to call themselves the body of adventurers. They lived together in perfect harmony, under a kind of democracy; every freeman had a despotic authority over his own family; and every captain was sovereign in his own ship, though liable to be discarded at the discretion of the crew. The planters settled chiefly in the little island of Tortuga, on the northern coast of Hispaniola; but on some of them going to the great island, to hunt with the buccaniers, the rest were surprised by the Spaniards; and all, even those who had surrendered at discretion, were put to the sword or hanged. The Spaniards now resolving to rid the great island of the buccaniers, assembled a body of 500 lance men, who, by their seldom going fewer than fifty in a company, obtained the name of the fifties from their enemies. At first they met with great success; for the buccaniers hunting separately, every one attended by his servants, they were easily surprised. Hence the Spaniards killed numbers, and took many more, whom they condemned to a most cruel slavery. But whenever the buccaniers had time to put themselves into a state of defence, they fought like lions: there are many instances of single men fighting their way through numbers. These dangers, however, and the success of the Spaniards in discovering their boucans, where they used to surprise and cut the throats of them and their servants in their sleep, engaged them to assemble in great numbers, and even to act offensively, in hopes that by so doing they might at last induce the Spaniards to let them live in peace. But their enemies were intent on their destruction: and the island was turned into a slaughter house. At length the Spaniards had recourse to their old method of surprise, which against enemies of more courage than vigilance was likely to succeed better. This put the buccaniers under a necessity of never hunting but in large parties, and fixing their boucans in the little islands on the coast, whither they retired every evening. The expedient succeeded: and the boucans, by being more fixed, soon acquired the air of small towns. Each boucan ordered scouts every morning to the highest part of the island, in order to reconnoitre the coast, and see if any Spanish parties were abroad. If no enemy appeared, they appointed a place and hour of rendezvous in the evening, and were never absent if not killed or prisoners. When therefore any one of the company was missing, it was not lawful for the rest to hunt again till they had got intelligence of him if taken, or avenged his death if killed. Things continued long in this situation till the Spaniards destroyed all their game, and put the buccaniers under a necessity of betaking themselves to another course of life, and some of them turned planters; and thereby increased some of the French settlements on the coast; others entered among the free-booters. France, who had hitherto disclaimed for her subjects these ruffians, whose successes were only temporary, acknowledged them, as soon as they formed themselves into settlements; and took measure for their government and defence. The hides, and boar-meat, in packs, were long considerable articles of trade in the neighbouring islands. See DOMINGO, St. The habits of these people were in many respects singular. Their towns, as we have seen, were called boucans; their huts they termed Ajoupas, a word which they borrowed from the Spaniards, and the Spaniards from the natives. These ajoupas lay open on all sides, which was very agreeable to the hardy inhabitants, in a climate where wind and air are so very desirable. Having neither wives nor children, the buccaniers associated by pairs, and mutually rendered each other all the services a master could reasonably expect from a servant, living together in so perfect a community. that the survivor always succeeded his deceased partner. This kind of union or fellowship they called s'emateloter, insailoring, and each other, matelot, or sailor, whence was derived the custom of giving, in some parts of the French Antilles, the name matelotage, sailorage, to any kind of society formed by private persons for their mutual advantage. They behaved to each other with the greatest justice and openness, we are told; it would have been a crime to keep any thing under lock and key; but on the other hand, the least pilfering was unpardonable, and punished with expulsion from the community. Indeed there could be no great temptation to steal, when it was reckoned a point of honor never to refuse a neighbour what he wanted; and where there was so little property, it was impossible there should be many disputes. If any happened, the common friends of the parties at variance interposed, and soon put an end to the difference. As to laws, the buccaniers 681 Thus they lived till they had completed the ners. As soon as they threw out the grappling, the largest vessels seldom escaped them. In cases of necessity, they attacked the people of every nation, but fell upon the Spaniards at all times. Whenever they embarked on any expray to Heaven for the pedition, they used success of it; and never came back from the plunder, it is said, but they constantly returned thanks to God for their victory! The ships that sailed from Europe to America seldom tempted their avidity; but they waited for their return, laden with gold, silver, and jewels; when they met a single ship, they were sure to attack her. The Spaniards, who trembled at the approach of the buccaniers, whom they called devils, immediately surrendered. Quarter was granted, if the cargo proved to be a rich one; if not, all the prisoners were thrown into the sea. At first the buccaniers, when they had got a considerable booty, held their rendezvous at the island of Tortuga, to divide the spoil; but afterwards the French went to St. Domingo, and the English to Jamaica. Each person, holding up his hand, If any one was solemnly protested, that he had secreted nothing of what had been taken. convicted of perjury, a case that seldom happened, he was left, as soon as an opportunity offered, upon some desert island, as a traitor unworthy to live in society. Such as had been maimed in any of their expeditions, were first provided for. If they had lost a hand, an arm, a leg, or a foot, they received £26. An eye, finger, or toe, lost in fight, was valued at only half the sum. The wounded were allowed two shillings and sixpence a day for two months, to enable them to have their wounds taken care of. If they had not money enough to answer these demands, the company engaged in some fresh expedition, till they had acquired a sufficient stock. After this the remainder of the booty was equally divided; the commander only claiming a single share. Every share was determined by lot. If a person had been killed, his part was sent to his relations or friends when known, and when there were no friends or relations to claim it, it was distributed in charity to the poor, and to churches. These duties having been performed, the victors indulged themselves in gaming, wine, women, and every species of debauchery. The Spanish colonies, reduced almost to despair in finding themselves a perpetual prey to these ruffians, grew weary of navigation, and formed themselves into many distinct and separate states. They were sensible of the inconveniences arising from such conduct, but the dread of falling into the hands of these rapacious monsters, had greater influence over them than the dictates of honor, interest, and policy; and gave rise to a spirit of total inactivity. This despondency increased the boldness of the buccaniers. As yet they had only appeared in the Spanish settlements to carry off some provisions when they were in want of them. They no sooner found their captures begin to diminish, than they determined to recover by land what they lost at sea. The richest and most populous countries of the continent were plundered and laid waste. The culture of lands was equally neglected with navigation; and the Spaniards dared neither appear in their public roads, nor sail in the latitudes which belonged to them. Among those who signalised themselves in this new species of excursion, was Montbar, a gentleman of Languedoc. Having, in his infancy, met with a circumstantial account of the cruelties practised by the Spaniards, in the conquest of the New World, he conceived an aversion which he carried to a degree of frenzy against that nation; and having heard that the buccaniers were the most inveterate enemies to the Spanish name, he embarked on board a ship to join them. In his passage he met with a Spanish vessel; attacked, and immediately boarded it. Hurrying twice from one end of the ship to the other, he levelled everything that opposed him. When he had compelled them to surrender, leaving to his companions the dividing of a rich booty, he contented himself with the savage pleasure of contemplating the dead bodies of the Spaniards, lying in heaps together. Fresh opportunities soon occurred that enabled him to glut his inveterate hatred. The ship arriving on the coast of St. Domingo, the buccaniers there informed him that their enemies had overrun the country, laid waste their settlements, and carried off all they could. Montbar immediately offered to join an expedition then preparing, not as commander,' said he, but as the foremost to expose myself to danger.' The buccaniers perceiving that he was such a man as they wanted, cheerfully ac cepted his offer. The same day they overtook the enemy, and Montbar attacked them with an impetuosity that astonished the bravest. Scarce one Spaniard escaped the effects of his fury. The remaining part of his life was equally distinguished. The Spaniards suffered so much from him, both by land and at sea, that he acquired the name of the Exterminator. Their associations now became more numerous. The first that was considerable was formed by Lolonois, who, from the abject state of a bondsman, had gradually raised himself to the command of two canoes, with twenty-two men. With these he took a Spanish frigate on the coast of Cuba. He then repaired to Port-au-Prince, in which were four ships, fitted out purposely to pursue him. He took them, and threw all the crews into the sea, except one man, whom he saved, in order to send him with a letter to the governor of the Havannah, acquainting him with what he had done, and assuring him that he would treat in the same manner all the Spaniards that should fall into his hands, not excepting the governor himself, if he should be so fortunate as to take him. After this he ran his canoes and prize ships aground, and sailed with his frigate only to Tortuga. Here he met with Michael de Basco, who had distinguished himself by having taken, even under the cannon of Porto Bello, a Spanish ship, estimated at £218,500, and by other actions equally brave and daring. These two soon collected together 440 men. This body, the most numerous the buccaniers had yet been able to muster, sailed to the bay of Venezuela, which runs up into the country fifty leagues. The fort that was built at its entrance was taken; the cannon spiked; and the whole garrison, consisting of 250 men, put to death. They then re-embarked, and went to Maracaybo, built on the western coast of the lake, at the distance of ten leagues from its mouth. This city, which had become rich by its trade in skins, tobacco, and cocoa, was deserted, but the inhabitants had retired with their effects to the other side of the bay. Exasperated at this, they set fire to Gibraltar. Maracaybo would have shared the same fate, had it not been ransomed. Besides the sum they thus received, they also carried off with them all the crosses, pictures, and belis, of the churches; intending, as they said, to build a chapel in the island of Tortuga, and consecrate this part of their spoils to sacred purposes. About the same time Morgan, the most renowned of the English buccaniers, sailed from Jamaica to attack Porto Bello. His plan of operations was so well contrived, that he surprised the city and took it without opposition. The conquest of Panama was an object of much greater importance. To secure this, Morgan thought it necessary to sail in the latitude of Costa Rica; and procure some guides in the island of St. Catharine's, where the Spaniards confined their malefactors. This place was strongly fortified, and ought to have held out for ten years against a considerable army. Notwithstanding this, the governor, on the first appearance of the pirates, sent privately to concert measures how he might surrender himself with out incurring the imputation of cowardice. The result of this was, that Morgan in the night at tacked a fort at some distance, and the governor sallying out of the citadel to defend the post, the assailants attacked him in the rear, and took him prisoner, which led to a surrender of the place. The buccaniers, after having totally demolished the fortifications, and put on board their vessels a prodigious quantity of ammunition which they found at St. Catharine's, steered their course towards the Chagre. At the entrance of this considerable river, a fort was built upon a steep rock, and this bulwark, very difficult of access, was defended by an officer whose abilities were equal to his courage. The buccaniers, for the first time, here met with a determined resistance; but while it was doubtful whether they would succeed, or be obliged to raise the siege, the commander was killed, and the fort took fire. They now therefore made themselves masters of the place, where Morgan left his vessels at anchor, and sailed up the river in sloops, till he came to Cruces, where it ceases to be navigable. He then proceeded by land to Panama, five leagues distant; though he met with a considerable body of troops in the neighbourhood, he put them to flight with the greatest ease, and entered the city, now abandoned. Here were found prodigious treasures, and several rich deposits in the neighbouring forests. Having burnt the city, they set sail with a great number of prisoners, who were ransomed in a few days; and came to the mouth of the Chagre with a prodigious booty. In 1603 an expedition of the greatest conse quence was formed by Van Horn, a native of Ostend, but who had served all his life among the French. His intrepidity would never let him suffer the least signs of cowardice among those who associated with him. In the heat of an engagement he went about his ship; observed his men; and immediately killed those who shrank at the sudden report of a pistol, gun, or cannon. This extraordinary discipline had made him become the terror of the coward, and the idol of the brave. He readily shared with the men of spirit and bravery the immense riches that were acquired by so truly warlike and diabolical a disposition, and he generally sailed in a frigate which was his own property. New expeditions requiring greater numbers to carry them into execution, he took to his assistance Gramont, Godfrey, and Jonque, three Frenchmen, distinguished by their exploits; and Lawrence de Graff, a Dutchman." These famous commanders were joined by 1200 buccaniers, and sailed in six vessels for Vera Cruz. The darkness of the night favored their landing, which was effected at three leagues from the place, where they arrived without being discovered. The governor, the fort, the barracks, and the posts of the greatest consequence, were all taken by the break of day. All the citizens, men, women, and children, were shut up in the churches, whither they had fled for shelter. At the door of each church were placed barrels of gunpowder to blow up the building. A buccanier with a lighted match was to set fire to it upon the least appearance of an insurrection. While the city was kept in such terror, it was easily pillaged; and after the buccaniers had carried off what was most valuable, they made a proposal to the citizens in the churches, to ransom their lives and liberties at a contribution of £437,500. The unfortunate people, who had neither ate nor drank for three days, readily accepted the terms that were offered them. Half of the money was paid the same day; the other part was expected from the internal parts of the country; when there appeared on an eminence a considerable body of troops advancing, and near the port a fleet of seventeen ships from Europe. At the sight of this armament the buccaniers, without any marks of surprise, retreated quietly with 1500 slaves as hostages for the rest of the money. Their retreat was equally daring. They boldly sailed through the midst of the Spanish fleet; which let them pass without firing a single gun, and were in fact rather afraid of being attacked and beaten. The Spaniards would not probably have escaped so easily, if the vessels of the pirates had not been laden with silver, or if the Spanish fleet had been freighted with any other effects but such merchandise as was little valued by the buccaniers. A year had scarce elapsed since their return from Mexico, when they were seized with the rage of plundering Peru. It is somewhat remarkable, that both the English and French associations had projected this plan at the same time, without any communication, or intercourse. About 4000 men were employed in this expedition. Some of them came by Terra Firma, others by the Straits of Magellan, to the place that was the object of their wishes. If the intrepidity of these barbarians had been directed by a skilful commander, they would doubtless have deprived the Spaniards of this important colony. But their character was an invincible obstacle to such an union: they always formed themselves into several distinct bodies, sometimes even so few in number as ten or twelve, who acted together, or separated, as caprice directed. Grognier, Lecuyer, Picard, and Le Sage, were the most distinguished officers among the French: David, Samms, Peter, Wilner, and Towley, among the English. Such of those adventurers as had come into the South Sea by the Straits of Darien, seized upon the first vessel they found upon the coast. Their associates, who had sailed in their own vessels, were not much better provided. Weak however as they were, they beat several times the squadrons that were fitted out against them. When there were no more ships to be taken, they made descents upon the coast for provisions, or went by land to plunder those cities where the booty was secured. They successively attacked Seppa, Puebla-Nuevo, Leon, Realejo, Puebla-Viejo, Chiriquita, Lesparso, Granada, Villa-Nicoya, Tecoanteca, Mucmeluna, Chiloteca, New Segovia, and Guayaquil, the most considerable of all these places. Many of the towns were taken by surprise; and most of them deserted by their inhabitants, who fled at the sight of the enemy. As soon as the pirates took a town it was set on fire, unless a sum proportionate to its value was given to save it, and the prisoners were massacred without mercy, if not quickly ransomed. Silver being |