Exquemelin, Alexandre Olivier. Piratas de la America [“Buccaneers of America”]. Translated into Spanish by Alonso de Bonne-Maison

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

David de Castro Tartas]

[Amsterdam

1681

FIRST SPANISH EDITION. Title printed in red and black. Engraved coat-of-arms on verso of title. With one (of four) engraved portraits; two (of five) engraved plates, one folding; engraved folding map of Panama; text engraving on p.20

Palau 85730; Sabin 23471

A pseudo-Cologne imprint, the balance of conventional scholarship identifies this work as the output of David de Castro Tartas’ press at Amsterdam. Most of the contributors to this edition, were from the circle of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam, several of whom were well-integrated in Christian literary circles and were personal aquaintances of Exquemelin. It is interesting that the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam were so curious about the Americas. Of great significance, is the introductory poem by the Marrano poet and historiographer, Daniel Levi (Miguel de) Barrios who was an active member of the Amsterdam Sephardic Talmud Torah congregation. In it, he displays knowledge of the Atlantic and Caribbean Islands, including Trinidad, Tobago, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Santa Lucia, Guadalupe, Barbados, Jamaica and Haiti. Barrios had made the voyage to Tobago in 1660, but his wife died on arrival, and, disconsolate, he returned soon after to Holland. Barrios’ poem is one of the earliest works specifically devoted to America by a Jewish writer.