Jacob De Bucquoy: Pirates of Madagascar At Rio Delagoa

By Baylus C. Brooks

Jacob de Bucquoy, born 26 October 1693, was a hydrographer and cartographer of the Netherlands. He began his career as a cartographer in Europe and then from 1721, he worked for the Dutch East India Company or VOC. During his first overseas excursion to Dutch Fort Lijdzaamheid at Delagoa on the southeast coast of Africa to map the river there, however, he was interrupted in this work and captured by pirates. He had produced remarkable works of cartography and, even if by consequence of his capture, ethnology of Madagascar. His natural curiosity about all things made him an excellent emergency field anthropologist. This is an English translation of his manuscript, originally translated into French by Alfred Grandidier. The culture and habits of both English pirate and Malagasy of Madagascar are detailed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387984299

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Jacob De Bucquoy: Pirates of Madagascar At Rio Delagoa

Jacob de Bucquoy

Hydrographer and Cartographer of the Netherlands

Pirates of Madagascar at Rio Delagoa

Jacob de Bucquoy

Hydrographer and Cartographer of the Netherlands

Pirates of Madagascar at Rio Delagoa

Originally published as Jaques du Bucquoy in Alfred Grandidier, Collection des Ouvrages Anciens concernant Madagascar, Vol. 5 (Paris: Comité de Madagascar, 1907), 103-139.

Translated and edited by,

Baylus C. Brooks

Poseidon Historical Publications

Gainesville, Florida

Jacob de Bucquoy: Pirates of Madagascar at Rio Delagoa

ISBN: 978-1-387-98429-9

First Edition

© 2018 Baylus C. Brooks

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed Attention: Permissions Coordinator, at the email address below.

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INTRODUCTION

Jacob de Bucquoy, born 26 October 1693, was a hydrographer and cartographer of the Netherlands. He began his career as a cartographer in Europe and then from 1721, he worked for the Dutch East India Company or VOC. During his first overseas excursion to Dutch Fort Lijdzaamheid at Delagoa on the southeast coast of Africa to map the river there, however, he was interrupted in this work and captured by pirates. He had produced remarkable works of cartography and, even if by consequence of his capture, ethnology of Madagascar. His natural curiosity about all things made him an excellent emergency field anthropologist.

In 1735, he returned to the Netherlands where he taught geography. He later penned, in 1744, the tale of his captive anthropological opportunities and his unique personal experiences with pirates and natives of Madagascar. More importantly for this work, he afforded a detailed look at the apparent narcissistic psychosis of English pirate Richard Taylor from the vantage point of a scientist. Taylor’s verbal bouts with his French colleague Olivier LeVasseur de la Buse or the Buzzard, are especially detailed. Still, a singular criticism of Bucquoy’s efforts would be that he may have been overwhelmed by hero worship associated with Taylor’s vain, self-important fantasies. Furthermore, Taylor’s deep-seated paranoia probably fueled the many arguments between him and his French partner.

Jacob de Bucquoy, Plattegrond van Fort Lijdzaamheid on Rio de Lagoa, 1721.

One detail about Bucquoy’s narrative that may have affected its veracity was its late date. He published this tale more than two decades after the events had occurred. Being a scientist, though, he may have attempted to record or note his observations at the time. Certainly, writing of the book began well before publication – how early is the question. Perhaps we could easily be unnecessarily harsh on Bucquoy. Being in a wilderness environment was difficult, especially for a scientist such as himself. It is difficult to know whether he had pen and paper to make in situ records of his observations. Modern anthropologists, of course, use recording media, but that obviously was unavailable to Bucquoy. Still, as a scientist, used to observing great detail that others would easily dismiss, he perhaps served as the best witness of whom we researchers might have requested.

Alfred Grandidier made notes to this text. These will appear as regular footnotes. The translator/editor, Baylus C. Brooks, will leave his own notes preceded with BCBNOTE:…

BUCQUOY IS CAPTURED!

DEPARTURE OF BUCQUOY WITH THE PIRATES FOR THE RIO DE LA GOA [BAY DELAGOA][1] - CRUISE IN MOZAMBIQUE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEPARATING A PORTUGUESE SHIP PARTLY FOR GOA