The Buccaneer Was a Picturesque Fellow

Although there was little visual record of what pirates actually wore, Pyle invented a dramatic costume from his compendium of historical dress, creating a look adopted by Hollywood and still used today in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
The word buccaneer is derived from the French word for the meat-smoking device (boucan) used by some Caribbean islanders who later turned to piracy.

Pyle's story "The Fate of a Treasure Town" provides a glimpse into 17th century piracy in Spanish colonial port towns. These outposts sent their acquired wealth back to the crown on convoys of the Spanish fleet. The ships were often attacked by pirates who would later divide the treasure among themselves.