Nearly 400 ago, in the 17th century, the islands became the home of many buccaneers. They were a mixed group of mostly English, French, and men and women. Many of them were shipwrecked and off the coast of Hispaniola. They hunted wild boar and cattle, and learnt from the Carib people how to cure meat. is a way of preserving meat with salt and spices so that it does not go bad in a hot climate. The meat was spread in strips over a wooden grate or . This was placed near a slow-burning . The heat dried the meat to a fine color. It had a taste. The sailors sold the meat (which was also called boucan) to ships that passed by. This is why they were called . They took to sea and lived by capturing Spanish ships. They later became known as .