Little Brown and Company, Boston. 1975. First edition. Between 1482 and 1750 Spain extracted billions of dollars worth of gold, silver emeralds, pearls and other treasure from the Caribbean. Many obstacles hampered the Spanish monopolisation of the riches of the New World: virulent disease; primitive navigational instruments; cumbersome ships; devastating hurricanes; treacherous coral reefs; and pirates both male and female. Nice condition. Illustrated dust jacket over corn coloured cloth and buckram covered end boards. 491pp. 240 mm x 155 mm.