WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 53 



dents ; and the other, Cumanagoto, on the same coast W. of Cumana, 

 opposite the island called Borracha, 12 leagues from Point Araya, 

 by the Rio de Unare. The city of Cumanagoto will contain 150 

 Spanish residents, and there are large numbers of Indians in its 

 district, but they do not render service, since they take refuge with 

 the warlike Cumanagoto Indians who live in that region ; hence it 

 is imperatively necessary that some powerful resident of that country 

 be charged with their conquest, and bring them to the knowledge of 

 our Holy Faith and Christian administration. 



135. The residents of this city of Cumana, though few in number, 

 have been valiant in their prowess, on the occasions which have arisen, 

 against the enemies who have come to sack and harry those coasts. 

 In the year 1592 the corsair Walter Raleigh descended upon them 

 with six war vessels ; he did much harm all along those coasts, having 

 first treacherously captured the city of San Josef on the island of 

 Trinidad, and killed many residents and transients ; he sacked and 

 plundered the poor city and carried off captive Gov. Antonio de 

 Berrio as a prize for ransom. After this episode he reached the 

 harbor of Barbudo, which serves the city of Cumana, proposing to 

 capture and plunder it, and with that intent he landed a large force. 



136. When the residents of Cumana were apprised of the pirate's 

 intention and of the forces he brought with him in his six naval 

 vessels, a Captain Flamenco who at that moment was buying tobacco 

 in the port helped them out with harquebusses, muskets, powder, and 

 shot, exchanging and selling them for tobacco before the arrival of 

 the pirate with his outfit. As soon as he reached the harbor he landed 

 a large force, with a nephew of his as chief or general. They attacked 

 the city to rob and sack it, but the valiant citizens of Cumana, though 

 not equal in numbers to the enemy, surpassed them in courage and 

 energy, stimulated by their possession of the munitions ; and when 

 they started defending their homes and had fired a few shots, they 

 had the good fortune to kill with one of them, the General, Walter 

 Raleigh's nephew. So the enemy, with many killed and wounded and 

 without a leader, like sheep without a shepherd, began a disordered 

 flight to the sea ; the corsair, on learning of his bad fortune, signaled 

 to them to make a stand ; but the valiant Cumananians butchered them 

 with songs of victory, till they forced them to reembark, leaving be- 

 hind many dead. And since the pirate reckoned that he was insecure 

 at sea, with the serious loss of his nephew and other officers and 

 soldiers, he hoisted sail and departed, leaving the valiant Cumananians 

 triumphant in victory worthy of praise, for they had won it without 

 superiority in numbers or strength, but relying solely on their spirit 



