BRASILIANO. 15 



many such cruelties, as he was cruising on the coasts of Campechy, a dismal tempest 

 surprised him so violently that his ship was wrecked upon the coasts, the mariners only 

 escaping with their muskets and some few bullets and powder, which were the only things 

 they could save. The ship was lost between Campechy and the Golpho Triste; here they 

 got ashore in a canoe, and, marching along the shore with all the speed they could, 

 directed their course towards Golpho Triste, the common refuge of the pirates. On their 

 journey, all very exhausted and hungry, they were pursued by a troop of 100 Spaniards. 

 The pirates were but thirty; yet, seeing their brave commander resolute, they fought 

 bravely, and facing the troop of Spaniards, discharged their muskets on them so dex- 

 terously that they killed one horseman almost with every shot. The fight continued 

 for an hour, till at last the Spaniards were put to flight. They stripped the dead, and 

 took from them what was most for their use ; such as were not quite dead they despatched 

 with the ends of their muskets. 



"Having vanquished the enemy, they mounted on horses they found in the field, and 

 continued their journey, Brasiliano having lost but two of his companions in this bloody 

 fight, and had two wounded. Prosecuting their way, before they came to the port they 

 spied a boat at anchor from Campechy, well manned, protecting a few canoes that were 

 lading wood ; hereupon they sent six of their men to watch them, who next morning, by a 

 wile, possessed themselves of the canoes. Having given notice to their companions, they 

 boarded them, and also took the little man-of-war, their convoy. Being thus masters of 

 the fleet, they wanted only provisions, of which they found little aboard those vessels ; 

 but this defect was supplied by the horses, which they killed and salted, which by good 

 fortune the wood-cutters had brought with them, with which they supported themselves till 

 they could get better. 



" They took also another vessel going from New Spain to Maracaibo, laden with divers 

 sorts of merchandise and pieces of eight, designed to buy cocoa-nuts for their lading home ; 

 -all these they carried to Jamaica, where they safely arrived, and, according to custom, wasted 

 all in a few days in taverns and disorderly houses. Some of these pirates will spend two 

 or three thousand pieces of eight in a night, not leaving themselves a good shirt to wear 

 in the morning. My own master," says Esquemeling, "would buy sometimes a pipe of 

 wine, and placing it in the street, would force those that passed by it to drink with 

 him, threatening also to pistol them if they would not. He would do the like with barrels 

 of beer or ale, and very often he would throw these liquors about the streets and wet 

 people's clothes, without regarding whether he spoiled their apparel. 



" Among themselves these pirates are very liberal ; if any one has lost all, which often 

 happens in their manner of life, they freely give him of what they have. In taverns and 

 alehouses they have great credit ; but at Jamaica they ought not to run very deep in debt, 

 seeing the inhabitants there easily sell one another for debt. This happened to my 

 patron, to be sold for a debt of a tavern wherein he had spent the greater part of 

 his money. This man had, within three months before, three thousand pieces of eight 

 in ready cash, all which he wasted in that little time, and became as poor as I have 

 told you." 



The history of a pirate is that of many another man made suddenly rich. Brasiliauo, 



