THE SPANIAEDS BEATEN. 23 



newly made in the wood among the mire, which the Spaniards could shoot into at pleasure ; 

 but the pirates, full of courage, cut down the branches of trees and threw them on the way, 

 that they might not stick in the dirt. Meanwhile, those of Gibraltar fired with their 

 great guns so furiously that they could scarce hear nor see for the noise and smoke. 

 Being past the wood, they came on firm ground, where they met with a battery of six 

 guns, which immediately the Spaniards discharged upon them, all loaded with small bullets 

 and pieces of iron ; and the Spaniards, sallying forth, set upon them with such fury as caused 

 the pirates to give way, few of them caring to advance towards the fort, many of them 

 being already killed and wounded. This made them go back to seek another way, but 

 the Spaniards having cut down many trees to hinder the passage, they could find none r 

 but were forced to return to that they had left. Here the Spaniards continued to fire as 

 before; nor would they sally out of their batteries to attack them any more. Lolonois 

 and his companions not being able to grimp up the baskets of earth, were compelled to 

 use an old stratagem, wherewith at last they deceived and overcame the Spaniards. 



" Lolonois retired suddenly with all his men, making show as if he fled, whereupon 

 the Spaniards, crying out, ' They flee, they flee ! let us follow them ! ' sallied out with great 

 disorder to the pursuit. Being drawn to some distance from the batteries, which was the 

 pirates' only design, they turned upon them unexpectedly, sword in hand, and killed above 

 200 men, and thus fighting their way through those who remained, they possessed them- 

 selves of the batteries. The Spaniards that remained abroad, giving themselves over for 

 lost, fled to the woods ; those in the battery of eight guns surrendered themselves, obtaining 

 quarter for their lives. The pirates being now become masters of the town, pulled down 

 the Spanish colours and set up their own, taking prisoners as many as they could find. 

 These they carried to the great church, where they raised a battery of several great guns, 

 fearing lest the Spaniards that were fled should rally and come upon them again ; but next 

 day, being all fortified, their fears were over. They gathered the dead to bury them, being 

 above 500 Spaniards, besides the wounded in the town and those who died of their wound 

 in the woods. The pirates had also above 150 prisoners and nigh 500 slaves, many women 

 and children." 



Of their own companions only forty were killed and about eighty wounded, of whom, 

 however, the greater part died through the pestilential air of the place. They put the slain 

 Spaniards into two great boats, and towing them a quarter of a league to sea, they sunk 

 the boats. This done, they gathered all the plate, valuables generally, and merchandise 

 they could, or thought convenient to carry away. "The Spaniards who had anything left 

 had hid it carefully ; but the unsatisfied pirates, not content with the riches they had got, 

 sought for more goods and merchandise, not sparing those who lived in the fields, such as 

 hunters and planters. They had scarce been eighteen days on the place when the greater 

 part of the prisoners died of hunger; for in the town there were few provisions, especially 

 of flesh, though they had some, but no sufficient quantity of flour, and this the pirates 

 had taken for themselves, as they also took the swine, cows, and poultry, without allowing 

 any share to the poor prisoners ; for these they only provided some small quantity of mule's 

 and ass's flesh ; and many who could not eat of that loathsome provision died of hunger, 

 their stomachs not being accustomed to such sustenance. Only some women were allowed 



