OVER THREE HUNDRED MEN BLOWN UP. 35 



they would not stand to their arms. And though the pirates asked him if he would have 

 quarter, yet he constantly answered, " By no means ; I would rather die as a valiant soldier 

 than be hanged as a coward ! " They endeavoured as much as they could to take him 

 prisoner, but he defended himself so obstinately that they were forced to kill him, notwith- 

 standing all the cries and tears of his own wife and daughter, who begged him on their 

 knees to demand quarter and save his life." 



The pirates now gave themselves up to all kinds of debauchery, some of the details 

 of which shall not disgrace these pages. The chronicler says that at this time fifty deter- 

 mined men could easily have re-taken the city. The President of Panama sent a body of 

 men to the rescue, who were met by the pirates and put to flight. He later sent a message 

 full of threats, at which Morgan only laughed, and sent word that he would demolish the 

 forts and burn the town unless he should immediately receive 100,000 pieces of eight (over 

 20,000), and it was eventually paid. The Governor or President of Panama was puzzled 

 to learn how 400 men, without ordnance, could have taken a town so well fortified as Puerto 

 Bello, and sent to Morgan, asking for some small patterns of his arms. The pirate captain 

 forwarded by the messenger a pistol and some small bullets, and desired the president 

 " to accept that slender pattern of the arms wherewith he had taken Puerto Bello, and keep 

 them a twelvemonth; after which time he promised to come to Panama and fetch them 

 away." The governor returned the presents, sending him back a golden ring, and desiring 

 him not to trouble himself about Panama, as he might obtain a warmer reception than 

 he expected. The results of this expedition comprised a quarter of a million dollars, besides 

 merchandise in silk, linen, and cloth. The tavern-keepers, traders, and gamblers of Jamaica 

 reaped the larger part of these enormous gains. 



Morgan's next enterprise, in which he was joined by many other pirate commanders, 

 was against the already unfortunate city of Maracaibo. A French pirate-ship, carrying 

 thirty-six guns, was then at Jamaica, and Morgan tried to induce the commander and his 

 men to join them. This the French refused; whereupon he invited the captain and several 

 of his men to dine with him, and treacherously made them prisoners. 



This unjust action of Captain Morgan was followed by very swift retribution. 

 Captain Morgan, immediately after he had taken these French prisoners, called a council 

 to deliberate what place they should select for this new expedition. It was determined 

 to go to the Isle of Savona, to wait for the fleet then expected from Spain, and take any 

 of the Spanish vessels straggling from the rest. This resolution being made, they began 

 to feast aboard the prize in expectation of their new voyage. They drank many 

 healths and discharged many guns common signs of mirth among the pirates. Most of 

 the men being drunk by what accident is not known the ship was suddenly blown 

 up, with 350 Englishmen, besides the French prisoners in the hold; of whom only thirty 

 men escaped, who were in the main cabin, at some distance from the full force of 

 the powder. Many more, it is thought, might have escaped had they not taken too much 

 wine. The French prisoners were accused of having fired the vessel, and Morgan a little 

 later seized their ship and crew. 



"Eight days after the loss of the said ship, Captain Morgan commanded the bodies 

 of the miserable wretches who were blown up to be searched for as they floated on the sea : 



