40 



THE SEA. 



But if you make any resistance or opposition to what I offer you, I assure you I will 

 command boats to come from Caraccas, wherein I will put my troops, and coming- to 

 Maracaibo, will put you every man to the sword. This is my last and absolute resolution. 

 Be prudent, therefore, and do not abuse my bounty with ingratitude. I have with me very 

 good soldiers, who desire nothing more ardently than to revenge on you and your people 

 all the cruelties and base infamous actions you have committed upon the Spanish nation 

 in America. Dated on board the royal ship named the Magdalen, lying at anchor at the 

 entry of the lake of Maracaibo, the 24th April, 1669. 



" DON ALONSO DEL CAMPO Y ESPINOSA." 



MORGAN S ATTACK ON MARACAlliO. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE PIRATES AND BUCANIERS (continued}. 



Attack resolved The Fire-ship Morgan passes the Castle-Off for St. Catherine's Given up by a Stratagem St. 

 Catherine's an Easy Prey Power of Fire Thirty in Three Hundred Saved The March on Panama A Pirate 

 Band of Twelve Hundred Sufferings on the Way A Pipe for Supper- Leather and Cold Water Panama at last 

 The First Encounter Resolute Fighting Wild Bulls in Warfare Victory for the Pirates Ruthless Destruction 

 of Property Cruelty to Prisoners Searching for Treasure Dissatisfaction at the Dividend The last of Morgan. 



ON receipt of the captain's letter Morgan called his men together and asked them whether 

 they were going to fight or surrender. They answered unanimously that they would fight 

 to the last drop of blood rather than surrender so easily the booty they had obtained with 

 so much danger. " Among the rest one said to Captain Morgan, ' Take you care for the 

 rest, and I will undertake to destroy the biggest of those ships with only twelve men; 

 the manner shall be by making a Irnlot, or fire-ship, of that vessel we took in the river 

 of Gibraltar, which, to the intent she may not be known for a fire-ship, we will fill her 

 decks with logs of wood, standing with hats and montera caps, to deceive their sight with 

 the representation of men. The same we will do at the port-holes that serve for the guns, 



