BUCCANEERS. 



this mode of plundering, was Montbnvs, a gentleman of 

 L.anguedoc, who conceived from his youth a violent anti- 

 pathy to the Spaniards, on account of the enormities they 

 had committed in the conqueft of the New World, and who, 

 determining on retaliation, embarked about the middle of 

 the 17th century, on board a French fliip for the Weil In- 

 dies, in order to join thcfe enemies of Spain. An enthiifi- 

 afm which originated in humanity, at length became tlie 

 fonrce of tlie moll unfcelinsf barbarity ; for fo much did the 

 Spaniards fuffer from the fury of this enthufiaft, that he ac- 

 quired the name of the " Exterminator." Michael de 

 13afco and Francis Lolonois were alfo greatly renewed for 

 their exploits both bv fca and land. The mod important 

 enterprize, in which thefe leaders, with eight vcd'-ls and 6C0 

 afTociates, engaged, was that of the gulf of Venezuela. 

 This gulf runs up into the land for about 50 leagues, and 

 communicates, by a narrow (Irait, with tlie lake of Mara- 

 caybo. They began (A. D. 1^67,) with ftorming and 

 taking the calUe, called " l^a B^rra," which defended this 

 flrait, and putting to death the garrifon, conlllling of 2 ijo 

 men ; and they tl\en advanced to the city of Maracaybo, 

 built on the weftern coail of the lal<e, at the dillance of 

 about 10 leagues from its mouth. But on their arrival, the 

 inhabitants had abandoned it and removed their moll valuable 

 effects. Here they fpent a fortnight in debauchery and 

 riot ; fo that when they proceeded to Gibraltar, a town at 

 the extremity of the lake, to which the flying inhabitants 

 had retired, they found it newly fortified, and after reducina; 

 it at the expence of much blood, they took pofTenion only 

 of an empty town. Exafpcrated at this fecond difappoint- 

 ment, they fet fire to Gibi altar ; and Maracaybo wouM 

 have (haredthe fame fate, if it had not been ranfomed. But 

 previoufly to this ranfom, they defpoiled it of its bells, 

 images, and all the ornaments of the churches, intending, as 

 they faid, to build a chapel in the idand of Tortuga, and to 

 confecrate that part of their fpoil to facred ufes. But of all 

 the buccaneers, French or Engliih, no one was fo \uiiformly 

 fortunate and fuccefsful, or executed fo many daring enter- 

 prizes, as Henry Morgan, a native of Wales. While de 

 Bafco, Lolonois, and their companions, were fquandering, 

 at Tortuga, the fpoils they had acquired in the gulf of Vene- 

 zuela, he failed from Jamaica, to attack Porto-Bello : and he 

 conduiled his meafnres fo well, that (oon after his landing, 

 he furprifed the centinels, and made himfelf mailer of the 

 town, (A. D. 166S,) before the Spaniards could put them- 

 felves into a po'lure of defence. In order to reduce the ci- 

 tadel, whither the inhabitants had conveyed their molt va- 

 luable property, and the plate of the churches, he recurred to 

 the following artful expedient: he compelled the priells, nuns, 

 and other women, whom he had made prifor'.ers, to plant 

 the fcaling ladders againll the walls of the fortrefs, from a 

 perfuafion th.it the gallantry and fnperftitiou of the Spaniards 

 would not fuffer them to fire on the objefts of their love and 

 veneration. In this imagination, however, he was deceived. 

 The Spanifli governor ufed his utmoft efforts to deftroy 

 every one that approached the works ; fo that Morgan was 

 reduced to the ueccffity of carrying the place by llorm. 

 'Having thus fucceeded, he took pofleflion of a vaft quantity 

 of rich merchandize, and alfo of bullion and fpecie amount- 

 ing to one hundred thoufand pounds fiierling. With this 

 booty Morgan and his afiociates returned to Jamaica ; and 

 formed a new entei-prize againft Maracaybo. Accordingly 

 he collcfted 15 veflels and 960 men ; and with this arma- 

 ment (A. D. 1669,) entered the gulf of Venezuela un- 

 obferved, filenced the fort that defends the palTas^e to the 

 hke of Maracaybo, and found the town totally dtferted; 

 but he difcovered the chief citizens, and the greater part of 



their wealth in the neighbouring woods. He proceeded to 

 Gibraltar, which was left defolate ; however, whilll he \vr.3 

 attempting, by the mofl horrid cruelties, to extort from tlii 

 inhabitants, whom lie had fcizcd, a difcovcry of thdr hiddea 

 treafures, he was informed of the arrival of three Spanilh 

 men of war at the cnti-anre of the lake. Havin.; recon- 

 noitred the enemy, he confidercd his condition as riefperatc. 

 Neverthclefs, he concealed his apprehenfions, and fent a let- 

 ter to the Spanifh admiral, boldly demanding a ranfom for 

 the city of Maracaybo. The anfwer returned by the admi- 

 ral was rcfolute ; infilling on his furrcndering his booty and 

 prifoncrs, with leave to return to his own country, or if he 

 refufed, announcing his fixed purpofe of putting every maft 

 to the fword. Morgan and his afTociates deliberated ; and 

 they at length determined to rifle any confequcnce rather 

 than refign their booty, which they had gained with fonuich 

 peril. As the adiniral adhered to his declared purpofe, 

 Morgan informed him, that if he would not allow him to 

 pafs, lie would find means to effeft his efcape without his 

 permiffion. He accordingly divided the fpoil, fo that each 

 might have his own portion of it to defend ; and having 

 filled a veffel, taken from the enemy, with combuiliblc s, he 

 gallantly proceeded to the month of the lake ; and having 

 burnt two of the Spanifli fliips and captured one, he 

 made a feint of difembarking men, in order to attack the 

 fort by land, and thus diverted the attention of the garrifon, 

 whilll he paffed the bar with his whole fleet, without receiv- 

 ing any damage. Morgan, having difpofed of his booty at 

 Port Royal in Jamaica, put to fea again (A.D. 1670,) with 

 a larger fleet, and a more numerous body of adventurers'; 

 and after reducing the ifland of St. Catharine, fleered for 

 the river Chagre, by which he intended to advance to Pana- 

 ma. At the entrance of the river flood a llrong fortrcfs ; 

 an arrow was fliot from the bow of an Indian, and lodged 

 in the eye of one of his aflbciates ; but Morgan, pulling the 

 ar.-ow from the Wound, wrapped one of its ends in tow, put 

 it into his loaded mufliet, and difcharged it into the fort ; 

 and this arrow falling on the roof of one of the houfes, 

 which, according to the cullom of the country, were con- 

 flruiSed of wood, and covered with flra'.v, fet fire to it ; 

 and thus the Spaniards were thrown into the utmofl conller- 

 nation. After the death of the governor, who bravely 

 periflied with his fword in his hand, at the head of a few 

 refolute men, the place furrendered to the affailants. Mor- 

 gan proceeded up the river to Graces, and thence by land to 

 Panama, and, after feveral rencounters, took quiet pofTefTion 

 of it, and deliberately pillaged it for fome days. Here he 

 met with a fair captive, who inflamed his favage heart with 

 love ; and finding all his folicitations ineffeftual, he made a 

 forcible atteinpt on her perfon. " Stop, ruffian," fhe ex- 

 claimed wildly, and fpringmg from his arms ; " flop ! thinkefl 

 thou to ravifh from me my honour, as thou hafl wrefled from 

 me my fortune and my liberty ? Ko ! be affured that my foul 

 fiiall iooner be feparated from this body :" and flie drew a 

 poniard from her bofom, which fhe would have plunged into 

 his heart, if lie had not avoided the blow. Enraged by this vir- 

 tuous refinance, Morgan threw the female into a loathforae 

 dungeon, and 'endeavoured to ftibdue her by fevcrlties. But 

 his followers became clamorous on account of his detention 

 of them to no important purpofe, and conflrained him to re- 

 linquifh tliis amorotis purfuit. Before their return, the 

 booty was divided, and the fhare of Morgan himfelf amount- 

 ed to too thoufand pounds fttrling. This wealth he carried 

 to Jamaica, and never more engaged in any piratical enter- 

 prize. Some have faid (fee Edwards's Hifl. of the Weft 

 Indies, vol. i. p. 169,) that king Charles II.,' though he 

 iRTucd public orders for the fupprellion of the hollilities of thii 

 ; L 2 * ■ buccR- 



