216 VERA CRUZ SACKED COUNT MONCLOVA VICEROY. 



he despatched in 1683 to California, under Don Isidro Otondo, 

 and in which were Jesuits among whom was the celebrated Father 

 Kino, returned from that country three years afterwards after a 

 fruitless voyage and exploration of the coasts. Nor was the 

 eastern coast of New Spain more grateful for the cares of the 

 viceroy. Vera Cruz, the chief port of the realm, was, at this time, 

 warmly besieged and finally sacked by the English pirate Nicholas 

 Agramont, who was drawn thither by a mulatto, Lorencellio, 

 after taking refuge in Jamaica for a crime that he had committed 

 in New Spain. On the 17th of May, Vera Cruz, surrendered to 

 the robbers, who possessed themselves of property to the amount 

 of seven millions of dollars, which was awaiting the arrival in the 

 harbor of the fleet that was to carry it to Spain. The chief 

 portion of the inhabitants took sanctuary in the churches, where 

 they remained pent up for a length of time ; but the pirates 

 contrived to seize a large number of clergymen, monks and women, 

 whom they forced to bear the spoils of the city to their vessels, and 

 afterwards treated with the greatest inhumanity. 



The coasts of Mexico were, at this period, sorely harassed with 

 the piratical vessels of France and England. The wealth of the 

 New World, inadequately protected by Spanish cruisers, in its 

 transit to Europe, was a tempting prize to the bold nautical adven- 

 turers of the north of Europe ; and the advantages of the Spanish 

 colonies were thus reaped by nations who were freed from the 

 expenses of colonial possessions. There are perhaps still many 

 families in these countries whose fortunes were founded upon the 

 robbery of Castilian galeons. 



Don Melchor Portocarrero Laso de la Vega, 

 Count de la Monclova. 

 XXIX. Viceroy of New Spain. 

 1686 — 1688. 



The Conde de Monclova, surnamed " Brazo de Plata " from the 

 fact that he supplied with a silver arm the member he had lost in 

 battle, arrived in Mexico on the 30th of November, 1686, and 

 immediately devoted himself to the improvement of the capital, the 

 completion of the canal which was to free the city from inundations, 

 and the protection of the northern provinces and the coasts of the 

 gulf against the menaced settlements of the French. He despatch- 

 ed several Spanish men of war and launches to scour the harbors 



