Ch. II. SOUTH AM ERIC A. aoi 



of the town or whether, by a vigorous refiftancc 

 they might not be repelled : the mind, on fb great 

 and fudden a perturbation, being but Jiitle capable of 

 fuch refledions. 



Not lb Don Nicholas de Salaza, the accomptant 

 of Piura, who happened to be then at Paita, on 

 fome affairs of his office. This gentleman attended 

 only by a negro Have, with an equal prefence of 

 mind and reioiution, threw himfelf into the little 

 fort, built for the defence of that fmall town, and 

 fired two or three fhot towards the place where he 

 heard the noife of the oars. Upon this the long- 

 boat flopped but the fort was obliged to give over 

 firing for want of hands to affift an officer who had 

 fliewn fo generous an ejcample of reioiution. The 

 En.gliffi, concluding very naturally, that the fort 

 was alfo abandoned, landed about half a league N. 

 of the town, to which they immediately marched, 

 and finding it forfaken, entered the fort, where, for 

 fear of any liirprize, they kept themfelves all night. 

 But the inhabitants thought of nothing but faving 

 their lives, and accordingly fied to a mountain, be- 

 twixt the Siila and the tovv'n, where tbey concealed 

 themfelves, except a few ilaves, who finding that the 

 enemy were all retired into the fort, took the ad- 

 vantage of the night, and boldly returned into the 

 town, bringing off fuch arms and effeds of their 

 m.allers as the night w^culd permit, hiding in the fand 

 what they found too heavy to carry up to the top of 

 the mountain. 



There was unfortunately then at Paita great 

 quantities of meal, fruits, and brandy, configned 

 to the province3 of the m.ountains, by the way of 

 Piura bendes other goods depofited in the ware- 

 houfes to be feat to Panama. There was alfo no 

 fmall quantity of gold and filver. As foon as day- 

 light returned, the Engliffi left their retreat, and fee- 

 jng every place forfalicp, ihcy began to enter the 

 4 houfes, 



