382 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



time they captured several prizes, and manned them with bucca- 

 neers that they met, from time to time, engaged in small enter- 

 prises on separate accounts. By the end of May, their fleet 

 consisted of ten sail, two of them being ships of war, carrying 

 fifty-two guns and nine hundred and sixty men. The Spanish 

 fleet — consisting of fourteen sail, eight of them men-of-war, and 

 two of them fire-ships, the whole manned by three thousand 

 men — now hove in sight. The admiral of the fleet deceived 

 the buccaneers at night, by hoisting a light upon the topmast 

 of an abandoned bark, by which they were, decoyed into a posi- 

 tion which gave the Spaniards the next day all the advantage 

 of the wind. Thus was the grand scheme adroitly frustrated. 



Having thus failed at sea, they agreed to try their fortune on 

 land, and chose the city of Leon, on the coast of Nicaragua. 

 Four hundred and seventy men were landed for this purpose. 

 They were met and opposed by five hundred foot and two hun- 

 dred horse, both of which arms of the service retreated in con- 

 fusion at the first collision. As they refused to ransom the city 

 for thirty thousand dollars, it was set on fire. A Spanish gen- 

 tleman, who had been captured by the buccaneers, was released 

 upon his promise to deliver one hundred and fifty oxen at Rea- 

 lejo, the next place which they intended to attack. Realejo was 

 taken, but yielded them little of value except five hundred bags 

 of flour, with some pitch, tar, and cordage, and the one hundred 

 and fifty promised oxen. Captains Davis and Swan now agreed 

 to separate, — the former wishing to return to Peru, and the 

 latter desiring to visit the northern coasts of Mexico. Dampier 

 remained with Swan in the Cygnet. 



Towards the middle of September they came in sight of the 

 ^ity and volcano of Guatemala. Dampier landed at the port of 

 Guatulco with one hundred and forty men, and marched fourteen 

 miles to attack an Indian village, where they found nothing but 

 vanilla beans drying in the sun. They endeavored to- cut out 

 a Lima bullion-ship lying off Acapulco, but failed. Not far 



