PAITA DESTROYED. 



428 



his two vessels, the unfortunate seaport of Paita, in Peru, — 

 which, as may be seen from our narrative, was invariably at- 

 tacked by every successive depredator. The town was taken with 



BOMBARDMENT OF PAITA. 



the utmost ease, — the governor, who was in bed at the time of 

 the surprise, running away half naked in the utmost precipitation, 

 and leaving his wife, hardly seventeen years old, and to whom he 

 had been married but three days, to take care of herself. The 

 custom-house, where the treasure lay, was seized upon and its 

 contents transported to the ship. Anson, not satisfied with this, 

 sent word to the governor, who had come to a halt on a distant 

 hill, that he would listen to proposals for ransom. The governor, 

 who was somewhat arrogant for a magistrate who had made so 

 signal a display of poltroonery, did not deign to return an answer 

 to these overtures : he collected together his people, however, 

 and prepared to storm the city, but, upon second thoughts, 

 prudently abstained. Pitch, tar, and other combustibles were 

 now distributed by Anson's men among the houses of Paita ; 

 the cannon in the fort were spiked, and fire was then set to the 

 town, which was speedily reduced to ashes. The loss of the 

 Spaniards by the fire, in broadcloths, silks, velvets, cambrics, 

 was represented by them to the court of Madrid as amounting 

 to a million and a half of dollars. Anson's ships carried away 

 with them, in plate, coin, and jewels, about one hundred and 

 fifty thousand dollars more. Soon after leaving Paita, they fell 



