Attack Isle of St. Catharine. now in Capt. Morgan and his companions weighed anchor from the Cape of Tiburón, the 16th day of December in the year 1670. Four days after they arrived within sight of the Isle of St. Catharine, (1) which was possession of the Spaniards again, and to which they commonly banished the malefactors of the Spanish dominions in the West Indies. In this island are found huge quantities of pigeons at certain seasons of the year; it is watered continually by four rivulets or brooks, whereof two are always dry in the summer season. Here is no manner of trade nor commerce exercised by the inhabitants, neither do they give themselves the trouble to plant more fruits than what is necessary for the sustentation of human life; howbeit, the country would be sufficient to make very good plantations of tobacco, which might render considerable profit were it cultivated for that use. to As soon as Capt. Morgan came near the island with his fleet, he sent before one of his best sailing vessels view the entry of the river and see if any other ships were there who might hinder him from landing; as also fearing lest they should give intelligence of his arrival to the inhabitants of the island, and they by this means prevent his designs. to a The next day before sunrise, all the fleet came anchor near the island, in a certain bay called Aguada Grande; upon this bay the Spaniards had lately built battery, mounted with four pieces of cannon. Captain Morgan landed with a thousand men, more or less, and disposed them into squadrons, beginning his march through the woods, although they had no other guides than some few of his own men who had been there before when (1) Also known as Santa Katalina or Old Providence, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 100 miles from the Mosquito Coast, now belonging to Venezuela. Mansvelt took and ransacked the island. The same day they came to a certain place where the Governor at other times kept his ordinary residence: here they found a battery called The Platform, but nobody in it; the Spaniards having retired to the lesser island, which, as was said before, is so near the great one that a short bridge only may conjoin them. Pirates in Serious Straits. This lesser island aforesaid was so well fortified with forts and batteries around it as might seem impregnable. Hereupon, as soon as the Spaniards perceived the pirates to approach, they began to fire upon them SO furiously that they could advance nothing that day, but were contented to retreat a little, and take up their rest upon the grass in the open fields, which afforded no strange beds to these people, as being sufficiently used to such kind of Sodería Francesa. Sodería Francesa. J. B. COEROLI & Co. J. B. COEROLI y Cia. We manufacture all classes of Soda waters and Syrups. We have engaged the services of a graduate distiller for the manufacture of all classes of pure liquors. Prompt attention given to orders from private houses. FACTORY, No. 54, WEST 16TH STREET. Se fabrican toda clase de Aguas Gaseosas y Siropes. Próximamente llegará un licorista graduado para hacer toda clase de licores desinfectados. SE ATIENDEN PEDIDOS Á DOMICILIOS. CALLE IG OESTE, NUMERO 54. repose; what most afflicted them was hunger, having not eaten the least thing that whole day. About midnight it began to rain so hard that those miserable people had much ado to resist so much hardship, the greatest part of them having no other clothes than a pair of seaman's trousers or breeches, and a shirt, without either shoes or stockings. Thus finding themselves in great extremity, they began to pull down a few thatched houses to make fires withal; in a word, they were in such condition that one hundred men, indifferently well armed, might easily that night have torn them all to pieces. The next morning about break of day the rain ceased, at which time they began to dry their arms, which were entirely wet, and proceed on their march. But not long after, the rain commenced anew, rather harder than before, as if the skies were melted into waters, which caused them to cease from advancing towards the forts, whence the Spaniards continually fired at the Pirates, seeing them to approach. The Pirates were now reduced to great affliction and danger of their lives through the hardness of the weather, their own nakedness and the great hunger they sustained. For a small relief hereof, they happened to find in the fields an old horse, which was both lean and full of scabs and blotches, with galled back and sides. This horrid animal they instantly killed and flayed, and divided into small pieces among themselves as far as it would reach, for many could not obtain one morsel, which they roasted and devoured without either salt or bread, more like ravenous wolves than men. A Threat and the Answer. The rain as yet ceased not to fall, and Capt. Morgan perceived their minds to relent, hearing many of them say they would return on board the ships. Amongst these fatigues both of mind and body, he thought it convenient to use some sudden and almost unexpected remedy; to this effect he commanded a canoe to be rigged in all haste, and the colours of truce to be hanged out of it. This canoe he sent to the Spanish governor of the island with this message: That if within a few hours he delivered not himself and all his men into his hands, he did by that messenger swear to him, and all those that were in his company, he would almost certainly put them all to the sword, without granting quarter to any. After noon the canoe returned with this answer: That the Governor desired two hours time to deliberate with his officers in a full council about that affair; which being past, he would give his positive answer to the message. The time now being elapsed, the said Governor sent two canoes with white colours, and two persons, to treat with Capt. Morgan, but before they landed, they demanded of the Pirates two persons as hostages of their security. These were readily granted by Capt. Morgan, who delivered to them two of his captains, for a mutual pledge of the security required. With this the Spaniards propounded to Capt. Morgan, that their Governor in a full assembly had resolved to deliver up the island, not being provided with sufficient forces to defend it against such an armada or fleet. But withal he desired that Captain Morgan would be pleased to use a certain stratagem of war, for the better saving of his own credit, and the reputation of his officers both abroad and at home, which should be as follows: That Capt. Morgan would come with his troops by night, near the bridge that joined the lesser island to the great one, and there attack the fort of St. Jerome; that at the same time all the ships of his fleet would draw near the castle of Santa Teresa, and attack it by sea, landing in the meanwhile some more troops, near the battery called St. Matthew; that these troops which were newly landed should by this means intercept the Governor by the way, as he endeavoured to pass to St. Jerome's fort, and then take him prisoner, using the formality, as if they forced him to deliver the said castle; and that he would lead the English into it, under the fraud of being his own troops; that on one side and the other there should be continual firing at one another, but without bullets, or at least into the air, so that no side might receive any harm by this device; that thus having obtained two such considerable forts, the chief of the isle, he need not care for the rest, which of necessity must fall by course into his hands. A Mock Surrender. These propositions, every one, were granted by Capt. Morgan, upon condition they should see them faithfully observed, for otherwise they should be used with all rigour imaginable: this they promised to do, and hereupon took their leave, and returned to give account of their negotiation to the Governor. Presently after, Capt. Morgan commanded the whole fleet to enter the port, and his men to be in readiness to assault that night the castle of St. Jerome. Thus the false alarm or battle began with incessant firing of great guns from both the castles against the ships, but without bullets, as was said before. Then the Pirates landed, and assaulted by night the lesser island, which they took, as also possession of both the fortresses, forcing all the Spaniards, in appearance, to fly to the church. Before this assault, Capt. Morgan had sent Tienda de "San José" Al costado de la Iglesia del mismo nombre En este establecimiento recientemente reformado bajo el poder del nuevo propietario. encontrará el público un completo y selecto surtido de Viveres, Vinos y Licores, Conservas, Galletas, Perfumes, Loza, Cristalería, etc., etc. "San José" Store. Adjacent the Church of the same name. Having recently restocked my store, I now offer to the public a complete and select assortment of Provisions, Wines and Liquors, Preserves, Canned goods, Biscuits, Glassware, Crockery, Perfumes, etc., etc., at moderate prices. José Angel Ribera, Prop. Nos. 139-141 |