march of the pirates, and placed several ambuscades, and taken possession of a pass through which they behoved to penetrate; the governor, with the remainder of his forces, drew up in an extended plain in the vicinity of the town.

Captain Morgan, finding the passages to the town impenetrable, made a circuit through the woods, escaped several of the ambuscades, and with great difficulty arrived at the plain where the Spaniards were waiting to give them a warm reception. A detachment of horse first attacked them, but Morgan formed his men into a semicircle, and so valiantly and dexterously assailed the Spainards, that they fled towards the woods for safety, but before they could reach the woods, the greater part fell under the swords of the invaders. After a skirmish of four hours, Morgan and his men entered the town, but the inhabitants having shut themselves up in their houses, fired upon the enemy. Being severely annoyed by the inhabitants, in this position, Captain Morgan threatened them, that if they did not surrender wil. lingly, they should soon behold their city in flames, and their wives and children torn to pieces before their eyes." timidated, they submitted to the discretion of the pirates.

66

Thus in

The pirates then proceeded to unexampled cruelty, shut up men women and children in the several churches, and pillaged the town; then searched and pillaged the whole adjacent country, and began to feast and rejoice, while they left their prisoners to starve. Unsatisfied even with this, they began to torment them, in order to constrain them to reveal where their money or goods were concealed.

Finding no more to pillage, and provisions becoming scarce, they meditated a departure. With this intention, they intimated to the wretched inhabitants, 66 that if they did not ransom themselves, they should all be transported to Jamaica, and their city laid in ashes." The Spaniards accordingly sent some of their number to search the woods, and the country, for the required contributions. In a short time they returned, informing Captain Morgan that they had been unsuccessful, but requested the space of fifteen days, in order to obtain the required ransom. To this he consented, but in a short time a negre was taken with letters from the governor of St Jago, requiring the prisoners to labour

to gain time from the invaders until he should come to their

assistance.

Upon this, Captain Morgan ordered all the spoils to be put on board the ships, and informed the Spaniards, that if they did not on the following day pay the ransom, he would set fire to the city.

The inhabitants replied, that it was totally impossible for them to give such a sum in so short a time, since the messengers whom they had sent were not in all the neighbourhood. Morgan knew their intention, but deeming it unsafe to remain longer in that place, demanded of them four hundred oxen or cows, together with sufficient salt to prepare them, with the additional condition, that they should put them on board his ships. Under this stipulation he retired with his men, taking six of the principal inhabitants as hostages for the performance of the stipulation. With all possible expedition the oxen were slain, salted, and put on board, the hostages were relieved, and Captain Morgan took leave of that place, and directed his course to a certain island where he intended to divide his body.

Arrived at that place, he found that he had only fifty thousand pieces of eight in money and in goods. This sum being insuffi cient to pay their debts in Jamaica, the Captain proposed that they should attempt new exploits before returning home. To se. cure success, he admonished them to confide implicitly to his di rection, and he would certainly accomplish the desired object. The Frenchmen however discording with the English, depárted and left Captain Morgan and his countrymen, to the amount of four hundred and sixty, to seek their fortune in their own way. This rupture did not intimidate the heroic Captain, but, labouring to inspire his men with the same spirit, he, with a fleet of nine ships, directed his course towards the Continent.

Meanwhile, he concealed his intentions from every person in the fleet, only assuring them that, by following his directions, he would certainly enrich them with immense spoil. Arrived upon the coast of Costa Rica, he informed them, that his intention was to attack the town of Puerto Vela by night. He encouraged them to this bold enterprise with the assurance of success; as he had communicated his design to none, therefore, the inhabitants would be taken by surprise. To this some objected on account of the fewness of their numbers, but the Captain replied: "If

our number is small, our hearts are great, and the fewer persons we are, the more union, and the better shares of the spoil." Stimulated with the hope of great riches, they unanimously agreed upon the attack.

This place is esteemed the strongest that the King of Spain possesses in the West Indies, except Havannah and Carthagena. There are two castles situated in the entry of the harbour, which are deemed almost impregnable. The garrison consisted of three hundred men, and the town is inhabited by about four hundred families. The place being unhealthy, on account of certain nox. ious vapours which descend from the mountains, the merchants only reside here when the galleons come and go from Spain.

Captain Morgan being thoroughly acquainted with the whole coast, and all the approaches to the city, arrived in the dusk of the evening, at a place about ten leagues west of the town. He proceeded up the river to another harbour called Puerto Pontia, and came to anchor. Leaving the vessels with a few men, the rest went into the boats and canoes, and about midnight they went on shore, and marched to the first watch of the city An Englishman, who had been prisoner in-that town, was their guide; and he was commanded with some others, either to take or slay the centinel. They seized him before he could give the alarm, bound his hands, and brought him to Captain Morgan, who asked him, "How matters went in the city, and what force they had," with many other questions, threatening him with instant death, upon his refusing to declare the truth. He then advanced towards the city with the centinel walking before, and when he arrived at the first castle, he surrounded it with his men.

In this position, he commanded the centinel to accost those within the walls, and inform them, that if they did not surrender, they would all be cut to pieces without the least mercy. But, regardless of their threatenings, they instantly began to fire, which gave the alarm to the whole city. The pirates, however, took the castle, and having shut up the officers and men into one room, they blew up the castle with all its inhabitants. Pursuing their victory, they attacked the city. The governor not being able to rally, the citizens fled to one of the castles, and from hence fired upon the pirates. The assault continued from the dawn of the morning until noon; and victory remained in great suspense, until

a troop of those who had taken the other castle, came to meet their Captain with loud shouts of victory. This inspired the Captain with new resolutions to exert every effort to take this castle also. He was the more stimulated to this, as the principal in.. habitants with their riches, and all the plate belonging to the dif ferent churches, were deposited in that fort.

With this view, he caused ten or twelve ladders to be constructed with all expedition; and having brought a number of the religious men and women from the cloisters, he commanded them to place these upon the walls. The governor of the castle, was, however, little influenced by the superstition of his countrymen ; therefore, he was deaf to all their cries and entreaties to surrender and save their lives and his own. That brave commander de. clared, that he would never surrender the castle, and continuing to fire upon the beseigers, many of the holy brothers and sis ters were slain before the ladders could be fastened on the wall. This, however, being at length effected, the pirates ascended in vast numbers, carrying in their hands fire-balls and earthen pots full of powder, which they kindled at the top of the walls, and threw among the Spaniards.

Unable any longer to defend the castle, they threw down their arms and surrendered. But the brave governor would not sub. mit, and not only slew many of the invaders, but even some of his own men, because they would not continue to repulse the enemy. Unable to take him prisoner, they were constrained to put him to death, who, nevertheless of the lamentation and entreaties of his wife and daughter, remained inflexible, declaring," that he would rather die as a valiant soldier, than be hanged as a coward." Having taken the castle, they placed all the wounded by themselves, leaving them to perish in their wounds, and the men and women in separate apartments, with a strong guard upon them, and gave themselves up to all manner of debauchery and riotous excess. They next proceeded to torture the prisoners, to constrain them to inform them where they had deposited their money or their goods.

Meanwhile, intelligence of their disasters, and of the taking of the city, were conveyed to the president of Panama, who immediately endeavoured to raise such a force as might expel the pirates. The unhealthfulness of the climate, their own debauch

eries, and the sword, having greatly lessened the number of his men, Captain Morgan gave orders to carry on board all their spoils, and to prepare to sail to another port. While these preparations were advancing, Captain Morgan requested the inhabitants to pay one hundred thousand pieces of eight as the ransom of their city, or he would reduce it to ashes.

In this unhappy dilemma, two messengers were dispatched to the President of Panama to inform him of their misfortunes, and to solicit his assistance. Having an army collected, he marched towards Puerto Velo. But Morgan, stationing an hundred of his men in a narrow pass through which it was necessary that he should come, the Spaniards were instantly put to flight, and the president returned home with the remainder of his forces. Thus abandoned to their cruel fate, the wretched inhabitants collected the sum demanded, and Captain Morgan having victualled his fleet, and taken several of the best guns from the castles, he sailed for the island of Cuba to divide his spoils. These he found to amount to two hundred and fifty thousand pieces of eight, with a large quantity of cloth, linen, silks, and other goods. With this immense wealth they sailed for Jamaica, and arriving there, gave loose to their usual riot and excess.

After having lavished the wealth which they had acquired, Morgan gave orders to his fleet to rendezvous at Cow island. Rendered famous by his recent adventure, many other pirates joined him, and he soon saw himself at the head of a more powerful fleet than he had ever commanded. The French, however, that joined him, diffident of his fidelity to them, abandoned his flag, and went to pursue their own measures. Leaving that place, Captain Morgan set sail for the island of Savona, with a fleet of fifteen ships, and a full complement of men. He proceeded on his voyage until he arrived at the port of Ocoa. Here he landed some of his men, and sent them into the woods to seek water and fresh provisions. They returned with several beasts which they had slain; but the Spaniards, dissatisfied with their conduct, laid a snare to entrap them in their second attempt to hunt in their territories.

They ordered three or four hundred men from Santo Domingo to hunt in all the adjacent woods, and emptied them of animals. The pirates, returning in a few days to the hunting, could find