_A New Expedition Planned._
The Threat to Espinosa.--Adroit Stratagem.--Wonderful
Escape.--The Storm.--Revelry at Jamaica.--History of
Hispaniola.--Plan of a New Expedition.--The Foraging
Ships.--Morgan’s Administrative Energies.--Return of
the Foragers.--Rendezvous at Cape Tiburon.--Magnitude
and Armament of the Fleet.--Preparations to Sail.
Morgan, in the self-assurance of triumph, sent word to the governor of
Maracaibo, that unless he sent him, within eight days, five hundred
beef cattle, the city of Maracaibo should be reduced to smouldering
ruins. They were sent in within two days. All hands were employed in
butchering, salting, and storing away the meat in preparation for sea.
Returning with his fleet to the mouth of the lake, Morgan sent word
to Admiral Espinosa that he had, on board his ships, between two and
three hundred prisoners, including one hundred and fifty sailors of the
Spanish fleet, who were captured in the Marquesas. He demanded a free
passage, promising, if that were granted him, he would send all his
prisoners unharmed ashore, as soon as his fleet was safe on the other
side of the fort.
If this free passage were not granted him, he declared that he would
force his way through; and that he would bind all his prisoners to the
rigging, that they might be the most exposed to the shot from the fort;
and that having passed by, every one who survived the cannonade should
be killed and thrown overboard. The prisoners, well instructed in the
cruelty and the inflexible will of this demoniac pirate, sent the
most pathetic appeals to the admiral to save them from this dreadful
fate. He, influenced by the pride of the soldier rather than by human
sympathies, unfeelingly replied:
“If you had been as loyal to the king in hindering the entrance of
these pirates as I shall be in hindering their going out, you would
never have caused these troubles either to yourselves or to our whole
nation, which hath suffered so much through your pusillanimity. I shall
not grant your request; but shall endeavor, according to my duty, to
maintain that respect which is due to my king.”
When Morgan heard of this reply he said: “Very well; if the admiral
will not give me permission to pass, I will find a way of passing
without his permission.”
Before attempting to run through the strait, all the pirates landed
for a division of the booty. In making an inventory of their effects it
was found that they had, in gold, silver, and jewels, two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. They had a still larger sum than this in the
vast amount of merchandise which they had gathered from all the ships
and store-houses of the two cities. They had also a large number of
slaves, who brought cash prices in all the ports of the West Indies.
The escape was effected by the following ingenious stratagem. Morgan
filled his boats with men, and rowed beneath the boughs which hung
densely over the banks of the river, until he arrived at a concealed
spot, where he pretended to land them. He took care, however, so to
conduct the movement that the Spaniards in the fort should catch
glimpses of it. The landing, however, was merely feigned. The men
concealed themselves in the bottom of the boats, and were rowed back
to the ships. Not one was left on the shore. In this way, by repeated
excursions with the boats, apparently several hundred men were
disembarked.
The admiral, well aware of the ferocious courage of the pirates, and
not doubting that they would make a desperate assault upon the fort on
the land side, immediately, and in the greatest haste, removed their
eighteen-pounders to command the approaches by the land. In this way
the sea-coast was left almost defenceless.
The ensuing night the moon rose full-orbed over the silent waters of
the lake. A fresh breeze sprang up from the south. Providence seemed
to be favoring these desperate men. The tide was also in their favor.
And there was always a gentle current flowing through the narrow strait
from the lake into the gulf.
Thus, with their path illumined by the moon’s brilliant rays, and aided
by wind, tide, and current, the pirates spread their sails, and, almost
as by magic, glided by the fort. Every precaution was taken to protect
the crews. No attempt was made to return the fire of the Spaniards.
Most of the crews were placed in the holds of the ships. Only enough
were left on deck for the purpose of navigation. The Spaniards,
astonished, bewildered, and with but few guns at their command, fired
hastily, furiously, and with very inaccurate aim at the ships so
rapidly passing beyond their grasp. But little damage was done, and but
few men were killed.
We are not informed whether Morgan carried out his threat of exposing
his prisoners to the cannonade by binding them to the rigging. What
became of the one hundred and fifty Spanish sailors, is not known. They
were probably all put to death. The prisoners from Maracaibo he sent
ashore. Those from Gibraltar he carried away with him, and probably
relieved himself of the incumbrance by throwing them all into the sea.
As Morgan again set sail, his crews raised three cheers of triumph, and
discharged eight heavy guns, loaded with balls, against the fort, as
his parting salute.
But the very next day, heaven’s frown seemed to succeed heaven’s smile.
One of the most terrible of tropical tornadoes assailed the fleet. All
were in despair. The sailors threw themselves upon their knees, and
called upon the Virgin and all the saints to help them. The gleaming
lightning seemed to be the symbol of God’s wrath, and the pealing
thunder sounded like His angry voice.
Esquemeling, who accompanied this expedition, and to whose pen we
are mainly indebted for an account of its events, says that the ship
which bore him lost both anchors and mainsail. It was with the utmost
difficulty they kept the ship afloat, working at the pumps for weary
hours. The thunder he represents as deafening, and the mountain
billows, rushing by, threatened every moment to ingulf them.
“Indeed,” he writes, “though worn out with fatigue and toil, we could
not make up our minds to close our eyes to that blessed light which
we might soon lose sight of forever. No hope of safety remained.
The storm had lasted four days, and there was no probability of
its termination. On the one side we saw rocks, on which our vessel
threatened every instant to drive. Before us were the Indians, from
whom we could hope for no mercy. Behind us were the Spaniards,
hungering for revenge.”
At length the storm ceased. The fleet put into a harbor, in the Bay of
Venezuela, to repair damages. There seems to be but little reformatory
power in punishment. These wretched men were not made better by the
chastisement which they had received. All unmindful of their prayers to
Virgin and saint, while some were at work on the ships, others formed
themselves into bands to ravage the country far and wide, plundering
all the Spanish and Indian villages within their reach, and inflicting
the most atrocious outrages upon the inhabitants. It is very clear
that there is no hope for this lost world, unless it may be found in
that _change in the heart_ of man which the religion of Jesus Christ
inculcates. “The mind is its own place.” The pirates after the storm
were the same men as before.
Morgan, having refitted his ships, and having added very considerably
to his amount of plunder again spread his sails for Kingston, the
capital of Jamaica. He reached that port in safety, and was very
cordially welcomed by the inhabitants and the British authorities
there. They seemed to regard him as one of the heroes of the age,
worthy of all honor. The sentiments of the English generally, at
that time, in reference to these exploits, may be inferred from the
following:
In a book published in London, in the year 1684, and which now lies
before me, a glowing account is given of these adventures. The book had
then attained to a second edition. The title-page says:
“A True Account of the most remarkable Assaults, committed of late
years upon the Coasts of the West Indies, by the Buccaneers of Jamaica
and Tortuga, wherein are contained more especially the unparalleled
Exploits of Sir Henry Morgan, our English Jamaican Hero, who sacked
Puerto Velo, burnt Panama, etc.”
At Jamaica new scenes of rioting and profligacy were enacted. The
money soon passed from the hands of the pirates to the sharpers in
liquor-shops, gambling-houses, and dancing-halls, who were eager to
grasp it. Morgan’s eulogistic biographer writes:
“Morgan, encouraged by success, soon determined on fresh enterprises.
On arriving at Jamaica, he found many of his officers and soldiers
already reduced to their former indigency by their vices and
debaucheries. Hence they perpetually importuned him for new exploits,
thereby to get something to expend in wine and strumpets, as they had
already done with what they got before.
“Captain Morgan, willing to follow fortune’s call, stopped the mouths
of many inhabitants of Jamaica, who were creditors to his men for
large sums, with the hopes and promises of greater achievements than
ever, in a new expedition. This done, he could easily levy men for any
enterprise. His name was so famous through all those islands, that it
alone would bring him in more men than he could well employ.”
Morgan scattered his proclamations far and wide through all the English
and French ports on the various islands. He wrote particularly to
the governor of Tortuga, soliciting his coöperation. The south side
of this island was appointed as a rendezvous, where Morgan, sailing
from Jamaica, would meet the pirates of Tortuga who wished to join
the expedition. Another and general rendezvous was designated, for
adventurers from all the islands, at Port Couillon, on the south
side of Hispaniola. And here let me give a few explanatory words in
reference to this latter island.
Columbus discovered this magnificent island on the 5th of December,
1495. It was called by the natives Hayti. Its population was estimated
at one million. It was four hundred miles long, with a breadth of
from forty to one hundred and fifty miles, covering an area of nearly
thirty thousand square miles. Columbus called it Hispaniola, or Little
Spain. He established a colony on the northern coast, which he called
Isabella. His brother, Diego, was intrusted with its command. This was
the first colony planted by the Europeans in the New World.
In the year 1665, the French obtained possession of a large portion
of the island, and gave it the name St. Domingo. This was about one
hundred and seventy years after its discovery, and about five years
before Morgan selected a bay on its southern coast as a rendezvous for
his piratic fleet. It is in consequence of these changes that Hayti,
Hispaniola, and St. Domingo frequently occupy so confused a relation in
the public mind.
Punctuality is an essential element of success alike in good and bad
enterprises. With singular promptness, Morgan sailed into the harbor
of Couillon, in a large ship which he called the Flying Stag. It was
crowded with pirates, or buccaneers as they would perhaps prefer to
have been called, whom he had taken from Tortuga. It was the 24th day
of October, 1670. He found twenty-four vessels already there, and
sixteen hundred men. Almost every hour there were new arrivals of both
ships and sailors. Morgan had selected for his flagship a large vessel,
which mounted twenty-two guns. His arrival was greeted with shoutings,
cannon-firing, flag-waving, and the most boisterous drunken revelry.
With energy and administrative ability characteristic of this very able
and yet infamous man, he dispatched four vessels to the mainland, to
cruise along the coast and plunder Spaniards and Indians of provisions,
of corn, poultry, swine, and beeves, to victual his ships. They were
also to sack such small towns as they were able to capture. All this
was merely in preparation for the great enterprise before them.
While the four vessels were absent on this foraging expedition, Morgan
kept his men busy careening, rigging, and calking their vessels, so
as to be ready, immediately upon the return of the foragers, to put
to sea. The magnitude of the enterprise in which this arch-pirate was
engaged may be inferred from the fact that wide regions were to be
devastated, and several towns sacked, merely to gather provisions for
his army.
Hunters were sent into the woods of St. Domingo in search of game. All
cattle and swine were considered fair booty, no matter to whom they
might belong. Each hunting party had a certain region allotted to it.
Portions of the crews were engaged in salting down provisions for the
voyage. There were many swine roving through the woods. Frequently a
hunting party would bring in as many as twenty or thirty men could
carry. The most admirable discipline marked all these arrangements,
over which Morgan presided.
The expedition sent to the continent reached its destination in six
days. Fortunately for the Spaniards, just as the ships arrived within
sight of land, they were becalmed. This gave the Spaniards time to
conceal their treasures and to throw up intrenchments. The little fleet
was at anchor just off the mouth of the river De la Hacha. There was in
the river a large ship from Carthagena, laden with corn. The vessel,
with all its cargo, fell into the hands of the pirates.
The next morning, just at break of day, a gentle breeze sprang up, and
the ships ran in toward the shore. A landing of the men was effected,
notwithstanding a valiant resistance by a small party of Spaniards.
The pirates drove their foes from behind intrenchments which they had
suddenly reared, and pursued them toward a strongly fortified town in
the vicinity, called Rancheria. Here the Spaniards rallied again, and
a desperate battle ensued. Many fell on both sides, for the Spaniards
were by no means cowards. But the pirates were the victors, though at a
heavy loss. They drove their foes into the woods, and took possession
of the town. Several of the Spaniards were captured. As usual, they
were exposed to the most diabolical tortures to compel the confession
of where they had concealed their goods. The pirates remained here
fifteen days. During this time, they were actively employed in taking
captives and collecting booty. Just before their departure, they sent a
number of prisoners to the fugitives dispersed through the woods, with
the message that unless they sent, within a certain number of days,
four thousand bushels of corn, they would destroy the town. The corn
was sent in. The pirates sailed, greatly enriched with booty, and with
all their ships heavily freighted with provisions.
They had been gone five weeks. Morgan began to despair of their return.
The pirates had no confidence in each other. Morgan knew full well that
if they had been triumphantly successful, amassing large quantities of
gold and silver, they would prefer to go to some port where they could
squander all their gains in every species of sensual indulgence. He
also knew that there were large towns, like Carthagena and Santa Maria,
in the region the ships were sent to plunder. There was no little
danger that they might have been cut off by these combined garrisons.
Great, therefore, was his joy when, from the lookout, the returning
ships were discerned in the distance. The provisions were divided among
the fleet. The other booty, of precious metals, jewels, and goods, was
awarded to the plunderers.
Morgan personally inspected every vessel. He then set sail for Cape
Tiburon, at the west end of Hispaniola. This was a convenient spot
to lay in wood and water. Here he was joined by several ships, which
had been refitted at Jamaica to join the expedition. Morgan now found
himself in command of a fleet of thirty-seven vessels, manned by two
thousand two hundred sailors. The admiral’s ship mounted twenty-eight
guns, large and small. Many of the others carried twenty, eighteen, and
sixteen guns. The smallest vessel had four. He had an abundant supply
of ammunition, of fire-balls, hand-grenades, and pots which, upon being
broken, diffused an intolerable suffocating odor.
The fleet was divided into two squadrons. The second squadron was
placed under a vice-admiral. To every captain he gave a commission to
practise every species of hostility against the Spanish nation. “You
are to seize,” he said, “their ships, wherever you can, whether at sea
or in harbor, just as if they were the open and declared enemies of the
King of England, Charles II., my master.”
He assembled all the captains in his cabin to sign certain articles
of agreement. It was stipulated that Morgan should have one hundredth
part of all their booty. Every captain should draw the shares of eight
men. The surgeons were to have two hundred dollars each, besides their
regular share. The loss of both legs entitled one to an addition of
fifteen hundred dollars; both arms, eighteen hundred dollars; one hand
or one foot, six hundred dollars; an eye, one hundred dollars. Whoever
should first pull down a Spanish flag, and raise the English in its
stead, was to receive fifty dollars.
For a little time, it was debated whether they should attack
Carthagena, Vera Cruz, or Panama. The lot fell upon Panama. It was the
richest of the three. Though this city was situated on the western or
Pacific shores of the Isthmus, and though it would be necessary to
leave their fleet in some harbor, and march for several days over an
unknown country, still there would be no difficulty in finding guides,
the Spaniards would be but poorly prepared for so unexpected an attack,
and the amount of booty, particularly in gold and silver, would be
immense. Morgan proudly unfurled from his squadron the royal English
flag. Upon the other squadron he spread to the breeze the blood-red
banner of the pirate; and, strange to say, upon that piratic banner
he placed a white cross, the emblem of the religion of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, who came to this lost world proclaiming “Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”