Captain Morgan leaves Hispaniola, and goes to St. Catherine’s,
which he takes.
Captain Morgan and his companions weighed anchor from the Cape of
Tiburon, December 16, 1670. Four days after they arrived in sight of
St. Catherine’s, now in possession of the Spaniards again, as was said
before, to which they commonly banish the malefactors of the Spanish
dominions in the West Indies. Here are huge quantities of pigeons at
certain seasons. It is watered by four rivulets, whereof two are
always dry in summer. Here is no trade or commerce exercised by the
inhabitants; neither do they plant more fruits than what are necessary
for human life, though the country would make very good plantations of
tobacco of considerable profit, were it cultivated.
As soon as Captain Morgan came near the island with his fleet, he sent
one of his best sailing vessels to 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, and prevent his designs.
Next day, before sunrise, all the fleet anchored near the island, in a
bay called Aguade Grande. On this bay the Spaniards had built a
battery, mounted with four pieces of cannon. Captain Morgan landed
about one thousand men in divers squadrons, marching through the
woods, though they had no other guides than a few of his own men, who
had been there before, under Mansvelt. The same day they came to a
place where the governor sometimes resided: 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.
This lesser island was so well fortified with forts and batteries
round it, as might seem impregnable. Hereupon, as soon as the
Spaniards perceived the pirates approach, they fired on them so
furiously, that they could advance nothing that day, but were content
to retreat, and take up their rest in the open fields, which was not
strange to these people, being sufficiently used to such kind of
repose. What most afflicted them was hunger, having not eaten anything
that whole day. About midnight it rained so hard, that they had much
ado to bear it, the greatest part of them having no other clothes than
a pair of seaman’s trousers or breeches, and a shirt, without shoes or
stockings. In this great extremity they pulled down a few thatched
houses to make fires withal; in a word, they were in such a condition,
that one hundred men, indifferently well armed, might easily that
night have torn them all in pieces. Next morning, about break of day,
the rain ceased, and they dried their arms and marched on: but soon
after it rained afresh, rather harder than before, as if the skies
were melted into waters; which kept them from advancing towards the
forts, whence the Spaniards continually fired at them.
The pirates were now reduced to great affliction and danger, through
the hardness of the weather, their own nakedness, and great hunger;
for a small relief hereof, they found in the fields an old horse,
lean, and full of scabs and blotches, with galled back and sides: this
they instantly killed and flayed, and divided in small pieces among
themselves, as far as it would reach (for many could not get a morsel)
which they roasted and devoured without salt or bread, more like
ravenous wolves than men. The rain not ceasing, Captain Morgan
perceived their minds to relent, hearing many of them say they would
return on board. Among these fatigues of mind and body, he thought
convenient to use some sudden remedy: to this effect, he commanded a
canoe to be rigged in haste, and colours of truce to be hanged out.
This canoe he sent to the Spanish governor, 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 most certainly put them to the sword,
without granting quarter to any.”
In the afternoon the canoe returned with this answer: “That the
governor desired two hours’ time to deliberate with his officers about
it, which being past, he would give his positive answer.” The time
being elapsed, the governor sent two canoes with white colours, and
two persons to treat with Captain Morgan; but, before they landed,
they demanded of the pirates two persons as hostages. These were
readily granted by Captain Morgan, who delivered them two of his
captains for a pledge of the security required. With this the
Spaniards propounded to Captain Morgan, that the 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. But
withal, he desired 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 Captain Morgan would come with his troops by night to
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 his fleet
would draw near the castle of Santa Teresa, and attack it by land,
landing, in the meanwhile, more troops near the battery of St.
Matthew: that these troops being newly landed, should by this means
intercept the governor 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 castle; and that he would lead the English into it,
under colour of being his own troops. That on both sides there should
be continual firing, but without bullets, or at least into the air, so
that no side might be hurt. That thus having obtained two such
considerable forts, the chiefest of the isle, he need not take care
for the rest, which must fall of course into his hands.
These propositions were granted by Captain Morgan, on condition they
should see them faithfully observed; otherwise they should be used
with the utmost rigour: this they promised to do, and took their
leave, to give account of their negotiation to the governor. Presently
after, Captain Morgan commanded the whole fleet to enter the port, and
his men to be ready to assault, that night, the castle of St. Jerome.
Thus the false battle began, with incessant firing from both the
castles, against the ships, but without bullets, as was agreed. Then
the pirates landed, and assaulted by night the lesser island, which
they took, as also both the fortresses; forcing the Spaniards, in
appearance, to fly to the church. Before this assault, Captain Morgan
sent word to the governor, that he should keep all his men together in
a body; otherwise, if the pirates met any straggling Spaniards in the
streets, they should certainly shoot them.
This island being taken by this unusual stratagem, and all things put
in order, the pirates made a new war against the poultry, cattle, and
all sorts of victuals they could find, for some days; scarce thinking
of anything else than to kill, roast, and eat, and make what good
cheer they could. If wood was wanting, they pulled down the houses,
and made fires with the timber, as had been done before in the field.
Next day they numbered all the prisoners they had taken upon the
island, which were found to be in all four hundred and fifty-nine
persons, men, women, and children; viz., one hundred and ninety
soldiers of the garrison; forty inhabitants, who were married:
forty-three children, thirty-four slaves, belonging to the king; with
eight children, eight banditti, thirty-nine negroes belonging to
private persons; with twenty-seven female blacks, and thirty-four
children. The pirates disarmed all the Spaniards, and sent them out
immediately to the plantations to seek for provisions, leaving the
women in the church to exercise their devotions.
Soon after they reviewed the whole island, and all the fortresses
thereof, which they found to be nine in all, viz., the fort of St.
Jerome, next the bridge, had eight great guns, of twelve, six, and
eight pounds carriage; with six pipes of muskets, every pipe
containing ten muskets. Here they found still sixty muskets, with
sufficient powder and other ammunition. The second fortress, called
St. Matthew, had three guns, of eight pounds each. The third, and
chiefest, named Santa Teresa, had twenty great guns, of eighteen,
twelve, eight, and six pounds; with ten pipes of muskets, like those
before, and ninety muskets remaining, besides other ammunition. This
castle was built with stone and mortar, with very thick walls, and a
large ditch round it, twenty feet deep, which, though it was dry, yet
was very hard to get over. Here was no entry, but through one door, to
the middle of the castle. Within it was a mount, almost inaccessible,
with four pieces of cannon at the top; whence they could shoot
directly into the port. On the sea side it was impregnable, by reason
of the rocks round it, and the sea beating furiously upon them. To the
land it was so commodiously seated on a mountain, as there was no
access to it but by a path three or four feet broad. The fourth
fortress was named St. Augustine, having three guns of eight and six
pounds. The fifth, named La Plattaforma de la Conception, had only two
guns, of eight pounds. The sixth, by name San Salvador, had likewise
no more than two guns. The seventh, called Plattaforma de los
Artilleros, had also two guns. The eighth, called Santa Cruz, had
three guns. The ninth, called St. Joseph’s Fort, had six guns, of
twelve and eight pounds, besides two pipes of muskets, and sufficient
ammunition.
In the storehouses were above thirty thousand pounds of powder, with
all other ammunition, which was carried by the pirates on board. All
the guns were stopped and nailed, and the fortresses demolished,
except that of St. Jerome, where the pirates kept guard and
resistance. Captain Morgan inquired for any banditti from Panama or
Puerto Bello, and three were brought him, who pretended to be very
expert in the avenues of those parts. He asked them to be his guides,
and show him the securest ways to Panama, which, if they performed, he
promised them equal shares in the plunder of that expedition, and
their liberty when they arrived in Jamaica. These propositions the
banditti readily accepted, promising to serve him very faithfully,
especially one of the three, who was the greatest rogue, thief, and
assassin among them, who had deserved rather to be broken alive on the
wheel, than punished with serving in a garrison. This wicked fellow
had a great ascendant over the other two, and domineered over them as
he pleased, they not daring to disobey his orders.
Captain Morgan commanded four ships and one boat to be equipped, and
provided with necessaries, to go and take the castle of Chagre, on the
river of that name; neither would he go himself with his whole fleet,
lest the Spaniards should be jealous of his farther design on Panama.
In these vessels he embarked four hundred men, to put in execution
these his orders. Meanwhile, himself remained in St. Catherine’s with
the rest of the fleet, expecting to hear of their success.