_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 eat 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 the 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
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.