Читать книгу The Life of Sir Henry Morgan. With an account of the English settlement of the island of Jamaica - Ernest Alex Cruikshank - Страница 10

Yet there can be little doubt that their houses and shops were thoroughly ransacked for money and plate. Bulky articles could not possibly be removed by the rough bridle-paths over the hills to their ships. Proposals for the payment of a ransom to save the town from destruction were readily accepted, and an agreement was soon made for the delivery of a stipulated number of cattle. Morgan's official report to Modyford, dated five months later at the end of his cruise was very brief.

"We were driven to the south keys of Cuba," he wrote, "where, being like to starve, and finding French in like condition, we put our men ashore, and finding all the cattle driven up country and the inhabitants fled, we marched 20 leagues to Porto Principe on the north of the island, and with little resistance possessed ourselves of the same. There we found that 70 men had been pressed to go against Jamaica; that the like levy had been made in all the island, and considerable forces were expected from Vera Cruz and Campeachy to rendezvous at the Havannah and from Porto Bello and Cartagena to rendezvous at St. Jago of Cuba, of which I immediately gave notice to Governor Modyford. On the Spaniards' entreaty we forbore to fire the town, or bring away prisoners, but on delivery of 1,000 beeves, released them all."[136]

This unexpected and successful raid upon a town in the heart of Cuba naturally excited much alarm and indignation both at Havana and Santiago. A few days after Morgan had evacuated Puerto Principe, Bayona Villanueva, the governor of that province, wrote testily to the Queen Regent.

"The appearance of English and French ships on this coast, constantly reconnoitering its harbours, watering-places, and hunting grounds leads me to believe that having sacked Puerto Principe, and the fact that some of the neighbouring inhabitants have been in the habit of paying this kind of ransom to the pirates, they intend other attacks. I have thought proper to summon the sergeant-major and the alcalde in ordinary before me, having already laid a charge against them for misconduct, to hear what excuse they can offer for the loss of that town having such a greatly increased population, when the advantages of its position and the rugged nature of the mountains in an extended march of fourteen leagues, should have enabled a body of native soldiers, acquainted with the country and trained in hill-fighting, although two-thirds less in number, to destroy the enemy. If the evidence in the case warrants a conviction, they ought to be punished as a warning to those other towns, whose inhabitants may be disposed to yield to any insignificant number of the enemy rather than risk their lives in so good a cause as the defence of their country and their Sovereign."[137]

Morgan had obtained information which induced him to plan an attack upon Puerto Bello. A month was employed in refitting his ships, killing cattle, and curing meat for provisioning them for a long cruise. Although not a large town, Puerto Bello was the most important and busiest port on the eastern coast of Central America, particularly from the time of the arrival of the annual fleet from Spain, with its valuable cargo of European merchandise for the supply of the wealthy provinces on the Pacific until its departure, laden with the treasures of their mines and pearl-fisheries some months later. But it was surrounded on the land side by stagnant pools and swamps, which made its climate so deadly to white men that the soldiers of the garrison were relieved every three months. Yet in spite of the danger of disease a great fair was held there for forty days annually, during which its narrow and pest-haunted streets were thronged with merchants and traders from all parts of Spanish America. The harbour was easy of access, spacious and secure. Its extreme length was three thousand yards, with a breadth of from fifteen to eighteen hundred, and it had an average depth of seventeen fathoms. The largest ships then afloat could enter it and ride at anchor anywhere within. Frigates could come close to the wharves. Spanish naval officers stated that it afforded secure shelter for three hundred galleons of the largest class and a thousand smaller ships, while two thousand more might anchor with tolerable safety in the haven outside. The town was built along the curve of the shore in the form of a long crescent. It contained two large churches, an exchange, a commodious hospital, a convent, and several streets of shops and warehouses, interspersed with dwellings and barracks, mostly built of stone. During six or eight weeks, while the galleons remained in port, these barracks, shops, and warehouses were rented at exorbitant rates and crowded with merchants, clerks, and workmen handling goods. After their departure they were nearly deserted by Spaniards and the town was tenanted mostly by a few thousand negroes, mulattoes, and Indians, who for the most part lived in squalid, mud-plastered cabins, forming a suburb called "Guinea". They found casual employment in building boats and ships, or sawing cedar timber.

The fortifications were so massive and well-built that they were thought to be nearly impregnable. Ships, passing in or out, were forced in following the narrow navigable channel, to come close under the guns of a strong stone fort, called "Triana" or the "Iron Castle", towering high overhead on the summit of a steep crag, with a water battery below near the water's edge. On the opposite side stood "Gloria Castle", having two tall bastions connected by a curtain of stone, fronting the channel and two others facing the land. On a high cliff, jutting out into the harbour at its further end and beyond the town, rose the fortress of "San Jeronimo", a high-walled and well-armed quadrangular redoubt.

Puerto Bello, seventy odd years before, when its defences were not nearly so strong, had baffled Francis Drake, who died in his flagship off the harbour and found a grave in the gleaming waters of the bay. It was now considered one of the best fortified ports in the Spanish provinces of America. Its normal garrison consisted of three hundred artillerists and regular infantry, but nine hundred militiamen could be quickly assembled for its reinforcement.[138]

An attack from the sea with so weak a fleet was clearly hopeless and assault by land seemed scarcely less perilous, but Morgan believed he might possibly surprise the defenders.

Having provisioned his ships with dried and salted meat, and taken in a sufficient supply of water and wood for a long voyage from the Cuban coast, he sailed southward across the Caribbean without landing at Jamaica. Adverse and variable winds prevented him from approaching Puerto Bello very closely by sea and, although midsummer heat had set in, he decided to leave his ships at a distance and undertake a laborious journey of more than a hundred miles in canoes. The boldness of this project deterred the French privateers associated with him from taking any part in it, and much diminished his actual force. Some weeks after his return to Port Royal, Morgan with his chief officers appeared before the governor and gave a very concise and matter-of-fact verbal account of their astonishing victory, which was written down by a secretary and sent to London for the information of the Secretary of State.

"Setting sail in May last," they said, "we fell in with the coast of Porto Bello, and being informed of levies made there also against Jamaica, and also by some prisoners who had made their escape from Providence that Prince Maurice[139] and divers Englishmen were kept in irons in the dungeon of the castle of the town, we thought it our duty to attempt that place. The French wholly refused to join in an action so full of danger; so leaving our ships on June 26, forty leagues to leeward at Bogota, we took to our canoes, twenty-three in number, and rowing along the coast, landed at three o'clock in the morning and made our way into the town, and seeing that we could not refresh ourselves in quiet we were enforced to assault the castle, which we took by storm, and found well supplied with ammunition and provisions, only undermanned, being about 130 men, whereof seventy-four were killed, among whom the Castillano was one. In the dungeon were found eleven English in chains who had been there two years; and we were informed that a great man had been carried thence six months before to Lima of Peru, who was formerly brought from Porto Rico, and also that the Prince of Monte Circa had been there with orders from the King of Spain to raise 2,200 men against us out of the Province of Panama, which Porto Bello stands in, the certainty whereof was confirmed by all the Grandees. The Governor of the second castle refusing to permit our ships free entrance into the port, we were forced to attempt the taking of it, which ended in the delivering up the castle and marching out with colours flying, and the third castle immediately surrendered to five or six Englishmen. And now having possession of the town and three castles, in the former were 900 men that bare arms, the fifth day arrived the President of Panama, with about 3,000 men; whom we beat off with considerable damage, in so much that next day he proffered 100,000 pieces of eight for delivery of the town and castles in as good condition as we found them. In the first castle there were 30 brass guns besides iron, in the second 13, all brass, and in the third 14 guns. On the 2d August, making the best of our way homewards, we arrived at Jamaica about the middle of that month; only Captain Edward Collier put on shore in the Bay of Cordivant, within four leagues of Santa Marta, for provisions, and had the good luck to take the Governor's kinsman prisoner, from whom he had again information of the strong intention of the Spaniard against Jamaica as also of the revolt of the Indians, their taking of Monposse and putting to the sword men, women, and children, and intending to surprise Santa Fe, and further that there was found the richest gold mine in the King of Spain's dominions, for keeping which they were fortifying strongly at Santa Marta.

"We further declare to the world that in all this service of Porto Bello, we lost but eighteen men killed and thirty-two wounded, and kept possession of the place thirty-one days; and for the better vindication of ourselves against the usual scandals of that enemy, we aver that having several ladies of great quality and other prisoners, they were proffered their liberty to go to the President's camp, but they refused, saying they were now prisoners to a person of quality, who was more tender of their honours than they doubted to find in the President's camp among his rude Panama soldiers, and so voluntarily continued with us till the surrender of the town and castles, when with many thanks and good wishes they repaired to their former homes."[140]

Leslie, who frankly admired Morgan, draws a lurid picture of the assault of the castles and the subsequent pillage of the town, relying perhaps to some extent on local tradition, but obviously borrowing freely from the untrustworthy History of the Bucaniers.

"Having his Crew so much at Command," he wrote, "he set off with Four Hundred and Fifty Men in Nine small Ships, and made towards Costa Rica; there he imparted his Design of attacking Puerto Velo to his whole Company. Several objected against the Attempt because they had not a sufficient number to think of Success against so strong a City. But Morgan replied: If our Numbers are small our Hearts are great; and the fewer we are the better shares we shall have in the Spoils.[141]

"The Hope of Riches made them quit their Fears, and they showed an Ambition of daring the Danger. Indeed, if we consider the Boldness of the Attempt, it will scarce find a Parallel in History.

"Puerto Velo is about Fourteen Leagues from the Gulf of Darien and Eight Westward of Nombre de Dios, and is one of the strongest Places in the West Indies. It is guarded by three Castles, which are almost impregnable. Two of them are situate at the Entry to the Port, so that no Ship or Boat can pass without Permission; These are not only well garrisoned, but the Town consists of near Five Hundred Families. The Merchants have here their chief Warehouses and 'tis a Place of extraordinary Trade.

"Morgan was perfectly acquainted with all the Avenues to the City. 'Twas night when he came to Puerto de Naos, about ten Leagues west of Puerto de Velo. They sailed to Puerto Pontin where they came to an anchor. They took boats and came about midnight to Esteria longa le Mos, where they all went ashore and marched by Land to the first Posts of the City. An Englishman, who had been a Prisoner in this Place, served them for a Guide.

"This Fellow had Abundance of Courage and was fit for the greatest Attempts. Besides he was pushed on with Desires of Revenge; for the bad Usage he had met with from the Spaniards had inflamed his Mind to such a Degree that he listed for a Pyrate with no other View than to be revenged; and this being the Place where he was formerly confined, he exerted himself on that Account with the greatest Courage, as well as Art and Dexterity.

"There were only Three more daring like himself, who offered themselves to go and secure the Centry. They went on with the greatest Caution, for on their artful management of this first Attempt, the whole success of their Expedition depended; when they were got near enough they at once laid hold the Centry and that so suddenly that he had not Time nor Presence of Mind to give the Alarm by firing off his Musket, and they provided against any other Noise by gagging him.

"Having thus successfully finished what they were commanded, they returned to Morgan with their Prisoner. The poor Wretch being terrified with their Threats, freely discovered all he knew: told in what situation the Castle and the Garrison were, and every thing else which they demanded. On the welcome intelligence he gave them, they instantly marched, carrying the captive Spaniard along, and having got close to the Castle, intirely surrounded it; and by this means effectually prevented any from going in or coming out.

"The Spaniard, whom they had taken, was commanded to bid them surrender, and if they refused to threaten the utmost severity. This gave no other Return but from the Mouth of their Cannon. This gave the Alarm to the City; and the Pyrates, afraid lest a superior Force from that Quarter should attack them, made a furious Assault and carried the Place. They were no sooner in Possession but they drove the miserable Spaniards into one Place, and presently set fire to the Magazine of Powder, which in an Instant destroyed them.

"They next marched to the City, which they entered without any Difficulty, for the Inhabitants were like so many distressed Persons, running about and not knowing which Hand to turn to. The Governor did his utmost to rally and reduce them to Order, but in vain. He therefore, with some of the chief Inhabitants, retired to another Castle, which yet was unassaulted by the Pyrates; thither a great many resorted and carried their Riches and best Goods. The successful Pyrates began a miserable Havock; and tho' the Governor fired incessantly upon them from the Castle yet it had no other effect but to spur them on to do their Business with the greater Dispatch. They rifled not only the Houses but the Churches. In the meantime they found that they had lost a great many of their Companions; and being flushed with Desires of Revenge, unanimously resolved to attack the Castle, which had done them so much Mischief and where they knew there was a vast quantity of Riches lodged. They began the Assault with surprising intrepidity and did a great deal of Hurt to the Garrison; for they took their Aim so well that they never missed to shoot the Spaniards when they came to load the Guns. Amidst the Horror of this Assault both Parties behaved with equal Courage; and the Pyrates observing the stout Resistance they met with, prepared Fire-balls with which they designed to fire the Gates. But having approached to the Walls, the Garrison threw down huge Stones and Flasks of Powder, which killed a great many and compelled the rest to retire. In this Disorder Morgan scarce knew how to behave; he saw it was almost impracticable to carry the Place, and yet his high Spirits would not allow him to give over the Assault. But he had certainly been obliged to desist, if at that very Instant he had not perceived English Colours set upon the Walls of the other Castle, which another Body of Pyrates had successfully stormed. This Sight encouraged his fainting Troops to renew the Attack, and having prepared large scaling Ladders, he commanded the religious Persons whom he had taken from the Monasteries, to fix them to the Walls. They were obliged to obey, and having approached the Castle, conjured the steady Governor by all the Saints to deliver the Place, but he bravely refused and let Morgan know his Policy should have no Effect, for the crafty Pyrate had employed the Priests and Nuns, believing that the Reverence which the Spaniards bore them would have made them desist from firing. The Governor did all that could be expected from a brave Man; he fired with the utmost Fury and killed great Numbers of the Religious; but notwithstanding the Pyrates mounted with incredible Resolution, carrying Fire-balls and Pitchers full of Powder in their Hands, which they threw among the Spaniards, who perceiving their Enemies entered (after a very sharp Engagement), threw down their Arms and begged for Quarter; only the Governor stood out with amazing Courage, killed many of the Pyrates with his own Hands, and bravely performed the part of a gallant Soldier. He refused Quarter and was killed, a heroic Instance of distinguished Worth.[142]

"The Place now being in their Power they fell to their usual Debaucheries, committed the most horrid Rapes and Murders, tortured their Prisoners, and barbarously derided them in their Miseries, till at last they began to think of retreating, when they offered their Captives that if they would pay 100,000 Pieces of Eight[143] for Ransom they would liberate them. Two of that miserable Number were deputed by the rest to go to Panama to raise that Sum, but the President, having raised a large Body of Men, was on his march to encounter the Pyrates. The Deputies waited the Event which proved fatal to the President's Party, for a Hundred Pyrates beat and dispersed them, having killed an incredible Number in the time of the Engagement. This disaster convinced these Gentlemen, who had been sent to procure the Ransom, that there was a Necessity of complying with Morgan's Demands, therefore having raised the Sum, they returned and gave it into his Hands.

"Having victualled his Ships, he set sail but first dismounted the great Guns on the Castles and levelled several Redoubts which had been raised by the Spaniards. He soon got to Jamaica and found that his Purchase amounted to 250,000 Pieces of Eight, besides all other Merchandises. Thus successfully ended one of the boldest Attempts that was perhaps ever made; Four hundred Men to attack a strong and populous City, guarded by three Castles, well garrisoned and abounding with all manner of Military Stores, while the Pyrates had nothing but Sword and Pistol to fight with. What will not such Resolution surmount?"[144]

How much falsehood and exaggeration are mingled with a basis of truth in this narrative cannot now be decided. Another story was told at the time, which may not be true, but has been often repeated and accepted for truth, and at all events illustrates the influence of this marvellous exploit on the imagination of a contemporary writer. It was said that the President of Panama permitted the people of Puerto Bello to make the best terms possible with the conquerors, but at the same time sent a letter to Morgan asking him for a pattern of the arms with which he had taken so strong a fortress. Morgan received the messenger with much politeness and gave him a pistol and a few small bullets to take with him "as the pattern of the arms with which he had taken Puerto Bello; and this he would lend his master for twelve months, after which time he would come to Panama for it." Don Juan de Guzman, the writer adds, returned these articles with his thanks for the loan, and sent Morgan a gold ring set with an emerald, with a message advising him, "not to take the trouble of coming to Panama, as he had done to Puerto Bello; for he did assure him, he would not speed so well there as he had done here."[145]

Beeston states the date of Morgan's return to Port Royal as being "about the seventeenth of August"; his report, made by Modyford's command, bears the date of September 7, and on October 1, the governor wrote a covering letter of considerable length on the subject to the Duke of Albemarle. About a year before he had received a letter from that Minister giving a cautiously worded approval of his conduct in the employment of privateers, dated the 2nd of February, 1667.

"And for your giving commissions to the privateers (against the Spaniards)," he wrote, "I think you have done pursuant to your own instructions and orders sent you, until there shall be some other alternative of these orders."[146]

Modyford reported that since his last letter "the privateers have had the confidence to take two towns from the Spaniards, for which being reproved, having commissions only against their ships, they presented the enclosed declaration", which he wished that the King might see.

"It is most certain", he added by way of apology, "that the Spaniards had full intention to attempt this island, but could not get men; and they still hold the same minds, and therefore I cannot but presume to say that it is very unequal that we should in any measure be restrained while they are at liberty to act as they please upon us, from which we shall never be secure until the King of Spain acknowledges this island to be his Majesty's and so includes it by name in the capitulations. I am very confident also of the revolt of the Indians on the main, and will send all the privateers to gain certain advice thereof that if need be they may improve that revolt."

At the same time he transmitted the deposition of a Spanish seaman respecting the fate of his own missing "son John, who (having not been heard of these four years), was questionless either murdered or sent into the South Seas by these, our cruel neighbours." In conclusion he urged his kinsman, the Duke, "so to present my behaviour in this great affair, that no sinister construction may be put upon my actions."[147]

In his statement, the Spaniard, who said that he had been the master of a frigate, declared that in August, 1664, two English ships had been wrecked on the coast of Florida, from whom only five men escaped. After living for some months among the Indians a party of Spanish soldiers, sent in search of them, had brought them as prisoners to San Augustin. He described one of them as a young man "of a pretty gross body, very good face, and light hair somewhat curling", who said that his name was John and that his father was governor of Jamaica. The commandant had ordered the deponent to take these prisoners to Havana in his ship, with instructions for their embarkation in the first vessel sailing for Spain, so that they might return to their own country. No means of transportation had been found for them while he remained at Havana.[148]

The treaty of Breda, signed on the 21st of July, 1667, between England and Holland, had been followed by a fit of rigid economy in public affairs on the part of the English ministry. The Lord High Admiral was instructed that the annual expenditure on the royal navy would be limited to two hundred thousand pounds, to begin on Lady day following. Half this sum was allotted for the construction of new ships. It was estimated that the other half would maintain twenty-four ships at sea in the summer and ten in the winter. One or perhaps two of these ships would be available for service at Jamaica. All crews were to be reduced by one half.[149]

After many months of tedious and unsatisfactory negotiations a treaty for the "continuation and renewal of peace between Charles II, King of Spain, and Charles II, King of England," had been signed at Madrid on the 23rd of May, 1667, by the Earl of Sandwich, the envoy extraordinary appointed for that purpose. The Spanish ministers had still obstinately refused to recognize the sovereignty of the King of England over Jamaica, and no mention was made of the West Indies in the treaty. Its principal article provided for the safe passage of the subjects of either monarch "by land and water through the territories, dominions, possessions, cities, towns, villages enclosed with walls, fortified or unfortified, their havens and ports, where they have been accustomed hitherto to deal or trade." Sandwich, indeed, asserted that the terms of the treaty were intended to apply to any part of the world, but it soon appeared that the Spanish government would not interpret them in that way.[150]