sufficiently firm and close, in nearly all parts, to support the
weight of a man. Between this singular roof and the ground was a space
of two or three feet, and within this space the unhappy seamen secreted
themselves, not with the hope of escaping, but deferring the fate that
they were certain awaited them. Accordingly, the Spaniards, after having
boarded the wreck of the brig, and, according to custom, murdered the
wounded and mangled the dead, landed a large party to complete the
horrid tragedy by murdering the few unfortunate men whom they had seen
swim to the island. These savages ran about the island, which it does
not seem was more than a couple of acres in extent, yelling like wild
beasts, and thrusting their swords and boarding pikes down among the
vines, with the hope of piercing some of the objects of their revenge.
One of them, who appeared to be an officer, stood for some minutes
directly over and upon Old Cuff, and while giving directions to his men,
repeatedly thrust his sword down through the sheltering vines. The
weapon passed once between his arm and body, and once through his
clothes, slightly grazing his side. His agony during these moments was
horrible. To be dragged out, and murdered by inches, or stabbed to death
where he lay, not daring to move, though the pressure of the wretch's
weight who stood upon him was so painful, that he could scarce forbear
crying out. Such seemed his inevitable fate. But he was doomed to
undergo still greater agony. One of the unfortunate men was discovered
and dragged out within a few yards of him. The incarnate demons were a
full hour murdering him, stabbing and hacking him with their pikes and
cutlasses in parts of the body where wounds would be exquisitely painful
but not mortal. The shrieks of the unhappy man were dreadful, the more
so, as every one of his companions expected every moment to share his
fate. The approach of night at length put an end to the dreadful scene,
and the disappointed hell-hounds returned to their ships.

The next morning, the Spanish squadron sailed round the island, pouring
upon every part of it discharges of grape and canister shot, that proved
fatal to several of the unfortunate men concealed upon it. They also
landed again, and attempted to set fire to the vines and dry grass, but
providentially without much effect. They continued, however, to
blockade the little island for two days longer, when they were
compelled, by bad weather, to