oxon for plundering Porto Bello, and another was issued soon after by
Morgan, when acting as Governor, but nothing seems to have resulted from
these. Sailing north to Boca del Toro, they careened their ships, and were
joined by Sawkins and Harris. From this place the buccaneers began, in
April, 1680, to land and cross the Isthmus of Darien, taking the town of
Santa Maria on the way. Quarrels took place between Coxon, who was, no
doubt, a hot-tempered man, and Harris, which led to blows. Coxon was also
jealous of the popular young Captain Sawkins, and refused to go further
unless he was allowed to lead one of the companies. After sacking the town
of Santa Maria, the adventurers proceeded in canoes down the river to the
Pacific. Seizing two small vessels they found there, and accompanied by a
flotilla of canoes, they steered for Panama, and, with the utmost daring,
attacked, and eventually took, the Spanish fleet of men-of-war--one of the
most remarkable achievements in the history of the buccaneers.

Coxon now quarrelled again with his brother leaders, and began a march
back across the isthmus; his party of seventy malcontents including
Dampier and Wafer, who each published accounts of their journey. By 1682
Coxon seems to have so ingratiated himself with the Jamaican authorities
as to be sent in quest of a troublesome French pirate, Jean Hamlin, who
was playing havoc with the English shipping in his vessel, _La Trompeuse_.

Later in the same year Coxon procured letters of marque from Robert
Clarke, the Governor of New Providence Island, himself nothing better than
a pirate, to go cruising as a "privateer." Coxon was continually being
arrested and tried for piracy, but each time he managed to escape the
gallows. We do not know the name of the ship Coxon commanded at this date,
but it was a vessel of eighty tons, armed with eight guns, and carrying a
crew of ninety-seven men.

COYLE, CAPTAIN RICHARD.

Born at Exeter in Devonshire.

An honest seafaring man until, when sailing as mate with Captain Benjamin
Hartley, they arrived at Ancona with a cargo of pilchards. Here the
captain took on board a new carpenter, called Richardson, who soon became
a close friend of the mate's. These two brought about a mutiny, attacked
the captain, and threw him, still alive, over the side to drown. Coyle was
elected captain, and they sailed as pirates, in which capacity they were a
disgrace to an ancient calling. After a visit to Minorc