commander,
and the Hopeful, under Captain Alexander Stark, with ample stores of
provisions, and three hundred recruits, but did not arrive at Darien
until eight weeks after the departure of the colonists. Finding that the
settlement had been abandoned, and leaving six of their number, who
preferred to remain, but were afterwards brought away, the Hopeful
sailed for Jamaica, where she was seized and condemned as a prize. "The
Olive Branch was unfortunately blown up at Caledonia" (Darien).[18]

The Spaniards had not only become aggressive by seizing the Dolphin and
incarcerating the officers and crew, but their government made no
remonstrance against the invasion of its territory until May 3, 1699,
when a memorial was presented to William by the Spanish ambassador
stating that his sovereign looked on the proceedings as a rupture of the
alliance between the two countries, and as a hostile invasion, and would
take such measures as he thought best against the intruders. It is
possible that at this time Spain would not have taken any action
whatever, if William had pursued a different course; and seeing that the
colonists had been abandoned and disowned by their own king, as if they
had been vagabonds or outlaws, the Spaniards, in a manner, felt
themselves invited to precipitate a crisis, which they accomplished.

In the meantime the directors of the Darien Company were actively
organizing another expedition and hastily sent out four more
vessels--the Rising Sun, Captain James Gibson; the Hope, Captain James
Miller; the Hope of Barrowstouness, Captain Richard Daling; and the Duke
of Hamilton, Captain Walter Duncan; with thirteen hundred "good men well
appointed," besides materials of war. This fleet left Greenock August
18, 1699, but having been delayed by contrary winds, did not leave the
Bay of Rothsay, Isle of Bute, until Sunday, September 24th. On Thursday,
November 30, the fleet reached its destination, after considerable
suffering and some deaths on board. These vessels contained engineers,
fire-workers, bombardiers, battery guns of twenty-four pounds, mortars
and bombs. The number of men mentioned included over three hundred
Highlanders, chiefly from the estate of Captain Alexander Campbell of
Fonab, most of whom had served under him, in Flanders, in Lorn's
regiment. During the voyage the Hope was cast away. Captain Miller
loaded the long boat very deep with provisions, goods and arms, and
proceeded towards Havana. H