keep the dreadful Drake from
reaching them. Carlile, as before, was to do the land fighting. He was
set on shore three miles down the spit. The tide is slight in those
seas, but he waited till it was out, and advanced along the outer shore
at low-water mark. He was thus covered by the bank from the harbour
galleys, and their shots passed over him. Two squadrons of horse came
out, but could do nothing to him on the broken ground. The English
pushed on to the wall, scarcely losing a man. They charged, scaled the
parapets, and drove the Spanish infantry back at point of pike. Carlile
killed their commander with his own hand. The rest fled after a short
struggle, and Drake was master of Carthagena. Here for six weeks he
remained. The Spaniards withdrew out of the city, and there were again
parleys over the ransom money. Courtesies were exchanged among the
officers. Drake entertained the Governor and his suite. The Governor
returned the hospitality and received Drake and the English captains.
Drake demanded 100,000 ducats. The Spaniards offered 30,000, and
protested that they could pay no more. The dispute might have lasted
longer, but it was cut short by the re-appearance of the yellow fever in
the fleet, this time in a deadlier form. The Spanish offer was accepted,
and Carthagena was left to its owners. It was time to be off, for the
heat was telling, and the men began to drop with appalling rapidity.
Nombre de Dios and Panama were near and under their lee, and Drake threw
longing eyes on what, if all else had been well, might have proved an
easy capture. But on a review of their strength, it was found that
there were but 700 fit for duty who could be spared for the service, and
a council of war decided that a march across the Isthmus with so small a
force was too dangerous to be ventured. Enough had been done for glory,
enough for the political impression to be made in Europe. The King of
Spain had been dared in his own dominions. Three fine Spanish cities had
been captured by storm and held to ransom. In other aspects the success
had fallen short of expectation. This time they had taken no _Cacafuego_
with a year's produce of the mines in her hold. The plate and coin had
been carried off, and the spoils had been in a form not easily turned to
value. The expedition had been fitted out by private persons to pay its
own cost. The result in money was but 60,000_l._ Forty thousand had to
be set aside for expenses. There remaine