t appeared that the sudden evanishment of the boats from our sight was
due to the fact that they had discovered and pushed into a narrow
channel running to the northward and eastward between the two
westernmost islands of the group; along which channel they had proceeded
for about half a mile when they suddenly opened a tiny bay, on their
starboard hand, from the shore of which projected a long wooden jetty of
rough mangrove piles decked over with ship timber. This jetty they at
once headed for, and were immediately saluted with a volley of musketry
from a long black wooden building which stood close to the shore.
Luckily, nobody was hit; and the same good fortune befell them when,
whilst landing on the jetty, a second volley was fired at them. The
tars, headed by Courtenay and the boatswain, then charged up to the
building, and, without very much difficulty, burst in the door, just in
time to see some twenty Spaniards effecting a hasty retreat through an
opening in the opposite side of the building. Our lads at once crowded
sail in chase, shouting and laughing like a parcel of schoolboys out for
a holiday, and occasionally stopping to pop away at the enemy with
musket or pistol as opportunity offered. The Spaniards, however, were
lighter in the heels than our own men, and they possessed the further
advantage of knowing the country, so they quickly hauled out of sight,
nor was anything further seen of them, though Courtenay maintained the
pursuit for about half an hour. The party then returned to the shed by
the beach; and whilst Courtenay with three or four hands gave the place
a thorough overhaul, Fidd, with the remainder of the men, turned to and
broke up a very large yawl-built boat which was lying alongside the
jetty, afterwards carrying her dismembered planking and timbers up to
the shed, to be still more effectually destroyed with it by fire. A
quantity of ship's stores, such as rope, canvas, pitch, tar, paint,
etcetera, was found, evidently showing that this was one of the many
pirates' rendezvous which were known to be in existence along this
coast; but there was nothing in the shape of plunder except the seven
heavy kegs before mentioned, one of which, upon being opened, proved to
be filled with Spanish dollars (as did the rest, eventually), so they
were promptly tumbled down to the jetty and put on board the long-boat.
It had evidently been a place of some little importance; but, from
Courtenay's account,