r chief
inhabitants of Gibraltar, which he had in his custody as hostages for
the contributions those people had promised to pay. These propositions
were instantly rejected by Don Alonso, as dishonourable: neither would
he hear of any other accommodation, but sent back this message: "That if
they surrendered not themselves voluntarily into his hands, within two
days, under the conditions which he had offered them by his letter, he
would immediately come, and force them to do it."

No sooner had Captain Morgan received this message from Don Alonso, than
he put all things in order to fight, resolving to get out of the lake by
main force, without surrendering anything. First, he commanded all the
slaves and prisoners to be tied, and guarded very well, and gathered all
the pitch, tar, and brimstone, they could find in the whole town, for
the fire-ship above-mentioned; then they made several inventions of
powder and brimstone with palm leaves, well annointed with tar. They
covered very well their counterfeit cannon, laying under every piece
many pounds of powder; besides, they cut down many outworks of the ship,
that the powder might exert its strength the better; breaking open,
also, new port-holes, where, instead of guns, they placed little drums
used by the negroes. Finally, the decks were handsomely beset with many
pieces of wood, dressed up like men with hats, or monteras, and armed
with swords, muskets, and bandeleers.

The fire-ship being thus fitted, they prepared to go to the entry of the
port. All the prisoners were put into one great boat, and in another of
the biggest they placed all the women, plate, jewels, and other rich
things: into others they put the bales of goods and merchandise, and
other things of bulk: each of these boats had twelve men aboard, very
well armed; the brulot had orders to go before the rest of the vessels,
and presently to fall foul with the great ship. All things being ready,
Captain Morgan exacted an oath of all his comrades, protesting to defend
themselves to the last drop of blood, without demanding quarter;
promising withal, that whosoever behaved himself thus, should be very
well rewarded.

With this courageous resolution they set sail to seek the Spaniards. On
April 30, 1669, they found the Spanish fleet riding at anchor in the
middle of the entry of the lake. Captain Morgan, it being now late and
almost dark, commanded all his vessels to an anchor, designing to fight
even all n