r men dead, and as many more wounded, they retired to their ships.

The Spaniards believing the pirates would next day renew the attack with
their own cannon, laboured hard all night to put things in order for
their coming; particularly, they dug down, and made plain, some little
hills and eminences, when possibly the castle might be offended.

But Captain Morgan intended not to come again, busying himself next day
in taking prisoners some of the men who still swam alive, hoping to get
part of the riches lost in the two ships that perished. Among the rest,
he took a pilot, who was a stranger, and who belonged to the lesser ship
of the two, of whom he inquired several things; as, What number of
people those three ships had in them? Whether they expected any more
ships to come? From what port they set forth last, when they came to
seek them out? He answered, in Spanish, "Noble sir, be pleased to pardon
and spare me, that no evil be done to me, being a stranger to this
nation I have served, and I shall sincerely inform you of all that
passed till our arrival at this lake. We were sent by orders from the
Supreme Council of State in Spain, being six men-of-war well equipped,
into these seas, with instructions to cruise upon the English pirates,
and root them out from these parts by destroying as many of them as we
could.

"These orders were given, upon the news brought to the court of Spain of
the loss and ruin of Puerto Bello, and other places; of all which
damages and hostilities committed here by the English, dismal
lamentations have often been made to the catholic king and council, to
whom belongs the care and preservation of this new world. And though the
Spanish court hath many times by their ambassadors complained hereof to
the king of England; yet it hath been the constant answer of his Majesty
of Great Britain, that he never gave any letters patent, nor
commissions, for acting any hostility against the subjects of the king
of Spain. Hereupon the catholic king resolved to revenge his subjects,
and punish these proceedings: commanded six men-of-war to be equipped,
which he sent under the command of Don Augustine de Bustos, admiral of
the said fleet. He commanded the biggest ship, named _N. S. de la
Soleda_, of forty-eight great guns, and eight small ones. The
vice-admiral was Don Alonso del Campo y Espinosa, who commanded the
second ship called _La Conception_, of forty-four great guns, and eight
small ones; besides