St. Catherine's, which he
takes._

CAPTAIN MORGAN and his companions weighed anchor from the Cape of
Tiburon, December 16, 1670. Four days after they arrived in sight of St.
Catherine's, now in possession of the Spaniards again, as was said
before, to which they commonly banish the malefactors of the Spanish
dominions in the West Indies. Here are huge quantities of pigeons at
certain seasons. It is watered by four rivulets, whereof two are always
dry in summer. Here is no trade or commerce exercised by the
inhabitants; neither do they plant more fruits than what are necessary
for human life, though the country would make very good plantations of
tobacco of considerable profit, were it cultivated.

As soon as Captain Morgan came near the island with his fleet, he sent
one of his best sailing vessels to view the entry of the river, and see
if any other ships were there, who might hinder him from landing; as
also fearing lest they should give intelligence of his arrival to the
inhabitants, and prevent his designs.

Next day, before sunrise, all the fleet anchored near the island, in a
bay called Aguade Grande. On this bay the Spaniards had built a battery,
mounted with four pieces of cannon. Captain Morgan landed about one
thousand men in divers squadrons, marching through the woods, though
they had no other guides than a few of his own men, who had been there
before, under Mansvelt. The same day they came to a place where the
governor sometimes resided: here they found a battery called the
Platform, but nobody in it, the Spaniards having retired to the lesser
island, which, as was said before, is so near the great one, that a
short bridge only may conjoin them.

This lesser island was so well fortified with forts and batteries round
it, as might seem impregnable. Hereupon, as soon as the Spaniards
perceived the pirates approach, they fired on them so furiously, that
they could advance nothing that day, but were content to retreat, and
take up their rest in the open fields, which was not strange to these
people, being sufficiently used to such kind of repose. What most
afflicted them was hunger, having not eat anything that whole day. About
midnight it rained so hard, that they had much ado to bear it, the
greatest part of them having no other clothes than a pair of seaman's
trousers or breeches, and a shirt, without shoes or stockings. In this
great extremity they pulled down a few thatched houses to make fires
wit