hal; in a word, they were in such a condition, that one hundred men,
indifferently well armed, might easily that night have torn them all in
pieces. Next morning, about break of day, the rain ceased, and they
dried their arms and marched on: but soon after it rained afresh, rather
harder than before, as if the skies were melted into waters; which kept
them from advancing towards the forts, whence the Spaniards continually
fired at them.

The pirates were now reduced to great affliction and danger, through the
hardness of the weather, their own nakedness, and great hunger; for a
small relief hereof, they found in the fields an old horse, lean, and
full of scabs and blotches, with galled back and sides: this they
instantly killed and flayed, and divided in small pieces among
themselves, as far as it would reach (for many could not get a morsel)
which they roasted and devoured without salt or bread, more like
ravenous wolves than men. The rain not ceasing, Captain Morgan perceived
their minds to relent, hearing many of them say they would return on
board. Among these fatigues of mind and body, he thought convenient to
use some sudden remedy: to this effect, he commanded a canoe to be
rigged in haste, and colours of truce to be hanged out. This canoe he
sent to the Spanish governor, with this message: "That if within a few
hours he delivered not himself and all his men into his hands, he did by
that messenger swear to him, and all those that were in his company, he
would most certainly put them to the sword, without granting quarter to
any."

In the afternoon the canoe returned with this answer: "That the governor
desired two hours' time to deliberate with his officers about it, which
being past, he would give his positive answer." The time being elapsed,
the governor sent two canoes with white colours, and two persons to
treat with Captain Morgan; but, before they landed, they demanded of the
pirates two persons as hostages. These were readily granted by Captain
Morgan, who delivered them two of the captains for a pledge of the
security required. With this the Spaniards propounded to Captain Morgan,
that the governor, in a full assembly, had resolved to deliver up the
island, not being provided with sufficient forces to defend it against
such an armada. But withal, he desired Captain Morgan would be pleased
to use a certain stratagem of war, for the better saving of his own
credit, and the reputation of his officers both