this new practice of
searching; but, being outnumbered by the English, they were forced to
submit as well as the rest. The search being over, they re-embarked, and
arrived at the castle of Chagre on the 9th of March. Here they found all
things in good order, excepting the wounded men whom they had left at
their departure; for of these the greatest number were dead of their
wounds.

From Chagre, Captain Morgan sent, presently after his arrival, a great
boat to Puerto Bello, with all the prisoners taken at the isle of St.
Catherine, demanding of them a considerable ransom for the castle of
Chagre, where he then was; threatening otherwise to ruin it. To this
those of Puerto Bello answered, they would not give one farthing towards
the ransom of the said castle, and the English might do with it as they
pleased. Hereupon the dividend was made of all the spoil made in that
voyage; every company, and every particular person therein, receiving
their proportion, or rather what part thereof Captain Morgan pleased to
give them. For the rest of his companions, even of his own nation,
murmured at his proceedings, and told him to his face that he had
reserved the best jewels to himself: for they judged it impossible that
no greater share should belong to them than two hundred pieces of eight,
per capita, of so many valuable plunders they had made; which small sum
they thought too little for so much labour, and such dangers, as they
had been exposed to. But Captain Morgan was deaf to all this, and many
other like complaints, having designed to cheat them of what he could.

At last, finding himself obnoxious to many censures of his people, and
fearing the consequence, he thought it unsafe to stay any longer at
Chagre, but ordered the ordnance of the castle to be carried on board
his ship; then he caused most of the walls to be demolished, the
edifices to be burnt, and as many other things ruined as could be done
in a short time. This done, he went secretly on board his own ship,
without giving any notice to his companions, and put out to sea, being
only followed by three or four vessels of the whole fleet. These were
such (as the French pirates believed) as went shares with Captain Morgan
in the best part of the spoil, which had been concealed from them in the
dividend. The Frenchmen could willingly have revenged themselves on
Captain Morgan and his followers, had they been able to encounter him at
sea; but they were destitute of nece