th the ends of their muskets.

Having vanquished the enemy, they mounted on horses they found in the
field, and continued their journey; Brasiliano having lost but two of
his companions in this bloody fight, and had two wounded. Prosecuting
their way, before they came to the port they spied a boat at anchor from
Campechy, well manned, protecting a few canoes that were lading wood:
hereupon they sent six of their men to watch them, who next morning, by
a wile, possessed themselves of the canoes. Having given notice to their
companions, they boarded them, and also took the little man-of-war,
their convoy. Being thus masters of this fleet, they wanted only
provisions, of which they found little aboard those vessels: but this
defect was supplied by the horses, which they killed, and salted with
salt, which by good fortune the wood-cutters had brought with them, with
which they supported themselves till they could get better.

They took also another ship going from New Spain to Maracaibo, laden
with divers sorts of merchandise and pieces of eight, designed to buy
cocoa-nuts for their lading home: all these they carried to Jamaica,
where they safely arrived, and, according to custom, wasted all in a few
days in taverns, giving themselves to all manner of debauchery. Such of
these pirates will spend two or three thousand pieces of eight in a
night, not leaving themselves a good shirt to wear in the morning. My
own master would buy sometimes a pipe of wine, and, placing it in the
street, would force those that passed by to drink with him, threatening
also to pistol them if they would not. He would do the like with barrels
of beer or ale; and very often he would throw these liquors about the
streets, and wet peoples' clothes without regarding whether he spoiled
their apparel.

Among themselves these pirates are very liberal: if any one has lost
all, which often happens in their manner of life, they freely give him
of what they have. In taverns and alehouses they have great credit; but
at Jamaica they ought not to run very deep in debt, seeing the
inhabitants there easily sell one another for debt. This happened to my
patron, to be sold for a debt of a tavern wherein he had spent the
greatest part of his money. This man had, within three months before,
three thousand pieces of eight in ready cash, all which he wasted in
that little time, and became as poor as I have told you.

But to return Brasiliano, after having spent all,