i 9 8 L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
being connected, by the means of centinels placed within call of
each other, and the whole being vifited by frequent rounds, attended
with a drum, thefe marks of our vigilance, which the enemy could
not be ignorant of, as they could doubtlefs hear the drum, i f not
the calls of the centinels; thefe marks, I fay, of our vigilance, and
o f our readinefs to receive them, Gooled their refolution, and made
them forget the vaunts of the preceding day ; fo that vve paifed this
fecond night with as little moleftation as we had done the firft-.
We had finifhed fending the treafure on board the Centurion the
evening before; fo that the- third morning, being the 15th of November,
the boats were employed in carrying off the moil valuable
part of the efftfts that remained in the town. And the Commodore
intending to fail in the afternoon, he, about ten o’clock, pur-
fuant to his promife, fent all his prifbner-s, amounting to eighty-
eight, on fhore ; giving orders to Lieutenant Brett to fecure them
in one o f the churches under a flridf guard, till the men were ready
to be embarked. Mr. Brett was at the fame time ordered to burn
the whole town, except the two churches (which, by good fortune,
flood at fome diftance from the houfes), and then he was to abandon
the place, and to return on board. Thefe orders were punctually
complied with ; for Mr. Brett immediately fet his men to work,
to diftribute pitch, tar, and other combuflibles (of which great
quantities were found here), into houfes fituated in different flreets
o f the town; fo that, the place being fired-in many quarters a-t-t-he
fame time, the deftruftion might be more violent and iud'den, and
the. enemy, after our departure, might not be able to ex-tinguifh
it. When thefe preparations were made, he, in the next place,
commanded the cannon, which he found in the fort, to be nailed
u p ; and then, fetting fire to thofe houfes which were mofl to
windward, he collected his men, and marched'towards the beach,
where the boats waited, to carry them off. As that part o f the
beach, whence be intended to embark, was an open place without
the town, o,ear where the churches are marked in the foregoing
plan, the Spaniards, on the hill, perceiving he was retreating, re-
folved to try if they could not precipitate his departure, and there-
R o U N D T H E W O R L D . 199,
by lay fome foundation for their future boafting. To this end, a.
fmall fquadrbn of their horfe, confifting o f about fixty, picked out,,
as I fuppofe, for this fervice, marched down the hill with much,
feeming refolution,; fo that, had we not entertained an adequate
opinion of their prowefs, we might have imagined, that now we
were on the, open , beach, with, no advantage of fituation, they
would certainly have charged u s bu t we prelumed (and. yve were.-
not miftaken). that this was mere oftentaflon. For, notwithstanding
the pomp and parade they at firft came on with, Mr. B rett
had no fooner ordered his men. to halt, and fate about, than the-
enemy flopped, their, career, and never dared to advance a. ftep further.
\fy’ben our people were arrived at their boats-, and were fCady to*
go on board,, they were for fome 'time retarded by miffing one o f
their number; and- being unable, on their mutual inquiries amongft
each other, to inform themfelves where he was left, or by what
accident he was detained, they, after a cpnfiderable delay, refolved.
to get into their boats, and to depart without him. But when the:
laft man was aflualiy embarked, and the boats were juft putting,
off, they heard him calling to them to take .him in : the place was.
by this time fo. thoroughly on fire-, and the fmoke covered the:
beach fo effeaual-ly, that they could fcarcely difcern him, though,
they heard his voice. However, the Lieutenant inftantly ordered:
one of the boats to his relief, who* found' him up to the chin in water
; for he had waded as far as he durft, being extremely frightened:
with the apprehenfions of falling into the; hands of an enemy, enraged,
as they doubtlefs were, at the pillage and deftrua'ion of their
town. On inquiring into- the caufe of his flaying behind, it was;
found, that he had taken that morning too large a dbfe of brandy,,
which had thrown him into fo found.-a fleep, that' he did not awake:
till the fire came near enough to fcorch him-. He was ftrangdy
amazed, at firft-opening his eyes, to fee the houfes all in a blazd.On
one fide, and feveral Spaniards and Indians not: far from him on the
other. The greatnefs and fuddenne&of his fright inftantly reduced;
_ him-.