Читать книгу The Life of Sir Henry Morgan. With an account of the English settlement of the island of Jamaica онлайн

122 страница из 128

"They next marched to the City, which they entered without any Difficulty, for the Inhabitants were like so many distressed Persons, running about and not knowing which Hand to turn to. The Governor did his utmost to rally and reduce them to Order, but in vain. He therefore, with some of the chief Inhabitants, retired to another Castle, which yet was unassaulted by the Pyrates; thither a great many resorted and carried their Riches and best Goods. The successful Pyrates began a miserable Havock; and tho' the Governor fired incessantly upon them from the Castle yet it had no other effect but to spur them on to do their Business with the greater Dispatch. They rifled not only the Houses but the Churches. In the meantime they found that they had lost a great many of their Companions; and being flushed with Desires of Revenge, unanimously resolved to attack the Castle, which had done them so much Mischief and where they knew there was a vast quantity of Riches lodged. They began the Assault with surprising intrepidity and did a great deal of Hurt to the Garrison; for they took their Aim so well that they never missed to shoot the Spaniards when they came to load the Guns. Amidst the Horror of this Assault both Parties behaved with equal Courage; and the Pyrates observing the stout Resistance they met with, prepared Fire-balls with which they designed to fire the Gates. But having approached to the Walls, the Garrison threw down huge Stones and Flasks of Powder, which killed a great many and compelled the rest to retire. In this Disorder Morgan scarce knew how to behave; he saw it was almost impracticable to carry the Place, and yet his high Spirits would not allow him to give over the Assault. But he had certainly been obliged to desist, if at that very Instant he had not perceived English Colours set upon the Walls of the other Castle, which another Body of Pyrates had successfully stormed. This Sight encouraged his fainting Troops to renew the Attack, and having prepared large scaling Ladders, he commanded the religious Persons whom he had taken from the Monasteries, to fix them to the Walls. They were obliged to obey, and having approached the Castle, conjured the steady Governor by all the Saints to deliver the Place, but he bravely refused and let Morgan know his Policy should have no Effect, for the crafty Pyrate had employed the Priests and Nuns, believing that the Reverence which the Spaniards bore them would have made them desist from firing. The Governor did all that could be expected from a brave Man; he fired with the utmost Fury and killed great Numbers of the Religious; but notwithstanding the Pyrates mounted with incredible Resolution, carrying Fire-balls and Pitchers full of Powder in their Hands, which they threw among the Spaniards, who perceiving their Enemies entered (after a very sharp Engagement), threw down their Arms and begged for Quarter; only the Governor stood out with amazing Courage, killed many of the Pyrates with his own Hands, and bravely performed the part of a gallant Soldier. He refused Quarter and was killed, a heroic Instance of distinguished Worth.[142]