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

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The ships entered the inner harbour and the town was held for five days. In conformity with the customary barbarous methods of the time in making war, large parties were sent out daily to plunder and lay waste the neighbouring plantations and settlements. Morales rallied some of his men on the heights of El Caney and on the crags of the Sierra Maestra, whence he watched the movements of the invaders, though he did not venture to attack them. Yet he annoyed them at a distance, and threatened to cut off their retreat by occupying the shores of the inlet. Besides many sugar-works, a great part of the town, which was said to contain two thousand houses, was destroyed.

"The yll offices that towne had don to Jamaica had soe exasperated the souldiers," Mings declared, "that I had mutch adoo to keepe them from fireing the churches." In fact the Spanish historian states that the cathedral, rebuilt with great exertions by Bishop Cabezas and his immediate successors, the governor's residence, and the hospital were all destroyed to gratify their hostility.