CHAPTER XX

IN ACTION

In engaging an enemy's ship at sea the custom was to display the colours from the poop, and to hang streamers or pennons from the yardarms.[30] The spritsail would then be furled, and the spritsail-yard brought alongship. The lower yards were slung with chain, and the important ropes, sheets and braces,[31] etc., were doubled. The bulkheads and wooden cabin walls were knocked away, or fortified with hammocks or bedding, to minimise the risk of splinters. The guns were cast loose and loaded. The powder or cartridge was brought up in "budge barrels," covered with leather, from the magazine, and stowed well away from the guns, either in amidships, or on that side of the ship not directly engaged. Tubs of water were placed between the guns with blankets soaking in them for the smothering of any fire that might be caused. Other tubs were filled with "vinegar water or what we have" for the sponging of the guns. The hatches leading to the hold were taken up, so that no man should desert his post during the engagement. The light sails were furled, and in some cases sent down on deck. The magazines were opened, and hung about with wet blankets to prevent sparks from entering. Shot was sent to the shot-lockers on deck. Sand was sprinkled on the planking to give a greater firmness to the foothold of the men at the guns. The gunner and his mates went round the batteries to make sure that all was ready. The caps, or leaden plates, were taken from the touch-holes, and the priming powder was poured down upon the cartridge within the gun. The carpenter made ready sheets of lead, and plugs of oakum, for the stopping of shot-holes.[32] The cook-room fire was extinguished. The sails were splashed with a solution of alum. The people went to eat and drink at their quarters. Extra tiller ropes, of raw hide, were rove abaft. The trumpeters put on their[33] tabards, "of the Admiral's colours," and blew points of war as they sailed into action. A writer of the early seventeenth century[34] has left the following spirited account of a sea-fight:--

[Footnote 30: Monson.]

[Footnote 31: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 32: Monson.]

[Footnote 33: _Ibid._]

[Footnote 34: Captain John Smith.]

"A sail, how bears she or stands shee, to winde-ward or lee-ward? set him by the Compasse; he stands right ahead, or on the weather-Bowe, or lee-Bowe, let fly your colours if you have a consort, else not. Out with all your sails, a steady man to the helme, sit close to keep her steady, give him chase or fetch him up; he holds his own, no, we gather on him. Captain, out goes his flag and pendants, also his waste-clothes and top-armings, which is a long red cloth about three quarters of a yard broad, edged on each side with Calico, or white linnen cloth, that goeth round about the ship on the outsides of all her upper works fore and aft, and before the cubbridge-heads, also about the fore and maine tops, as well for the countenance and grace of the ship, as to cover the men for being seen, he furies and slinges his maine yarde, in goes his spret-saile. Thus they use to strip themselves into their short sailes, or fighting sailes, which is only the fore sail, the main and fore topsails, because the rest should not be fired nor spoiled; besides they would be troublesome to handle, hinder our fights and the using our armes; he makes ready his close fights fore and aft.

"Master, how stands the chase? Right on head I say; Well we shall reatch him by and by; what's all ready? Yea, yea, every man to his charge, dowse your topsaile to salute him for the Sea, hale him with a noise of trumpets; Whence is your ship? Of Spaine; Whence is yours? Of England. Are you a Merchant, or a Man of War? We are of the Sea. He waves us to Lee-ward with his drawne Sword, cals amaine for the King of Spaine and springs his loufe. Give him a chase piece with your broadside, and run a good berth ahead of him; Done, done. We have the winde of him, and he tackes about, tacke you aboute also and keep your loufe [keep close to the wind] be yare at the helme, edge in with him, give him a volley of small shot, also your prow and broadside as before, and keep your loufe; He payes us shot for shot; Well, we shall requite him; What, are you ready again? Yea, yea. Try him once more, as before; Done, Done; Keep your loufe and charge your ordnance again; Is all ready? Yea, yea, edge in with him again, begin with your bowe pieces, proceed with your broadside, and let her fall off with the winde, to give her also your full chase, your weather broadside, and bring her round that the stern may also discharge, and your tackes close aboord again; Done, done, the wind veeres, the Sea goes too high to boord her, and we are shot thorow and thorow, and betwene winde and water. Try the pump, bear up the helme; Master let us breathe and refresh a little, and sling a man overboard [_i.e._ lower a man over the side] to stop the leakes; that is, to trusse him up aboute the middle in a piece of canvas, and a rope to keep him from sinking, and his armes at liberty, with a malet in the one hand, and a plug lapped in Okum, and well tarred in a tarpawling clowt in the other, which he will quickly beat into the hole or holes the bullets made; What cheere mates? is all well? All well, all well, all well. Then make ready to bear up with him again, and with all your great and small shot charge him, and in the smoke boord him thwart the hawse, on the bowe, midships, or rather than faile, on the quarter [where the high poop made it difficult to climb on board] or make fast your graplings [iron hooks] if you can to his close fights and shear off [so as to tear them to pieces]. Captain, we are fowl on each other, and the Ship is on fire, cut anything to get clear and smother the fire with wet clothes. In such a case they will presently be such friends, as to helpe one the other all they can to get clear, lest they should both burn together and sink; and if they be generous, the fire quenched, drink kindely one to another; heave their cans overboord, and then begin again as before.

"Well, Master, the day is spent, the night drawes on, let us consult. Chirurgion, look to the wounded, and winde up the slain, with each a weight or bullet at their heades and feet to make them sinke, and give them three Gunnes for their funerals. Swabber, make clean the ship [sprinkle it with hot vinegar to avoid the smell of blood]; Purser, record their Names; Watch, be vigilant to keep your berth to windeward that we lose him not in the night; Gunners, spunge your Ordnance; Sowldiers, scowre your pieces; Carpenters about your leakes; Boatswaine and the rest repair your sails and shrouds; and Cooke, you observe your directions against the morning watch; Boy, Holla, Master, Holla, is the Kettle boiled? Yea, yea; Boatswaine, call up the men to prayer and breakfast [We may suppose the dawn has broken].

"Boy, fetch my cellar of bottels [case of spirits], a health to you all fore and aft, courage my hearts for a fresh charge; Gunners beat open the ports, and out with your lower tire [lower tier of guns] and bring me from the weather side to the lee, so many pieces as we have ports to bear upon him. Master lay him aboord loufe for loufe; mid Ships men, see the tops and yards well manned, with stones, fire pots and brass bailes, to throw amongst them before we enter, or if we be put off, charge them with all your great and small shot, in the smoke let us enter them in the shrouds, and every squadron at his best advantage; so sound Drums and Trumpets, and Saint George for England.

"They hang out a flag of truce, hale him a main, abase, or take in his flag [to hale one to amaine, a main or a-mayn, was to bid him surrender; to abase was to lower the colours or the topsails], strike their sails, and come aboord with their Captaine, Purser, and Gunner, with their commission, cocket, or bills of loading. Out goes the boat, they are launched from the ship's side, entertaine them with a generall cry God save the Captain and all the company with the Trumpets sounding, examine them in particular, and then conclude your conditions, with feasting, freedom or punishment as you find occasion; but alwayes have as much care to their wounded as your own, and if there be either young women or aged men, use them nobly, which is ever the nature of a generous disposition. To conclude, if you surprise him, or enter perforce, you may stow the men, rifle, pillage, or sack, and cry a prise."

Down below in the gun-decks during an action, the batteries became so full of the smoke of black powder that the men could hardly see what they were doing. The darkness prevented them from seeing the very dangerous recoiling of the guns, and many were killed by them. It was impossible to judge how a gun carriage would recoil, for it never recoiled twice in the same manner, and though the men at the side tackles did their best to reduce the shock they could not prevent it altogether. It was the custom to close the gun-ports after each discharge, as the musketeers aboard the enemy could otherwise fire through them as the men reloaded. The guns were not fired in a volley, as no ship could have stood the tremendous shock occasioned by the simultaneous discharge of all her guns. They were fired in succession, beginning from the bows. In heavy weather the lower tiers of guns were not cast loose, for the rolling made them difficult to control, and the sea came washing through the ports and into the muzzles of the guns, knocking down the men and drenching the powder. It sometimes happened that the shot, and cartridge, were rolled clean out of the guns. In sponging and ramming the men were bidden to keep the sponge or rammer on that side of them opposite to the side exposed to the enemy so that if a shot should strike it, it would not force it into the body of the holder. A man was told off to bring cartridges and shot to each gun or division of guns and he was strictly forbidden to supply any other gun or guns during the action. The wounded were to be helped below by men told off especially for the purpose. Once below, in the cockpit, they were laid on a sail, and the doctor or his mates attended to them in turn. In no case was a man attended out of his turn. This system seems equitable, and the sailors were insistent that it should be observed; but many poor fellows bled to death, from shattered arteries, etc., while waiting till the doctor should be ready. The chaplain attended in the cockpit to comfort the dying, and administer the rites of the Church. When a vessel was taken, her crew were stripped by those in want of clothes. The prisoners were handcuffed, or chained together, and placed in the hold, on the ballast. The ship's company then set to work to repair damages, clean and secure the guns, return powder, etc., to the armoury, and magazines, and to give thanks for their preservation round the main-mast.

INDEX

Action, description of ship in, 334

Allowance of food and drink, 326, 327

Alvarado, 226, etc.

---- battle of, 227 _et seq._

Anastasius (church), 252

Andreas, Captain, 232, 234, 238

Antonio, Captain, 235

Arica, 259, 265, 266, 267

---- battle of, 267 _et seq._, 273, 274

Arquebus, 303

Barbecue, 112

Barker, Andrew, 105

Baronha, Admiral, 245

Bastimentos, 22

_Bear_, pinnace, 79, 82, 84

Bishop (of Panama), 255, 256, 281

Blewfields, 134

Boats (ships'), 297

Boatswains, 313

Boco del Toro, 230, 231

Boucan, 112

Bracos, De los, 180

Bradley, John, 173 _et seq._

Buccaneers, rise of, 112 _et seq._; customs, etc., 113; dress, 114; drunkenness, 115; cruel, 116; religious, 119; attached to comrades, 119; preparations for raids, 120 _et seq._; shares of spoil, 125; at the Samballoes, 232; at Perico, 247

Buckenham, Captain, 225

Cabeças, or Cabezas, 80, 84, 88, 92, 95

Cabin-boys, 319

Campeachy, 127

Canoas, 127; capturing prizes from, 129 _et seq._

Captains, 311, 322, 323, 324

Caribs, 108

Carpenters, 316

Cartagena, 11, 26, 27, 33, 35, 40, 41 _et seq._, 44, 45, 94

Cartridges, 300, 301

Castle Gloria, 151

Cativaas, or Catives, 9, 38, 53, 82

Cedro Bueno, halt at, 182

---- canoas sent to, 188

Chaplains, 321, 339

Chagres Castle, expedition to, under Bradley, 173 _et seq._

---- Morgan's arrival at, 180

---- party sent to, 203

---- message from, 205

Chagres River, 25, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 81; also 180-210

Charesha, 26

Chatas (small Spanish boats), 179

Cheapo River, 61, 241, 279

Chapillo, 241, 253

Chirurgeons, 321

Colonies in West Indies, 110, 111

Commissions, 118

Cook, Captain, 233, 234, 256, 258, 262

Cooks (ships'), 315

Coopers, 318

Compensations, 122

Comrades, 323

Corporals, 312

Costa Rica, Morgan sails for, 149

Cox, Captain, 258, 259, 262

Coxon, Captain, 229, 233, 237, 240, 241, 243, 249, 253

---- sails for home, 254

Coxswains, 313

Crews, 319

Daggs (pistols), 304

Dampier, William, 126; early life in West Indies, 218 _et seq._; ill at Campeachy, 225; ruined by storm, 226; goes pirating, _ibid._; returns to England, 228; to Jamaica, 229; joins buccaneers, 230; lands on isthmus, 234; not at Perico, 246; not at Arica, 267; leaves Sharp, 276, 277; tramps across isthmus, 280, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288

Darien, Gulf of, 4, 5, 8, 31, 99

Darien isthmus. _See_ Drake, Morgan, Dampier, etc.

Delander, R., 180

De la Barra Castle, 162

Diego, 19, 24, 31, 32, 36, 50, 51

---- Fort, 49, 51, 92

---- River, 37, 38, 49

Discomforts, 328

Discipline, 330, 331, 332

Drake, Francis (afterwards Sir Francis), born, 1; at San Juan d'Ulloa, 1, 2; at West Indies, 2, 3; sails for Nombre de Dios, 3, 4, 5; lands, 6; joins Rause, 7, 8; sails west, 9, 10; attacks Nombre de Dios, 15, 16, 20, 21; hurt, 21; receives herald, 23; goes to Cartagena, 26; establishes fort, 31; goes east, 32, 33; in Cartagena, 40, 41, etc.; returns thither, 45; starving, 46, 47; holds post mortem, 52; goes for Panama, 55 _et seq._; fails to take treasure, 66; retreats, 68; at Venta Cruz, 69; returns to Hixom, 77; goes to Veragua, 80, 81; meets Captain Tetû, 82; makes his great raid, 84, 85, 86, 88; builds raft, 89-90; his bravado, 94; arrives at Plymouth, 96; mentioned, 97; sacks St Domingo, 110; his island, 259, 260

---- John, 29, 30, 31, 32, 37

---- Joseph, 52

Entertainments, 325

Estera longa Lemos (near Porto Bello), 153

Firing (of cannon), 301; and aiming, 305, 306

Fort Jeronimo (at Porto Bello), 151

Francisco River (St Francis River), 9, 84, 88, 91, 92

French in West Indies, 111, 117

---- buccaneer commissions, 118

Fumigations, 329

Gabriele, Josef, 239

Galleons, 292, 293

Galliasses, 292, 293

Galleys, 291

Gambling, 131

Garret, John, 6

Gayny, G., 283, 285, 286, 287

Gear (sailors'), 296

Gibraltar (in Maracaibo), 162

Glub, Charles, 49

Golden Island, 232

Gorgona, 259, 276

Grummets, 320

Guasco (Huasco), 274

Gunners, 300, 301, 302, 304, 305, 308, 309, 312

Guns, 298 _et seq._, 307; list of, 303

Guzman, Don John Perez, takes Santa Katalina, 138. _See also_ Panama battle

Harris, Captain, 233, 237; killed and buried, 253

Hawkins, Sir R., 98, 99; his story of Oxenham, 105

Hayti, 106

Hilo (Ylo or Ilo), 260, 273, 274

Hispaniola, 106, 107 _et seq._, 114

Hixom, Ellis, 48, 54, 56, 75, 76, 77

Hobby, Mr, 229

Hunters, 108, 109

Indians, 121, 265, 279

Iquique (Yqueque), 264

Iron Castle (at Porto Bello), 139, 151, 158

Jamaica, 118, 229, 289

Jobson (or Cobson), 284, 287

Joiners, 316

Juan Fernandez, 261, 264

Katalina, Santa, Mansvelt goes to, 135

---- Morgan takes, 171

King Golden Cap, 236, 237, 239, 241, 246, 253, 255

La Serena, 260

Las Serenas, 44

La Sounds Key, 285, 287, 288

Liars, 320

Lieutenants, 311

Linstocks, 309

_Lion_, pinnace, 53, 84

Logwood cutting, 127; description of, 222

Longships, 291

Lorenzo, San, Castle of, 173; taken, 176; Morgan's return to, 213; destroyed, 214

Magdalena, 31, 37

Main, the, 28, 39, 83, 123, 124, 127

Mansvelt, Dutch pirate, cruises in South Seas, 135; his plans, 134; meets Henry Morgan, 135; sails with him, _ibid._; takes Santa Katalina, 135; seeks recruits and recognition from English Governor, 136; is refused help, 137; sails to Tortuga, 137; dies, 139

Maracaibo, 162

Maroons, 24, 28, 36, 38, 51, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 74, 75, 76, 85, 89, 95, 99, 100, 101, 102

Marygalante, 4

Masts, 294

Masters, 312, 322

_Minion_, pinnace, 49, 79

Moone, T., 2, 29

Morgan, Henry (afterwards Sir Henry), meets Mansvelt, 135; sails with him, _ibid._; tries to get help from New England, 139; gathers fleet, 140; goes for Puerto del Principe, 141; battle there, 142; town taken, 142; stay there, 143; mutiny and fight, 145; defection of French allies, 146; returns to Port Royal, 146; sails for Costa Rica, 149; lands, 153; takes a fort, 155; attacks Porto Bello, 156; takes it, 157; receives summons from Panama, 159; defeats Spanish troops, 160; receives ransom, 160; returns to Port Royal, 161; goes for Maracaibo, 162; summons De la Barra Castle, 163; the fireship, 164; Spanish rally, 164; Morgan's stratagem, 166; his return to Port Royal, 167; goes for Main, 168, 169; takes Santa Katalina, 177; sails for Chagres, 179; reaches Venta Cruz, 187; sees Panama, 190; takes it, 199, etc.; burns his ships, 209; leaves ruins, 210; returns to Venta Cruz, 212; destroys San Lorenzo, 214; returns to Port Royal, 215; becomes Governor of Jamaica, 216

Mosquito Indians, 122, 123, 124, 125

Mule trains (or recuas), 65, 66, 67, 85

Munjack, 228

Muskets, 303

Mutiny, 257

Nombre De Dios, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14; description of, 16, 17, 18, etc.; attack on, 27, 28, 62, 63, 64, 65, 84, 85, 98, 99, 103, 104

Norman, Captain, 180, 205

One Bush Key, 219, 221, 224

Ortega, John de, 100, 101

Oxenham, John, 17, 18, 39, 43, 61, 64, 65, 79, 81, 82, 93, 98; sails on his raid, 98; builds ship, 99; raids South Seas, 100; mutiny, 102, 103; Spaniards take him, 104; and hang him, 104, 108

Panama, 8, 11, 12, 15, 39, 54, 55, 61, 62, 243, 244, 252, 254, 255

---- description of, 192.

---- Morgan's sight of, 190

---- Governor of. _See_ Guzman, 159, 160.

Parrots, at Alvarado, 227

_Pascha_, a ship, 3, 30, 31, 32, 79, 81, 94, 95

Pavesses, 294

Pearl Islands, 100, 101, 244

Pedro, 57, 60, 95

Penn, 117

Peralta, Don, 206, 245, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 258, 261

Periaguas, 127

Perico, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 250-253

Petticoat (a sky-blue), 279

Petty tally, 324, 325

Pezoro, 79, 80, 81

Pike, Robert, 65, 67, 78

Pine Islands, 8, 9, 20

Pinnaces, 3, 7

Plenty, Port, 36

Plymouth, 3, 4, 96, 98

Porto Bello, 11, 13, 15; description, 150 _et seq._; attacked and sacked, 154 _et seq._; 230, 231

Port Pheasant, 5

Port Royal, 132

---- Morgan's return to, 215

---- Dampier arrives at, 221

Porto Santo, 4

Provisions, 326, 327, 328

Puebla Nueva, 256

Puerto del Principe, 140, 141 _et seq._

Pursers, 314

Quartermasters, 314

Quibo, 256, 257, 258, 259

Raft (Drake's), 89, 90

Rause, Captain, 7, 9, 25

Rigging, ancient, 295

Ringrose, Basil, 234, 237, 241, 243, 244, 247, 248, 349, 250

---- at Arica, 267, 268, 269, 273, 288, 289

Rio de la Hacha, 47, 169

Rio Grande, 32, 33, 46

Roundships, 291

Sails, 294, 295, 296, 297

Sailing from port, 322, 323

San Andreas, 127

---- Antonio, 96

---- Barnardo, 26, 28, 40, 50, 94

---- Domingo, 106, 107

---- Juan d'Ulloa, 1, 2, 12

---- Miguel, 277

Santa Maria, 232, 238, 239, 240, 253

---- Martha, 5, 47

---- Pecaque, 289

Savannahs, 61

Sawkins, Richard, Captain, 229, 233, 236, 240, 243, 248, 249, 250, 253, 254, 255, 256; killed, 257, 262, 263, 281

Scrivanos, 28, 41, 53

Sea-fighting, 334, 335, 336, 337

Searles, Captain, 206

Sharp, Captain Bartholomew, 229, 233, 237, 238, 241, 242, 243, 244, 252, 253, 254, 255; takes prizes, 257; elected admiral, 258, 259, 262, 265; at Arica, 267, 270, 271, 274, 275, 288, 289, 290

Ship-boys, 319

Simon Le Sieur, 136, 137, 138

Smith, Captain John, 89

Springer, Captain, 248

---- his key, 286

Stewards, 315

Swabbers, 319, 320

_Swan_, a ship, 2, 3, 29, 30

Tawnymores (a ship of), 247, 248, 249, 251

Tetû, Captain, 82, 83, 84, 86; hurt, 86, 87, 91

Tiburon, Cape, 169

Tocamora, 231

Tolu, 6, 36, 53, 79

Top-arming, 294

Torna Munni, 183

Tortuga, 111, 112, 115, 117

Tree (a great), 60, 61

_Trinity_, the Most Blessed, a Spanish galleon, 206, 251, 253, 259, 260, 261, 263, 264, 288, 289

Tristian, Captain, 285

Trumpeters, 318

Tucker, Francis, 95

Venables, 117

Venta Cruz, 25, 62, 65, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 85, 187, 212

Veragua, 78, 79, 80, 81

Villa del Rey, 35

Wafer, Lionel, 234, 276, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 287

Watling, John, 262, 263, 264, 266; attacks Arica, 267, 268, 269; shot, 270

Ylo, 260, 273, 274

Yqueque, 264, 265

Younkers, 320

Ysabel Nueva, 106