The history of the bucaniers being an impartial relation of all the battels, sieges, and other most eminent assaults committed for several years upon the coasts of the West-Indies by the pirates of Jamaica and Tortuga, both English & other nations : more especially the unparallel'd atchievements of Sir H.M. / made English from the Dutch copy ; written by J. Esquemeling, one of the bucaniers ; very much corrected from the errours of the original by the relations of some English gentlemen that then resided in those parts.

CHAP. IV. The Castle of Chagre taken.

CAp. Mor. having so promising an occa∣sion, thought it not fit to neglect it, whereupon he gave orders that four Ships and one Boat should be provided with all necessaries for taking the Castle of Cha∣gre, seated upon a River of that name; in these Ships he puts 400 men under the command of one Captain Brodely, whose actions of this nature had rendered him famous formerly in those Coasts, this Brodely having received his orders, puts to Sea, and within three days arrives with∣in sight of the said Castle.

This Castle is seated upon a high Moun∣tain, having many advantages both from art and nature, for its strength being for∣tified

on all sides with strong Palisado's, on the Land side it hath four strong Bastions, and two towards the Sea, the South-side is unaccessible, by reason of the asperity of the Mountain; the North-side also is en∣compassed with the broad River; at the foot of the Mountain is a strong Fort which commandeth the entry of the Ri∣ver, with several other singular advanta∣ges of a well fortified place.

The Pirates came to an Anchor about a League from the Castle, which the Spani∣ards perceiving, began to fire briskly at them with the biggest of their Guns; next morning they landed, and marched through a Wood, resolving to attack the Castle on that side, but the difficulties they met with in their march, as also the Spaniards constant firing from the Castle, made them much to fear the success of that enterprise (for on that side of neces∣sity they must make the assault) however, they resolved rather to hazard all, then give it over.

Whereupon they advanced towards the Castle with their Swords in one hand, and Fire-balls in the other; but the Spaniards received them with so much briskness, that after they attempted to scale the walls, they were forced to retreat, and rest themselves until night; then they re∣turned

again to the Assault, and attempted with their Fire-balls to pull down the Pales before the wall; while they were thus disputing the matter with great reso∣lution on both sides, a very remarkable accident happened, which put the Victory in the Pirates hands, for one of them be∣ing shot with an Arrow quite through the body, he with courage pull'd it out at the side of his breast, and wound a little cotton about the head of it, and putting it in his Musket, shot it back again into the Castle, the cotton being kindled by the Powder, set fire to 2 or 3 thatch'd houses that were within the Castle, which not being timely taken notice of, blew up some barrels of Powder, which put the Spaniards into great consternation, not knowing how the fire came, as also not having sufficient water to extinguish it.

The Pirates seeing so favourable an op∣portunity, made use of it, setting fire un∣to the Palizadoes, which gave them great advantage, many breaches having there∣by been made among the Pales, which made the earth fall in great heaps into the Ditch, upon which they climbed up, and got over unto the Castle, notwithstan∣ding of much opposition; for they threw down flaming Pots full of combustible matter, by which several were killed.

The fire thus consuming the Palisado,'s the Pirates prosecuted their intention of being Masters of the Castle, when day appear'd, they saw the earth fallen down from the Palisado's to the Ditch, which put them on even ground with them that were within.

The Pirates seeing the fire thus to rage, thought it their interest (being in hopes to be Masters of all) to extinguish it, for this end they appointed some of their number to do what they could to extin∣guish it by constant shooting at it, while the rest managed the Assault; about noon the Pirates gained a breach, which the Governor himself manfully defended with 25 men; here was hot work with Muskets, Swords, Pikes and Stones, notwithstan∣ding the Pirates forced their way through all difficulties, till at last they were Ma∣sters of the Castle; the Spaniards who were alive, threw themselves headlong in∣to the Sea, disdaining to ask Quarters for their lives, the Governor retreated unto the Corp du Garde, where he intended to defend himself, but at last was kill'd by a Musket shot.

All the men that were found alive, were but 30, whereof 20 were wounded, and this was all that surviv'd of 314, wherewith the Castle was Garrison'd,

them they made Prisoners, compelling them to tell what they knew of their in∣terprises; the Pirats also had a great loss of their men here, for when they came to number them, they found they lost an 100, besides 70 that were wounded.