Exclaiming
that his assailants must be devils, the commander, with a pistol at his
breast, was compelled to an immediate surrender. Meanwhile a portion of
the assailants took possession of the gunroom; seized the arms, and
killed all who resisted. This vigorous assault soon carried the ship by
a surrender at discretion. She proved to be a rich prize; and the
prisoners were treated with lenity, which was not always the course
adopted by the buccaneers when they were disappointed in the amount of
their expected plunder. Many were the crews compelled to pay with their
lives for the poverty of their cargoes. In the present case Le Grande
retained for his own service such of the common sailors as he needed,
and after setting the rest on shore, proceeded to France with his
prize, where he remained, without ever returning to America.
The success of this exploit, and the rich reward by which it was
crowned, at once stimulated the cupidity of the Tortugans, and fired
their breasts with the ambition of emulating the bravery of the Great
Peter. Those who were yet engaged in planting or in other honest
occupations, at once abandoned them, and betook themselves to the more
inviting trade of piracy. Being unable to build larger vessels than the
boats or hoys then in use, they carried on the war in these against the
smaller vessels of Spain engaged in the coasting trade and in the
traffic of hides and tobacco with the inhabitants of Jamaica. The
vessels thus captured were substituted for their own smaller craft, by
means of which they were soon enabled to make longer voyages, and
stretch across to the coasts of the Spanish main.
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