On the Spanish Main


On the Spanish Main, by John Masefield

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Title: On the Spanish Main Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien.
Author: John Masefield
Release Date: September 28, 2006 [EBook #19396]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER]

ON THE SPANISH MAIN
OR, SOME ENGLISH FORAYS ON THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN. WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE BUCCANEERS AND A SHORT ACCOUNT OF OLD-TIME SHIPS AND SAILORS
BY
JOHN MASEFIELD
WITH TWENTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP
METHUEN & CO. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON
First Published in 1906
THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH.

TO
JACK B. YEATS

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE DRAKE'S VOYAGE TO THE WEST INDIES 1 His quarrel with the Spaniards--His preliminary raids--His landfall--The secret harbour
CHAPTER II
THE ATTACK ON NOMBRE DE DIOS 15 The treasure of the Indies--The Bastimentos--A Spanish herald
CHAPTER III
THE CRUISE OFF THE MAIN 26 The secret haven--The cruise of the pinnaces--Cartagena--Death of John Drake
CHAPTER IV
THE ROAD TO PANAMA 55 The Maroons--The native city--The great tree--Panama--The silver train--The failure--Venta Cruz
CHAPTER V
BACK TO THE MAIN BODY 74 The treasure train--The spoil--Captain Tet? hurt
CHAPTER VI
THE ADVENTURE OF THE RAFT 88 Drake's voyage to the Catives--Homeward bound--The interrupted sermon
CHAPTER VII
JOHN OXENHAM 98 The voyage--His pinnace--Into the South Sea--Disaster--His unhappy end
CHAPTER VIII
THE SPANISH RULE IN HISPANIOLA 106 Rise of the Buccaneers--The hunters of the wild bulls--Tortuga--Buccaneer politics--Buccaneer customs
CHAPTER IX
BUCCANEER CUSTOMS 129 Mansvelt and Morgan--Morgan's raid on Cuba--Puerto del Principe
CHAPTER X
THE SACK OF PORTO BELLO 148 The Gulf of Maracaibo--Morgan's escape from the Spaniards
CHAPTER XI
MORGAN'S GREAT RAID 168 Chagres castle--Across the isthmus--Sufferings of the Buccaneers--Venta Cruz--Old Panama
CHAPTER XII
THE SACK OF PANAMA 197 The burning of the city--Buccaneer excesses--An abortive mutiny--Home--Morgan's defection
CHAPTER XIII
CAPTAIN DAMPIER 218 Campeachy--Logwood cutting--The march to Santa Maria
CHAPTER XIV
THE BATTLE OF PERICO 245 Arica--The South Sea cruise
CHAPTER XV
ACROSS THE ISTHMUS 276 The way home--Sufferings and adventures
CHAPTER XVI
SHIPS AND RIGS 291 Pavesses--Top-arming--Banners--Boats
CHAPTER XVII
GUNS AND GUNNERS 298 Breech-loaders--Cartridges--Powder--The gunner's art
CHAPTER XVIII
THE SHIP'S COMPANY 311 Captain--Master--Lieutenant--Warrant officers--Duties and privileges
CHAPTER XIX
THE CHOOSING OF WATCHES 322 The petty tally--Food--Work--Punishments
CHAPTER XX
IN ACTION 334
INDEX 341

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER Frontispiece
NOMBRE DE DIOS 12
CARTAGENA 26
CARTAGENA IN 1586, SHOWING THE DOUBLE HARBOUR 40 The ship in the foreground may be Drake's flagship, the Bonaventure
AN ELIZABETHAN WARSHIP 49 A pinnace beyond, to the left
SHIP AND FLYING-FISH 95
A BUCCANEER'S SLAVE, WITH HIS MASTER'S GUN 114 A barbecue in right lower corner
OLD PORT ROYAL 132
PUERTO DEL PRINCIPE 142
PORTO BELLO, CIRCA 1740, SHOWING THE SITUATION AND DEFENCES OF THE CITY 150
THE FIRESHIP DESTROYING THE "SPANISH ADMIRAL" 164 Castle de la Barra in background
CHAGRES (CIRCA 1739) 173
THE ISTHMUS, SHOWING MORGAN'S LINE OF ADVANCE 180
NEW PANAMA 195
THE BATTLE OF PANAMA 200
SIR HENRY MORGAN 210
A DESCRIPTION OF ARICA 266
A DESCRIPTION OF HILO 274
AN ELIZABETHAN GALLEON 293
AN ELIZABETHAN GALLEON 297
A GALLIASSE 310
THE "SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS" 323
MAP OF THE BUCCANEER CRUISING GROUNDS 340

ON THE SPANISH MAIN
CHAPTER I
DRAKE'S VOYAGE TO THE WEST INDIES
His quarrel with the Spaniards--His preliminary raids--His landfall--The secret harbour
Francis Drake, the first Englishman to make himself "redoubtable to the Spaniards" on the Spanish Main, was born near Tavistock about the year 1545. He was sent to sea, as a lad, aboard a Channel coaster engaged in trade with the eastern counties, France and Zeeland. When he was eighteen years of age he joined his cousin, John Hawkins, then a great and wealthy merchant, engaged in the slave trade. Four years later he sailed with Hawkins on a memorable trading voyage to the Spanish Main. On this occasion he commanded a small vessel of fifty tons.
The voyage was unfortunate from the beginning, for the Spaniards had orders from their King to refuse to trade with any foreigners. Before the English could get rid of their freight the ships of their squadron were severely battered by a hurricane, so that they were forced to put into San Juan d'Ulloa, the port of Vera Cruz, to refit. While they lay there a Spanish fleet arrived, carrying a vast quantity of gold and silver for transhipment to Spain. It was not to Hawkins' advantage to allow this Spanish force to enter the haven, for he feared that they would treat him as a pirate if they had an opportunity to do so. However, the Spaniards came to terms with him, an agreement was signed