And, On My Side, I Became Alarmed
Lest Their Dreadful Apprehensions Might Stir Them Up To Some Desperate
Attempt, They Being Eighty In Number, While We Were Not At This Time
Above Seventeen On Board, And When Altogether Only Twenty-Five That
Could Stand On Our Legs.
I was therefore compelled to appear somewhat
stern, in ordering all our prisoners into the stern gallery, except the
nobleman and a few of the chiefs, while we kept a strict guard in the
great cabin.
The Spanish gentlemen lamented the murder of our men, and
their own hard fate, in having been in some measure witnesses, and let
fall some expressions, by which I perceived they were afraid I meant to
shew some severities to their people on this occasion. Having a good
interpreter between us, I assured them I was not of any such revengeful
disposition, and besides, that the laws of my country would restrain me,
if I were, as I acted by my king's commission, whose orders strictly
forbid all acts of inhumanity or oppression towards our prisoners; on
which assurance they might rest satisfied of their safety. In reply to
this, they begged me to think myself secure, as to themselves and
countrymen, now my prisoners, declaring on their honour that they would
make no attempt against us, and that they could never make a sufficient
return for the generous treatment I had given them. Notwithstanding this
declaration, I took measures to secure our numerous prisoners of the
meaner sort; for which purpose, after taking out of the Holy Sacrament
all her jerked beef that remained fit for use, I placed them in that
vessel, under the command of Espina, former commander of the Conception
after the death of Desorio.
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