Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/768

748 the hearts of a hundred thousand men and women, old and young. The Desire stood out under all sail as if to give the old ocean-battered bark a friendly greeting; and the Spaniard seems not to have realized the situation until awakened to it by a broadside from the pirate, which was now at close range. Instantly all was activity on board the Santa Ana as the surprised Spaniards prepared for action, keeping down behind the bulwarks out of sight. After a few volleys of small shot the Britons somewhat too hastily attempted to board. The Spaniards sprang forward, armed "with lances, iauelings, rapiers, and targets, and an innumerable sort of great stones, which they threw overboord upon our heads and into our ship so fast, and being so many of them, that they put vs off the shippe againe, with the losse of 2 of our men which were slaine, and with the hurting of 4 or 5."

A prolonged shout from the Spaniards followed the receding foe, but the heavy guns were again brought into play, and a murderous broadside was once more thrown into the galleon. Though the damage inflicted on the Spaniards was great, "their Captaine still like a valiant man with his company stood very stoutly vnto his close fights, not yeelding as yet." But courage and endurance were of no avail: the Santa Ana was doomed.

After a fight of five or six hours, when twelve of his men had been killed and the Santa Ana was in imminent danger of sinking, the Spaniard struck his flag, and lowering boats at the command of Cavendish, he went on board the Desire to surrender and sue for mercy. Cavendish turned his benignant face to the Spanish captain and "most graciously pardoned both him and the rest vpon promise of their true dealing with him," and "of his great mercy and humanitie, promised their lives and good vsage,"

On the 6th the prize was towed into Aguada Segura, the work of transferring the cargo began, and