Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/165

Rh loyal and pious inhabitants of the capital to prayers for the safety of the treasure ships; but not always were their prayers answered, for on one occasion during the viceroy's rule the flag-ship with five million pesos and four hundred persons on board was lost. At about the same time another fleet was attacked and partly captured at the mouth of the harbor of Cádiz. Henceforth Alburquerque became more cautious, and detained the fleet of 1658 until greater protection was afforded.

While New Spain was thus harassed by more distant foes, Yucatan was selected as a favorite scene of action by the law-defying brethren of the coast. Its isolated position, the difficulty of moving military forces from one place to another, the very position of the towns, all of which were near the seaboard, had long made this peninsula a favorite resort for pirates. After a less important expedition in 1613, during which they took temporary possession of the bay of Ascension, they reappeared in 1632 near Campeche; but noticing the energetic preparations for defense no attack was made. Their project, however, had not been abandoned. In the following year they returned under the command of their two famous leaders Pie de Palo and Diego the Mulatto. After a hot fight the town was taken and sacked. Efforts to obtain a ransom failed, however, and when rumors of a force approaching from Merida became known to the corsairs, they departed.

Again a short period of tranquillity followed, till, in 1644, a squadron of thirteen vessels with fifteen hundred soldiers landed at Champoton. The inhabitants having fled, the invaders departed after completing their stores, taking with them two Franciscan friars