Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/303

Rh found more than their match. She proved to be the Vigonia mounting sixty guns and with a complement of four hundred and fifty men. After a seven hours' fight the English were driven off with heavy loss, and with numbers greatly reduced the expedition sailed homeward a fortnight later by way of the Cape of Good Hope, anchoring in the Downs on the 1st of October 1710. The cost of the voyage did not exceed 75,000 pesos, and the proceeds amounted, as a chronicler of that period affirms, to 850,000 pesos, of which the promoters received two thirds, or a clear profit of more than 750 per cent on their outlay. Thus did the worthy merchants of Bristol grow rich by licensed piracy, and learn to despise the slow gains of legitimate commerce.

About the year 1712 the buccaneers mustered in force for a raid on Vera Cruz, and once more taught the Spaniards how defenceless were their forts and garrisons when assailed by a band of resolute men. The pirates anchored out of sight of the city, and six hundred of them, landing by night, arrived undiscovered at the sandhills in the neighborhood of the town. Here they lay hidden till after midnight of the following day, timing their advance on Vera Cruz for the hour of dawn when the gates were opened. A few of the party who could converse in Spanish were sent forward disguised as peasants, and as soon as the nearest gate was opened, one of them mounted by a ladder to a neighboring bastion and begged the sentinel to give him a light for his pipe. The sentry approached with a lighted brand, and as he drew near the buccaneer shot him dead with his pistol. The remainder of the party then secured the gate, and the main body instantly marched into the town and took up a position in the parade ground. The Spaniards, roused from their slumbers, quickly collected their forces, and marched with horse and foot through one