emolished the two
forts which barred his way, and entered the town. Finding that the
inhabitants had already fled with as much of their belongings as they
could carry, he pursued them some twelve miles up into the country; and
on his return plundered and burnt their houses, embarked with thirty
pieces of cannon and other booty, and sailed for Jamaica.[136] It was a
gallant performance with a handful of men, but the profits were much
less than had been expected. It had been agreed that the seamen and
soldiers should receive half the spoil, but on counting the proceeds it
was found that their share amounted to no more than L400, to balance
which the State took the thirty pieces of ordnance and some powder,
shot, hides, salt and Indian corn.[137] Sedgwick wrote to Thurloe that
"reckoning all got there on the State's share, it did not pay for the
powder and shot spent in that service."[138] Sedgwick was one of the
civil commissioners appointed for the government of Jamaica. A brave,
pious soldier with a long experience and honourable military record in
the Massachusetts colony, he did not approve of this type of warfare
against the Spaniards. "This kind of marooning cruising West India trade
of plundering and burning towns," he writes, "though it hath been long
practised in these parts, yet is not honourable for a princely navy,
neither was it, I think, the work designed, though perhaps it may be
tolerated at present." If Cromwell was to accomplish his original
purpose of blocking up the Spanish treasure route, he wrote again,
permanent foothold must be gained in some important Spanish fortress,
either Cartagena or Havana, places strongly garrisoned, however, and
requiring for their reduction a considerable army and fleet, such as
Jamaica did not then possess. But to waste and burn towns of inferior
rank without retaining them merely dragged on the war indefinitely and
effected little advantage or profit to anybody.[139] Captain Nuberry
visited Santa Marta several weeks after Goodson's descent, and, going on
shore, found that about a hundred people had made bold to return and
rebuild their devastated homes. Upon sight of the English the poor
people again fled incontinently to the woods, and Nuberry and his men
destroyed their houses a second time.[140]

On 5th April 1656 Goodson, with ten of his best ships, set sail again
and steered eastward along the coast of Hispaniola as far as Alta Vela,
hoping to meet with some Spanis