e dark
that they were forced to make stands and fires, and their guides with
brands in their hands, to beat the path."[166] At daybreak they reached
a plantation by a river's side, some six miles from the place of landing
and three from St. Jago. There they refreshed themselves, and advancing
upon the town surprised the enemy, who knew of the late landing and the
badness of the way and did not expect them so soon. They found 200
Spaniards at the entrance to the town, drawn up under their governor,
Don Pedro de Moralis, and supported by Don Christopher de Sasi Arnoldo,
the former Spanish governor of Jamaica, with a reserve of 500 more. The
Spaniards fled before the first charge of the Jamaicans, and the place
was easily mastered.

The next day parties were despatched into the country to pursue the
enemy, and orders sent to the fleet to attack the forts at the mouth of
the harbour. This was successfully done, the Spaniards deserting the
great castle after firing but two muskets. Between scouring the country
for hidden riches, most of which had been carried far inland beyond
their reach, and dismantling and demolishing the forts, the English
forces occupied their time until October 19th. Thirty-four guns were
found in the fortifications and 1000 barrels of powder. Some of the guns
were carried to the ships and the rest flung over the precipice into the
sea; while the powder was used to blow up the castle and the
neighbouring country houses.[167] The expedition returned to Jamaica on
22nd October.[168] Only six men had been killed by the Spaniards, twenty
more being lost by other "accidents." Of these twenty some must have
been captured by the enemy, for when Sir Richard Fanshaw was appointed
ambassador to Spain in January 1664, he was instructed among other
things to negotiate for an exchange of prisoners taken in the Indies. In
July we find him treating for the release of Captain Myngs' men from the
prisons of Seville and Cadiz,[169] and on 7th November an order to this
effect was obtained from the King of Spain.[170]

The instructions of Lord Windsor gave him leave, as soon as he had
settled the government in Jamaica, to appoint a deputy and return to
England to confer with the King on colonial affairs. Windsor sailed for
England on 28th October, and on the same day Sir Charles Lyttleton's
commission as deputy-governor was read in the Jamaican Council.[171]
During his short sojourn of three months the Governor had made