ity was given up to indiscriminate pillage, attended by
outrages of every kind, and in the end was set on fire by Morgan's orders
and burned to the ground, much of its great wealth being utterly consumed
through the sheer instinct of destruction.

Fortunately for the people of Panama, the majority of them had sought
safety in flight, taking their women and all their portable wealth. In
pursuit of those that had fled by water Morgan sent out a well-manned
ship, which returned after a two days' cruise with three prizes. It also
brought back news that a large galleon, deeply laden with treasure in gold
and silver and carrying away the principal women of the town, with their
jewels, had escaped. It was poorly manned and defended and for days Morgan
made strenuous efforts to discover and capture it, but fortunately this
rich prize eluded his grasp.

For three weeks the freebooters occupied the site of the burned city, many
of them engaged in searching the ruins for gold and silver, while some,
who were discontented with the acts of their leader, conspired to seize
the largest ship in the harbor and start on a piratical cruise of their
own down the Pacific. This coming to Morgan's ears on the eve of its
execution, he defeated it by causing the main-mast of the ship to be cut
down, and afterwards by setting fire to all the ships in the harbor.

The return of the freebooters had its items of interest. The booty,
consisting of gold, silver, and jewels, was laden on a large number of
animals, beside which disconsolately walked six hundred prisoners, men,
women, and children, Morgan refusing them their liberty except on payment
of a ransom which they could not procure. Some of them succeeded in
obtaining the ransom on the march, but the majority were taken to Chagres.
From there they were sent in a ship to Porto Bello, a neighboring coast
town, Morgan threatening that place with destruction unless a heavy ransom
was sent him. The inhabitants sent word back that not a half-penny would
be paid, and that he might do what he pleased. What he pleased to do was
to carry out his threat of destroying the town.

The final outcome of this frightful raid remains to be told. It
demonstrated that Morgan was as faithless to his companions as he was
ferocious to his victims. On their way back from Panama he ordered that
every man should be searched and every article they had secreted be added
to the general store. To induce them to consent he