lleon was sunk in the mouth of the harbor; a floating barrier of masts
and spars was laid on each side of her, near to the forts and castles,
so as to render the entrance impassable; within this breakwater were the
five zabras, moored, their treasure also taken out; all the women and
children and infirm people were moved to the interior, and those only
left in the town who were able to aid in its defense. A heavy fire was
opened on the English ships, but the adventurers persisted in their
desperate attempt, until they had lost, by their own account, some forty
or fifty men killed, and as many wounded; but there was consolation in
thinking that by burning, drowning and killing, the loss of the
Spaniards could not be less; in fact, a great deal more; for the five
zabras and a large ship of 400 tons were burned, and their several
cargoes of silk, oil and wine destroyed."

After thus being defeated in his main object, Drake did not return to
San Juan. He contented himself with laying tribute upon Porto Rico, and
burning the towns on the Caribbean side of the island.

He then sailed for Wombee de Dios, and, when the fleet was off the South
American coast, he died on the 28th of January and was buried at sea.
Drake was succeeded in command by Sir Thomas Baskerville.

When the latter was on his way back to England he encountered a Spanish
fleet and engaged in battle off the Isle of Pines. The victory was
decidedly with the English, but the Spaniards were apparently the same
then as they are to-day. Everybody remembers Blanco's famous dispatches,
famous for their absurd falseness. So then the Spanish admiral issued a
bulletin in which he claimed a magnificent triumph. Baskerville was so
angry that he publicly declared the admiral to be a liar and challenged
him to a duel. Nothing, however, ever resulted from this challenge.

Three years later the Duke of Cumberland, who might also he called a
corsair, but a private one, as he acted on his own hook, attacked San
Juan, and after three days' fighting, laid the city in ruins. He was
unable to follow up his victory, however, as the fever killed his men by
the hundreds.

The English tried to take it in 1615, and again in 1678.

Once more in 1795, seeing the great advantage of owning the harbor of
San Juan, the English attempted to capture it, but they were repulsed
with great slaughter.

Spain has never given as much attention to Porto Rico as she has to her
other colonies, an