of your obstinacy, I
spared Nombre, and determined to try what personal persuasion might
effect with yourself. Accompanied by my followers, I set out for
Panama, where we arrived last night. And in the early hours of this
morning I took the first step toward reaching satisfactory terms with
Your Excellency by capturing the _Cristobal Colon_, now riding at anchor
in Panama roadstead.

"No doubt Your Excellency is well acquainted with the galleon and the
possibilities which she affords to a determined captain backed by a
strong and courageous crew. If, however, Your Excellency chances to be
ignorant as to those possibilities--which I can scarcely believe--her
captain, who, as I understand, is at present in your city, will
doubtless inform you that her armament is sufficiently powerful and
complete to destroy Panama in the course of a few hours. To prevent any
such unpleasant contingency as that, I therefore have to request that
Your Excellency will do me the honour to visit me on board the ship
before the hour of noon this day, to treat with me respecting the
immediate surrender of the seventeen Englishmen already referred to.

"Failure to comply with this request will be followed by an immediate
bombardment of the city, greatly as I shall regret the unnecessary
sacrifice of life and property.

"I kiss Your Excellency's hands and feet,--

"And have the honour to be

"Your Excellency's most humble and obedient servant,--

"George Saint Leger."

Having read over this letter and _come to_ the conclusion that it pretty
clearly expressed all that he at that moment desired to say to the
Governor of Panama, George made a further rummage of the cabin and,
having at length found a sheet of paper large enough for his purpose, he
took a pen and, dipping the feather of it in ink, proceeded laboriously
to print upon it, in Spanish, a proclamation to the citizens of Panama,
informing them that he, George Saint Leger, having certain differences
to settle with His Excellency the Governor of the city, had, as a
preliminary, captured the _Cristobal Colon_, to which ship he had
summoned the Governor, before the hour of noon, for the purpose of a
conference; and that, failing obedience on the Governor's part, the city
would be bombarded. He therefore exhorted all citizens who were anxious
to escape the horrors of a bombardment to use their influence with the
Governor in order to persuade him to attend on board the galleon before