d, having on board a Greek, who proved
to be a good pilot for the coast of Chili, as also one Fleming and three
Spaniards. They were carrying letters from Santiago, near Quintero, to
Lima, giving an account of the squadron being on the coast. The crew,
however, had been sworn not to reveal this should they be captured. To
make them do so their thumbs were put into a winch, and the old Fleming
was persuaded that he would be hung if he did not confess. Still he
resisted. At last one of the Spaniards gave in and acknowledged the
truth, on which the bark was burnt and the men carried off. During the
next fortnight several prizes were made and two towns visited, from
which an ample supply of bread, fowls, and wine was obtained.

On the 20th of April Cavendish, with a large number of his men, landed
at Payta, which they took without loss, the inhabitants after a short
skirmish having fled, carrying with them their treasure, to a place
among the hills.

Here they were pursued, and twenty-five pounds of silver and other
valuable articles taken, besides abundance of household stuff. As,
however, they were a mile and a half from the town, Cavendish would not
allow his men to burden themselves with anything but the silver and
gold, fearing that they might be attacked by the enemy, who outnumbered
them as five to one. They got back in safety to the town, which
consisted of upwards of two hundred well-built houses, was kept very
clean, and had a guildhall in the midst. It was set on fire with goods
in it to the value of five or six thousand pounds, and burnt to the
ground. The vessel in the roads was also burnt, and the squadron then
steered for the island of Puna.

Here a vessel of two hundred and fifty tons was found, and forthwith
sunk. Cavendish then landed, and paid a visit to the cacique, who lived
in a magnificent house richly furnished, and was married to a Spanish
lady. All the people in the island were completely subjected to him,
and he made them work like slaves. The cacique had fled to the
mainland, but was pursued. Cavendish obtained information from an
Indian that a party of sixty soldiers had landed from Guaiaquil to
attack him. Notwithstanding this, he marched on through the woods to
some houses where he heard that the cacique and his wife had taken
refuge. They had, however, again fled with their gold and silver.
Cavendish, here obtained ample stores, which had previously been landed
from the shi