hus lost. To avenge themselves they sailed for the Rio Lexa,
near which was the town of Leon, on the Lake of Nicaragua. Both places
were attacked and captured. A ransom of three hundred thousand dollars
was demanded for Leon, but the Spaniards put off paying it; and the
buccaneers, suspecting that a strong force was gathering to overwhelm
them, retreated to the shore. One Spanish gentleman who had promised
one hundred and fifty head of cattle as his ransom, scrupulously
redeemed his word.

After this adventure the buccaneers determined to separate, and Captain
Swan proposed to his crew to cross the Pacific, and to return home by
India. Dampier, who had long wished to get free from the lawless band,
was among the first to agree to the proposal, and leaving the
_Bachelor's Delight_, he joined the _Cygnet_. It was necessary,
however, first to victual the ship. For this purpose the town of Santa
Pecaque, which was well stored with provisions for supplying the slaves
in the neighbouring mines, was captured. During two or more days a
large quantity of maize and other provisions were brought off. Captain
Swan warned his men when on shore engaged in transporting the provisions
to keep together, and to be constantly on the watch, lest they should be
attacked by the Spaniards. A party of fifty-four Englishmen and nine
blacks had been thus engaged, and were on their return to the ship, when
the sound of rapid firing was heard on board. Captain Swan, fearing
that they were attacked, immediately landed with the greater part of the
remainder of his crew, and hurried to their assistance. On reaching the
spot, to his grief he found that the whole had been massacred, a large
body of Spaniards having suddenly set upon them, and either shot them
down or sabred them, not allowing one to escape. Among them were
several of the officers, one of whom was supercargo on board the
_Cygnet_, and who had written the history of his adventures.

This disaster, the most serious which had befallen the buccaneers since
their arrival on the coast, determined Captain Swan to hasten his
departure. The _Cygnet_ now sailed for Cape Saint Lucas, and put into
the middle island of the Tres Marias. It was well stored with iguanas,
raccoons, rabbits, pigeons, deer, turtle, seals, and fish of various
kinds. Here a considerable number of persons whom the pirates had taken
prisoners were landed and left to shift for themselves, in revenge for
the di