uch stronger outer fort, he did not think the Spaniards would offer a
very long resistance. Then it would be for M. de Rivarol to garrison the
fort, whilst Captain Blood would sweep on with his men, and seize
the Church of Nuestra Senora de la Poupa, plainly visible on its hill
immediately eastward of the town. Not only did that eminence afford them
a valuable and obvious strategic advantage, but it commanded the only
road that led from Cartagena to the interior, and once it were held
there would be no further question of the Spaniards attempting to remove
the wealth of the city.

That to M. de Rivarol was--as Captain Blood had judged that it would
be--the crowning argument. Supercilious until that moment, and disposed
for his own pride's sake to treat the buccaneer's suggestions with
cavalier criticism, M. de Rivarol's manner suddenly changed. He became
alert and brisk, went so far as tolerantly to commend Captain Blood's
plan, and issued orders that action might be taken upon it at once.

It is not necessary to follow that action step by step. Blunders on
the part of the French marred its smooth execution, and the indifferent
handling of their ships led to the sinking of two of them in the course
of the afternoon by the fort's gunfire. But by evening, owing largely to
the irresistible fury with which the buccaneers stormed the place from
the landward side, the fort had surrendered, and before dusk Blood and
his men with some ordnance hauled thither by mules dominated the city
from the heights of Nuestra Senora de la Poupa.

At noon on the morrow, shorn of defences and threatened with
bombardment, Cartagena sent offers of surrender to M. de Rivarol.

Swollen with pride by a victory for which he took the entire credit
to himself, the Baron dictated his terms. He demanded that all public
effects and office accounts be delivered up; that the merchants
surrender all moneys and goods held by them for their correspondents;
the inhabitants could choose whether they would remain in the city or
depart; but those who went must first deliver up all their property, and
those who elected to remain must surrender half, and become the subjects
of France; religious houses and churches should be spared, but they must
render accounts of all moneys and valuables in their possession.

Cartagena agreed, having no choice in the matter, and on the next
day, which was the 5th of April, M. de Rivarol entered the city and
proclaimed it now