there was uncertainty as to the identity of the vessel, and horsemen
were dispatched to the beach to watch its movements. They presently
hastened back with the news that the brigantine had cast anchor off what
is now San Lazaro and had sent ashore two boatloads of armed men, who
were now approaching the city through the jungle. This indicated
treachery, for the jungle was impenetrable save by a certain secret path
which no strangers could know, and indeed it was presently disclosed
that the invaders were guided by two men who had formerly lived in
Havana, one of whom had been a harbor pilot.

The governor unhesitatingly considered discretion to be the better part
of valor, and betook himself to instant flight, conveying his family and
such of his property as he could carry to the native village of
Guanabacoa, at the other side of the bay, where he was joined during the
day by a majority of the residents of Havana. Lobera, on the other hand,
now that he was face to face with a great crisis, forgot his fears and
acquitted himself as a man of valor. With his little garrison, half of
whom were negro slaves, and with a score of refugees, old men, women
and children, he shut himself within the fort, with its walls of stone
and gates of timber, and prepared to fight to the death. He had found
three more cannon and had taken them into the fort, thus totalling six,
with a good supply of ammunition and provisions. He dispatched a message
to Angulo, reproaching him for his cowardly flight and imploring him to
send all able bodied men to the aid of the garrison, for the honor of
Spain. This the governor promised to do at or before nightfall; a
promise which was not kept.

The invaders were commanded by Captain Sores in person. They took
possession of the town without resistance, and then summoned the fort to
surrender; expecting to find in it much treasure from Spanish vessels
which had recently been wrecked on the Florida coast, though in fact no
such treasure was there. Lobera unhesitatingly refused to surrender, and
the fight began. The first assault upon the fort, from the landward
side, was repulsed. Then the brigantine was seen to be approaching at
the other side, accompanied by another and larger vessel of Sores's
squadron, which had just arrived; wherefore Lobera had to transfer two
of his cannon to that side of the fort to prevent a landing of more
troops. A second assault was repulsed, during which a Spanish gunner
shot