four small cannon, some muskets and pikes, and a supply of
gunpowder, urging the citizens to learn to fight so as to defend
themselves. Then, in January, 1558, he hastened back to Havana to defend
it against raiders who were said to be on their way thither. Five months
later a French privateer visited Santiago, took the place without so
much as a blow from the captain, considered it too small and poor to be
worth looting or burning, and sailed away again after collecting only
400 pesos ransom; probably the smallest ransom on record for a capital
city!

On his return to Havana, Mazariegos showed the value of a military
governor for the protection of a city. For six weeks that summer a
French squadron of four vessels lay off Havana, without venturing to
attack the place, knowing that Mazariegos had mobilized and trained for
fighting every able-bodied man in the place, and even some robust and
athletic negro women. But the governor was not satisfied with defence
alone. He contrived to get word to some Spanish captains at Nombre de
Dios, who were going to convoy treasure ships to Spain, with the result
that they presently came up unannounced and captured the whole French
squadron. Again and again thereafter Havana was menaced, even attacked,
but invariably Mazariegos repulsed the enemy, generally with heavy loss
to the latter.

He felt, however, the need of better equipment, particularly of more
cannon, and asked the crown to provide it. The crown declined or at any
rate failed to do so, whereupon he set about doing it himself, and
succeeded in getting, sometimes by rather strenuous means, a number of
cannon and a good supply of powder. But a better fort than the ruins of
La Fuerza was also needed, and to that enterprise he turned his
attention with zeal. At the beginning of his administration Geronimo
Bustamente de Herrera was commissioned by the crown to build a new fort,
but after making plans and engaging workmen he fell ill and had to
abandon the job. At the beginning of 1558, just as Mazariegos returned
thither from Santiago, Herrera was replaced by Bartolome Sanchez, a
competent engineer; who prepared new plans for the rebuilding of La
Fuerza as it stands to this day. The Viceroy of Mexico, who was much
interested in the safety of Mexican treasure ships which might put in at
Havana, contributed 12,000 pesos in gold for the beginning of the work.
There was much trouble in getting laborers for the work, in Spain.
Sa