nue there long.

As soon as the pirates had possessed themselves of the town, they
enclosed all the Spaniards, men, women, children, and slaves, in several
churches, and pillaged all the goods they could find; then they searched
the country round about, bringing in daily many goods and prisoners,
with much provision. With this they fell to making great cheer, after
their old custom, without remembering the poor prisoners, whom they let
starve in the churches, though they tormented them daily and inhumanly
to make them confess where they had hid their goods, money, &c., though
little or nothing was left them, not sparing the women and little
children, giving them nothing to eat, whereby the greatest part
perished.

Pillage and provisions growing scarce, they thought convenient to depart
and seek new fortunes in other places; they told the prisoners, "they
should find money to ransom themselves, else they should be all
transported to Jamaica; and beside, if they did not pay a second ransom
for the town, they would turn every house into ashes." The Spaniards
hereupon nominated among themselves four fellow-prisoners to go and seek
for the above-mentioned contributions; but the pirates, to the intent
that they should return speedily with those ransoms, tormented several
cruelly in their presence, before they departed. After a few days, the
Spaniards returned, telling Captain Morgan, "We have ran up and down,
and searched all the neighbouring woods and places we most suspected,
and yet have not been able to find any of our own party, nor
consequently any fruit of our embassy; but if you are pleased to have a
little longer patience with us, we shall certainly cause all that you
demand to be paid within fifteen days;" which Captain Morgan granted.
But not long after, there came into the town seven or eight pirates who
had been ranging in the woods and fields, and got considerable booty.
These brought amongst other prisoners, a negro, whom they had taken with
letters. Captain Morgan having perused them, found that they were from
the governor of Santa Jago, being written to some of the prisoners,
wherein he told them, "they should not make too much haste to pay any
ransom for their town or persons, or any other pretext; but on the
contrary, they should put off the pirates as well as they could with
excuses and delays, expecting to be relieved by him in a short time,
when he would certainly come to their aid." Upon this intellige