f all which there escaped but
thirty men, who were in the great cabin, at some distance from the main
force of the powder. Many more, it is thought, might have escaped, had
they not been so much overtaken with wine.

This loss brought much consternation of mind upon the English; they knew
not whom to blame, but at last the accusation was laid on the French
prisoners, whom they suspected to have fired the powder of the ship out
of revenge, though with the loss of their own lives: hereupon they added
new accusations to their former, whereby to seize the ship and all that
was in it, by saying the French designed to commit piracy on the
English. The grounds of this accusation were given by a commission from
the governor of Barracoa, found aboard the French vessel, wherein were
these words, "that the said governor did permit the French to trade in
all Spanish ports," &c. "As also to cruise on the English pirates in
what place soever they could find them, because of the multitudes of
hostilities which they had committed against the subjects of his
Catholic Majesty in time of peace betwixt the two crowns." This
commission for trade was interpreted as an express order to exercise
piracy and war against them, though it was only a bare licence for
coming into the Spanish ports; the cloak of which permission were those
words, "that they should cruise upon the English." And though the French
did sufficiently expound the true sense of it, yet they could not clear
themselves to Captain Morgan nor his council: but in lieu thereof, the
ship and men were seized and sent to Jamaica. Here they also endeavoured
to obtain justice, and the restitution of their ship, but all in vain;
for instead of justice, they were long detained in prison, and
threatened with hanging.

Eight days after the loss of the said ship, Captain Morgan commanded the
bodies of the miserable wretches who were blown up to be searched for,
as they floated on the sea; not to afford them Christian burial, but for
their clothes and attire: and if any had gold rings on their fingers,
these were cut off, leaving them exposed to the voracity of the monsters
of the sea. At last they set sail for Savona, the place of their
assignation. There were in all fifteen vessels, Captain Morgan
commanding the biggest, of only fourteen small guns; his number of men
was nine hundred and sixty. Few days after, they arrived at the Cabo de
Lobos, south of Hispaniola, between Cape Tiburon and