ABSTRACT
April the 4th, Christopher Newport, in the Golden Dragon, in company with the Prudence, Captain Hugh Merrick, the Margaret, Captain Robert Fred, and the Virgin (pinnace), Captain Henry Kidgil, arrived at Dominica, where they bought some tobacco, poultry, and vegetables. Off this island they captured a Portuguese ship from Guinea, bound to Carthagena, having on board 300 Negroes: this ship they took with them off San Juan de Puerto Rico, and with the hope of selling their prize, sent the merchant on shore; but being disappointed, they landed the Negroes, and sunk the ship off the west end of the island. On the 11th they landed on the island of Mona, where an old Portuguese, with a wife and seventeen children, supplied them with pork and vegetables*. At Saona they landed again, and exercised their men ; and standing to the westward, they captured a Spanish frigate, " wherein were twenty-two jarres of copper money :" she was bound to Puerto Rico for wine. On the following day they captured two more small frigates. On the 15th of April they landed, sacked Ocoa, and captured two more frigates. The Spaniards ransomed the town, with cattle, and two " wayne loades of sugar." From hence they went to Cape Tiburon, where they left their ships sheltered by an uninhabited island, and shifting almost all their men into the captured vessels, went off the N .W. end of Espanola to Yaguana, where, on the 27th of April, they landed, and attacked the town. Their approach was opposed by 150 cavalry, who being unable to make any impression, drove before them about 200 head of cattle, to break the English line; but the cattle turned back upon themselves: in this skirmish the Spanish governor was killed. The English, expecting that troops were placed to cut off their retreat,
turned back, embarked again, and proceeded in their ships off the town; but, for want of wind, did not get there until the following evening. By that time all the valuable goods were removed, and the place deserted. The English forced the barricados, and set fire to the town, which consisted of three streets, and about 150 houses. The same night the boats were sent to " Aguaria," a small village, which they burnt. From hence they went to the bay of Honduras, to Truxillo, and hoisting Spanish colours, the boats got very near four Spanish vessels before they were suspected: these they brought out, notwithstanding the fire from the castle, and then made sail for Puerto Cavallo, where they arrived the 15th of May. The inhabitants forsaking the town upon their approach, the English found six tons of quicksilver, plenty of live stock, silks, and merchandize, and sixteen tons of sack: this appears to have softened their hearts; for after destroying the images, and taking three bells from the church, they reimbarked without burning the town, " because we found other contentment." They returned to Truxillo — captured one vessel on their passage 5 but were beat off in an attempt on another, moored close to the castle.
