It was poorly manned and defended and for days Morgan
made strenuous efforts to discover and capture it, but fortunately this
rich prize eluded his grasp.
For three weeks the freebooters occupied the site of the burned city, many
of them engaged in searching the ruins for gold and silver, while some,
who were discontented with the acts of their leader, conspired to seize
the largest ship in the harbor and start on a piratical cruise of their
own down the Pacific. This coming to Morgan's ears on the eve of its
execution, he defeated it by causing the main-mast of the ship to be cut
down, and afterwards by setting fire to all the ships in the harbor.
The return of the freebooters had its items of interest. The booty,
consisting of gold, silver, and jewels, was laden on a large number of
animals, beside which disconsolately walked six hundred prisoners, men,
women, and children, Morgan refusing them their liberty except on payment
of a ransom which they could not procure. Some of them succeeded in
obtaining the ransom on the march, but the majority were taken to Chagres.
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