But the opportunity was allowed to pass, the governor, in fact,
surrendering all his forts and marching his troops a league from the city,
where he lay waiting reinforcements from the interior while the French
plundered at their leisure.
Trouin was wise enough to know that his position was perilous. He might be
overwhelmed by numbers, and it was important to finish his work and get
away with little delay. But the plunder of the city was not sufficient for
his purpose, and he sent word to the governor that he must ransom it or it
would be burned. To make his word good he began by setting fire to the
environs.
De Castro, eager to get rid of his foes at any price, offered six hundred
thousand _cruzadoes_. This was refused by Trouin, and to stir up the
governor to a better offer, the admiral took his messenger through the
city and showed him that he was spoiling everything that fire would not
burn. Learning, however, that the expected reinforcements might soon
arrive, anxiety induced him to march his men to the front of the
Portuguese camp, where he began to negotiate for better terms.
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