As time went on, however, most of
these freebooters withdrew, satisfied with their abundant gains, so that,
by the end of 1687, only a few of them remained, and these were eager to
return with their ill-gotten wealth to their native land.
This remnant of the piratical fraternity, less than three hundred in
number, had their head-quarters on an island in the Bay of Mapalla, on the
Central American coast. What vessels they had left were in a wretched
condition, utterly unfit to attempt the vast sea voyage by way of the
Straits of Magellan, and nothing seemed to remain for them but an attempt
to cross the continent by way of Nicaragua and Honduras, fighting their
way through a multitude of enemies. To the pen of Ravenneau de Lussan, one
of the adventurers, we are indebted for the narrative of the singular and
interesting adventure which follows.
The daring band of French and English freebooters were very ill provided
for the dangerous enterprise they had in view. They proposed to cross an
unknown country without guides and with a meagre supply of provisions,
fighting as they went and conveying their sick and wounded as best they
could.
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