Famous Privateersmen and Adventurers of the Sea Part 22

"Let no man get away in order to warn the large town of our approach!" shouted Captain Rogers. "Catch all who dash for the canoes upon the beach!"

"Crush the bloomin' canoes!" yelled Cook, as he saw some of the natives running towards them on the sandy sh.o.r.e. "Crush the canoes before the devils can get there!"

"All right!" answered several of his men, as they ran for the cl.u.s.ters of boats. "We'll put holes in them!"

As they hurried forward, several of the natives were ahead. Two jumped into the bark boats and paddled furiously for Guayaquil. The _zip_, _zip_ of bullets nipped the water around them, but,--with desperate sweeps--they dug their blades into the sea and got safely off. As a result, the city was all ready and prepared for the invaders.

"Ho! Ho!" laughed Rogers, as he thumbed the papers of the Lieutenant-Governor. "What is this?"

"A warning to the townsfolk of Guayaquil," said one of his men, as he peered over his shoulder.

Rogers chuckled.

"Beware, all you people"--he read--"of a squadron from the faraway isles of Great Britain which is coming shortly upon you. There will be full ten great ships, heavily manned and well armed for attack. The arch rogue, William Dampier, will be in control,--he who has plundered Puna before. Be on your guard, citizens! Be prepared! Arm yourselves!"

"Hah! Hah!" laughed the free-booting captain. "They think I'm Dampier. That's good. But we'll have a tough time with them, for they know that we mean to a.s.sault their pretty little town."

His followers looked solemn.

"Let's attack, right away," cried several, "before the Spaniards have time to prepare for our charge!"

Rogers, however, would not hear of it.

"We must rest. Equip ourselves. Place cannon in the bows of our boats, and then we will be ready."

His men murmured, but they knew that when Rogers had made up his mind upon a thing, there was no use in endeavoring to dissuade him. So they collected what plunder was to be had and awaited his further orders.

Two days later all was ready for the advance. It was near midnight--upon April 22nd,--when the command was pa.s.sed around:

"m.u.f.fle your oars and take the town!"

With one hundred and ten men in the jolly boats, the privateers neared the sleepy, little seaport. Not a sound broke the silence, save the drip, drip of the sweeps, yet, as they approached the white-washed walls of the lower town,--a bonfire was touched off upon the sh.o.r.e.

"'Tis well," whispered a stout sailor. "Now we can see to shoot!"

As he said this, many lights appeared in the houses of Guayaquil. The townspeople were wide awake.

"What means this, sirrah?" thundered Rogers at a native guide, who was piloting him to the sh.o.r.e.

The fellow had a ready answer.

"'Tis the celebration of All Saints Day," he answered smiling. "The people here are good Christians."

"They know that we are coming," growled the English captain, for, as the native spoke, a Spaniard upon the sh.o.r.e was heard to shout:

"Puna has been captured! The enemy is advancing! Arm! Arm!"

Bells clanged from the steeples of the little churches. Muskets and guns went off. Black ma.s.ses could be seen surging into the streets.

Cannon roared, and a screeching shot spun ahead of the on-coming boats.

"'Tis nothing," said Rogers. "The alarm has only just been given.

Preparations are not complete and we can rush them, easily."

But Captain Cook had his own opinion upon the affair.

"The Buccaneers," said he, "never attack any large place after it is alarmed. My advice is to keep away."

"Don't go in," cried several. "Wait and rush them when they are not so well prepared."

Even the men seemed disinclined to advance.

Thus cautious counsel prevailed: the boats dropped down-stream again--about three miles below the town--and were joined by two small barques. They were prizes which had been recently captured. Here the flotilla lay while the cries in the city grew inaudible,--for the inhabitants saw that the attack had been avoided.

When flood-tide came, Captain Rogers once more ordered an advance upon the town.

"No! No!" argued Dover. "They are too well prepared. Night will cloak our movements, so we should then go on. I, myself, advise the sending of a trumpeter with a flag of truce. He shall propose that we make some trades with the people of this place."

"Your measure is half-hearted," said Rogers, with heat. "You are a craven knave. Let's rush the town like Englishmen and heroes!"

Again cautious counsel prevailed. Two prisoners--a Lieutenant from Puna, and the Captain of the Frenchman of recent capture--were sent to parley with the Spaniards.

"The English are afraid!" whispered the inhabitants. "Let us keep them off with braggadocio, and mayhap reinforcements will come to us."

So they bickered and delayed.

"These dogs would palaver forever," said Captain Rogers, when negotiations had proceeded for full two days without result. "I, for one, am for attacking the city right now!"

"Yes! On! On!" cried his men.

Even the cautious Dover was ready to advance; so, landing upon the beach, the one hundred and ten ran towards the town with a wild, exultant whoop!

_Zip! Zip!_ came the bullets from the nearer houses, as the privateers advanced.

_Boom! Boom!_ sounded the guns from the _d.u.c.h.ess_ and the _Duke_, which had edged up near the wharves and anch.o.r.ed. Sh.e.l.ls shrieked and burst; guns roared; and, with a hoa.r.s.e cheer, the English beat down two lines of Spaniards who opposed them.

Back, back, they crushed the defenders of Guayaquil to the market-place in the centre of the town, where four cannon were drawn up behind a barricade which was flanked by cavalry.

_Crash! Crash!_ they roared at the on-coming privateers, and many a man went down before the exploding grape and cannister. But the blood of the English was now up.

"Take the guns!" shouted Woodes Rogers. "Scale the barricade and spike the pieces!"

With a mighty roar the jack-tars ran for the engines of death; leaping over the wall of the defenses; bayonetting the gunners; turning the spitting war-engines upon the cavalry, which, in confusion and dismay, was driven down a crooked lane. It was the last stand. The English standard soon waved from the flag-pole of the House of Justice.

"And now," cried Captain Rogers, gleefully, "I'll meet the worthy _Padres_ and treat with them for a ransom. We'll make them pay full well to get back the neat little town of Guayaquil."

Crestfallen and abashed, the city fathers were soon brought before the privateer.

"Senor," said they, "your men can fight like devils. Senor, you are the first man to have taken our town, and many a Buccaneer has endeavored to do so!"