Page 271
An.1686
50 of their Men killed.
yield to them, and suffered half the company to go as before: They had now 54 Horses laden, which Captain Swan ordered to be tied one to another, and the Men to go in two bodies, 25 before, and as many behind: but the Men would go at their own rate, every Man leading his Horse. The Spaniards observed their manner of marching, and laid an Ambush about a mile from the Town, which they managed with such success, that falling on our body of Men, who were guarding the Corn to the Canoes, they kill'd them every one. Captain Swan hearing the report of their Guns, ordered his Men, who were then in the Town with him, to march out to their assistance: but some opposed him, de- spising their Enemies; till two of the Spaniards Horses, that had lost their Riders, came galloping into the Town in a great fright, both bridled and and saddled, with each a pair of Holsters by their sides, and one had a Carabine newly discharged: which was an apparent token that our Men had been engaged, and that by Men better armed than they imagined they should meet with. Therefore Captain Swan immediately marcht out of the Town, and his Men all followed him; and when he came to the place where the Engagement had been, he saw all his Men that went out in the morn- ing lying dead. They were stript, and so cut and mangl'd, that he scarce knew one Man. Captain Swan had not more Men then with him, than those were who lay dead before him, yet the Spaniards never came to oppose him, but kept at a great di- stance; for 'tis probable the Spaniards had not cut off so many Men of ours, but with the loss of a great many of their own. So he marched down to the Canoes, and came aboard the Ship with the Maiz that was already in the Canoes. We had a- bout 50 Men killed, and among the rest my inge- nious friend Mr. Ringrose was one, who wrote that Part