immoderately. Meanwhile the ruffians who kept guard over them mocked at the wailings of the women who begged of them in vain to save the lives of their little ones. The captives were told that they were all to be burned alive, and barrels of powder were placed in their sight at the doors of the church, ready to blow up the building in case they should attempt resistance. Not a woman escaped outrage, and each day they were driven off in bands, like cattle, to satisfy the lust of their tormentors.[1]
A quantity of plate was found in the churches, and the altars and sacred images were stripped of every article of value; but these were only a small portion of the spoils. Besides the property of the inhabitants, the pirates secured large amounts of specie, bullion, and merchandise which had arrived at Vera Cruz in transit for Spain. Among the plunder was much valuable jewelry and about three hundred bags of cochineal, each weighing from a hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds.[2] The freebooters were not yet satisfied, however, and suspecting that some of the wealthier citizens had secreted their treasure, put several to the torture,[3] again threatening to burn the parish church with its inmates unless all their valuables were delivered up. Thereupon, one of the priests ascended the pulpit and besought the captives to surrender their property in order to save their lives. Thus a further large amount was obtained. For the ransom of the governor, who was found hidden under a pile of grass in a stable, the sum of seventy thousand pesos was paid.
Troops of mounted Spaniards now appeared on the outskirts of the town, and occasionally made a dash
- ↑ 'Las mugeres pasaron muchos travajos, porque su maldad no reservava blanca, ni prieta, ni doncella ni casada, que á fuerza de su vigor no las sacasen, llevandolas á forzarlas. Siendo este caso una de las cosas mas sensibles.' Villaroel, Invasion V. Cruz, 275.
- ↑ Esquemelin estimates the value of the booty at 6,000,000 crowns, but this must be an exaggeration. Hist. Flib., i. 272.
- ↑ Among these was one Caspar de Herrera, who was suspended by the private parts until he was nearly dead. Mosaico, i. 401.
