But our captain with some other of his best men, finding that our people
were talking of the greatness of the town, and what their strength might
be; especially by the report of the Negroes that we took at the Isle
of Pinos: thought it best to put these conceits out of their heads, and
therefore to take the opportunity of the rising of the moon that night,
persuading them that "it was the day dawning." By this occasion we were
at the town a large hour sooner than first was purposed. For we arrived
there by three of the clock after midnight. At that time it fortuned
that a ship of Spain, of 60 tons, laden with Canary wines and other
commodities, which had but lately come into the bay; and had not
yet furled her spirit-sail (espying our four pinnaces, being an
extraordinary number, and those rowing with many oars) sent away her
gundeloe [? gondola] towards the town, to give warning. But our Captain
perceiving it, cut betwixt her and the town, forcing her to go to the
other side of the bay: whereby we landed without impeachment, although
we found one gunner upon the Platform [battery] in the very place where
we landed; being a sandy place and no key [quay] at all, not past twenty
yards from the houses.

There we found six great pieces of brass ordinance, mounted upon their
carriages, some Demy, some Whole-Culvering.

We presently dismounted them. The gunner fled. The town took alarm
(being very ready thereto, by reason of their often disquieting by their
near neighbours the Cimaroons); as we perceived, not only by the noise
and cries of the people, but by the bell ringing out, and drums running
up and down the town.

Our captain, according to the directions which he had given over night,