In Chapter 2.II of The Sea-Hawk, we are given an example of the thoroughness of Spanish recordkeeping.  The success of Blood's raid on Maracaybo, on the other hand, clearly illustrates that memories in the tropics were rather on the short side, for Henry Morgan fooled the Spanish with the very same trick in the very same location less than twenty years previously, in May of 1669.  The following passage is from The Buccaneers of America, by John Esquemeling (or Exquemeling), first published (in Dutch) in 1678, Chapter XII, "Captain Morgan takes the City of Maracaibo":

…the question still remained how they should pass the castle, and get out of the lake.  To this effect they made use of a stratagem, as follows :  the day before the night wherein they determined to get forth, they embarked many of their men in canoes, and rowed towards the shore, as if they designed to land:  here they hid themselves under branches of trees that hang over the coast awhile, laying themselves down in the boats ; then the canoes returned to the ships, with the appearance of only two or three men rowing them back, the rest being unseen at the bottom of the canoes :  thus much only could be perceived from the castle, and this false landing of men, for so we may call it, was repeated that day several times: this made the Spaniards think the pirates intended at night to force the castle by scaling it.  This fear caused them to place most of their great guns on the land side, together with their main force, leaving the side towards the sea almost destitute of defence.

Night being come, they weighed anchor, and by moonlight, without setting sail, committed themselves to the ebbing tide, which gently brought them down the river, till they were near the castle ; being almost over against it, they spread their sails with all possible haste.  The Spaniards perceiving this, transported with all speed their guns from the other side, and began to fire very furiously at them; but these having a very favourable wind, were almost past danger before those of the castle could hurt them ; so that they lost few of their men, and received no considerable damage in their ships.  … Just as he departed, Captain Morgan ordered seven great guns with bullets to be fired against the castle, as it were to take his leave of them, but they answered not so much as with a musket shot.

It is noteworthy that several incidents from Morgan's buccaneering career have striking parallels in Peter Blood's exploits.  Possibly service under de Ruyter included careful study of pirate predecessors.

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