bdi ENGLISH VOYAGES TO THE CARIBBEAN
mand the channel by which vessels must enter to reach the town of
Saint Augustine, and especially the bar which they must cross to do
so. When the look-outs he kept posted for the purpose signalled that
sails were approaching, Mendndez Marquez went into this fort with
the men he had detailed to its defence. Meanwhile, the women and
children and chattels were conveyed some distance to a place where
supposedly they were safe.
Early on June 7 the English fleet, lying in a half moon off the bar,
sent small craft to explore it.1 Menendez Marquez's artillery fired
upon them and the governor believed that his show of resistance
drove them back to their ships. In any event, that afternoon the
English landed men in formidable numbers, but necessarily at a
disadvantage in that they must still cross water to get at the town.2
Again the Spanish guns seem to have discouraged them, so that they
took shelter behind some sand dunes and apparently sent to the
fleet for reinforcements and ordnance, a shot from which brought
down the Spanish ensign. Since martial music was heard the
Spaniards understood that the commander-in-chief himself had
come ashore.3
That night, Carleill, directing land operations, sent to reconnoitre
the Spanish fort. Inside it, the governor held a council of war and
forthwith evacuated, carrying out only his colours and his arms. His
attempt to save his artillery4 by burying it was betrayed by deserters
who informed the English that the garrison had gone.
The Spaniards' withdrawal should not be too harshly condemned.5
Apparently it was hastened by the attitude of the aborigines, who
began to sack the town as soon as the English opened their attack
upon the fort. The Indians5 hostility made it evident that the non-
combatants in their retreat were not safe from the tomahawk and
the scalping-knife. The governor and his garrison of 60 or 70 men
joined the women and the children to protect them. The English
occupied the fort that same night and the next day made their way to
the town, which they entered without meeting any resistance worthy
the name.
1 *... none amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all.'—Bigges, op. tit., p. 128.
3 Cf. Bigges's plan, reproduced herewith, between pp. 166-7.
3 Documents Nos. 43, 51 post; the Primrose log, p. 24. '. . . Here the Generall
tooke occasion to march with the companies himselfe in person, the Lieutenant
generall having the Vantguard ...'—Bigges, op. tit., p. 128.
4 Falcons. Documents Nos. 43,44post. Cf. Bigges, op. tit., pp. 129,130.
6'. , . like faint-hearted cowards they ran away.'—The Primrose log, p. 24.
Documents Nos. 32,43-5,54, etc., post. Gf. Bigges, op. tit., pp. 129-31.