As these precious rascals had now nothing to live upon, it was necessary
to start out again and commit some more acts of robbery and ruin; and
L'Olonnois, whose rapacious mind seems to have been filled with a desire
for town-destroying, projected an expedition to Nicaragua, where he
proposed to pillage and devastate as many towns and villages as
possible. His reputation as a successful commander was now so high that
he had no trouble in getting men, for more offered themselves than he
could possibly take.
He departed with seven hundred men and six ships, stopping on the way
near the coast of Cuba, and robbing some poor fishermen of their boats,
which he would need in shallow water. Their voyage was a very long one,
and they were beset by calms, and instead of reaching Nicaragua, they
drifted into the Gulf of Honduras. Here they found themselves nearly out
of provisions, and were obliged to land and scour the country to find
something to eat. Leaving their ships, they began a land march through
the unfortunate region where they now found themselves. They robbed
Indians, they robbed villages; they devastated little towns, taking
everything that they cared for, and burning what they did not want, and
treating the people they captured with viler cruelties than any in which
the buccaneers had yet indulged.
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