Their great object was to take
everything they could find, and then try to make the people confess
where other things were hidden. Men and women were hacked to pieces with
swords; it was L'Olonnois' pleasure, when a poor victim had nothing to
tell, to tear out his tongue with his own hands, and it is said that on
some occasions his fury was so great that he would cut out the heart of
a man and bite at it with his great teeth. No more dreadful miseries
could be conceived than those inflicted upon the peaceful inhabitants of
the country through which these wretches passed. They frequently met
ambuscades of Spaniards, who endeavored to stop their progress; but this
was impossible. The pirates were too strong in number and too savage in
disposition to be resisted by ordinary Christians, and they kept on
their wicked way.
At last they reached a town called San Pedro, which was fairly well
defended, having around it a great hedge of prickly thorns; but thorns
cannot keep out pirates, and after a severe fight the citizens
surrendered, on condition that they should have two hours' truce. This
was given, and the time was occupied by the people in running away into
the woods and carrying off their valuables. But when the two hours had
expired, L'Olonnois and his men entered the town, and instead of
rummaging around to see what they could find, they followed the
unfortunate people into the woods, for they well understood what they
wanted when they asked for a truce, and robbed them of nearly everything
they had taken away.
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