great lack of care, and the most retired path to the pirate's fort,
ordered Captain Gabriel de Ribera and his men to march immediately by
land, and as suddenly as possible to assault the enemy, making as much
noise and confusion as he could. The captains, Pedro de Chaves and
Lorenço Chacon, with forty soldiers apiece, he ordered to ascend the
river in the swiftest vessels. The time was to be appointed so that
both the land and sea forces would arrive at the fort at the same
instant, and make the assault at the same time, so that they might
the better succeed in their purpose. He himself remained behind with
all the rest of the forces to await the opportunity and to furnish
aid in any emergency. This plan succeeded very well, and each party
gave the best account of itself--the water force firing the enemy's
fleet, while the land force, aided by those who had set the fire,
entered the palisade constructed by Limahon for his defense, and as
a protection for his men. They entered the fort also and killed more
than one hundred Chinese, besides capturing more than seventy women,
whom they found within the palisade.

When Limahon heard the noise, he hastened to the fort,
which--notwithstanding that it had been made as a defense, in case
the fleet of the Chinese king, which he knew had been prepared to go
in search of him, should chance upon him there--served to save his
life on this occasion. He ordered some soldiers to skirmish with the
Spaniards, now quite worn out by that day's work and the oppression
caused by the intolerable heat of the burning vessels and the houses
within the palisade, all of which were ablaze at the same time. The
captains, on perceiving this, and the lack of order among their men,
which they might not remedy, because they themselves were almost worn
out (although the aid sent them very opportunely by the master-of-camp
had given them a moment's respite and added new courage), gave the