In that wettest of islands he found water in plenty, and had then to
consider what next he would do. St. Domingo, he thought, would be no
longer safe for him; so he struck across to the Spanish Main to a place
called Burboroata, where he might hope that nothing would be known about
him. In this he was mistaken. Philip's orders had arrived: no Englishman
of any creed or kind was to be allowed to trade in his West India
dominions. The settlers, however, intended to trade. They required only
a display of force that they might pretend that they were yielding to
compulsion. Hawkins told his old story. He said that he was out on the
service of the Queen of England. He had been driven off his course by
bad weather. He was short of supplies and had many men on board, who
might do the town some mischief if they were not allowed to land
peaceably and buy and sell what they wanted. The Governor affecting to
hesitate, he threw 120 men on shore, and brought his guns to bear on the
castle. The Governor gave way under protest. Hawkins was to be permitted
to sell half his negroes. He said that as he had been treated so
inhospitably he would not pay the 30 per cent. The King of Spain should
have 7 1/2, and no more.
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