But Pratt cut him short in his lamentings, and proceeded to ask, in Spanish, which he spoke very fluently, a great number of questions, as to the trade between Carthagena and Old Spain, and as to when certain richly-laden ships—the names whereof Pratt had at hand in a great register—would sail out of that port. To all this the Spaniard replied very amply and humbly, and said, in particular, that a large ship, in which was embarked a considerable quantity of pieces of eight, and silver plate to a much greater amount, but he could not say exactly how much, would probably be ready for sea, and put out in about two mouths’ time. This ship carried, he informed us, a private venture, and would not have convoy. Moreover, she was old, and a very slow sailer, and that the merchant who freighted her was the more confident that she would escape, inasmuch as it was reported and believed in Carthagena, that all the buccaneers were upon the point of joining their strength in Jamaica, and landing about Porto Bello, with the intention of crossing the isthmus, and making a descent upon Panama and the shores of the South Sea. This account the traitor confirmed with abundance of oaths, calling upon us to believe him the more, inasmuch as, quoth he, ‘I have now no reason to tell you a lie; I stand in your power, and if you hear more certain news, which is likely, and it contradict what I have said, why I am in your hands to work your will on!’ And with that the pitiful-hearted creature began to sob and weep again. Truly, I had never seen so small a soul in so big, lusty, and goodly a body.