“But the preparation of the nails, incredible as it sounds, was not the worst of his labors. With these crude implements the buccaneer actually hacked off branches of trees, cut vines and pliant reeds and with these constructed a raft with which he crossed the stream. At every large river he repeated the work and eventually arrived safely at the Gulf of Triste fourteen days after escaping from the ship. Here, as he had expected, he found a buccaneer vessel with a captain whom he knew and, telling of his comrades’ plight, he begged the captain to lend him a boat and twenty men to go to his men’s rescue. This the captain gladly did, and eight days later, Portugues was back at Campeche. So small was the boat that the Spaniards never dreamed that its occupants were enemies or buccaneers, but thought it a craft from shore bringing off cargo, and they watched it approach without the least fear or preparations for defense. “Thus the buccaneers completely surprised the Dons and after a short, sharp struggle were in possession of the ship and had released the imprisoned buccaneers—or rather most of them, for the Dons had hanged a few. “Realizing that other Spanish vessels might appear and attack him with overwhelming force at any time, Portugues at once set sail in the ship wherein he had so long been a helpless captive, and once more in possession of his booty with vast riches in addition. Steering a course for Jamaica he was off the Isle of Pines when the fickle fate which always followed him once more turned her back and the ship went upon the reefs of the Jardines. The ship was a total loss and sunk with all her treasure, while Portugues and his comrades barely escaped with their lives in a canoe. Although they managed to reach Jamaica without misfortune, luck had deserted Portugues for all time and while he tried time after time to recoup his fortunes all his efforts were in vain. He became an ordinary seaman and was soon forgotten.