“The following day Morgan, having made a prisoner of a Spanish pilot and learning from him that the sunken ships carried vast riches, left a portion of his men to recover what they could and sailed back to Maracaibo with the captured warship. Here, being once more in a position to dictate terms, he sent a demand to the Admiral, who had escaped and was in the castle, demanding thirty thousand pieces of eight and five hundred head of cattle as his price for sparing the town and his prisoners. He finally consented to accept twenty thousand pieces of eight with the cattle, however, and the following day this was paid. But Morgan was shrewd and refused to deliver the prisoners until he was out of danger and had cleared the harbor, and with his captives set sail. To his delight he found that his men had recovered nearly twenty thousand pieces of eight in coins and bullion from the sunken ships, but he was still doubtful of being able to pass the forts. He thereupon notified his prisoners that unless they persuaded the Governor to guarantee him safe passage he would hang all the captives on his ships. In view of this dire threat a committee of the prisoners went to His Excellency, beseeching him to grant Morgan’s demands. But Don Alonso was no weakling. His reply was to the effect that, had they been as loyal to their King in hindering the buccaneer’s entry as he intended to be in preventing their going out that they would not have found themselves in such troubles. Very crestfallen the poor fellows returned with the ill news. But for once Morgan was not as ruthless as was his wont and forgot all about his threat to execute the blameless captives. He, however, sent word to Don Alonso that if he was not permitted to pass he would get by without a permit and, feeling that he might fail, he at once proceeded to divide the booty. This totaled over a quarter of a million pieces of eight in money, vast quantities of plate and jewels, silks, merchandise of various kinds and many slaves.