Jamaica, October 18, 1679.

There has been lately taken from the Spaniards by Coxon, Batharpe, Bothing and Sawkins, with their crew, 500 chests of indigo, a great quantity of some cochineal, tortoise-shell, money, and plate. Much is brought into this country already, and the rest expected. Those that pay custom for their goods land it at noonday and share it. And besides those before mentioned Captain Cook, on the coast of Cuba, perceiving some Spaniards, left his vessel, and he and his men went on shore there in their boats, where in a small time came a Spanish bark with cacao and money, on which they seized and brought her away, and the cacao was brought in by shallops and paid custom, and was landed and shared. This I write, not out of any prejudice I have to anyone, but believing, as most others do, that these things will be laid on the back of the country, as mos miscarriages are, when in truth they are exceedingly against it, knowing that His Majesty had commanded a peace with the Spaniards; and besides it hinders and discourages the manufacture of this place, for those that can buy privateer goods cheap will not lay out their money on such unless they can have them under the usual price. The Success arrived here the next day after Captain Swan and in five days the Commander, Captain Tyte, died, and his Lieutenant, Johnson, is Captain. She is now sent out to seize all the goods they can find which do not appear to be intended hither for the payment of duty. Sawkins was not with those that took the indigo, but at Santa Marta, which he and other privateers took not long since and plundered. So long as they see they can bring in their goods, paying custom, they will daily increase, and great depredations will be made on the Spaniards.

Don Pedro.