Searle, guessing that he might be out…
January 1669 CE
Searle, guessing that he might be out of favor, had returned to Jamaica.
Instead of sailing into Port Royal, he had taken the Cagway to a bay on the southwestern end of the island, out of the governor’s reach.
Governor Modyford had reported to Lord Arlington, England’s Secretary of State: “There arrived also at Port Morant the Cagway, Captain Searle, with 70 stout men, who hearing that I was much incensed against him for that action of St. Augustine, went to Macary Bay, and there rides out of command. I will use the best ways to apprehend him, without driving his men to despair.”
Searle had ventured ashore shortly thereafter and been seized by the governor, who had placed him under arrest in Port Royal.
Weeks passed without further orders from England and the governor had written to Arlington again, stating that Searle was still in the custody of Jamaica’s Provost Marshal, awaiting trial.
Ironically, he will be freed after some months to take part in one of the buccaneers’ greatest land battles, Henry Morgan’s famous sack of Panama City.