Manuel Rivero Pardal

Captain Manuel Rivero Pardal

    Spain, a long time victim of pirating, suffering heavy losses from the pirates and deciding that Sir Henry Morgan's Portobello raid in 1669 was the last straw, sanctioned the governors of its colonies in the procurement of privateers and disbursement of ''Letters of Marque''. Few pirates responded to this act, but Pardal, who was Portuguese did, and rushed out to seek enemy nation's ships to prey upon. In 1670, Pardal in command of the San Pedro (also known as the Fama, armed with 14 cannon and carrying a crew of about 70) left Cartagena for Jamaica but but was forced to change course because of winds. Pardal sacked the poor settlement on Grand Cayman Island and seized two small boats as well as taking four children. With his meager booty, he went to Cuba. Once there he found out that Bernard Speirdyke, the dutch pirate, was at Manzanillo.

    Pardal set out to do battle with Speirdyke. After a fierce combat in which most of the of the buccaneers, including Speirdyke were killed, the corsairs captured the ship. He returned to a hero's welcome in Cartagena in March 1670 and was made admiral of the Spanish corsairs. Pardal next went to Jamaica in consort with the Gallardina, a captured French ship. On the 11th of June, he captured one of William Harris' ships (a sloop), and raided isolated villages in the north. Pardal continued his depradations, receiving reinforcements from Cuba. His next venture took him to the southern coast of Jamaica where he issued a challenge to Henry Morgan:

"I, Captain Manuel Pardal,
to the chief of the privateers in Jamaica.
I come to seek General Henry Morgan,
with two ships and twenty'one guns.
When he has seen this challenge,
I crave he will come out upon the coast to seek me,
that he may see the valour of the Spaniards."

    Governor Modyford of Jamaica commissioned Morgan to defend Jamaica. Morgan assembled all French and English pirates that were at Jamaica and set sail, but instead of looking for Pardal, they sailed to Panama and sacked the town. While all this was going on, the San Pedro chased an English ship, the Dolphin, commanded by one of Morgan's lieutenants, John Morris. A storm drove both ships toward the Cuban coast. Seeking refuge, Pardal sought safety in a harbor. A battle soon ensued in which the San Pedro was boarded and captured. Pardal's crew panicked and jumped overboard, where they either drowned or were shot by the Dolphin's men. Morris chased Pardal ashore and shot him in the throat thus killing him and Spain's hopes of suppressing the pirate threat in the region.

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