▁him ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁Arm ada ▁Real ▁( ro yal ▁army ) ▁with ▁the ▁goal ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Centro am érica ▁to ▁find ▁gold ▁for ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Crown ▁and ▁clear ing ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁pir ates . ▁In ▁April ▁this ▁year , ▁near ▁Is la ▁Mar gar ita , ▁Al as ▁found ▁two ▁French ▁pir ate ▁boats . ▁To ▁entertain ▁the ▁pir ates ▁and ▁prevent ing ▁them ▁from ▁esc aping ▁before ▁rein for cement ▁arrived , ▁he ▁started ▁to ▁repeatedly ▁bomb ard ▁them ▁to ▁prevent ▁their ▁escape . ▁By ▁night fall , ▁three ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁arrived , ▁who ▁began ▁to ▁purs ue ▁the ▁pir ates . ▁Meanwhile , ▁De ▁las ▁Al as ▁stayed ▁behind ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁the ▁other ▁ships ▁of ▁its ▁n avy ▁and ▁bring ▁them ▁to ▁Cart ag ena ▁de ▁Ind ias ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁Nom bre ▁de ▁Dios , ▁Pan ama , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁to ▁pick ▁up ▁real ▁gold ▁for ▁transport ▁to ▁Spain . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 5 7 2 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁Pedro ▁Men ende z , ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁g alle on ▁« S anti ago ▁el ▁menor », ▁belonging ▁to ▁the ▁fleet ▁of ▁Admir al ▁Diego ▁Fl ore z . ▁On ▁board ▁this ▁g alle on , ▁Al as ▁made ▁the ▁routes ▁of ▁Venezuela ▁and ▁the ▁Is la ▁de ▁Mar gar ita ▁and ▁Santa ▁Mart a , ▁Colombia , ▁transport ing ▁valuable ▁goods ▁and ▁dealing ▁with ▁many ▁pir ates ▁and ▁private ers