Saint Helena Island, South Atlantic Ocean. The only ship anchored in Church Bay is the Pearle, of the British East India Company. Two Portuguese carracks arrive from the east, having loaded up on pepper in Goa. The Pearle is the last of a convoy of six Anglo-Dutch ships, where the others have already left port. The Pearle rushes to recall them, taking the opportunity to attack the two carracks. Only three of the ships see the signal and reverse course: the Batnam, the White Lion, and the Wapen. Geronymo del Almeido, the Portuguese admiral, and his Nossa Senhora de Nazaré and Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo are caught by surprise at anchor in Saint Helena. The Batnam, the White Lion, and the Wapen are launched against the Nazareth. Initially they prevail, but the Portuguese manage to hit the Santa Barbara of the White Lion, which explodes and sinks in a matter of seconds, along with its precious cargo: 15,000 sacks of pepper, 312 kg of cloves, 77 kg of nutmeg, 1,317 diamonds totaling 408 carats, and thousands of Chinese porcelain artifacts. The wreck and part of the White Lion’s cargo, which lay in 33 meters of water, were recovered in 1976.
