men and refresh our selues in the goodly Gardens which we there found abounding with great store of all dainty rootes and fruites besides great plenty of Poultry and other Fowles no lesse strange then delicate Shortly vpon our first arriuall in this Iland the Gouernour and the rest of his assistants in the Towne as wee afterwards vnderstood sent vnto our Captaine a proper Gentleman of meane stature good complexion and faire spoken a principall Souldier of the late sent Garrison to view in what state wee were At his comming hee protested he came to vs of meere good will for that wee had attempted so great and incredible a matter with so few men and that at the first they feared that wee had beene French at whose hands they knew they should finde no mercy but after they perceiued by our Arrowes that we were Englishmen their feare were the lesse for that they knew that though we tooke the Treasure of the place yet we would not vse cruelty towards their persons But albeit this his affection gaue him cause enough to come aboard such whose vertues so he honoured yet the Gouernour also had not only consented to his comming but directly sent him vpon occasion that diuers of the Towne affirmed said hee that they knew our Captaine who the last two yeares had beene often on their coast and had alwayes vsed their persons very well And therefore desired to knowe first whether our Captaine were the same Captaine Drake or no and next because many of their men were wounded with our Arrowes whether they were poysoned or no and how their wounds might best be cured lastly what victualles wee wanted or other necessaries of which the Gouereour promised by him to supply and furnish vs as largely as hee durst Our Captaine although he thought this Souldier but a Spye yet vsed him very curteously and answered him to his Gouernours demands That he was the same Drake whome they meant it was neuer his manner to poyson his Arrowes they might cure their wounded by ordinary Chirurgery as for wants hee knewe the Iland of Bastimientos had sufficient and could furnish him if hee listed but hee wanted nothing but some of that speciall commodity which that Countrey yeelded to content himselfe and his Company And therefore hee aduised the Gouernour to hold open his eyes for before he departed if God lent him life and leaue he meant to reape some of their Haruest which they get out of the Earth and send into Spaine to trouble all the Earth To this answere vnlooked for this Gentleman replyed If he might without offence moue such a question what should then be the cause of our departing from that Towne at this time where was aboue three hundred and sixty Tunne of siluer ready for the Fleete much more Golde in value resting in yron chests in the Kings Treasure-house But when our Captaine had shewed him the true cause of his vnwilling retreat aboord he acknowledged that we had no lesse reason in departing then courage in attempting and no doubt did easily see that it was not for the Towne to seeke reuenge of vs by manning forth such Fregates or other vessels as they had but better to content themselues and prouide for their owne defence Thus with great fauour and courteous entertainement besides such gifts from our Captaine as most contented him after dinner hee was in such sort dismissed to make report of that he had seene that he protested he was neuer so much honored of any in his life After his departure the Negroe forementioned being examined more fully confirmed this report of the gold and siluer with many other intelligences of importance especially how wee might haue gold and siluer enough if we would by meanes of the Symerons whome though hee had betrayed diuers times being vsed thereto by his Masters so that he knew they would kill him if they gat him yet if our Captaine would vndertake his protection hee durst aduenture his life because hee knewe our Captaines name was most pretious and highly honored of them This report ministred occasion to further consultation for which because this place seemed not the safest as being neither the healthiest nor quietest The next day in the morning wee all set our course for the I le of Pinnos or Port Plenty where wee had left our Ships continuing all that day and the next till towards night before wee recouered it Wee were the longer in this course for that our Captaine sent away his brother and Ellis Hixon to the westward to search the Riuer of Chagro where himselfe had beene the yeare before and yet was carefull to gaine more notice of it being a Riuer which trendeth to the southward within six leagues of Panamah where is a litle towne called Venta Cruz whence all the treasure that was vsually brought thither from Panams by Moyles was imbarqued in Fregates downe that Riuer into the North sea and so to Nombre de Dios. It ebbeth and floweth not farre into the land and therefore it asketh three dayes rowing with a fine Pinnace to passe from the mouth to Venta Cruz but one day and a night seruerh to returne downe the Riuer At our returne to our Ships in our consultation Captaine Rause forecasting diuers doubts of our safe continuance vpon that coast being now discouered was willing to depart and our Captaine no lesse willing to dismisse him and therefore assoone as our Pinnaces returned from Chagro with such aduertisements as they were sent for about eight dayes before Captaine Rause tooke his leaue leaving vs in the I le aforesaid where wee had remained fiue or six dayes In which meane tyme hauing put all things in a readines our Captaine resolued with his two Ships and three Pinnaces to goe to Carthagene whither in sayling we spent some 6. dayes by reason of the calmes which came often vpon vs but all this time wee attempted nothing that wee might haue done by the way neither at Tolou nor otherwhere because wee would not bee discouered Wee came to anchor with our two Ships in the evening in seauen fadome water betweene the Ilands of Charesha and Saint Barnards our Captaine led the three Pinnaces about the Iland into the harbor of Carthagene where at the very entry hee found a Fregate at anchor aboard which was onely one old man who being demanded where the rest of his company was answered that they were gone ashoare in their Gundeloe that euening to fight about a mistresse and voluntarily related to our Captaine that two houres before night there past by them a Pinnace with sayle and Oares as fast as euer they could row calling to him whether there had not beene any English or Frenchmen there lately and vppon answere that there had beene none they bid them looke to themselues that within an houre that this Pinnace was come to the vtterside of Carthagene there were many great Peeces shot off whereupon one going to top to
Wee spent not past two houres in our attendance till it pleased God after a great shevvr to send vs a reasonable calme so that we might vse our Peeces and approach her at pleasure in such sort that in short time we had taken her finding her laden with victuall well poudred and dryed which at that present wee receiued as sent vs of Gods great mercy After all things vvere set in order and that the Winde increased tovvards night vve plyed off and on till day at vvhat time our Captaine sent in Edward Hixom vvho had then charge of his Pinnace to search out some Harbor along the Coast who hauing found out a little one some tenne or twelue leagues to the East of Santa Martha where in sounding he had good ground and sufficient water presently returned and our Captaine brought in his new Prize Then by promising liberty and all their apparell to the Spaniards which we had taken if they would bring vs to water and fresh victuals the rather by their meanes wee obtained of the inhabitants Indians what they had which was plentifull These Indians were clothed and gouerned by a Spaniard which dwelt in the next Tovvne not past a league off we stayed there all day watering and wooding and prouiding things necessary by giuing content and satisfaction to the Indians But towards night our Captaine called all of vs aboard onely leauing the Spaniards lately taken in the Prize ashoare according to our promise made them to their great content who acknowledged that our Captaine did them a farre greater fauour in setting them freely at liberty then hee had done them displeasure in taking their Ship and so set sayle The sickenesse which had begunne to kindle amongst two or three dayes before did this day shewe it selfe in Charles Glub one of our Quarter-Masters a very tall man and a right good Mariner taken away to the great greefe both of Captaine and Company What the cause of this malady was we knewe nor of certainety we imputed it to the colde which our men had taken lying without succour in the Pinnaces But howsoeuer it was thus it pleased God to visit vs and yet in fauour to restore vnto health all the rest of our Company that were touched with this disease which were not a few The next morning being faire weather though the Winde continued contrary our Captaine commanded the Minion his lesser Pinnace to hasten away before him towards his Shippes at Fort Diego within the Cabeças to cary newes of his comming and to put all things in a readinesse for our Land journey if they heare any thing of the Fleets arriuall by the Simerons giuing the Minion charge if they wanted Wine to take Saint Bernards in their way and there take in some such portion as they thought good of the Wines which we had there hidden in the sand We plyed to windwards as neere as we could so that within a seauen-night after the Minion departed from vs we came to Saint Barnards where we stayed many houres finding but twelue Botijos of Wine of all the store wee left which had escaped the curious search of the Enemy who had beene there for that they were deepe in the ground Within foure or fiue dayes after we came to our Ship where we found all other things in good order but receiued very heauy newes of the death of Iohn Drake our Captaines brother and another young man called Richard Allen which were both slaine at one time as they attempted the boarding of a Fregate within two dayes after our departing from them The manner of it as wee learned by examination of the Company was this when they saw this Fregate at Sea as they were going towards their Fort with planckes to make the Platformes the Company were very importunate on him to giue chase and set vpon this Fregate which they deemed had beene a fit booty for them But he told them that they wanted weapons to assaile they knew not how the Fregate was prouided they had their boat loaden with planckes to finish that his brother had commanded But when this would not satisfie them but that still they vrged him with words and supposals If you will needs said he aduenture it shall neuer be said that I will be hindmost neither shall you report to my Brother that you lost your voyage by any covvardise you found in me Thereupon euery man shifted as they might for the time and heauing their planckes ouer board tooke them such poore vveapons as they had viz. a broken pointed Rapier one old Visgee and a rusty Caliuer Iâ—hn Drake tooke the Rapier and made a Gantlet of his Pillovv Richard Allen the Visgee both standing in the head of the Pinnace called the Eiâ—n Robert tooke the Caliuer and so boarded But they found the Fregate armed round about vvith a close fight of hides full of Pikes and Caliuers vvhich vvere discharged in their faces and deadly vvounded those that vvere in the Fore-shippe Iohn Drake in the belly and Richard Allen in the head But notvvithstanding their vvounds they vvith Oares shifted off the Pinnace got cleare of the Fregate and vvith all hast recouered their Shippe vvhere vvithin an houre after this young man of great hope ended his dayes greatly lamented of all the Company Thus hauing moared our Shippes fast our Captaine resolued to keepe himselfe close vvithout being descried vntill he might heare of the comming of the Spanish Fleet and therefore set no more to Sea but supplyed his vvants both for his ovvne Company and the Symerons out of his foresaid Magazine besides daily out of the vvoods vvith vvilde Hogges Pheasants and Guanas continuing in health God be praised all the meane time vvhich vvas a month at least till at length about the beginning of Ianuary halfe a score of our Company fell dovvne sicke together and the most of them dyed vvithin tvvo or three dayes so long that vve had thirty at a time sicke of this Calenture vvhich attache our men either by reason of the suddaine change from cold to heate or by reason of brackish vvater vvhich had beene taken in by one Pinnace through the sloth of their men in the mouth of the Riuer not rovving further in vvhere the vvater vvas good Among the rest Ioseph Drake another of his brethren dyed in our Captaines armes of the same disease of vvhich that the cause might bee the better discerned and consequently remedyed to the releefe of others by our Captaines appointment hee was ript open by the Surgeon who found his Liuer swolne his heart as it were sodden and his guts all faire This was the first and last experiment that our Captaine made of Anatomy in this voyage The Surgeon that cut him vp ouer-liued him not past foure dayes although hee were not toucht with that sickenesse of which he had beene recouered aboue a month before but onely of an ouerbold practise which he would needs make vpon himselfe by receiuing
Emmet Among the manifold examples hereof which former ages haue committed to memory or our time yeelded to sight I suppose there hath not beene any more notable then this in hand either in respect of the greatnesse of the person by whom the first injury was offered or the meannesse of him who righteth himself the one being in his owne conceit the mightiest Monarch of all the world the other an English Captaine a meane subiect of her Maiesties Who besides the wrongs receiued at Rio de Hacha with Captaine Iohn Louell in the yeares 65. and 66. hauing beene greiuosly indamaged at Saint Iohn de Vllua in the bay of Mexico with Captaine Iohn Hawkins in the yeares 67. and 68. not onely in the losse of his goods of some value but also of his kinsmen friends and that by the falshood of Don Martin Henriquez then the viceroy of Mexico and finding that no recompence could bee recouered out of Spaine by any of his owne meanes or by her Maiesties letters hee vsed such helpes as hee might by two seuerall voiages into the West Indies the first with two Ships the one called the Dragon the other the Swan in the yeare 70. the other in the Swan alone in the yeare 71. to gaine such intelligences as might further him to get some amends for his losse And hauing in those two voyages gotten such certaine notice of the persons places aimed at as he thought requisite and therevppon with good deliberation resolued on a third voyage the description whereof we haue now in hand hee accordingly prepared his shippes and Company and then taking the first opportunity of a good winde had such successe in his proceedings as now followes farther to be declared On Whitsunday Eeue being the 24. of May in the yeare 1572. Captaine Drake in the Pascha of Plimouth of 70. tonnes his Admirall with the Swanne of the same Port of 25. tonnes his Vice-Admirall in which his brother Iohn Drake was Captaine hauing in both of them of men and boyes seauenty three all voluntarily assembled of which the eldest was fifty all the rest vnder thirty so deuided that there were forty seauen in the one ship and twenty six in the other both richly furnished with victualles and apparell for a whole yeare and no lesse heedfully prouided of all manner of munition Artillery Artificers stuffe and tooles that were requisite for such a Man of warre in such an attempt but especially hauing three dainty Pinnases made in Plimouth taken a sunder all in peeces and stowed aboard to be set vp as occasion serued set sayle from out of the Sound of Plimouth with intent to land at Nombre da Dios. The winde continued prosperous and fauorable at Northeast and gaue as a very good passage without any alteration or change so that albeit we had sight of Porto Sa to one of the Maderas and of the Canaries also within twelue dayes of our setting forth yet we neuer strooke sayle nor came to anchor nor made any stay for any cause neither there nor elsewhere vntill 25. dayes after when we had sight of the Iland of Guadalupe one of the Ilands of the West Indies goodly high land The next morning we entred between Dominica Guadalupe where we descryed two Canoas comming from a rocky Iland three leagues off Dominica which vsually repayre thither to fish by reason of the great plenry thereof which is there continually to be found Wee landed on the South side of it remaining there three dayes to refresh our men and water our ships out of one of those goodly riuers which fall downe off the mountaine There we sawe certaine poore cottages built with Palmito boughs and branches but no inhabitants at that time ciuill nor sauage the cottages it may be for we could know no certaine cause of the solitarinesse we found there seruing not for continuall inhabitation but only for their vses that came to that place at certaine seasons to fish The third day after about three in the after-noone wee set sayle from thence towards the continent of Terra firma And the fift day after wee had sight of the high land of Santa Martha but came not neere the shoare by ten leagues But thence directed our course for a place called by vs Port Phesant for that our Captaine had so named it in his former voyage by reason of the great store of those goodly Fowles which he and his Company did then daily kill and feed on in that place In this course notwithstanding wee had two dayes calme yet within six dayes after we arriued at our Port Phesant which is a fine round Bay of very safe harbor for all winds lying betweene two high points not past halfe a cables length ouer at the mouth but within eight or tenne cables length euery way hauing ten or twelue faddome water more or lesse full of good fish the soyle also very fruitfull which may appeare by this that our Captaine hauing beene in this place within a yeare and fewe dayes before and hauing ridde the place with many alleys and paths made yet now all was so ouer-grown againe as that we doubted at first whither this were the same place or no. At our entrance into this Bay our Captaine hauing giuen order to his brother what to doe if any occasion should happen in his absence was on his way with intent to haue gone aland with some fewe only in his company because he knew there dwelt no Spaniards within thirty fiue leagues of that place Tolou being the neerest to the Eastwards and Nombre de Dios to the westwards where any of that Nation dwelt But as we were rowing a shoare we saw a smoake in the woods euen neere the place which our Captaine had aforetime frequented therefore thinking it fit to take more strength with vs he caused his other boat also to be mand with certaine muskets and other weapons suspecting some enemy had beene a shoare When we landed we found by euident markes that there had beene lately there a certaine English man of Plimouth called Iohn Garret who had beene conducted thither by certaine English Mariners which had beene there with our Captaine in some of his former voyages He had now left a plate of Lead nailed fast to a mighty great tree greater then any foure men joyning hands could fathome about on which were engrauen these words directed to our Captaine CAptaine Drake if you fortune to come to this Port make hast away For the Spaniards which you had with you here the last yeare haue bewrayed this place and taken away all that you left here I depart from hence this present 7. of Iuly 1572. Your very louing friend IOHN GARRET The smoake which wee sawe was occationed by a fire which the said Garret and his Company had made before their departure in a very great tree not farre from this which had the lead nayled on it which had continued
burning at least fiue dayes before our arriuall This aduertisement notwithstanding our Captaine meant not to depart before he had built his Pinnases which were yet aboard in peices for which purpose hee knew this Port a most conuenient place And therfore assoone as we had moared our Ships our Captaine commanded his Pinnases to be brought ashore for the Carpenters to set vp himselfe employing all his other company in fortifying a place which he had chosen out as a most fit plot of three quarters of an acre of ground to make some strength or safety for the present as sufficiently as the meanes he had would afford which was performed by felling of great trees and bowsing and haling them together with great Pulleis and halsers vntill they were inclosed to the water and then letting others fall vpon them vntill they had raised with trees and boughes thirty foot in height round about leauing onely one gate to issue at neere the waters side which euery night that wee might sleepe in more safety and security was shut vp with a great tree drawne athwart it The whole plott was built in a Pentagonall forme to wit of fiue equall sides and angles of which angles two were toward the sea and that side between them was left open for the easie launching of our Pinnases the other foure equall sides were wholely excepting the gate before mentioned firmely closed vp Without insteed of a trench the ground was ridd for fifty foote space round about The rest was very thick with trees of which many were of those kindes which are neuer without greene leaues till they are dead at the roote excepting onely one kinde of tree amongst them much like to our Ash which when the sunne commeth right ouer them causing great raines suddenly casteth all their leaues viz. within three dayes and yet within six dayes after becomes all greene againe The leaues of the other trees doe also in part fall away but so as the teees continue still greene notwithstanding being of a maruelous height and supported as it were with fiue or six naturall buttresses growing out of their bodies so farre that three men may so be hidden in each of them that they which shall stand in the very next buttresse shall not be able to see them One of them specially was marked to haue had seauen of those staies or buttresses for the supporting of his greatnes and height which being measured with a line close by the barke and neere to the ground as it was indented or extant was found to be aboue thirty nine yards about The wood of those trees is as heauy or heauier then Brafill or Lingnum vitae and is in colour white The next day after wee had arriued there came also into that bay an English Bark of the I le of Wight of Sir Edwaad Horseys wherein Iames Rause was Captaine and Iohn Ouery Master with thirty men of which some had beene with our Captaine in the same place the yeere before They brought in with them a Spanish Caruell of Siuell which hee had taken the day before athwart of that place being a Caruell of Aduiso bound for Nombre de Dios and also one Sallop with Oares which he had taken at Cape Blanck This Captaine Rause vnderstanding our Captains purpose was desirous to ioyne in consort with him and was receiued vpon conditions agreed on betwene them Within seauen dayes after his comming hauing set vp our Pinnaces and dispatched all our busines in prouiding all things necessary out of our ships into our Pinnaces wee departed from that harbrough setting sayle in the morning towards Nombre de Dios continuing our course till wee came to the Iles of Pinos where being within three dayes arriued wee found two Fregates of Nombre de Dios lading planck and timber from thence The Negroes which were in those Fregates gaue vs some particuler vnderstanding of the present state of the towne and besides tolde vs that they had heard a report that certaine souldiers should come thither shortly and were daily looked for from the Gouernor of Panama and the countrey thereabout to defend the towne against the Symerons A black people which about 80. yeares past fledd from the Spaniards their Masters by reason of their cruelty and are since growne to a nation vnder two Kings of their owne the one inhabiteth to the west th' other to the East of the way from Nombre de Dios to Panama which had neere surprised it about six weekes before Our Captaine willing to vse those Negroes well not hurting himselfe set them ashore vpon the maine that they might perhaps ioyne themselues to their contrymen the Symerons and gaine their liberty if they would or if they would not yet by reason of the length and troublesomenes of the way by land to Nombre de Dios hee might preuent any notice of his comming which they should be able to giue For hee was loath to put the towne to too much charge which hee knew they would willingly bestowe in prouiding before hand for his entertainment and therefore hee hastned his going thither with as much speed and secrecy as posibly hee could To this end disposing of all his companies according as they inclined most hee left the three Ships and the Caruell with Captaine Rause and chose into his foure Pinnaces Captaine Rauses Shallop made the fourth besides fifty three of our men twenty more of Captaine Rauses company with which hee seemed competently furnished to atcheiue what hee intended especially hauing proportioned according to his owne purpose and our mens disposition their seuerall armes viz six Targets six Firepikes twelue Pikes twenty foure Muskets and Calliuers sixteene Bowes and six Partizans two Drums and two Trompets Thus hauing parted from our company wee arriued at the Iland of Catinaas being twenty fiue leagues distant about fiue dayes after there wee landed all in the morning betimes and our Captaine trained his men deliuering them their seuerall weapons and armes which hitherto hee had kept very faire and safe in good caske and exhorting them after his manner hee declared the greatnes of the hope of good things that was there the weaknes of the towne being vnwalled and the hope hee had of preuailing to recompence his wrongs especially now that hee should come with such a crew who were like minded with himselfe and at such a time as hee should bee vtterly vndiscouered Therefore euen that afternoone hee causeth vs to set saile for Nombre de Dios so that before sunne set wee were as farre as Rio Francisco thence hee led vs hard aboard the shore that wee might not bee descried of the watch house vntill that being come within two leagues of the point of the Bay hee caused vs to strike a hull and cast our grappers riding so vntill it was darke night Then wee waighed againe and set sayle rowing hard aboard the shore with asmuch silence as wee could till wee recouered the point of
the harbor vnder the high land there wee stayed all silent purposing to attempt the towne in the dawning of the day after that wee had reposed our selues for a while But our Captaine with some others of his best men finding that our people were talking of the greatnes of the towne and what their strength might bee especially by the report of the Negroes that wee tooke at the I le of Pinos thought it best to put these conceits out of their heads and therefore to take the opportunity of the rising of the moone that night persuading them that it was the day dawning By this occasion we were at the towne a large hower sooner then first was purposed For wee arriued there by three of the clock after midnight at what time it fortuned that a Ship of Spaine of sixtie Tunnes laden with Canary wines and other commodities which had but lately come into the Bay and had not yet furld her sprit-saile espying our foure Pinnaces being an extraordinary number and those rowing with many Oares sent away her Gundeloe towards the towne to giue warning but our Captaine perceiuing it cut betwixt her and the towne forcing her to goe to th' other side of the Bay whereby wee landed without impeachment although wee found one gunner vpon the platforme in the very place where wee landed being a sandy pray and no key at all not past twenty yards from the houses There wee found six great Peeces of brasse Ordinance mounted vpon their cariages some Demy some whole Culuering wee presently dismounted them the gunner fled the towne tooke alarme being very ready thereto by reason of their often disquieting by their neere neighbours the Symerons as wee perceiued not onely by the noyse and cries of the people but by the bell ringing out and drums running vp and downe the towne Our Captaine according to the directions which hee had giuen ouer night to such as hee had made choice of for the purpose left twelue to keepe the Pinnases that wee might be sure of a safe retreat if the worst befell And hauing made sure worke of the platforme before hee would enter the towne hee thought best first to view the mount on the East side of the towne where hee was informed by sundry intelligences the yeare before they had an intent to plant Ordinance which might scoure round about the towne Therefore leauing one halfe of his company to make a stand at the foote of the mount hee marched vp presently vnto the top of it with all speed to try the truth of the report for the more safety There wee found no peice of Ordinance but onely a very fit place prepared for such vse and therefore wee left it without any of our men and with all celerity returned downe the mount Then our Captaine appointed his brother with Iohn Oxnam and sixteene other of his men to goe about behinde the Kings treasure-house and enter neere the Easter end of the market-place himselfe with the rest would passe vp the broad street into the market place with sound of drum and trompet The Firepikes diuided halfe to the one and halfe to th' other company serued no lesse for fright to the enemy then light of our men who by this meanes might discerne euery place very well as if it were neere day whereas the inhabitants stood amazed at so strange a fight maruelling what the matter might bee and imagining by reason of our drums and trompets sounding in so sundry places that wee had beene a farre greater number then wee were Yet by meanes of the soldiers which were in the towne and by reason of the time which wee spent in marching vp and downe the mount the soldiers and the inhabitants had put themselues in armes and brought their companies in some order at the south east end of the market place neere the gouernors house and not farre from the gate of the towne which is only one leading towards Panama hauing as it seemes gathered themselues thither either that in the gouernors sight they might shew their valor if it might preuaile or else that by the gate they might best take their vale and escape rediest And to make a shew of farre greater numbers of shot or else of a custome they had by the like device to terrify the Symerons they had hung lines with matches lighted ouerthwart the wester-end of the market-place betwene the church and the crosse as though there had beene in a readines some company of shott whereas indeed there was not past two or three that taught these lines to dance till they themselues ranne away assoone as they perceiued they were discouered But the Souldiers and such as were joyned with them presented vs with a jolly hotte volue of shot beating full vpon the egresse of that streete in which we marched and leuelling very lowe so as their bullers oft times grazed on the sand We stood not to answer them in like tearmes but hauing discharged our first volly of shot and feathered them with our arrowes which our Captaine had caused to be made of purpose in England not great sheafe arrowes but fine rouing shafts very carefully reserued for the seruice wee came to the push of pike so that our fire-pikes being well armed and made of purpose did vs very great seruice For our men with their pikes and short weapons in short time tooke such order among these gallants some vsing the but-end of their peeces in stead of other weapons that partly by reason of our arrowes which did vs there notable seruice partly by occasion of this strange and suddaine closing with them in this manner vnlooked for and the rather for that at the very instant our Captaines brother with the other Company with their fire-pikes entred the market place by th'easter street they casting downe their weapons fled all out of the Towne by the gate aforesaid which had beene built for a barre to keepe out of the Towne the Symerons who had often assailed it but now serued for a gap for the Spaniards to fly at In following and returning diuers of our men were hurt with the weapons which the enemy had let fall as he fled somewhat for that wee marched with such speed but more for that they lay so thicke and crosse on the other Being returned we made our stand neere the midst of the market place where a tree groweth hard by the Crosse whence our Captaine sent of our men to stay the ringing of the alarme Bell which had continued all this while but the Church being very strongly built and fast shut they could not without firing which our Captaine forbad get into the steeple where the Bell hung In the meane time our Captaine hauing taken two or three Spaniards in their flight commanded them to shew him the Gouernours house where hee vnderstood was the ordinary place of vnlading the Moyles of all the treasure which came from Panamah by the Kings appointment Although the siluer only
the Fleet returning to Spayne With this store of Victuals we loaded our Pinnaces and by the shutting in of the day we were ready to depart for that we hastned the rather by reason of an intelligence giuen vs by certaine Indian Women which we found in those houses that the Fregates these are ordinarily thirty or vpwards which vsually transport the Marchandize sent out of Spayne to Carthagene from thence to these houses and so in great Canoas vp hence into Nuevo Reyno for which the Riuer running many hundreth leagues within the land serueth very fitly and returne in exchange the Golde and Treasure Siluer Victuals and Commodities which that Kingdome yeildeth aboundantly were not yet returned from Carthagene since the first alarum they tooke of our being there As wee vvere going aboord our Pinnaces from these Store-houses The Indians of a great Towne called Villa del Rey some 2. miles distant from the waters side where wee landed were brought downe by the Spaniards into the bushes and shot their Arrowes but wee rowed downe the streame with the current for that the winde was against vs onely one league and because it was night Anchored till the morning when wee rowed downe to the mouth of the Riuer where wee vnladed all our prouisions and clensed our Pinnaces according to our Captaines custome and tooke it in againe and the same day went to the westward In this returne wee descried a Ship a Bark and a Fregate of which the Ship and Fregate went for Carthagene but the Bark was bound to the Northwards with the winde easterly so that wee imagined she had some gold or treasure going for Spaine therefore wee gaue her chase but taking her and finding nothing of importance in her vnderstanding that she was bound for Sugar and Hides wee let her goe and hauing a good gale of winde continued our former course to our Ship and company In the way between Carthagene and Tolou we tooke fiue or six Fregates which were laden from Tolou with liue Hogs Hens and Maiz which wee call Guynie wheate of these hauing gotten what intelligence they could giue of their preparations for vs and diuers opinions of vs wee dismissed all the men only staying two Fregates with vs because they were so well stored with good victuals Within three dayes after wee arriued at the place which our Captaine chose at first to leaue his Ship in which was called by our Company Pâ—râ— plenty by reason we brought in thither continually all manner store of good victuals which we tooke going that way by Sea for the victualling of Carthagene and Nombre de Dios as also the Fleetes going and comming out of Spaine so that if wee had beene two thousand yea three thousand persons wee might with our Pinnaces easily haue prouided them sufficient victuall of Wine Meale Ruske Cassauy a kinde of Bread made of a roote called Yucca whose juyce is poyson but the substance good and wholesome dryed Beefe dryed Fish liue Sheepe liue Hogs aboundance of Hens besides the infinite store of dainty fresh fish very easily to be taken euery day Insomuch that wee were forced to build foure seuerall Magazines or store-houses some tenne some 20. leagues a sunder some in Ilands some in the maine prouiding our selues in diuers places that though the Enemy should with force surprize any one yet wee might be sufficiently furnished till wee had made our voyage as we did hope In building of these our Negroes helpe was very much as hauing a speciall skill in the speedy erection of such houses This our store was such as thereby wee releeued not onely our selues and the Symerons while they were with vs but also two French Ships in extreame want For in our absence Captaine Iohn Drake hauing one of our Pinnaces as was appojnted went in with the maine and as he rowed a loofe the shoare where hee was directed by Diego the Negroe aforesaid which willingly came vnto vs at Nombre de Dios hee espyed certaine of the Symerons with whome he delt so effectually that in conclusion he left two of our men with their Leader and brought aboard two of theirs agreeing that they should meete him againe the next day at a Riuer midway betweene the Cabezas and our Shippes which they named Rio Diego These two being very sensible men chosen out by their Commander did with all reuerence and respect declare vnto our Captaine that their Nation conceiued great joy of his arriuall because they knew him to be an enemy to the Spaniards not only by his late being in Nombre de Dios but also by his former voyages and therefore were ready to assist and fauour his enterprises against his and their Enemies to the vttermost and to that end their Captaine and Company did stay at this present neere the mouth of Rio Diego to attend what answere and order should be giuen them that they would haue marched by land euen to this place but that the way is very long and more troublesome by reason of many steepe Mountaines deepe Riuers and thicke brakes desiring therefore that it might please our Captaine to take some order as hee thought best with all conuenient speed in this behalfe Our Captaine considering the speech of these persons and waighing it with his former intelligences had not only by Negroes but Spaniards also whereof hee was alwayes very carefull as also conferring it with his brothers informations of the great kindenesse that they shewed him being lately with them after he had heard the opinions of those of best seruice with him what were fittest to be done presently resolued hmselfe with his brother and the two Symerons in his two Pinnaces to goe toward this Riuer as he did the fame euening giuing order that the Shippe and the rest of his Fleet should the next morning follow him because there was a place of as great safety and sufficiency which his brother had found out neere the Riuer The safety of it consisted not only in that which is common all along that coast from Tolou to Nombre de Dios being aboue sixty leagues that it is a most goodly and plentifull Countrey and yet inhabited not with one Spaniard or any for the Spaniards but especially in that it lieth among a great many of goodly Ilands full of Trees where though there be channels yet there are such Rockes and shoales that no man can enter by night vvithout great danger nor by day vvithout discouery vvhereas our Ship might lye hidden vvithin the Trees The next day vve arriued at this Riuer appointed vvhere vve found the Symerons according to promise the rest of their number vvere a mile vp in a vvood by the Riuers side There after vve had giuen them entertainement and receiued good testimonyes of their joy and good vvill tovvards vs vve tooke tvvo more of them into our Pinnaces leauing our two men vvith the rest of theirs to march by land to another Riuer called Rio Guana vvith intent
there to meete vvith another Company of Symerons vvhich vvere novv in the Mountaines So vve departed that day ftom Rio Diego vvith our Pinnaces tovvards our Shippe as maruelling that shee follovved vs not as vvas appointed But tvvo dayes after vvee found her in the place vvhere vve left her but in farre other state being much spoiled and in great danger by reason of a tempest she had in our absence As soone as vve could trimme our Shippe being some tvvo dayes our Captaine sent avvay one of his Pinnaces tovvards the bottome of the Bay amongst the shoales and sandy Ilands to sound out the channell for the bringing in of our Shippe neerer the maine The next day vvee follovved and vvere vvith vvary pilatage directed safely into the best channell vvith much adoe to recouer the Roade among so many flats and shoales It vvas neere about fiue leagues from the Catiuaas betvvixt an Iland and the maine vvhere vve moared our Shippe The Iland vvas not aboue foure Cables length from the maine being in quantity some three Acres of ground flat and very full of Trees and bushes Wee vvere forced to spend the best part of three dayes after our departure from our Port plenty before we were quiet in this new-found Road which wee had but newly entred when our two men and the former Troupe of Simerons with twelue other whom they had met in the Mountaines came in sight ouer against our Shippe on the maine whence wee fet them all aboard to their great comfort and our content they rejoycing that they should haue some fit opportunity to wreake their wrongs on the Spaniards wee hoping that now our voyage should be bettered At our first meeting when our Captaine had moued them to shew him the meanes which they had to furnish him with gold and siluer they ansvvered plainely that had they knowne gold had bin his desire they could haue satisfied him with store which for the present they could not doe because the Riuers in which they had suncke great store which they had taken from the Spaniards rather to despite them then for loue of gold were now so high that they could not get it out of such depthes for him and because the Spaniards in these rainy months doe not vse to cary their Treasure by land This answere although it were somewhat vnlooked for yet nothing discontented vs but rather perswaded vs farther of their honest and faithfull meaning towards vs. Therefore our Captaine to entertaine these fiue months commanded all our Ordinance and Artillery a shoare with all our other prouisions sending his Pinnaces to the maine to bring ouer great Trees to make a Fort vpon the same Iland for the planting of all our Ordinance therein and for our safeguard if the Enemy in all this time should chance to come Our Symerons cut downe Palmiâ—o boughes and branches and with wonderfull speed raised vp two large houses for all our Company Our Fort was then made by reason of the place Triangle wise with maine timber earth of which the Trench yeelded vs good store so that we made it thirteen foote in height But after wee had continued vpon this Iland fourteene dayes our Captaine hauing determined with three Pinnaces to goe for Carthagene left his brother Iohn Drake to gouerne these who remained behinde with the Symerons to finish the Fort which hee had begunne for which hee appointed him to fetch boords and plancks as many as his Pinnace would cary from the prize which wee tooke at Rio Grand and left all the Catiuaas where shee draue a shore and wracked in our absence but now shee might serue very commodiously to supply our vses in making platformes for our ordinance Thus our Captaine and his brother tooke their leaue the one to the Eastward and the other to the Catiuaas That night wee came to an I le which hee called Spurkite Iland because wee found there great store of such a kinde a Bird in shape but very delicate of which wee killed and roasted many staying there till the next day midnoone when wee departed thence And about foure a clock recouered a big Iland in our way where wee stayed all night by reason that there was great store of Fish and especially of a great kind of Shellfish of a foote long we called them Whelkes The next morning wee were cleere of these Ilands and Shoales and haled off into the Sea About foure dayes after neere the Ilands of Saint Barnards wee chased two Fregats a shore and recouering one of the Ilands made our aboad there some two dayes to wash our Pinnaces and take of the Fish Thence wee went towards Tolou and that day landed neere the Towne in a garden where wee found certaine Indians who deliuered vs their Bowes and Arrowes and gathered for vs such Fruit as the Garden did yeeld being many sorts of dainty Fruits and Rootes still contenting them for that wee receiued our Captaines principall intent in taking this and other places by the way not being for any other cause but onely to learne true intelligences of the state of the Country and of the Fleetes Hence wee departed presently and rowed towards Charesha the Iland of Carthagene and entred in at Bocha Chica and hauing the winde large wee sayled in towards the Citty and let fall our Grappers betwixt the Iland and the maine right ouer against the goodly Garden Iland In which our Captaine would not suffer vs to land notwithstanding our importunate desire because hee knewe it might be dangerous for that they are wont to send Soldiers thither when they know any men of warre vppon the Coast which wee found accordingly for within three houres after passing by the point of the Iland wee had a Volly of a hundred shot from them and yet there was but one of our men hurt This euening wee departed to Sea and the day following being some two leagues off the Harbor wee tooke a Bark and found that the Captaine and his wife with the better sort of the Passengers had forsaken her and were gone a shore in their Gundeloe by occasion whereof wee boorded without resistance though they were very well prouided with Swords and Targets and some small Shott besides foure iron Bases Shee was about fifty Tunne hauing ten Mariners fiue or six Negroes great store of Sope and sweet Meats bound from Saint Domingo to Carthagene This Captaine left behinde him a silke Ancient with his Armes as might be thought in hasty departing The next day wee sent all the company a shore to seeke their Masters sauing a young Negrito of three or foure yeares old which wee brought away but kept the Bark and in her bore into the mouth of Carthagene Harbor where we Anchored That afternoone certaine horsmen came downe to the point by the Wood side and with the Scriuano forementioned came towards our Bark with a Flag of Truce desiring of our Captaine
safe conduct for his comming and going the which being granted hee came aboord vs giuing our Captaine great thankes for his manifould fauors c. promising that night before day breake to bring asmuch victuall as they would desire what shift so euer hee made or what danger soeuer hee incurd of law and punishment But this fell out to be nothing but a deuice of the Gouernor forced vpon the Scriuano to delay time till they might prouid ethemselues of sufficient strength to entrappe vs for which this fellow by his smooth speech was thought a fitt meane So by Sunne rising when wee perceiued his words but words wee put to Sea to the westward of the Iland some three leagues off where wee lay at Hull the rest of all that day and night The next day in the afternoone there came out of Carthagene two Fregats bound for Saint Domingo the one of fifty th' other of twelue Tonne hauing nothing in them but ballast wee tooke them within a league of the Towne and came to Anchor with them within Saker short of the East Bulwark there were in those Fregats some twelue or thirteene common Mariners which intreated to bee set a shoare to them our Captaine gaue the great Fregates Gundelow and dismissed them The next morning when they came downe to the Wester point with a flagge of Truce our Captaine mand one of his Pinnaces and rowed a shoare when wee were within a Cables length of the shoare the Spaniards fled hiding themselues in the Woods as being afraid of our Ordinance but indeed to drawe vs on to land confidently and to presume of our strength Our Captaine commanding the Grapnell to bee cast out of the sterne veered the Pinnace a shore and assoone as shee touched the sand hee alone leapt ashore in their sight to declare that hee durst set his foote a land but stayed not among them to let them knowe that though hee had not sufficient forces to conquere them yet hee had sufficent iudgement to take heed of them And therefore perceiuing their intent assoone as our Captaine was aboord we haled off vppon our Grapner and rid a while They presently came forth vpon the sand and sent a youth as with a message from the Gouernor to know what our intent was to stay thus vpon the Coast our Captaine answered hee ment to traffique with them for hee had Tinne Pewter Cloth and other Marchandize that they needed The youth swam back againe with this answere and was presently returned with another message that The King had forbidden to traffique with any forraine Nation for any commodities except Powder and Shotte of which if hee had any store they would bee his Marchants hee answered that he was come from his Country to exchange his commodities for Gold and Siluer and is not purposed to returne without his errand They are like in his opinion to haue little rest if that by faire meanes they would not traffique with him He gaue this Messenger a faire Shirt for a reward and so returned him who rolled his Shirt about his head and swamme very spedily We heard no answere all that day and therefore toward night wee went aboord our Fregats and reposed our selues setting and keeping very orderly all that night our watch with great and small shott The next morning the winde which had beene westerly in the euening altered to the eastward About the dawning of the day wee espied two Sayles turning towards vs where vpon our Captaine waighed with his Pinnaces leauing the two Fregats vnmand But when wee were come somewhat nigh them the winde calmed and wee were faine to rowe towards them till that approaching very nigh wee sawe many heads peering ouer boord For as wee perceiued these two Fregates were mand and set forth out of Carthagene to fight with vs and at least to empeach or busy vs whilst by some meanes or other they might recouer the Fregates from vs but our Captaine preuented both their drifts For commanding Iohn Oxnam to stay with the one Pinnace to entertaine these two men of warre himselfe in the other made such speed that hee gate to his Fregates which hee had left at Anchor and caused the Spaniards who in the meane time had gotten aboord in a small Canow thinking to haue towed them within the danger of their shott to make greater hast thence then they did thither For hee found that in shifting thence some of them were faine to swim a land the Canow not being able to receiue them and had left their apparell some their Rapiers and Targets some their Flaskes and Calliuers behinde them although they were towing away of one of them therefore considering that wee could not man them wee sunck the one and burnt the other giuing them to vnderstand by this that wee perceiued their secret practises This being done he returned to Iohn Oxnam who all this while lay by the men of warre without proffering of fight And assoone as our Captaine was come vp to these Fregates the wind blew much from the Sea so that wee being betwixt the shoare and them were in a manner forced to beare roome into the Harbor before them to the great ioy of the Spaniards who beheld it in supposing that wee would still haue fled before them But assoone as wee were in the Harbor and felt smooth water our Pinnaces as we were assured of getting the winde wee fought with them vpon th' aduantage so that after a fewe shott exchanged and a storme rising they were contented to presse no neerer Therefore as they lett fall their Anchors wee presently let drop our Grapners in the wind of them which the Spanish Soldiers seeing considering the disaduantage of the winde the likelihood of the storme to continue and small hope of doing any good they were glad to retire themselues to the Towne But by reason of the foule and tempestuous weather wee rode there foure dayes feeling great cold by reason wee had such sore raines with westerly winde and so little succor in our Pinnaces The fift day after there came in a Fregate from the Sea which seeing vs make towards her ranne herselfe a shore vnhanging her Rudder and taking away her Sayles that shee might not easily bee carried avvay But when we were come vp to her we perceiued about a hundred horse and foote with their furniture came downe to the point of the maine where wee interchanged some shott with them One of our great short past so neere a braue Caualiere of theirs that thereby they were occasioned to aduise themselues and retreat into the woods where they might sufficiently defend and rescue the Fregate from vs and annoy vs also if wee stayed long about her Therefore we concluded to goe to Sea againe putting forth through Boca chica with intent to take downe our Masts vpon hope of faire wether and to ride vnder the Rocks called Las Serenas which are two leagues off at Sea as wee
him from his company hee would follow him by Gods grace Thus all throughly satisfied with the sight of the Seas descended and after our repast continued our ordinary march through woods yet two dayes more as before without any great variety But then wee came to march in a Champion Country where the grasse groweth not onely in great length as the knotgrasse groweth in many places but to such height that th' inhabitants are faine to burne it thrise in the yeare that it may bee able to feed their Cattle of which they haue thousands For it is a kinde of grasse with a stalke as big as a great wheaten reed which hath a blade issuing from the top of it on which though the Cattle feed yet it groweth euery day higher vntill the top be too high for an Oxe to reach Then th' inhabitants are wont put fire to it for the space of fiue or sixe miles together which notwithstanding after it is thus burnt within three dayes springeth vp fresh like greene Corne. Such is the great fruitfulnes of the soyle by reason of the eeuennes of the day and night and the rich dewes which fall euery morning In these three last dayes march in the Champion as wee past ouer the Hills wee might see Panama fiue or sixe times a day and the last day wee sawe the Ships riding in the roade But after that we were come within a dayes journey of Panama our Captaine vnderstanding by the Symerons that the Dames of Panama are wont to send forth Hunters and Fowlers for taking of sundry dainty Foule which the Land yeeldeth by whom if wee marched not very heedfully wee might be descried caused all his company to march out of all ordinary way and that with as great heed silence and secrecy as possibly they might to the Groue which was agreed on foure daies before lying within a league of Panama where we might lye safely vndiscouered nere the high way that leadeth from thence to Nombre de Dios. Thence wee sent a chosen Symeron one that had serued a Master in Panamah before time in such apparell as the Negroes of Panamah doe vse to weare to bee our Espyall to goe into the Towne to learne the certaine night and time of the night when the Carriers laded the Treasure from the Kings Treasure-house to Nombre de Dios. For they are wont to take their journey from Panama to Venta Cruz which is sixe leagues euer by night because the Countrey is all champion and consequently by day very hot but from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios as oft as they trauell by land with their Treasure they trauell alwayes by day and not by night because all that way is full of Woods and therefore very fresh and coole vnlesse the Symerons happily encounter them and make them sweate with feare as sometimes they haue done whereupon they are glad to guard their Recoes with Souldiers as they passe that way This last day our Captaine did behold and view the most of all that faire City discerning the large streete which lyeth directly from the Sea into the Land South and North. By three of the clocke we came to this Groue passing for the more secrecy alongst a certaine Riuer which at that time was almost dryed vp Hauing disposed of our selues in the Groue wee dispatched our Spye an houre before night so that by the closing in of the euening he might be in the City as he was whence presently he returned vnto vs that which very happily hee vnderstood by companions of his That the Treasurer of Lima intending to passe into Spaine in the first aduiso which was a Shippe of three hundred and fifty Tunne a very good sayler was ready that night to take his journey towards Nombre de Dios with his Daughter Family hauing foureteene Moyles in company of which eight were loden with gold and one with jewels And farther that there were two other Recos of fifty Moyles in each loaden with victualles for the most part with some little quantity of siluer to come forth that night after the other There are twenty eight of these Recas the greatest of them is of seauenty Moyles the lesse of fifty vnlesse some particular man hire for himselfe tenne twenty or thirty as hee hath need Vpon this notice wee forthwith marcht foure leagues till we came within two leagues of Venta Cruz in which march two of our Symerons which were sent before by scent of his match found and brought a Spaniard whome they had found a sleepe by the way by scent of the said match and drawing neere thereby heard him taking his breath as hee slept and being but one they fell vpon him stopt his mouth from crying put out his match and bound him so that they well neare strangled him by that time hee was brought vnto vs. By examining him we found all that to be true which our Spye had reported to vs and that he was a Souldier entertained with others by the Treasurer for the guard and conduct of this Treasure from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios. This Souldier hauing learned who our Captaine was tooke courage and was bold to make two requests vnto him the one that hee would command his Symerons which hated the Spaniards especially the Souldiers extreamely to spare his life which hee doubted not but they would doe at his charge the other was that seeing he was a Souldier and assured him that they should haue that night more gold besides jewels and Pearles of great price then all they could cary if not then he was to be delt with hovv they vvould but if they all found it so then it might please our Captaine to giue vnto him as much as might suffice for him and his Mistresse to liue vpon as hee had heard our Captaine had done to diuers others for which hee would make his name as famous as any of them which had receiued like fauour Being at the place appointed our Captaine with halfe of his men lay on one side of the way about fifty paces off in the long grasse Iohn Oxnam with the Captaine of the Symerons and the other halfe lay on the other side of the way at the like distance but so farre behinde that as occasion serued the former Company might take the formost Moyles by the heads and the other the hindmost because the Moyles tyed together are alwaies driuen one after another and especially that if wee should haue need to vse our Weapons that night we might be sure not to endamage our fellowes Wee had not laine thus in ambush much aboue an houre but wee heard the Recos comming both from the City to Venta Cruz and from Venta Cruz to the City which hath a very common and great trade when the Fleetes are there wee heard them by reason they delight much to haue deepe sounding Belles which in a still night are heard very farre off Now though there vvere as great charge giuen as
voyage also Though vvee had him in some jealousie and distrust for all his pretence because vvee considered more the strength hee had then the good-vvill hee might beare vs yet vpon consultation among our selues vvhether it vvere fit to receiue him or no vvee resolued to take him and twenty of his men to serue with our Captaine for halfes in such sort as wee needed not doubt of their forces being but twenty nor be hurt by their portions being no greater then ours and yet gratifie them in their earnest suite and serue our owne purpose which without more helpe wee could very hardly haue atcheiued Indeed hee had seauenty men and wee now but thirty one his Ship was aboue eighty Tunne and our Fregate not past twenty our Pinnace nothing neere tenne Tunne yet our Captaine thought this proportionable in consideration that not number of men but quality of their judgements and knowledge were to bee the principall actors herein and the French Shippe could doe no seruice nor stand in any steed to this enterprise which we intended and had agreed vpon long before both touching the time when it should take beginning and the place where wee should meet namely at Rio Francisco Hauing thus agreed with Captaine Tetu wee sent for the Symerons as before was decreed Two of them were brought aboard our Shippes to giue the French assurance of this agreement And as soone as wee could furnish our selues and refresh the French Company which vvas within fiue or sixe dayes by bringing them to the Magazine which was the neerest where they were supplyed by vs in such sort as they protested they were beholding to vs for all their liues taking twenty of the French and fifteene of ours with our Symerons leauing both our Shippes in safe Roade wee mand our Fregate and two Pinnaces wee had formerly suncke our Lyon shortely after our returne from Panama because wee had not men sufficient to man her and went towards Rio Francisco which because it had not water enough for our Fregate caused vs to leaue her at the Cabeças mand with English and French in the charge of Robert Doble to stay there without attempting any chase vntill the returne of our Pinnaces And then beare to Rio Francisco where both Captaines landed with such force as aforesaid and charged them that had the charge of the Pinnaces to be there the fourth day next following without any faile And thus knowing that the cariages went now daily from Panama to Nombre de Dios vve proceeded in couert through the Woods tovvards the high way that leadeth betvvene them It is fiue leagues accounted by Sea betvveene Rio Francisco and Nombre de Dios but that vvay vvhich vvee marched by land vve found it aboue seauen leagues Wee marched as in our former journey to Panama both for order and silence to the great vvonder of the French Captaine and Company vvho protested they knevv not by any meanes hovv to recouer the Pinnaces if the Symerons to vvhome vvhat our Captaine commanded was a law though they little regarded the French as hauing no trust in them should leaue vs our Captaine assured him there vvas no cause of doubt of them of vvhom he had had such former tryall When vve vvere come vvithin an English mile of the vvay vvee stayed all night refreshing our selues in great stilnesse in a most conuenient place vvhere vve heard the Carpenters being many in number vvorking vpon their Shippes as they vsually doe by reason of the great heat of the day in Nombre de Dios might heare the Moyles comming from Panama by reason of the aduantage of the ground The next morning vpon hearing of that great number of Belles the Symerons rejoyced exceedingly as though there could not haue befallen them a more joyfull accident cheefely hauing beene disappointed before Now they all assured vs wee should haue more gold and siluer then all of vs could beare away as in truth it fell out For there came three Recoes one of fifty Moyles the other two of seauenty each euery of which caryed three hundred pound waight of siluer which in all amounted to neere thirty Tunne Wee putting our selues in readinesse went downe neere the way to heare the Belles where we stayed not long but we sawe of what mettall they were made and tooke such hold on the heads of the foremost and hindmost Moyles that all the rest stayed and lay downe as their manner is These three Recoes were guarded with forty fiue Souldiers or their abouts fifteene to each Reco which caused some exchange of Ballets and Arrowes for a time in which conflict the French Captaine was sore wounded with hayle-shot in the belly and one Symeron slaine but in the end these Souldiers thought it the best way to leaue their Moyles with vs and to seeke for more helpe abroad in which meane time wee tooke some paine to ease some of the Moyles which were heauiest loaden of their cariages And because wee our selues were somewhat weary wee were contented with a few barres and quoits of gold as wee could well cary burying about fifteene Tunne of siluer partly in the boroughs which the great Land-crabs had made in the earth and partly vnder old Trees which were fallen thereabout and partly in the sand and grauell of a Riuer not very deepe of water Thus when about this businesse wee had spent some two houres and had disposed of all our matters and were ready to march backe the very selfe same way that we came wee heard both Horse and Foote comming as it seemed to the Moyles for they neuer followed vs after we were once entred the Woods where the French Captaine by reason of his wound not able to trauell farther stayed in hope that some rest would recouer him better strength But after wee had marched some two leagues vpon the French Souldiers complaint that they missed one of their men also examination being made whether hee were slaine or no it was found that hee had druncke much Wine and ouerlading himselfe with pillage and hasting to goe before vs had lost himselfe in the Woods And as wee afterwards knew hee was taken by the Spaniards that euening and vpon torture discouered vnto them where we had hidden our Treasure We continued our march all that and the next day towards Rio Francisco in hope to meet with our Pinnaces but when we came thither looking out to Sea wee savve seauen Spanish Pinnaces which had beene searching all the Coasts thereabout vvhereupon vvee mightily suspected that they had taken or spoiled our Pinnaces for that our Captaine had giuen so straight charge that they should repaire to this place this after-noone from the Cabecas vvhere they rode vvhence to our sight these Spaniards Pinnaces did come But the night before there had fallen very much raine with much westerly winde which as it enforced the Spaniards to returne home the sooner by reason of the storme so it kept our Pinnaces that they could