A LETTER, giving A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISTHMUS OF DARIAN: (Where the SCOT'S COLONY is settled;) From a GENTLEMAN who lives there at present.  
With an Account of the Fertilness of the Soil, The Quality of the Air, The Manners of the Inhabitants, And the Nature of the Plants, and Animals. &c  
AND A particular MAP of the Isthmus, and Entrance to the River of DARIAN.  
EDINBURGH, Printed for John Mackie, in the Parliament-Closs, and James Wardlaw on the North Side of the Street a little below the Cross, at the sign of the Bible. Prince 7 Pence.  
M. DC.XC.IX.   

A LETTER, giving a Description of the Isthmus of Darian, (where the Scot's Colony is settled) from a Gentleman who lives there at present.  
SIR,  
COnform to your Desire, and mine own Promise: I have sent You the following Description of Darian; I was up the Country when the two Gentlemen went for Scotland who brought the News of our arrival: but having now an Occasion I have sent you the following Account.  
You desired a particular Account of the said Darian, long since, And according to your Desire, I have sent a particular Account of the Nature of the Ground, Animals, Fruits, and Trees; and what Minerals they have, with a Draught of the Place, The Habits of their Kings and Queens, The Form of their Houses, The Way of their Fight with the Spaniards and other Enemies.  
Since our safe Arrival We have vieved, transversed, and gone about near an hundred Miles in the Country formerly called Darian: but We have named it CALEDONIA, and there is a Fort very conveniently built, which We call New-EDINBVRGH.  
The Isthmus of Darian is situated in the Main-Land o● America, on the North of the Equinoctial Line, 8 degr. 11 min. Latitude; The Land is narrower from the North to the South Sea, which you will see by the Map: As for the great River of Darian, it is situated something to the Eastward ot the Golden Island.  
The golden Island is but a small place, not much bigger than Inch-Keith in the Firth of Forth.  
There are a great many Islands westward from the golden Island 14. Leagues called Zanblas' Islands.  
The Situation of our Fort does lie very conveniently, having a Bay upon the West, with many small Rocks, which make it inaccessible; On the East, the great River of Darian.  
The Soil is as good here, as in any other place in America; up the Country there are long Ranges of Mountains, well clothed with Trees, which for the most part are Palm, and Yellow-Sanders; The Inhabitants call it Bois de Chandle, or in English Candle-Wood; It burns like a Candle, and serves them with Light while they fish in the Night time. Here grows also Lignum sanctum, or Guiacum, its Virtues are very well known, more especially to those who observe not well the VII. Commandment, and are given to impure Copulations; Physicians drawing hence in several Compositions the greatest Antidote against all veneral Diseases, as also for cold and vicious Humours.  
The Tree likewise that affords Gummi Elemi grows here in great Abundance; As doth Radix Chinae, or Chinaroot;  
There is a Prickle Palm, so called because it is infinitely full of Prickles from the Root to the Leaves; with these Prickles the Indians use to torment the Prisoners they take in Battle, they tie them to a Tree, then takeing these Thorns they put them into little Pellets of Cotton dipped in Oil, and stick them in the Sides of the miserable prisoners, as thick as the Bristles of an Hedg-Hogg: which cause an incredible Torment to the Patient; Then they set them a Fire, and if the tormented Prisoner sing in the Midst of his Torments: He is esteemed a courageous Soldier, who neither fears his Enemies nor the Torture; But if on the contrary, He cry out, they esteem him a Coward, and unworthy of any Memory. This Custom was told me by an Indian, who said He had used his Enemy thus, oftentimes. But to return to the Prickle-Palm, I shall only tell you that these Palm Trees in this only differ from the ordinary Palms, The Leaves are like these of other Palm Trees, only a little bigger, and rounder, and full of little Kernels, as pleaseing to the Taste as the Walnuts in Europe. The Wine-Palm is so called from the Abundance of Wine gathered from it, of an extraordinary Shape or Form for from the Root up half Way, it is only three or four Inches thick; but upward, something above two thirds of its Height; It is as big, and as thick, as an ordinary Bucket, & within it is full of a certain Matter very like a slender Stock of white Cabbage, which is a very juicy of a Liquor much pleasing to the Palate; This Liquor after Fermentation and Settling of the Grounds, becomes very good and clear Wine.  
The Fruit is much like to that of other Palms, but smaller, like Cherries; To write farther of the Trees, it would fill a great many Sheets; But I will only name them: Palm a Chapelet, or Rosary-Palm, so called by the French, and Spaniards; Caremit-Tree, very like our Pear-Tree, very pleasing to the Taste; Genpa-Trees, like to our Cherry Trees; besides these, there are divers other Sorts of Trees, as Cedars in great Abundance, which this Part of the World produces; They are very useful for building Ships and Canoa's, These Canoa's are like little Ferry-Boats, being made only of one Tree hollowed, and fitted, for the Sea: They are so swift, that they may be called Neptun's POST-HORSES. The Indians make these canoas without any Iron Instruments, by only burning the Trees nigh the Root, and then so governing the fire, as nothing is burnt more than what they would have; Some have Hatches of Flint wherewith they scrape or pair off whatsoever are burnt too far, and these by fire only they give that shape which renders them capable of navigating 60. or 80. Leagues with ordinary Security. Here is Basile-Wood, Yaco is another Sort of Tree; Here are a great many Cabbage-Trees, the Cabbage growing on the Top of it. Here grows the Cocoanut, of which the Chacolat is made. Here grows the Pinn-Apple, and a great dale of Plantine, or Sugarcanes, of which they make Sugar; And a great dale of other Trees, which being too tedious to give you an Account of, I forbear; You may have any Trees, Roots, or Herbs, that grow in Europe as well as others that will not grow there, as Mammi; etc. You may have a great dale of Tobacco if you plant, much better than in any Place to the Northward.  
I shall give you an Account of the making Sugar & Indigo in another place.  
Flies as Infects several Sorts of them, these are as big as Horseflies in Enrepe, and denting themselves upon men's bodies, stick and suck the Blood till they can no longer fly, which obliges the Inhabitants to wear continually Branches of Trees to Fan them away; There are a great dale of other Sorts, as Cochinilla's; There are monstruous Adders which are very frequent in these Places, upon which Account I durst neverly on the Grass; Here are very good Land Tortoises, which are very good meat; There are also Crocodiles, I could tell you, a good true story about One of them, but being too tedious I forbear.  
There is a great dale of Dogs, Deer, Rabbits, and Monkeys, and many other Sorts of Quadrupeds, which Ye have not the like of in Europe.  
You have a great dale of all Sorts of Fowls many whereof do not breed in Europe, as Parrots; They make their Nests in Holes of Palmito Trees, which Holes are before made by other Birds, for they are not capable of excavating any wood tho' never so soft, having their own Bills too crooked and blunt; Hence provident Nature hath supplied them with the Labour of other Birds called Carpenteros, or carpenters; These are no bigger than Sparrows: Yet having such hard and piercing Bills, that no Iron Instrument can be made fit to excavate any Tree, though never so solid, and hard; And these Holes the Parrots getting Possession of build their Nests.  
Of Pigeons of all Sorts we are abundantly provided; There is another small Bird here called Cabreros, or Goat-Keepers, and chief feed upon Crabs of the Sea; In these Birds are seven distinct Bladders of Gall, and their Flesh is as bitter as Aloes: Of these We have abundance.  
There are very many Crows, or Ravens, more troublesome, than useful, who make a most hideous Noise.  
We have several fruits & roots very useful, as Potatoes, they dres them only by well boiling them in a Kettle, with fair clean water; Then we cover them with a Cloth for half an Hour where they become as soft as boiled Chestnuts; Of the said Patates we make a Drink called Maiz: They cut them into small slices, and cover them with hot water; when they are well imbibed they press them through a course Cloth, and the Liquor that comes through though something thick they keep in Vessels made for that Purpose; Hereafter settling two or three Days, it works: And having thrown off its Lees, is fit for Drink They use with great Delight, and tho' it be somewhat four: Yet it is very pleasant, substantial, and extraordinary wholesome; The Invention of this is wholly owing to the Indians, as well as many other things found out for the Preservation of Man's Life.  
There is a Root called by the Indians Cazave of which they make a Liquor called Vey-Con much like unto Beer.  
Another Fruit called Bananas, is an excellent Liquor, which in Strength, and Pleasantness of Taste, may be compared to the best Wines of Spain: But this Liquor easily causes Drunkenness.  
We begin now to plant Tobacco for Trade; The Manner whereof is this: We make Beds of Earth 12. Foot square, these they cover with Palmito Leaves, that the Rays of the Sun may not reach the Earth; Then we water them when it doth not rain, as we do our Gardens in Europe; Being grown about the Bigness of young Lettuce: we transplant it into straight Lines in spacious Fields, setting every Plant 3. Foot distant from each other; The Tobacco must be weeded very carefully: seeing the least Root of any other Herb coming near it hinders its Growth.  
There is a sort of Fish which the Indians many times eat of it is much like unto a Cow, because its Head, Nose, and Teeth, are very like to them; They are found commonly where under the Depth of the waters its full of Grass, in w●ich its thought they feed; They have no Ears, but in place of them two little Holes, as wide as one's little finger; Near the Neck thy have two Finns, under which are two Uders like the Breast of a Woman; The Skin is very closely, this Skin on the Back is two finger thick which being dried is as hard as whalebone, and may serve to make walking staffs the Belly is in all things like that of a Cow, as far as the Reins; their manner of engendering is the same with that of a land Cow, the Male being every way like that of a Bull; they conceive and breed but once, but what Time they go with Calf, I could learn; These Fishes have a very acute Sense of Hearing, so as in takeing them the fishermen making not the least Noise do not row unless very slightly, for this reason they use certain Instruments for Rowing, by the Indians called Pagayos with which they row without any Noise to fright the fish while they are a fishing they speak not one to another only make signs, they dart them with Javelins having two Hooks at the End; These fish are ordinarily from 20 to 24 Foot long; Their Flesh is good to eat, being in like in colour to that of a land Cow, but in taste to Pork It hath much Fat, or Grease, which We make Oil of.  
We have also another fish called Tortoise, of an indifferent Bigness, and of a green Colour, their Scales are somewhat hard, and of a very pleasant Taste; There is another Sort somewhat smaller; this Sort commonly keep themselves among the Rocks, whence they crawl out for Food, which is generally Sea-Apples; These other above mentioned, feed on Grass, which grows in the Water on the sandy Banks; Their Eggs are almost like these of a Crocodile, but without any shell, being only covered with a thin film; They are found in such prodigious Quantitys along the shore, that were they not frequently destroyed by Birds, the Seas would abound with Tortoises.  
The Way and Manner of fishing them is as follows; viz. by making a great Nail, or Kind of Dart; this they fix at the End of a long Pole, with which they kill the Tortoises whenever they appear above Water.  
The Indians for the most part are very dextrous in takeing these Tortoises.  
I will give you an Account of our shooting of some Monkeys, and Birds called Pheasants; The Toil of shooting did seem, at least to me, to be sufficiently compensated with the Pleasure of killing the Monkeys, for at these We made ordinarily 15 or 16 shot before We could kill three or four, so nimbly would they escape our Hands, and aim even after being much wounded; On the other side it was a Diversion to see the female Monkeys carry their little Ones on their backs when any Person passed under the Trees-where these Monkeys are sitting; They will commonly squirt their Excrements upon our Heads and ; likewise if shooting at any, one happen to be wounded, the rest flock about him, and do lay their Paws upon the Wound to hinder the blood from issuing forth, others gather Moss from the Trees and thrust into the Wound, and hereby stop the Blood; At other times they gather such or such Herbs, and cheving them in their Mouth apply as Poultties, all which caused in Me great Admiration, seeing such strange Actions in these irrational Creatures, which testified the fidelity and love they had for one another.  
I shall give you an Account, by the way, of the People; I have learned to speak somewhat of the Language by One of them them who can speak tolerable good English.  
I enquired into their Customs, Lives, and Policy: whereof I give you this Account; They are governed by a King, and several Princes: they have generally a great Hatred against the Spaniards, There are a great many persons of them; they are very courteous to any that give them any thing. Here are two Sorts of People of them: The one Sort cultivates the Ground, and make Plantations; these are most numerous, the other is a lazy sort, never seen but at Night: They have Huts that they live in all Day, till Night; they not caring for any other Habitation  
They use no other  than an Apron tied to their Middle, coming down so as to hid their Privitys; such Aprons are made of the Rinds of Trees, which they strongly beat upon Stones till they are sofned; The same they use for Bed-Cloaths, except a few who make them of Cotton, they are whiter than the whitest in Scotland.  
The other is of a Brownish Colour, but very handsome bodies of Men and Women tightly limbed, the Men of them are very dextruous at Bow and Arrow, and very good spears the common Sort use spears of Timber, the points are shod with Iron, or teeth of Crocodiles. They are most dextruous in Swimming, I did never see the like of them in Doucking for they will continue near half an Hour below the Water.  
I could never learn what Religion they have, all I could learn was they neither believe in, nor serve the Devil: as many other Nations in America, do; Hereby they are not so much tormented by him as other Nations are. They are very attentive at our Form of Worship; they did tell me they did not like Spaniard's Religion, for they are as ill as those that worship the Devil, for that Religion can not be good which is so cruel.  
Their ordinary Food consists in several Fruits, a little indian Corn; Fruits, such as Bananas, Racoves, Ananas, Potatoes, Cazave; As also Crabs, and several Fish, which they kill in the sea with Darts, which they are wonderfully dextruous at.  
They are pretty expert in making certain pleasant and  Liquors; The commonest among them is called Achioc, this is made of a certain Seed of Palmtree, bruised and steeped in hot water, till it be settled at the Bottom. This Liquor being strain, d off, hath a pleasant ta●e, and is very nourishing. Other sorts of liquors they prepare, which I shall omit for brevity; only I'll say something of that made of Platanoes These they knead hot with water, and then put into great Calabashes, full of cold water for eight Days, during which it ferments as well as the best wine. This Liquor they drink for Pleasure, and as a great Regale, so that when they invite any of their Friends, or Relations, they cannot treat them better than with this pleasant Drink.  
They are very unskilful in dressing Victuals; so that they very seldom treat one another with Banquets. But when they invite others they desire them to come and drink of their Liquors. Before the invited Persons come to their House, those that expect them, comb their Hair very well, and anoint their Faces with the Oil of Palm, mixed with a black Tincture which renders them very hideous, The women, also dawb their Faces with another Sort of Stuff, which makes them look is red as Crimson. And such are their greatest Ornament, and Attire, Then He that invites, takes his Arms, which are three or four Azagayas, and goes out his Cottage 3 or 400 Steps, to wait for, and receive the invited persons. As soon as they draw nigh, he falls down on the Ground, lying flat on his Face, without any Motion, as if he were dead; being thus prostrate, the invited Friends take him up, and set him on his Feet, and go altogether to the Hutt. Here the Persons invited, use the same Ceremony falling down to the Ground, as the Inviter did before. But he lifts them up one by one, and giving them his Hand, conducts them into his Cottage, where he causes them to sit. The Women on these Occasions use few, or no Ceremonies.  
Being thus brought into the House, they are presented every one with a Calabash, of about two Pynts of Scotish Measure, full of Achioc almost as thick as Water-Gruel, or Children-Pap. These they are to drink off, and get down at any Rate.  
These Calabashes being emptied, the Master of the House, with many Ceremonies, goes about the Room, and gathereth his Calabashes. And this Drinking hitherto is reckoned but one welcome. Afterwards, they drink of the Achioch above mentioned, to which they were invited.  
Then follow many Songs and Dances, and 1000 Caresses, to the Women; So that oftentemes, for a Testimony of their great Love, they take their Darts, and with the points, they pierce and wound their genital parts. This I could believe, though often affirmed to me, till my own Eyes were Witness of these and the like actions. Neither only on this Occasion do they use this Ceremony of piercing their Genitals, but also when they make love to any Woman, thereby to let them understand the Greatness of their Affection, and Constancy.  
They marry not any young Maid without the Consent of her Paients. If any desires to take a Wife; he is first examined by the Damsels Father concerning feveral Sorts of good Husbandry. These are commonly, whether He can make Azagayas, Darts for fishing; or spin a certain Thread, which they use about their Arrows. Having answered to Satisfaction, the Examiner calls to his Daughter, for a little Cabalash full of Achioc. Of this he drinks first; then gives the Cup to the young Man; and He to the Bride, who drinks it out and with this only Ceremony the Marriage is made. When any one drinks to the Health of another, the second Person is to drink out the Liquor, lest in the Calabash, but in Case of Marriage, as was said, it is consumed only among them three: And the Bride always obtaining, by far, the greater share.  
When the Woman lies in, neither She nor her Husband observe the Time, costomarie among the Carribes; But as soon as the Woman is delevered, she goes to the next River, Brook or Fountain, and washes the newborn Creature, swathing it up in certain Rulers, or Swath-Bands, there called Cabalas. This done she goes about Her ordinary Labour. When the Man dies, his Wife buries Him with all his Azagayas, Aprons, and Ear-Jewels; and comes every Day to her Husband's Grave bringing Him Meat, and Drink, for a whole Year after.  
Their Years they reckon by Moons, allowing fifteen to every Year, which makes their entire Circle, as our twelve Months, do ours.  
Some Writers of the Carribbe-Islands, affirm, that this Ceremony, of carrying of Victuals to the Dead, is general among them; and that the Devil comes to the Sepulchers, and carries away the Meat and Drink. But I know the contrary, having myself taken away these Offerings, and eaten them; for I knew that the Fruits used on these Occasions, were of the choicest, and the Liquors of the best Sort. The Widow having completed her Year, opens the Grave, and takes out all her Husband's Bones; These she scrapes, and washes very well & puts them in a Cabala, or Satchel, & is obliged for another year to carry them upon her Back all Day, and to sleep upon them all Night, till the Year be out. Then she hangs up the Bag and Bones, against the Pest of her own Door, if she be a Mistress of an House, if not she hangs them at the Door of her next Neighbour, or Relations.  
The Widows cannot marry the second time, according to their Customs, till after two Years End; the Men are bound to perform no such Ceremonies for their Wives; But if any Pirrat marry an indian Woman, she is bound to do in all things as if he were an Indian.  
I shall proceed now to give you an Account of the Men, Women, and their Habits;  
They wear as an Ornament in their Noses, a Gold, or Silver-Plate, in Form of an Half-Moon; which when they drink, they hold up with one Hand, while they lift up the Cup with the other. The Men paint themselves sometimes with Streaks of Black, and the Women with Red. The Women have in their Noses a pretty thick Ring of Gold or Silver and cover themselves with a Blanket only. They are generally well featured: Among whom I saw several fairer than the fairest in Europe, with Hair as white as the finest Flax. 'Tis reported of them, that they see better in the Dark, than in the Light.  
I shall further give You an Account of our going up the country to their King or chief Captain; we marching from our Fort with Captain Andraeas, and other of their Princes: We began our March towards their head Place, where their King resided, first through a small Skirt of a Wood, and then over a Bay almost three Miles, or a League in Length. After that We went about six or seven Miles up a woody Valley, and We saw here and there some old Plantation, and had a very good Path to march in. There we came to the side of a River, which in most places was dry, and built Us Houses, or rather Huts, to lodge in.  
The Indians forbade us to lie upon the Grass, for Fear of monstruous Adders, which are very fiequent in those places.  
Breakeing some of the Stones that lay in the River, We found them shine with Sparks of Gold; These Stones were driven down from the neighbouring Mountains in Time of Floods.  
The next day of our March We mounted a very steep Hill, and on the other side, at the Foot thereof, We rested on the Bank of a River, which Captain Andraeas told us, ran into South Sea, being the same River on which the Town of Santa Maria was situated. Hence We continued our March till about Noon, and then ascended another Mountain, far higher than the former; Here We were often, and in many places in great Danger, the Mountain being so nigh to a Perpendicular, and the Path so narrow, that but one Man at a Time could pass, We arrived in the Evening on the other Side of ihe Mountain, and lodged again by the Side of the same River.  
Next Morning, We marched all along the River , crossing it often, almost at every half Mile, sometimes up to the Knees, and at other times up to the Middle, in a very rapid current. About Noon we came to a place, where we found some Indian Houses. These were very large, and neat: The sides were built of Cabbage-Trees, and the Roofs of wild: Canes, thatched with Palmito-Royal; They had many Partitions, or distinct Ground-Roomes, but no Ascent by Stairs. At this place were four of these Houses together, all within a Stone's throw of one another, each of them having a large Plantain Walk before it. Half a Mile from this place, lived the King, or chief Captain of the Indians of Darian when came to visit Us in Royal Robes, with his Queen. and Family. His Crown was made of small white Reeds curiously woven, having no other Top than its lining, which was red Silk. Round about the middle of it was a thin plate of Gold, about two Inches broad, laced behind, in which stuck two or three Ostrich Feathers. About this Plate went also a Row of golden Beads, which were bigger than ordinar Pease; underneath which was seen the red lining of the Crown. In his Nose he wore a large Plate of Gold, in Form of an half- Moon; and in each Ear a great gold Ring, nigh four Inches diameter with a round thin plate of Gold of the same Breadth, having an small Hole in the Centre, by which it hung to the Ring. He was covered with a thin white Colton Robe, reaching to the small of his Legs, and round its Bottom a Frienge of the same, three Inches deep; so that by reason of the length of this Robe, We could see no farther than his naked Ankles. In his Hand He had a long bright Lance as sharp as any Knife. With Him He had three Sons each of them having a white Robe, and their Lances in their Hands, but standing bareheaded before Him; as also did eight or nine Per on's more of his Retinue, or Guard.  
His Queen wore a red Blanket, which was closely girt about her waist, and another that came loosely over her head and shoulders. She had a young child in her Arms, & two Daughters walked by her, with their Faces almost covered with strips, or streaks of red, and about their Necks, and Arms almost loaden with small Beads of several Colours. These Indian Women of Darian, are generally very free, airy, & brisk; yet withal very modest, and cautious in their Husband's Presence, of whose Jealousy they stand in Fear. With these Indians We made an Exchange, or had a Truck, as it is called, for Knives, Pins, Needles, or any suchlike Trifles; but in our Dealing with them we found them to be very cunning.  
He gave Us a Calabash full of Liquor which they make of Plantans; This sort of Fruit is first reduced to Mash, then laid betwixt Leaves of the same Tree, and so used with Warer. After which Preparation, they call it Miscelaw. On our March hither We found in our Way, here, and there, an House or two, whose Owners commonly stood at the door and gave, as we Passed by, to every one of Us, either a ripe Plantain, or else a Cazave, or some other sweet and pleasant Root.  
This Captain or King, is the head of their other Captains when they go to Battle against the Spaniards, somewhat to the  of this Place is a pleasant Plain, the general. Place the Indians rendezvous in.  
I shall now give You an Account of the rest of their Captains.  
Captain Ambrosio commands from the River Pinas, Bononos, Mango, and Cocos, to the Samblas, He is a Man above sixty, but strong and vigorous, a mortal Enemy to the Spaniards, with whom He has had long War; He is esteemed the bravest, and most successful of all their Commanders on every Occasion; He's of a middle Size, well made, strongly limbed, and of a grave, and somewhat stern Countenance.  
He has a Son in law, one Pedro, a brisk little Fellow who speaks good Spanish, having been a Slave to them at Panama for several Years, and who can never forget, nor forgive, their Usage of him there.  
Captain Diego commands from the Bottom of the Gulf of Vraba on this side to Caret-Bay, and has about 3000. Men under his Command; He is esteemed the most powerful amongst them, and has been at War with the Spaniard about a twelve Month. The Occasion was this: The Indians having found three Gold Mines within his Jurisdiction, being two small ones, and a very great Vein, consulted with themselves what to do; And being sensible that they did not understand how to work them, concluded to discover them to the Spaniards, provided they'd allow them such a share of the Profit. This was agreed to, and faithfully promised by the Spaniards, but no sooner had the Indians showed the Mines but they shut up two of them, and put strong guards upon them, and fell to work upon the third, of which the Indians demanding their share, they beat and abused them, calling them their Slaves, and threatened to exterminat them, which provocked them so, that a little time after, they seized upon 20. Spaniards, and 3. Priests, and cut them all to pieces.  
The next to Diego, is one Captain Powsigo of Caret-Bay, He is one of the Indian Clergymen, and commands that Part of the Coast which lies between Caret-Bay, and golden Island; He is but a small Captain; and Brother in Law to Andraeas.  
The Peninsulae which we possess, and which we found uninhabited (nor has it ever been by any heretofore, that we have yet heard of,) lies betwixt his Bounds, and Captain Andraeas'.  
From Golden-Island, to the River Pinas; about a League to the Westward of the Isle of Pinas, Andraeas, and his Brother Pedro command, they are greater than Powsigo, but not so powerful as Diego; yet their united Interests by Consanguinity, together with the Vicinity of their Commands to our Settlement, makes their Friendship of much greater Consequence.  
These People have had a good Correspondence, for several Years passed, with the Spaniards, and have suffered some of them to reside among 'em to give an Account by Land to Panama, from time to time, who were upon this Coast about two months before our Arrival here.  
Captain Ambrosio, who has the adjoining Command, forced them to enter into the common Confederacy, and cu●t off ten Spaniards who lived on the Main of the golden-Island, I distinguish it thus, by reason the Natives call all the Main opposite to the Island, by the same Name that it bears. About a League from the Water side there is an high Mountain wherein they assure Us are several Mines of excellent Gold. The Spaniards are very sensible of this, and from time to time have taken great Care by fair or soul Means, never to let them be opened, well knowing that (being so near the North-sea) they should have the least share of them to themselves.  
Captain Andraeas has often been at Panama, the Mines of Sauta Maria, and the South-Sea; The Spaniards believing he might be useful to them, made Him a Captain, by giving Him a stick tiped with Silver, upon which He values himself above others, and that has (we are apt to believe) endeared Him to their Interests; yet the Love of ones Country, and Liberty is so natural, that we have good Reason to believe that as soon (being a sensible cunning Fellow) as He finds we are able to protect Him, he will hearty join to our Interest.  
Captain Pedro is esteemed by Ambrosio, and all his People whose Daughter he has to Wife, as also two of her Daughters by himself, which is allowed here, yet it seems that they believe it a Crime, since if they have any children during the Life of their mother, they are buried alive, (I mean the child ren) which is very strange, that the innocent should suffer for the guilty.  
They pressed Us very hard to come and live by them, as also jointly to make war with the Spaniards, whom they would engage upon the Forfeiture of their Heads, if we would assist them with an hundred armed Men, and as many Arms, with 2000 of their own People, to drive. not only out of the Mines, (which are but three Days Journey from this Place,) but even out of Panama itself. We gave them fair words, and promised to go to the Westward with them to vieu the Coasts, and if there were any convenienter Harbour for our ships, we would be their Neighbours.  
The Sanblaz to the River Conception, is commanded by one Corbet.  
Next to Corbet from the River Conception, is one Nicola, a Man who speaks Spanish as well as any natural Spaniard, having been for about a dozen of Years of his Youth among them; He likewise reads and writes it perfectly, and understands the State of Europe very well: which none other of them have any Notion of; He is said to be wise and extremely beloved by his People, for his Justice, and good Nature, in so much that there has been Designs to cut off Ambrosio, and place Him in his Room, for He is of a rough military temper, and often upon slight pretinces makes bold to take away what they have from them; However if they do not love him, they fear him, and his near Alliance, and strike Friendship with Diego in the Gulf, a powerful, and gallant old Fellow, renders Him very secure.  
This Nicola was in good Terms with the Spaniards till about a twelve Month ago, a Trifle made Him broke with them: and 'twas this;  
He had got an excellent French Fuzie from a Buccanier, which He valued extremely: 'Twas somewhat out of Order, nor did He know how to right it again; A Spanish Don from Porto-Bello being at his House, told him he would carry it with Him, and get it mended for Him, which the other consenting to, with a Desire it might be returned as soon as possible, They parted. The Don showed it to the Governor, who liked it extremely, and said 'twas too good for an Heathen; So ordered an old rusty Match-Lock to be sent in Lieu. This He took so heinously, that He fell upon the Spaniards wherever He sound 'em, and cut them off, neither is He to be reconciled to them.  
Ambrosio who all the rest allow to be the most daring, and brave, as also the most faithful to his Promise; being a true Friend, and a most inveterat Enemy to the Spaniards: keeps Him within Bounds.  
From the mouth of the River Coco, about a good League We went to Ambrosio's House, it standing upon the Bank of this River, with about ten or a Dozen lesser Houses about it. When We came near, Ambrosio advanced about fifty Paces, with twenty Followers, all clothed in white lose Frocks, with Fringes round the Bottom, and Lances in their Hands.  
He saluted Us kindly, and gave Us a Calabash full of Liquor almost like Lambs-Wool, which they call Mishlow, being made of Indian Corn, and Pa●tatoes. This they get drink withal often; Before the house, about twenty Paces it was very smooth and clean. The house was about ●0. Foot in Length, 35. in Breadth, and 30. in Height. I was curiously thatched with Palmetto-Royal, and over that Cajan Leavs, The Floor was of a firm Earth, like Terrace, very smooth, and clean. The Sides were of large Canes, about the Bigness of a Man's Leg, and near an Inch asunder.  
In this House live Ambrosio, and Pedro with their whole Families, in all about 40. Persons.  
There was an old Woman who cooked their Victuals for them, and was very stirring about the House; She seemed to Us to be near sixty. (and was Ambaosio's Grandmother) but upon ask Her Age, We were informed She was an hundred and twenty; We could not believe it, and were persuaded they must mistake in the Computation of Time: but as an infallible Demonstration, they showed to Us the sixth Generation of this Woman's Body in the House, which was indeed very surpriseing; And we were assured 'twas common amongst them to live 150. or 60. Years; Yea 'tis observed those of them who converse often with the Europeaus, & drink their strong Liquors, are short lived  
While We stayed there, Ambrosio, and Pedro went out with their Guns to kill some Fowl for Us; Pedro returned with some Partridges, the largest, and best that e'er I saw, being bigger than our Capons, and exceeding sweet.  
On November 30. Captain Andraeas came a-board the St. Andrew, We waiting an Opportunity of clearing some Suspicions We had of his Correspondence with the Spaniard, We taxed Him with it, and He ingeniously confessed that the Spaniards had been friendly to Him, and had made Him a Captain; that He was obliged for his Safety to keep fair with them, They assureing Him We were nothing but Privateers, who had no Design to settle, but to plunder both Spaniards, and Indians, and be gone in two or three months' time, as they used to do, and if so, if He assisted Us in any Measure, as soon as We were gone, they'd destroy both Him, and His.  
We gave Him all possible Assurances of the Contrary, so that He was fully satisfied, and desired we would give Him a Commission, and receive Him, and his People into our Protection; which if we did, He'd give Us all his Right to his part of the Country. Whereupon a Commession was ordered for Capt. Andraeas, and being read and approven of, it was delivered to Him.  
The Commission being read, and rendered Verbatim to Him in Spanish, He agreed to every Article: then before 7 or 8 of his own People, and several of ours, it was delivered unto Him with a broad basked-hilted Sword, and a Pair of Pistols, with which He solemnly promised to defend Us to the last Drop of His Blood, against all our Enemy's.  
Upon Advice of the K. of Spain's Indisposition, Count Montizeuma Viceroy of Mexico, born in that Kingdom, and of the Race of these great Emperors, had made such an Interest that 'tis not to be doubted that he will speedily set up for himself.  
Carthagean has likewise been in a civil War, which is only covered, not quenched.  
At Porto-Bell about 700. Slaves got into a Body, which in a little time increased to above 1500. The Governor not being able to suppress them, was forced to come to very dishonourable Terms, viz. to allow them to be a free People, independent o● the Spaniards, and only called their Friends.  
Captain Powsigo of Caret-Bay, told us of several Gold-Mines within two Miles of us, and showed us a Sample of the Gold, which was extraordinary fine.  
FINIS.