University of California Berkeley 
 

See page 16. 
 
THE 
 
 Unfortunate 
 
 OR A 
 
 FAITHFUL NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DISTRESSES AND ADVENTURES 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN C.OCKBURN, 
 
 AND FIVE OTHER ENGLISH MARINERS, 
 
 Who were taken by a Spanish Guarda Costa, and set on shore at 
 Porto Cavallo, naked and wounded. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 A JOURNEY OVER LAND FROM THE GULF OF HONDURAS TO 
 THE GREAT SOUTH SEA : 
 
 As also, 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE TRIBES 
 
 OF INDIANS INHABITING A TRACT OF TERRITORY 
 
 2000 MILES IN EXTENT. 
 
 A NEW EDITION. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 
 PRINTED FOR WAUGH & INNES, 
 
 BOOKSELLERS TO HIS MAJESTY. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 J. HE ensuing history is so full of extraordin- 
 ary events, surprising deliverances, and such 
 a variety of accidents, that there is no question 
 but the reader will be most agreeably amused 
 and entertained in the perusal of it. The cha- 
 racter of the author, which is too well esta- 
 blished to suspect him guilty of any fallacy, 
 secures the work from the imputation of fa- 
 bulous ; and the narration itself is told in so 
 simple and easy a manner, that the meanest 
 capacity will find no difficulty in understand- 
 ing every part of it. Every page he reads 
 will afford delight and wonder ; and the far- 
 ther he proceeds, the more will he be aston- 
 ished at the surprising occurrences he meets 
 with. But this is not all : the story is full of 
 instruction ; and whoever reads it with atten- 
 tion may improve his understanding, at the 
 same time that he pleases his fancy. Here 
 is a kind of new world unfolded to his view; 
 a strange people, with as strange customs, laws, 
 and manners; places we never heard of before, 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 nor ever should, had the Spaniard been so 
 cunning as to have prevented Mr Cockburn 
 from finishing his travels. But Providence 
 brought him safe through all the imminent 
 dangers he encountered; with a design, no 
 doubt, that by his information we might be 
 better acquainted with those hitherto unknown 
 countries ; and it is our fault if we do not im- 
 prove the lights here given us to a national 
 advantage. The Spaniard is more jealous of 
 his Indies than of his own native country ; 
 and with reason, for from thence only it is 
 that he supports his grandeur in Europe. 
 We need not therefore wonder that he keeps 
 so jealous an eye upon every stranger who 
 presumes but to set foot on those remote 
 regions. But it is to be hoped Englishmen 
 will not be always blind to their own interest; 
 but let the examples of their brave ancestors, 
 the Drakes, Hawkins's, Forbishers, Raleighs, 
 &c. animate them to some noble enterprise, 
 that shall make the Spaniards tremble, and fill 
 every English heart with joy and gladness. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 IN the reign of George the Second, I saw, 
 for the first time, the book called " THE UN- 
 FORTUNATE ENGLISHMEN/' Lord Bute had a 
 copy of it. He said that I might take it home, 
 and give him my opinion of the book when we 
 met; for most people believed that it had been 
 written by one of those authors who were em- 
 ployed by the booksellers to write a history of 
 their travels, though they have never been out 
 of London. 
 
 It remained doubtful, whether the book 
 called " THE UNFORTUNATE ENGLISHMEN," 
 was a true story, or altogether fabulous, till the 
 Spanish ambassador told Lord Bute, that he 
 was very well acquainted with the person who 
 had been governor of Panama in the year 1732, 
 when Cockburn arrived there, and his com- 
 panions, (who had arrived some time before 
 Cockburn) that he had seen and examined 
 them all, and believed the story to be true. 
 
 JOHN HOME, 
 
 AUTHOR OF DOUGLAS, &c. 
 
 North Hanover Street, 
 Edinburgh, 2ktk Nov. 1803. 
 
UNFORTUNATE ENGLISHMEN. 
 
 ON the* 17th of January, in the year 1730, 
 \ve embarked on board the John and Anne, 
 Edward Burt, master, bound from London to 
 Jamaica, and elsewhere. In about 49 days 
 after our departure from London, we arrived 
 at Bluefield in Jamaica, where we wooded and 
 watered our ship, and on the 19th of March 
 following, set sail from thence to the south- 
 ward. March 23d, being in the latitude of 16 
 north, and near an island called Swan Island, 
 about four o'clock in the afternoon, we disco- 
 vered two sloops making sail after us. The 
 next morning, one of them, called the Two 
 Brothers, came up with us. The vessel was 
 Rhode-Island built, with 18 guns, and about 
 90 men, mostly Spaniards, and commanded by 
 Captain Johnson the pirate, an Englishman, 
 and Pedro Polias, a Spaniard. We had not 
 above 25 men on board of us, and only eight 
 carriage and ten swivel guns, besides some 
 small arms. At first they showed us no co- 
 lours, but at length hoisted a Spanish flag, and 
 fired at us. As we had all along been appre- 
 
8 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 hensive we were going to be attacked, so we 
 had cleared our ship, and put ourselves into a 
 condition to make the best defence we could, 
 and therefore returned the assault, by giving 
 them a broadside, and several volleys of small 
 shot ; whereupon we came to an engagement, 
 fighting board and board near the space of 
 five hours, till being boarded on the starboard 
 quarter, we were obliged to quit the deck, and 
 fly to close quarters ; but, as most of our men 
 were already wounded, we were in no way to 
 make any long resistance in this posture; but 
 we were resolved to keep the enemy off as long 
 as possible, and not yield, while we were able 
 to hold a weapon in our hands ; and thus we 
 defended ourselves for some time. At last our 
 captain seeing us much overpowered, and that 
 it was in vain for men in our condition to at- 
 tempt any thing further, thought it most ex- 
 pedient to call for quarter, which, they said, 
 they were willing to give, if we would strike. 
 Upon which we laid down our arms, and they 
 immediately boarded us, which they had no 
 sooner done, than, with sword in hand, they 
 laid about them on all sides, cutting and 
 slashing us in a most barbarous manner ; and 
 not satisfied with that, swore bitterly they 
 would hang every soul of us. We were then 
 stripped stark-naked, and two of them run- 
 ning up to the main-yard, brought down the 
 studding-sail-tacks for that purpose. Then 
 they commanded us up to the quarter-deck, 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 9 
 
 and ordered two negro men to hang us up by 
 two and two at a time. 
 
 Now the first man they designed to sacrifice 
 to their cruelty was Mr Ball, who seemed very 
 uneasy at his approaching fate, and could not 
 help intimating, that he thought our present 
 calamities were, in a great measure, owing to 
 Captain Burt, by his having been too ready 
 to deliver up the ship ; " For," said he, "had 
 we continued the engagement but a few minutes 
 longer, which we might have done, and was 
 what I so much desired, we, in all probability, 
 should never have come to this end." He 
 spoke after this manner, because we found, 
 after we were taken, that, had we done as he 
 said, the Spaniards must have yielded to us, 
 they having no more than eight shot left. 
 
 But this was no time for disputes ; for we 
 were now (according to all human probability) 
 about to resign our last breath, and thought 
 of nothing less than a reversing of the rigor- 
 ous sentence pronounced against us. Just 
 then going to be executed, Captain Johnson, 
 and one Echlin, another Englishman, that bore 
 a great sway over their companions, strenu- 
 ously, and at once interposed. When these 
 came to our relief, they found BalVwith a hal- 
 ter about his neck, ready to be hoisted up to 
 the yard-arm, and the rest surrounded by 
 several men, that were to see us served in the 
 same manner. To these they rushed up, and 
 in a violent rage demanded what they intend- 
 ed to do with us, saying withal, " They 
 
10 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 thought we had been used cruelly enough 
 already ; and rather than they would suffer 
 any farther violence to be done us, they would 
 lose every drop of blood in their bodies." The 
 others seeing how resolutely bent they were to 
 save us, and knowing them to be men of des- 
 perate dispositions, and whatever they took in 
 hand they would perform to the utmost of 
 their power, thought fit to desist from their 
 enterprise, lest they should raise such a dis- 
 turbance, as might not be easily appeased ; 
 and thus were we suddenly, and in a manner 
 miraculously, delivered from death, when all 
 hope or expectation of life had vanished. 
 
 But soon after this they came to a serious 
 debate among themselves, how to dispose of 
 us without taking away our lives, concluding 
 it not to be safe to let so many men remain 
 among them, that possibly upon some turn of 
 fortune, might be revenged. They therefore 
 resolved, that the best way to get rid of us, 
 would be to maroon us ; that is, set us ashore 
 on some desolate country, and there let us 
 shift as we could. 
 
 Here it may not be improper to give some 
 account of a poor unhappy lady, whose ill 
 chance it was to accompany her husband in 
 this unfortunate voyage. She was the wife of 
 our merchant, Mr Groves, who, and the sur- 
 geon of the ship, were the only persons be- 
 longing to us, that immediately lost their lives 
 in the engagement. This lady was young, hand- 
 some, and of a very courteous and affable car- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. \l 
 
 riage, and beingbig with child,all the ship's com- 
 pany were under a more than ordinary concern 
 on her account. She had been in the hold all 
 the time of our engagement, and as yet knew no- 
 thing of her husband's death, or our common dis- 
 aster; but as there was a necessity for her being 
 let into her present condition, and our time 
 and circumstances not admitting of ceremony, 
 I acquainted her of Mr Grove's death, the 
 taking of the ship, and the ill usage we had 
 all received. Upon this, she immediately 
 dropped into a swoon, and was a long time 
 ere she recovered her senses ; which she had 
 no sooner done, but several Spaniards came 
 down with cutlasses in their hands, and drove 
 her up before them upon deck, and then, in a 
 most brutal manner, fell to tearing the clothes 
 off her back, even till they stripped her in a 
 manner naked, and in that condition carried 
 her into their sloop, where Pedro Polias, their 
 captain, received her, and immediately car- 
 ried her into the great cabin, and there with 
 horrible oaths and curses, insolently assaulted 
 her chastity. The grief that had already 
 seized her, who but some few hours before, 
 believed herself in a happy and flourishing 
 condition, together with this insult on her 
 present deplorable state, drove her beyond all 
 patience ; and her loud exclamations brought 
 Johnson into the cabin. He seeing her in 
 such agonies and nakedness, it wrought on his 
 rough disposition so much, that he ran stamp- 
 ing about with a pistol in his hand, and swear- 
 
12 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ing, that if any one should dare to treat her in 
 such an inhuman manner, or ever attempt the 
 ]east violence upon her, he would shoot him 
 through the head. Then he commanded every 
 one in the vessel to restore what they had 
 taken from her, which they instantly did, not 
 only what they had violently torn off her, but 
 all the wearing apparel she had on board ; 
 after which, he endeavoured to get her all the 
 consolation in his power, promising to protect 
 her as long as she continued with him : but 
 how long that was I know not; or where they 
 carried her, or how they disposed of her after- 
 wards, I never heard. 
 
 Johnson is reckoned a man of great courage 
 and bravery, and for these qualifications is 
 famous in many parts of America, where he 
 is known by the name of Henrique the En- 
 glishman, though he was born in the north of 
 Ireland. Though he has but one hand, he 
 fires a piece very dexterously, laying the bar- 
 rel upon his stump, and drawing the trigger 
 with his right hand. In most of our American 
 plantations, rewards are bid for taking him ; 
 but I am apt to think that will never be while 
 he is alive, for I remember he said, soon after 
 he boarded us, (speaking of the great straits 
 they were driven to for want of ammunition) 
 that, had we held out five minutes longer, he 
 would have shot himself through the head, 
 being resolved that no man should ever take 
 him alive : it seems he always carries two pis- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 13 
 
 tols about him ready charged, in case of a sur- 
 prisal. 
 
 But to return to our own particular affairs : 
 after we were released from death in the man- 
 ner before related, Johnson sent orders for me 
 and two more of my shipmates to go on board 
 their sloop to mend their sails and knot their 
 rigging; but we were not suffered to continue 
 long in that employment, for the next day 
 came three men with a piragua, who (when 
 they had taken us out of the sloop) rowed 
 alongside our ship, and took in ten more of 
 our company, whose names were Richard 
 Bannister, Thomas Rounce, John Holland, 
 Thomas Robinson, John Balmain, John Allen, 
 Thomas Whitehead, William Dennis, John 
 JVJingo, and Lawrence Lomber. Their orders 
 ran to carry us to a little desolate island at some 
 distance off, where putting us on shore, they 
 left us. After we had been upon this island 
 two hours, where we could perceive no possi- 
 bility of subsistence, all of us imagining we 
 must inevitably perish there, and inwardly 
 lamenting our hard fate, though we forbore to 
 discourage one another by fruitless moans, on 
 a sudden, to our great surprise, we saw the 
 boat making towards us which had brought 
 us thither; the sight of which raised different 
 conjectures in our minds, supposing they had 
 either relented, and were sending to fetch us 
 back to the ship, or else that they had resolved 
 to dispatch us immediately on the spot; but 
 upon their approach, we found ourselves both 
 
14 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ways mistaken, for, presenting a naked man 
 to us, whom they had brought under a strong 
 guard, they told us, their business was only 
 to add one more to our number, and then 
 throwing us some small pieces of beef, and 
 some biscuits, in a disdainful manner, which 
 they said was more than we deserved, they put 
 off again. 
 
 The person whom they brought to us, 
 proved to be the gunner of their own sloop, 
 and who (after they had boarded us) was one 
 of the most hotly bent against us, This put 
 us into a fresh consternation. I asked him if 
 he could speak English. He answered no ; 
 but could talk Spanish and Italian very well, 
 being a Neapolitan by birth. Then he pro- 
 ceeded to inform us, that upon a grand quarrel 
 between his two commanders and himself, 
 about sharing their plunder, (although he was 
 a very daring fellow, and very useful to them) 
 they had both determined to maroon him in 
 the same manner they had done us ; he then 
 fell to exclaiming grievously against their in- 
 gratitude for his past services, and uttered a 
 thousand bitter curses on himself, if he did 
 not speedily find out the means to be revenged, 
 which seemed to us to be idle talk and vain 
 threats, there being no prospect we should 
 ever be able to reach the continent, though 
 but at a little distance, and without which 
 there was no hope. He said, " he believed 
 he was much better acquainted with the island 
 than we, and asked, if there were any among 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 15 
 
 us that could swim well." I told him I could, 
 and was ready to undertake any thing prac- 
 ticable towards the preservation of us all; but 
 as to the rest, they were most of them wound- 
 ed, and all incapacitated for desperate under- 
 takings, nor thought of any thing but that 
 they should die there. Then he and I agreed 
 to go to the northern part of the island ; and 
 after a walk of about six hours, we came to a 
 point of land which ran pretty far into the 
 sea: the water between this and the continent 
 is very full of alligators, and about a Spanish 
 mile over. He said, " if it was possible for 
 us to swim to the main-land, he knew several 
 gentlemen of fortune there, (meaning pirates, 
 who commonly make that place their general 
 rendezvous) and that it was most likely we 
 might get a canoe of them, to transport the 
 rest of my shipmates over." We were not 
 long before we came to a resolution ; and so 
 taking each other by the hand, we leaped into 
 the water, and swam away stoutly. We had 
 not gone far, before I yery narrowly escaped 
 having my leg bit off by an alligator; but by 
 the assistance of Divine Providence, we got 
 safe on the other shore. Being thus landed at 
 a place called Porto Cavello, in the latitude of 
 about 16 degrees north, he led me about three 
 miles through a large wood, till we came to a 
 great lagoon, that is, a flow of water from the 
 sea, passing between the mountains. As we 
 waded up this lagoon, we saw two men (newly 
 murdered, lying on the shore, whom by their 
 faces and garb I knew to be Englishmen. This 
 
16 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 tragical spectacle threw me into greater sur- 
 prise and horror than I had ever yet been in ; 
 but he perceiving the consternation I was in, 
 bade me not to fear, and swore by all that is 
 sacred, no man should hurt me ; saying, that 
 those my countrymen were only hid, which is 
 a term made use of among pirates on the like 
 occasion. 
 
 Here we passed by great numbers of man- 
 groves, which are bodies of trees with their 
 branches, but without leaves: there are oysters 
 in abundance sticking upon them, as well 
 tasted as any we have in England : they seem 
 to grow in clusters on the branches ; the rea- 
 son is, the sea sometimes flows almost as high 
 as the tops of these trees, and leaves the spawn 
 of that fish behind it. We found several long 
 boats sunk in this place ; and on the shore, at 
 a distance, we saw a large tent, and a great 
 many men with guns planted thick round 
 them. When we came within hearing, my 
 friend, as I may now style him, called out, 
 desiring them not to shoot at us, telling his 
 name, which I perceived was well known to 
 them. Upon their promise of not firing, we 
 marched up arm in arm, naked as we were : 
 they enquired how he came there in that man- 
 ner, and what dog he had brought with him. 
 Upon answering I was an Englishman, lately 
 taken with our ship and crew by Henricus 
 Johnson and Pedro Polias, and that they had 
 marooned me with twelve more, which we had 
 just left on the island; and adding an account 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 17 
 
 of their ill usage of himself, they immediately 
 fell to cursing, swearing, and demeaning them- 
 selves in all respects (as I thought) like so 
 many furies of hell, offering to shoot me. 
 With that turning swiftly about, he snatched 
 a pair of pistols from a negro who stood near 
 him, and then swore as vehemently as they, 
 that the first man that offered the least injury 
 to me, he would that moment shoot through 
 the head, and continued his rant, till he had 
 bullied them into a seeming good temper; 
 saying, " 1 was one of those who had behaved 
 bravely in defending our ship five hours 
 against them, at great odds ; and that he was 
 resolutely bent not to see me die now like a 
 scoundrel, while he looked tamely on." After 
 this he called for rum, and drank it very plen- 
 tifully, and then threw himself on his face, and 
 fell fast asleep ; but, however, had the pre- 
 caution to keep his newly acquired arms un- 
 der him, that he might be prepared in case of 
 an assault. 
 
 Whilst he slept, which was about half an 
 hour, I sat on the trunk of a tree, at a little 
 distance, dreading what this devilish crew 
 (which was composed of almost all nations) 
 might determine to do with me ; but nothing 
 being attempted, I had leisure to observe 
 abundance of goods of all sorts, lying in con- 
 fused heaps on the ground, with broken masts, 
 tattered sails, and all sorts of tackling, with 
 many other apparent signs of great rapine and 
 violence. 
 
18 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 No sooner did my friend the gunner awake, 
 but he began to swear lustily, that some of 
 them should take a canoe, and go with him to 
 fetch over the rest of the company from the 
 island. At first they protested, that if any of 
 the people he mentioned should dare to set 
 foot where they were, it should cost them their 
 lives ; but after debating the matter awhile, 
 they began to alter their minds, and at last 
 agreed that some of them should go with him. 
 But my misfortune was to be left behind with 
 the rest of the society till their return, who 
 as soon as my friend was gone, ordered me to 
 sit down at a distance, and threatened, if I 
 stirred hand or foot, I was a dead man : this 
 was indeed as great a punishment as could 
 well have been inflicted ; because, under such 
 a restraint, I was no ways able to keep off the 
 vermin, such as musquitoes, and great yellow 
 ants, as large as our bees, which stung to that 
 degree, as soon made me all of a gore of blood; 
 but this was what my tormentors (for so I 
 think I may call them) were not so much ex- 
 posed to, being clothed, and having other 
 conveniences to keep off such filth. After 
 some time, they ordered me to go in a canoe, 
 with two of their own people, up the lagoon, 
 to fetch water out of a large piragua that 
 mounted ten pedteroes, and would sometimes 
 carry forty men, with which I supposed they 
 might take ships. It lay at anchor concealed 
 among mangroves, that grew so thick about 
 it, that it had been impossible for strangers 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 19 
 
 to have found it out. After we returned with 
 our lading, I took rny station as before, not 
 daring to stir without a command so to do ; 
 and I believe, had the bravest man living been 
 in my circumstances, he would have yielded 
 as implicitly to what had been imposed on 
 him. 
 
 Before this recruit of water, I suppose, it 
 was very scarce with them ; for on my offer- 
 ing to drink out of a calabash, a negro did 
 actually shoot at me. Another negro there 
 was who could speak English, and said, he 
 was born at Jamaica, and therefore challeng- 
 ed me as his countryman. This man advised 
 me, as a friend, to go hide myself in the 
 woods, saying, "they would all get drunk, 
 and knock me on the head, and that he hav- 
 ing been taken three years before, was often 
 forced to do so :" but I thought it more ad- 
 visable to run the hazard of dying by their 
 hands, than, by endeavouring to prolong a 
 miserable life, perish in the woods, or be torn 
 in pieces by wild beasts. 
 
 About two o'clock next morning arrived all 
 our men, who had been left at Tiger Island, 
 so called from the great number of those 
 creatures in the woods there. From the time 
 I left them they despaired of ever seeing me, 
 or the face of mankind any more ; nor were 
 we a little rejoiced at this meeting, forlorn as 
 we were, not a man of us having a rag to 
 cover him, but Mr Rounce, whose shirt was 
 so bloody by reason of his many wounds, that 
 
 B 
 
20 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 it could not be got off; and it is remarkable,, 
 that most of his wounds had been given him 
 by the very man whom Providence had or- 
 dained to be the means of our deliverance. 
 
 But, as pleased as we were at the sight of 
 each other, there was one thing which troubled 
 us exceedingly ; our protector was missing, 
 and without his aid, it seemed impossible for 
 to wade through the many difficulties which 
 we knew must needs occur to us. It seems, 
 after he had been with the canoe, and taken 
 our people off the island, he made the men 
 row him about in search of the vessel from 
 whence he had been discarded, and hap- 
 pening to meet with her, he prevailed with 
 the two captains to receive him again; and 
 then ordered the men to return to the place 
 where they left me, desiring them to direct 
 us to any part of the country we should be 
 minded to go to ; and this was the last kind 
 office we received from this generous man. 
 And here I could not help reflecting on the 
 wonderful conversion wrought in the heart of 
 this man, who, though but a moment before 
 our mortal enemy, and going to be our exe- 
 cutioner, was now solicitous, and industrious- 
 ly officious to preserve us ; however harsh or 
 morose he before appeared to us, we now 
 deemed him a man of singular good nature 
 and humanity. 
 
 About noon that day, we dressed the four 
 pieces of beef before spoken of, which our 
 people brought along with them, and thereof 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 21 
 
 made an equal division ; the people we were 
 among not having the bowels to give us any 
 thing to eat, or aught to comfort us, though 
 they wallowed in plenty. Indeed, the next 
 day they granted us liberty to depart, in or- 
 der, as they said, to get a vessel bound for the 
 Havanna, which wonderfully revived our 
 drooping spirits ; but we found afterwards, 
 by sad experience, it was mere delusion all, 
 for no such vessel could we find. They ap- 
 pointed two Indians to be our guides, to a 
 town called Candiliero, who led us over sever- 
 al high and craggy mountains, extremely dif- 
 ficult to ascend, that went very hard with 
 wounded men. 
 
 This was the first setting out of a journey, 
 as we computed, of two thousand three hun- 
 dred miles, which we were to travel barefoot- 
 ed, through an unknown tract of land, (at 
 least to us) which took us up ten months, 
 and I may say sometimes proved insupport- 
 able ; for w r e were all the while exposed to 
 many dangers, and underwent as many hard- 
 ships as was possible for human nature to 
 sustain. I shall now proceed to give as faith- 
 ful an account of every particular as may be, 
 without augmentation. 
 
 In the first day's journey to Candiliero, as 
 we were going through some large woods, we 
 saw great numbers of baboons, which made 
 an unusual noise, and had faces like old men, 
 with beards of a sandy colour, but their pos- 
 teriors were as red as a cherry. In the even- 
 
22 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ing of the same day, we came to a clear spot of 
 ground something like one of our fields : here 
 our guides told us we must rest that night ; 
 but we v/ere disappointed, the place being so 
 infested with variety of vermin,, it was im- 
 possible to have a moment's sleep, or so much 
 as sit down the whole ni^ht, though we had 
 fire in order to prevent annoyances. 
 
 Soon as the day broke, we began to ascend 
 a high mountain, from whence we saw a great 
 gulf, called Gulf Dulce, in the North Sea. 
 Here we met with an Indian man and boy, 
 which they call lookouts, their business being 
 to spy the motions of other Indians, whom 
 their own people are at war with. Shortly 
 after, we met with another Indian man and 
 boy running very swiftly : these belonged to 
 Henricus Johnson, and Pedro Polias, who 
 kept them to run errands to the Spanish go- 
 vernors, with whom they held intelligence. 
 They told us they had been with a present to 
 the governors of Comayagua, and were re- 
 turning to their masters. This evening we 
 came to Candiliero, where the inhabitants (be- 
 ing Indians) flocked about us, as in amaze- 
 ment, and brought us before their king, who 
 was sitting on a carpet spread on the ground, 
 in great state, after this manner : He was sur- 
 rounded by his guards holding spears in their 
 hands, a great many. He demanded of us, 
 with great civility and affable behaviour (in 
 broken Spanish) from whence we came, and 
 where we were going ? To the first I answer- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 23 
 
 ed ; but to the last part of the question, said, I 
 could not tell, but that we were in hopes to 
 have found a ship here bound for the Ha- 
 vanna ; upon which he gave us to understand, 
 that there was no prospect of meeting any 
 shipping here, nor could he support such a 
 company as we, but that he would order a 
 person in the morning to put us on our way 
 to a town called St Peter's Solio, and for our 
 present refreshment, commanded that two 
 roasted plantains should be given to each of 
 us, with skins to rest on that night, which we 
 thankfully received. 
 
 These Indians only cover their private 
 parts, the king himself having nothing on 
 but a pair of drawers ; but when they go to 
 rest, they have a covering made of cotton, 
 which they sometimes wrap themselves in, 
 lying on a hide spread on the ground before 
 a fire ; they rise often in the night to smoke 
 and eat; for they are not able to rest long be- 
 cause of the vermin, which are intolerable, 
 though they use all means possible to keep 
 them off, by suffering nothing to grow near 
 their houses, which are made of cane covered 
 with leaves. 
 
 This town of Candiliero is pleasantly situat- 
 ed, being surrounded with fine cocoa-nut and 
 plantain trees, that are beautiful to the eye; the 
 fruit of which are what the inhabitants chief- 
 ly live on. Plantains are always seen on level 
 ground, growing in thickets, or rather groves, 
 but are commonly called by the natives plan- 
 
24 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 tain walks : their bodies are of a clear green, 
 and smooth as glass, being very straight, and 
 about twenty feet high. The fruit grows at 
 the top, and is covered with great leaves, 
 eight or ten feet long, and four feet broad, 
 and are also very useful to the Indians. The 
 trunk is about three feet in circumference, 
 but so tender that a man may cut it down 
 with one stroke of a knife ; and this is the 
 way commonly made use of by the Indians 
 when they want the fruit, they having no 
 other way to come at it ; and after a tree is 
 cut down in this manner, another will arise 
 from the same root, and in a twelve-month's 
 time come to full perfection, bearing fruit as 
 the former. 
 
 Early in the morning, according to the king's 
 instruction, we set out from Candiliero, with our 
 new guide, the others having left us as soon as 
 we first entered that town. But, however, to 
 make themselves some small amends for their 
 trouble, they thought fit to strip Mr Rounce 
 of his bloody shirt at parting. The same 
 evening we came to St Peter's, a Spanish 
 town, and were carried before the deputy- 
 governor, who, after asking us some ques- 
 tions, said, "he should be obliged to commit 
 us to prison till he could send to the governor 
 of Comayagua, to know what he should do 
 with us." The only favour we entreated of 
 him was, that he would give us something to 
 eat; upon which he said, he would suffer one 
 of us to go about the town to collect charity 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 25 
 
 for the rest. This office I was obliged to take 
 upon me, because there was none of our com- 
 pany besides that could speak a word of Span- 
 ish. The first expedition I made this way, I 
 got some plaintains., and the head of a buffalo, 
 with which I hastened to my fellow-sufferers, 
 whom I found in prison, lying on the ground 
 among strange sorts of vermin, and making 
 bitter complaints of their wounds. Thomas 
 Whitehead died the next day. 
 
 It happened, that a negro-man coming to 
 discourse with us here out of curiosity, was 
 greatly moved with our sufferings, and ac- 
 quainted us, that the governor of Comayagua, 
 who was to determine our fate, was a cruel 
 man to the English, and that he would cer- 
 tainly condemn us all to the mines, as he con- 
 stantly served those of our nation, who were 
 so unhappy as to fall into his hands. This 
 information terrified us to that degree, that 
 Thomas Rounce, Banister, and myself, resolv- 
 ed, if possible, to make our escape out of 
 prison, and try if we could get to some part 
 of the South Seas. We were much troubled, 
 however, to think of leaving our countrymen 
 behind; but hoping the governor would not 
 deal so hardly by them, who were all disabled 
 men, and considering, that if he did, our be- 
 ing partakers with them would be of no 
 manner of service to them, we put our pro- 
 ject into execution unknown to them, and 
 stole out of town about ten o'clock at night ; 
 
26 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 so far the law of self-preservation will pre- 
 vail. 
 
 By direction of the negro, we took a path 
 \vhich led us through mountains that were all 
 on fire, that is, there was nothing growing on 
 them but what was of one continued blaze, 
 that made a dreadful roaring. We travelled 
 thus eight leagues almost scorched to death, 
 and seemingly as though we wandered through 
 the fiery regions of hell. This fire was occa- 
 sioned, as we supposed, with design to clear 
 the road of vermin, and beasts of prey. The 
 next day, after this terrible journey we came 
 to a large savanna or plain, where we saw great 
 numbers of wild cattle. Towards evening we 
 came to a run of water, near the side of an high 
 mountain, of which we drank plentifully, but 
 could find nothing to allay our hunger : here 
 we took up our night's lodging, but having no 
 conveniency to make a fire, we were in danger 
 of being torn by the beasts, which made a con- 
 tinual roaring in our ears all the night. Mr 
 Rounce continuing very bad of his wounds, said 
 he could get no farther : however, the next day 
 we made shift to reach an Indian range or 
 wigwam, where we found two Indian women. 
 On pleading our necessities they gave us three 
 plantains, and some jerked beef, as they call 
 it, that is dried by the sun, they having no 
 salt to cure it. With these good women we 
 stayed till night ; and then came an Indian 
 man, of whom we enquired the way to some 
 town. He, by counting his fingers, and point- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 27 
 
 ing to the moon, made us understand, it was 
 two months' journey to Wattemal, or Gua- 
 timall ; but there was a town, he said, call- 
 ed Santa Cruz, which we might reach in five 
 days. 
 
 So the next morning we set out for it ; and 
 after travelling most of the day through a 
 wood, we came to a great savanna, full of 
 small paths crossing each other every way ; 
 and not knowing which to take, we wander- 
 ed about till night, and then laid us down 
 under a tree, trusting to God to be our pro- 
 tector. 
 
 In the morning, we concluded to go north- 
 wards of this place, and saw great numbers of 
 wild horses, cows, and buffaloes, which had 
 occasioned so many paths. We were, at this 
 time, in extreme want of water ; so that we 
 were forced to chew the grass for moisture, 
 and began to grow very disconsolate, fearing 
 we should never be able to get out of so in- 
 tricate a place. But coming to a very high 
 tree, it came into my head, that if I got up, I 
 might perhaps see some house or wigwam ; 
 so up I got to the very top, but no such thing 
 could I discern : however, as Providence had 
 ordered it, I espied, at a great distance, some- 
 thing like a man on horseback, to which we 
 made all the haste possible, and to our great 
 joy, found it to be a negro on a mule : we 
 presently acquainted him with our distress, 
 and knowing us to be Englishmen, he profess- 
 ed great satisfaction that he could be ser-* 
 
28 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 viceable to us, for he was himself, he said, 
 born in Jamaica : that being a thing those 
 people reckon as much of, as if they had been 
 born in England. Accordingly, he took us to 
 his range, and in a friendly manner brought 
 us milk and plantains sufficient, having cows- 
 hides to sleep on that night, all being very ac- 
 ceptable to us at that time. 
 
 Now it happened, that this man's wife, an 
 Indian woman, was very ill, and lame of both 
 her legs, upon which account her husband 
 was in great affliction, and asked, if e'er a one 
 of us had any skill in surgery ? We said, yes ; 
 and though we could not boast of much know- 
 ledge that way, yet we judged, that the tak- 
 ing away some blood might be of service to 
 her ; but then we were at a great loss for 
 want of a lancet ; but the man got us up a 
 sharp knife, with which Mr Banister let her 
 blood in both her legs, and it pleased God to 
 crown this undertaking with such success, 
 that the next day the woman could make some 
 use of her legs. This so much rejoiced her 
 husband, that he killed a cow for our better 
 entertainment whilst we staid with him, and 
 that we might have provisions when we de- 
 parted, the better to enable us to perform some 
 part of our journey. We staid here four days, 
 helping him to build a new range. He told 
 us, we had four or five hundred leagues to 
 travel before we could come to any part of the 
 South Seas, and that there were but few in- 
 habitants by the way ; he gave us likewise to 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 20 
 
 understand, we should meet with many and 
 great dangers, which he feared would prove 
 unconquerable, and that it would be impossi- 
 ble for us to escape wild beasts, without hav- 
 ing great tires every night where we rested, 
 in order to which he gave us a steel, flint, and 
 some matches made of wild cotton, with a 
 horn to keep them dry in, and a piece of net 
 for the conveniency of carriage. This present 
 was of great service to us throughout our 
 journey, and is part of what I have brought 
 home with me to England. 
 
 Having thus afforded us the best help and 
 instructions he was able, we took our leave, 
 but not without sending his brother to con- 
 duct us out of the savanna, which was, as they 
 said, twenty leagues long, and ten broad, and 
 as level as a bowling-green. In the evening 
 we came to a grove of trees by the side of a 
 pond, where was plenty of old wood lying on 
 the ground, out of which we made a fire, and 
 roasted our beef and plantains; but in the 
 night came such swarms of frogs, toads, and 
 snakes out of the pond, that we were forced 
 to take brands out of the fire, and lay about 
 us to keep them off. In the morning we took 
 QV.r way towards the mountains, and at noon 
 we came to a run of water, where we saw 
 several Indian women, with calabashes hang- 
 ing in nets over their heads, to fetch water. 
 We followed them at some distance up a hill, 
 where were a great many wigwams ; and as 
 soon as they saw us, both women and children 
 
30 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 fell to screaming, and shouting like distracted 
 creatures, and the noise soon brought the men 
 about us, with their bows and arrows in their 
 hands ; but upon our telling them in Spanish, 
 that we were Englishmen, and strangers to 
 the country, and that we only wanted their 
 directions in our way over the mountains, they 
 were pacified, and agreed we should stay with 
 them that night. We endeavoured all we could 
 to dispel the fears the women and children 
 had conceived of us, occasioned only by the 
 whiteness of our skin, and the difference be- 
 tween our features and theirs, which to them 
 was very terrifying, having never before (as 
 they said) seen such strange people as we. 
 
 This place was very pleasant, and surround- 
 ed with fine trees: they told us, it was two 
 days' journey from thence to the entrance of 
 the mountains, whither we wanted to go ; to- 
 wards which in the morning, we set out, and 
 by the way saw great numbers of large mon- 
 keys hanging by their tails on trees, with 
 flocks of birds as big as our swans, the cocks 
 with combs shaped like coronets, and all over 
 beautified with plumage of various colours. 
 About sun-set, we came to a thicket of fine 
 tall trees, bearing fruit as big as an aprici% 
 and yellow as gold ; we found abundance of 
 it lying on the ground picked by birds, on 
 which we ventured, and regaled ourselves 
 very delightfully. This seeming a proper 
 place to take up our night's lodging at, we 
 made our fire accordingly, and rested pretty 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 31 
 
 well that night ; in the morning, the trees 
 were covered over with those large birds, and 
 little creatures no bigger than a man's hand, 
 with faces perfectly like human kind, which 
 to us appeared very wonderful, nor could we 
 ever learn of what species they were. 
 
 All this day we steered our course to the 
 southward, as near as we could guess by the 
 sun, till we came to some very high moun- 
 tains, one of which we ascended; from whence 
 we saw a small plain, and beyond that, moun- 
 tains of such prodigious height, that we could 
 not see their tops. We descended to the plain, 
 when my fellow-travellers asked me, if we 
 were going right? I could only answer, we 
 must trust to Providence, which had hitherto 
 wonderfully protected us. Mr Banister said 
 he was resolved to go back, for that the Indians 
 had directed us into the mountains, only with 
 intent that we should never come out of them, 
 and that, if we proceeded, we must inevitably 
 perish there. As we stood debating, I saw three 
 little things running through the grass (being 
 pretty high) as nimble as deer, but could not 
 distinguish their species ; yet we followed, 
 and observed them to take into a wigwam, 
 whither we made all the haste possible, and 
 found them to be three Indian boys. In this 
 wigwam sat an old man stone blind, on whom 
 the boys had got fast hold, fearing we should 
 do them some harm ; and indeed, when we 
 first entered , the poor children were struck 
 with such fear and astonishment, that they 
 
32 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 trembled, and looked as if we were going to 
 devour them alive. We asked the old man, if 
 we had taken the right way to pass the moun- 
 tains ? He said, no ; and that, if we had at- 
 tempted to go farther, we should certainly 
 have been torn in pieces. He desired us to 
 sit down, saying, that when his family came 
 home he should have something to refresh us 
 with, which was what we very much wanted, 
 and had almost despaired of. After a while 
 came three men and three women, who brought 
 with them a great quantity of honeycomb and 
 plantains : they seemed strangely surprised at 
 us, and asked the old man what we were ? 
 He answered, we were Spaniards ; but, on my 
 telling him we were Englishmen, he said, he 
 had formerly heard of such men, but had 
 never seen any, and was sorry, that now so 
 fair an opportunity offered, he could not gra- 
 tify his curiosity that way. I desired to know 
 how long he had been blind ; upon which he 
 called for a string of berries, bidding me count 
 them. I did so, till I came to two hundred 
 and four : then he said, so many moons had he 
 been blind, that is, fifteen years, nine months. 
 One of his sons being sick, Richard Banister 
 let him blood at the father's request, which so 
 much obliged the old man, that he did not 
 send us away empty of such provisions as he 
 had ; and at our parting, the next morning, 
 he ordered a boy to bring us on our way, 
 strictly charging him not to leave us till the 
 sun was in the meridian, which the boy punc- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 33 
 
 v 
 
 tually obeyed ; and then took his leave of us, 
 with one knee to the ground, and clapping his 
 hands, as the Indian way of bidding farewell. 
 
 After this, we made what haste we could 
 towards the next mountains we were to pass 
 over, and had not gone far before we saw two 
 or three ranges, and therein several Indians, 
 men and women, of whom we desired leave to 
 stay there that night, to which they readily 
 consented, bringing us a mat to lie on. One of 
 them shewed me a lump of gold, asking if I 
 knew what it was ? and saying, we must stay, 
 and help them to get some more such, for 
 that the rains were coming on, which wash it 
 from the mountains. They have dams to stop 
 the water, and cane utensils to sift the gold 
 from the sand, and then running it into little 
 lumps, therewith pay tribute to the king of 
 Spain ; and if any remains, it goes most com- 
 monly among the holy fathers, if they are 
 Christians, leaving themselves but little to ap- 
 ply to their own uses. This proposal, though 
 a golden one, was not acceptable to us ; but 
 our fellow-traveller, Mr Banister, began again 
 to lament bitterly, saying, we were got among 
 heathens, who would keep us starving in these 
 mountains all the days of our lives : however, 
 in the morning, we easily excused ourselves 
 to them, saying, we were obliged to go for- 
 ward with all speed to Gracias a Dios, and so 
 left them, without any attempt made by them 
 to stop us. 
 
 About sun-set, we came to a fine spring of 
 
34 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 water, by which we sat down to drink, and 
 liked it so well, that I believe four quarts 
 a-piece did not excuse us. 
 
 Mr Rounce still continuing bad of his 
 wounds, began to despair of being able to 
 travel farther ; I made a fire, in order to stay 
 here this night, and dressed his wounds. He 
 being much better in the morning, we set out 
 again ; but could not possibly travel far in 
 one day, for the extreme heat, the sun being 
 as it were perpendicular ; and as we had no 
 covering for our heads or bodies, it almost 
 flead us alive. As we went along, we saw 
 abundance of large trees on fire, supposed to 
 be done by the heat of the sun, and met with 
 two Indians, riding on mules, of whom we en- 
 quired how far it was to Vera Paz, or the en- 
 trance of the mountains of Ococingo ? They 
 let us know by signs, that we might reach it 
 by sun-set, and said, they were come from a 
 town called Apaublo, which was about ten 
 leagues beyond the mountains. 
 
 At night we came to the Boke, or entrance 
 of Vera Paz, and discovered a great light, occa- 
 sioned by trees being set on fire by the Indians, 
 as well to preserve themselves from wild beasts 
 that swarm on those mountains, as to serve for 
 a light to them, at least some part of that long 
 dark way to Vera Paz, that they are frequent- 
 ly obliged to pass. 
 
 Vera Paz is a passage between the moun- 
 tains, about twenty feet broad, very rocky, 
 and full of great stones ; one served us to sit 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 35 
 
 on all night, and at day-break we proceeded 
 on our journey, but could hardly discern the 
 day : for the mountains are so very high, and 
 bend so to one another at the top, that we 
 could never see the skies, but were forced to 
 carry brands of fire in our hands, that afford- 
 ed but a very gloomy light in the place. 
 
 Such was the yelling and roaring of wild 
 beasts out of this cavity ; such the horror and 
 gloom of the place we were in ; nay, and such 
 even the sight of each other, by the uncertain 
 light in our hands, that well might we say, as 
 we often did, now are we in the regions of 
 darkness indeed. Every thing that presented 
 itself to us here, was, in reality very terrible ; 
 nor was there a drop of water to be had, so 
 that we were almost dying with thirst ; our 
 feet also were so cut and gored, that it was 
 with extreme pain we underwent that uncouth 
 walk, which lasted us twenty leagues. We 
 were three days and three nights, which were 
 all one here, before we got through, having 
 had little or no respite in all that time. 
 
 On the morning of the fourth day, we came 
 out on a large plain, where were great num- 
 bers of fine deer, and in the middle stood a 
 tree of unusual size, spreading its branches 
 over* a vast compass of ground ; curiosity led 
 us up to it. We had perceived, at some dis- 
 tance off, the ground about it to be wet, at 
 which we began to be somewhat surprised, as 
 well knowing that no rain had fallen for nc.-n 
 six months past, according to the certain 
 
36 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 course of the season in that latitude; and that 
 it was impossible to be occasioned by the fall 
 of the dew on the tree we were convinced, 
 by the sun's having power to exhale all mois- 
 ture of that nature some minutes after his 
 rising ; at last, to our great amazement and 
 joy, we saw water dripping or distilling fast 
 from the end of every leaf of this wonder- 
 ful (nor had it been amiss if I had said mir- 
 aculous) tree ; at least, it was so in respect 
 to us, that had been labouring four days 
 through extreme heat, without receiving the 
 least moisture, and were now almost expiring 
 for the want of it. 
 
 We could not help looking on this as liquor 
 sent from heaven, to comfort and support 
 us under our great extremity. We catched 
 all we could in our hands, and drank very 
 plentifully; and liked it so well, that we could 
 hardly prevail upon ourselves to give over. 
 A thing of this nature could not but excite us 
 to make the strictest observations concerning 
 it ; and accordingly, we staid under the tree 
 near three hours, and found we could not fa- 
 thom its body in five times. We observed 
 the soil grew to be very stony ; and upon the 
 nicest inquiry, both of the natives of the 
 country and Spanish inhabitants, they said 
 there was no other such tree seen throughout 
 New Spain, nor perhaps all America over. 
 But I do not represent this as a prodigy in 
 nature, because I am not philosopher enough 
 tg ascribe any natural cause for it : the learn- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. :*7 
 
 td may, perhaps, give substantial reasons in 
 nature, for what appeared to us a great and 
 marvellous secret. 
 
 When we had walked about four miles from 
 hence, it brought us to a great pond full of 
 fowl, perfectly like our ducks, except that 
 they had red heads, and whistled like black 
 birds. Near sun-set we got into a fine val- 
 ley ; and hoping to have found some Indians, 
 but being disappointed, and having no sort of 
 provision, we were in great extremity. I 
 desired my fellow-travellers to make a fire, 
 to stay here all night ; in the mean time I 
 went to a thicket of trees near at hand, to 
 try if I could find berries, or any thing else 
 to eat, or a little water to drink ; but before 
 I came to the trees, I heard a noise like the 
 falling of water. I followed the sound, it 
 leading me to a great river, but a vast depth 
 beneath me ; however, with much difficulty, 
 I got to it, and found a calabash lying just at 
 the brink of the water. I filled the calabash, 
 and returned to my thirsty companions ; who 
 in the mean time had had the good fortune 
 to find some pine-apples, which made the 
 night pass more comfortably than we expsct- 
 ed. 
 
 The next morning we continued our jour- 
 ney towards some very high mountains, and 
 falling into a small path, kept in it all the 
 day, supposing it to bring us to some Indian 
 town : but instead of that, it led us to a run 
 of water, and there it ended. This fruitless 
 
38 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 walk drove us almost to despair : however, 
 we resolved to go up one of the mountains, 
 and try if we could see any thing from thence. 
 In our way up, we heard the crowing of a 
 cock,, and looking about, espied two Indian 
 ranges in a valley, so vastly steep every way 
 we could discern, that we judged it almost 
 impossible to come at it ; yet we resolved to 
 use our utmost endeavours to get some way 
 or other, and at last accomplished it by scram- 
 bling on our hands and knees. The Indians 
 (for there were several here) who saw us per- 
 form this fete, were much surprised, and in- 
 quired what we were, and from whence we 
 came ? I told them Englishmen, and came 
 from St Peter's Solio, and were going to 
 Wattemall, begging them to give us a little 
 water, and leave to stay there all night. Im- 
 mediately,, one of them brought us a calabash 
 full of milk, and tigers' skins to lie on ; say- 
 ing, that in the morning he would shew us 
 the way to an Indian town. This man had 
 a child bursten-bellied, that I undertook to 
 cure, and accordingly made a truss of cane, 
 and such things as I could get fitting, and fix- 
 ing it on the child, so as I hoped might prove 
 effectual. This so pleased the father, that he 
 killed a fowl, and dressed it for our supper ; 
 and as a further mark of his gratitude, gave 
 me a knife, that ever after proved of great 
 service to us, and I have it still by me. 
 
 In the morning he put us on our way, as 
 he had promised, and told us we might reach 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 39 
 
 it before night. When we had got within a 
 mile of it, we perceived several women coming 
 with jars of water in nets, hanging on their 
 heads. As soon as they saw us, though not 
 till pretty near them, down fell the jars, and 
 away ran the women with great celerity to 
 the town. We supposed the men would soon 
 be upon our backs, which happened accord- 
 ingly ; for at once out they came ready arm- 
 ed with their bows and arrows, two of them 
 having white wands in their hands ; they de- 
 manded, according to custom, whence we 
 came, and where we were going ? I replied, 
 we came from Porto Cavello. Then they 
 brought us before their king or governor, who 
 was himself an Indian : he was sitting on a 
 chair, and many others kneeling on the ground 
 about him. He asked of what country we 
 were? We told him Englishmen, taken by 
 Pedro Polias, and Henricus, our countrymen. 
 We told him also in what manner they had 
 served us, and found he had been acquainted 
 with them at St Peter's. He said there was a 
 town called Gracias a Dios, not above six 
 day's journey from thence, and that a couple 
 of our countrymen lived there, which was 
 very agreeable news to us. Then he appoint- 
 ed us to a range, saying, he would order that 
 every inhabitant in the town should give us 
 something, and punctually performed his pro- 
 mise. The manner of collecting the charity 
 was by the sound of pipe and tabor ; the per- 
 sons appointed for that purpose going from 
 
40 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 house to house, gathering some plantains for 
 us. The tabor was made of a piece of a hol- 
 low tree, covered with a skin, and the pipe 
 of a reed. After staying here two nights and 
 one day, we set out for Gracias a Dios. 
 
 In our first day's journey from hence, we 
 passed over very high rocks, all of fine mar- 
 ble, curiously veined with various colours ; 
 at the bottom of these rocks was a path that 
 led us to a great river. This was what the 
 Indian governor had before told us of by the 
 name of the river Grande, that, he said, we 
 should have occasion to cross to and fro for 
 many days. We got over it with some difficul- 
 ty, on trees that lay across the river, and 
 passed through a grove of bamboos and cane ; 
 and on one side of the grove, on a tall stalk, 
 grew a beautiful flower, somewhat resembling 
 the glory of the sun. About noon we came 
 to a savanna : there we sat down, and rested 
 ourselves ; the sun being so extremely hot, 
 that we could not travel above five leagues a- 
 day. In the evening we came to the side of 
 the river again, where we found the tracks of 
 men's feet, but could not discover the way 
 they went. We agreed to cross it again in 
 quest of them, and on our landing on the other 
 side, as we thought, we found two paths ; one 
 leading up the river, and the other down. 
 We chose that which led down ; but, after 
 a walk of about two or three miles, found our- 
 selves upon a narrow slip of land, with the 
 river running on both sides of us very rapid ; by 
 
ENGLISHMEN, 41 
 
 which we perceived, that instead of crossing 
 it as we imagined, we were only got upon the 
 island in the middle of it. Now the day be- 
 ing far spent, and this no proper place to stay 
 in, nor dare we venture to gain the main land 
 from hence ; so that we were forced to go 
 back, and try our fortune in the other path ; 
 and after we had traversed about as far in 
 that as in the first, we came to a broad clear 
 plat of ground, surrounded by very tall and 
 spreading trees ; and, in the middle, was a 
 little space fenced In with cane, and covered 
 with leaves. Upon examining it, we found 
 some Indian corn that had been erected as a 
 granary or storehouse to preserve the corn 
 from beasts ; and in this place we took up our 
 night's lodging. Here being plenty of wood, 
 we presently made up a great fire, and fell to 
 roasting our corn, and got a couple of cala- 
 bashes, that we took to the river, and filled 
 full of water. We had no sooner done this, 
 than several tigers were seen crossing the 
 water towards us. We ran full speed to the 
 fire, that we knew to be our only security, 
 and reached it before they could come near 
 us. 
 
 It is common for these creatures to take in- 
 to still waters, though they so much dread 
 the raging of the sea, that if it beats violently 
 against the shore, they will not come near up- 
 on any account. We had but a very indiffer- 
 ent night of it here ; for we had such prodi- 
 gious howling, and noises of wild beasts, that 
 
42 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 we expected to have been devoured before 
 morning. 
 
 Soon as the day broke, we got off this is- 
 land to the main, and went on by the side of 
 a mountain till we met with a range ; in which 
 we found a mulatto-man and some Indians, 
 stripping tobacco, of whom we inquired 
 the way to Gracias a Dios. The mulatto 
 brought us hides to sit on ; and after some 
 discourse concerning our misfortunes, I told 
 him our design was to go to some part of the 
 South Sea, where we might meet with an 
 English factory; but he said we had under- 
 taken a journey impossible for us to perform, 
 for that the South Sea was so far off, and we 
 should have so many difficulties to struggle 
 with by the way, that we must of necessity 
 perish in the attempt ; but nothing he could 
 say, was able to divert us from our resolution 
 of proceeding on our journey. Before we 
 too k our leave, they gave us three cakes made 
 of Indian corn, which they call turtiltias, and 
 some tobacco. 
 
 After this, we steered our course to a place 
 called Daggo, and about sun-set came to the 
 river Grande again ; there being a couple of 
 ranges near, having four Indian women, and 
 three children. We desired leave of them to 
 stay there all night ; but the sight of us so 
 frightened them that they made no reply ; by 
 and by, the husbands or relations of these 
 women, that had been out that day to hunt 
 and fish, returned home with what they had 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 41 
 
 caught ; they presently came up to us in a 
 familiar manner, and shook us by the hands, 
 asking if we were Spaniards? but I told them 
 we were Englishmen. Then they took us 
 into a range, and brought us fish and venison, 
 that had been dried in the sun, not forgetting 
 skins for us to lie on. They said, some of our 
 countrymen were here some time since, who 
 were going to Gracias a Dios, but that they 
 died before they reached the place. In the 
 morning (for here we lodged that night) I 
 begged them to give me something to help 
 us on the road ; they brought us a few plan- 
 tains, excusing themselves as having nothing 
 else in readiness to give. 
 
 As soon as we left them, we crossed the 
 river, and passed through a large wood, see- 
 ing great flocks of parrots and mackoys, be- 
 sides several sorts of other birds, that alto- 
 gether made a strange harmony. Here was 
 plenty of fruit as yellow as gold, shaped like 
 an egg, and as big as that of a hen, of which 
 we ate freely, never scrupling about what the 
 birds pecked. From this wood we passed di- 
 rectly over a savanna, there being abundance of 
 wild horses; and from thence over several high 
 hills: at the bottom thereof ran the river 
 Grande, that we were again forced to cross. 
 About evening we came to a wigwam, finding 
 a couple of Indians therein: our manner was 
 ever to enquire of them, as being strangers to 
 the country, and this commonly proved suf- 
 ficient to gain us a civil reception for one 
 
42 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 night at least ; those poor people seldom ov 
 never failing to treat us with great humanity, 
 and relieve us to the utmost of their capacity, 
 though they have nothing themselves but 
 what they get with great difficulty and dan- 
 ger. This is a great shame and reproach to 
 us, and should make us with horror reflect on 
 the cruel usage they formerly received from 
 their Spanish conquerors, that they often com- 
 memorate ; nor can it be forgot by the whole 
 world. 
 
 These Indians took us into their wigwam ; 
 and being desirous to cheer our drooping 
 spirits., took a deal of pains to make a pleasant 
 and comfortable liquor, called cheely, done 
 after this manner : they take a certain quan- 
 tity of Indian corn, that they roast or parch 
 up before a fire, and then grind it to a fine 
 powder between a couple of stones, and hav- 
 ing hot water ready, they pour it on, and let 
 it stand to infuse. This liquor, besides what 
 they gave us to eat, made a comfortable re- 
 past ; but, above all, a couple of birds they 
 kept, being very tame, and suffered to fly 
 abroad at their pleasure, entertained us : they 
 were no bigger than a sparrow, but could 
 talk intelligibly, and whistle and sing admir- 
 ably : the cock had a comb like our game 
 cock, and the hen a cropled crown ; red wings, 
 and yellow bodies, and a black circle round 
 their necks. These people said, we might get 
 to Gracias a Dios in two or three days, and 
 that Apaublo was between it and us. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 43 
 
 In the morning we took our leave of them, 
 and passed over a savanna, covered with a sort 
 of grasshopper or fly, of a yellowish colour : 
 the air also was so thick of them, that it was 
 nigh darkened thereby, that we could hardly 
 keep on our road, being almost stifled by the 
 concourse of them ; and thus we travelled till 
 sun-set : at that time we being got to the side 
 of the river, we consented to pass the night, 
 and made our fire accordingly, in order to sit 
 and rest ourselves : here was great plenty of 
 lime and orange-trees. 
 
 In the morning, as soon as the sun was 
 risen, we waded through the river, but the 
 stream ran so fast, that it carried us a long 
 way before we could get ashore. We had no 
 sooner overcome this difficulty, but another 
 presented itself; we were obliged to climb up 
 several high and steep mountains, that, after 
 our late fatigue in crossing the river, was very 
 grievous to us. On the tops of these moun- 
 tains was fine level land, adorned here and 
 there with beautiful groves. About noon a 
 great river discovered itself to us, very steep 
 from us, and when we got to it, the stream 
 was so very rapid, we could not contrive to 
 cross it; and at last began to suspect we had 
 missed our road, and were going back again ; 
 but happening to see a couple of Indians 
 coming up to us, we set ourselves upon the 
 ground till they came, and then asked them 
 which way we should get over ? They said, 
 we must go up the river ; and told us they 
 
44 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 were Indians of Honduras, and that they came 
 from Guatimall. We went on as they direct- 
 ed, for some miles, without seeing any pro- 
 bability of crossing ; but, at length, observ- 
 ed something at a distance that appeared like 
 a great net, hanging across the river, between 
 two mountains. We got into a path that led 
 up to it; and on the best observation that 
 could be made at that distance, we could not 
 determine if it was designed for a bridge, 
 or a net to catch fowls or beasts in. It was 
 made of cane, and fastened to four trees ; two 
 of which grew on the mountain on this side, 
 and the other two 011 the mountain opposite 
 to it, on the other side of the river. It hung 
 down like a hammock ; the lowest part of it, 
 that was the middle, being about forty feet 
 from the surface of the water; but still it 
 could not certainly be judged if this was in- 
 tended, in reality, as a bridge for travellers, 
 being in doubt if it might be strong enough 
 to bear a man's weight. We were, therefore, 
 some time before we could prevail on our- 
 selves to venture on it ; and when we did, it 
 was but slowly, and very cautiously, for the 
 bottom made was so open, that we had much ado 
 to manage our feet so steadily as required. 
 Every step we took gave great motion to it, 
 that, with the swiftness of the stream under- 
 neath, occasioned such a dizziness in the 
 head, that, I believe, we were a full hour in 
 getting over; but, having accomplished it, 
 we sat us down to view and admire this com- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 4.-, 
 
 plete piece of workmanship and ingenuity, for 
 such it really was. We could not conceive 
 how it could be possible to be conveyed from 
 one mountain to the other, considering how 
 forcibly the water ran in this place, that we 
 knew would make it impracticable for men 
 to swim over with one end of it; nor could 
 it be done in canoes, or any other thing that 
 we could suppose to be made use of by the 
 Indians ; for, though they are certainly a peo- 
 ple of great dexterity in their own way, yet 
 it is well known, that they are utter strangers 
 to all arts in use among the Europeans, and 
 others, on such like occasions. We observed 
 this bridge to be very old and decayed, and 
 guessed it might have hung there some hun- 
 dreds of years; and if so, it must have been 
 before the Spaniards entered the country ; 
 but as the people here make no use of letters, 
 we could never come to any certainty con- 
 cerning its antiquity. This we learned, not- 
 withstanding, by inquiry made of the natives, 
 that it had hung in that manner time out of 
 mind, and that it had been (but they could 
 not tell when) a very public road for passen- 
 gers, though then quite disused. I must not 
 forget to acquaint the reader, that the breadth 
 of the river under the hammock-bridge (as 
 we called it) is a full quarter of a mile. 
 
 This evening we got an old wigwam for- 
 saken by the Indians, as is common amongst 
 them, in which we took up our night's lodg- 
 ing, and in the morning set out again ; but 
 
10 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 our provisions being all spent, we were for- 
 ced to employ part of our time that day in 
 gathering such berries as could be found, to 
 appease our hunger. After travelling over a 
 savanna, about sun-set we came to a run of 
 clear water, by the side thereof were fine plan- 
 tain walks. Whilst we sat here to rest us, 
 came several Indian women to fetch water ; 
 but like those we had met with before on the 
 same errand, as soon as they saw us, away 
 they ran, screaming most terribly, and sent 
 their husbands to see what we were. The 
 men seemed to be in a great rage, supposing, 
 perhaps, some injury might have been offered 
 the women ; upon this, I thought proper 
 to tt 11 them we were Spaniards going to Gua- 
 iirriall, and desired them to let us stay with 
 them that night. There were but a couple of 
 them understood Spanish, and though they did 
 not seem greatly to like us, yet they agreed 
 for us to stay, and therefore carried us to their 
 town, called Papla, appointing us a range, 
 and brought us plantains and wood, that we 
 might make a fire to roast them ; but as they 
 still doubted us, they kept a guard over us all 
 night. 
 
 At day-break we got out of this town, and 
 after we had walked about a mile, crossed the 
 great river, and went directly through a wood, 
 finding plenty of locusts, and eat very heart- 
 ily. Then we came to a large plain, and sat 
 down to rest ourselves, the sun being so hot 
 in these parts, and especially in this month of 
 
ENGLISHMEN. i7 
 
 May, that we could hardly suffer our feet to 
 touch the ground. As we travelled farther 
 on this plain, we saw several patches of sugar- 
 cane ; by this we easily judged we were not 
 far from Gracias a Dios ; accordingly, about 
 four o'clock in the afternoon,, we walked into 
 that town. No sooner had we entered it, but 
 a woman beckoned to us from a house, to 
 whom we made up with all speed. There 
 was in the house with her a very old man, 
 who asked us several questions, particularly, 
 if we could speak Spanish, and what country- 
 men we were ? I gave him our history as 
 briefly as I could, and desired to be informed 
 of the best course for us to get at some Eng- 
 lish factory. " At Panama/' said he, " there 
 is an English factory, and none nearer ; but 
 then it is four or five hundred leagues to it, 
 and you will never be able to travel thither, 
 because the rains are coming on, which will 
 last six months without intermission. How- 
 ever/' says he, " I will put you in the best 
 method I can, which is this : there is a place 
 called Sonsonnata, about one hundred leagues 
 from hence, from whence vessels frequently 
 sail for Panama : to this place I would ad- 
 vise you to make what haste you can, and, 
 in all likelihood, you will get a passage 
 thither." This gave us a little encourage- 
 ment. Then he told us of two of our coun- 
 trymen, who lived about eight leagues off, 
 and said, that one was named William, and 
 the other Thomas. After this discourse, he 
 
48 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 began to think of something to eat, and di- 
 rectly ordered some plantains to be roasted ; 
 and, in the mean time, brought us out honey, 
 and a fine fruit called sopotoas, that grew on 
 very high trees, hanging like apples, but as 
 big as melons, and as red as cherries ; they 
 have a very delicious taste, and large stones 
 within them. I have brought some of them 
 home. 
 
 The town of Gracias a Dios is surrounded 
 -with plantains, cocoa, and abundance of fruit 
 trees. The houses here are made of cane, and 
 covered with leaves. We staid here two days 
 to rest ourselves, but were forced to beg 
 about the town before we came from thence, 
 for something to help us on the road ; but it 
 not being in any one's power here to spare 
 much, we only got some plantains, and on 
 the third day set out in quest of our country- 
 men Thomas and William. 
 
 Soon after we left Gracias a Dios, we pass- 
 ed over a run of water, and then ascended 
 a very high mountain ; and about noon came 
 to a delightful place, like a fine park, abound- 
 ing with stately deer. Here were the tallest 
 and largest trees I ever saw, and their bodies 
 so thick, that it took us to fathom them in 
 eight times. 
 
 At the end of this place, where we got 
 about evening, stood an old range, but no one 
 near it. Not far from hence was a new range, 
 we made to it in hopes of meeting somebody ; 
 but there came on such a storm of thunder, 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 4!) 
 
 lightning, and rain, that kept us there that 
 night. 
 
 The next day some Indians met us, of whom 
 we enquired the way to Alvado, and if they 
 knew one William an Englishman that lived 
 there. They said they knew him very well, 
 but it was three leagues to his wigwam. 
 About evening we arrived at William's habi- 
 tation ; but, to our great disappointment, he 
 was abroad. His wife, who was an Indian, 
 told us, he was gone with Thomas his coun- 
 tryman, and would not return for twenty 
 days. I understood they had been brought 
 into this country when little boys, but by 
 what means I could not learn. However, it 
 seems, they were not able to get out of it, nor 
 do I believe ever any one did before us, that 
 had the misfortune of being in our forlorn 
 state. Mrs William (for I know no other 
 name to call her by) informed us, that "there 
 was a countryman of ours not far off, which 
 her husband, by some stratagem, had brought 
 out of the mines." We desired her to send 
 for him, which she accordingly did, and at 
 night he came to us. We hoped to be well 
 informed by him how to steer our course in 
 the best manner : but in this we were mis- 
 taken ; for he said, he had been taken at 
 Truxillo eight years before, and was carried 
 directly to the mines, where he had spent 
 most of that time, and was therefore so much 
 a stranger to the country, that he could give us 
 no manner of intelligence about it. We propos- 
 ed to him, to endeavour with us to get away : 
 
50 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 but he said he could not undertake to travel 
 so long a journey after our manner. Perhaps 
 the true motive of his refusal was, he had, like 
 his friend, settled his affections on some woman 
 of the country. We staid here two days, and 
 had the best entertainment the poor woman 
 could give us : she also procured us a bull's 
 hide, that we cut, and tied to the soles of our 
 feet, that were at this time in a very sore con- 
 dition. Our countryman told us, there was 
 an Indian town called Petapa or St John's, 
 not above two days' journey from this place, 
 and the people there would direct us to Son- 
 sonnata. 
 
 From hence we set out, being in a manner 
 no wiser than we were before, and steered our 
 course south west, and as near as we could 
 guess by the sun, for the South Seas. By sun- 
 set we came to our old range, where we lay 
 before we came to our countryman's, and there 
 once more took up our night's lodging. In 
 the morning we met a couple of Indians, that 
 directed us to go through such a valley, where, 
 they said, we should see a range, and might 
 get some milk and plantains. We went as 
 directed, and by the way gathered a fruit seem- 
 ingly like a quince, very delicious to the taste, 
 seeing great herds of line cattle. At noon we 
 came to the valley, and found the range fixed 
 between four trees, according to custom with 
 cows tied to the trees. Here were two men 
 and two women. I asked them how far it was 
 to Petapa ? They said, we might get thither in 
 two days. As I perceived they had no know- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 51 
 
 ledge of the English, I told them we were 
 Spaniards : on this they seemed not to like us; 
 yet, when I desired them to give us something 
 to eat, they did not think fit to refuse, but 
 brought us a tomalaw, made of Indian corn, 
 and skins to lie on. We staid here all night, 
 being very much tormented by musquitoes. 
 These Indians lie in hammocks, made of a 
 sort of rushes, that hung between two trees. 
 
 At sun-rise we set out for Petapa or St John's; 
 and about noon came to a fine run of water, 
 by which, the day being very hot, we sat down 
 to rest. In the evening we got out of the 
 valley, and came on a large plain, where was 
 abundance of wolves. We immediately made 
 a fire, having no other way to defend ourselves 
 from them, but were forced to keep walking 
 round it all night ; for the place was so over- 
 run with vermin, that it was impossible to sit 
 still a moment ; but this was the least of our 
 trouble. The wild beasts made such a hideous 
 roaring, and also approached so near us, that 
 we were in fear our fire, though a big one, 
 would hardly protect us from them. In the 
 night we heard a great noise of horses running 
 full speed, that we supposed were as nimbly 
 pursued by the wolves ; at day-break the 
 noise ceased, and perceiving they had all re- 
 treated, we advanced. As we crossed the sa- 
 vanna, we found some places covered with the 
 bones of cattle, that, no doubt, had been de- 
 stroyed by these ravenous creatures ; after 
 this, we went over some high hills, that 
 
52 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 brought us on fine level land, there being also 
 great numbers of cattle. 
 
 Before sun-set we came to a run of water, 
 from which was a path leading up to a hill : 
 011 the top thereof stood the Indian town 
 of Petapa or St John's. No sooner had we 
 got up to the hill, but the people from the 
 town flocked about us, and among the rest, 
 one holding a white wand in his hand, de- 
 manding who we were ? I told him, English- 
 men. He said, he knew of no such people, 
 and that Spaniards were not so white ; how- 
 ever, after they had satisfied their curiosity in 
 viewing us, and asking some out-of-the-way 
 questions, they carried us to a range, and gave 
 us some jerk-beef and turtiltias. The next 
 day we departed for Chippea, two days' jour- 
 ney from hence. Petapa or St John's, as I 
 said, stands on a high hill, and commands a 
 very beautiful prospect : it is surrounded by 
 savannas, and has plenty of fine cattle. 
 
 Soon after our departure hence, we came to 
 the mountains of Valladolid, very difficult to 
 ascend, being very steep and stony. It took 
 up a whole day getting over one, and we had 
 four or five more to pass. Being in a valley, 
 and night coming on, we thought proper to 
 stay there till morning, but could get no water, 
 and very little wood to make a fire. We were 
 so pestered with vermin, we could not sit 
 down all night. 
 
 In the morning we passed through a little 
 wood, that brought us to the foot of another 
 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 53 
 
 mountain, getting to the top about noon, look- 
 ing from thence round to see if we could espy 
 any wigwam : but not perceiving any, we 
 rested ourselves, and slept two or three hours. 
 But when we waked, we were extremely cold, 
 though just before overpowered with heat. 
 We went down the other side of the moun- 
 tain, and came to a run of water, that, after 
 crossing, we perceived a range, and going up 
 to it, found therein a couple of women : one 
 a Mestie, and the other an Indian. I begged 
 them to give us something to eat. At first 
 they seemed surprised, but at last brought us 
 three plantains, desiring to know of what na- 
 tion we were. The Mestie said, that a white 
 man, something like us, whose name was 
 Vallone, had lived with her a long while, but 
 that he was now dead ; he was, I believe, a 
 Frenchman. 
 
 At night came some Indian men, bringing 
 a wild cow they had killed, and gave us some 
 of the flesh, bidding us dress it after our man- 
 ner : we did so, and found it of greater nour- 
 ishment than any thing we had yet tasted in 
 the country. These Indians are very expert 
 at catching wild beasts, and upon such expe- 
 ditions are commonly on horseback ; every 
 one has a long slip of hide in his hand, one 
 end being fastened about the body of his 
 horse, and when he has fixed it on the beast he 
 designs to take, he rides close by him very 
 precipitately, and flings the other end over his 
 horns, or about his neck. After this is done, 
 
54 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 then another throws his lash round his legs> 
 when they get him down, and manage him as 
 they please. In this manner they take the 
 fiercest of animals. Then we got some dried 
 hide of them for our feet, which were again 
 in as bad a state as ever. They said, it was 
 several days' journey to any town or village, 
 and asked if we could walk from hence to our 
 own country ? I told them no, it was impossi- 
 ble, and that we must go to it by shipping ; 
 but they having no notion of what that meant, 
 I marked out the figure of a ship on the 
 ground, and as well as I could, represented it 
 floating on the water ; at which they seemed 
 to be in great admiration. These people were 
 very friendly in giving us provision to sustain 
 us going over the mountains, that we must of 
 necessity pass, though we should have been 
 glad to have avoided them. Our stay here 
 was one day and two nights, and then agreed, 
 with the blessing of God, to set forward once 
 more. 
 
 We ever took the greatest care to steer our 
 course by the sun, as the Indians directed, 
 especially in passing these mountains, some 
 being impracticable to go directly over, we 
 being forced frequently to wind about them ; 
 and if we saw any range or wigwam in the 
 valleys, in the evening we never failed to make 
 up to it for shelter that night. 
 
 We saw in the road great swarms of butter- 
 flies, their wings of various colours, very beau- 
 tiful to the eye, and as broad as a man's hand. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 55 
 
 In six days we passed these mountains of 
 Comyagua or Valladolid, lying between Gra- 
 cias a Dios and Salvedor : then we came to the 
 great village of Chippea, the inhabitants soon 
 flocking about us ; in particular,, an old man, 
 that said, he had been very conversant with 
 white people formerly, when he was in the 
 South-Sea, and told his companions, that they 
 were good men, and loved the Indians very 
 well, claiming thereby their esteem. He spake 
 good Spanish, and very civilly took us to his 
 wigwam, and treated us with beef and plan- 
 tains ; as also plenty of the liquor called 
 cheely, reckoned a rarity among the Indians, 
 and is drank only at extraordinary times. 
 Being thus refreshed, our benefactor took us 
 abroad to be spectators of the evening sports 
 and entertainments, that were on account of a 
 great cantico or public festival to be held at 
 that time. The people were all got into a very 
 jocund and pleasant humour, running about 
 the town laughing, shouting, singing, and play- 
 ing on instruments of music, and at several 
 games ; but, above all, we admired their great 
 dexterity in riding horses, and managing 
 them incomparably, without bridle, saddle, 
 whip, or spur, though just taken wild from 
 the savanna. It is a great diversion here to 
 tie a string about the legs of a cock, hanging 
 him up between a couple of trees, so high, 
 that a man may sit still on horseback, and just 
 reach the cock's head, that hangs down. This 
 done, comes a company of men, riding full 
 
56 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 speed, one after another, under him., trying 
 who can first twitch his head off; and he that 
 performs it is counted a great artist. Soon as 
 the head is down, the lookers on, I saw at the 
 time this exploit was done, were some hun- 
 dreds, made great shouts and rejoicings, as if 
 they had gained some notable achievement. 
 Indeed, as the cock gets a blow by almost 
 every one that rides under it, and is thereby 
 in continual agitation, it is somewhat difficult 
 to catch hold of him. 
 
 Every inhabitant of this place, keeps a range 
 apart from his own, on purpose to lodge 
 strangers in, either Indians or others ; for of 
 both they are equally afraid and suspicious ; 
 insomuch that they never suffer one of any 
 country or nation soever, to remain a night 
 under the same roof as themselves. The old 
 gentleman who had made us his guests, to rest 
 there that night, had conducted us ; but in- 
 stead of reposing ourselves, could only listen 
 to the great hurly-burly, and seeming confu- 
 sion that reigned throughout the tow r n, and 
 continued till morning. Some ran about beat- 
 ing on a sort of drum, others blowing through 
 a reed or pipe, sounding like a hautboy ; in 
 short, every one seemed entirely given up to 
 revelling and merriment. 
 
 How this festival came to be celebrated 
 with such extraordinary marks of joy and 
 zeal I cannot say, though I imagine religion 
 to be at the bottom of it ; but we had but 
 little time or opportunity any where, to in- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 57 
 
 quire into the customs and ceremonies in the 
 worship of the several people we came among. 
 This, however, I am sure of, that the Indians 
 of Chippea are Christians, every one of them 
 having a great crucifix of wood hanging about 
 his neck, with beads and relics. In the morn- 
 ing our old friend bade us farewell ; but, at 
 the same time mightily discouraged us from 
 our intended journey to the South Sea, say- 
 ing it was a long and tiresome way for a mule; 
 but now that the rains were coming on, that 
 might swell the rivers, and fill the valleys, 
 the country would be utterly impassable for 
 foot travellers: but finding us determined, 
 at all adventures, to go forward, and that no- 
 thing he could say made any impression on 
 us,, he said no more, but in the most friendly 
 manner gave us the best advice and instruc- 
 tions he was able. He told us, that by such 
 a time we should get to a town called St 
 Michael's, where was a Spanish governor, and 
 that between here and there was an Indian 
 village called Cauwattick, where we might 
 have relief. Then taking leave of our sincere 
 friend, with a thousand acknowledgements 
 of gratitude for kindness administered, we set 
 out for St Michael's. 
 
 After travelling through a wood, we came 
 to a large plain, where was a wigwam, with 
 a mulatto-man and woman ; and not far from 
 them, some Indians building a new range, 
 with whom we staid two or three hours, not 
 being able to travel in the heat of the day. 
 
58 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 These Indians told us, they got gold in abun- 
 dance during the rains, and that it comes 
 down from the mountains. Towards evening 
 \ve came to another wigwam, where we found 
 three women, of whom we begged a night's 
 lodging; but they made no answer, which 
 we took as a denial ; however, we resolved 
 not to leave the place till morning, and ac- 
 cordingly sat us down, at a little distance 
 from them, to rest ourselves. The women 
 perceiving we had taken up our sitting for 
 that night, condescended, at last, to bring us 
 out a bull's hide to lie on, but would not 
 suffer us to set one foot into their wigwam : 
 perhaps, as they had no men to protect them, 
 they might fear some indecent attempts : but 
 they did us wrong ; we were but in ill plight 
 for amours, and especially in this country, 
 where we could have no very extraordinary 
 temptation : but, to speak the truth of these 
 people, they are, as it were, free from most 
 of the vices common to other nations. 
 
 The next morning we steered our course 
 over a savanna, on which were great numbers 
 of fine deer, and other creatures. We fre- 
 quently met with fruit very tempting and 
 beautiful to the eye, but durst not taste any 
 the birds had not picked. Some of these 
 fruits are of so poisonous a nature, that they 
 immediately kill whatever eats of them. On 
 this savanna we travelled three days, and then 
 got to some high mountains, and there found 
 ;i range with Indians, whom I asked if we 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 60 
 
 had taken the right road to St Michael's ? 
 They said, yes ; but there were two ways to 
 it, one through a savanna, which was a jour- 
 ney of six days, and another over those moun- 
 tains, which might be performed in three 
 days. These Indians had nothing to give us; 
 but said we should soon get to the town of 
 Cauwattick, which lay just on the other side 
 of the mountains, and that there we should 
 be relieved. 
 
 As our provisions were quite spent, we 
 were obliged to take the shortest way to come 
 at more, which was that over the mountains ; 
 but before we had got far up, we thought 
 they would have broke our hearts. It was 
 from the rising to the setting of the sun be- 
 fore w r e got to the top, and then could per- 
 ceive no signs of the town, or any path lead- 
 ing to it, as we expected to have found ; so 
 we made our fire, and staid there all night. 
 
 The next day we met an Indian, in search 
 of his cow, that had broke loose in the night 
 from a tree to which he had tied her. We 
 inquired of him how far it might be to Cau- 
 wattick ? He presently gave us directions, 
 and by pointing to the sun, thereby made us 
 understand we might get thither by noon, 
 which we accordingly did. 
 
 Being very hungry when we came into tlir 
 town, the first thing we craved of the people 
 was something to cat ; on which they brought 
 us a little beef and some plantains, but sccni- 
 cd much surpriscvl at us. At night we met 
 
60 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 \vith some Indians, whom we had seen before 
 in our travels, giving us some ripe bananas; 
 asking me if I knew them again, and finding 
 I did, were mightily pleased with our ac- 
 quaintance. Here we lodged this night in a 
 range, and the next morning set out for St 
 Michael's. 
 
 The road we took was down a steep hill 
 into a valley, where, after we had fetched a 
 pretty handsome walk, we met with a path 
 that led us back again into Cauwattick : the 
 people were amazed to see us so quick upon 
 them again, and said merrily, we knew not 
 how to find our way out of so great a town., 
 and therefore they should send one with us 
 that should put us on the right road. After 
 our second departure from this place, we got 
 on the edge of a mountain, below which, in 
 a mere precipice, was a great savanna, and 
 thereon we discovered a range, towards which 
 we intended to make all possible haste ; but 
 it cost us a whole day to go down this one 
 mountain ; and after we had taken all that 
 pains and labour to come at it, in hopes of 
 meeting somebody, we had the disappoint- 
 ment of finding no one there. The range was 
 forsaken : however, we made it our inn for 
 that night. 
 
 At day-break we set out, and crossed the 
 savanna between the mountains, and on the left 
 hand of us saw a boy riding along on a mule. 
 I ran directly to him, and asked him some 
 questions, but he made no answer that I could 
 
ENGLISHMEN. O'l 
 
 understand ; but supposing I enquired the 
 way to some place or other, he pointed to- 
 wards a prodigious high mountain, shaped 
 like a sugar-loaf. Not caring to follow his 
 directions, and finding we should never un- 
 derstand eacn other, I made him a motion 
 oi tarewell, and he rode on. In this savanna 
 we could find no water, so that we were al- 
 most dying for want of liquids : we travelled 
 about till almost night again, and could see 
 no range, nor any wood to make a fire with. 
 Thus we wandered to and fro, not knowing 
 what to do, till, by the direction of Provi- 
 dence, we came at length to a run of water, 
 which, after we had drank of plentifully, we 
 crossed, and on the other side, amidst a great 
 company of cattle, that took to their heels as 
 soon as they saw us, we heard the barking of 
 a dog : by this we knew there must be peo- 
 ple not far off. Accordingly, we made strict 
 search after them, and presently found out 
 their range, in which there were two or three 
 persons, of whom I desired leave to stay with 
 them all night, but they made no answer. 
 Soon after came a mulatto-man and woman, 
 with an Indian, riding on a mule, approach- 
 ing us in a very obliging manner, and shook 
 us by the hand. The mulatto asking, if we 
 were Christians, and what the painting meant 
 on my arms, I told him I thanked God we 
 were Christians, and Englishmen, and that 
 one of the marks on my arms represented our 
 Saviour on the cross, which, with the others, 
 
C2 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 were done by a Grecian, some years ago, 
 when I was in the Holy Land. He imme- 
 diately fell upon his knees, and kissed the 
 cross, pulling out his beads and crucifix, say- 
 ing, he had been baptised by a friar at St 
 Michael's, with his wife and all his family : 
 he then bade his wife look on my arm, and 
 she also fell down and kissed it, but more fer- 
 vently, if possible, than her husband: as I 
 knew this adoration was paid to him whose 
 image it bore, it gave me no uneasiness. 
 They made us welcome to the best entertain- 
 ment they could afford ; such as milk, fruits, 
 plantains, &c. and told us, we were not far 
 from St Michael's, where lived grandee Span- 
 iards ; and that in a day or two there would 
 be held a great bull-feast in that town, for 
 which, in the morning, we set out, after due 
 acknowledgements for the favour we had re- 
 ceived. 
 
 By the way we met with several Indians 
 going to St Michael's,, who were all painted, 
 and dressed up, every one in the skin of some 
 wild creature or other ; nothing but mirth 
 and jollity appeared in their countenances : 
 they never ceased singing and dancing all the 
 way they went : some of them had a sort of 
 cudgels in their hands, with porcupine quills 
 sticking at the ends. About noon we got to 
 a range, where we met with people who in- 
 formed us we were a day's journey from the 
 town : and when they knew we were English- 
 men, they asked if we had a pass, for other- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. tf3 
 
 -wise they assured us the governor of St 
 Michael's would send us all to the mines ; and 
 as we knew we had no pass to shew, this was 
 a terrible hearing. We were, however, oblig- 
 ed to go forward, and meet our fate, be it as 
 it would. Here we learned, that about sun- 
 set we should get to a wigwam, and so de- 
 parted. 
 
 As we drew near to the town, my fellow- 
 travellers began to fall into the utmost des- 
 pair, saying, that all our labour and travel 
 had been in vain, since it was evident we 
 were going to fall into the hands of those who 
 would make slaves of us for life. I endea- 
 voured to dissuade them from such dreadful 
 apprehensions, by putting them in mind how 
 often God Almighty had been graciously 
 pleased to rescue us from the most imminent 
 dangers even in this country ; and that as we 
 had experienced so many convincing proofs 
 of his providence and protection over us, if 
 we still sincerely relied on him, we might 
 rest assured he never would forsake us in the 
 time of our greatest trouble, but enable us to 
 bear the burthen appointed for us, however 
 grievous it might seem : wherefore, said I, 
 let us not despair, but imploring the Al- 
 mighty's aid, go on with hope and cheerful- 
 ness, not fearing what man can do unto us ; 
 for, if God be with us, who can be against 
 us? 
 
 In the evening we came to the range that 
 we had been before told we should meet with, 
 
(J4 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 and desired leave to stay there till morning. 
 The people brought us a mat to lie on, and 
 gave us plantains for our supper ; which, 
 when we had made a fire, we roasted. In 
 the night happened so great a storm of thun- 
 der, lightning, and rain, that I thought we 
 should have been drowned, as we lay on the 
 ground : this obliged us to get up, and creep 
 to a corner of the range, where we stood till 
 morning. 
 
 The Indians of this part of the country, 
 both men, women, and children, sleep in 
 hammocks made of silk grass; and are ex- 
 quisite artists at making a sort of earthen 
 ware, finer than any china I ever saw, though 
 I had some time before been among the 
 Chinese themselves. They make large jars 
 here, one of which will hold ten gallons, and 
 not weigh one pound : these will endure the 
 fire as well as any metal, nor are they easily 
 broke by a fall or blow. This ware is com- 
 monly coloured of a fine vermilion red. Here 
 is also abundance of cochineal, with which 
 those who are under the Spaniards frequently 
 pay their tribute, some being compelled to 
 pay the king the value of six dollars, others 
 three a-year ; so that what with the king of 
 Spain and the clergy, the poor people have 
 little or nothing left for themselves. 
 
 As soon as the sun was risen, we set out 
 once more for St Michael's, and still saw great 
 companies of Indians flocking thither, on ac- 
 count of the bull feast. Going by the side of 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 65 
 
 a mountain, we gathered some fine fruit of a 
 golden colour, about the bigness of small 
 plums, of \vhich we ate very freely. About 
 noon we came into a large wood, where poor 
 Mr Rounce was suddenly taken so ill, that 
 he was not able to get any farther, but fell 
 down on the ground, with all the symptoms 
 of death in his countenance. We staid by him 
 two hours, during which it thundered and 
 lightened, as if all nature had been going to 
 be dissolved. At last Mr Banister and I re- 
 solved, if possible, to get to the town before 
 night, and procure some help for our sick 
 companion, thinking it would be hard to suffer 
 him to lie and perish so near a town, without 
 endeavouring for assistance ; we therefore left 
 him, and posted forward with the utmost ex- 
 pedition ; but we had not gone far, before it 
 began to rain with such violence, as soon 
 forced us to climb up a tree to escape drown- 
 ing. The water presently rose in some places 
 that we saw, four feet and a half: we were, 
 at that time, in great perplexity, to think what 
 would become of our fellow-traveller, who we 
 knew was lying on the ground in a very help- 
 less condition. At length, when the rain 
 abated, we got down, and went on with all 
 speed, and about two hours before sun-set 
 came almost to the entrance of the town. 
 
 Being so near the place where we expected 
 the assistance we wanted, our hearts failed us, 
 and we began to think we had been guilty of 
 the greatest piece of weakness imaginable, in 
 
<><> THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 having fed ourselves up with the hopes of 
 what there seemed not to be the least shadow 
 of reason to expect ; for, upon what account 
 (said we one to another) have we made all 
 this speed hither ? To whom are we to apply 
 for relief, now we are at our journey's end, or 
 what friends have we here to tell our story to ? 
 Indeed, all this we might have thought of, 
 without having been at the expence of a tire- 
 some and fatiguing journey. But such was 
 our care and concern for our friend and fellow- 
 sufferer, when we saw him in distress, and 
 knew his case required immediate help, that 
 we were suddenly prompted to seek relief for 
 him some where or other, not considering, at 
 that time, of whom it was to be had. Had 
 these objections occurred before our setting 
 out, we had certainly never left him till we 
 had seen him mend or die ; and had we not 
 left him (so wisely had Providence ordered it) 
 he had not been forthcoming at this day: for, 
 as we sat contemplating on these things, and 
 had just determined to return from whence we 
 came, there happened to pass by us certain 
 Indians, who had seen us before : they know- 
 ing us again, after a little discourse, inquired 
 where our comrade was. We told them, we 
 had left him sick in the woods about two 
 leagues off: they said, if he had escaped the 
 storm, he would be torn in pieces by tigers 
 before morning, and readily offered to go look 
 for him, and bring him to us ; this much re- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 67 
 
 joiced us, as we knew them to be swift and 
 faithful. 
 
 No sooner were they gone than we entered 
 the town, and presently a man beckoned to us. 
 It was not our business to neglect any one that 
 would take notice of us, and therefore we went 
 directly to him. He asked if we could speak 
 Castiliana, and what distress had brought us 
 hither ; upon which I repeated our whole 
 story, and told him, we were endeavouring to 
 get to some English factory ; but he gave us 
 to understand there was none nearer than Pa- 
 nama ; that we were still four hundred leagues 
 from it ; and the inhabitants were so thin by 
 the way, that we must starve before we came 
 at it ; and positively affirmed, that, unless we 
 could obtain a pass from the governor of St 
 Michael's, it would be impossible for us to get 
 out of this part of the country ; for that no 
 Indian durst assist any man without one. He 
 therefore advised us to make the best of our 
 way to Wattemall, and settle there ; but no 
 discouragements could alter our resolution, of 
 endeavouring to get to our native country, 
 which he perceiving, gave us a real of plate, 
 and bade us farewell, which was the first 
 money we had seen in the country. This 
 person told us he was born at Lisbon, in Por- 
 tugal, and that he had lived here many years, 
 and came hither by the way of Cape Horn in 
 the South Sea. 
 
 Mr Banister and I thought it our wisest 
 course to present ourselves immediately to 
 
68 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 the governor, and humbly to entreat his favour 
 and protection, lest, being strangers in the 
 country, we should be misrepresented to his 
 excellency, and more particularly as being 
 Englishmen. Being thus resolved, we march- 
 ed on till we came to the middle of the town, 
 where the great church stands, and where also 
 is a -large plat of ground fenced in with bam- 
 boos ; but I must warn the reader not to sup- 
 pose this to be the church-yard, there being 
 no such thing in this country, for they always 
 bury the dead here within the churches. 
 Here was a great concourse of people, the place 
 being railed in, and scaffolded on all sides. On 
 one seat, more lofty and magnificent than the 
 rest, sat the governor in great state, with two 
 Franciscan friars in their habits, on each side 
 of him. The other places were filled with 
 people of all conditions ; and on the ground 
 were variety of the different sorts of Indians, 
 that flocked hither from all parts of the coun- 
 try; for at this time was held the famous bull- 
 feast, which we had heard so much talk of. 
 It was kept after the manner of those in Spain, 
 some of which I have been present at in that 
 country. The bulls were just going to be 
 combated before the governor and this great 
 assembly ; and great diversion it was, to see 
 the Indians dressed up in the skins of several 
 wild creatures, and every one imitating the 
 voice and actions of the respective beast he 
 represented, to the greatest perfection. When 
 all was ready, a wild bull was turned out, 
 
ENGLISHMEN. (JO 
 
 which those people atttacked with their usual 
 dexterity, striking him full of arrows and 
 darts, which made him start and fling about 
 like raving mad ; at last rode up an Indian on 
 horseback, with spear in hand, and struck 
 him between the horns, upon which he in- 
 stantly dropt down dead. Then the hero 
 alighted from his horse, cut off the cod of the 
 bull, and sticking it on his spear, mounted 
 again, and rode up to present it to the gover- 
 nor, attended by great numbers of Indians, 
 shouting and dancing before him, by way of 
 triumph for the victory. After this was 
 brought out another bull, at which one on 
 horseback came riding full speed, and thrust 
 his spear into his side, by which means he laid 
 him on his back ; then he alighted also, and 
 cut off his cod and ears ; after which the bull 
 got up, and ran at every thing he saw with the 
 utmost fury ; but so far were the combatants 
 from avoiding him, that several who had 
 stuffed up the skins of horses with their heads 
 and tails, and just left room to slip themselves 
 into the waste, made up to the incensed beast 
 like so many centaurs in a full body, and 
 bated him a long time; but afterward, one 
 who was free from this incumbrance, leaped 
 on his back, and rode him for half an hour 
 together, keeping his seat so firmly, that the 
 bull could not once throw him, though he en- 
 deavoured it with all his might. This was 
 done with the applause of all the beholders ; 
 but whether these champions exposed their 
 
70 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 persons in these feats, after the example of the 
 Spanish grandees and cavaliers, for the sake 
 and honour of their ladies, or whether the 
 ladies would vouchsafe them one smile or fa- 
 vour the sooner, for so doing, I cannot tell ; 
 but, for our parts, as we did not come into 
 this country a knight-erranting, nor volun- 
 tarily to seek adventures, we were content to 
 be humble admirers only of their heroic ex- 
 ploits, and now, as well as at other times, to 
 go in quest of victuals and a resting place. 
 On this purpose, therefore, we went to a gen- 
 tleman's house, who is called Master del Campo, 
 and begged his charity. The first question he 
 asked me was concerning our country and re- 
 ligion. I told him we were Englishmen, 
 brought up in the church of England ; then, 
 said he, you are no Christians, and so giving us 
 two reals of plate, bade us be gone. 
 
 Presently after this we met the Indians, 
 who had brought our fellow-traveller with 
 them from the wood where we had left him. 
 He was very ill of an ague and fever; and 
 said, he escaped drowning by rallying of spi- 
 rits enough (seeing the danger he was in) to 
 scramble up a hill, where he sat till the storm 
 was over ; but that the waters rolled down 
 from other hills that were above him, with 
 such rapidity, that it was with great pain he 
 saved himself from being washed down into 
 the valleys, where nothing could have pre- 
 vented his being drowned, I told him we 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 71 
 
 were grown very rich now, for that we were 
 masters of three reals. 
 
 Not long after we met with Mr Rounce, 
 there came a negro to us, and said we must go 
 with him to his master ; which we willingly 
 consenting to, he carried us to a house where 
 sat a holy father and another gentleman, who 
 had sent for us on purpose to inquire into our 
 story ; which, when I had related, they de- 
 sired to know of what trades or occupations 
 we were. I answered we had spent most of 
 our time as mariners, and pretended to little 
 else than the knowledge of maritime business. 
 Then the good father asked if e'er a one of us 
 was a carpenter, or a caulker, for that he had 
 a negro who was building a vessel which \ve 
 might caulk, and he would pay us what we 
 desired for our labour. Though we were no 
 such by profession, yet we readily accepted 
 the offer, well knowing we could perform the 
 work ; upon which he gave us every one a 
 real of plate, saying, we should be lodged in 
 his house, and that he would provide us with 
 victuals. 
 
 He then ordered a negro- woman to shew us 
 to an apartment where was a fire : as we sat 
 there roasting some plantains, with great satis- 
 faction at this unexpected providence, and 
 were grown pretty sleepy, there rushed in 
 upon us a man with a spear in his hand, who 
 was soon followed by several others. He ac- 
 costed us in very blustering and stormy terms, 
 commanding us to go directly with him bclorr 
 
72 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 the governor. As we found he came by au- 
 thority, there was no disputing it with him, 
 for go we must ; but, however, instead of 
 being carried to the governor, we were all 
 three taken to prison, being told it was too 
 unseasonable a time of night to disturb his 
 excellency about us, but that in the morning 
 we should go before him. In the meantime 
 we were thrust into a filthy hole, amongst all 
 manner of vermin, and guarded by a company 
 of Indians and mulattoes. 
 
 Being shut up in this dark and loathsome 
 place, we could not help lamenting our hard 
 fate, that now we were amongst Christians, 
 and, as we thought, going to be used in an 
 hospitable manner, we should, instead thereof, 
 find such cruel treatment, as indeed it proved; 
 for in the night a scorpion stung me on the 
 right thigh, so that in half an hour's time I 
 was all over in agonies, with my teeth loosen- 
 ed in my head, and my tongue hanging out 
 of my mouth : in which condition I lay groan- 
 ing, till an Indian who heard me, came to in- 
 quire what was the matter; who, seeing me in 
 such a way, presently guessed at what had 
 been the cause of it, and said, that if any 
 poisonous thing had bit me, we must search 
 till we could find it, or I should be dead by 
 morning; whereupon he immediately fetched 
 a light, and finding the scorpion, killed it, and 
 rubbed the place where I was stung with it 
 for a long while, by which means I was much 
 amended before morning. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. T* 
 
 The next day came a great many strange 
 Indians to stare at us, and see what sort of 
 men we were ; but our keepers would not 
 suffer any of them to talk with us, or give us 
 the least thing to eat. About noon, the same 
 day, there came to us a gentleman of the 
 clergy, who, when he knew our country and 
 religion, was also pleased to say we were no 
 Christians. This gentleman informed us, that 
 the governor had an Englishman belonging 
 to him, to whom he had stood godfather at 
 his late baptism, and that his excellency had 
 sent for him to be interpreter between himself 
 and us. He called this man Thomas Colorado, 
 which name, as we afterwards understood, 
 was given him on account of his red hair. 
 
 On the third day of our confinement, we 
 were sent for to the governor's house to be 
 examined, where we found our countryman 
 Thomas. After due respects paid to his ex- 
 cellency, and that we had obtained his leave 
 for so doing, I related our whole story to him 
 in brief; but, however, took care not to omit 
 the most material circumstances ; and then 
 added, that our wives and children were not 
 only in great sorrow for the loss of us, but 
 must be reduced to extreme poverty by this 
 our misfortune, and long hindrance from re- 
 turning home to their relief, (all which was 
 really the case) and concluded with earnestly 
 entreating he would be pleased to grant us a 
 pass whereby we might be enabled to get to 
 an English factory. Upon this the governor 
 
74 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ordered we should be told, he had strict com- 
 mands from the king his master,, not to suffer 
 an Englishman to pass through this part of the 
 country ; that it was not impossible but our 
 story might be feigned, and that we might be 
 sent hither as spies ; but, however, we were 
 given to understand, that if we would become 
 new Christians, and be baptised, that, and 
 nothing else, would save us from going to the 
 mines. To which I replied with some warmth, 
 that, as we were subjects of England, we could 
 not, without violation of the known laws of 
 nations, be detained here as prisoners or cap- 
 tives, at a time of settled peace and good un- 
 derstanding, as I supposed it was, between 
 the two crowns ; that our king hindered no 
 Spaniard from coming and going when and 
 where he thought fit, in any part of his do- 
 minions ; and that, as for our being sent to the 
 mines, we were not brought hither as crimin- 
 als to have sentence passed upon us, but came 
 only as strangers and travellers, though poor 
 ones, and might the rather claim his pity; but 
 for being baptised afresh, we could not, I said, 
 tell what that meant; for we had already been 
 baptised in the holy catholic and apostolic 
 church, in the faith and communion of which, 
 by God's grace, we hoped to continue to the 
 end of our lives for what would befal us, and 
 that we always understood it to be against the 
 ancient opinion and constant practice of the 
 church, to admit of re-baptism ; that, as to 
 what concerned ceremony only we were re?- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 75 
 
 solved to continue in the way we bad been 
 taught. Upon tbe close of my discourse, the 
 governor advised us to consider better of the 
 matter for our own sakes, and give a deter- 
 minate answer to our countryman, whom we 
 might talk with apart. 
 
 After we were dismissed by his excellency, 
 I desired Mr Colorado to inform us how he 
 came into this part of the world; who gave us 
 the following account of himself. That he had 
 been an associate with Spriggs and Lowe, two 
 English pirates, who had been famous many 
 years about America, as well as several other 
 parts, and that being chased by a Spanish man- 
 of-war, Spriggs, Lowe, himself, and some 
 others, got on shore at Truxillo, where the In- 
 dian lookouts killed Lowe and two or three 
 more dead on the spot ; but that he and 
 Spriggs got off, and came to this town : that 
 though he had been a pirate, and guilty of 
 murders, robberies, and many other heinous 
 offences, he was now become even as a new- 
 born babe ; for, that he had been baptised by 
 an holy father ; adding, that if we did but 
 know as much as he, we should gladly em- 
 brace the kind offer the governor had made us, 
 who, if we incurred his displeasure, by ob- 
 stinately rejecting his beneficence, might have 
 us prosecuted as spies, the consequence of 
 which would be, if we were convicted as such, 
 no less than death itself; and, continued he, it 
 is reported by the Indians, who are come 
 hither from several parts, that you have taken 
 
7C THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 observations of the country, and inquired of 
 the names of towns and places as you have 
 passed along. To which I answered, that, had 
 we been employed as spies, we should have 
 been supported in another manner than what 
 he saw ; and surely, said I, no man breathing 
 would have been prompted by curiosity only, 
 to so painful and hazardous an undertaking ; 
 wherefore there is nothing more plain, than 
 that we are poor unhappy wretches, struggling 
 for the freedom of once more breathing our 
 native air. Had we not made such inquiries 
 by the way, said I, it would have been impos- 
 sible for us to have got thus far on our 
 intended journey : upon the whole, I desired 
 him to acquaint the governor, that we were 
 firmly resolved to stand and fall by our own 
 religion. 
 
 The governor's lady, who was a Mestie, and 
 had heard of our misfortunes, sent for me to 
 talk with her, desiring to know our case, and 
 whether we had wives and children. When I 
 told her we really had, she took great com- 
 passion on us, promising to use her interest 
 with her husband to grant us a pass, and to pro- 
 cure for us what other assistance she could, 
 and ordered victuals to be given us in a very 
 courteous manner ; after which we were re- 
 manded back to our prison, where we found 
 it was whispered that we should be put to 
 death ; but, however, in two days after, Pro- 
 vidence ordered it so, that this good lady ob- 
 tained the pass she had promised me she would 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 77 
 
 endeavour for ; upon which we were released 
 from our confinement, and went to return the 
 governor and his lady thanks on our knees, 
 who each of them gave us a real a-piece, with 
 three hats made of cane platted by the Indians, 
 and wished us well, and safely to return home 
 to our own country. These hats were of great 
 service to us afterwards, in shading us from 
 the vehemence of the sun, to which we had 
 been so much exposed before, that Mr Banis- 
 ter had thereby almost lost his sight. Mr 
 Rounce continued all this while very bad of 
 his ague and fever. 
 
 We were directed by our pass to go to a 
 place called Contiagua, where we were to shew 
 it to the Indians of that place, that we might 
 cross the great gulf of Fonseca or Amapala, 
 which is about thirty or forty leagues from 
 hence. Thomas Colorado (for I know him by 
 no other name) gave us an invitation to call 
 at his house, about eight leagues from St 
 Michael's, saying, it was in our way whither 
 we were going, and that his wife, who was an 
 Indian, would give us a kind reception : as 
 being his countrymen, we accepted the offer, 
 and set out accordingly, leaving him at St 
 Michael's. 
 
 When we had got two or three leagues from 
 the town, we came to some very high moun- 
 tains, which made us suppose we had mistaken 
 our way, as we had no information that we 
 should meet with any such thereabouts ; but, 
 about sun-set, we found out a path which led 
 
78 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 us to a range, where were people, of whom 
 we inquired if they knew one Thomas Colo- 
 rado, and where his house stood ? They said 
 they knew such a one very well, and that he 
 lived about four leagues off: we staid with 
 them all night, and in the morning they 
 directed us to his house. As we went along 
 we met a rake, so called in this country, which 
 is a company of mules employed to carry 
 goods to and fro, as our pack horses are in 
 England. This rake consisted of about forty 
 mules, and was going to some indigo works 
 to get lading, as the drivers told us. Mr 
 Rounce being very ill this day, and not able 
 to walk, we left him about noon, near an old 
 range, and went forward to seek for help. 
 Before sun-set we came to a great run of 
 water, on the other side of which was a large 
 house with fine indigo works, which we sup- 
 posing to belong to our countrymen Thomas, 
 we waded over to them directly ; but were 
 agreeably surprised to find the good father 
 who had engaged us at St Michael's about the 
 caulking of his vessel, to be the master both 
 of the house and works. He happening to be 
 here himself at this time, made very much of 
 us, kindly inquiring how we got out of our 
 late straits, and what was become of our com- 
 panion ? We told him we had left him sick at 
 a range, and how far it was off : upon which 
 he presently called some Indians, and gave 
 them orders to go and bring him hither along 
 with them. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 79 
 
 After they were gone, I got a mule, and 
 went with another Indian in search of him 
 myself, lest those who were gone before should 
 mistake the place ; but he was not where I 
 left him, nor could he be found by any of us, 
 which made me conclude, that by endeavour- 
 ing to follow us, he had strayed out of his 
 way, and so would never be heard of any 
 more ; and so having given him quite over for 
 lost, we returned to the old gentlemen, who, 
 the next morning, ordered the same Indians 
 to go and search about for him till they could 
 find him. Then he gave us a razor, and bade 
 us shave ourselves, which was what we had 
 never an opportunity to do before since we 
 left our ship ; and, at the same time, acquaint- 
 ed us here was an Englishman lived hard by, 
 who was a doctor of physic (as he was pleas- 
 ed to style him), whom, he said, he would 
 send for to us ; which he accordingly did, 
 and about noon the gentleman came, and ex- 
 pressed great satisfaction at this our inter- 
 view; but said, he was sorry to see us in so 
 indigent a condition, and himself not able to 
 assist us. He informed us, that he had been 
 eighteen years in this country ; that he had 
 lived eight years of that time in this place ; 
 that we were the first persons he had seen 
 from England in all that time ; that his name 
 was Henry Grace ; that he was born at Speak, 
 Speek, or Speke-hall, near Liverpool in Lan- 
 cashire, where his father and son now were, if 
 living, and enjoyed a handsome estate ; and 
 sorrowfully said, he should never see them or 
 
80 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 the place more, being not able to undergo the 
 fatigue of such a journey ; but that he would 
 send a letter to his father by me, which, if I 
 should be so happy as to get to England, he 
 begged me to have delivered ; which letter, 
 since my return home, I had an opportunity 
 of delivering into the old gentleman's own 
 hands, to his great surprise and joy. This 
 evening, the men who were sent in quest of 
 our sick comrade brought him to us ; he had 
 been taken up by some Indians, and carried 
 to the house of Thomas Colorado, where he 
 staid till they found him out. 
 
 Mr Grace was desired to ask, if we were 
 willing to go and caulk the vessel belonging 
 to the worthy gentleman whose house we were 
 at ? We answered we were willing to do that, 
 or any thing for him that lay in our power ; 
 so the next day he gave us some covering for 
 our bodies^ which was the first we had in the 
 country, and ordered mules to be got ready to 
 carry us to the vessel, which lay at the side of 
 a great river, called the river Limpo, that is, 
 the clean river, which disembogues itself into 
 the South Sea. Being come thither, we found 
 a negro and some Indians at work on her, 
 and thought she somewhat resembled Noah's 
 ark. All the tools they had were an axe, a 
 chissel, and an auger ; wherefore, we fell to 
 work, in the first place, and made ourselves 
 tools of wood proper for the business. Our 
 oakum was the outsides of cocoa-nuts. We 
 were sixteen days caulking this vessel^ which 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 81 
 
 would carry twenty- two mules across the 
 river; and there happened such a storm of 
 rain, that the water rose above twenty feet in 
 one night, and floated our vessel off the stocks. 
 When we had finished our work, we return- 
 ed to our master's house ; but, strangely were 
 we surprised at our entrance, to find there 
 two of our ship's company whom we had left 
 behind with the rest at St Peter's Solio, when 
 we made our escape from thence, little ex- 
 pecting ever to see any of them more. These 
 were our carpenter John Holland, who was so 
 grievously wounded in the engagement, that 
 we had given him over long since as a dead 
 man, and John Balmain; they were most piti- 
 ful objects of compassion, being almost starv- 
 ed to death. They told us, that after we were 
 gone, they were very cruelly used, and had 
 scarce any thing allowed them to subsist on, 
 and expected every day to be sent to the 
 mines, which was the reason that, as soon as 
 they were able to crawl, they, with two others, 
 namely, Thomas Locker and Thomas Robin- 
 son, stole out of the town by night ; and that 
 by means of the Indians and negroes, who 
 handed them with them from one to another, 
 and all the way directed them after us, till 
 they had got thus far, but that they had avoid- 
 ed Jcoming hither by the way of St Michael's, 
 for fear of being sent to the mines. They said 
 they had suffered much on account of not un- 
 derstanding what was spoken to them, or be- 
 ing understood, and that the other two that 
 
82 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 set out with them not being able to travel faiy 
 they had left them by the way with some In- 
 dians, who would take care of them. We de- 
 sired to know, if there was no inquiry made 
 after us when we left St Peter's. They said 
 there were some Indians sent to search for us; 
 but, at their return, they reported they could 
 hear nothing concerning us. This we knew 
 could proceed only from the good nature of 
 the people ; for nothing would have been 
 easier for them, had they been so minded, than 
 to have overtaken us. 
 
 We and our friends being now well refresh- 
 ed, and having all got trowsers on, began to 
 think ourselves in no contemptible circum- 
 stances, and that it was high time to take leave 
 of our kind benefactor, who would gladly have 
 detained us ; but as he knew of our resolution 
 of going to the English factory, he used no 
 unreasonable importunity, and at parting gave 
 us eight pieces of eight, as a requital for our 
 services done him. 
 
 Being now rich and able, as we thought, to 
 assist our poor shipmates, we resolved to share 
 their fortunes ; but then the grievance was, 
 our pass could serve only for us three, to whom 
 it was given; and how to procure them an- 
 other we could not tell. At last, we agreed to 
 go back again to St Michael's, and try our in- 
 terest with Thomas Colorado on that head. 
 Accordingly, we made all possible haste 
 thither ; but when we came near the town, in 
 the morning, after a two days' journey, we 
 
ENGLISHMEN. (j;| 
 
 began to fear that the governor might recede 
 from his favours, and instead of complying 
 with our request, secure us all. Upon this 
 consideration, we proposed to them to go to 
 the governor by themselves, if they could get 
 admittance, and plead their own case, whilst 
 we crossed the river of St Michael's, and wait- 
 ed their coming in a wood about three leagues 
 off, that we had been informed lay on our way 
 to Contiagua ; they seeing we could do no 
 otherwise, accepted the proposal ; hereupon 
 we departed to the place appointed, and they 
 entered the town to negociate their affair, and 
 succeeded therein so speedily, by Colorado's 
 means, that by evening they returned to us in 
 the wood, having their pass in their hands, 
 not being so much as suspected for spies. We 
 congratulated them on their good success, and 
 imputed it, in some measure, to this, that the 
 governor having beheld them in the same for- 
 lorn condition he had seen us, and found them 
 in the same story, he might probably say to 
 himself, as Joseph did to his brethren, that 
 now he knew we were true men, and no spies. 
 We resolved now to stick close by one another 
 for the future, seeing we were enabled so to 
 do. 
 
 From this wood we travelled to a savanna, 
 where we saw a great many tame cows going 
 up to a large range to be milked. We follow- 
 ed them, and obtained leave of the people 
 there to stay all night, and had milk and plan- 
 tains given us in plenty. These people told 
 
84 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 us, we might get to Contiagua in three days, 
 but that there were no inhabitants by the 
 way : upon this notice we purchased some 
 jerk-beef and plantains of them, to take along 
 with us, and in the morning left them, and 
 passed over several high and cragged rocks, 
 that proved very bad for our feet 
 
 About noon we came to a fine spring, near 
 which grew some tall trees ; under the shade 
 thereof we made a fire, and dressed part of 
 our beef and plantains, not knowing when we 
 might have such an another opportunity. By 
 evening we got to some indigo works ; near 
 which, considering the poverty of the country, 
 stood a fine house ; here we expected to have 
 met grandee Spaniards, but found only one 
 Indian, who told us the house was not habit- 
 able, because of the vermin that infested it ; 
 nevertheless, we blessed the Almighty for pro- 
 videntially directing us to this place, to shelter 
 ourselves from the inclemency of the weather; 
 for, at our coming here, it rained prodigious- 
 ly, and we plainly perceived a tempestuous 
 night was coming on, and so indeed it proved; 
 but to guard as much as we could against the 
 vermin, we made a great fire ; yet, neverthe- 
 less, the musquitoes so intolerably plagued us, 
 that we thought it impossible to undergo a 
 greater punishment. As soon as day appear- 
 ed, w r e departed from hence, and steered our 
 course up a mountain ; from whence, on the 
 left hand, we discovered the great gulf of 
 Fonseca or Amapala, that we were to cross : 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 85 
 
 having got down this mountain, we found a 
 path that led us up another; on the top there- 
 of stood the town of Contiagua, which is no- 
 thing more than a number of wigwams placed 
 thick together. 
 
 We found in it many women and children ; 
 but not the face of a man could be seen ; for, 
 it seems, they were all gone a hunting. As 
 the women were commonly pretty shy of us, 
 we thought it best to ask but few questions till 
 the men returned. Accordingly, we staid till 
 evening, and the first we met was one bearing 
 a white wand ; this we supposed to be the 
 alcald, or Indian governor ; and understand- 
 ing from himself that he was such, we deliver- 
 ed him our passes ; but perceiving that he 
 could not read them, I offered my service, and 
 read them to him. When he understood the 
 purport of them, he told me, the first canoe 
 that went, should transport us over the gulf, 
 and then shewed us to a range, where he said 
 we should be entertained till that time ; for 
 our passes ran, that we should have all things 
 free till we had passed the gulf, though all 
 persons, as well Spaniards as natives, must 
 have passes, and pay ten pieces of eight each 
 for their passage, besides the expence of their 
 diet by the way ; so greatly had the governor 
 of St Michael's favoured us. Indeed our en- 
 tertainment proved but small ; victuals being so 
 very scarce in these mountains, that during 
 the six days of our stay here, we tasted no- 
 thing but plantains. On the seventh, two 
 
8(5 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 canoes being ready to depart, we embarked 
 therein, two of us in one canoe, and three in 
 the other. We had eight Indians to row in 
 each canoe, in case the weather should not 
 admit of sailing. 
 
 In this gulf of Fonseca, Mapala, or Ama- 
 pala, are many islands ; some five, some six, 
 or seven miles long, affording abundance of 
 cocoa nuts and plantains ; to get which, on the 
 second day after our embarkation we landed 
 on one of them, while the Indians went to 
 dive for pearl. When they returned, we made 
 a feast of our plantains and their pearl oysters, 
 that have a fine taste, and eat better than any 
 I ever met with. We took care while we 
 were on the island to roast a good store of 
 plantains, and, besides, provided ourselves 
 with a sufficient quantity of fresh water to last 
 us the voyage, we having yet forty leagues 
 farther to sail. These islands are so infested 
 with wild beasts, that nobody stays on them 
 after sun-set. In this passage abundance of 
 rain fell and terrible squalls of wind ; so that 
 very often the canoes could hardly be kept 
 above water. The Indians had each of them 
 a hide to keep off the rain, but we were for- 
 ced to stand all weathers. After passing many 
 islands, on the fourth day Banister and I be- 
 ing in one canoe, and had outsailed the rest, 
 got to the other side of the gulf, and went 
 directly up a lagoon full of mangroves, that 
 rendered the passage difficult. When we were 
 got about twenty miles up it, we found a 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 87 
 
 range standing close by the water-side : there 
 we landed, not a little rejoiced at setting our 
 feet once again on shore, for the weather had 
 proved very rigorous, and we wholly exposed 
 to it. This range was not inhabited, by reason 
 of the vermin with which it was overrun. 
 The Indians make use of it only as a shelter 
 at their first landing, and to stow their goods 
 in, whilst the mules can be got ready to take 
 them away. 
 
 Mr Banister and I not being able to stay 
 here till our companions should arrive, desired 
 the Indians to direct us to some inhabitants, 
 where we designed to stay, and wait their 
 coming. They directed us to a town to which 
 we got about sun-set, and therein took up our 
 night's lodging ; but at this place there was 
 no sort of provision to be had at any rate, 
 though we now could have purchased some, 
 had it been in the way. There was not a 
 man to be seen in the town, and the poor 
 women there looked like pictures of famine ; 
 and well they might, for they had nothing but 
 some green suppotoes, which they boiled, to 
 subsist on ; things scarcely eatable for any 
 creature. This dearth obliged us to lay aside 
 the thoughts of staying for our company, and 
 go forward. 
 
 About noon the next day, we came to the 
 old town of Pueblo Vaco, where was a church, 
 and many houses ; but few people could be 
 seen. At last we espied a lady in one house, 
 very well dressed, to whom we went and beg- 
 
88 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ed her charity. She presently made choco- 
 late, giving us plenty of it, that was more ac- 
 ceptable to us at that time than gold. Whilst 
 I was relating part of our history to this lady, 
 who was a Mestie, in came her husband, who 
 was of the same mixture of people as herself, 
 that is, between Spanish, Indian, and mulatto ; 
 which mongrel breed is held almost in the 
 same esteem here as real Spaniards. When 
 this gentleman had heard something of our 
 story, and understood we were endeavouring 
 to get to the South Sea, he informed us that 
 there was a town called Realejo or Riolejo, 
 about two days' journey from hence, where 
 sometimes arrived vessels from Panama, and 
 that there we should have a good chance to 
 get a conveyance to that place. Then I told 
 him, we desired to stay only till our fellow- 
 travellers, whom we had left in a canoe in the 
 gulf of Fonseca, could overtake us ; but find- 
 ing no encouragement to stay here, we set for- 
 ward for Realejo. 
 
 At sun-set we came to an Indian village 
 utterly forsaken by every creature, that made 
 us conclude not to lodge in it, but go on. We 
 had not gone above two miles before we met 
 some Indians going towards the village with 
 plantains, of whom we inquired the way to 
 Realejo ; but they answered, that here was no 
 travelling by night, and therefore persuaded 
 us to turn back with them to the village, which 
 we agreed to. As we were going along, they 
 told us there had been a distemper raging in 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 81> 
 
 these parts, which had swept away most of 
 the men, and that the women and children that 
 were left, not being able to hunt about in the 
 woods and mountains as the men daily do, 
 were almost starved to death. We imagin- 
 ed the reason of our not being sooner told the 
 cause of the great scarcity of victuals in these 
 parts, proceeded from the fears the people 
 might form to themselves of our taking ad- 
 vantage of their present weakness, that per- 
 haps, were heightened by hearing we expect- 
 ed company to join us ; but if they dreaded 
 so, they were greatly unjust to us ; we were 
 not so profligate and ungrateful as to offer in- 
 jury, had it been in our power, to a harmless 
 people, that, in our greatest distress, had all 
 along succoured and relieved us, though at 
 the same time they were possessed with no- 
 tions, that, should they ever fall into the hands 
 of the English, we should repciy their genero- 
 sity with the utmost rigour and cruelty. 
 These notions, that we could hardly ever dis- 
 suade them from entertaining, they must have 
 learned from run-away negroes, that some- 
 times make their escape hither from some of 
 our West India isles ; or more probably and 
 generally from the Spaniards, who are indus- 
 trious in creating an aversion in these people 
 against those of our nation. But, to return to 
 my narration, we gave these poor Indians two 
 reals for two plantains, and the leg of a fowl ; 
 and the next day got to Realejo, where, ac- 
 cording to custom, we went about the town 
 
90 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 looking for something to eat, but could meet 
 with no such thing. We saw only a few 
 women ; one of them a negress, whom I asked,, 
 if she could put us in the way to satisfy our 
 hunger ? She said here was Indian corn, but 
 it was very dear, and but little to be had for 
 a real ; but that, if we could purchase any, 
 she would make us some turtiltias, and we 
 mightbelodgedinher house. We embraced the 
 offer, and gave her money to dispose of as she 
 thought best. In the two days that we stay- 
 ed here, came our three fellow-travellers, 
 whom we left behind, with grievous com- 
 plaints of having been starved, and that they 
 had eaten nothing in four days past. We pre- 
 sently comforted them by calling for our 
 turtiltias, of which they ate very eagerly. 
 At this place we saw two ships on the stocks, 
 which were not yet planked, nor their decks 
 laid ; but the Indians were busy in hewing 
 out planks from trees that were bent by na- 
 ture, and seemed ready fitted to the vessel, in 
 the same manner as we bend our sawed planks 
 by fire. These ships were built of cedar, and 
 would carry about three hundred tons. Their 
 floor, timbers, and top, were all of one piece. 
 They were bound for Acapulco and Peru ; 
 but no vessel could we find here to answer 
 our expectation. I talked with a Spaniard, 
 who told me of a place called Nicoy, the most 
 likely of any that he knew to meet with a 
 bark for Panama, for that vessels often came 
 from thence to Nicoya to take in tallow and 
 
ENGLISHMEN. Ul 
 
 jerk-beef. Then he directed us to go to a holy 
 father, who lived in this town, and crave his 
 assistance : we went accordingly, and made 
 our application to him, upon which he order- 
 ed us every one a plantain. After this we re- 
 turned to our black landlady, who stood our 
 best friend, and had provided a hot supper 
 against our coming back. She advised us to 
 go directly to Leon, which was a large city, 
 where was a Spanish governor, to which place 
 we might get in two days ; to stay here any 
 longer, she said, would be to starve ourselves 
 to death. We took her advice ; and in the 
 morning following she put us in the road to 
 Leon. 
 
 By noon we came to an Indian town, where 
 as we heard, lived a friar, a good man, to 
 whom we applied for help ; and he was so 
 charitable as to give us every one a real. We 
 made no stay here, but went on ; and about 
 sun-set got to another village, where we en- 
 deavoured to get something to eat, but could 
 not ; however, we were conducted to a range 
 to sleep in for that night. 
 
 About noon the next day, we entered the 
 town of Leon, and the first enquiry we made 
 was after the governor, whom we meant to 
 addresss before all persons ; but we were told 
 he was gone out of town. Leon is a large 
 and populous town, having a great church, 
 and a fine convent filled with devotees. We 
 went one day to the convent to ask charity, 
 where the fathers presently asked if we were 
 Christians ? When I told them we were, they 
 
92 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 desired to be informed by whom we had been 
 baptised ? I told them by clergymen of the 
 church of England. Why then, said they, 
 you are no Christians ; for they have no 
 power to baptise who are married and have 
 children. As they were discoursing me upon 
 this head, came a negro-woman, and said, 
 that her master Don Emanuel desired to speak 
 with us. We went with her immediately to 
 his house, where he asked us such questions 
 only as good nature and curiosity suggested ; 
 all which I resolved the best I could. When 
 he heard we had delivered our passes to the 
 alcald of Contiagua, before we crossed the 
 great gulf, and were now without any, he said 
 we must have one, or otherwise there would 
 be no travelling ; and was very sorry that his 
 father, whom he styled our countryman, 
 though born in Ireland, and who was trea- 
 surer and secretary to the governor, and could 
 do as he pleases with him, should be out of 
 town at this critical juncture; for had he 
 been in the way, he assured us we should have 
 had a pass immediately ; but he promised to 
 go with us the next day to the alcald major 
 or sub-governor, and try to get one from 
 him. He went with us according to promise, 
 and obtained the pass, and then advised us to 
 go to Grenada, where he said vessels were fre- 
 quently built to go to Porto Bello; which ad- 
 vice of our good friend we resolved to follow. 
 This gentleman treated us with extraordinary 
 kindness and hospiteility the time we staid at 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 93 
 
 Leon, which was three days ; after which we 
 took leave of him, and set out for Grenada. 
 
 We left Leon in the morning ; and the 
 same day in the evening got to an Indian vil- 
 lage, and shewed our pass to the alcald of the 
 place ; but, as he could not read it, I told him 
 that the governor had commanded all the al- 
 calds where we should come to provide us 
 with victuals : but he gave us to understand 
 it was not in his power so to do, for that the 
 inhabitants here had little or nothing for them- 
 selves, and that he feared we should hear the 
 same complaint in other places ; and so in 
 reality we did wherever we went, for eighteen 
 days together, after we left this village ; and 
 above all, the greatest misery was, that water 
 was as scarce in these parts as victuals ; inso- 
 much, that whenever we came to any puddle, 
 or tracts of beasts' feet where moisture had 
 gathered, though it were discoloured, and 
 stunk ever so much, we never failed to lay 
 ourselves down and drink it up, and I may 
 say with satisfaction. Our only food in that 
 time was a few poor dry berries, such as our 
 hips and haws ; however, as bad as they were 
 we were glad when we found any, for they 
 were not always to be had. We passed 
 through many villages that stood pretty thick, 
 on a fine level land very easy for the feet, and 
 delightful to the eye, having every here and 
 there thickets of trees and groves, with rising 
 and falling ground, that afforded beautiful 
 prospects. 
 
94 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 At length we came to a mountain which 
 we were obliged to pass over, from the top of 
 which we could see the great lake of Nicar- 
 agua. Having descended this mountain, we 
 came to an Indian village, where we saw 
 three gentlemen of an order of friars, who 
 sent for us, and examined us strictly of our 
 country and religion, but more particularly 
 concerning our present state and government ; 
 to all which I answered as I could. These 
 gentlemen were on their way from Grenada 
 to Leon ; they provided us the best supper 
 we had met with a long time ; and, moreover, 
 gave us every one a real ; and, besides, pro- 
 vided us with a night's lodging. 
 
 The next morning we got to the lake of 
 Nicaragua, and keeping on the side of it, we 
 passed through many villages, and at last 
 came into the town of Grenada, and went di- 
 rectly to the alcald major, who is always a 
 Spaniard, and shewed him our pass ; upon 
 which he gave us two reals a-piece, and said, 
 we must be lodged in prison whilst we staid 
 here, but not to be kept as prisoners under 
 confinement, for we should every day have 
 our liberty to go about the town as we pleas- 
 ed : so that this was no great mortification to 
 us. 
 
 Grenada is very large, and has three churches, 
 with convents for several holy orders in it. 
 Perceiving a numerous clergy here, we thought 
 proper to entreat their assistance ; and some 
 of them relieved us, and some did not. We 
 
ENGLISHMAN. 9,1 
 
 found that in this town cocoa passes as cur- 
 rent coin ; seventy nuts of which were valued 
 at a real of plate. 
 
 A gentleman, who is receiver-general of the 
 king's revenues in this part of the country, 
 came one day to the prison, on purpose to ask 
 us some questions concerning our misfortunes, 
 which when I had answered, he bade us come 
 to his house every day, where we should ever 
 find relief, and for the present gave us a large 
 mat to sleep on, for till then we lay on the 
 bare ground. This gentleman having a ship 
 that traded in the South Sea, offered if we 
 would stay here, to employ us therein ; but I 
 replied, that we were determined to get to 
 our own country, if possible, that otherwise 
 we would gladly have served him. Here be- 
 ing some flat-bottomed vessels building to go 
 to Porto Bello, by the way of the lake of Ni- 
 caragua, we went to the master of one of them 
 to try if we could get a passage with him ; 
 who said, that if we could procure a pass, 
 permitting us to go by the castle of St John, 
 standing on an island in the neck of the lake, 
 about fifty leagues from hence, he would not 
 only give us our passage, but pay us hand- 
 somely for our labour. This castle of St 
 John commands all vessels that pass up the 
 lake; the channel being so narrow, and full 
 of bars and shoals, that it is impossible for 
 any vessel to sail up it, and not borrow close 
 upon the castle ; for that reason he durst not 
 take us without a pass. The governor of the 
 
96 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 castle being at this time at Grenada, in whose 
 power only it was to grant us such a pass,, 
 we went and petitioned him on that matter, 
 at the same time setting forth our great hard- 
 ships, our inability to endure more, and re- 
 monstrating, that if he did not grant this fa- 
 vour, so much, and immediately in his power, 
 we should be compelled to travel many hun- 
 dreds of leagues out of our way, and go over 
 the mountains of Nicaragua, a thing deemed 
 impracticable for foot passengers ; and in 
 short, that we were informed we had all the 
 most difficult part of the country yet to go 
 through, and in the worst season of the year, 
 that is, the time of the rains. His reply was, 
 that he had instructions from the king of 
 Spain not to suffer any Englishman to pass 
 up or down the lake, and that therefore he 
 could not, nor would comply with our re- 
 quest. This flat denial utterly dismayed us ; 
 yet, what is very natural for persons driven 
 even to despair itself, that is, to hover about 
 the thing on which they have once built their 
 hopes, was now our case. We could not for- 
 bear hankering about the lake of Nicaragua, 
 thinking how easily we might have attained 
 our ends that way, could we have obtained a 
 pass. 
 
 As we were walking up and down in this 
 pensive mood, we chanced to meet a company 
 of Indians, among whom was a countryman 
 of ours, that appeared to be almost starved to 
 death. We asked him how long he had been 
 
ENGLISHMEN. f>7 
 
 in this country. He said almost five years, 
 and that he had travelled about from place to 
 place, in hopes of getting out of it, but still 
 never the nearer to his journey's end. He 
 told us his name was Robert Barnwell, and 
 born at West Chester. It seems he had been 
 taken in the same manner that we had been, 
 and set on shore, with several others, that are 
 all at present dead, and he only left alive to 
 bemoan his hard fate. He said, that he had 
 tried every way he could think of, to get home 
 to England, but that all his endeavours had 
 proved unsuccessful ; so that now he never 
 expected to leave this country : he said like- 
 wise, that the last effort he made to that end, 
 was by prevailing with a master of a vessel 
 who was bound from Grenada to Porto Bello, 
 by way of the lake, to take him along with 
 him ; but that when they came to the castle of 
 St John, he was discovered and turned back ; 
 for, that the Spaniards should say, if once the 
 English came to know the nature of this lake, 
 they would soon become masters of this part 
 of the country. 
 
 The lake of Nicaragua vents itself into the 
 North Sea ; and though it be very shallow, is 
 about fifteen leagues broad in the widest part, 
 but near the castle it is not above a mile over, as 
 Barnwell informed us. When we had heard 
 thus much of his story, we acquainted him 
 with part of ours ; and said, that since our late 
 disappointment, we had agreed, by the help of 
 God, to go to Nicoya, and that, if he was will- 
 
98 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ing to bear us company, we would take our 
 chance together. He was very well pleased 
 with the proposal; but as he was sick and 
 weak, feared he should not be able to perform 
 the journey : however, we comforted him by 
 saying, he might stay here till he got strength, 
 for that we were obliged to wait for our car- 
 penter, who was at work in building a vessel, 
 at which he could earn two Spanish dollars a- 
 day. He was employed eight days, and re- 
 ceived his wages, with which he purchased 
 himself a frock, that in reality was worth no 
 more than two shillings sterling; so exces- 
 sively dear are all sorts of clothing in these 
 parts. 
 
 At this time an accident happened in the 
 prison where we lodged, that might have 
 proved fatal to us, had not some precaution 
 been used. The matter was this : five mulat- 
 to-men, that were closely confined in arms for 
 the barbarous murder of an alcald major, 
 were passed from St Michael's to this town, in 
 order to be sent to the castle of St John, there 
 to remain during life. Two of these very fel- 
 lows came in one of our canoes, when we 
 crossed the great gulph of Fonseca, being at 
 that time loaded with irons. These men were 
 laid for the present among other criminals, in 
 the next room to us ; and one night when we 
 were asleep, they called out, as if in great 
 surprise, to an old Indian who lay in the room 
 with us, who was an officer of some authority, 
 as well in the town as in the prison. He start- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 90 
 
 ing suddenly out of his sleep at the noise, snatch- 
 ed up a light, and ran to see what was the matter. 
 When he had unlocked the outward door, sup- 
 posing the inward one to be fast, as he had 
 found that the villains rushed upon him, and 
 in a violent manner laid on him with staves, 
 till he fell down for dead. We awaking with 
 the hurly-burly, and supposing it to be among 
 the prisoners, for that we missed the old man, 
 got up between sleeping and waking, and ran 
 to inquire into the cause of the disturbance. 
 By the time we had got to the place where 
 we thought we had heard the noise, it ceased, 
 and we found all in darkness. At last, we 
 chanced to stumble over a body which lay in 
 the door- way of the place where these men 
 were kept. We endeavoured to raise it, but 
 perceiving no signs of life in it, we concluded 
 the ruffians had broke their gaol, and murder- 
 ed the old gentleman, our chamber fellow, 
 and that this was his body ; the thoughts of 
 which threw us into a terrible consternation, 
 especially when we reflected, that we being 
 wanderers in a strange land, and under no 
 small degree of odium, might be held in sus- 
 picion of being accessory with them in so 
 horrid a crime, and perhaps be punished as 
 being guilty of the fact. Upon this consider- 
 ation, I advised that we should go forthwith to 
 the alcald major of the town, and acquaint 
 him with what had happened. We did so, and 
 though it was in the dead of the night, he 
 rose, and came himself along with us to the 
 
100 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 prison , but took care to be well guarded by 
 his officers ; and as we went along, he highly 
 commended our care and fidelity in this affair. 
 At our return to the prison, we were very 
 glad to find our old friend, whom we had sup- 
 posed to be dead, revived, though much 
 bruised, and afflicted for the loss of his prison- 
 ers, who had made their escape, and left their 
 chains and shackles behind them, strewed 
 about them in pieces. 
 
 The alcald commanded strict search to be 
 made after them, and the next day they were 
 found to have taken sanctuary in a church be- 
 longing to a monastery of Franciscan friars 
 here, who refused to deliver them up to jus- 
 tice, saying, since they were fled thither, they 
 were bound to shelter them from the rigour of 
 the law. We thankfully acknowledged the 
 good Providence that had directed every thing 
 in this matter, so as to free us from the least 
 imputation of confederacy with these vile 
 wretches, though we had, before we came 
 here, been obliged to travel some way with 
 them. 
 
 Whilst we stayed here, canoes arrived fre- 
 quently with Indians, who dwelt on the other 
 side of the lake, and who brought with them 
 creatures like a guana, or rather a lizard, but 
 as big as a mastiff dog. These are sold in 
 Grenada at a great price ; and they that can 
 afford to eat so delicately are happy. I have 
 eat of them ; and though their look is not al- 
 together inviting, yet when they are dressed, 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 101 
 
 they taste better than any fowl. These In- 
 dians differ both in features and complexion, 
 from any other Indians I ever saw, and having 
 hair of an unusual length, are therefore com- 
 monly called the long-haired Indians. 
 
 When we had given over all thoughts of 
 getting away from hence by shipping, I made 
 it my business to inquire out the better way 
 to go to Nicoya, and found that all people 
 agreed there was no avoiding the mountains of 
 Nicaragua ; but, at the same time, they assur- 
 ed us it was impossible to travel over them on 
 foot, and without arms, on account of the 
 tigers, and other beasts of prey that swarmed 
 there ; however, as we had no choice to make, 
 we knew we must run all hazards, and put it 
 to the venture. It had rained almost all the 
 time of our being here, wherefore we knew it 
 must be bad travelling; but having picked up 
 what we could to help us on the way, after a 
 stay of ten days we departed for Nicoya. 
 Barnwell was not able to travel with us on 
 account of his weakness. 
 
 Having got about two leagues from Gre- 
 nada, we met with some Indians, who satisfied 
 us we were going right ; and, a little farther, 
 we overtook two others who were going our 
 way, with whom we associated till they came 
 to their journey's end. Mr Banister beginning 
 to be very ill at this time, we made haste to a 
 range, where we got him some milk, and pro- 
 cured what other help we could towards his 
 recovery; but he growing worse, in such a 
 
102 THE UiNFORTUNATE 
 
 manner as plainly shewed he would not soon 
 be able to travel, and the poor people we were 
 among not being able to sustain such a com- 
 pany as we were together, we were constrain- 
 ed to leave him alone with them till he should 
 be better, and have an opportunity to follow 
 us. 
 
 Not far from hence is a large savanna, which 
 by reason of the rains, was now quite over- 
 flowed ; this we waded through, though the 
 water reached up to our shoulders, and though 
 the mud and stench that arose from the bot- 
 tom, were enough to poison any thing that 
 had life. We were almost a whole day get- 
 ting over this filthy place, and then came to a 
 wigwam where we found some Indians, who 
 told us we had taken the wrong way, and 
 wondered how we had been able to get over 
 it. These people were so far from help- 
 ing us to water to wash ourselves, that they 
 could not give us any to drink, though we 
 were in exceeding want of it : however, we 
 were glad to lie down to rest in the nasty 
 pickle we were in. 
 
 Before we set out in the morning, they told 
 us we should come to St Thomas's by night, 
 where we might get plantains enough : ac- 
 cordingly, by sun-set we reached it, and found 
 it to be the country-seat of a priest, who was 
 not there at that time. We staid, however, 
 with his servants two days, expecting our fel- 
 low-traveller Banister, who did not come : all 
 this time it rained hard. The house stands 
 
EiNGLISHMEN. 103 
 
 very pleasantly among cocoa and plantain 
 walks, and abundance of fruit trees. 
 
 On the third day we departed from hence, 
 and for a good way met with nothing but 
 cocoa, plantain, and several other sorts of 
 fruit trees. Cocoa grows on small trees in 
 great pods, as big as melons ; some of which 
 contain sixty or eighty kernels enclosed in 
 white skins, which are taken off, and the nuts 
 thrown into the water, and those that sink are 
 accounted fit for use when dried by the sun. 
 
 The next place we came to was a small vil- 
 lage, where was an Indian alcald, to whom 
 we shewed our pass, and who used us in a 
 kind and obliging manner, ordering us plenty 
 of chocolate, besides whatever his house af- 
 forded us to eat ; and, moreover, promised to 
 take care we should have provisions to help 
 us over the mountains, which, he said, was a 
 long, long way, and where none but Indians 
 durst travel on foot. After we had eaten and 
 drank pretty heartily, being very weary, we 
 began to grow drowsy, and there not being 
 conveniency for so many as we to lodge in the 
 house, we went into the yard, and laid our- 
 selves down under a little covering of boards, 
 and there fell fast asleep. How long we lay 
 thus I cannot say ; but at last Mr Rounce 
 waked us with a story, that he had seen an 
 old gentleman very richly dressed, carried 
 along the yard into the house, whom he verily 
 believed to be an Englishman ; for that he 
 should call to him as he passed by, and say in 
 
1<M THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 English, How do you do countryman ? But 
 this, he said, was not the only reason he had 
 neither, to believe him such ; for that the first 
 moment he cast his eyes upon him, he knew 
 his face, and remembered he had been parti- 
 cularly acquainted with him some years before 
 in England. We asked him what answer he 
 made ; he said none; for that his surprise was 
 so great, he had not power to open his mouth. 
 For my part, as I had been asleep all the while 
 myself, and knew nothing of the matter, I was 
 apt to think he had been so too, and knew as 
 little ; but that he had dreamed the story, and 
 awaking suddenly out of his sleep, imagined 
 it to be matter of fact. But to be certain of 
 the thing, we got up, and went directly into 
 the house, and there found the old gentleman 
 in reality sitting in a sort of chair. He was 
 wrapped up in a cloak, very richly embroider- 
 ed with gold, but seemed to be superannuated. 
 We stood looking at him very steadfastly, but 
 he said not one word, nor took the least notice 
 of us, till curiosity led me to ask him in 
 Spanish, if he was of Old Spain. Upon which 
 he answered very quick in English, that he 
 was no Spaniard, but came from London 
 many years ago, and said no more. I went on 
 to ask him several other questions ; but he 
 answered none of them ; and then the alcald, 
 and others who were about him, desired I 
 would not talk to him anymore, saying, indeed 
 he was our countryman, but was now old and 
 sick, and not capable to answer ; upon which 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 105 
 
 I held my peace, perceiving they had no mind 
 any discourse should pass between us. By 
 this time Mr Rounce had taken a thorough 
 view of him, and was well satisfied that he 
 was the man he had imagined him to be, and 
 then he told us that his name was Edmund 
 Underwood, and that he had been master of a 
 vessel, and had lived at Yarmouth, where he 
 knew both him and his father very well, who 
 was a rope-maker. This man, it seems, had 
 been missing many years, as his son informed 
 Mr Rounce, since our arrival in England. We 
 stayed here but one night, and the next morn- 
 ing took leave of the alcald, who gave us 
 twelve tamalaws of Indian corn, and each of 
 us two reals in cocoa, bidding us be sure to 
 go to the other alcald at the old town of Ni- 
 caragua, and get something of him. 
 
 As we went along, we saw little birds no 
 bigger than a grasshoper, of a whitish colour, 
 which, as they flew from tree to tree, were 
 hardly perceivable. In the evening we got to 
 the alcald of the old town, and told him our 
 errand ; who said he would do what he could 
 for us, and for the present bade us go about 
 the town, and ask every one to give us some- 
 thing towards helping us over the mountains. 
 We did so; and of some we got plantains, and 
 of others jerk-beef ; so that we presently 
 picked up as much as we were able to carry. 
 
 On the third day of our abode here, arrived 
 three friars, who were just come from over the 
 mountains of Nicaragua on mules, well guard- 
 
IW THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ed by armed Indians. When they heard we 
 were going to travel over them on foot, they 
 endeavoured to dissuade us from an attempt, 
 which, they said, must prove our ruin : for 
 that if we had no arms to defend us from the 
 tigers, we should soon be devoured. They 
 were in great trouble about a dog they very 
 much valued, which they had lost on the 
 mountains, and which they supposed to be 
 torn in pieces by the tigers. The gentlemen 
 gave us some cigars to smoke, which they 
 supposed would be very acceptable. These 
 are leaves of tobacco rolled up in such a man- 
 ner, that they serve both for a pipe and to- 
 bacco itself: these the ladies, as well as gen- 
 tlemen, are very fond of smoking ; but indeed 
 they know no other way here, for there is no 
 such thing as a tobacco pipe throughout New 
 Spain, but poor awkward tools, used by the 
 negroes and Indians. 
 
 The alcald at whose house we were at this 
 time, had got a large ram, which being mis- 
 chievous, was kept tied up in a back place, 
 where we had never seen him. Now we were 
 appointed to lie without the house, under a 
 sort of shed, where hung two hammocks. 
 One morning when we were just risen, and 
 thought nothing of the matter, the ram, who 
 was broke loose, and had got sight of us, 
 came running furiously at us, and in the first 
 place assaulted John Balmain, getting him 
 down, and butting at him with his horns with 
 might and main. I seeing this, ran with de- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. Ifl7 
 
 sign to rescue my companion ; upon which 
 the ram left him, and fell upon me with all 
 his force. Finding my antagonist a little too 
 strong for me, the only expedient I could 
 think of to recover myself, was to dodge him 
 round a tree, where we both played our parts 
 very dexterously ; but fortune, that does not 
 always favour the politic, no more than the 
 brave, together with the slipperiness of the 
 place, occasioned my foot to slide, bringing 
 me down, and by that means gave my enemy 
 the advantage over me, that had not the gen- 
 erosity to suffer me to rise, and fairly renew 
 the combat ; but in that condition fell on me 
 so violently, that he not only bruised me ex- 
 tremely, but broke one of my ribs before I 
 could recover my feet: however, as soon as I 
 got on my legs again, I began to study revenge 
 for the injury ; and whilst I looked round to 
 see if I could come at any stick or cudgel, 
 Mr Rounce, who had been gone on one side, 
 and knew nothing of this fray, happened to 
 come forward unwarily and unprepared : upon 
 this the bravo, flushed with success, and being 
 resolved, as it seemed, to push his conquest to 
 the utmost, as vigorously attacked him as he 
 had before done us, that luckily gave me an 
 opportunity to fall upon him in the rear ; for 
 I did not think myself bound in honour to 
 stand upon ceremony with one that had given 
 me no quarter. At last, I seized my gentle- 
 man by the horns, and pummelled him pretty 
 heartily with my fist, on the head and nose, 
 
108 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 till the blood ran clown the latter ; upon this 
 he began to find he had got enough, and 
 seemed inclined to retreat ; but we resolved 
 not to let him come off so, and therefore two 
 of us held him,, and the others went and got 
 sticks, and then beat him till they had tho- 
 roughly humbled him. By this time came a 
 negro, and some Indian women belonging to 
 the house, and led him to be tied up, and he 
 being acquainted with them, submitted pa- 
 tiently to their discipline. This ram was the 
 only sheep we saw throughout the country, 
 and I should have had no occasion to have 
 been sorry if I had missed the sight of him. 
 As for my part, though I laughed at the en- 
 counter as soon as over, and have often done 
 so since, yet in the main, I had no cause to 
 make a jest of it ; for I endured a great deal 
 of pain on account of my broken rib, and par- 
 ticularly at the time it was fresh, and was 
 obliged to travel for many days over those 
 desperate mountains of Nicaragua. The al- 
 cald and his wife were much concerned to see 
 me bruised, and applied plasters and remedies 
 to the parts affected. 
 
 We tarried here six days in expectation of 
 our fellow-traveller Banister overtaking us; 
 but finding he did not come, we began to give 
 him over for lost, and so agreed to stay no 
 longer. Accordingly, the next morning we 
 set out, after paying our respects to the alcald 
 and his family, they directing us our way. 
 This is the pleasantest and most fruitful part 
 
ENGLISHMEN. lot) 
 
 of the country that we saw between the wa- 
 tery savanna, and the foot of the mountains. 
 
 We spent most of this day in travelling 
 through a wood where was variety of fruit, 
 and at last came to a great river that we cross- 
 ed, and had not gone above a musquet-shot 
 before we came to an old range, that, at night 
 approaching, proved a great conveniency for 
 us to lie in ; therefore, we went directly to 
 seek for wood, and then made a good fire, not 
 forgetting to fill our calabashes with water. 
 This night there happened such a terrible 
 storm of wind, thunder, lightning, and rain, 
 that what with the hideous yelling of wild 
 beasts, and the falling of huge trees occasion- 
 ed by the storm, a man would have thought 
 himself in another world : however, by morn- 
 ing the storm ceased, but the rain continued 
 as much as ever, so that there was no travell- 
 ing for us. Our greatest concern now was, 
 that if this weather held, our provisions would 
 be all spent before we came to the mountains. 
 We had two sorts of money ; one of plate, 
 and the other of cocoa. I told my compan- 
 ions that I would put my cocoa money to 
 such an use as should stand me in more stead 
 at present than all the plate of the Indies 
 could produce ; that was, I said, to save my 
 provisions; and to convince them of what I 
 said, I got three stones one I put into the 
 fire, and made it red hot, and then roasted 
 my cocoa-nuts ; and then I ground them be- 
 tween the other two stones, till I had made 
 
110 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 them up into a paste, and having then con- 
 trived to boil water in a calabash, that is but 
 a thin shell, and having got a mull made of 
 two or three sticks that served for the pur- 
 pose, I made as good chocolate as a man 
 would desire to drink. Then all hands went 
 to work, and did after the same manner ; so 
 that in this method we found a double con- 
 veniency, inasmuch as we were thereby com- 
 fortably regaled, and at the same time eased 
 of a troublesome luggage that would have 
 proved too troublesome for us; whereas by 
 continuing this practice, it lessened by degrees, 
 and our money became no burthen to us. 
 
 After this, we washed ourselves at the river: 
 near it were numbers of monkeys ; one we 
 took notice of in particular, a she-monkey, 
 that had three young ones ; one clung about 
 her neck, and the other two she hugged, one 
 in each arm, as a woman should hold a couple 
 of children. With these she swung from tree 
 to tree by her tail, and at last dropped from 
 a very high tree to a low one, without mak- 
 ing the least use of her fore-paws. Towards 
 night we busied ourselves in gathering wood 
 to keep up our fire, being highly necessary 
 during our stay here to rest ourselves. At 
 this time a dog met us, that came and stood 
 close by us, making us expect presently to 
 see some Indians, but none came : however, 
 we desired nothing more than that the clog 
 might stay and keep us company over the 
 mountains. We gave him such victuals a? 
 
ENGLISHMEN. Ill 
 
 we could best spare, and the poor beast fawn- 
 ed, and seemed content to be with us. Now 
 what makes this accident remarkable is, that 
 we had frequently desired only to have a dog 
 to go with us over the mountains, believing 
 he might prove a good guard, or at least to 
 alarm us in case of any approaching danger. 
 We must have been stupid riot to have ad- 
 mired the care Providence had of us in this 
 particular. 
 
 The weather proving fair next day, we 
 agreed to get as near the mountains as possi- 
 ble, and accordingly set out with our dog. 
 After wading through several very bad sa- 
 vannas up to our middles in water, about sun- 
 set we reached the foot of the mountains, tak- 
 ing up our abode there that night, and next 
 morning began to ascend one of them : but 
 by noon our provision being grown burthen- 
 some, therefore, to ease us of some of the 
 weight, we sat down and filled our bellies, 
 not forgetting our dog, and then divided every 
 man his share to carry himself. 
 
 This mountain is all over full of holes and 
 deep cracks, so that almost every step we 
 took we sunk up to our middle, though we 
 followed in the tracks of mules' feet. At 
 length, having got down this mountain, it 
 brought us to a river running betwixt the 
 mountains, and very broad and muddy. We 
 were obliged to wade through it, though we 
 afterwards found by experience it was full of 
 holes at the bottom, as the mountain we had 
 
112 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 just passed ; and, as we could have no marks 
 here to guide our feet by, I concluded we 
 should all perish before we got out of it. We 
 laboured several hours very difficultly, up to 
 our necks in water, and could see no end to 
 it, nor so much as find a resting-place, no, 
 not for a moment ; for the mountains on each 
 side of us were exceeding high, and steep as 
 a house side : however, Providence support- 
 ed us, till at last we found out a passage that 
 led us up between the mountains. 
 
 We ascended one of them directly, weary 
 as we were, and on the top thereof found a 
 plain clear spot of ground, from thence we 
 saw the burning mountain of Bombaco, not 
 being far from us. That mountain voids great 
 quantities of sulphureous matter, and there 
 also is found much pumice-stone. We be- 
 lieved there was not a better place than this 
 to take up our night's lodging at ; therefore, 
 we made up a blazing fire to sit by and rest 
 us; for sleep we durst not for fear of the 
 tigers. And now our dog proved of real ser- 
 vice to us; for nothing could stir, but his 
 barking and roaring furiously gave us notice 
 to stand upon our defence, having firebrands in 
 our hands. Thus the nights passed in watch- 
 ing and ceaseless terror, and our days in toil 
 and unspeakable labour, and equal hazard, and 
 thus we went on from mountain to mountain, 
 till we had passed the chain of them; but many 
 times by such ways and means as might seem 
 incredible, if related, at least to Europeans ; 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 113 
 
 for no Europeans ever travelled this country 
 before us in the manner we did. Sometimes 
 we were obliged to ascend and descend the 
 mountains by roads or paths, but little more 
 than mere edges of lands, having such pro- 
 digious precipices on each side, that the least 
 slip or turn of our feet might have carried us 
 to another world, and never more have been 
 seen ; and very often loaded mules, if the 
 ground proves slippery, are lost this way, 
 though they are the most sure footed crea- 
 tures in the world. At other times, when 
 we were not on these narrow ways, tigers, 
 panthers, wolves, &c. continually alarmed us 
 both day and night ; and if there was no fire 
 to defend ourselves against them, (and had we 
 been masters of any arms before, could not 
 have burthened ourselves in carrying them at 
 this time,) those creatures often standing at 
 some distance, and staring at us in amaze ; 
 but experience taught us, that if we turned 
 off hastily to go from them, they would steal 
 after us in a lurking manner, that shewed 
 they only waited their time to seize us ; but 
 if we turned suddenly, and faced them bold- 
 ly, or advanced near them, they seemed sur- 
 prised, and looked full in our faces for some 
 time ; and then, as though not willing to en- 
 counter us face to face, made off as hard as 
 they could drive. When we had found out 
 this way of dealing with them, it much abat- 
 ed our fears ; but we often pitied our poor 
 dog, so jaded and tired out, that he could 
 
114 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 scarcely drag his legs after him ; but, for all 
 our parts, what we endured is inexpressible ; 
 and certain it is, that, could we have been 
 truly sensible that these mountains were real- 
 ly so bad, before we undertook to go over 
 them, we should have been so far from at- 
 tempting it, that, to have been made lords and 
 masters of the country, including all the riches 
 contained therein, could not have been suffi- 
 cient to bribe us to such an undertaking; but 
 every man of us would rather have chose to 
 sit down with the Indians, as contentedly as 
 he could, and have spent all his lifetime, after 
 their wild and uncomfortable manner. True 
 it is, indeed, that both Spaniards and Indians 
 had often warned us, that it would be im- 
 practicable for us to travel over these moun- 
 tains, but we vainly imagined we should not 
 meet with the terrible bug-bears they repre- 
 sented to us ; and, as the old proverb has it, 
 we fancied they made mountains of mole- 
 hills. 
 
 But not to trouble the reader with a far- 
 ther account of the particulars of this melan- 
 choly part of our journey, I shall only add, 
 that with infinite toil and danger, and by the 
 assistance of God Almighty, we overcame all 
 difficulty, and at last got clear of the dismal 
 and inhospitable mountains of Nicaragua, and 
 passed by the side of a savanna, on a rising 
 ground, where two rakes of mules were graz- 
 ing. 
 
 These were going over the mountains ; 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 115 
 
 but had been resting here two or three days, 
 before they undertook the painful journey 
 so much complained of. I asked the Indians 
 with them, how far it was to any inhabitants ? 
 They said there were very few in this part of 
 the country, and but only here and there a 
 range; some ten, and some twenty leagues 
 distant from each other ; but there was one 
 we might get to before night. 
 
 We were at this time as destitute of clothing 
 as ever ; for, though we had all drawers soon 
 after we left St Michael's, yet, as they were of 
 a poor thin stuff, they soon wore to tatters ; so 
 that we had scarcely a rag of them left to cover 
 our nakedness. We spent the whole day in 
 search of this range, but to no purpose. Night 
 drawing on, and we being very weary, my 
 companion proposed that we should lay us 
 down where we were and rest till morning ; 
 but my advice was to go on in search of a 
 harbour, whilst the moon continued to shine, 
 which they at last agreed to, though indeed 
 we were so exceedingly fatigued, that we 
 thought ourselves fit only to lie down and die. 
 Towards the setting of the moon, a terrible 
 storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, came 
 on ; at which time we were on an open sa- 
 vanna, without any shelter, except here and 
 there a few shrubby trees ; some of which 
 we crept under, having first made a little fire 
 of such brushy wood as could be got, that 
 the storm soon extinguished, and thus we 
 lay till morning ; and finding a range with 
 
116 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 two Indians, and they seeing our deplorable 
 condition, made us a good fire, and gave us 
 hot milk ; that was such a refreshment as we 
 had not met with for many days past. This 
 range is appointed purposely for the relief of 
 travellers, and belongs to a company of friars, 
 who keep it always well stored with jerk-beef 
 and milk. Now this is the method they take 
 to milk their cows, as well here as in other 
 parts of this country ; they go into the sa- 
 vannas and catch young calves, that they 
 bring home, and enclose in a pen raised high 
 on purpose, to preserve them from tigers and 
 other beasts of prey, but leave one place open 
 for the cows to get in, that will not fail to 
 come in the night and suckle them. In the 
 morning they drive them out, and tie a calf 
 to the fore-leg of each cow, and whilst she is 
 licking her young one they milk her; but 
 they make little other use of the milk than to 
 get the cream, that they keep in calabashes 
 to eat with their plantains ; so that if we hap- 
 pened to come any where when they were 
 milking, they never denied us as much as we 
 could drink. These Indians told us we might 
 get to Nicoya in ten or fifteen days, and at 
 parting gave us as much jerk-beef as we were 
 willing to have. This meat is in long slips, 
 and so dried by the sun to make it keep, that 
 it is hard and insipid as a stick ; whenever 
 we dressed any of it afterwards, we were 
 forced to mash it between a couple of stones, 
 else it could never have been eaten, 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 117 
 
 Not far from hence is a great river, that 
 we were three days endeavouring to cross, 
 but in vain till the fourth. On the other side 
 of this river is a great range called St Domin- 
 go, where we found a negro-man and woman, 
 that, upon our telling them our country, pro- 
 fessed they loved the English well, but not 
 the Spaniards ; and, indeed, we found the 
 good effects of this disposition in them, for 
 they behaved wonderfully kind and friendly 
 to us. We staid here one night ; and in the 
 morning they directed us to a place called 
 St Thomas's, where, they said, lived a Span- 
 iard, who was a good man. 
 
 By the way we saw a creature hasting to- 
 wards us, somewhat resembling a bear, but 
 very crooked, and of a sandy colour ; and be- 
 lieving he had a mischievous design upon us, 
 we made shift to kill it with our sticks. In 
 the evening we got to St Thomas's, and met 
 with the Spanish gentleman, who fully answer- 
 ed the good character given him by the ne- 
 groes. Upon hearing our distress, he present- 
 ly ordered his Indians to boil some fresh beef 
 for us after our own way, and to make us 
 some turtiltias ; at the same time making us 
 the offer of staying with them as long as we 
 pleased ; and as a farther mark of his good- 
 ness and charity, he promised us, that when- 
 ever we left him we should not go away 
 empty of provisions. We staid here two days, 
 and by that time were a little rested ; but lest 
 we should miss of a bark at Nicoya bound for 
 
118 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 Panama, we thought it best to set out from 
 hence ; and accordingly took leave of our 
 kind benefactor with many thanks. This 
 day we passed by a range, but could see no 
 one near it : this range was open every way, 
 it being nothing but a roof made of cane 
 covered with leaves, and supported with four 
 props. We went on till we came to the great 
 gulf of Heradura, wherein are many islands. 
 As we found there was no way for us to cross 
 this gulf, we resolved to return to the open 
 range, there to sit a while, and consider what 
 course we should take ; but at our coming 
 hither, we found an Indian man, who, after a 
 while, put us in the right way, and by sunset 
 we got to two wigwams that were inhabited. 
 Here we were informed that a countryman of 
 ours was at this time in one of these wig- 
 wams, who was come hither with some In- 
 dians from Grenada. This proved to be 
 Robert Barnwell, that we found by the lake 
 of Nicaragua, near that town ; and who, at 
 our departure from thence, was in so feeble a 
 state of body, that he was not able to under- 
 take the journey with us. He told us, that 
 after he had recovered a little strength, he 
 met with an opportunity to follow us with 
 some Indians, who were to travel this way, 
 and that he had been endeavouring with them 
 to get over the great river that vents into the 
 gulf of Heradura ; but that the current being 
 very rapid, he should undoubtedly have been 
 drowned, had they not saved him ; and that 
 
ENGLISHMEN. Hf) 
 
 afterward, fearing he should be farther trou- 
 blesome to them, they brought him back to 
 this place, where they had left him, and were 
 now gone on by themselves ; so that, having 
 lost his guides, he had given over all thoughts 
 of ever seeing us more, little imagining that 
 this unlucky accident, as it seemed to be, 
 should prove the means of what he so much 
 desired ; and this shews how difficult it is to 
 judge what will not be for our good : what 
 we dread the consequence of, most often 
 proves most for our advantage ; as, on the 
 contrary, what we prosecute with eagerness, 
 and the greatest care and industry, proves 
 often, upon the upshot, to be what we ought 
 of all things to have avoided. Here we lay 
 one night ; but the place was so overrun with 
 vermin, that it was impossible to sit still, or 
 rest a moment all the time. The Indians 
 themselves lie under pavilions, on places made 
 of cane raised two feet from the ground, and 
 so closely wrought, that even a musquitoe 
 cannot get at them. 
 
 At day-break next morning, we departed 
 from hence with our friend Barnwell ; and 
 after taking some pains to find out where it 
 was easiest to cross the river, we got over it, 
 and came on a savanna where we saw great 
 numbers of large wolves. By evening we got 
 to a range, where we staid all night; but no 
 sleep could we get in this part of the country, 
 because of the vermin. The next day we 
 
120 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 came among great droves of wild cattle, that 
 the Indians inhabiting hereabout kill only for 
 their hides and tallow, leaving the carcases 
 on the ground, that are soon devoured by a 
 sort of carrion-crows as big as our geese. 
 There is a law here that makes it death for 
 any Indian, or other person, to destroy one of 
 these crows ; for this no reason can be given, 
 unless they are reckoned a means of keeping 
 off pestilential distempers, by devouring up 
 the carcases., that else might lie and putrify, 
 and so infect the air. 
 
 As we travelled on, we gathered a fruit 
 something like a plum, but very yellow, that 
 grew on stalks about two feet high. Having 
 observed the wild hogs to be very fond of 
 this fruit, we made no scruple to eat freely of 
 it, and found it to have a pleasant luscious 
 taste ; but such was the effect it had on us, 
 that our mouths and throats were thereby so 
 swelled and inflamed, we could neither eat 
 nor drink for two days after. At sun-set we 
 met some Indians that were killing cattle, of 
 whom we might have had beef enough, could 
 we have used it ; yet they gave us some to 
 carry with us, and the next day they directed 
 us to go over certain mountains; their tops, 
 they told us, as a sign to know them by, could 
 not be seen, and then they said, we should get 
 to Nicoya in two or three days. 
 
 These mountains we passed in two days ; 
 but were all the way intolerably plagued with 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 121 
 
 a filthy kind of vermin like a bug, that fasten- 
 ed on us in swarms, that they could not be 
 scraped off with our knife. We had often 
 been annoyed by this sort of insect before, 
 but not to this degree ; and had it not been 
 for the Indians that picked them off us, they 
 had eaten into our flesh, and could never have 
 been got out, as they told us. 
 
 On the third day we arrived at Nicoya ; 
 and, after we had rested ourselves, went to 
 the alcald major, and shewed him our pass ; 
 and he directly enquired how we came into 
 this country ? I told him, and gave an ac- 
 count of our travels as punctually as I could 
 remember ; and, said I, we are come hither 
 in expectation of finding a bark bound for 
 Panama ; but he assured us here was none at 
 present, nor did he know when any would 
 arrive from thence, and that this being the 
 season of rains and storms he did not expect 
 any till better weather ; but that we might 
 depend on going by the first opportunity that 
 offered, and this was as much as could be ex- 
 pected. He then ordered an Indian to go 
 with us to the Covilda, that is, a house he has 
 on purpose to entertain strangers in, and then 
 sent us some boiled beef, and every man a 
 turtiltia, and soon after came himself, and 
 bade us eat heartily, saying, he had a great 
 esteem for the English, and spake very com- 
 plaisantly of our nation ; assuring us, at the 
 same time, that we should not want victuals, 
 
122 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 or any thing in his power, as long as we staid 
 at his house. 
 
 We had been here two days, when he sent 
 for the Indian alcalds that governed two ad- 
 jacent villages, and gave them charge to en- 
 tertain us alternately every day ; but we sup- 
 posed this was done only to try either their 
 obedience to his commands, or see how cha- 
 ritable they would be to us ; for he sent no 
 more than once to them, and then they enter- 
 tained us very civilly. We found the table 
 set out in great order, the table-cloth being a 
 large green leaf, about twelve feet long, and 
 five feet broad. This leaf grows on a stalk 
 about fifteen or twenty feet high, that bears 
 but one leaf at a time, and that on the very 
 top. Then they gave every one of us some 
 beef and a tomalaw : and after that, they 
 brought us several sorts of fruit; as ripe 
 plantains, and sopotoas, that are a very deli- 
 cious fruit. After dinner we returned to the 
 alcald, and gave him an account of the good 
 reception we had met with, who was well 
 pleased to find his orders so cheerfully obey- 
 ed. All the alcald majors we had hitherto 
 met with were Spaniards; but this gentle- 
 man was born in Brittany in France, and his 
 name is Michael de Boyce or du Bois. He 
 keeps an Indian woman, the daughter of an 
 alcald or corstorica (but whether she be his 
 wife or not, I cannot tell,) by whom he has 
 one child ; and it would be the height of in- 
 gratitude not to own, that she, as well as him- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 123 
 
 self, was extremely kind to us during our 
 whole stay with them. The short account I 
 have given of this gentleman may be of some 
 satisfaction to his brother, that,, as he told us 
 himself, is a merchant in London. 
 
 At this time Mr Rounce fell ill again ; but 
 was used with greater care and tenderness 
 than could well have been hoped for by peo- 
 ple in our circumstances. Having spoken of 
 the chief magistrate of this town and his gen- 
 erosity to me, I will next give some account of 
 the town itself, and likewise of its inhabitants : 
 
 Nicoya is situated in a valley, surrounded 
 by very high mountains, so there is no com- 
 ing at it, without passing some of them ; yet, 
 no place affords a more delightful prospect, 
 or is kept in greater order and neatness. The 
 Indians suffer nothing to grow near it, except 
 fruit-trees, for fear of harbouring vermin ; 
 and this method has so good an effect, that 
 there is not so much as a musquitoe to be seen 
 or felt in all the place, though the mountains 
 above it are covered with woods. As to the 
 people, they are of so quiet and peaceable a 
 disposition, and so free from noise and tumult, 
 that a man might be here entire days or 
 weeks, and were it not for seeing them pass 
 by him now and then in the street, or at their 
 houses, he would not believe there was an in- 
 habitant in it. Though we were here six 
 weeks, and often went to their houses, being 
 very conversant with them, I never heard any 
 of them quarrel, or so much as dispute with 
 
124 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 one another, but every one seemed to be calm 
 and easy, and much inclined to adhere to each 
 other's advice : they would often come out on 
 moonlight nights, and divert themselves by 
 singing and dancing to their wind-music, 
 which is soft, and not unpleasant. They 
 would frequently ask us to sing and dance 
 with them, which we sometimes did after our 
 manner to humour them, and they would 
 laugh heartily at us, and seemed very desir- 
 ous to understand the words as they were 
 uttered in the songs. The women would of- 
 ten look on us, admiring the whiteness of our 
 skins (though we were none of the fairest, 
 and at that time tanned like gipsies,) and ask- 
 ed in great simplicity, if our women had skins 
 as white as ours ; but when we told them 
 how far they exceeded us in complexion and 
 persons, they thought it strange indeed. 
 
 When the women lie-in here, they keep up 
 very close for some days, and are not seen by 
 any. Now their manner of rearing their chil- 
 dren, is to let them crawl about on the ground 
 on their hands and knees, till they are able to 
 rise of themselves ; and while they are young, 
 their parents take no care to teach or instruct 
 them in any thing, though they are as great 
 lovers of their children as any people in the 
 world. Instead of rattles, dolls, tops, and 
 balls, and such other things as our children 
 are wont to play with, these people give their 
 children the heads, tails, and paws of wild 
 beasts to divert them ; and this they do, I 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 126 
 
 suppose, on purpose to use them to those crea- 
 tures by degrees, knowing they will in the 
 course of their lives have occasion not to be 
 afraid of encountering them. They are a very 
 prudent and chaste people, and have so great 
 a regard to decency and modest behaviour, 
 that in all the time we were here, I never 
 saw a man so much as kiss the lips of a wo- 
 man. 
 
 We had been here nineteen days, when our 
 fellow-traveller Banister came into this town. 
 Providence had so ordered it, that when he 
 was recovered a little from his illness, he met 
 with some Indians who were going over the 
 mountains of Nicaragua, with a rake of mules 
 to Costorica. They finding him to be weak, 
 and left alone to lament his misfortunes, had 
 the charity and good-nature to take him with 
 them on a mule, not doubting but that they 
 should meet us at Nicoya, as well knowing 
 we could get no nearer to Panama by land ; 
 because all the way between here and there is 
 very mountainous, and but thinly inhabited. 
 We were much pleased to have our old friend 
 with us once again, whom we feared we should 
 never more have seen. How many times had 
 we wished to know how his case stood ! 
 And how often did we despair of so much as 
 once hearing whether he was dead or alive ! 
 But now our satisfaction was general, inas- 
 much as we were all six met together. 
 
 At this time was held a great cantico among 
 the Indians, after the manner we described at 
 
126 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 St Michael's; only, I shall take notice, that 
 when such public festivals are kept here, they 
 will carry their music into the churches, and 
 dance in their masquerade habits before the 
 image of the virgin, by way of doing her hon- 
 our : and now I am speaking of their church- 
 es, it may not be improper to give a short ac- 
 count of their manner of burying their dead 
 here. They lay the corpse on a sort of bier, 
 dressed up and adorned with flowers of various 
 kinds, or whatever the deceased liked best 
 when living : then the body is carried on four 
 men's shoulders (being preceded by many 
 playing on instruments of music) towards the 
 church, wherein it is to be interred, and is 
 followed by all the neighbouring Indians 
 round about, singing hymns in praise of the 
 dead. When it is laid in the grave, it is cov- 
 ered with a composition resembling lime ; the 
 chief ingredient whereof is the dung of certain 
 birds, that will consume it in a very short time. 
 If there be a priest in or near the place where 
 the person dies, he performs the funeral cere- 
 mony ; if not, it is done by the company, be- 
 fore the image of the blessed virgin, to which 
 they pay great homage, and believe that will 
 do as well. 
 
 Whilst we staid in this town we were free 
 from annoyance of any sort, except from a 
 kind of bird like a bat, but bigger, having a 
 long tail, that constantly, as we slept in the 
 night, did bite little pieces of flesh from us, 
 and particularly from our feet. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 127 
 
 Having now been at Nicoya six weeks, the 
 alcald major acquainted us there was a Span- 
 ish gentleman come from Wattemall to Albe- 
 roy, which was but three or four days' journey 
 from hence, and that he was going to Pueblo 
 Nuevo, which is not above a hundred leagues 
 on that side Panama, and that he went with 
 one canoe and a piragua ; by which means 
 we that were in health might get a passage, 
 for that he had treated with him on the score; 
 but that Mr Rounce, who still continued very 
 bad, must stay till another opportunity offered. 
 All our men, except myself, had been very ill 
 during our stay here, and all but he were bet- 
 ter. The next day the alcald sent for the rest 
 of us to his house, and after giving us some 
 provision and tobacco, took his leave of us in 
 a very courteous manner ; and after we had re- 
 turned him our humble thanks for all the 
 many kind favours he had conferred on us, 
 set out for the river in order to embark. 
 
 It took us up three days travelling over 
 high and steep mountains, seeing but three 
 wigwams by the way, and then wading over 
 a savanna up to our middles in water ; at the 
 end of four days arrived at Alberoy, finding 
 there the Spanish gentleman named Quintus 
 Cataline, and his Indians busy in making ready 
 the craft ; but the sails being a little out of 
 repair, I undertook the next day to mend them. 
 When all things were ready, and our provi- 
 sions laid in, viz. jerk-beef and Indian corn, 
 Banister, Balmain, and Holland, were ap- 
 
128 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 pointed to go in the piragua, and Barn well 
 and myself in the little canoe ; but, before we 
 set sail, our three comrades that were to have 
 gone in the piragua fell sick again ; upon 
 which account Cataline left them at Alberoy, 
 and sent notice thereof to the alcald of Nicoya, 
 that he might take care of them. 
 
 In the month of October we set sail from 
 Alberoy in our little canoe, and five Indians 
 to assist us, and were to go in her above three 
 hundred leagues, accompanied by the piragua. 
 In three days we sailed down the river, called 
 Tauro or Bulls, wherein we often saw alliga- 
 tors above thirty feet long, and then landed 
 on the island of Chira, staying there for a 
 wind to carry us over the gulf of Salines. 
 Whilst we staid on this island three days, we 
 built ourselves ranges, not being sure when 
 the wind might change : sometimes, indeed, 
 we went in our canoe to another island not far 
 off, called Co vail o, to get plantains and pearl 
 oysters, that, as we had but little corn, were 
 our chief support for some time. Having 
 roasted a sufficient quantity of beef and plan- 
 tains during our being on this island, to be 
 ready to take with us when the wind should 
 serve ; and the fourth day the wind being fair, 
 we set sail in order to cross the gulf that is 
 fourteen leagues broad. Every man took care 
 of his provision, and had every one a hide to 
 lie on : but it raining, our hides served for a 
 tilt, and by that means kept ourselves dry. 
 
 When we thought ourselves in a fair way 
 
ENGLISHMEN. \*j 
 
 of getting out of our misfortunes, and com- 
 paring the happiness of our condition with 
 that of our poor countrymen left sick at Al- 
 beroy, an accident befel us that soon made us 
 think ourselves the most miserable men in the 
 world. The very first night we left the island 
 of Chira, began a storm that lasted five days 
 successively ; we soon lost sight of the piragua, 
 and were all that while tossed about in our 
 little canoe, and could see no land. Having 
 no compass to steer our way by, and at last 
 not a drop of water left to drink, our circum- 
 stance was truly deplorable ; but, on the sixth 
 day, at sun-set, the weather proved calm, and 
 then the Indians asked me what they should 
 do? I told them, if they would paddle heart- 
 ily, we should find land, which I knew they 
 could not fail of, if we made to the north- 
 ward, for the land lay east and west, and the 
 wind was about south-east. They followed 
 my directions, and the next day discovered 
 land, called Point Mala, which is a reef of 
 rocks running out three leagues into the sea : 
 and if we could get about this, then they said 
 we find a sandy beak, that ran on forty leagues 
 together, where we might come to a killet or 
 wooden anchor every night ; and withal that 
 plenty of water might be got whenever we 
 pleased, that as much as any thing induced 
 us to use our utmost endeavour to weather 
 this bad point ; but, in the very first at- 
 tempt we were frustrated, the wind begin- 
 ning to blow so hard, that made us desist 
 from our enterprise ; and by this one effort 
 
130 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 we saw too plainly into the difficulties attend- 
 ing such an undertaking, to endeavour a se- 
 cond, if we could possibly avoid it; where- 
 fore, we resolved to go back again about ten 
 or fifteen leagues, to a place called the Mau- 
 toose, where were no inhabitants, but a good 
 harbour for our canoe ; there we went on 
 shore, and made a good fire to dry ourselves, 
 and what things we had with us ; for we were 
 all of us wet, as if we had been drenched in 
 the sea, and our beef and corn were almost 
 spoiled with the salt water. 
 
 We had two petticoes of cotton thread in 
 the canoe, which the Indians were to dye for 
 the governor of Leon with a certain fish 
 found on the rocks, which dye is of a very 
 fine purple ; and this work they went about 
 while Barn well and I staid on shore to rest 
 us. They make use of no canoe or other ves- 
 sel to convey themselves off to the rocks, but 
 tie up a quarter of a pound, or some such 
 quantity of thread in their hair, and fix a 
 piece of light wood cross their breasts to keep 
 their heads above water, and to swim off to 
 them : this they do, because no vessel can 
 live among them. Some of these rocks lie 
 half a mile or a mile from the shore, and the 
 Indians can never rest on them half an hour 
 together, for the breaking of the sea, that 
 washes them off continually ; but then they 
 will lie and float on the top of the waves like 
 as many corks, without receiving the least 
 damage. The -method used to dye the thread 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 131 
 
 is only this : they take the shell off the rock 
 where it sticks very fast, and rub it gently 
 on the thread, and then lay it down again 
 where they found it, with great care, for they 
 are very cautious of killing the purple fish. 
 If the weather proves fair, they will dye their 
 thread in one tide, of as fine a purple as ever 
 was seen, and what will never fade. The 
 Spaniards call it melo morado, the lovely col- 
 our ; and I have seen the thread sold among 
 them for twelve pieces of eight a pound, viz. 
 twelve crowns English money. 
 
 We had now been ashore four days, waiting 
 for fair weather, and on the morning of the 
 fifth, I waked, and missed three of our In- 
 dians ; on which I called out to the Indian 
 patron or pilot, who was asleep, and asked him 
 if he knew any thing of the three that were 
 missing. He looked round, and seeing their 
 bows, arrows, nets, and calabashes gone, cried 
 out, that they were houday, that is, run away. 
 Then he bemoaned himself grievously, that 
 there were but a couple of Indians, and the 
 same number of Englishmen left, we should 
 not be able to manage the canoe ; but I told 
 him, we had no way left but to use our en- 
 deavours, and that if we got our things speed- 
 ily into the canoe, and bestirred ourselves 
 heartily, we might possibly come up with the 
 piragua. This advice was approved, and we 
 began directly to work, and filled our little 
 vessel, and then sailed as fast as the wind 
 could carry us ; but, instead of coming up 
 
132 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 with the piragua, fell foul of Point Mala again, 
 and there our project ended, but not without 
 our trying many experiments to weather it, 
 that all proved ineffectual ; so that we were 
 forced to get ashore at a place called the Le- 
 gator, where we found a range, but no peo- 
 ple. We staid here three days, in which time 
 my countryman Barnwell and one of the In- 
 dians fell sick ; upon which we found our- 
 selves under the necessity of returning back 
 to Nicoya, in order to get more Indians to our 
 assistance. We made shift to get back to 
 Alberoy in our canoe, where we left it, and 
 were five days after travelling from thence to 
 Nicoya : for the savannas were so overflowed 
 by this time, that if we were not scrambling 
 about, we were breast high in water. 
 
 The Nicoyans were greatly surprised to see 
 us enter their town a second time, imagining 
 we had ere this got to Pueblo Nuevo, and 
 little expecting ever to see us again ; but our 
 business being with the alcald major only, we 
 went directly to him, and in the first place 
 gave him an account of our misfortunes in the 
 canoe; at this he seemed much concerned: 
 and being told that the three Indians had de- 
 serted us in the midst of our troubles, he fell 
 into a violent rage, protested, if ever he got 
 them, they should be hanged for their infi- 
 delity. After this, my chief concern was to 
 hear how my four countrymen fared, that I 
 supposed to be under the alcaldes care; there- 
 fore, when he had recovered a little from his 
 passion, I enquired after them ; but he told 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 133 
 
 me, " they were not with him ; for, that as 
 soon as they were able to travel, he had an 
 opportunity of sending them altogether in a 
 bark to Panama, and that he wished we had 
 been so fortunate as to have stayed and gone 
 along with them, for that he did not know when 
 we might meet with such another conveniency : 
 but that, if we were willing to set out again in 
 the same manner we did before, he would 
 order more Indians to go along with us." We 
 gladly accepted the offer, and so resolved to 
 stay till we could have things ready for our 
 second voyage. 
 
 The Indian woman, wife or mistress to the 
 alcald major, was also much concerned when 
 she heard of our late misfortunes. She had 
 been a good benefactress to me, all the time of 
 our being here before, and often gave me com- 
 fortable things for my sick companions, with 
 whom it must have gone much harder than it 
 did, had it not been for her. She was, as I 
 said before, the daughter of an Indian alcald 
 at Costorica, and had a sister, an handsome 
 young woman, and a good fortune; and when 
 I was here before, she had frequently urged 
 me to settle here, and often talked in high 
 commendation of this young woman her sister ; 
 and, in short, gave many hints, that she would 
 be well pleased to have me marry her ; but I 
 ever turned a deaf ear to such discourses. She 
 then did me the honour to make me the offer 
 of being her brother-in-law, in terms too plain 
 to admit of any evasion ; and as the proposal 
 
134 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 was not disadvantageous to one in my circum- 
 stances, and made by one that had conferred 
 many favours upon me, I knew not how to 
 behave in the affair, nor what reply to make. 
 The only way I could think of, and not give 
 offence, was to tell her, that as I could not 
 foresee so great a blessing to be in store for 
 me, I had been so unhappy as to put myself 
 out of the capacity of receiving it, and that, as 
 I had actually left a wife and children in 
 England, I, upon that account, was bound by 
 the Christian church not to enter into other 
 engagements of that nature; as I hoped might 
 sufficiently plead my excuse to the young 
 lady, her merit being far beyond my hopes, 
 had I had the liberty of choice. She appear- 
 ed satisfied with this excuse, and continued as 
 much my friend as ever. 
 
 I was not so vain as to think that she made 
 me this offer through any particular liking to 
 my person ; but it is noted, that the Indian 
 women are very fond of marrying white men ; 
 and it is to be observed, that all our men, 
 except myself, were sick at the time of the 
 proposal. After a stay of six days, this second 
 time of our being here, the alcald major or- 
 dered the Indians he had appointed to accom- 
 pany us, to get mules ready to carry us to 
 Alberoy, it being impossible to travel on foot, 
 the savannas being so overflowed ; that done, 
 we took leave once more of the alcald and his 
 lady, and set out for Alberoy, and arrived in 
 five days ; but had the misfortune (after a 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 135 
 
 storm of thunder and rain) to lose an Indian by 
 the way, in crossing a run of water that be- 
 came so rapid by the falls from the mountains, 
 that he could neither be saved nor the mule 
 he rode on. 
 
 The next day after our coming to Alberoy, 
 we embarked in our little canoe five Indians, 
 and such provision as the alcald major had 
 furnished us, and in six days after got about 
 those dangerous rocks of Point Mala, that we 
 had endeavoured to do four times before, but 
 could not accomplish. Then we sailed, or, 
 when the weather proved calm, paddled along 
 shore, and were sometimes two or three, and 
 sometimes four or five days, before we could 
 come to a harbour ; but when we did, we 
 went ashore and made a fire, and set up a 
 wigwam ; and the Indians used to leave us to 
 take care of the canoe, while they went to the 
 woods to hunt for provision. Sometimes they 
 would be gone all day, and return in the 
 evening loaded with plantains and cocoa-nuts, 
 or anything else they could get; and, when we 
 were thus provided, took to our canoe again, 
 and sailed along shore, the Indians often kill- 
 ing wild fowl from the canoe. After going on 
 in this manner for sometime, it brought us at 
 last to a place called the Capaces, and seeing 
 several Indians ashore, but durst not venture 
 ourselves among them ; for our Indians very 
 much feared them, as finding them to be of 
 those people called the Indians at War, on 
 account that the Spaniards could never con- 
 
136 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 quer them, they still retaining their ancient 
 freedom, and continuing at mortal enmity 
 with the Spaniards ; nor is their animosity 
 much less to those that live in subjection to 
 them. We were at this time driven to so great 
 a strait, that it was impossible to tell the next 
 course to take : we wanted water exceedingly, 
 and could not subsist without it, but then we 
 durst not go ashore for fear of those people ; 
 nevertheless, I proposed to those Indians at 
 last, if they would go ashore I would go with 
 them, and talk to those Indian bravoes, as the 
 Spaniards call them. This two of them con- 
 sented to do, and accordingly swam ashore 
 with me : but we were no sooner landed, but 
 the people we had so much feared came and 
 shook hands with me, asking of what country 
 I was ; and telling them I was an Englishman, 
 they hugged me in their arms, giving many 
 tokens of friendship, and then led me to their 
 wigwam, and spread tigers' skins for me to sit 
 on, bringing out roasted plantains and honey, 
 and gave us many demonstrations of a hearty 
 welcome : repeating to me often that they 
 loved the English, but hated the Spaniards. 
 At first I could not conceive from whence 
 their singularity of behaviour to me proceed- 
 ed, nor how they came to make so great a 
 distinction between the English and Spaniards, 
 supposing they had never been conversant 
 with either ; but, at last, I heard them men- 
 tion the name of Clipperton, and then my 
 wonder ceased ; for I recollected that I had 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 137 
 
 heard much of one Captain Clipperton, a noted 
 English privateer, that used to frequent these 
 Indians, and by means of a strict correspond- 
 ence with them, been a constant plague to the 
 Spaniards in those seas. The Spaniards often 
 upbraided us, saying, " that we were some of 
 Clipperton's crew, and that instead of being 
 relieved, we ought to be punished." 
 
 These Indian bravoes were making them- 
 selves a sort of clothing of the bark of trees, 
 being soft and durable as any cloth : they 
 made a present of two pieces ; one of which 
 was as large as a sizeable bed blanket, and 
 the other I made into a jacket. This stuff 
 was the most useful thing I could have had; 
 for it served me not only for a covering by 
 day, but also to wrap me in at night; which 
 last conveniency none of us had ever had in 
 this country, and for the want of it were al- 
 most fleaed alive with heat and vermin. This 
 serviceable gift was much diminished before I 
 came to England, having given part of it away 
 to several persons to whom I had obligations, 
 and desired to have pieces of it to keep by 
 them as a rarity ; but I have still a remainder 
 of it left. 
 
 These were the only Indians we saw that 
 made use of any covering for their bodies ; 
 and these, as to the fashion of their garments, 
 are not fantastical, nor so much as think of 
 colours, trimmings, or exactness of shape, but 
 are contented only to make a hole in a piece 
 of this bark-stuff, so as to put their heads 
 M 
 
138 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 through,, and let one part hang down before., 
 and the other behind ; nay, the women them- 
 selves here make so slender an account of 
 dress, that they only take a piece of this same 
 bark, and wrap it round their bodies, so as to 
 cover their breasts, and hang to the knees. 
 In the short time of our stay here, I saw a 
 funeral ceremony performed thus, after the 
 heathen manner of these people, that have no 
 notion of Christianity. In the first place, they 
 covered the body with leaves, and then placed 
 a large quantity of wood about it, that as soon 
 as they had fired, the company generally 
 pretty numerous, joined hands, and surround- 
 ing the pile, and never ceased singing and 
 dancing, till the wood and body were con- 
 sumed; then they dug a hole in the earth, and 
 buried the ashes. 
 
 After a stay of two or three days here, I 
 took leave of these people, commonly called 
 Indians at war, that entertained me so peace- 
 ably and courteously, I have reason to style 
 them, as well as others, Indians at peace ; but, 
 before our departure, we got our calabashes full 
 of water, and roasted as many plantains as last- 
 ed us three days after, they not keeping longer: 
 then we took to our canoe, steering our course 
 along shore, about east-north-east, and the next 
 morning found ourselves on the great gulph of 
 Heradura, containing many islands; one of 
 these we saw had a subterraneous passage like 
 a regular well built arch, that the Indians told 
 us ran quite through it, and that if we ventur- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 1311 
 
 ed ourselves in the canoe that way, being but 
 one league, it would save us twenty by that 
 means. I desired to be informed if any of 
 them had ever been through it ; and one of 
 them told me he had twice, and that the cur- 
 rent that was very strong, ran ever the way 
 we were to go; but that, indeed, we should 
 be all in darkness. Upon considering the 
 whole matter, we concluded to venture through 
 it : and accordingly set out in our canoe, and 
 drove along with surprising swiftness. We 
 were about half an hour in our passage ; but 
 (as I said upon a different occasion) a man 
 might have thought himself in another world. 
 We had total darkness for the time, and such 
 a terrible roaring did the water make in this 
 cavity, as might have daunted the stoutest 
 man living ; and I must confess, I began to 
 suspect, that the Indian who pretended to 
 know this way, had only deceived himself 
 and us, and we should never see the light 
 more : for I was sure we could not return the 
 same way we came ; but it proved right, and 
 I begged his pardon. After this we passed 
 another island the same way, that was not 
 above a musket-shot through : we felt on the 
 sides in passing both of them, and found them 
 smooth as glass, that was undoubtedly occa- 
 sioned by the great force of the water. By 
 these short cuts we made such expedition, we 
 crossed this great gulph in three days. 
 
 The next day we went ashore to rest our- 
 selves, and to get fresh water ; but in the first 
 
140 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 place we made a fire, and fell to cutting down 
 bamboos to make a wigwam, while the Indians 
 went out to hunt for provisions ; but, before 
 they returned, my countryman Barnwell was 
 taken so violently ill, that I thought he would 
 have instantly died : on this account we stay- 
 ed here two days, hoping he might recover ; 
 but, instead of mending, he grew rather worse 
 in that time. 
 
 Then the Indians advised, that we should 
 take him clown to the canoe, and steer away 
 to a place about ten leagues off, where they 
 said we might find plantains, for here was 
 none to be had. Accordingly, we embarked 
 with our sick companion, but met such terri- 
 ble bad weather in this voyage, as I believe 
 greatly contributed to end his days. As we 
 were paddling along shore, we saw five In- 
 dians, four men and one woman, a little way 
 up the land. We put in here, and carried my 
 poor countryman ashore, being speechless, 
 and almost expiring. I was greatly afflicted 
 to see him thus in a dying condition, which I 
 knew was hurried on by the late hardships we 
 had undergone. This poor young man, weak 
 and ill as he had been a long time, had never- 
 theless, been exposed with the rest of us, to all 
 extremities of weather, hunger, thirst, and 
 watchings, and was still so unfortunate as to 
 fall thus sick in a place where no relief could 
 be had, though these Indians, after the usual 
 manner of that people, afforded us all the as- 
 sistance in their power. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 14) 
 
 While we stayed here waiting the event of 
 this his sickness, an accident happened to the 
 woman, that had like to have cost her her 
 life. She going out one day upon some occa- 
 sion into the woods, a great tree fell suddenly 
 upon her, and bruised her terribly. Her hus- 
 band, not being far off, hearing her scream 
 out, ran and called his companions, that 
 straightways went to her assistance, and got 
 her from under the tree, and then carried her 
 to their range almost dead. Upon examina- 
 tion, we found her head to be the most hurt, 
 for the skull was seemingly dented in several 
 places; therefore, I immediately cut off her 
 hair, that we might the more easily inspect 
 the wounds, and apply the best things we 
 could get toward healing them. This method, 
 with the remedies we applied, had so good an 
 effect, that she grew much better while we 
 stayed here, and all the while acknowledged 
 herself indebted to me for the cure: and as 
 she could make me no other recompense for 
 the service I had done her, she desired me to 
 accept of her head of hair that I had cut off; 
 it being, in her opinion, no contemptible 
 present. Indeed, I was very well pleased 
 with the reward ; and it being a curiosity of 
 the kind, I was afterwards at a great deal of 
 pains to preserve it among other little things 
 in my nets, and have brought it with me to 
 England. 
 
 This hair is very long, and of great strength: 
 is of a jet black, and both to the sight and to 
 
142 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 the touch, differs much from that of other 
 women. The owner used to wear it, as the ge- 
 nerality of the Indian women do, loosely flow- 
 ing on her shoulders. One evening the men, 
 who had been out a hunting that day, brought 
 with them two boars, or creatures very like 
 them in every respect, except that they had 
 two tusks, much resembling a French "horn, 
 and each of them two navels, one in the usual 
 place of other creatures, and the other oppo- 
 site to it on the back. The fi*e Indians had 
 been here some time getting gold, that the 
 rain washed from some mountains hard by ; 
 this gold so acquired, goes, for the most part, 
 to the king of Spain ; but the remainder to 
 themselves, that they generally lay out in 
 masheets, being the most useful things they 
 can purchase, because they are frequently 
 obliged to cut their way as they travel through 
 the woods. 
 
 The weather being very stormy all the time 
 of our being here, but being now settled to a 
 calm, our Indians began to prepare for setting 
 out in the canoe, being determined not to slip 
 this favourable change of weather; but the 
 grievance was, there was no possibility of 
 moving my country man Barn well, who, though 
 I every moment expected to see him resign 
 his breath, whose loss I the more regretted, 
 inasmuch as I should thereby be deprived of 
 all society and conversation with my native 
 companions and fellow-sufferers ; the enjoy- 
 ment of which had hitherto been my greatest 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 143 
 
 consolation amidst all our sufferings ; but even 
 this consideration did not afflict me like that 
 of being constrained to leave him before his 
 eyes were closed, in a place where I knew no 
 help could be got, though the Indians, who 
 had entertained us here, had promised me to 
 take the best care they could of him, whether 
 he should live or die. Then, as the time 
 would permit me to stay no longer, I took a 
 sorrowful leave, with many melancholy re- 
 flections concerning the hard fate of this un- 
 fortunate young man, who had been a despair- 
 ing wanderer in this country five years before 
 he met with us, and had since followed us thus 
 far, with great difficulty and hazard of his life, 
 as he was not in a state of health, nor had 
 strength of body to undergo the hardships he 
 met with, and this only with a view of seeing 
 his friends and country once more ; but that, 
 after all his toil, all his labour and sufferings, 
 he should be cut off from what he had so 
 earnestly and justly desired, seemed to me the 
 hardest of fate. 
 
 Being now embarked in the canoe, the In- 
 dian patron sent with us as our pilot on these 
 coasts, said, the nearest harbour we could come 
 to was Golfo Dolce, thirty leagues from this 
 place. In six days after we made the island 
 of Caino; but the wind turning against us, 
 and our provision and water being spent, we 
 agreed to row in for the shore as near as pos- 
 sible ; and when we came to an anchor, three 
 Indians and myself took each of us a masheet, 
 
lU' THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 and swam ashore, and then fell to cutting down 
 cocoa-nuts, that grew by the sea-side. No 
 sooner had we got as many as we thought we 
 could conveniently swim off with, but the 
 wind began to blow hard, and immediately so 
 great a sea rose on the beach, that we could 
 not get off the canoe, but were obliged to re- 
 main there that night, it being evening when 
 we landed here. 
 
 As it grew dark, the tigers began to make 
 an hideous roaring about us, and the misfor- 
 tune was, we could find no wood to make a 
 fire ; or, could we have had one ever so big, 
 the rain that fell at this time very impetuous- 
 ly, would soon have extinguished it ; so that 
 we had only our masheets to defend us from 
 the voracious maws of these creatures, that 
 soon got scent of us, and were coming to us 
 in a full body. We did not stay for them, 
 but immediately took to our heels ; but as we 
 were prevented by the storm from having re- 
 course to the sea, we very nimbly mounted 
 the first high tree we came at. They made a 
 halt for a short space, till, at last, the most for- 
 ward of them had the boldness to advance so 
 near, that one of the Indians stooping forwards 
 cut off his fore-paws with his masheet, upon 
 which he dropt from the tree roaring most 
 dreadfully. Hereupon they one and all fell 
 to tearing him limb from limb, and disposed 
 of his carcase in such a manner, that there 
 was not the least bit of him to be seen by 
 morning. We did not expect that this would 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 145 
 
 put a stop to farther attempts on us, and there- 
 fore sat prepared, as well as we could, against 
 a second attack ; but the uproar continuing 
 all night among themselves, they took no 
 more notice of us ; nevertheless, often did we 
 wish to see the rising of the sun, which we 
 knew would disperse both them and our fears. 
 I understood from the Indians, that it is the 
 nature of these tigers, whenever they find any 
 of their own species wounded or disabled in 
 an engagement (which is often the case,) to 
 serve them in this manner. 
 
 The next day the weather proving fair, to- 
 wards evening we got to our canoe ; the poor 
 Indians we left in her being greatly rejoiced 
 to see us again, having given us over for lost. 
 We rowed hard all that night, and the next 
 day made the point of Burica, about which is 
 Golfo Dolce ; but the wind blowing very hard 
 at south-west, we could not possibly weather 
 it; upon which, the Indians endeavoured to 
 get to a place on this side the point where we 
 might shelter our canoe ; but before we reach- 
 ed it, the wind increased, and drove us among 
 rocks and prodigious breakers; so that in less 
 than an hour's time our canoe was stove all to 
 pieces, by which all of us were cast into the 
 sea ; but, at length, we made shift to get safe 
 on shore, and to preserve all our little neces- 
 saries. This being the case, we had nothing 
 to trust to but our feet, and the service they 
 could be of to us at this time (I mean as to be- 
 ing able to support us to our journey's end,) 
 
146 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 I could not conceive. The Indians protested 
 they were so unacquainted with this part of 
 the country, that they knew no way of travel- 
 ling but along the sea-side, and said, that we 
 had many leagues to go up the gulf before we 
 should be able to cross it; and so, indeed, I 
 found we had ; for we walked, I believe, fifty 
 leagues afterwards by the side of it, without 
 seeing the least possibility of crossing, nor did 
 we meet with any human creature by the way. 
 Indeed, we did not want subsistence ; because 
 the Indians can always help themselves that 
 way ; for, with their bows and arrows, they 
 never fail to kill any beast, fowl, or fish, they 
 come near. We went on still, till we came to 
 a fine fresh river, which vents itself into the 
 gulf, opposite two islands that lie partly in the 
 middle of it, the gulf being t\venty leagues 
 over. I proposed that we should stay here 
 near the river, and make a balse, as the In- 
 dians call it, to transport ourselves off to one 
 of the islands ; from whence we might with 
 more ease attain the main land on the other 
 side of the gulf. This they agreed to do ; 
 but in the first place, we fell to making a wig- 
 wam to shelter ourselves in while we were at 
 work, and having finished that, we began our 
 balse, that was made after this manner. 
 
 Having sought out five small trees about 
 twenty feet long, we laid them together side 
 by side, and with two others of a smaller size 
 that we laid cross the ends of them., lashed 
 them very strongly : after this we took a couple 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 147 
 
 more, that we laid along the sides of our balse, 
 fastening each of them to each end of those 
 two that went across ; the last saved us from 
 being washed off, and also served us to row 
 on : the whole being bound and lashed to- 
 gether with ropes, that nature afforded us in 
 great plenty, being only long strings that 
 grew on the branches of high trees, and hung 
 to the ground, being very pliable, and some 
 of them being twisted together, make a rope 
 stronger than any hempen one of the size. 
 Just when we had finished our balse, and 
 thinking to launch off, the weather began to 
 be very bad, and detained us here several days 
 after our work was ended : in that time we 
 met ten Indians that had been also making a 
 balse, and going a hundred and fifty leagues 
 farther up the gulf to Burica, being inhabi- 
 tants there. They proffered to take us along 
 with them ; but our Indians refused the offer, 
 because their balse was unweildy, and would 
 go but a few miles in a day. At last the 
 weather cleared up: having got plenty of fish, 
 and such other provisions as the Indians had 
 got, and the moon being in the full at this 
 time, we took the opportunity, and straight- 
 ways lashed ourselves, and all we had, down to 
 the balse, and so rowed off, every man having 
 made his own oar. The weather continuing 
 pretty fair, in three days we made one of the 
 islands, where we staid one day to rest us, and 
 in two days after arrived on the other shore, 
 greatly rejoiced at our safe landing ; for, had 
 
148 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 we not used the precaution to lash ourselves 
 to the balse, we had undoubtedly been wash- 
 ed off. 
 
 The first thing we did upon our coming 
 ashore was to make a wigwam : that done, the 
 five Indians took up their masheets to go a 
 hunting as usual, and desired me to have a 
 good fire ready against they returned. As 
 soon as they were gone I fell to work, and 
 made my fire accordingly, and laid me down 
 by it very contentedly, till finding they staid 
 longer than ordinary, I began to be a little 
 uneasy, though I could hardly tell the reason; 
 but, to pass away the time, and drive melan- 
 choly thoughts out of my mind, that I thought 
 to be crowding upon me, I got up and em- 
 ployed my time in gathering wood to last us 
 all night. Thus I went on with a heavy heart 
 till the sun went down, and darkness came on 
 apace, and no Indians appeared: this flung 
 me into a dreadful conflict, as might have been 
 the case of any other man, who, like me, had 
 suspected himself to be abandoned and for- 
 saken in the most desolate part of this wild 
 country ; where, as I had been well informed, 
 were no inhabitants for some hundreds of 
 miles round me. 
 
 At first I knew not what to think would be- 
 come of me, nor indeed whether I thought at 
 all ; but when I reflected on the constant good 
 nature of these people in general, I could not 
 think these capable of so great a cruelty, as 
 voluntarily to leave me thus destitute and 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 149 
 
 alone, surrounded with terrors, and exposed 
 to variety of sufferings ; so that I began to 
 fear they had been surprised and devoured by 
 some wild beasts, that immediately ushered 
 in a hope, that perhaps they were only de- 
 tained by them, as we had been before in the 
 tree, and that if so, I should certainly see them 
 again in the morning. Thus, between hopes 
 and fears I spent that night ; but as soon as 
 the sun arose, not having patience to wait 
 longer, I got up, and followed the tracks of 
 their feet for above a mile, till I came to a 
 great river, where I lost them. Then con- 
 cluding they had crossed this river, I resolved 
 to do so too in farther search after them ; but 
 hearing a great noise of tigers on the other 
 side, and knowing they would take unto fresh 
 waters, I ran full speed back again to my fire, 
 by the sea-side, where I sat waiting two whole 
 days and nights, earnestly offering up my vows 
 for their safe return ; but, alas ! never more 
 did I set eyes on them. 
 
 Thus, after a long series of misfortunes and 
 miseries in company, did I find myself at last 
 singled out from all my unfortunate com- 
 panions, to be the most forlorn and hopeless 
 of them all ; being, as it seemed, pointed out 
 by Providence to be cast from the face of all 
 mankind, on a tract of land where I saw not 
 the least prospect of getting any thing to sup- 
 port life. Amidst all my former fears, toils, 
 and sufferings, when they happened in com- 
 mon with my fellow-travellers, and that we 
 
 N 
 
150 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 were ready at hand to advise with and assist 
 each other, I may truly say, that my spirits 
 never once failed me ; but how did I bitter- 
 ly lament my now most calamitous circum- 
 stances ! At last, by God's grace, I so far 
 prevailed with myself as to recollect some 
 small share of resolution, that I might not suc- 
 cumb through any fault of my own, wholly 
 relying on the concurrence of Heaven to as- 
 sist me in what it might be my fate to go 
 through. 
 
 Having thus fortified myself as well as I 
 could, when all hopes of ever seeing my poor 
 Indians were quite extinguished and gone, I 
 resolved to travel along the sea-shore while 
 life remained, or till God Almighty should 
 otherwise dispose of me ; but, at my departure 
 from this fatal place, beholding this wigwam, 
 and reflecting on those that helped to raise it 
 for our common conveniency, I could not re- 
 frain from bursting forth into fresh lamenta- 
 tions, and partly in the words of Scripture, 
 cried out, that surely some evil beast had de- 
 voured them, and that those my guides and 
 faithful companions were doubtless rent in 
 pieces. 
 
 After taking this sorrowful leave of the 
 place of my abode, I threw my nets across my 
 naked shoulders, and departed. All the pro- 
 vision I had was some plantains remaining of 
 those we got on the island where we rested in 
 crossing Golfo Dolce. I took care to keep as 
 close to the sea as possible, believing no wild 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 151 
 
 beast would venture to attack me near it: and 
 this I have reason to believe ; for, one day 
 having strayed a little from the sea-side, I ob- 
 served a tiger (who, I suppose, had dogged 
 me for some time) skulking first behind one 
 tree and then another, and, as it were, ready 
 to take a spring and seize me, as a cat does 
 her prey ; but, on discovering his design, I 
 immediately ran and threw myself into the 
 sea, and at the same time observed him to be 
 as expeditious in retiring into the woods : by 
 this I plainly found that he was really afraid 
 to come near the sea; so that my fears of 
 those creatures were thereby much lessened, 
 having the sea to defend me by day, and fire 
 by night. 
 
 I ate so very sparingly of my plaintains, 
 lest I should never come at more food, that I 
 soon grew so weak as scarcely to be able to 
 stand on my legs ; nevertheless, in a short 
 time, they were all consumed, and I durst not 
 go from the sea to seek for other provision. 
 
 I now began to fall into as great despon- 
 dency as ever ; and, I believe, every one will 
 think it was not without cause in this parti- 
 cular ; however, I still kept moving on, for I 
 could not bear the thoughts of sitting down to 
 starve, while I was able to support myself on 
 my feet, though I saw no possibility of pre- 
 serving my life. Thus I went drooping alone, 
 till it pleased God to bring me to a place on 
 the beach, where grew abundance of cocoa 
 nuts ; I presently plucked some of them, and 
 
152 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 allayed my hunger ; but as I had little reason 
 to expect I could travel many leagues, and be 
 still thus supplied, so I contrived to pack up 
 as many of them as I could carry, and take 
 along with me. Here the sun darted on me 
 with so scorching a heat, that I was forced to 
 be continually running into the sea to cool 
 me, and every evening before it set, I was 
 employed in making my fire ; here being 
 plenty of wood along the coast, that had come 
 down the rivers, and was thrown back again 
 by the sea on the shore, where it lay and 
 dried. 
 
 This wood blazed like a heap of torches ; 
 and though it rained hard every night, yet my 
 fire never went out but twice all the time of 
 my being alone : this part of the coast was 
 clear of rocks, and the beach a fine black sand 
 that sparkled like diamonds, having got varie- 
 ty of fine shells scattered over it. 
 
 As I was walking along one day in a very 
 contemplative manner, I happened to see a 
 range before me, that much revived my droop- 
 ing spirits, as I hoped speedily to meet some 
 Indians ; but, upon my coming up to it, I 
 found myself mistaken, for not a creature was 
 there. I saw many prints of men's feet about 
 the range, and in it I found a string of tiger's 
 teeth, that I suppose the Indians that had 
 lived here had forgot to take along with them 
 when they left the place, for here were all the 
 signs of its being forsaken : these teeth I have 
 brought home with my other little things. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 153 
 
 Here I staid, and made a fire to burn off' the 
 hard coats of my cocoa nuts, and found that 
 to be the quickest way ; for I had been em- 
 ployed many hours before in dashing them 
 against sharp stones to get their coats off; and 
 besides, I found that after I used this method 
 the nut was much wholesomer for the body 
 than before. I flattered myself with hopes 
 that, perhaps, the Indians might return again 
 to their range; therefore, I took up my night's 
 lodging in it with that view. 
 
 In the morning I took notice of a heap of 
 sand that had served me for a pillow while I 
 slept. This I raked up, and found under- 
 neath it twelve ripe plantains; but what dif- 
 ferent transports seized me at this unexpected 
 sight! Inexpressible joy for that Providence 
 had made this reserve to the preservation of 
 my life, that seemed at this time to be on the 
 point of forsaking me for want of proper nour- 
 ishment, and, on the other hand, extreme grief 
 and remorse ; for that, after I had so long and 
 greatly experienced the mercies of God to me, 
 I should still persist in my despondency, and 
 forgetting all past benefits, be ever in doubt 
 of his future protection. After 1 had refresh- 
 ed myself with one of these ripe plantains, 
 that is of much higher nourishment than a 
 green one, I then made a strict search after 
 more; remembering that the Indians frequent- 
 ly bury them in the sand to ripen: but though 
 I found no more, I hope I was not unthankful 
 for those I already had. While I staid here, 
 the moon being in the full, I saw abundance of 
 
1&4 THE UNFOBTUNATE 
 
 large turtles come ashore one night to lay. 
 These creatures use the greatest artifice imagi- 
 nable to conceal their eggs : they come to the 
 top of the beach at low water, and dig a hole 
 about four feet, and there lay a hundred or a 
 hundred and fifty eggs at one time; after 
 which, they will cover them up so nicely, that 
 the place where they lie shall be as smooth as 
 any other part of the ground round about ; so 
 that no one, except he saw them in the action, 
 could have the least token whereby to find 
 the eggs. When they have done thus, they 
 will go a little way off, and make up a hill or 
 two of sand, where they lay no eggs, and by 
 that means deceive the searcher ; but when I 
 was let into their secrets, I often proved too 
 cunning for them, and would make bold with 
 their hidden treasures. 
 
 These eggs I could roast quickly in the 
 sand, that by the constant heat of the sun upon 
 it, glowed like a furnace. Having waited 
 here four days, and finding nobody came, I 
 found it in vain to stay longer in expectation 
 of company, and set out once more while I 
 thought my plantains might be of service to 
 me, and lest the cocoa nuts I found on the 
 beach should fail. 
 
 After my departure from hence, I went on 
 day by day with little hope of ever seeing the 
 face of mankind more ; a dreadful apprehen- 
 sion, that, with many others, I bore constant- 
 ly in my mind, drove me almost beside my- 
 self ; nor was all the courage and resolution 
 I sometimes began to think I had acquired* 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 155 
 
 of any significance to allay my fears ; no more 
 than the thorough resignation I sometimes 
 presumed to think I had made to the will of 
 God, of any force to expel my doubts of his 
 mercies yet to come. Thus have I been con- 
 vinced by woeful experience, of the little 
 knowledge we have of ourselves. 
 
 It was almost sun-set one day when I came 
 to the side of a river, where was plenty of 
 wood, of which I made up two great fires, and 
 placed myself between them ; for I had been 
 dogged by two tigers all the day long, but I 
 had kept close to the sea ; and whenever I per- 
 ceived them making to me, I plunged myself 
 into it, and by that means avoided them. The 
 next morning I saw great numbers of alliga- 
 tors lie sleeping on the sands, as I had done 
 many times before in travelling round great 
 sandy bays. I had often heard say, that these 
 creatures will seize a man on land, but I never 
 found that they endeavoured to make any at- 
 tempts upon me : on the contrary, as soon as 
 they heard the patting of my feet on the sand, 
 they would make off with great precipitation 
 into the water. This river that I was about 
 to cross was very full of them ; but, 1 thank 
 God, none ever hurt me. In swimming over 
 this river I miraculously escaped drowning; 
 for the current ran with such force as drove 
 me out a great way to sea among rocks and 
 breakers, where I lay beating and dashing 
 about a considerable time, and in that condi- 
 tion could not possibly preserve my nets and 
 
156 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 bull-hide case, that held my fire "works, my 
 knife, and what other small implements I had, 
 besides my provision. All these therefore I 
 lost ; but it was my good fortune, after all 
 this, to get safe ashore on the other side the 
 river, where, being again on my feet, I re- 
 flected on the loss I had just sustained ; by 
 this all that I had to depend on in this world 
 was gone, and I fell into the utmost sorrow 
 and despair. I bethought myself now, that I 
 could have no more fires either for my con- 
 veniency or defence ; in short, the apprehen- 
 sion of the dismal calamities that must un- 
 avoidably fall on me through this irretrievable 
 loss, fixed me to the earth motionless as a stone: 
 so that I judged it unnecessary to turmoil my 
 weakened body any more, and therefore took 
 a resolution to sit still here, and receive my 
 fate, whether it were that I should be torn in 
 pieces by wild beasts, or perish with hunger. 
 
 Thus I sat expecting a speedy dissolution of 
 my miserable life ; when, about noon, to my 
 great astonishment, my nets, with all they con- 
 tained, were brought safe ashore to me by the 
 waves. How much cause had I then to praise 
 the Giver of all things ! and how was 1 after- 
 wards transported to find that none of my 
 necessaries were wanting or damaged, for my 
 case had kept them all dry ! for, by way of 
 caution, I made it of a hide when I was at 
 Nicoya, before I set out on the unfortunate 
 expedition in the canoes, that I many times 
 bitterly repented of, and attributed all my 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 157 
 
 present misfortunes to my too great impatience 
 of getting home to my own country: whereas, 
 had I contented myself to have staid with my 
 sick companions, and have shared their for- 
 tune, I might have embarked with them for 
 Panama, and have prevented myself an infinite 
 deal of suffering : but the only thing I can 
 plead in excuse for my hurrying away was, 
 that I believed they would not allow us all to 
 go in one vessel, and that it would be very 
 uncertain when those that should be left be- 
 hind might have an opportunity to follow 
 them that should go before : but enough of 
 this. 
 
 I shall now return to the thread of my nar- 
 ration. Since Providence had thus restored 
 to me my utensils and provision, I was not 
 backward to employ them to the proper uses 
 for which they were ordered me. I presently 
 made up a good fire, and sat down by it to 
 regale myself with my plantains and cocoa 
 nuts : but with more cheerfulness and thanks- 
 giving, than I had done before I was made 
 sensible of the want of them. Here I took 
 care to make fresh tinder of wild cotton that 
 grew plenteous in these parts. Having re- 
 freshed myself two or three hours, I began to 
 think it high time to depart, and accordingly 
 took up my nets, and set forward ; but here 
 was terrible travelling, for the ground was 
 very rocky, and so full of sharp stones, that I 
 could not set one foot before another without 
 being cut. 
 
 I now began to draw near some very high 
 
158 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 cliffs, and a point of rocks that ran out a long 
 way into the sea, that was continually beating 
 over it, and about sun-set I came up close to 
 it; but when I saw the sea breaking over it, as 
 we say, mountains high, I found it would be 
 impossible for me ever to get round it, unless 
 it was in a stark calm : however, by the time 
 it was dark, I made shift to scramble up to 
 the top of a very steep rock, where grew a 
 tree. This seemed a very convenient situa- 
 tion for me to take up my abode in ; for, from 
 hence I could see when an opportunity offered 
 to get round the point, and be all the while 
 sheltered in the tree ; wherefore, I mounted 
 it directly, and sat there all night. At sun- 
 rise the next morning, the weather proved 
 somewhat moderate, that encouraged me to 
 go down, and make an attempt to get round 
 the point, but could not accomplish it by any 
 means ; for by this trial I had like to have 
 been dashed to pieces against the rocks, so 
 that I was very glad to desist, and return back 
 to my tree. 
 
 Before I came to this place I had been 
 thirty-three days alone, and having waited 
 three days and nights in the tree, in the bark 
 of which I have cut my name, and all my 
 
 Elantains and cocoa nuts gone, and no possi- 
 ility appearing of my ever being able to get 
 past this dreadful point, I concluded for cer- 
 tain, this the place where Providence had di- 
 rected me to, to end my days at, though now 
 and then some faint glimmerings of hope 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 159 
 
 would, as it were, dawn upon my sinking 
 spirits. 
 
 This tree, my habitation, was about one 
 hundred feet distant from the sea ; and I have 
 been sometimes four hours and more in get* 
 ing up and down the rock whereon it grew, 
 as I have taken notice by the sun. As I sat 
 in it one evening, I saw a creature come ashore 
 on a sandy bay, out of the sea, about a musket 
 shot from me, the upper part of which was 
 somewhat like a horse ; the head, neck, and 
 part of the body, being, as well as I could 
 discern, shaped like the same parts of that 
 noble creature, but the hind part was of the 
 nature of a fish. It had flat feet with which 
 it waddled along the shore, and the next morn- 
 ing I saw it take to the sea again. This crea- 
 ture seemed to me as big as any four horses 
 put together. 
 
 Though my situation was none of the low- 
 est, yet above me were very high mountains, 
 the tops of which appear towering one behind 
 another up to the clouds ; and from thence de- 
 scended to me the voices of all manner of 
 wild beasts, the water at the same time pouring 
 down from them with great violence ; which, 
 together with the raging of the sea against 
 the cliffs, afforded but a melancholy scene to a 
 lonely disconsolate man, already on the point 
 of being starved to death. Now I had observ- 
 ed a narrow cavity or chink in the rocks, 
 where I could not only discern light, but could 
 also behold the sea through it, flowing on the 
 
160 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 other side. Now, I considered, that if I could 
 compass to get through this passage, it would 
 save me the labour and hazard of going round 
 the point, if ever an opportunity should offer 
 for that purpose ; therefore, I began the at- 
 tempt immediately, and pushed on a good 
 way, but at last the passage grew very narrow, 
 and I found great difficulty in pressing for- 
 ward ; nevertheless, I made so vigorous an 
 effort to succeed in my undertaking, that I at 
 last got my head stuck so fast between the 
 rocks, that I never expected to get clear again, 
 and in this condition I lay struggling and la- 
 bouring a long time before I could disengage 
 myself. By this one trial I perceived it quite 
 impracticable to force my passage that way ; 
 therefore, when I was loose, I gave over the 
 attempt, and returned to my station in the 
 tree. 
 
 In this tree, though overwhelmed with sor- 
 row, have I sometimes slept as soundly as ever 
 I did in my life, and dreamed of conversing 
 among my former friends and acquaintance ; 
 but when I have awaked, and seen no possi- 
 bility of ever doing so in reality, nor even so 
 much as exchanging one word with any of my 
 fellow-creatures again : I have cried out aloud, 
 that surely no state of life was ever compara- 
 ble to this of mine ; and yet, wretched as it 
 seemed, my desires of prolonging it were so 
 powerful, that I had determined to return and 
 linger out the remainder of my days among 
 the cocoa-nuts I mentioned before : but when 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 1C1 
 
 I considered this could not be done without 
 once more crossing the river, that had like to 
 have proved so fatal to me, this thought van- 
 ished. Thus I sat deliberating two whole 
 days, whether I should run the risk of my life 
 that way, or stay here and assuredly perish ; 
 but at the end of this time, the weather proved 
 calm and serene, and the sea began to appear 
 as smooth as glass. This I beheld with trans- 
 port from the rock, and made no doubt but 
 this was the time offered for my deliverance, 
 and therefore taking a hasty leave of my tree, 
 that had sheltered me five nights, I went as 
 near the point as possible, and waited till the 
 sea was out ; then, humbly begging of Provi- 
 dence to be my guide and assistant, I fastened 
 my nets to my back, lest they should be washed 
 away as before, and committed myself to the 
 sea, and swam from rock to rock, till I was 
 almost spent, and often near drowning by 
 means of my nets. I was four hours by the 
 sun, in getting round this dismal point, after 
 which I came on a deep sandy bay ; on the 
 other side, about ten leagues off, was another 
 great point, that ran as far into the sea as that 
 I had lately passed. From this bay I came on 
 a fine strand, but could find no cocoa-nuts, nor 
 any thing to satisfy hunger. 
 
 At this time I was not only extremely weak 
 through want of food, but also very much 
 bruised and cut by being beat and dashed 
 against the sharp edges of the rocks ; but as 
 God Almighty had been thus graciously pleas- 
 
1G2 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ed to preserve my life, I had strong confidence 
 he would not suffer me to die after all for 
 want of nourishment. Then I called to mind 
 in what manner the turtles lay their eggs; but 
 as I knew there was no finding them out by 
 any marks on the sand, I got a long stick and 
 struck into it in several places, till at last it 
 came up with part of a yolk sticking at the 
 end of it ; by this I concluded there was a 
 nest, and so raking away the sand, I found 
 ninety eggs. These I put up in my nets, and 
 then sought for water, without which my eggs 
 were of no service to me. About noon I came 
 to a great river, where, after I had allayed my 
 thirst, I sought for wood to make a fire ; but 
 espying a wigwam on the other side of the 
 river, and instead of minding my fire, catched 
 up my nets, and swam across to it, and then 
 had the mortification to find nobody near it. 
 Looking about without-side the wigwam, I 
 saw an arrow sticking in the sand at one end 
 of it, and within found a net hanging with 
 two ripe plantains, that I made bold to eat. 
 These apparent signs that some Indians had 
 lately been here, together with the wigwam's 
 being new, inspired me with hope, that the 
 longing desire I had of coming amongst men 
 once more, would shortly be gratified. Then 
 I looked about for the tracts of their feet, that 
 I followed till they led me to the side of a 
 wood, where I found another wigwam, and a 
 fire, with an earthen crook full of plantains, 
 and a wild hog boiling on it. Without so 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 163 
 
 much as considering what I was about, I pre- 
 sently took the victuals off the fire, and ate so 
 eagerly, I thought I should never be satisfied. 
 Never had I met such delicious fare as this 
 seemed then, not having tasted any thing for 
 about forty days, but cocoa-nuts and plan- 
 tains ; nor durst I for several reasons venture 
 to eat my fill of them, the first ill-agreeing 
 with my constitution, and the latter I was 
 obliged to be sparing of, as I knew not when 
 I should get more. 
 
 When I had eaten thus plentifully of this 
 welcome diet, I instantly fell into a sound sleep, 
 without any fears of what I had done, and did 
 not wake till near sun-set, but still none came. 
 Then I began to consider that I was got to a 
 remote and uninhabited part of the country, 
 and that the Indians who had wandered 
 hither, might be people of very different dis- 
 positions from any I had met; and if they 
 were not of the cannibals that I had heard 
 much talk of, yet probably they were such 
 as had little notion of humanity, or at least 
 might not once have heard there were such 
 men in being as the Europeans ; and that, 
 perhaps, they might have seen me before I 
 crossed the river, and imagining I had com- 
 pany, and was come to surprise them, had 
 therefore fled in haste, and left their provisions 
 behind them ; and that if so, it would be im- 
 possible for me ever to set eyes on them. Full 
 of these, and many other melancholy reflec- 
 tions, I went into the wigwam to see what 
 
164 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 discoveries I could make among the bundles 
 of leaves I had seen there, and found barba- 
 cute bog, ripe plantains, pepper, and several 
 sorts of berries, all very carefully wrapped up, 
 to keep them from water and vermin. 
 
 Soon after I had gratified my curiosity 
 this way, came a dog leaping and jumping 
 upon me with tokens of great joy : this put 
 me in great hope that I should shortly see his 
 master, or those he belonged to : wherefore I 
 looked about me on all sides, and at last saw 
 three Indians coming down by the river side. 
 How did my heart leap for joy at the sight of 
 human kind once more, though I knew not 
 what might be the consequence of this inter- 
 view. As soon as they saw me they made a 
 full stop, as if in surprise, and then seemed to 
 enter into debate, whether they should go for- 
 ward or turn back again. At last I took courage 
 and beckoned to them; upon which one of 
 them, who was an old man, came up and shook 
 me by the hand. I asked him of what Indians 
 they were, and if he could speak Spanish. He 
 said they were Indians of Burica, and that he 
 could speak a little Spanish; then he called to 
 the other two, that were young men, bidding 
 them come to him, which they did. After 
 this he spread a skin on the ground, desiring 
 me in a civil and friendly manner to sit down. 
 I thought myself happy indeed, and had the 
 courage to confess how free I had been with 
 their victuals in their absence. He answered 
 he was very glad I had done so, for he judged 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 105 
 
 by my aspect I bad great need of it. Then 
 he ordered the young men to make supper 
 ready, which, when they had done, urged me 
 to eat heartily again, and to drink freely of 
 their liquor called cheely, made of several 
 sorts of berries, and is so strong it will intoxi- 
 cate a man. 
 
 After supper he began to inquire how I came 
 into this part of the country, and of what na- 
 tion I was, for he was certain I was no Span- 
 iard ; upon which I frankly owned I was an 
 Englishman. He said he had heard much of 
 such men, and had seen some of them when a 
 little boy, and he loved them better than the 
 Spaniards ; for they, said he, shaking his 
 head, would kill me. This man, as I said, 
 was old and hoary-headed, and through long 
 experience, well acquainted with all parts of 
 the country. 
 
 I now began to relate to him my story; and 
 when I came to that part of it where the five 
 Indians left me, and never returned, he asked 
 if they took their bows and arrows with them. 
 I told him no ; for they were washed off the 
 balse when we crossed Golfo Dolce. Then he 
 said they must undoubtedly have been igno- 
 rant of those parts ; for otherwise, they would 
 not have ventured up into the country with 
 their masheets only, adding, they were cer- 
 tainly devoured. Then I went on to tell him 
 how I had lately passed the point, by swim- 
 ming from rock to rock; at which he seemed 
 amazed, saying, it was more than any Indian 
 
160 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 had ever done; for they, he said, always mad 
 a balse to get round it, when there were a good 
 many in company, one man not being able to 
 manage that alone. This point he called Point 
 Burica, and said, that I must have travelled a 
 great way along the sea-coast had I not met 
 them, before I could have come to any inhabit- 
 ants, the nearest being those of Cherokee, to 
 which place an Indian could not travel in less 
 than twenty days, provided he kept to the sea: 
 but they knew a way to get thither in nine days, 
 because they would cut off a great part, by 
 crossing certain mountains they could do in 
 three days, and so come to the sea again: and, 
 as they were to go that way in a few days, he 
 would take me with them, and shew me to the 
 river of Cherokee, where I should be within 
 five leagues of the town; but there they must 
 leave me, because their people were engaged 
 in a war against those of Cherokee. 
 
 The better to enable me to travel with 
 them, the old man made me bathe the wounds 
 I had received in fencing with the rocks, with 
 a juice he had squeezed from certain herbs; 
 and after they had nursed me up for two or 
 three days, by the help of God, I grew much 
 better. The two young men were inclined to 
 come into a great intimacy with me, and 
 wanted to know if I could shoot with bow and 
 arrow ; but I made them understand, as well 
 as I could, in my country they made use of 
 guns only, and therefore I was entirely un- 
 skilled in the management of bows and ar- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 167 
 
 rows. But, to shew me how dexterous they 
 were at them, they would often shoot a small 
 bird flying, or pecking on the ground, at a 
 great distance. I have seen them stand, per- 
 haps a hundred yards from a bird on the 
 ground, and mount their arrow directly up 
 into the air, so as to fall down exactly on the 
 bird, and stick it to the earth : and, as a far- 
 ther instance of their ingenuity this way, I 
 have seen them stick an arrow in the ground, 
 and stand a very great way from it, and shoot 
 up into the air, as before, and the arrow they 
 shoot should fall upon the other that was stick- 
 ing upright in the ground, and split it in two. 
 These Indians were come hither to dive for 
 pearl. 
 
 After I had rested here four days, the In- 
 dians began to prepare for our intended jour- 
 ney, putting up the provisions they were 
 minded to carry with them, and then set out. 
 After we had gone about a league on the 
 strand, they took to the mountains ; in travel- 
 ling of which I feared their patience would 
 have been left behind, they having the natural 
 advantages of exceeding swiftness, and great 
 abilities to labour beyond the common rate of 
 men ; and I was at that time much enfeebled, 
 nay, even reduced to a state of infant weak- 
 ness; so that had they not supported and 
 helped me forward, (contrary to my expecta- 
 tion, as the case stood) I must inevitably have 
 perished ; and often they would say, happy 
 was it for me that I had met them ; for here 
 
160 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 was no cocoa-nuts, or any other sustenance to 
 be found but by Indians only. Indeed, I was 
 so cautious of being burtherisome to them, and 
 proving a dead load upon their hands, that I 
 often exerted myself beyond my strength. 
 
 In five days we passed the mountains, and 
 then came to a river where was the greatest 
 fall of water I ever saw : it fell from a preci- 
 pice seemingly six hundred feet high, and 
 raged with such violence, that we had heard 
 the noise of it two days before we came to it. 
 We were obliged to go down this river, in 
 order to get to the sea again ; and we were 
 forced to wade through it, because it was ren- 
 dered impassable for any vessel, by great trees 
 lying across it; some of which we crept un- 
 der, and some we climbed over ; but the cur- 
 rent ran so strong, that not a man of us could 
 stand upon his legs long together. We began 
 this journey through the river pretty early in 
 the morning, and about sun-set got to the sea- 
 side, where we made a fire, and stayed all 
 night. Here the Indians dressed a fine fish, 
 as big as a large salmon, that they wrapped 
 up in leaves, and roasted very nicely; and the 
 next morning we set forward again, every man 
 with his net. The Indians always hang their 
 nets on their heads, and carry their bows in 
 one hand, and arrows in the other, to be ready 
 to defend themselves against any thing that 
 may oppose them. Their bows are commonly 
 about seven feet long, and made of a wood as 
 black as jet, and hard as iron, the strings being 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 169 
 
 made of strong silk grass. Their arrows are 
 about six feet long, and made of the same 
 wood as the bows ; some have porcupine 
 quills sticking in the ends, and others are 
 poisoned, and bring immediate death to every 
 creature they hit. 
 
 We had now, as I thought, very good tra- 
 velling, on a fine black sparkling sand, as 
 smooth as glass, but very bad for the eyes ; 
 for it cast such a reflection, as almost blinded 
 me, though we never travelled in the heat of 
 the day, but only mornings and evenings, and 
 by moonlight. We often met with points or 
 rocks that we could not pass till the sea had 
 left them, and sometimes with rivers abound- 
 ing with alligators, it being impossible for us 
 to cross before we had made little balses for 
 that purpose. Thus we went on till we came 
 to a river about a mile broad, that the Indians 
 called the river of Queype. Now they told 
 me (to speak in their own simple manner) 
 that there were people, whom they called 
 the Queype Indians, inhabiting up the river, 
 about twenty days' journey from us, who, if 
 they could catch me, would eat me up; there- 
 fore we must take great care to avoid them. 
 This river is very shallow ; and my fellow- 
 travellers told me they always forded it; that 
 was what we endeavoured to do at this time, 
 but the water ran so rapidly now, that we had 
 not waded up to our middles, before we were 
 every one taken off our legs, and carried down 
 a quarter of a mile before we could get back 
 
170 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 again to the shore ; after which we were 
 forced to wait three days more for an oppor- 
 tunity to cross it. 
 
 As far as we could discern, up the country 
 was nothing to be seen but mountains ; and 
 here was no way to travel but along the sea- 
 coast, unless you would go up the river among 
 the Queype Indians, that was not our intent ; 
 therefore we kept along the sea beach, till we 
 came within a mile of the river of Cherokee, 
 where these people whom I had been travel- 
 ling with twelve days, had said they must 
 leave me, on account of the war, as mentioned 
 before. 
 
 They now warned me over and over again, 
 that when I came to the town of Cherokee, I 
 should tell no one who had conducted me 
 thither ; and above all, gave me strict charge 
 not to swim over the river Cherokee, that they 
 said was a league broad, very deep, and full 
 of alligators that would certainly devour me; 
 but advised me to wait till I could meet with 
 a canoe or balse : after which they bade me 
 farewell, and I returned them many thanks 
 for the care and trouble they had had with 
 me, being very sensible that they might have 
 performed this journey with much more ease 
 and expedition, had they not encumbered 
 themselves with me. Then I shook hands 
 with them all again and again, and so parted 
 with these my guides, whom God Almighty 
 raised up in the greatest affliction, and made 
 the instruments to deliver me out of one of the 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 171 
 
 most calamitous circumstances that surely the 
 mind of man did ever support itself under. 
 
 Soon after my friends were gone, I got to 
 the river side, where seeing no likelihood of 
 meeting a vessel, I began to make a little 
 balse to cross it ; but I had not been long thus 
 employed, before I heard the barking of dogs, 
 upon which I desisted from my work, and 
 looking about me saw eight Indians in a canoe. 
 I called out to them instantly, and as they 
 came towards me, I perceived they were 
 Christians, for they had great wooden crosses 
 hanging about their necks. I begged of them 
 to come ashore, and take me into their canoe, 
 saying, I only desired to be set down on the 
 other side the river ; but they desired to be 
 excused, till they had discoursed me a little at 
 some distance. 
 
 Then they demanded to know of what 
 country I was, and how I came there. I 
 thought it most to my purpose at this time, to 
 say I was a Spaniard, that I found pleased 
 very well ; and afterwards, when they heard 
 how long I had been alone, and what hard- 
 ships I had gone through, they seemed to 
 commiserate my case, and straightway put to 
 shore, and took me into their canoe, saying, 
 they would set me safe on the other side, and 
 then I must keep close to the river, till I came 
 to a path, that would lead me directly to the 
 governor's house. These Indians were inha- 
 bitants of the town of Cherokee, and were 
 waiting on the river to catch turtle ; for here 
 
172 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 are great numbers of them, and the largest 
 that are any where to be seen, some of them 
 weighing six or seven hundred weight. This 
 canoe that conveyed me across the river, was 
 made of the bark of a tree, being about thirty 
 feet long, and but three feet broad, and sharp 
 at each end. The Indians always stand upright 
 in their canoes, and paddle them along with 
 great swiftness ; and when they cross the land 
 from river to river, as they frequently do, it 
 is the women's office (if there be any among 
 them) to carry the canoe. I have seen a wo- 
 man carry one on her head with two children 
 in it, besides a good deal of luggage. 
 
 Being landed on the other side the river, I 
 took the path as directed by the Indians, that 
 led me to a fine open country, where was great 
 plenty of cattle, Indian corn, and fruit of se- 
 veral sorts, particularly the finest guayavas I 
 ever saw, being as big as large codlings, some 
 of which were yellow, and some red within 
 side. The Indians count them the most 
 wholesome fruit in the world ; and here were 
 such abundance, I have seen some hundreds 
 of hogs feeding upon them as they fell off the 
 trees. Towards evening I came within sight 
 of a house, that I once little expected would 
 ever be my lot to see. This proved to be the 
 governor's, that stands about half a mile from 
 the town of Cherokee. When I came up to it, 
 finding several Indians there whom I suppos- 
 ed to belong to the house, I desired them to 
 introduce me to his Excellency ; but they an- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 173 
 
 swered not a word, for they seemed as much 
 surprised as if they had seen some spectre 
 newly risen from the tomb. As I stood im- 
 portuning them to give me admittance into 
 the house, the governor himself, that I suppose 
 had heard my request, looked out of a win- 
 dow, and beckoned me to come up to him ; 
 that, when the Indians observed, they suffered 
 me to go in, and I readily obeyed the sum- 
 mons. Being led into the room where his 
 Excellency sat, he presently ordered me to give 
 him an account how I came thither ; upon 
 this I rehearsed to him the most remarkable 
 occurrences of these my unfortunate travels. 
 After this he said, " How is it possible that a 
 lonely man, a stranger to the country, and one 
 destitute of all succour and defence, should 
 travel so great a tract of land as is between 
 here and Golfo Dolce only, exclusive of the 
 rest, when no Indian will venture along that 
 way, no not five leagues from this town, for 
 fear of tigers, which sometimes will take peo- 
 ple even out of their houses, and devour 
 them ?" 
 
 I told him what I had gone through was 
 not by choice, but through absolute necessity, 
 and that I hoped the endeavours I had used 
 to preserve my life were not blameable ; that 
 were I inclined, I well knew it was not in 
 my power to impose idle falsehoods upon the 
 world, when I was sensible I might be 
 detected with great ease. He answered, 
 that indeed he had no reason to suspect 
 
174 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 the veracity of what I said, though the 
 story I told seemed to him very surprising ; 
 but that through the whole course of his life, 
 he had never beheld a more piteous object of 
 compassion than myself. Then he gave or- 
 ders for my refreshment in an handsome man- 
 ner, and appointed me an apartment in his 
 own house to lodge in. The next morning 
 he shewed me a gun he had bought of an 
 English gentleman at Panama, for one hun- 
 dred pieces of eight, which might cost in Eng- 
 land about thirty shillings. This, he said, he 
 should be very glad to have exercised ; and if 
 I could instruct him how to make use of it 
 he would reward we well for so doing, for he 
 was entirely ignorant in the management of 
 guns. 
 
 I was not a little rejoiced that he had pro- 
 posed something whereby I might oblige him ; 
 wherefore I answered, that I should be proud 
 to receive any commands he would he pleased 
 to lay on me. Then he desired that I would 
 accompany him with the piece, to take some 
 diversion in the grounds about his house, 
 which were well stored with variety of cattle, 
 such as horses, cows, hogs, besides great num- 
 bers of deer, and where the most indifferent 
 sportsman could not miss of game. I went 
 with him according to his desire, and when 
 I had shot a couple of deer, and a few small 
 birds, we gave over the sport, and the gov- 
 ernor returned home with great satisfaction ; 
 and afterwards made me this offer, that if I 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 175 
 
 would continue with him, nothing should be 
 wanting to make my life easy and comfort- 
 able. After returning him thanks for this 
 kind offer, I told him that nothing but the 
 strong desires I had of seeing my friends and 
 native country had prompted me to struggle 
 with all the hardships I had met with ; and 
 that since it had pleased God to bring me thus 
 far on my way to the English factory, I hum- 
 bly hoped he would enable me to perform the 
 rest of the journey. He replied, that since 
 he knew my inclinations were so much to go 
 to the English factory, so far should he be 
 from detaining me, that he would have me 
 conducted by the first opportunity to Panama, 
 which is one hundred and fifty leagues from 
 Cherokee ; and said, that in the mean time I 
 should have the best assistance he could give. 
 This gentleman was a native of New Spain, 
 and one of those people called Mesties. His 
 hospitality and courteous demeanor towards me 
 I have already signified, and I must not for- 
 get that of his wife, who was equally kind 
 and obliging to me during my stay at their 
 house. I wore my bark habit ; but it was 
 much decayed at this time, and would hardly 
 cover me, though I had spared it as much as 
 possible when I was not seen. 
 
 It was a great amusement to me to go to 
 the town of Cherokee, which I often did. 
 This town is the handsomest and most com- 
 pact of any I had seen in the country, the 
 nouses being very large and high, built of 
 
176 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 bamboo cane, and thatched with grass. The 
 first storeys are raised four feet from the 
 ground, and under every house are kept abun- 
 dance of hogs to fatten ; and here I must say 
 are the largest hogs I ever saw, most of them 
 weighing five hundred weight a-piece. They 
 are killed chiefly for their fat, that after they 
 are boiled is drawn off, and put up into jars 
 that held about ten gallons each, and sent to 
 Panama, where it is used instead of oil or 
 butter, and sold for twenty pieces of eight a 
 jar. 
 
 The inhabitants of Cherokee are all Indians, 
 but far exceeding any other Indians on this 
 continent, as well for the gracefulness of their 
 persons as politeness of manners. They are 
 tall and well shaped, of tolerable complexions, 
 having a becoming address, and no disagree- 
 able features. The women have long hair 
 hanging down very low, and neatly braided 
 with ribbons, and adorned with variety of fine 
 stones. Their apparel is clean and slight, 
 being only a Holland shift and petticoat, that 
 is very full, and finely wrought with the pur- 
 ple thread that they dye themselves. The 
 men wear drawers, and paint their bodies, and 
 sometimes one side of their faces, red. They 
 are generally very exact and nice in their 
 houses and manner of eating ; nor will they 
 drink after each other in the same cup or cal- 
 abash, or use one twice themselves without 
 washing, practising many other ceremonies 
 with a more refined air than could be expect- 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 177 
 
 ed from the natives on this side the globe. 
 How was I surprised that a people of such 
 decorum, and withal both quiet and cleanly in 
 their nature, could dispense with the noise 
 and stench of such a number of hogs feeding 
 under the rooms where they slept, having no- 
 thing between them but an open- worked 
 floor laid with bamboo cane ; but they told 
 me they were obliged to take this method to 
 fright the musquitoes from their houses, that 
 cannot endure the noise nor steam of hogs, by 
 which means they were freed from these 
 troublesome insects. 
 
 During my residence at the governor's 
 house, and at a time when I lay dangerously 
 ill of a fever, came a company of roving In- 
 dians into the town, and plundered it of much 
 riches. The inhabitants being few in num- 
 ber, and unprepared to receive an enemy, 
 were under the necessity of submitting to 
 whatever was imposed on them ; and after 
 they had ravaged the town as they thought 
 fit, they committed one of the most outrage- 
 ous cruelties that could possibly enter into the 
 heart of man. There was but one clergy- 
 man in the town, that was a Spaniard, and of 
 the order of St Francis : him they seized on, 
 and put to death in the following inhuman 
 manner : They first scalped his head, and 
 then tore off the skin, leaving the skull bare ; 
 then they fixed the skin on a spear, and danc- 
 ed round it a considerable time ; after this 
 they reared up a long pole, one end of which 
 
178 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 they fastened in the ground, and on the other 
 they stuck his body while he was yet alive, 
 and then made their barbarous mirth of his 
 exquisite tortures, scoffing at, and deriding his 
 function, and saying that this was but a small 
 revenge for that torrent of Indian blood here- 
 tofore spilled by the Spaniards. After they 
 had glutted their eyes with this lamentable 
 spectacle, they lighted up a great fire round 
 him, and kept dancing about it till the body 
 was consumed to ashes. With the deplorable 
 catastrophe of this unhappy gentleman, their 
 fury ceased, and they attempted to put no 
 other person to death ; but declared, had they 
 met more Spaniards in the town, they would 
 have served them all in the same manner. 
 After this, the enemy, being in number be- 
 tween two and three hundred (men and wo- 
 men) came to the governor's house, that was 
 no better prepared to receive them than the 
 rest of the people ; and when they had ran- 
 sacked the greatest part of it, and taken out 
 such things as they liked best, they at last 
 came into the room where I lay sick, and the 
 first question they asked me was, what coun- 
 tryman I was ? I quickly answered, an Eng- 
 lishman taken by Spanish pirates, and cruelly 
 used by them, and was now waiting for an 
 opportunity to get home to my own country. 
 They assured me they would dome no injury, 
 but, on the contrary, if I would put myself 
 under their protection, and go along with 
 them, they would do all the service in their 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 179 
 
 power, and would also furnish me with all 
 manner of things necessary towards forward- 
 ing my intentions of getting home, that I 
 might do with greater ease and expedition by 
 their means, than by any other way I could 
 propose ; for they were Indians that inhabited 
 on the North Sea, where vessels frequently 
 arrived from Jamaica to trade with them ; so 
 they had knowledge of the English, and lov- 
 ed them very well, though they abhorred the 
 Spaniards ; and as they had never yet been 
 conquered by them, they were determined 
 utterly to defy them, and all their adherents. 
 They used many arguments to entice me to go 
 with them, saying, it was but fifteen days' 
 journey from thence to the place where they 
 inhabited. I excused myself to them on ac- 
 count of my present weakness ; and alleged, 
 were I in health, they would find me far unfit 
 to travel with them, the English not being 
 comparable to the Indians in activity of body : 
 but, however, this was not altogether the case ; 
 for I must have been more distempered in 
 mind than body, had I associated with a band 
 of robbers and murderers, who could be guilty 
 of so execrable a deed as had been committed 
 by them but a few hours before : however, 
 they were content with my apology, and 
 marched off with their plunder, without the 
 least opposition. 
 
 These people are called by the Spaniards 
 Sancoodas, or Muskitoe-Indians, on account 
 of , their diminutive stature; and they are 
 
180 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 really the smallest sized people I ever saw, 
 some not exceeding four feet odd inches high ; 
 but many are much shorter, and yet every 
 way well proportioned. They go naked from 
 head to foot, both men and women. Their 
 skin is of a dark brown, being marked all 
 over from the shoulders to their heels in 
 waves, with a sort of blue ink that never 
 washes off. They have long black hair hang- 
 ing almost down to the ground, and every 
 man has a hole through his nose and chin ; 
 that in the nose has a porcupine's quill stick- 
 ing in it, and in the other they place the 
 tooth of some wild beast. The women have 
 holes in their cheeks, wherein they stick 
 bunches of various coloured feathers to adorn 
 themselves, and when they have a string or 
 two of tigers' teeth hanging at their ears, they 
 are completely dressed. These people talked 
 with me in English ; and some of them could 
 speak a little Spanish and French. They are 
 all heathens, and as constant a plague to the 
 Spaniards as the Indian bravoes. 
 
 When the governor of Cherokee had a lit- 
 tle recovered from his consternation, he re- 
 solved to send notice of what had happened 
 to the governor of Panama, and to require to 
 have some forces sent him in case the town 
 should be again surprised. He proposed to 
 me, if I was able and willing to go with the 
 Indians he should send on this errand, he 
 would charge them not to leave me till I 
 came near Panama, and he would order as 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 181 
 
 much provision as would serve me to Pueblo 
 Nuevo; and when I was past the mountains 
 that lie between the town and Nata, then he 
 said I should come among inhabitants every 
 night, that were a kind people, and would as- 
 sist me in any thing I should want. I gladly 
 embraced this offer, and returned him thanks 
 for having me so much in his thoughts, re- 
 solving not to let so fair an opportunity slip, 
 though I was not yet recovered from my illness. 
 The Indians being ready to depart the next 
 morning, I set out with them, having first 
 taken leave of this worthy gentleman, who, 
 though I came to him forlorn, and without 
 any other credential than that of my necessi- 
 ties, had treated me in his house more like a 
 friend than a stranger. 
 
 In five days after our departure from 
 Cherokee, we arrived at Pueblo Nuevo, when 
 I could not help reflecting on the miseries 
 and misfortunes I had undergone, since my 
 setting out from Alberoy, in the first canoe 
 in company with the piragua from which we 
 were separated by storm, as I have already 
 related ; this being the place we were then 
 bound to. The piragua arrived here safely 
 with all the passengers, and set out for Panama 
 some months before my coming to this town. 
 After I had applied to the Indian alcald for 
 relief, that he willingly afforded me for the 
 time we staid here, which was but short, I 
 gave him an account of the late misfortunes 
 at Cherokee, setting forth in what manner the 
 
182 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 town had been surprised and plundered, and by 
 whom. This news struck both the s alcald and 
 people with great fear, lest the Muskitoe In- 
 dians should come upon them and serve them 
 in the same manner, saying, " They were less 
 able to sustain such losses than the people of 
 Cherokee, inasmuch as they had greater tri- 
 bute imposed upon them, and were liable to 
 many other inconveniencies, which those peo- 
 ple are eased of." Every single nfan of this 
 town is obliged to pay the king of Spain six 
 pieces of eight yearly, and every married man 
 twelve ; or, in case of non-payment, to be 
 sent to the mines without redemption. This 
 heavy imposition, with what they are bound 
 to allow the clergy, they account an insup- 
 portable grievance; and were they not very 
 industrious as well as ingenious^ they could 
 not perform such hard tasks. These people 
 make a sort of fine mats and hammocks of 
 cane, and likewise curious baskets of the 
 same ; all which they paint very beautifully, 
 and carry to Panama, where they sell them at 
 a low rate to discharge their tribute. 
 
 Having staid here one night, the next morn- 
 ing we set out for a town called Nata, between 
 which and Pueblo Nuevo are mountains we 
 were obliged to pass over ; but, as I had not 
 yet recovered strength since my late sickness 
 at Cherokee, this proved a very fatiguing and 
 tiresome journey, it being with the utmost 
 difficulty I exerted myself to travel with* the 
 Indians, that, on the other hand thought me 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 183 
 
 very slow, and had scarcely patience to keep 
 travelling' my pace, that was much faster than 
 suited me at that time : however, I made shift 
 to keep up with them three days, till we had 
 passed the mountains, and then I told them 
 I would not be troublesome to them any 
 longer, and as they were going upon busi- 
 ness of consequence, I desired they would 
 make the b^est of their way, and leave me to 
 follow theth at my leisure. This I knew was 
 a very agreeable proposal, and would be 
 readily accepted ; accordingly, they took me 
 at my word, and posted away as fast as they 
 could. 
 
 Soon after the Indians left me, I came to a 
 river that I found I should not be able to 
 cross for the swiftness of the stream, but see- 
 ing some Indians on the other side, I hallooed 
 out to them: upon this they made signs to 
 me not to venture into the river, and imme- 
 diately sent a boy with two mules to fetch 
 me over ; one he rode himself, and the other 
 I made use of; and though the water was 
 not above the knees of the mules, yet it was 
 as much as they could do to keep on their 
 legs. 
 
 Upon my arrival on the other side, the 
 men that had done this courtesy made me a 
 present of some fine fruit, that both in look 
 and taste is very much like a mulberry, but 
 in size far exceeding, for it is as large as a 
 melon. They call it the king of fruit, not 
 only for its excellent taste and large size, but 
 
184 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 also, if I may be allowed the expression, on 
 account of its high birth and exalted station 
 in the world, for it grows on the tops of very 
 tall trees, I believe, above two hundred feet 
 high, their bodies straight, and smooth as 
 glass. I understood I had three days' journey 
 to Nata, and that I should come every night 
 to a house where I might have shelter, that I 
 accordingly did ; and, in the daytime, when I 
 met any Indians, they never failed to give me 
 of such as they had, so that my nakedness 
 was now the greatest grievance to me ; for, 
 at this time my bark jacket would cover but 
 a small part of me. The Indians every where 
 among whom I came, knew by this bark 
 jacket that I must have been among the In- 
 dians at war, because no other people in this 
 country wear such sorts of clothing; and 
 they were all surprised that the people they 
 so much dread to fall into the hands of, should 
 dismiss me with such a gift. This part of 
 the country is level, very pleasant and fruit- 
 ful, being well watered. 
 
 At the end of three days I arrived at Nata, 
 where I staid one night, and found the in- 
 habitants, who are Indians, as much inclined 
 to favour and assist me as any other people 
 I had hitherto met ; but the next town I came 
 to, that was New Panama, inhabited by Span- 
 iards only, I met with very different usage. 
 There I could get no relief, but was upbraid- 
 ed for my country and religion, accused of 
 being no Christian, but a heathen come to 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 185 
 
 >py out the country ; the people clamouring 
 ibout, cried out, "that in a little time they 
 should have the English come upon them, 
 and cut their throats : but that they doubted 
 not, when I came to Old Panama, the governor 
 would secure me and send me to the mines/' 
 Finding these people possessed of such no- 
 dons, and that they had therefore an implac- 
 able hatred to the English, I did not think fit 
 to remain in the town that night, though it 
 was evening when I entered it, but got away 
 as fast as I could, and went on till I came to 
 A run of water, by which I made a fire, and 
 staid all night. 
 
 From this time forward till my arrival at 
 Old Panama, I met only Spanish inhabitants, 
 of the same dispositions, returning the same 
 answers when I craved their assistance, as the 
 people of New Panama : so that from Nata 
 to Old Panama I had nothing to support me 
 but water ; for which reason I was so weak- 
 ened that I could scarcely crawl. Before 1 
 entered that town I met some Indians, who, 
 upon hearing something of my story, told me, 
 if I did not apply to the governor before I 
 addressed the English factory, it would be 
 resented, and might turn very much to my 
 prejudice ; therefore they advised me, above 
 all things, to throw myself at his Excellency's 
 feet, which if I omitted, they assured me, 
 would be reckoned a capital crime. This ad- 
 vice I resolved to put in practice : and com- 
 ing into the town, I met a negro-man, who, 
 
 Q 
 
186 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 on my enquiring for the governor's house, led 
 me directly to it, where I found his Excel- 
 lency's coach waiting at the door to receive 
 him. I staid till he came out : and before he 
 entered the coach, he stopped to give me an 
 opportunity to make my supplication. After 
 making my reverence to his Excellency in an 
 humble manner, I informed him of my coun- 
 try and condition. He said he was then go- 
 ing to the English factory to take leave of the 
 president Mr Johnson, who was just on his 
 return to England, and I might follow him 
 thither, where he would hear my case in full, 
 I said I should gladly obey his commands, 
 and accordingly made what haste I could 
 after him. 
 
 Being come to the factory, I desired to have 
 admittance to the president; and after I had 
 waited some time for an answer, an English 
 gentleman was sent from the board to examine 
 me, who, when I had told him my case, said, 
 here had been four Englishmen some time 
 since, that he believed were some of my com- 
 pany : their names, he said, were John Hol- 
 land, John Balmain, Thomas Rounce, and 
 Richard Banister, and that at their first com- 
 ing hither the governor committed them to 
 prison ; but they were quickly demanded by 
 the president, who had sent them to Porto-Bel 
 in order to embark for England. I told him 
 these were my fellow-travellers, and also gave 
 him an account how I came to be separated 
 from them. After this he returned to the 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 187 
 
 board, and informed the gentlemen what he 
 had learned from me. Then I was sent for 
 up stairs, where were sitting the late presi- 
 dent Mr Johnson, leaving his employment, 
 the new president Mr Tinker, who was come 
 to officiate in his room, and also the governor 
 of Panama, before whom I gave a faithful ac- 
 count of my unfortunate travels : but when 
 they heard how long I had been alone, and 
 what I had undergone in general, they all 
 agreed they had never heard so moving a 
 story that was real matter of fact, nor had 
 ever seen so pitiful an object, saying, nothing 
 was more visible than that I had been near 
 starving to death. Then Mr Johnson propos- 
 ed, if I was able to travel on a mule, he would 
 take me with him to Porto-Bel, where one of 
 the South Sea Company's snows, called the 
 Princess of Asturias, Captain Blackbourn 
 master, waited to carry him to Jamaica, from 
 whence he should sail directly for England. 
 I made answer, that since he was so good as 
 to admit me to travel with him, I should 
 gladly accept the offer, if it were at the haz- 
 ard of dying on the road. But Mr Tinker 
 believing I was not capable to perform the 
 journey at this time, out of compassion advis- 
 ed I should stay with him, that proper care 
 should be taken of me till I should recover 
 strength, and till such time as he could con- 
 veniently send me to England. I returned 
 this ^gentleman my humble thanks for his 
 charitable and tender disposition towards me ; 
 
188 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 but said, if I might be allowed my choice, I 
 would rather go with Mr Johnson : on this 
 Mr Johnson ordered a mule should be got 
 ready for me, and the governor of Panama 
 gave me two pieces of eight, wishing me 
 better success in the world than I had hither- 
 to met with. Then Mr Turner, who is but- 
 ler to the factory, was called up and ordered 
 to take care of me, and he discharged him- 
 self to me in a friendly and civil manner. 
 The first thing he offered me was a large cup 
 of wine, that no sooner came to my head, but 
 it overpowered me : however, I drank of it 
 but very cautiously, for this was the first 
 wine or spirituous liquor I tasted since we left 
 our ship. 
 
 The gentlemen of our English factories 
 abroad very much contribute towards esta- 
 blishing our nation's happy character, as well 
 as to give a true sense of its grandeur through- 
 out the several kingdoms and countries where 
 they are placed, as well on account of their 
 great charities and hospitalities, as for their 
 magnificent appearance and courteous de- 
 meanour ; and, I hope, it may not be amiss 
 to say, that in splendour and popular virtues, 
 they come near, if not equal, most of our no- 
 bility. 
 
 While I was here, I took a view of the city 
 of Panama, that stands very pleasantly on a 
 high hill close by the sea, being of great ex- 
 tent, having several well built churches and 
 convents in it. The houses are large, and 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 189 
 
 handsomely built of timber, the inhabitants 
 numerous, and most of them very rich. They 
 dress exceedingly fine, the ladies wearing no- 
 thing but the most costly goods that can be 
 brought from England, having their hair 
 curiously dressed, and adorned with dia- 
 monds and other precious stones. This town 
 abounds with money ; but all things are ex- 
 cessively dear : the least coin that passes here 
 is half a real of plate, or threepence-half- 
 penny English money. Here all the plate 
 fleets arrive from Peru and Lima with im- 
 mense treasures ; and from hence they are 
 carried by mules over the mountains to Porto 
 Bel, in order to be conveyed to Spain. 
 
 I had been at Panama three days when Mr 
 Johnson ordered me to prepare for the jour- 
 ney, that was no hard task for me, having no- 
 thing to carry but my nets and what they 
 contained, and what that was I have already 
 given an account: so the same day about 
 noon, we set out of the town, Mr Johnson be- 
 ing accompanied by great numbers of English 
 and Spanish gentlemen, all mounted on fine 
 horses richly furnished, and attended by their 
 negroes in rich liveries, altogether making a 
 great train and a pompous shew. When 
 these gentlemen had thus paid their compli- 
 ments for about two leagues out of town, they 
 took leave of Mr Johnson with the usual 
 ceremonies, and returned back. Then we 
 rode on till four o'clock next morning before 
 we could reach a house, but were well guard- 
 
190 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 ed, in case of being attacked by the Indians 
 at war, or wild beasts. We had two spare 
 mules, which carried provisions only, here 
 being scarcely any to be had on this road, 
 with six negroes well armed, four of which 
 were our guides to lead us over the moun- 
 tains and cross rivers. These every night 
 bore great wax tapers in their hands lighted 
 to terrify the beasts, besides their arms. The 
 other two and myself were furnished with 
 pistols, and each of us with a blunderbuss, so 
 that we had not much cause to fear any thing 
 that should oppose us. The next day we 
 came to the great river of Chagre, where we 
 alighted from our mules, and went to dinner 
 under some trees; and having rested here two 
 hours, we put up our things, and crossed the 
 river ; after which we came into a wood, 
 where we travelled about three hours before 
 our guides told us they had mistook the way; 
 but in going back again, we met a company of 
 Indians who set us right. Before we came up 
 to these people, we had strangely alarmed 
 ourselves, supposing them to be a body of 
 Indian bravoes, or Indians at war, but we 
 were mistaken. After this we ascended a 
 very steep mountain, where it was impossi- 
 ble to keep on the mules, without clinging 
 round their necks ; some part of this road is 
 not above two feet broad, having precipices on 
 each side four or five hundred feet deep, so 
 that by the least slip of a mule's foot, both it- 
 self and the rider must be dashed in pieces. 
 
ENGLISHMEN. l')i 
 
 By sun-set we got to a house or inn, where 
 travellers and mules are entertained, there 
 being several such houses on this road : and 
 the next morning by day-break we set out, and 
 came down to the river ofChagre again, through 
 which we rode a considerable way over seve- 
 ral great rocks, though sometimes the water 
 came over the mules' backs ; from hence we 
 ascended over other mountains, and after we 
 had passed them we came to the river again. 
 Some of these mountains have roads up to 
 them about the breadth of three feet, paved 
 with broad stones ; and this was a task (and 
 surely a most laborious one it was) which the 
 Spaniards imposed on the poor Indians, and 
 which, for the grievousness of it, may be com- 
 pared to what the Hebrews suffered in their 
 Egyptian bondage. Being now on a clear spot 
 of ground, we refreshed ourselves and mules 
 again, and in the evening came to another of 
 ,hese houses of entertainment, that are placed 
 >n this road ten leagues distant from each 
 other, being thought a competent journey for 
 H mule to travel in one day : and, indeed, it is 
 more than the mules can well perform : for 
 '.hey never come this way laclen with plate, 
 out several of them perish on the road: this 
 being the most tiresome and dangerous road I 
 had hitherto met with in this country, the 
 '.nountains of Nicaragua excepted, which ad- 
 ait of no comparison. 
 
 Having thus travelled at the rate of ten 
 leagues a-day, we arrived at Porto-Bel on the 
 
192 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 fourth day after we set out from Panama, and 
 went .directly to the English factory there, 
 and received orders from Mr Johnson to go 
 aboard the Princess of Asturias, that arrived 
 here from Jamaica with a cargo of negroes for 
 the English factory. From hence they are 
 sent to Panama, being there sold to the Spa- 
 niards for two or three hundred pieces of 
 eight a-head. Most of these miserable people 
 are sent by the Spaniards who purchase them, 
 to the mines, from whence they never return. 
 As soon as I got on board the ship, I had 
 the pleasure to behold my fellow-travellers, 
 Rounce, Banister, Balmain, and Holland, from 
 whom I had long been separated. After we 
 had congratulated each other on this happy 
 meeting, they protested, they were strangely 
 shocked w r hen they first saw me, as well for 
 the alteration they perceived in my looks, as 
 that they had been informed for certain at 
 Panama, by the Spanish gentleman Quintus 
 Cataline, who arrived here in the piragua, 
 that I and Robert Barnwell, with the Indians 
 that were with us, were all lost in the gulf of 
 Salines in a great storm ; and taking this for 
 matter of fact, they had so reported it to the 
 factory ; and that, as they were thus prepos- 
 sessed, they could think no otherwise than 
 that some phantom had assumed my shape, 
 and was come to deceive them. After this, I 
 gave them an account of what had befallen 
 me since our parting, and then they be- 
 gan to inform me how hardly the Spaniards 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 193 
 
 had dealt with them after they left Nicoya ; 
 but their account I shall insert by itself, as 
 related by Mr Rounce, and shall only say a 
 few words concerning Porto-Bel, and so con- 
 clude. 
 
 Porto-Bel is a strong place; has several 
 castles and fortifications, and a fine harbour 
 for ships ; but every thing is exceeding dear, 
 as well as at Panama. On the third day of 
 our being here, Mr Johnson came on board, 
 when we weighed anchor, and set sail for 
 Jamaica, where we arrived the latter end of 
 January ; and there being the Lyon man-of- 
 war ready to carry him to England, he went 
 on board her, and at the same time we were 
 discharged from the Princess of Asturias. 
 The first of us that got a passage to England 
 was Richard Banister ; as for John Balmain 
 and John Holland, they were desirous to stay 
 at Jamaica to make a further trial of their for- 
 tune. Mr Rounce and I also staid on that 
 island about a month, and then embarked on 
 board a ship called the Mercury, Prichard 
 master, bound to Bristol, where we arrived in 
 eight weeks, in the month of May 1732 ; Mr 
 Hutchins, one of the gentlemen of the factory 
 at Panama, being a passenger in the same 
 ship. 
 
194 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 Of what befel Mr BOUNCE, and the other three 
 
 in company with him, after their departure 
 
 from Nicoya to their arrival at Porto-Bel, and 
 
 of the usage they met with, as related by Mr 
 
 BOUNCE. 
 
 THE alcald of Nicoya having provided us 
 a bark bound for Panama, Richard Banister, 
 John Balmain, John Holland, and myself, 
 were ordered on board, and we were six 
 weeks in our passage thither. The master 
 of the bark, who was a Spaniard, used us but 
 very churlishly all the time ; for as we were 
 sick, and not able to work, he would there- 
 fore scarcely allow us either victuals or drink ; 
 the most we could get of him being now and 
 then a bit of jerk-beef, and half a pint of 
 water a-man every twenty-four hours, and 
 this miserable life we led till our arrival at 
 Panama, when he immediately delivered us 
 up to the garrison ; and being taken to the 
 guard-room, we wrote a letter to the gentle- 
 men of the English factory, who immediate- 
 ly sent Mr Turner their butler, and another 
 gentleman to us, with plenty of provisions. 
 When these returned, and made our case 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 105 
 
 known to Mr Johnson the president, he again 
 sent to let us know that we should go with the 
 first mules that went to the town of Chagre, 
 and that he believed the mules would set out 
 for that town in three days, and that there 
 we should meet with a sloop that would take 
 us to Porto-Bel, where we might embark for 
 England. Accordingly, on the third day, our 
 mules set out, and we with them, and in three 
 days after we came to the river of Chagre ; 
 but when we entered the town we were seiz- 
 ed and sent to prison, where we lay eleven 
 days, and had no allowance but fire and wa- 
 ter ; however, we did not want subsistence, 
 because the factory had furnished us with 
 provisions, apprehending, as we supposed, 
 what usage we should meet with. During 
 the time of our imprisonment, one Captain 
 Thomas, an English gentleman, who is in the 
 king of Spain's service, came frequently to 
 visit us, and did us many friendly offices, 
 telling us we were to go in the first sloop that 
 sailed for Porto-Bel. Accordingly, on the 
 twelfth day after our confinement, we were 
 admitted on board a sloop ; and being arriv- 
 ed at Porto-Bel, we were delivered up to the 
 garrison there, and immediately thrust into a 
 dungeon far worse than our condemned hole 
 at Newgate, where we remained one night, 
 and the next morning were taken out, and set 
 in the stocks for an hour. Afterwards, they 
 carried us among a company of negroes and 
 
196 THE UNFORTUNATE 
 
 other slaves, who were all fettered and chain- 
 ed like criminals, with whom we were com- 
 manded to work at the iron-castle, so called 
 on account of its great strength ; but because 
 we were not able to perform such hard la- 
 bour, as the carrying of great stones to the 
 fortifications, the overseer of the business was 
 pleased to beat us so cruelly one day, that at 
 last he broke a great halbert over my left 
 arm ; nevertheless, we were forced to work 
 hard all the day, and indeed my fellow-tra- 
 vellers were obliged to do so every day after, 
 during the whole month we staid here ; but, 
 being disabled by this ill usage, and falling 
 sick upon it, the captain of the castle took 
 compassion on me, and excused me from my 
 labour, and, moreover, sent for the man who 
 had exercised this barbarity on us, and severe- 
 ly reprimanded him, saying, we were white 
 men and Christians, and were not to be used 
 as criminals or slaves. After this he had the 
 good nature to come and see me bathed with 
 rum four times every day. But here we had 
 no allowance besides what we received from 
 the English factory, who supplied us with all 
 things necessary, but could not procure our 
 liberty. Richard Banister wrote our com- 
 plaint to the factory of Panama, and received 
 for answer, that as soon as their snows arriv- 
 ed here to take up their lading for Jamaica, 
 we , should be released from our thraldom, 
 and sent on board one of them : and that, in 
 
ENGLISHMEN. 197 
 
 the mean time, they could help us no other- 
 wise, than by taking order that \ve should 
 have a comfortable support, and so recom- 
 mended us to patience. At the end of four 
 weeks after we received this answer, the 
 snows arrived, and then we were demanded 
 as subjects of England, and immediately re- 
 leased and sent on board. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 \ 
 
 ANDREW JACK & CO. PRINTERS.