"It would not now be long before they met
with people from whom they should reap some considerable advantage."

The seventh day, in the morning, they made clean their arms, and every
one discharged his pistol, or musket, without bullet, to try their
firelocks. This done, they crossed the river, leaving the post where
they had rested, called Santa Cruz, and at noon they arrived at a
village called Cruz. Being yet far from the place, they perceived much
smoke from the chimneys: the sight hereof gave them great joy, and hopes
of finding people and plenty of good cheer. Thus they went on as fast as
they could, encouraging one another, saying, "There is smoke comes out
of every house: they are making good fires, to roast and boil what we
are to eat;" and the like.

At length they arrived there, all sweating and panting, but found no
person in the town, nor anything eatable to refresh themselves, except
good fires, which they wanted not; for the Spaniards, before their
departure, had every one set fire to his own house, except the king's
storehouses and stables.

They had not left behind them any beast, alive or dead, which much
troubled their pursuers, not finding anything but a few cats and dogs,
which they immediately killed and devoured. At last, in the king's
stables, they found, by good fortune, fifteen or sixteen jars of Peru
wine, and a leathern sack full of bread. No sooner had they drank of
this wine, when they fell sick, almost every man: this made them think
the wine was poisoned, which caused a new consternation in the whole
camp, judging themselves now to be irrecoverably lost. But the true
reason was, their want of sustenance, and the manifold sorts of trash
they had eaten. Their sickness was so great, as caused them to remain
there till the next morning, without being able to prosecute their
journey in the afternoon. This village is seated in 9 deg. 2 min. north
latitude, distant from the river Chagre twenty-six Spanish leagues, and
eight from Panama. This is the last place to which boats or canoes can
come; for which reason they built here storehouses for all sorts of
merchandise, which to and from Panama are transported on the backs of
mules.

Here Captain Morgan was forced to leave his canoes, and land all his
men, though never so weak; but lest the canoes should be surprised, or
take up too many men for their defense, he sent them all back to the
place where the boats were, except one, which he hid, th