then
return homewards, by way of the East Indies. For which purpose they had
gathered much provisions, which they had hid in private places, with
sufficient powder, bullets, and all other ammunition: likewise some
great guns belonging to the town, muskets, and other things, wherewith
they designed not only to equip their vessel, but to fortify themselves
in some island which might serve them for a place of refuge.

This design had certainly taken effect, had not Captain Morgan had
timely advice of it from one of their comrades; hereupon he commanded
the mainmast of the said ship to be cut down and burnt, with all the
other boats in the port: hereby the intentions of all or most of his
companions were totally frustrated. Then Captain Morgan sent many of the
Spaniards into the adjoining fields and country to seek for money, to
ransom not only themselves, but the rest of the prisoners, as likewise
the ecclesiastics. Moreover, he commanded all the artillery of the town
to be nailed and stopped up. At the same time he sent out a strong
company of men to seek for the governor of Panama, of whom intelligence
was brought, that he had laid several ambuscades in the way by which he
ought to return: but they returned soon after, saying they had not found
any sign of any such ambuscades. For confirmation whereof, they brought
some prisoners, who declared that the said governor had had an intention
of making some opposition by the way, but that the men designed to
effect it were unwilling to undertake it: so that for want of means he
could not put his design in execution.

February 24, 1671, Captain Morgan departed from Panama, or rather from
the place where the city of Panama stood; of the spoils whereof he
carried with him one hundred and seventy-five beasts of carriage, laden
with silver, gold, and other precious things, beside about six hundred
prisoners, men, women, children and slaves. That day they came to a
river that passes through a delicious plain, a league from Panama: here
Captain Morgan put all his forces into good order, so as that the
prisoners were in the middle, surrounded on all sides with pirates,
where nothing else was to be heard but lamentations, cries, shrieks, and
doleful sighs of so many women and children, who feared Captain Morgan
designed to transport them all into his own country for slaves. Besides,
all those miserable prisoners endured extreme hunger and thirst at that
time, which misery Captain Mor