t sea!" And then
calling up all the rest of our [17 English] men, he acquainted JOHN
OXNAM especially with this his petition and purpose, if it would
please God to grant him that happiness. Who understanding it, presently
protested, that "unless our Captain did beat him from his company, he
would follow him, by God's grace!"

Thus all, thoroughly satisfied with the sight of the seas, descended;
and after our repast, continued our ordinary march through woods, yet
two days more as before: without any great variety. But then (13th
February) we came to march in a champion country, where the grass
groweth, not only in great lengths as the knot grass groweth in many
places, but to such height, that the inhabitants are fain to burn it
thrice in the year, that it may be able to feed the cattle, of which
they have thousands.

For it is a kind of grass with a stalk, as big as a great wheaten reed,
which hath a blade issuing from the top of it, on which though the
cattle feed, yet it groweth every day higher, until the top be too high
for an ox to reach. Then the inhabitants are wont to put fire to it, for
the space of five or six miles together; which notwithstanding after it
is thus burnt, within three days, springeth up fresh like green corn.
Such is the great fruitfulness of the soil: by reason of the evenness of
the day and night, and the rich dews which fall every morning.

In these three last days' march in the champion, as we past over the
hills, we might see Panama five or six times a day; and the last day
(14th February) we saw the ships riding in the road.

But after that we were come within a day's journey of Panama, our
Captain (understanding by the Cimaroons that the Dames of Panama are
wont to send forth hunters and fowlers for taking of sundry dainty fowl,
which the land yieldeth; by whom if we marched not very heedfully, we
might be descried) caused all his company to march out of all ordinary
way, and that with as great heed, silence, and secrecy, as possibly they
might, to the grove (which was agreed on four days before) lying within
a league of Panama, where we might lie safely undiscovered near the
highway, that leadeth from thence to Nombre de Dios.

Thence we sent a chosen Cimaroon, one that had served a master in Panama
before time, in such apparel as the Negroes of Panama do use to wear, to
be our espial, to go into the town, to learn the certain night, and
time of the night, when the carriers laded