the Treasure from the King's
Treasure House to Nombre de Dios. For they are wont to take their
journey from Panama to Venta Cruz, which is six leagues, ever by night;
because the country is all champion, and consequently by day very hot.
But from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios as oft as they travel by land with
their treasure, they travel always by day and not by night, because all
that way is full of woods, and therefore very fresh and cool; unless
the Cimaroons happily encounter them, and made them sweat with fear,
as sometimes they have done: whereupon they are glad to guard their
_Recoes_ [i.e., Recuas, the Spanish word for a drove of beasts of
burden; meaning here, a mule train] with soldiers as they pass that way.

This last day, our Captain did behold and view the most of all that fair
city, discerning the large street which lieth directly from the sea into
the land, South and North.

By three of the clock, we came to this grove; passing for the more
secrecy alongst a certain river, which at that time was almost dried up.

Having disposed of ourselves in the grove, we despatched our spy an hour
before night, so that by the closing in of the evening, he might be in
the city; as he was. Whence presently he returned unto us, that which
very happily he understood by companions of his. That the Treasurer of
Lima intending to pass into Spain in the first _Adviso_ (which was a
ship of 350 tons, a very good sailer), was ready that night to take his
journey towards Nombre de Dios, with his daughter and family: having
fourteen mules in company: of which eight were laden with gold, and one
with jewels. And farther, that there were two other Recuas, of fifty
mules in each, laden with victuals for the most part, with some little
quantity of silver, to come forth that night after the other.

There are twenty-eight of these Recuas; the greatest of them is of
seventy mules, the less of fifty; unless some particular man hire for
himself, ten, twenty, or thirty, as he hath need.

Upon this notice, we forthwith marched four leagues, till we came within
two leagues of Venta Cruz, in which march two of our Cimaroons which
were sent before, by scent of his match, found and brought a Spaniard,
whom they had found asleep by the way, by scent of the said match, and
drawing near thereby, heard him taking his breath as he slept; and being
but one, they fell upon him, stopped his mouth from crying, put out his
match, and bound him so, tha