ssible to
the schemes of the insurgents in the Tierra Firma. With this view he
determined to make an attempt on Nombre de Dios, which he learnt was
occupied only by a small detachment, which had no suspicion of being
attacked. For this purpose, he fitted out three or four small vessels,
in which he embarked his troops on the lake of Nicaragua, whence he
descended into the gulf of Mexico by the river Chagre, which discharges
the waters of that lake into the Atlantic. Finding some trading vessels
at the mouth of that river, he received accurate information from their
commanders of the state of affairs in Nombre de Dios, the number of the
soldiers which occupied that place, and the different quarters in which
they were lodged. Taking some of these mariners along with him as
guides, he contrived to arrive at Nombre de Dios undiscovered about
midnight, and went immediately to the house of Juan de Zabala, in which
the captains Pedro de Cabrera and Hernan Mexia were quartered with some
soldiers; who, roused by the noise, put themselves in a state of
defence. Verdugo and his people set the house on fire, so that Mexia and
his soldiers, who defended the staircase, were constrained to rush from
the house to save themselves from the flames; and as the night was
exceedingly dark, they escaped unseen, and saved themselves in the woods
near Nombre de Dios, whence they escaped across the isthmus to Panama.

Hinojosa was much chagrined at this exploit, and determined on revenge;
but as he wished to give his conduct on the occasion some appearance of
justice, he directed some of the inhabitants of Nombre de Dios to enter
a regular accusation before the Doctor Ribera, the governor of that
place, giving an exaggerated account of the insolent invasion of his
government by Verdugo, who without any just pretence, had levied
contributions, imprisoned the magistrates, and invaded the town of
Nombre de Dios on his own private authority. They were likewise
instructed to request Ribera to march in person to chastise the
insolence of Verdugo, and Hinojosa offered to accompany him on this
expedition with his troops. Ribera, who appears to have been then
resident in Panama, agreed to all that was desired, and, accepted the
proffered military aid to drive Verdugo from his government; on which
Hinojosa and his officers swore to obey his orders as their commander on
this expedition, and the troops were put in motion to march across the
isthmus. On rece