s marched by land, being
led by one of the guides; the rest went by water farther up, being
conducted by another guide, who always went before them, to discover, on
both sides the river, the ambuscades. These had also spies, who were
very dextrous to give notice of all accidents, or of the arrival of the
pirates, six hours, at least, before they came. This day, about noon,
they came near a post called Torna Cavallos: here the guide of the
canoes cried out, that he perceived an ambuscade. His voice caused
infinite joy to all the pirates, hoping to find some provisions to
satiate their extreme hunger. Being come to the place, they found nobody
in it, the Spaniards being fled, and leaving nothing behind but a few
leathern bags, all empty, and a few crumbs of bread scattered on the
ground where they had eaten. Being angry at this, they pulled down a few
little huts which the Spaniards had made, and fell to eating the
leathern bags, to allay the ferment of their stomachs, which was now so
sharp as to gnaw their very bowels. Thus they made a huge banquet upon
these bags of leather, divers quarrels arising concerning the greatest
shares. By the bigness of the place, they conjectured about five hundred
Spaniards had been there, whom, finding no victuals, they were now
infinitely desirous to meet, intending to devour some of them rather
than perish.

Having feasted themselves with those pieces of leather, they marched on,
till they came about night to another post, called Torna Munni. Here
they found another ambuscade, but as barren as the former. They searched
the neighbouring woods, but could not find anything to eat, the
Spaniards having been so provident, as not to leave anywhere the least
crumb of sustenance, whereby the pirates were now brought to this
extremity. Here again he was happy that had reserved since noon any bit
of leather to make his supper of, drinking after it a good draught of
water for his comfort. Some, who never were out of their mothers'
kitchens, may ask, how these pirates could eat and digest those pieces
of leather, so hard and dry? Whom I answer, that, could they once
experiment what hunger, or rather famine, is, they would find the way as
the pirates did. For these first sliced it in pieces, then they beat it
between two stones, and rubbed it, often dipping it in water, to make it
supple and tender. Lastly, they scraped off the hair, and broiled it.
Being thus cooked, they cut it into small morsels,