and ate it, helping
it down with frequent gulps of water, which, by good fortune, they had
at hand.

The fifth day, about noon, they came to a place called Barbacoa. Here
they found traces of another ambuscade, but the place totally as
unprovided as the former. At a small distance were several plantations,
which they searched very narrowly, but could not find any person,
animal, or other thing, to relieve their extreme hunger. Finally, having
ranged about, and searched a long time, they found a grot, which seemed
to be but lately hewn out of a rock, where were two sacks of meal,
wheat, and like things, with two great jars of wine, and certain fruits
called platanoes. Captain Morgan, knowing some of his men were now
almost dead with hunger, and fearing the same of the rest, caused what
was found to be distributed among them who were in greatest necessity.
Having refreshed themselves with these victuals, they marched anew with
greater courage than ever. Such as were weak were put into the canoes,
and those commanded to land that were in them before. Thus they
prosecuted their journey till late at night; when coming to a
plantation, they took up their rest, but without eating anything; for
the Spaniards, as before, had swept away all manner of provisions.

The sixth day they continued their march, part by land and part by
water. Howbeit, they were constrained to rest very frequently, both for
the ruggedness of the way, and their extreme weakness, which they
endeavoured to relieve by eating leaves of trees and green herbs, or
grass; such was their miserable condition. This day at noon they arrived
at a plantation, where was a barn full of maize. Immediately they beat
down the doors and ate it dry, as much as they could devour; then they
distributed a great quantity, giving every man a good allowance. Thus
provided, and prosecuting their journey for about an hour, they came to
another ambuscade. This they no sooner discovered, but they threw away
their maize, with the sudden hopes of finding all things in abundance.
But they were much deceived, meeting neither Indians nor victuals, nor
anything else: but they saw, on the other side of the river, about a
hundred Indians, who, all fleeing, escaped. Some few pirates leaped into
the river to cross it, and try to take any of the Indians, but in vain:
for, being much more nimble than the pirates, they not only baffled
them, but killed two or three with their arrows; hooting at t