go to a certain place, and
fetch so much money as her ransom did amount to; that they had promised
faithfully to do it, but having obtained the money, instead of bringing
it to her, they had employed it another way, to ransom some of their
own, and particular friends." This ill action of theirs was discovered
by a slave, who brought a letter to the said lady. Her complaints, and
the cause thereof, being brought to Captain Morgan, he thought fit to
inquire thereinto. Having found it to be true--especially hearing it
confirmed by the confession of the said religious men, though under some
frivolous exercises of having diverted the money but for a day or two,
in which time they expected more sums to repay it--he gave liberty to
the said lady, whom otherwise he designed to transport to Jamaica. But
he detained the said religious men as prisoners in her place, using them
according to their deserts.

Captain Morgan arriving at the town called Cruz, on the banks of the
river Chagre, he published an order among the prisoners, that within
three days every one should bring in their ransom, under the penalty of
being transported to Jamaica. Meanwhile he gave orders for so much rice
and maize to be collected thereabouts, as was necessary for victualling
his ships. Here some of the prisoners were ransomed, but many others
could not bring in their money. Hereupon he continued his voyage,
leaving the village on the 5th of March following, carrying with him all
the spoil he could. Hence he likewise led away some new prisoners,
inhabitants there, with those in Panama, who had not paid their
ransoms. But the two religious men, who had diverted the lady's money,
were ransomed three days after by other persons, who had more compassion
for them than they had showed for her.

About the middle of the way to Chagre, Captain Morgan commanded them to
be mustered, and caused every one to be sworn, that they had concealed
nothing, even not to the value of sixpence. This done, Captain Morgan
knowing those lewd fellows would not stick to swear falsely for
interest, he commanded every one to be searched very strictly, both in
their clothes and satchels, and elsewhere. Yea, that this order might
not be ill taken by his companions, he permitted himself to be searched,
even to his very shoes. To this effect, by common consent, one was
assigned out of every company to be searchers of the rest. The French
pirates that assisted on this expedition disliked