ransom not only themselves but also all the rest of the prisoners, as likewise the ecclesiastics, both secular and regular, Moreover he commanded all the artillery of the town to be spoiled, that is to say, nailed and stopped up. At the same time he sent out a strong company of men to seek for the Governor of Panama, of whom intelligence was brought that he had laid several ambuscades in the way by which he had to pass on his return. But those who were sent upon this design returned soon after, saying they had not found any sign or appearance of such ambuscades for, a confirmation whereof they brought with them some prisoners they had taken, who declared that the said Governor had had an intention of making some opposition by the way, but that the men whom he designed to effect it were unwilling to undertake any such enterprize so that for want of means he could not put his design in execution. Frisoners Held for Ransom. On the 24th of February of the year 1671, Captain Morgan departed from the city of Panama, or rather from the place where the said city of Panama did stand; of the spoils whereof he carried with him one hundred and seventy-five beasts of carriage laden with silver, gold and other precious things, besides six hundred prisoners, more or less, between men, women, children and slaves. ... That day they came to a river that passes through a delicious campaign (champaign) field, at the distance of a league from Panama. Here Capt. Morgan put all his forces into good order of martial array in such manner that the prisoners were in the middle of the camp, surrounded on all sides with Pirates. At which present conjuncture nothing else was to be heard but lamentations, cries, shrieks and doleful sighs, of the many women and children, who were persuaded Capt. Morgan designed to transport them all and carry them into his own country for slaves. Besides that, among all those miserable prisoners there was extreme hunger and thirst endured at that time, which hardship and misery Capt. Morgan designedly caused them to sustain, with intent to excite them more earnestly to seek for money wherewith to ransom themselves according to the tax he had set upon every one. Many of the women begged of Capt. Morgan upon their knees, with infinite sighs and tears he would permit them to return to Panama, there to live in company with their dear husbands and children, in their little huts huts of straw which they would erect, seeing they had no houses until the rebuilding of the city. But his answer was: He came not hither to hear lamentations and cries, but rather to seek money. Therefore they ought to Therefore they ought to seek out for that in the first place, wherever it were to be had and bring it to him, otherwise he would assuredly transport them all to such places whither they cared not to go. The next day when the march began, those lamentable cries and shrieks were renewed in SO much as it would have caused compassion in the hardest heart to hear them. But Capt. Morgan, a man little given to mercy, was not moved therewith in the least. They marched in the same order as was said before; one party of the Pirates proceeding in the van, the prisoners in the middle, and the rest of the Pirates in the rear-guard, by whom the miserable Spaniards were at every step, punched and thrust in their backs and sides with the blunt end of their arms to make them march the faster. Morgan Punishes Treachery. That beautiful and virtuous lady of whom we made mention heretofore for her unparalleled constancy and chastity, was led prisoner by herself between two Pirates who guarded her. Her lamentations now did pierce the skies, seeing herself carried away into foreign captivity, often crying to the Pirates, and telling them: That she had given order to two religious persons, in whom she had relied, to go to a certain place and fetch so much money as her ran. som did amount to. That they had promised faithfully to do it but having obtained the said 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 the ears of Capt. Morgan, he thought fit to enquire thereinto. Having found the thing to be true, especially hearing it confirmed by the confession of the said religious men, though under some frivolous excuses of having diverted the money but for a day or two, within 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 in the meanwhile he detained the said religious men prisoners in her place, using them according to the deserts of their incompassionate intrigues. as As soon as Capt. Morgan arrived upon his march at the town called Cruz, situated on the banks of the river Chagre as was mentioned before, he commanded an order to be published among the prisoners, that within the space of three days every one of them should bring in his ransom, under the penalty aforementioned of being of being transported to Jamaica. 'La Zona' Tienda de Licores y Mercancías; Provisiones del País; Frutas de Todas Clases; Cal y Carbón de Calidad Superior. SE VENDEN SOMBREROS DE PANAMA. Calle 14 Este, Nos. 290-292-294, Panamá, JOSE M. ESTEVES & Co., Prop. 'La Zona' General Merchandise and Liquors: JOSE M. ESTEVES & Co., Prop. In the meanwhile he gave orders for so niuch crie and maize to be collected thereabouts as was necessary for the victualling of all his ships. At this place some of the prisoners were ransomed but many others others could not bring in their moneys in so short a time. Hereupon he continued his voyage, leaving the village on the 5th day of March next following, and carrying with him all the spoil that ever he could transport. From this village he likewise led away. away some new prisoners who were inhabitants of the said place. So that these new prisoners were added to those of Panama who had not as yet paid their ransoms, and all transported. But the two religious men who had diverted the money belonging to the lady, were ransomed three days after their imprisonment by other persons who had more compassion for their condition than they had shown for hers. Pirates Searched for Valuables. About the middle of the way to the castle of Chagre, Capt. Morgan commanded them to be placed in due order according to their custom, and caused every one to be sworn that they had reserved nor concealed nothing privately to themselves, even not so much as the value of sixpence. This being done, Capt. Morgan having had some experience that those lewd fellows would not much stickle to swear falsely in points of interest, he commanded every one to be searched very strictly, both in their clothes. and satchels and everywhere it might be presumed they had reserved anything. Yea, to the intent this order might not be ill taken by his companions, he permitted himself to be searhced, even to the very soles of his shoes. To this effect, by common consent, there was assigned one out of every company to be the searchers of all the rest. The French Pirates that went on this expedition with Capt. Morgan were not well satisfied with this new as custom of searching. Yet their number being less than that of the English, they were forced to submit to it well as the others had done before them. The search being over, they re-embarked in their canoes and boats, which attended them on the river, and arrived at the castle of Chagre on the 9th day of the said month of March. Here they found all things in good order, except ́ing the wounded men, whom they had left there at the time of their departure. For of these the greatest number were dead, through the wounds they had received. Division of Spoils. From Chagre, Capt. Morgan sent presently after his arrival, a great boat to Porto Bello, wherein were all the prisoners he had taken at the Isle of St. Catharine, demanding by them a considerable ransom for the castle of Chagre, where he then was, threatening otherwise to ruin and demolish it even to the ground. To this message those of Porto Bello made answer: They would not give one farthing towards the ransom of the said castle, and that the English night do with it as they pleased. This answer being come, the dividend was made of all the spoil they had obtained in that voyage. Thus every company, and every particular person therein included, received their portion of what was got, or rather what part Capt. Morgan was pleased to give them. For so it was, that the rest of his companions, even of his own nation, complained of his proceedings in this particular, and feared not to tell him openly to his face that he had reserved the best jewels for himself. For they judged it impossible that no greater share should belong to them than two hundred pieces of eight per capita, of so many valuable booties and robberies as they had obtained. Which small sum they thought too little reward for so much labour and such huge and manifest dangers as they had so often exposed their lives to. But Capt. Morgan was deaf to all these |