had they discovered land than Captain Morgan declared his intentions to the Cap-
     tains, and presently after to all the rest of the company. He told them he inten-
     ded in that expedition to plunder Porto Bello, and that he would perform it by
     night, being resolved to put the whole city to the sack, not the least corner es-
     caping his diligence. Moreover, to encourage them, he added: This enterprize 
     could not fail to succeed well, seeing he had kept it secret in his mind without
     revealing it to anybody; whereby they could not have notice of his coming. To 
     this proposition some made answer: They had not a sufficient number of men whe-
     rewith to assault so strong and great a city. But Captain Morgan  replied: If
     our number is small, our hearts are great. And the fewer persons we are, the mo-
     re union and better shares we shall have in the spoil. Hereupon, being stimula-
     ted with the ambition of those vast riches they promised themselves from their
     good success, they unanimously concluded to venture upon that design. But, now,
     to the intent my reader may better comprehend the incomparable boldness of this
     exploit, it may be necessary to say something beforehand of the city of Porto Bel-
     lo.
     The city which bears this name in America is seated in the Province of Costa Rica,
     under the latitude of ten degrees North, at the distance of fourteen leagues from
     the Gulf of Darien, and eight westwards from the port called Nombre de Dios. It
     is judged to be the strongest place that the King of Spain possesses in all the
     West Indies, excepting two, that is to say Havana and Cartagena. Here are two
     castles, almost inexpugnable, that defend the city, being situated at the entry
     of the port; so that no ship or boat can pass without permission. The garrison
     consists of three hundred soldiers, and the town constantly inhabited by four hun-
     dred families, more or less. The merchants dwell not here, but only reside for a-
     while, when the galleons come or go from Spain; by reason of the unhealthiness of
     the air, occasioned by certain vapours that exhale from the mountains. Notwith-
     standing, their chief warehouses are at Porto Bello, howbeit their habitations be
     all the year long at Panama, whence they bring the plate upon mules at such times
     as the fair begins, and when the ships, belonging to the Company of Negroes, ar-
     rive here to sell slaves.
     Captain Morgan, who knew very well all the avenues of this city, as also all the
     neighbouring coasts, arrived in the dusk of the evening at the place called Puer-
     to de Naos, distant ten leagues towards the west of Porto Bello. Being come to
     this place, they mounted the river in their ships, as far as another harbour cal-
     led Puerto Pontin; where they came to an anchor. Here they put themselves immedia-
     tely into boats and canoes, leaving in the ships only a few men to keep them and
     conduct them the next day to the port. About midnight they came to a certain place