to Santa Maria from the mountains. This river called by the name of the town, is
     hereabouts twice as broad as the river Thames at London, and flows above three
     score miles upwards, rising to the height of two fathom and a half at the town
     itself. As soon as we had taken the place, the Indians who belonged to our compa-
     ny, and had served us for guides, came up to the town. For whilst they heard the
     noise of the guns, they were in great consternation, and dared not approach the
     palisades, but hid themselves closely in a small hollow, so that the bullets, whi-
     le we were fighting, flew over thei heads.
     Here we found and redeemed the eldest daughter of the King of Darien, of whom we
     made mention above. SHe had, as it would seem, been forced away from her father's
     house by one of the garrison (which rape had hugely incensed him against the Span-
     iards) and was with child by him. After the fight the Indians destroyed as many
     of the Spaniards as we had done in the assault, by taking them into the adjoining
     woods, and there stabbing them to death with their lances. But so soon as we
     learnt of this barbarous cruelty, we hindered them from taking any more out of the
     fort, where we confined them every one prisoners. Captain Sawkins, with a small
     party of ten more, put himself into a canoe, and went down the river, to pursue
     and stop, if it were possible, those that had escaped, for they were the chief
     people of the town and garrison. But now, our great expectations of taking a huge
     booty of gold at this place being totally vanished, we were unwilling to have co-
     me so far for nothing, or to go back empty-handed, especially considering what
     vast riches were to be had at no great distance. Hereupon we resolved to go to
     Panama, which place, if we could take, we were assured we should get treasure e-
     nough to satisfy our hungry appetite for gold and riches, that city being the re-
     ceptacle of all the plate, jewels, and gold that is dug out of the mines of all
     Potosi and Peru. For this purpose therefore, and to please the humours of some of
     our company, we made choice of Captain Coxon as our general or commander-in-chief.
     Before our departure, we sent back what small booty we had taken here by some pri-
     soners, under the charge of twelve of our men to convey it to the ships.
     Thus we prepared to go forward on that dangerous enterprise of Panama. But the In-
     dians who had conducted us having got from us what knives, scissors, axes, need-
     les and beads they could, would not stay any longer, but all, or the greater part
     of them, returned to their home. Which notwithstanding, the king himself, Captain
     Androeas, Captain Antonio, the king's son, called by the Spaniards Bonete de Oro,
     or King Golden-cap, as also his kinsman, would not be persuaded by their falling
     off to leave us, but resolved to go to Panama, out of the desire they had to see
     that place taken and sacked. Yea, the king promised, if there should be occasion,
     to join fifty thousand men to our forces. Besides which promises, we had also ano-