this Name only upon a small part of this vast Tract of Land On the 7th we went to make a Descent upon a little Town called Muemeluna which is Eight Leagues to Windward of Vatulco and Six up the Country about four Leagues from the Sea side and two from the Town we found a very strong Entrenchment made upon a Rock that stands upon the River but the Spaniards therein made no great Resistance no more than in the Town where we compleated our Victualling The Prisoners we took told us that about a Month before they had seen a Frigate pass by that sent a small Canoe with seven or eight Men in it to their Embarking-place where they found some Spaniards who made them Embark again with so much Precipitation that one of their Men was drowned and whom indeed we found dead upon the Shoar whither the Sea had thrown him with his 〈◊〉 lying some paces from him which should not have 〈◊〉 so long there no more than the dead Carcass if the Spaniards had espied it For they believe themselves revenged when they cut into pieces or burn the dead Body of an Enemy and we were assured that when we buried any of our Men in their Country they dig them up when we were gone if they knew the place for to exercise their Cruelty upon those Carcasses which when alive they could not make us feel We returned on the 16th aboard our Ships and on the 20th being not able all along the Coast to hear any News of the Five and Fifty Men we were in quest of we weigh'd Anchor and directed our Course for the Bay of Mapalla where we were minded to agree upon the place by which we were to repass to the North-Sea On the 21st we had a North-wind that carried us to 〈◊〉 Latitude where the West Winds Reign and this continued to the 23d when we were becalmed On the first of December at Night we had a Storm which separated us one from another and thus we continued alone and without any Water for all our Casks were run out whereby we were reduced to the greatest Extremeity â— though we were but two Leagues from the Shoar But 〈◊〉 was impossible for us to go ashoar for it 's a Bank of Sand that reaches from the Bar of St. Mark as far aâ— Sansonnat for the space of about Fourscore Leagues where the Sea breaks with great violence Believing ourselves on the Sixth to be to Windward of this Bank Armâ—d our Pirogue to go near the Shoar and look ouâ— for a place where the Sea was Calmer next day one of our Men being more in patient than the rest and egged on with Drought that tormented him four days swam to Land but thinking to return in the same manner he was drowned without our being able to succour him notwithstanding all the cry he made unto us to save him On the 9th in the beginning of the Night we thought to have seen a little Bay before which we Anchored that we might know in the Morning what it was during which time we heard the firing of about six hundred Mosquets on the Land As soon as Dayâ—light appeared on the 10th we saw that what we took for a Bay was a kind of a Covert that stands Fifteenâ—Leagues to Leeward of Sansonnat where we could see no likelihood of entring in In the mean time we saw a very pretty Ship upon the Stocks in that place which made us conclude there must of necessity be a Passage for her to come out we Anchored pretty near the Rock to wait for a Tyde during which time a Wind blew from the Sea and we adventur'd with the help of our Sails and Oars to get in where we were saluted with three Waves that half filled our Pirogue in the very sight of the Spaniards who watched our entring in We put up to one side of the said Covert and fired for the space of half an hour upon their Magazines built by the side thereof without their returning us one single shot But at last we being tormented with violent Drought which we were desirous to allay what ever it cost us we hois'd up our Sail and run up our Pirogue before them who believing we were going to their Town that was but half a League off they went off But as we were no more than two and twenty Men instead of running after them we improved their Flight in filling our Casks with Water and to furnish our selves with what Provision we found in the Magazines and some of that Ship 's Rigging which were more necessary for ours but not daring all at once to lade our Pirogue with them for fear of sinking in her Passage out we spent the Night on the other side of those Magazines that we might be under Covert from the Surprizes of our Enemies for we computed very well by the six hundred Musquet shot we had heard that there was a great many Armed Men in that place On the 11th we departed from under the Covert to go and â—oyn our Ship which we found on the 12th in the Morning lying at Anchor Eight Leagues to Windword of 〈◊〉 where she had found the Sea somewhat more favourable We spent that day to take in Water and sent twenty Men to take a Village that was about half a League from the Sea-side from whence we returned the sanie day with some Refreshments that put 〈◊〉 into our Ship 's Crew now much weakned with the Thirst they endur'd as well as we who were in the Pirogue as also with Hunger which failed not to wast us away though we had Victuals to satisfie the same but we durst not eat for fear of being made dry We weighâ—d Anchor in the Evening with a West Wind and on the Fifteenth arrived in the Bay of Mapalla where we found the rest of our Vessels at Anchor near one of those Islands that lye within it I am to observe that as long as we were going up this Coast that continually in the Night-time there blew Winds from the Land which were very favourable to Sailors provided they were not far out at Sea for Ten Leagues off there could be but very little of it felt and there are certain Seasons when it blows so violently that they are obliged to lower their Sails and even to furle On the 17th north- we had a Consultation together about what Passage according to the Prisoner's Relations was less dangerous for us to return to the north-North-Sea over Land it was thought our best way was by Segovid seeing we had no more than sixty Leagues to go before we came to the head of a River upon which they told us we might go down to the north-North-Sea whereunto it discharged it self and that in the way we were to take by Land we could have no more than five or six thousand Men to deal with and that the way was very good to carry our wounded and sick Men along with us But
favour of an Easterly Breeze we arrived on the fourteenth we ran our selves presently a-shore and it was high time for we had all along from the time of the Fight five Foot of Water in the Hold We lost no time to put our selves in a condition to get up again before Panama that we might know what became of our Fleet about which we were in great pain which we were put out of on the six and twentieth when we saw them coming to an Anchor in the same place where we were who told us they did not fight any more after our Departure from them That the Spanish Fleet upon the ninth in the Evening had anchor'd within Cannon Shot of ours and that both the one and the other having made ready on the tenth the Spaniards sailed away for the Port of Panama that Captain David had been hard plied by the Spanish Cannon especially with two Shots that carried off half his Rudder but that he had no more than six of his Ships Crew wounded and only one killed that Captain Sammes was no less put to it that almost all his Poop was sweept off that he had received several Shots between Wind and Water that his Mate had his Head shot off with a Cannon Ball and that he had no more than three Men wounded And that in short the other lesser Vessels had lost never a Man and had but very few wounded Here I may truly say and without exasperating the matter that it was a strange thing and next to a Miracle that we who were so few in number and had such pitifull Ships of our own should be able to bear the Fire of withstand and fight so considerable a Fleet in comparison of our own consisting of such good Ships and manned so well as that of the Spaniards was whose Admiral was a Vessel of seventy Guns though she had but fifty six mounted because she was too old Their Vice-Admiral had sorty though she was bored to carry sixty Guns she was a very fine Ship and an excellent Sailor but also old The Patach was a Vessel of forty Guns though she had no more than eight and twenty mounted The Conserve had eighteen Guns but was built as well as the Patach to carry forty The other three were almost as big besides they had the advantage oâ— Fire-ships on board of which they had planted Cannon to the end that we might not take theâ— to be really what they were and that so they might come near and the more easily surprize us than 〈◊〉 we were aware of them If we had met with this Fleet as we were in hope we should before they got an addition of strengâ—â— in Panama or that we had had but only the Winâ— of them when we attack'd them I do not question but things would have appeared with another faâ—â— than now they did and that we should have posseâ—â— our selves of their Ships to bring us back through the Sâ—â—eights with Wealth enough to live at ease whiâ—â—â—ould have freed us all at once after a continue Sâ—ccession of Fatigues and Troubles which wâ— were forced to go through for three Years longer 〈◊〉 well in those Places as in our return over Land 〈◊〉 the North Sea but Divine Providence had otherwisâ— ordered it On the twenty ninth we parted from the Isle 〈◊〉 St. Iohn to the number of three hundred Men 〈◊〉 five Canoes in order to go and surprize the Towâ— of Pueblo Nuevo that was six Leagues off thinkiâ—â— we should get some Provision there whereof now 〈◊〉 began to be in need Being landed on the thiâ—â— first we took a Sentinel but another escaped which was the occasion of our being discovered We were obliged in order to get at this Town to go up a very fine River two Leagues and to make use of the flowing of the Tide for that purpose Before we came at it we found a Retrenchment made for its Security but ill guarded The Town is none of the best situated though it stands upon the River-side being surrounded every way with Marshes We found neither People nor Victuals there and so we left it on the third of Iuly and next day as we returned with our Canoes to rejoyn our Fleet we gave Chase to a Bark which we took and on the fifth we got to our Ships The English and we had a difference in the Descent we made upon this Town for they being more numerous than we would take the advantage of us and be Masters of the whole and that so far that Captain Townsley would have taken Captain Groigniet's Ship away which Captain David had given him and give him his own for her But as he found he had to do with men who though inferiour in number would not tamely be thus put upon he was forced to give over his Pretensions Yet we finding still that they continued to pretend to the same Dominion over us we separated our selves from them to the number of an hundred and thirty Frenchmen without reckoning Captain Groigniet's Crew who were two hundred more and after having banded our selves apart we landed upon the Island One of the chief reasons that made us disagree was their Impiety against our Religion for they made no Scruple when they got into a Church to cut down the Arms of a Crucifix with their Sabres or to shoot them down with their Fusils and Pistols bruising and maiming the Images of the Saints with the same Weapons in Derision to the Adoration we Frenchmen paid unto them And it was chiefly from these horrid Disorders that the Spaniards equally hated us all as we â—â—me to understand by divers of their Letters that sell into our Hands which I have got rendred into French as may be seen by and by On the ninth the English weighed and came to anchor about five or six Leagues to Leeward of the place where we were building our Canoes to fit up others for themselves in Lieu of those they had lost as well as we during the Fight with the Spanish Fleet. We laid out for Trees fit for our purpose and to that end went into a Wood which in these parts grows near to the Sea of which we chose the largest which commonly are those Trees called Mapou and Acajou and are withal very tender and easie to be wrought among them we found some so large that the single Trunk after being hewâ— and made hallow could carry fourscore Men. While we were builâ—â—â— our Canoes a Centinel whom we had set on a very high Tree growing on the Sea-side in our Island as well for discovering leâ—â— the English who knew we were imployed about our Canoes should come to take away our Ship as to observe if any Spanish Ship should sail between the main Land and the Island whereon we were came to tell us on the fifteenth that he saw a Ship out at Sea steering South-West and by West which put us presently upon making ready to come up
went a Shoar We were quickly discovered by a Party that went the Rounds which made us use all the diligence imaginable in order to get into the Town before they had time to make themselves ready But our Guide having lead us out of the way another Party making the Round passed by who no sooner saw us but they made all the hast they could to get away yet we fired upon them presently which dismounted three of them and one we took Prisoner who told us we were still three Leagues distant from la Villia and that we were gone out of our way that all the People there were at their Arms and that they had had a Reinforcement of Six hundred Men sent them from Panama Upon this information we stopped short and were forced to return back again because we knew very well that we were discovered and that so we lost all our Labour Before we went on Board we went to eat to an Estancia that was half a League off from the Sea-side from whence the Spaniards brought us back by charging our Rear from time to time till that we had rejoyned our Canoes whereon when we had reimbarked we found our selves so weary and fatigued that we deferred till next Day to go and joyn our Ship and this being perceived by the Spaniards they fired so furiously upon us that we were constrained to go lye at Anchor farther from the Shoar On the 2d of November we rejoyned our Ships that were cruising in that Bay In the Evening we anchored between the Island of Iguana and the Continent over-against some Hattos we saw there with a Design to go and see for some Provision to which end we went a Shoar on the third at Noon where we found the Spaniards got together with whom we fought for half an Hour They killed us one Man and wounded another But they could not hinder us to go to the next Hatt◠where we found no sort of Cattle for the Spaniards 〈◊〉 carried away and drove them before them here we lay this Night but the Spaniards being unwilling to 〈◊〉 us have any Rest we were forced at Midnight to march out against them and made them quit the Field to us On the Fourth we returned on Board our Vessels having brought only some little Refreshments along wit◠us to our wounded Men and that Evening sailed away with a West Wind keeping out to Sea to the Fifth 〈◊〉 Noon when we returned to Land at Midnight 〈◊〉 steered South South-East as near the Wind as we could till the Sixth that we were brought back to the Shoar about the middle of the following Night we discovered a Vessel under sail and joyned her It was the Bark we had sent to Chiriquita who meeting with very bad Weather was constrained to put back under the Morn or Cape of Puercos On the Seventh being not able to double the Morn because of the contrary West Winds we sent our Galley to Chiriquita instead of our Bark we could not double the Morn before the Twelfth and we had a blast of Wind in the Night that in it self was favourable enough for our Course but the Currents carried us so to Leeward that we were still on the Thirteenth Six Leagues to Leeward of the Morn We steered West North-West bearing upon the Isle of Tygers the which stands Six Leagues North and South from the Continent between the River of St. Iames and this Morn or Cape of Puercos on the Fourteenth at Night we were apprehensive least we should be drove too near the Shoar On the 16th we arrived at St. Iohn's Island where we met with our Galley returned from Chiriquita having found nothing of what she sought for in that Place which still increased the Suspition we had already entertained that the President of Panama had caused a false Report to be spread abroad that some Freebooters had been there that so he might get us to quit his Port and make way by our absence for those Ships that were expected from Peru to enter into Panama and this so much the more heightened our Courage in that we came to understand one Day after another the cowardize and dastardly Nature of this proud Nation who with her Three Deckt Ships mounted each of them with Eighteen pieces of Cannon and having Four hundred Men on Board were afraid of pitiful Barks who had but Four Guns and some Petereroes in all with which however we waited for them On the Eighteenth we brought our Galleys and Canoes a Shoar in order to clean them two Days after we departed with an intention to take some Prisoners from whom we might obtain certain Intelligence of the Truth or Falshood of any Freebooters having been at Chiriquita for they might have been gone before we had sent thither and upon our departure we appointed our Ships to Rendezvous at the Isle of St. Peter there to tarry till we returned On the Morning of the 24th we went a Shoar Two Leagues to Leeward of the River Pueblo Nuevo where after we had travelled till about Four in the Afternoon to discover some Houses we saw Two Horsemen one of whom we dismounted but he made his Escape and took the other of whom we asked where we were And being informed that there was about half a League from thence to a Burrough called St. Lorenzo we went that way and arrived there in the Twilight Here we took a great many Prisoners who told us they had heard of no Freebooters from the time we had taken Chiriquita which now fully confirmed us in a belief of the Amusement the President of Panama had entertained us with on the 26th we returned to the Sea-side with our Prisoners and discovered our Ships that were sailing to the Place of Rendezvous to whom we sent a Canoe to give them Notice to come and Anchor at an Island which is over-against and Three quarters of a League distant from the Port of St. Lorenzo This Burrough stands a League and an half within Land and is in my Opinion no more than a Village It's Inhabited partly with Spaniards and partly Indians who as I have already said have been reduced by degrees and submitted themselves to the Spaniards It s a very open Country and a Man is so far from being sure of what Place he is in that he would believe himself to be at Chiriquita when here so like is the one to the other as well in respect to the Burrough and Places adjacent as for the course and disposition of the Rivers wherewith it is watered On the 26th in the Evening we went on Board our Ships with our Prisoners and agreed with them upon what quantity of Provision they were to give us for their Ransom on the 27th we sent the Father or Curate of the Place a Shoar to dispatch the sending of it on the 28th the English who made part of our Fleet desired us to come together in order to make a Division of the Ships
own that he had being then expired The first of these Ships carried Fifty Pieces of Cannon and the other Forty four and had both of them been Two Spanish Armadilla's who the Year before coming out of Carthagena to take the Ships commanded as well by the Captains Laurence and Michael as those of Captains Iohn Quet and le Sage were themselves taken by those whom they were about to become Masters of And as for the four Boats they were commanded by other Captains whose Names were Rose Vigneron La Grade and an English Traytor from Iamaica By them we were informed that they were watching in that Place for the Patach of Marguerita and a Squadron of Spanish Ships which they expected would sail that way in order to take them On the Nineteenth we resolved to quit that Post and did all we could to get up with the Isle of Curassol a great part whereof belongs to the Hollanders We sailed in sight of those of Bonuaira and Roubeâ— and about Two in the Afternoon of the same Day we chased a Flemish Boat that came from the Port of Guaira on the Continent and was returning to the Town of Curassol Two Leagues to Leeward of which we anchored that Evening in the Port of Sanctâ— Barba On the Twentieth we sent away a Boat under the Command of La Garde to the Town to ask the Governour leave to buy us Masts for Captain Laurence his Ship that had lost them in an Hurricane near the Isle of St. Thomas But this he absolutely refused and shut up the Gates against us Upon the Boat 's Return and Relation given us of the Governour 's Refusal I carried him a Copy of our Commission hoping to engage him by that means to grant us our Request But he still persisted to deny â—s while a part of our Crew scrupled not in the meaâ— time to go ashore and enter into the Town after having left their Swords behind them at the Gate On the Twenty third our Ships weigh'd Anchor in order to sail for Sancta Crux which stands seven Leagues to Leeward of this Town and in our Passage by the Fort we saluted it who returned us Gun for Gun But the Governour finding we were two Hundred Men of us in the Town informed us on the twenty fourth by beat of Drum that it was his Pleasure we should be gone and return forthwith on board our Ships and that he would give us Shallops to carry us thither provided we paid him two Pieces of Eight a Man I presently discerned it was his Will we should not go back by Land because we must for that purpose cross a Lake that stands at the foot of the Fort which he had forbidden us to pass And this made me go and tell him we gave him thanks for his Shaloops that if we were minded to go by Sea to rejoyn our Ships we had Pirogues to carry us thither and that we had no other design to get to them by Land but for a walk 's sake To which he answered That the Inhabitants there scrupled to let us see their Island but for all that he would not let us pass over the Lake and so we were two days before we could reach Sancta Crux where our Ships were waiting for us We came afterwards to know the reason of the Governor's Displeasure against us which was that Capt. Laurence and Captain Michael's Ships had taken two Dutch Ships before the Havana that were fraught for the Spaniards having two Hundred Thousand Pieces of Eight on board whereof one half belonged to the Dutch Company and the rest to the Spaniards These last with whom we were at War being the only Persons that were pillaged were pillaged were indempnified by the Dutch who had charge of the said Ships and who shared with them the other one Hundred Thousand Pieces of Eight that belonged to their Company which the Free-Booters medled not with being at Peaco with that Nation And they easily perswaded their Principals that all had been taken from them and so we were punished for the Knavery these Dutchmen practised towards their own People Though this Island of Curassol be well enough known in France I cannot but take notice as I go along that the Temperature of its Air is the same with that of St. Domingo and produces the same sort of Fruits that the Land is almost level throughout and the Country very naked because of the little Wood that grows there but almost barren in several places and produces little to the owners besides Maes and small Millet yet it is watered with several Springs and Rivers The Town that stands upon it is small but very neaâ— being encompassed with an high though very thin Wall There is a good and safe Port belongs to it and the Fort that commands it as well as the Town is very regularly fortified the Inhabitants are of several sorts of Religions the exercise thereof being free the chief of which is that of the Dutch of the Iews as well as of others each of whom have their respective places of Worship in the Town The chief of their Trade consists in Sugar that grows there and of Wool which comes from the Sheep which breed upon the place in great Numbers Besides the Skins of these Animals as also of a great many Oxen and Cows which they keep in the lowest and best watered Grounds of this Island where it abounds in Pasture they are altogether affected to the Spanish Nation with whom they have the main of their Trade On the twenty seventh we made ready and steered our Course for Capella Vella which is on the Continent of America where we designed to fix our selves in order to wait for the Patach of Marguerita whereof I have already spoken The same day Captain Vigneron's boat left us to return to the Coast of St. Domingo because they had not Men enough to make any thing of the Enterprize there being no more than twenty on board her Being come to the Cape by the thirtieth we anchored there and our next care was to set a Vigie or some Sentinels to the Number of fifteen upon the top of it to give us notice when they discovered the Patach but next day we thought it more adviseable to pursue this following method to get Intelligence We sent on the first of February Captain Rose's Boat to the Mouth of the River la Ache on the Continent inhabited by Spaniards and about twenty Leagues distant from the Cape where we then were under pretence of trading with them but in reality with a design to make some Prisoners that to we might be informed whether the Patach was passed by that way or no for it was usual for her to take in part of her lading in that River While we waited for the return of this Boat I and some others went a shore to view and observe the Country about the Cape I understood it was inhabited by a most cruel barbarous and
Captain two Ships laden with Provision coming from 〈◊〉 He brought along with him a Man of Captain Groignict's Crew who was lost in the Woods a hunâ—ting while his Comrades were making their Canoes iâ— the same River where we were building ours On the twenty eighth we received News again by an Indian Captain who had conducted Captain Groigniet and Captain Esurier into the South-Sea in a Letter which they sent us that they would stay for us at Kings-Islands and desired us to lose no time but to come and have our share in taking of the Fleet of Peru which they waited for But for all the Expedition we could use our Conoes could not be finished before the last of March when we drew them into the River April the first we parted with fourteen Canoes carrying about twenty Oars apiece guided by twenty Indians who made use of this opportunity in order to participate of the Booty which they thought we were about to take from the Spaniards as soon as ever we got into the South-Sea We rested on the fourth to tarry for our Men who were behind and to mend our Canoes that were damnified by the Rocks and Flats we met with all along that River It cannot be believed what pains we had to bring them to the great Water as I may call it for we met with places where they rested dry so that we were in a manner forced to carry them This day died one of our Men of the Bloody Flux which was very rife amongst us because we were forced to fast so long and by reason of the hard Feeding we had and our continual dabling in the Water On the fifth we put on and about Evening found the River deeper but so full of and encumbred with Trees which the Floods had carried thither that our Canoes were in danger every Minute to be lost and this day died two of our Men. On the sixth we got to the great Water where the River is wider and deeper and that day we spent on the Banks of it to dry our Sacks which were wet through with the great Rains that fell the day before another of our Men died this day From hence to the eleventh we did all we could to get quickly to the Mouth of the River where we were informed by an Indian that was come in a small Vessel to meet us the English and French Free-Booters had sent a shore in a little Bay called Boca del Chica that stands at the Mouth of that River some Corn for our Refreshment when we should get down thither for they could gather very well by themselves who had been so straitned there for Provision whereabouts we must be and indeed we had so little that we were reduced to an handfull of Raw Maes for each Man a day The same Day we received farther News and by other Indians who gave our Guides notice to tell us that a thousand Spaniards being informed of our Descent mounted up along this River by Land with a design to lay an Ambuscade for us Hereupon we resolved not to stir but in the night-time and that without noise that so we might shun them and this succeeded accordingly But we fell into another encumbrance and that was we being Strangers in thâ—â— Country and knowing no more than our Guides how high the Tide flowed in this River we were surprized with the coming in of it and drove ouâ— Canoes and us very far so that one of them was overset with a great Tree that had fallen into the River and upon which the swiftness of the current threw it but it luckily fell out that no one was drowned they quitted it for the Arms and Ammunition that were lost which could not but woâ—â— some trouble in us to see our Men disarmed in 〈◊〉 Country where we could not go but must have much occasion to use them but to deliver us 〈◊〉 this Inquieâ—ude God was pleased to dispose of some of us who left their Arms to those that had lost their own When we were got clear of these Dangers our Guides advised us to row gently for fear the Indian-Spaniards who were our Enemies should hear us and who lay in wait to attack us some Leagues thâ—â— side the Mouth of the River in a place called Lestocads we took their Council and when we were got over against the said place where the River is very broad we disposed of our Canoes in such a manner that by the favour of the night they appeared to be much less than they really were Now these Indian-Spaniardâ— having some Glimpse of us asked who was there and our Guides having answered That what they saw waâ— nought but a few Boats belonging to them with which they were going to fetch Salt into the South-Sea by this wile we were spared the labour of engaging with those Rascals On the twelfth in the Morning we cast Anchor because the Tide came in and was against us and about ten made ready but towards Noon the Heavens were overcast to that degree that you could scarce see a Man from one end of a Canoe to the other and this was followed with such excessive Rains that we were afraid every Minute of being sunk though we employed two men in each Canoe continually to throw out the Water and during that time one of our Men died The same Day at Mid-night we got to the Mouth of the River and entred into the South-Sea from whence we made directly for the Bay of Boca del Chiâ—a to see for the Provision which we were told was there and which we found accordingly but before this we met with a Canoe of Captain Grogniet that waited for us and two Barks at Anchor They had been purposely sent by the English both to tow our Canoes to the place where the Fleet of Free-booters were and to bring us more Provision On the thirteenth in the Morning we carried our Sick on board them two Barks for their better Accommodation and then weigh'd Anchor in order to sail altogether to an Island four Leagues distant from the Mouth of that River where we refreshed our selves for two days with the Provision the English had sent us which was a mighty comfort to us On the sixteenth we went off in order to find out the English and French Fleet whose Rendezvous was to cruise either before Panama or at the Kings Islands which were not far from this River We arrived at those Islands on the eighteenth which stand thirty Leagues to the East of Panama where we found the largest of them to look more like the Continent than an Island so spacious and mountainous it is The same is inhabited by those Negroes whom they call Marons or Fugitives from the Spaniards who upon making their escapes from their Masters at Panama and the adjacent places have made this a place of Refuge This day one of our 〈◊〉 died We entred into this Sea at a very bad time
told by one of the Engineers on board her that she belonged to his Royal Highness the Duke of York and that under pretence of coming to treat with the Spaniards she was sent upon no other account than to take a Plan of those parts the Situation of the Cities and Sea-Ports Now Captain David meeting with her made Captain Suams come on board him and threatned to take him unless he would go and make Waâ— with him so that finding himself too weak to resist he chose rather to comply with the Pyrate than be taken and these two together took a great many Prizes which after they had taken out what was for their turn they burnt About a Year after Captain Townsley came over Land with an hundred and fifteen English into these Seas and at the Kings Islands took two Ships laden with Provision and other Refreshments whereof I have already spoken coming from Peru. About a Month after the Captains Groigniet and l' Escuier went also thither over Land with two hundred and seventy Men and who being informed that the English Fleet was before Panama put ashore one night at Tavoga an Island two Leagues off from whence they discerned a Ship on Fire and by break of day they saw the English under fail They went on board them and came to understand that Captain David had taken a Ship called the Saint Rose laded with Corn and Wine bound from Truxillo for Panama the President of which last place had sent to him for to buy her and in order thereunto gave him the meeting at the Isles of Pericos that are a League 's distance from the Port. But instead of sending him the Money they had agreed upon for the Ship he sent a Fire-Ship to burn him but the same through the Cowardice and Ignorance of the Commander spent herself without doing the other any hurt and this made Captain David give the Saint Rose to Groignie and to l' Escuier's Ships Crew who had already lost their Captain As for the other five Ships commanded by Brands Samely Peter Henry and two Quarter-Masters they had been also taken from the Spaniards iâ— these Seas by the two first Frigates who reserved them for those who came thither over Land 〈◊〉 of all our Ships there were none but the first two that had Guns the other eight had none they hâ—ving been Merchant Ships that made use of noâ—â— in the South-Sea where no body but themselves had sailed a long time And now having told you what passed before this Fleet came together we shall now proceed to give an Account of our Adventures since our Junction On the twenty fifth of April we took an Advice-Boat going to the Fleet of Peru which was then 〈◊〉 Anchor in the Port of Callao that was carrying some Packets from Madrid to Panama and Letters from the Vice-Roy of Lima wherein there was an account given how many Men of War Fire-Ships and Merchant-men the Fleet consisted of and about what time the same might arrive at Panama Next day we examined the Commander of the Advice-Boat but we could get no particulars out of him saving that when he saw himself like to be taken he had thrown the King of Spain's Packets and a Cascet of Jewels over-board On the twenty seventh we put the same Questions to the Pilot who according to the Example of his Commander would make no Discovery because they had taken an Oath together rather to lose their Lives than to divulge any secret or to let the said Packet fall into the hands of the Free-Booters On the 28th two of our Men died On the Evening of the same day we departed with two and twenty Canoes manned with five hundred men in order to go and take la Seppa which is a small Town seven Leagues to windward of Panama and on the twenty ninth about ten in the Morning we discovered two Ships bearing up to us which when they came near we found to be two Pirogues mann'd with Greeks which are a People composed of divers Nations to whom the Spaniards gave this Name and who serve them in their Wars These they brought some time before from the North Sea to this Coast to defend them against us because they look upon them to be better Soldiers than themselves We presently sent out two of our best sailing Canoes manned with twenty Men each to attack them These Greeks who quickly took us to be really what we were i. e. Free-Booters made no delay to save themselves upon one of the Islands that stands in the Bay of Panama but upon their going a-shore they lost one of their Pirogues that split in Pieces and left us the other then they got upon a rising Ground with their Arms and as much Ammunition as they could save and fought stifly against us under a Flag of Defiance And as the place where we landed was exposed to their Fire from the Ground where they had posted themselves and that the Ascent on that side where we stood was very difficult we were forced to take a great round to come at them another way where we found our Passage much easier At 〈◊〉 after we had fought at least for the space of an 〈◊〉 we constrained them to flee for shelter into the Wooâ—â— took two of them Prisoners besides their Colour and found between five and twenty and thirty slaâ—â— upon the Spot We were informed by the two Prisoners thâ—â— those who had escaped could not be above an hundred men at most that we might easily masteâ— them if we pleased there being many wounded amongst them They also told us that they hiâ— an Account at Panama of a Re-inforcement thâ— was come from the North-Sea to the Fleet of Free-Booters That the President of the Town had there upon sent an Advice-Boat to Lima to engage the Vice-Roy to detain the Merchant Ships in Port 〈◊〉 further order and with all speed to send a Fleet 〈◊〉 Men of War to fight ours and drive us out of those Seas But the relation given by these two Prisoner we could not rely upon since their Party had put 〈◊〉 a Flag of Defyance they being three times the number of us After this Advantage and our rejoyning the rest 〈◊〉 our Canoes we continued to prosecute our design upon la Seppa But as we were obliged before we could come at it to go about two Leagues up a very fine and large River of the same Name and on whoâ—e Banks they have Vigies or Sentinels always set we could not chuse but be discovered and find the Town allarmed and ready to defend it self Yet for all that we fell furiously on and tooâ—â— it with the loss only of one Man but finding no great matter of Booty there because they had saved most of their Effects we returned to our Canoes again As I shall have frequent occasion to make mention of the Word Vigie it will not be improper in this place to take notice that by
Place which we had no sooner done but we were conducted into a Marish in the souâ—dest places whereof we sunk in the Mud to the very Middle insomuch that Five of our Men of whom we could see no more than their Heads did not give us a small trouble to pull them out with Cords we made fast to Mangles which are Trees of that Name growing in this Marish So that not knowing how we should be able to free our selves from this wretched Place we lifted up our Guide to the top of a Tree to endeavour by the help of Moon-light to discover how far we might be from sound Land But he finding himself now at liberty skipped like a Monkey from Tree to Tree and railed all the while at us who could neither see him nor do any more that threaten him which I believe he little mattered We spent the rest of the Night in making about an Hundred steps in this sweet Place where we exactly went the Rounds and from whence we could not come out till break of Day and not then neither without being bedaubed all over from top to toe and having our Arms laden with Mud. When we were in a Condition to reflect a little upon our selves and that we saw Two hundred Men in the same Habit and so curiously equipped there was not one of us who forgot not his Toyle to laugh at the posture he found both himself and the rest in At length after having inveighed against our Guide who had so cunningly saved himself when he saw us stuck fast in the Mire we went into our Canoes again where we cleaned our selves as well as we could as we did also our Arms and after having left our Covert we met with a very pretty River whereinto we entered and went up it about Two Leagues where we landed at an Entrenchment There we found the remains of the Two Ships which the Spaniards had burnt when an English Freebooter whose Name was Betsharp came to careen in this Bay which made us suppose according to the Relation that had been given us concerning it that it was the Embarking Place belonging to Nicoya We followed the Road we found there and marching about Two Leagues at the end of them we entered by the help of the barking of the Dogs into a Burrough called Sancta Catalina where we took all the Inhabitants Prisoners Now as we were informed by them there that there was no more than three Leagues to Nicoya we mounted sixty Men on Horseback in order to go thither but we met half-way with two Horsemen whom we could not reach and who returning back with full Speed gave the Inhabitants notice of our March towards them in so much that by the time we were got thither they had already hid all their Effects and were expecting our coming upon the Place of Arms from whence we drove them after we had sustained their first discharge with which they neither killed nor wounded one of our Men. While we were gathering what Provision we could together we sent out small Parties into the Neighbouring Places who brought us some Money and among other things the Governour 's Plate and all his Moveables On the 8th we left the Town and went to rejoyn our People at Sancta Catalina where we staid the remainder of that day At Night came two of the Enemy's Sentinels thither one of whom we killed for they not knowing we were in the Town were come to give the Spaniards notice that they saw three Sail of Ships enter into the Bay and that they were Enemies but this Intelligence came too late On the 9th we left this Place to go joyn our Canoes again on which being embarked we left one of our Prisoners ashoar to go and raise the Ransom of those we carryed along with us and on the 10th we got on board our Ships that â—ay at Anchor in the Bay We had found among the Governour of Nicoya's Papers three Letters which were these that follow The Governour or General of the Province of Costa Rica his Letter to the President of Panama dated May 2d 1686. SIR THis Letter is to let you know of the taking of our dear Town of Granada by Pirates on the Tenth of the last Month They came ashoar at a Place where we had no Sentinels we supposing there was no occasion for it because the Sea is so high there they passed on cross a Wood like so many Wild Beasts We had the good Fortune to have notice of it by our Fishermen tho' we were already upon our Guard ever since the News we had concerning them from Lesparso and Nicoya They lay on the Ninth at the fine House of Don Diego Ravalo Knight of St. Iames we were very well prepared to receive them but the way of Fighting practised by these Men did so much astonish ours that we could not make that Resistance we had promised our selves we should do They fell on briskly singing and dancing as if they had been going to a Feast at length after we had been fought bravely by them they won the place of Arms with the loss of Thirty of their Men according to the Estimate of Don Antonio de Fortuna a Person of good Experience in War who came to us some Months before We are also of Opinion that they have lost their General for we saw a Man that distinguished himself from the rest by his Habit fall After they had staid for the space of four Days in our Fort they sent to require us to Ransom the Town and Prisoners they had taken but we being not very forward to return an Answer to their Proposal they burnt it and went their ways Seignior Don Iohn de Castilla Sergeant-Major went out to observe them with his Men but not knowing they took away our Artillery he attacked these Enemies of God and Goodness about a Mile from the Town but they being resolved to make their way through or to die upon the spot slew so great a Number of his Men that the rest fled and left their Commanders alone We have taken one of their Men who told us they came to our Province upon no other Design than to know the strength of it tho' it 's not to be doubted if they had found our Vessels at Anchor but they would have made use of them to pass by the way of our Lake to the North Sea and have abandoned their Comrades who looked after their Ships and their way would have been infallibly by Carthage Monsieur the Governour takes his Measures thereupon and continues to Fortifie his Retrenchment I shall give you a more ample Account of this Business by the first Caravan The President of Panama's Letter to the Governour of Costa Rica SIR This is to give you Notice of the Advices I have received from Carthagena by the way of Puerto Belo The King of France supposing he had received some Affront from our Nation sent Eight
Sail of ill sorts before Calix to demand Contribution and seeing there was so vast an inequality of Force upon this Occasion we agreed to give him half a Million to withdraw his Ships and return to their Ports You know that my Lord Bishop on the 22d of August forced me to send out three Ships to fight the Pirates that continued still before our Port and took all the Barks and Canoes that were coming in Our Ships surprized them at break of Day which made one of the Pirates slip his Cable and this was done not for to fly away but through the Skill of the Commander I saw the Fight from my Ramparts the Honour whereof I thought infallibly to have appertained unto us Having seen them draw near the Shoar I Sent a Chaloop to bring away the Anchor of that Vessel that had slipped her Cable in order to fasten her in our Port. As soon as ever I saw them ungrappled I dispatched away two long Barks or Galleys to go and learn the News and to bring those of the Enemy that survived before me tho' my Orders were that no Quarter should be given to any that were found upon Deck to the end we might rid the World of these Enemies of God and his Saints who Profane his Churches and destroy his Servants In the Evening they sent one of our Men to require me to give up five Men of theirs that I had Prisoners in my Town and as my Prince forbad me to do so I refused it but these new Turks sent me Twenty Heads and I bethought my self that for the preventing of the slaughter of so many Christians I ought to send them their Men with Ten Thousand Pieces of Eight for the Ransom of Ninety of our People that were almost all wounded which they sent us out of Three Hundred and Thirty they had taken with them Thus you see how God is pleased to afflict us on all sides let us take all for the sake of his Suffering for us The Tenient of Sansonat's Letter to the President of Panama CAptain Francis Grogniet is separated from his 〈◊〉 at Realeguo and gone ashoar with an Hundred and Fifty Men upon the Isles of Napalla We took three of their Men who told us that those of them that were gone up towards Panama had a Design 〈◊〉 return to the North Sea The Peace we have made with the Indians will do us more hurt than good we were concerned at least to observe their Motion and stop up that Passage Those People seeing no Place whereunto to retire became as so many enraged Dogs We had no need of that for where-ever these Irreligious Wretches set their Feet on Land they always win the Victory If you please let them have free Passage that we may be at rest they came ten or dozen times ashoar without knowing what they wanted Send us a Man who understands the way to Sea-fighting for I am of Opinion they will never be able to get off from these Islands and so it will be convenient to go and take them there On the 12th as we saw no Ransom come we set ou◠to go our selves to Nicoya to fetch it where we arrived next day we sent out several Parties also in search of some Victuals which the People had hid and sent one to treat with them about the Ransoming of their Town The Tenient told us the Governour was gone for Relief to Costa Rica and that he had no Orders to pay any Ransom farther than what had been agreed on for the Prisoners which was all ready and that 〈◊〉 would not have us be impatient if we received not the same as soon as we desired it because they having no Canoes whereby to send the Money to us by Sea which might have been done in half a day's time the Passaage was so short that way had been obliged to have it carryed on Mules backs by Land which was four days Journey When we had received this Answer we sent again to tell him that our Intention was to have been gone next day but that however seeing he waited in expectation of Succours we would wait also but at length growing impatient that things were so long retarded we went our ways on the seventeenth Two days after being the 19th they came to the Sea-Side over-against the Place where our Vessels lay at Anchor and brought us the Ransom they had promised for the Prisoners whom we sent ashoar at the same time We gave them a Letter which we writ to the Governour wherein we sent him word if he would let us know when his Reinforcement came we should not fail to attend him and that in the mean time if he did not send us so many Horse-load of Biscuit and Maes as we required of him for the Ransom of the Town he might assure himself we should go and burn it On the 20th we weighed Anchor and went to one of the Islands in this Bay to careen our Vessels On the 22d we went off in our Canoes leaving no more Men with our Ships than were necessary to Careen them and sought out some Hatto's where we might get necessary Subsistance to the end we might lay by and keep in store those Provisions we had got together on Board and whereof we should have occasion in the Execution of an Enterprize we had formed upon the Town of Queaquilla On the 22d at Night we went ashoar at Caldaira where we were discovered by the Sentinels who as they made their escapes set fire unto the Savana's in order to stop our Passage however this did not hinder us to reach the little Town of Lesparso which had been almost entirely abandoned since the time of our being there before On the 23d we had the Curiosity or rather Humour to pursue the first Road that offered it self to our view at our departure and after we had marched about a League on we discovered about Two Hundred Horse upon our Flank and in our Rear A Spaniard who was advanced before the rest made a thousand Mouths at us and reviled us as much which gave us an occasion to hide five of our Men that were behind the rest in the Grass that was exceeding high upon both sides of the way and leave our main Body to march on so that when our Spaniard who still followed our People went to pass forwards he was quickly dismounted and we made him make a Grimace in good earnest We questioned him according to our usual Ceremony that is to say by putting him on the Rack about the place where we were He told us we were on the High-way of Carbage and that all Places were quite forsaken from thence to this Town which was no less than Seven and Twenty Leagues out of an Apprehension his Country had left we should go and force them to grant us Passage to the North Sea as their chief Officers had caused it to be reported among them He also gave us Information
had resolved to return to the North Sea and that as they sailedâ— away for the Streights of Magellan they fell to gaming whereat many lost all they had got that they had anchored in the Road which leads to the Isles of Dom Fernandez that stand upon the brink of the Streight to which Place came Captain Willnet an English Man who had left them long before and was come thither upon the same Design with themselves of repassing into the North Seas by the same Streights but that Captain David had altered his Resolution for that those of his Crew who had lost their Money were not willing to leave these Seas nor the Ship till they had taken another That as for those who had won they went on Board Captain Willnet out of which Ship went also at the same time such of his Crâ—w as were without Money in order to go and get some with Captain David and that so they were come back into the South Sea to the number of Sixty English and Twenty French as Willnet was gone through the Streight for the North Sea that Captain Peter Henry was gone for the East-Indies presently after Captain Suams and lastly they told us tho' we had been informed thereof before that the Spanish Fleet was a careening at Puerto Callao which as I have already said is the Place of Embarking that belongs to Lima. As these Eight English Men did not think that Captain David's Frigate would rejoyn them so quickly at the Place of Rendezvous they proposed going with us to Queaquilla which we so much the more willingly agreed to in that they gave us a share of their Victuals and Drink and a little revived amongst us that usual meriment that had now for some time been exiled from us by the abstinences we were forced to undergo wherewith we were extreamly weakned Then we sailed all Night in their Company steering South-East and by East On the 14th we furled all our Sails for fear of being discovered from Land near unto which we were About two arose a Fog by favour whereof we made use of our main Sail of all as well to come ready Rigged into the Bay which is Thirty Leagues in length as to get to Windward of the River Queaquilla and to spare our selves also the Labour of rowing so much for being so extraordinary weak we had not strength to do it We steered all Night South-East And on the 11th discovered the White Cape which is the Windward Cape of this Bay about Ten in the Morning we embarked to the number of Two hundred and Sixty Men on Board our Canoes after having given our Ships Orders to lay by in the Bay till they heard News from us We steered all Day long for the Island Sancta Clara with which we came up at Sun setting this little Island is in reality nothing else but a Rock standing East and West Six Leagues distant from the Continent we were obliged to cast Anchor with all the Tides contrary to us it being impossible to put into this Bay against the Currents where we found Six Fathom Water And on the 16th we found our selves between Sancta Clara and la Puna about Five Leagues from the Shoar La Puna is a very pretty Island and may be discovered at a great distance at Sea because of the Form of it resembling a Cardinalâ—s Cap It 's Twenty Leagues in circumference and stands East and West Two Leagues from the Continent and over-against the Mouth of the River Queaquilla There is a large Burrough built upon it where in former times were kept the King of Spain's Magazines Great Ships that is such as are Two or Three Deck'd ones that cannot come into the River Anchor between it and the Island We hid our selves in this Island all Day and that with the good Luck of not being discovered by the Sentinels who were there to the number of Forty of them though we knew nothing of it We departed in the Evening and got more Southerly that we might not be discovered from the Continent On the 17th we hid our selves again in a Covert Place upon the same Island where after we had got an exact Account from our Prisoners of the State Situation and Disposition of the Town of Queaquilla which we were about to go and take we disposed of our Forces in the following Order There were Fifty Men making the Forlorn Hope led by Captain Picard who commanded our Frigate to attack the great Fort Fourscore Granadiers commanded by the Captain of our Bark were to be in the nature of Reserves and to serve any where as there should be Occasion for them Captain Grogniâ—â— with the main Body was to make himself Master of the Town and Port And Captain George Hewit who was Commander of the English Ship with Fifty of his Men was to attack the little Fort and a Thousand Pieces of Eight was promised to any one of the Ensigns whereof I was one that should pitch the First Colours upon the great Fort Things being thus regulated we left our Covert in the Evening believing we might be able to enter into the River of Queaquilla that Night before Day light appear'd but for all that all we could do was to gain one of the Points of the Island which is over-against the River for we could have the advantage of the Tyde 's coming in but for three Hours which was the Reason that on the 18th as we put off again that we might the more readily get under the Covert of the Island Day overtook us and so discovered us to a Sentinel who set a Cottage on Fire as a Signal to the other Sentinels that were posted at convenient distances on both sides the River that he saw us that so these same might advertise the Town of it As soon as we got a Shoar we marched cross a Wood to get to the said Fire where we found some of those that had kindled it whereof Two were killed as they â—â—ed to save themselves and a Third was taken but we could get no Intelligence from him for he was but a little Boy This day we discovered a Ship entring into the River we let her pass being unwilling to come out from under our Covert to fall upon her for fear of being discovered by those on the main Land who we supposed knew nothing of us Because the Inhabitants of Queaquilla had not answered the Fire-Signal which the Sentinel of La Puna had given them Upon the approach of Night we made ready and entred into the River of Queaquilla by one of the two Mouths we found there and by which goes in and out with the Tyde so rapid a Current that it is enough to carry a Canoe two Leagues in an hour so that we made four in the space of two hours There are two very fine Islands in the two largest parts of this River which may be about half a League over under the Covert whereof we hid our selves
and confort of human Life As to this there needs no more than observing that since our separation from the English at the Isle of St. Iohn we were all along so illy accommodated with Shipping that we were forced to keep continually to the Coast and by consequence in sight of the Spaniards who discovering even the least Motions we made had almost always time to remove all their Effects out of the way before we made our Descent and left us nothing but what they could not carry away which was many times but very inconsiderable whereas had we had but one good Ship to put out far to Sea they could not have discovered us and we should have surprized them continually in our Descents where we could have wanted nothing not only that was necessary but also pleasurable besides the Wealth we must have carried away in a short time This want of Shipping under which we laboured we so advantagious to our Enemies and the consequence thereof they knew so well that the People of 〈◊〉 sent no more Ships to the Western Coast where we were for fear some of them might fall into our Hands and Traded with one another no otherwise than by Land The same Reason also hindred us to go up to 〈◊〉 Coast of Peru where we could not have failed of having Ships seeing they sailed up and down there every day and drove a great Trade with one another as knowing we were not so near unto their Country So that it is easie from what I have remarked to conjecture that for want of these helps which were of so much importance to us in these Seas we must also very often stand in need of all those things which we could not but with the greatest difficulty have without them wherefore to make any thing of it in these Climates and to raise a considerable Fortune without much danger and sufferings there needs no more than to be provided with a good Ship and for the better conveniency Victualled for some time that so there may be no necessity of going ashoar to seek it On the 27th we discovered a Ship passing along between the Islands which made us send our Galley and Pirogue to see what she was 〈…〉 but as soon as we came 〈…〉 â—hot of her she took down the white Flag and put out Spanish Colourâ— and withal gave us ten or a dozen Guns we returned to the Shoar to give our People notice of it not doubting but if that Ship came to an Anchor in the same place she would destroy our Pirogues We sent them with our Baggage and Prisoners up to the Flats that are behind the Island where we were This Vessel about Noon came in with the Tyde and Anchored within half a Cannon-shot of ours that were run ashoar under the Covert of which we fought against them with two pieces of Cannon till it was night but as the Enemy had no other aim then to ruin our Ships they put them this first day out of a condition to sail which was what our selves had a mind to and then put farther off form the Shoar On the 28th in the Morning they drew nearer again and began to fight us which made us shelter our selves behind the Points of the Rocks that run out into the Sea from whence our Arms carried aboard them upon this they were forced to send their shallop under the favour of their Cannon to take away an Anchor that was nearer to Shoar than their Ship but being prevented therein they cut off the Cable that held it and put off again At last concluding with our selves that this Ship would not leave us so hastily we sent an hundred Men in the Evening to the Continent before us that they might endeavour to take some Horses on which we might lay our disabled Men with orders afterwards to return and wait for us upon the Sea-side in the same place where they went ashoar which was a kind of a Port we had assigned them in case they had returned before our Arrival there And for fear the Spanish Ship should suspect from the running of ours a ground the design we had to go to the North-Sea and that the Men on Board her would send to the Continent to give the People notice to put themselves in a readiness to hinder us we counterfeited all night long the caulking of our Ships that so we might fully possess them with a belief that we were careening them which wrought so effectually upon them that in the Morning they failed not to come up to destroy with their Cannon the Work they fancied we had been doing during the night On the 29th their Ship took Fire which made them put farther off where they extinguish'd it On the 30th we made use of a new Stratagem to amuse our Enemies and take away all manner of suspition from them that we designed to be gone which was to charge our Guns Granadoes and four pieces of Cannon whereunto we tied lighted Matches of different lengths that so having their effect in our Absence one after another the Spanish Ship 's Crew might still believe we were upon the Island from whence we parted in the Twilight as secretly as ever we could with all our Prisoners whom we reserved for no other use than to carry our Chirurgeon's Medicines Carpenter's Tools and the wounded Men we might have in this Passage On the Ist. of Ianuary in the year 1688 we arrived on the Continent and on the Evening of the same day the Party which we had sent before to look for Horses came thither likewise They had taken Sixty Eight with several Prisoners who without any Violence offered them told us they did not think it advisable we should Travel through Segovia because the Spaniards had Intelligence we had made choice of that Province to 〈◊〉 through But as we had already resolved upon the Matter and that our Ships could be of no longer use unto us all that they could say to the contrary did not hinder us to persevere therein All our People at the same time packed up every Man his Charge and put their Silver into Bags which they thought they could carry with their Ammunition Those who had too much of the former gave it to those who had lost theirs at Play for to carry conditioning with them that they should return the one half back to the Owner in case it should please God to bring them safe to the North-Sea As for my self I must say I was none of the worst provided and though my Charge was lighter than others yet it was not for all that less considerable for the value seeing I had converted thirty thousand pieces of Eight into Gold Pearls and precious Stones But as the best part of this was the Product of Luck I had at Plâ—â— some of those who had been losers as well in playing against me as others being much discontented at theâ— Losses plotted together to the number of