and
every one discharged his pistol or musket without bullet, to examine the
security of their firelocks. This being done, they passed to the other
side of the river in the canoes, leaving the post where they had rested
the night before, called Santa Cruz. Thus they proceeded on their
journey till noon, at which time they arrived at a village called
Cruz.[301] Being at a great distance as yet from the place, they
perceived much smoke to arise out of the chimneys. The sight hereof
afforded them great joy and hopes of finding people in the town, and
afterwards what they most desired, which was plenty of good cheer. Thus
they went on with as much haste as they could, making several arguments
to one another upon those external signs, though all like castles built
in the air. 'For,' said they, 'there is smoke coming out of every house,
and therefore they are making good fires to roast and boil what we are
to eat.' With other things to this purpose.

"At length they arrived there in great haste, all sweating and panting,
but found no person in the town, nor anything that was eatable wherewith
to refresh themselves, unless it were good fires to warm themselves,
which they wanted not. For the Spaniards before their departure, had
every one set fire to his own house, excepting only the storehouses and
stables belonging to the King.

"They had not left behind them any beast whatsoever, either alive or
dead. This occasioned much confusion in their minds, they not finding
the least thing to lay hold on, unless it were some few cats and dogs,
which they immediately killed and devoured with great appetite. At last
in the King's stables they found by good fortune fifteen or sixteen jars
of Peru wine, and a leather sack full of bread. But no sooner had they
begun to drink of the said wine when they fell sick, almost every man.
This sudden disaster made them think that the wine was poisoned, which
caused a new consternation in the whole camp, as judging themselves now
to be irrecoverably lost. But the true reason was, their huge want of
sustenance in that whole voyage, and the manifold sorts of trash which
they had eaten upon that occasion. Their sickness was so great that day
as caused them to remain there till the next morning, without being able
to prosecute their journey as they used to do, in the afternoon. This
village is seated in the latitude in 9 degrees and 2 minutes, northern
latitude, being distant from the river of Chagre