a river that passeth
through a delicious campaign field, at the distance of a league from
Panama. Here Captain 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 so many women and children, who were
persuaded Captain 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 Captain 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 Captain Morgan upon their knees,
with infinite sighs and tears, he would permit them to return unto
Panama, there to live in company of their dear husbands and children, in
little 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
thither to hear lamentations and cries, but rather to seek money.
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....

"As soon as Captain Morgan arrived, upon his march, at the town called
Cruz, seated 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 their ransom,
under the penalty aforementioned, of being transported unto Jamaica. In
the meanwhile he gave orders for so much rice and maize to be collected
thereabouts as was necessary for the victualling all his ships. At this
place some of the prisoners were ransomed, but many others could not
bring in their moneys in so short a time. Hereupon he continued his
voyage ... carrying with him all the spoil that ever he could transport.
From this village he likewise led away some new prisoners, who were
inhabitants of the said place. So that these prisoners were added to
those of Panama who had not as yet paid their ransoms, and all
transported.... About the middle of the way unto the Castle of Chagre,
Captain Morga