that he foresaw they could not
in their ship avoid the danger of being taken by the Spaniards, if they
should make out any Men-of-war for them, while they lingered on the
coast; and having also been then again relieved with victuals by
us.--Now at our meeting of them again, were very loath to leave us,
and therefore accompanied us very kindly as far up as St. Bernards; and
farther would, but that they durst not adventure so great danger; for
that we had intelligence, that the Fleet was ready to set sail for
Spain, riding at the entry of Cartagena.

Thus we departed from them, passing hard by Cartagena, in the sight of
all the Fleet, with a flag of St. GEORGE in the main top of our frigate,
with silk streamers and ancients down to the water, sailing forward with
a large wind, till we came within two leagues of the river [Magdalena],
being all low land, and dark night: where to prevent the over shooting
of the river in the night, we lay off and on bearing small sail, till
that about midnight the wind veering to the eastward, by two of the
clock in the morning, a frigate from Rio Grande [Magdalena] passed hard
by us, bearing also but small sail. We saluted them with our shot and
arrows, they answered us with bases; but we got aboard them, and took
such order, that they were content against their wills to depart ashore
and to leave us this frigate: which was of 25 tons, loaded with maize,
hens, and hogs, and some honey, in very good time fit for our use;
for the honey especially was notable reliever and preserver of crazed
people.

The next morning as soon as we set those Spaniards ashore on the Main,
we set our course for the Cabecas without any stop, whither we came
about five days after. And being at anchor, presently we hove out all
the maize a land, saving three butts which we kept for our store: and
carrying all our provisions ashore, we brought both our frigates on the
careen, and new tallowed them.

Here we stayed about seven nights, trimming and rigging our frigates,
boarding and stowing our provision, tearing abroad and burning our
pinnaces, that the Cimaroons might have the iron-work.

About a day or two before our departure, our Captain willed PEDRO and
three of the chiefest of the Cimaroons to go through both his frigates,
to see what they liked; promising to give it them, whatsoever it were,
so it were not so necessary as that he could not return into England
without it. And for their wives he would hi