arkation. Guards were kept busy holding back the
eager crowd who pressed forward, and, stretching out their arms to their
departing countrymen, clamored to be taken on board. Stowaways, when
ordered on shore, madly clung to rope and mast, pleading in vain to be
allowed to serve without pay on board the ships. Women sobbed and gasped
for breath; men stood uncovered, and with downcast head and choked
utterance invoked the blessing of the Beneficent Being. The banner of
St. Andrew was hoisted at the admiral's mast; and as a light wind caught
the sails, the roar of the vast multitude was heard far down the waters
of the frith.

The actual destination of the fleet was still a profound secret, save to
a few. The supreme direction of the expedition was entrusted to a
council of seven, to whom was entrusted all power, both civil and
military. The voyage was long and the adventurers suffered much; the
rations proved to be scanty, and of poor quality; and the fleet, after
passing the Orkneys and Ireland, touched at Madeira, where those who had
fine clothes were glad to exchange them for provisions and wines. Having
crossed the Atlantic, they first landed on an uninhabited islet lying
between Porto Rico and St. Thomas, which they took possession of in the
name of their country, and hoisted the white cross of St. Andrew. Being
warned off for trespassing on the territory of the king of Denmark, and
having procured the services of an old buccaneer, under whose pilotage
they departed, on November 1st they anchored close to the Isthmus of
Panama, having lost fifteen of their number during the voyage. On the
4th they landed at Acla; founded there a settlement to which they gave
the name of New St. Andrews; marked out the site for another town and
called it New Edinburgh. The weather was genial and climate pleasant at
the time of their arrival; the vegetation was luxuriant and promising;
the natives were kind; and everything presaged a bright future for the
fortune-seekers. They cut a canal through the neck of land that divided
one side of the harbor from the ocean, and there constructed a fort,
whereon they mounted fifty cannon. On a mountain, at the opposite side
of the harbor, they built a watchhouse, where the extensive view
prevented all danger of a surprise. Lands were purchased from the
Indians, and messages of friendship were sent to the governors of the
several Spanish provinces. As the amount of funds appropriated for the
suste