isoners in irons in carts or waggons to the shore, and embarked
with about twenty soldiers, and a considerable sum of money, partly
exacted from the inhabitant, partly from the royal funds belonging to
the city, and partly, from his own extensive revenues. Leaving his
prisoners still in fetters on the carriages, to be liberated as they
best might, he set sail along the coast to the northwards. In the course
of his voyage he fell in with and captured a vessel belonging to
Bachicao, containing a great deal of valuable articles which that
officer had acquired by plunder in Tierra Firma, all of which Verdugo
divided among his soldiers. He at first inclined to have landed at
Buenaventura, on purpose to join the viceroy; but considering the small
amount of his force, and the danger of falling in with the fleet of
Gonzalo Pizarro, he directed his course for the province of Nicaragua,
where he landed and applied to the principal persons there for
assistance against the usurper. Finding small encouragement in that
quarter, he addressed himself to the royal audience, which was
established on the frontiers of Nicaragua, who promised him protection
and aid, and sent for that purpose one of their number, the oydor
Ramirez de Alarcon to Nicaragua, with orders to the inhabitants of that
city to hold themselves in readiness to march with their arms and
horses.

Intelligence was soon received at Panama of the exploit of Verdugo at
Truxillo, and his having gone to Nicaragua; and as Hinojosa suspected he
might increase his force in that province so as to be enabled to disturb
him in the possession of the Tierra Firma, he sent Alfonso Palamino with
two ships and an hundred and eighty musqueteers to endeavour to dislodge
Verdugo. Palamino easily took possession of the ship belonging to
Verdugo; but as the inhabitants of Grenada and Leon, the two principal
cities in the province of Nicaragua assembled in arms, under Verdugo and
the licentiate Ramirez, to oppose his landing, and were much superior in
number to his troops and provided with cavalry, he found himself unable
to land with any prospect of success. After waiting some time in vain,
he was obliged to sail back to Panama, taking several vessels along with
him which he had captured on the coast, and burning several others which
he could not carry away.

On the departure of Palomino, Verdugo levied about an hundred well armed
men, with whom he resolved to give as much interruption as po