y order of the governor were carried to Panama, there to
work in the castle of St. Jerom. This fortification is an excellent
piece of workmanship, and very strong, being raised in the middle of the
port of a quadrangular form, and of very hard stone: its height is
eighty-eight geometrical feet, the wall being fourteen, and the curtains
seventy-five feet diameter. It was built at the expense of several
private persons, the governor of the city furnishing the greatest part
of the money; so that it cost his Majesty nothing.

CHAPTER X

_Of the Island of Cuba--Captain Morgan attempts to preserve the Isle of
St. Catherine as a refuge to the nest of pirates, but fails of his
design--He arrives at and takes the village of El Puerto del Principe._

CAPTAIN MORGAN seeing his predecessor and admiral Mansvelt were dead,
used all the means that were possible, to keep in possession the isle of
St. Catherine, seated near Cuba. His chief intent was to make it a
refuge and sanctuary to the pirates of those parts, putting it in a
condition of being a convenient receptacle of their preys and robberies.
To this effect he left no stone unmoved, writing to several merchants in
Virginia and New England, persuading them to send him provisions and
necessaries, towards putting the said island in such a posture of
defence, as to fear no danger of invasion from any side. But all this
proved ineffectual, by the Spaniards retaking the said island: yet
Captain Morgan retained his courage, which put him on new designs.
First, he equipped a ship, in order to gather a fleet as great, and as
strong as he could. By degrees he effected it, and gave orders to every
member of his fleet to meet at a certain port of Cuba, there determining
to call a council, and deliberate what was best to be done, and what
place first to fall upon. Leaving these preparations in this condition,
I shall give my reader some small account of the said isle of Cuba, in
whose port this expedition was hatched, seeing I omitted to do it in its
proper place.

Cuba lies from east to west, in north latitude, from 20 to 23 deg. in
length one hundred and fifty German leagues, and about forty in breadth.
Its fertility is equal to that of Hispaniola; besides which, it affords
many things proper for trading and commerce; such as hides of several
beasts, particularly those that in Europe are called hides of Havanna.
On all sides it is surrounded with many small islands, called the