6 JUNGLE ISLAND 



from these they were afraid to venture, and tales 

 of the remarkable plants and animals to be found 

 in the depths of the jungle grew bigger every 

 year. 



Their cities were built along the coast, and 

 many of them were very rich. At Porto Bello, 

 a beautiful harbor on the Atlantic side, there was 

 a fair like a great market twice a year. The streets 

 of the town were piled with wedges of silver 

 waiting for the vSpanish fleets to come with goods 

 for exchange. Merchants came to this fair 

 across the sea from the Philippines and up and 

 down the Pacific coast of the Americas. They 

 exchanged their precious wares and hurried away 

 as fast as they could, for the air of lovely Porto 

 Bello was said to be unhealthful, and many 

 caught malaria and yellow fever there. 



This was in the days when Spain had at sea 

 in her fleet many high galleons bearing her flag, 

 her gold, and her goods. But England was 

 growing strong at sea, too, and trying her strength 

 against Spain. She built up her navy and she 

 encouraged English pirates so long as they brought 

 home Spanish treasure. 



Stories of Porto Bello in fair time were enough 

 to make the mouth of an English pirate water. 

 One successful raid on a city like that and he 

 and his crew would be rich for life. Henry 

 Morgan left his ships and struck out across land 

 to old Panama, an even richer prize than the 



