JOHN OXENHAM 



in the sight of his ships, of purpose to seeke him, but 

 he cared little for them being out of their reach, and 

 so departed with his treasure. 



The voyage of John Oxnam of Plimmouth, to the 

 west India, and over the straight of Dariene 

 into the South sea. Anno 1575. Written 

 by the foresaid Lopez Vaz in the said dis- 

 course. 



A.D. 



Here was another Englishman, who hear- 

 ing of the spoyle that Francis Drake had 

 done upon the coast of Nueva Espanna, 

 and of his good adventure and safe re- 

 turne home, was thereby provoked to 

 undertake the like enterprise, with a ship 



of 140 tunnes, and 70 men, and came 

 thither, and had also conference with the foresaide 

 Negros : and hearing that the golde and silver which 

 came upon the Mules from Panama to Nombre de Dios, 

 was now conducted with souldiers, he determined to 

 do that which never any man before enterprised : and 

 landed in that place where Francis Drake before had 

 had his conference with the Negros. This man covered 

 his ship after he had brought her aground with boughes 

 of trees, and hid his great Ordinance in the ground, 

 and so not leaving any man in his ship, he tooke two 

 small pieces of ordinance, and his calivers, and good 

 store of victuals, and so went with the Negros about 

 twelve leagues into the maine land, to a river that goeth 

 to the South sea, and there he cut wood and made a 

 Pinnesse, which was live and fortie foote by the keele, 

 and having made this Pinnesse, he went into the South 

 sea, carrying sixe Negros with him to be his guides, 

 and so went to the Hand of Pearles, which is five & ^-^^ ^^^^^ ^f 

 twentie leagues from Panama, which is in the wav Xh^it.^f^ J*' 

 they come from Peru to Panama, and there he was Panama, 

 ten dayes without shewing himselfe to any man, to 



77 



