THE WEST INDIAN PORTS a.d. 



1587. 

 This citie hath three hundred and fiftie houses, all Panama hath 

 built of timber, and there are sixe hundred dwellers and 35o^^«-f^^- 

 eight hundred souldiers with the townesmen, and foure 

 hundred Negros of Guyney, and some of them are 

 freemen : and there is another towne which is called 

 Santa Cruz la Real of Negros Simerons, and most of Negros Sime- 



them are imployed in your majesties service, and they ^°^^ ^ortall 



r J J ^ J ^ ^ J eneTTiics to the 



are 100. in number, and this towne is a league from this spanyards. 



citie upon a great rivers side, which is a league from the 



sea riorht over against the harbour of Pericos. But there 



is no trust nor confidence in any of these Negros, and 



therefore we must take heede and beware of them, for 



they are our mortall enemies. 



There are three sundry wayes to come to this citie, 

 besides the sea, where the enemy may assault us. The 

 one is at the bridge which is builded upon the river : 

 and on the one side of this, there lieth a creeke : so on 

 this side the citie is very strong, because it is all soft 

 muddie ground, for in no way they cannot goe upon it. 

 And right over against it there lyeth a river which is in 

 maner like unto a ditch or moate ; and on the other side of 

 the River there lyeth a great Lake or Pond which is full 

 of water all the Winter, and part of the Sommer, so that 

 on this side the city is very strong, for with very small 

 store of souldiers this place might bee kept verie well. 



The greatest danger for the surprising of this citie ^^^ ^^^^ ^^3' 

 is the way that doth come from Nombre de Dios : for p^^^^^ 

 all this way is playne ground and no woods : and 2000 

 yardes from this citie there lyeth a river called Lavanderas, 

 where the women doe use to wash their linnen : and this 

 river doth goe into the creeke, according as I have 

 certified your majestie : and being once past this river, 

 there is a causey which goeth directly unto them. The 

 other way which doth go towards the citie is lower 

 downe towards the sea at a stone bridge lying upon the 

 way which goeth to the harbour of Perico. These two P^f'^'^<>' 

 wayes cannot be kept nor resisted, because it is all plaine 



ground and medowes. 



149 



