AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1587. 



a very sure harbour by reason of 3. Islands which do 

 joyne in maner of a halfe moone, they lie halfe a 

 league from the maine, the Islands do enclose the 

 harbor round about, the harbour is a very high land, 

 & the Hands are but reasonable high, there is good 

 store of fresh water : also there hath never any ship 

 bene cast away in this harbour, for there is 7. fathome 

 water at ful sea, and 3 or 4 fathome at lower water, 

 and very good ground for their ankering, and when 

 they will trimme their ships, they may hale them ashore. 

 All those ships and barks which come from Peru with 

 gold, silver or any other kind of commodities, do first 

 come to an anker in this harbour, and if they have a 

 contrary weather they cannot come into the harbour 

 of Panama; and for so much as the harbour hath no 

 defence for the safegard of the ships, if a man of warre 

 ISlota. should chance to come into the harbour, all the barks 



with the treasure may be very easily taken. And like- 

 wise these barks & ships which do navigate in the 

 South seas carrie not so much as one piece of ordinance 

 or a rapier to defend them withall. From this place 

 to Venta de Cruzes is not passing 5 leagues ; so that if 

 any pinnesse should happen to arrive there, no doubt 

 but they might robbe and take al your treasure which 

 is in those barks, by reason that from the shore they 

 cannot be rescued nor holpen, because it is an Island 

 and refuge for all ships and barks. If it would please 

 your majestie here might some fort or defence bee 

 made in the middlemost Island, and some ordinance 

 planted, and this might bee made with little charges, 

 because in the said Island there are all kinde of neces- 

 saries fit for that purpose, so by this meanes your 

 majestie may have both the harbour and the citie 

 very well kept. 

 A new way And likewise there is another entring into the South 



into the south- sea which is called the river of Francisca, which lieth 

 ^^^' on this side of the Cabe9a de Cativa, and this river doth 



come into another river which is called Caracol, and is 



154 



