THE WEST INDIAN PORTS a.d. 



1587. 

 five leagues from this citie ; and once before these 

 Simerons brought into this place certaine Frenchmen. 



The river of Chagre. 



THe river of Chagre lieth in 9. degrees and one 

 tierce. The mouth of this river is in the North 

 seas 18. leagues from Nom.bre de Dios, and 13. leagues These Jive 

 from Puerto Bello : there is caryed up this river certaine ^^^^^\^^/ 

 quantitie of those merchandize which are unladen at ground or 

 Nombre de Dios which come from Spaine. From the champion 

 mouth of this river to Venta de Cruzes are eighteene (^ountre^. 

 leagues. From this place where the barkes unlade their 

 commodities, they are carried upon mules to Panama, 

 which is but five leagues off from this place. 



This river hath great store of water in the Winter. 

 And the barkes which belong to this river are com- 

 monly of 320. Quintals that is of 16. tunnes in burthen: 

 but in the Summer there is but small store of water : 

 so then the barkes have much to doe to get up this 

 river : and in many places these barks are constrained 

 to unlade their commodities ; and are drawen by mens 

 strength and force a good way up the river, and there- 

 fore if it would please your majestie to command that 

 all those goods may bee first unladen in Puerto Bello, 

 and there to build a litle castle in the mouth of the 

 said river, and at the foote of the castle to build a 

 storehouse to unlade and keepe all the sayd goods, 

 and there to build other barks of lesse burthen : then 

 these would serve for Sommer, and the great barks 

 for the Winter. 



If it would please your majestie, there might a 

 very good high way be made on the one side of the 

 river, and so they might bee towed, for it may bee 

 made and not with much cost because it is all plaine 

 ground, and there is growing upon the sayd river 

 great store of timber and trees which doe lie over- [III. 557.] 

 thwart the said River ; so that they are very cumbersome 

 and great annoiance unto the said boates, aswell those 



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