A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1595- 



are in sight. You may ride betweene them in three 



or foure fadome water, and without if you will in eight 



or ten fadomes, where neither Castle nor Fort can annoy 



you. The name of Nombre de Dios was greater then 



their strength. For they had no Castle nor Fort, but 



onely the little fort aforesaid standing on the top of an 



hill, although they might have made it stronger if they 



would. 



The 29 sir Thomas Baskervil with 750 armed men, 

 besides Chirurgians and provand boyes, went for 

 Panama. 



The last of December the Generall burned halfe the 

 towne, and the first of Januarie burnt the rest, with 

 all the Frigats, Barks & Galiots, which were in the 

 harbour and on the beach on shore, having houses built 

 over them to keepe the pitch from melting. 



The second of January sir Thomas returned with his 

 souldiers both weary and hungry, having marched more 

 then halfe the way to the South sea. The Spaniards 

 played divers times upon us both outward and homeward 

 in the woods, the way being cut out of the woods & rockes 

 both very narrow, and full of myre and water. The 

 march was so sore as never Englishman marched before. 

 Having marched some ten leagues in a marvellous straite 

 way, upon the top of an hill, through which we must 

 needes passe, the Spaniards had set up a Fort and kept 

 it with some 80 or 90 men, who played upon us as 

 we came up, before wee were aware of them, and 

 so killed some twentie or more of us, amongst whom 

 was Captaine Marchant quarter-master Generall, and 

 Ensigne Sampson, Maurice Williams one of her Majesties 

 guard, besides diverse were hurt, as M. Captaine Nicholas 

 Baskervil a valiant gentleman, with divers others. Then 

 sir Thomas had perfect knowledge that they must passe 

 two such Forts more, if he got that, besides Panama 

 to be very strong, the enemie knowing of our comming 

 long before. 



Also our souldiers had no victuals left, nor any meanes 



238 



