37<> 



ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



^^ .tons, that it was even more than nine hundred, fhe had no provifions, water, or other 

 things, which fill a great part of the hold j fhe indeed took them in at Jamaica, from 

 whence fhe was attended by five or fix fmaller vefTels, loaded with goods, which, 

 when arrived near Porto Bello, were put on board her, and the provifions removed 

 into the tenders ; by which artifice the fingle fhip was made to carry more than five or 

 fix of the largefl galleons. This nation having a free trade, and felling cheaper than 

 the Spaniards, that indulgence was of infinite detriment to the commerce of Spain. 



In the dead time, all the trade ftirring here, confifls in provifions from Carthagena, 

 and cacao and quinquina, down the river Chagre ; the former is carried in fmall vef- 

 fels to Vera Cruz, and the quinquina either depofited in warehoufes, or put on board 

 fhips, which with permiffion, come from Spain to Nicaragua and Honduras ; thefe 

 fhips alfo take in cacao. Some fmall vefTels likewife come from the iflands of Cuba, 

 La Trinidad, and St. Domingo, with cacao and rum. 



Whilfl the affiento of negroes fubfifled either with the French or Englifh, one of 

 their principal factories was fettled here, and was of confiderable advantage to its com- 

 merce, as being the channel by which not only Panama was fupplied with negroes, 

 but from whence they were fent all over the kingdom of Peru ; on which account the 

 agents of the affiento were allowed to bring with them fuch a quantity of provifions as 

 was thought neceffary, both for their own ufe, and their flaves of both fexes. 



BOOK III. 



VOYAGE FROM PORTO BELLO TO PANAMA. 



CHAP. I. — Voyage up the Chagre, and Journey from Cruces to Panama by Land, 



A S it had always been our fixed defign to flay no longer than abfolutely neceffary 

 '^ in any place, till we had anfwered the great end of our commiffion, our ardour 

 to enter upon it, together with a defire of quitting this dangerous climate, induced us 

 to make the utmofl difpatch. In order to this, we fent advice from Porto Bello to 

 Don Dionyfio Martinez de la Vega, prefident of Panama, of our arrival, the motives 

 of our voyage, and other circumflances, together with His Majefly's orders relating 

 to the affiftance to be given us by all his officers ; adding our requefl:s, that he would 

 be pleafed to fend one or two of thofe vefTels ufed on the Chagre, to bring us to Pana- 

 ma, it being imprafticable for us to travel thither by land, as fome of the inflruments 

 were too large for the narrow craggy roads in many parts, and others of a nature not 

 to be carried on mules. This gentleman, who has always fhewn a rpmarkable zeal 

 for every thing dignified with His Majefl:y*s name, was not in the leafl wanting on this 

 occafion ; and his polite reply, which fully anfwered our mofl fanguine hopes, was 

 followed by two vefTels difpatched. to Porto Bello. Immediately on their arrival, we 

 put on board the inftruments and baggage, belonging both to the French gentlemen, 

 and ourfelves ; and on the 2 2d of December 1735, departed from Porto Bello. 



The land wind being contrary to us, we rowed out of Porto Bello harbour ; but 

 the brifas fetting in at nine in the morning, both vefTels got under fail ; and a frefh 

 gale brought us, at four in the evening of the fame day, to the mouth of the river 



9 Chagre, 



