3° 



THE ISTHMUS 



C H A G R E, 



IS fifiiatcd on a flcep rock at the mouth of the Rio de Chagre, diftant about 

 eighteen leagues from Porto Bello. It is defended by the Cajiillo de Ban 

 Lorenzot which commands the entrance of that river. On the weft fide of 

 the harbour is Fuerte de la Puntat and the royal cuftom-houfe, where an ac- 

 count is taken of all the goods that go up the river. This fort has a com- 

 mandant and lieutenant, which, with the garifon, is draughted from Panama. 



In 1669 Captain Morgan landed the buccaneers a few miles to the eafl, 

 and befieged Cajiillo de San Lorenzo^ which the Spaniards defended with 

 great bravery j for after the Englijh had gained a breach, defended by the 

 governor with twenty-five men, feveral of the Spaniards cafl themfelves 

 from the top of the hill, headlong into the fea, choofing rather to die that 

 death, than to afk quarter ; the governor, the retreating, continued to defend 

 himfelf 3 but at laft was killed by a mufquet fhot in the head, on which 

 the reft furrendered prifoners of war, being only thirty left out of three hun- 

 dred and fourteen, (all the officers being killed) and fcarce ten of thefe but 

 what were wounded. The Englijh had above one hundred men killed 

 and feventy wounded. Captain Morgan having been refufed a ranfom by the 

 governor of Porto Velo for this caftle, took all the cannon, demolifhed 

 the walls, and burnt all the buildings, after which the Spaniards rebuilt it 

 with ftone. 



Admiral Vernon came before this place on the 20th of March 1 740, and 

 ordered Capt. Knowles clofe in with the ketches, who incelTantly for two 

 days bombarding the caftle, it furrendered on the 2 2d to the admiral, 

 who went on fhore, and found in the cuftom-houfe 4300 ferons and bags of 

 Guayaquil cocoa, jefuits bark, and Spanijh wool, ready to be fhipped on 

 hoard of the galleons, and entirely deftroyed two guarda cojla floops that were 

 funk juft above the cuftom-houfe. On the 28, the cuftom-houfe (being 

 cleared) was burnt j and the 22 brafs cannon, with part of the garrifon, be- 

 ing embarked, on the 29th the mines were fprung, which entirely demolifh- 

 ed the lower baftion, blew up fome of the upper works, and deftroyed 

 by fire all the inner building of the caftle of San Lorenzo, 



RIO 



