Ch. II. SOUTH AMERICA. 115 



kings of Caftile. The difcovery of Panama was, in 

 the year 1518, followed by the fettlement of a colony 

 there, under Pedrarias Davila, governor of Caftilla 

 del Oro, the name by which this Terra Flrma was 

 then called. And in 1521, his catholic majefly, the 

 emperor Charles V, conftituted it a city, with the 

 proper privileges. 



It was this city's misfortune, in the year 1670, to 

 be facked and burnt by John Morgan, an Englifh 

 adventurer. He had before taken Porto Bello and 

 Maracaybo; and, retiring to the iflands, he every 

 where publiihed his defign of going to Panama ; upon 

 which many of the pirates, who then infefted thofe 

 feas, joined him. He firft failed for Chagre, v/here 

 he landed fome of his men, and at the fame time 

 battered the caflle with his fhips ; but his fuccefs 

 was owing to a very extraordinary accident. His 

 ftrength was confiderably diminifhed, by the great 

 numbers killed and v^ounded by the fort, and he 

 began to think it advifeable to retreat ; w^hen an ar- 

 row, fhot from the bow of an Indian, lodged in the 

 eye of one of Morgan's companions. The perfon 

 wounded, being rendered defperate by the pain, but 

 with a remarkable firmnefs and prefence of mind^ 

 drew the arrow from the wound, and wrapping one 

 of its ends in cotton, or tow, put it into his muflcet, 

 which was ready loaded, and difcharged it into the 

 fort, where the roofs of the houfes were of ftraw, and 

 the fides of wood, according to the cuftom of that 

 country. The arrow fell on one of the roofs, and 

 immediately fet it on fire, which was not at firft ob- 

 ferved by the befieged, who were bufy in defending 

 the place ; but the fmoke and flames fcon informed 

 them of the total dellrudlion of the fort, and of the 

 magazine of powder, which the flames muft fooa 

 reach. Such an unexpedled accident filled them with 

 terror and confufion ; the courage of the foldiers de- 

 generated into tumult and difobedience j and, every 



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