THE LUCKY ARROW.
A curious incident is narrated by Morgan's biographer in the account of the capture of Chagres. The fort was surrounded by a palisade which the assailants repeatedly tried to set on fire, but each time failed. Just as they were about to give up the attack and retire, an arrow from the fort passed completely through the body of one of their number and protruded from his breast. The man was mad with pain; he seized the arrow and pulled it through, then wrapped it with cotton, rammed it into his gun, and fired it back again at the fort. The powder ignited the cotton, and this in turn set fire to the leaves with which the fort was thatched. The Spaniards were so busy in beating back their assailants that they did not discover the fire until too late to stop it. The flames spread to a barrel of powder, which blew a great hole in the side of the fort, and made an entrance for the buccaneers; meantime they took advantage of the confusion to open the palisade, and soon had the fort in their possession.
[CHAPTER V.]
FROM PANAMA TO GUAYAQUIL.—VASCO NUNEZ DE BALBOA.—HIS ADVENTURES AND DEATH.—SCENES IN GUAYAQUIL.—FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SOUTH AMERICAN EARTHQUAKES.
BAY OF PANAMA, FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN RAMPART.
Our friends spent another day in Panama, devoting part of the time to arrangements for their departure, and the rest to strolling around the city, and taking a short sail on the bay. They visited the island where the Pacific Mail Steamship Company has its coaling-station, and its wharves for receiving and discharging freight, and saw the docks where ships needing repairs can be accommodated. Fred made the following notes concerning the steamship connections from Panama: