We allow’d Liberty of Conscience on board our floating Commonwealth to our Prisoners, for there being a Priest in each Ship, they had the Great Cabbin for their Mass, whilst we us’d the Church of England Service over them on the Quarter-deck, so that the Papists here were the Low Churchmen.
July 13. This Morning our Vessels return’d from landing our Prisoners, and brought off 7 small Black Cattle, about 12 Hogs, 6 Goats, some Limes and Plaintains, which were very welcome to us; they met with little else of Value in the Village they were at, and the others being far up the River, they did not think it worth while to visit them. The Country where they landed was so poor, that our Men gave the Prisoners and Negroes, some Bays, Nails, &c. to purchase themselves Subsistance. The Inhabitants ashore had notice of our taking Guiaquil, and were jealous of our being at this Island, because they heard our Guns, when we fired in order to scale them after careening. This Place bears S.E. about 7 Leagues from the Body of Gorgona, is low Land and full of Mangrove Trees; but within the Country the Land is very high. The River is hard to be found without a Pilot, and has Shole Water for above 2 Leagues from Shore, There are some poor Gold Mines near it, but the Inhabitants agree that those of Barbacore are very rich, tho’ difficult to be attempted, as we were informed before.
July 16. Yesterday about Noon came aboard one Michael Kendall, a free Negro of Jamaica, who had been sold a Slave to the Village we plunder’d; but not being there when our People were ashore, he follow’d them privately in a small Canoe; and the Account he gave of himself was, that when the last War was declared at Jamaica, he embark’d under the Command of one Capt. Edward Roberts, who was join’d in Commission from the Governour of Jamaica with Capts. Rash, Golding and Pilkington; they had 106 Men, and design’d to attempt the Mines of Jaco at the Bottom of the Gulph of Darien: There were more Commanders and Men came out with them, but did not join in this Design. They had been about 5 Months out, when they got near the Mines undiscover’d; they sail’d 15 Days up the River in Canoes, and travel’d 10 Days by Land afterwards. By this time the Spaniards and Indians being alarm’d, laid Ambushes in the Woods, and shot many of them. The Enemy having assembled at least 500 Men, and the English being diminish’d to about 60, including the Wounded; the Spaniards sent them a Flag of Truce, and offer’d them their Lives after a small Skirmish, wherein the English lost 4, and the Enemy about 12 Men. The English being in want of Provisions, quite tir’d out, and not knowing their Way back, agreed to deliver their Arms, on condition to be us’d as Prisoners of War. Having thus yielded, the Spaniards and Indians carried them in Canoes 3 Days up the River, that leads to the same Mines they design’d to attempt, treated them very well, and gave them the same Food that they eat themselves; but the 4th Day, when they came to a Town beyond the Mines, and thought all Danger had been past, an Order came from the chief Spanish Officer to cut them all off, which the Indians and Spanish Troops did, as those poor disarm’d Wretches sat at Victuals; so that in this barbarous manner they were all massacred in a few Minutes, except a Scots, a French, and an English Boy, with 12 free Negroes, which at the Intercession of a Priest they kept for Slaves. This Man being one of ’em, happen’d to be sold, first to the Mines, where he says he clear’d at least 3 Pieces of Eight a day for his Master, and from thence he was sold to this Place. By this we may see what a mighty Advantage the Spaniards make of their Slaves to imploy at these Mines, which are accounted the richest in New Spain. The rest of the free Negroes being farther up the Country, could have no Opportunity to escape. This is enough to shew what merciless and cowardly Enemies we have to deal with in these Parts of the World. I have heard of many such Cruelties in the Spanish Parts of America, to the eternal Scandal of those who encourage or connive at them.
July 17. About 10 this Morning, the two Morells, Mr. Navarre, and his Son in law, our old Prisoners came in a large Canoe, with some Money to ransom what they could of us: We told them of the Barbarity of their Countrymen, and of the different Treatment they met with from us; and that we had reason to apprehend, that if we became Prisoners here, that few of us would ever return to our native Country.
In Gorgona Road.
July 18. A Negro belonging to the Dutchess was bit by a small brown speckl’d Snake, and died within 12 Hours, notwithstanding the Doctor us’d his utmost Endeavours to save him. There’s abundance of Snakes on this Island, and the Spaniards say some are as thick as the Middle of a Man’s Thigh. I saw one as big as my Leg, and above 3 Yards long; their Bite proves generally mortal. Yesterday in the Afternoon we had a Consultation, and agreed that the small Bark we took belonging to the Main right against this Island, should be given the Lieutenant’s Brother that we plunder’d, and who came over with our Bark; for being a Man in some Authority ashore, we hope this Favour will have some Influence on ’em to trade with us whilst we are here. This Morning Mr. Morell and Navarre went a second time in our Bark for Money. One of the same sort of Snakes that kill’d the Negro was found on our Forecastle this Morning, and kill’d by our Men; we suppose it came aboard on the Cable, they being often seen in the Water.
July 19. We continued discharging the Galleon, and lading the Marquiss, and put a Part aboard of us and the Dutchess. We found in the Marquiss near 500 Bales of Pope’s Bulls, 16 Reams in a Bale. This took up abundance of Room in the Ship; we throw’d most of them overboard to make room for better Goods, except what we used to burn the Pitch of our Ships Bottoms when we careen’d ’em. These Bulls are imposed upon the People, and sold here by the Clergy from 3 Ryals to 50 Pieces of Eight a-piece, according to the Ability of the Purchaser. Once in two Years they are rated, and all the People obliged to buy them against Lent; they cannot be read, the Print looking worse than any of our old Ballads, yet the Vulgar are made believe it’s a mortal Sin to eat Flesh in Lent, without being licensed by one of these Bulls, the Negro Slaves not being exempted. This is one of the greatest Branches of Income the King of Spain has in this Country, being a free Gift from the Pope to him, as the Spaniards and Natives told us. We should have made something of them, if we had taken the Bishop before mentioned; but now they are of no use to us.
July 20. At Noon Navarre return’d with a little more Money, some Limes, Fowls, &c. He told us he had left Mr. Morell to get more, and that he would be soon with us.
July 21. We sent aboard the Marquiss 2 of our Main Deck Guns, and the Dutchess did the like, which with 4 we took at Guiaquil, and 12 taken in the same Ship, make 20 good ones. The Carriages are all new, or very much repair’d, and as good and strong as if mounted in England. Another Canoe came with Limes, Guavas, and other Fruit, and brought a little Money to trade with us. The Main here is a poor Country, and I believe we might have pick’d up a good Quantity of Money any where else on this Coast, notwithstanding their severe Orders against trading with us.
July 22. Two of our Negroes, and three of the Dutchess’s ran into the Woods to hide themselves, and go to the Spaniards after we are gone: We caught one of ’em to day, and punish’d him severely.