Being conducted to it by
one of them, that had been taken prisoner, and won by great gifts; he
surprised it half an hour before day, by which occasion most of the
men escaped, but many of their women and children were slaughtered, or
taken: but the same morning by sun rising (after that their guide was
slain, in following another man's wife, and that the Cimaroons had
assembled themselves in their strength) they behaved themselves in such
sort, and drove the Spaniards to such extremity, that what with the
disadvantage of the woods (having lost their guide and thereby their
way), what with famine and want, there escaped not past thirty of them,
to return answer to those which sent them.
Their king [chief] dwelt in a city within sixteen leagues southeast of
Panama; which is able to make 1,700 fighting men.
They all intreated our Captain very earnestly, to make his abode with
them some two or three days; promising that by that time, they would
double his strength if he thought good. But he thanking them for their
offer, told them, that "He could stay no longer! It was more than time
to prosecute his purposed voyage. As for strength, he would wish no more
than he had, although he might have presently twenty times as much!"
Which they took as proceeding not only from kindness, but also from
magnanimity; and therefore, they marched forth, that afternoon, with
great good will.
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