Which the Cimaroons perceiving, although by terror of the shot
continuing, they were for the time stept aside; yet as soon as they
discerned by hearing that we marched onward, they all rushed forward
one after another, traversing the way, with their arrows ready in their
bows, and their manner of country dance or leap, very singing _Yo peho!
Yo peho_ and so got before us, where they continued their leap and song,
after the manner of their own country wars, till they and we overtook
some of the enemy, who near the town's end, had conveyed themselves
within the woods, to have taken their stand at us, as before.
But our Cimaroons now thoroughly encouraged, when they saw our
resolution, brake in through the thickets, on both sides of them,
forcing them to fly, Friars and all! although divers of our men were
wounded, and one Cimaroon especially was run through with one of their
pikes, whose courage and mind served him so well notwithstanding, that
he revenged his own death ere he died, by killing him that had given him
that deadly wound.
We, with all speed, following this chase, entered the town of Venta
Cruz, being of about forty or fifty houses, which had both a Governor
and other officers and some fair houses, with many storehouses large and
strong for the wares, which brought thither from Nombre de Dios, by the
river of Chagres, so to be transported by mules to Panama: beside the
Monastery, where we found above a thousand bulls and pardons, newly sent
from Rome.
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