And then bore to Rio Francisco, where both Captains landed (31st March)
with such force as aforesaid, and charged them that had the charge of
the pinnaces to be there the fourth day next following without any fail.
And thus knowing that the carriages [mule loads] went now daily from
Panama to Nombre de Dios; we proceeded in covert through the woods,
towards the highway that leadeth between them.
It is five leagues accounted by sea, between Rio Francisco and Nombre
de Dios; but that way which we march by land, we found it above seven
leagues. We marched as in our former journey to Panama, both for order
and silence; to the great wonder of the French Captain and company, who
protested they knew not by any means how to recover the pinnaces, if
the Cimaroons (to whom what our Captain commanded was a law; though they
little regarded the French, as having no trust in them) should leave us:
our Captain assured him, "There was no cause of doubt of them, of whom
he had had such former trial."
When we were come within an English mile of the way, we stayed all
night, refreshing ourselves, in great stillness, in a most convenient
place: where we heard the carpenters, being many in number, working upon
their ships, as they usually do by reason of the great heat of the
day in Nombre de Dios; and might hear the mules coming from Panama, by
reason of the advantage of the ground.
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