i
THE LIBRARY
OF
BROWN UNIVERSITY
(5eorge X. Xittlefielt)
BEQUEST
DEFENCE
O F T H E
^tots Settlement
At DA RI EN.
WITH
An Answer to the Sfanijh
MEMORIAL againftic.
AND
Arguments to prove that it is the
lncei^;ft of England to join with the
ScotSy and proted it.
To which is added,
A Description of the
Country, and a particular Aceount of
the Scots Colony.
<9^^ EDINSVRG H,-^^t^v1
Printed in th§ Year M» DC* XC. IX.
errata;
)Ag»yf* 1. 21. inftead of Orbay read Vraba*^ p. 83. 1. 1. the
like. P. 85. inflead of Pmarjony read Psnnkook:
n^y^f -^^ by
the affiftance of the Darien Indians^ is confirm'd
by Mr. Damper in his Introdudion to his New
Voyage round the World. And the Bp oiChiaps,
a Prelate of their own, in his Relation of the .
Spanifh Vojages and Cruelties in the Weft-Indies,
f. 2 17. owns *' that the Spaniards had no Title
•' to the Americans^ as their Subjeft?, by right
'^ of Inheritance, Purchale, or Conqueft.
We have likewife a large Account, and a
full Confirmation of ths. War and perpetual
Enmity betwixt the Dariens Sind Spaniards in
the Hiftory of the Buccaneers oi America^ VoL
2> Part^* wrote by Bafil Ri^jgrofe^ who was
one of their Company. There he informs us
that the Indians of Darien^ and the Spaniards^
are commonly at War with ona.another; and
that the Buccaneers were invited . into that
Country, and join'd by the Darien Princes,
C^i'^it. Andreas^ C^pt. Antonio^ and the King of
Darien, who aflifted them in the taking of
^anffa Maria^ and their attempt upon Panama ^
and che King whole Daughter the Spaniards had
ftole away, prom^ifed to join the Buccaneers
with 50000 Men, This is the more remark-
able, becaufe thofe very Princes or their Suc-
ceffors are now in League with the ScotSy
and have joyfully received them into their
Coun-
6 A Defence of the Scots
Country. So that it is the ftrangeft Impofition
that can be put upon any Nation,^^nd one of
the moft audacious affronts that ever was put
upon fc» Great a Prince as K. WillUm^ for the
Spaniards to pretend a Right to Darieny and ac-
cufe him of a Breach of the Peace, becaufe a
Colony of his Subjeds have fettled themtelves
there ; when it is fo well known to the World
that the Crown of Spain has no manner of
Title to that Province.
Then as to any claim by virtue of Poffeflion,
the SpAniards have not the leaft ground of Plea :
All they can alledg on this Head is,that they were
once admitted by the confcnt of Capr. DiegOj
another of the D^r/V;? Princes, to work on fome
Golden Mines within 15 Leagues, or therea-
bouts, of the Scots Settlement. But it is plaia
that this makes nothing for their purpofe.
That Prince admitted them only as Labourers,
but not as Proprietors ; and when they broke
the Conditions on which they were admitted,
*i//jc. to allow the Dariens fuch and fuch Shares
of the Produft, they were expeU'd again by
force ; and ever fince that time the Dariens
refufe to have any further dealings with the
Spaniards J who made themfelves odious to them
by their Treachery and Infolence : So that
yiv. Wafer id\s us />^^. 135. they allow a di-
ftinguifhing Mark of Honour to him who
has kiird a Spaniard: and pag. 179. thzi La-
tenta^ one of the chief of the Darien Princes,
did in his converfe with him, exprels his Senfe
and
Settlement in Darien. 7
and ^efentment of the havock made by the
Spaniards in the Weft of America^ at their firft
coming thither.
It remains then that th^ Spaniards can lay
no other claim to Darien but what they plead
from the Papers general Grant of America, its
being bounded by their Dominions^ and the Trea-
ties with England, which fhall be confider'd in
their order.
To urge the Pope's Grant amongftProteftants
is ridiculous, and amongft PapKts themfelves
but precarious : but admitting it were fuiRcient
to juftify their Title, it is eafy to prove that
thQ Spaniards have forfeited all the Right that
they can claim by virtue of that Grant.
The Church of Rome will not publickly own
her power to grant a Right of Conqueii, but
in order to propagate the Faith, and not that
neither, except the Infidel Prince or People be
guilty of a Breach of Treaty. So that the
Pope's Grant with thofe Rellriftions is lb far
from eftablifliing the Title of the Spaniards^
that it plainly overthrows it.
That the Indians were committed to the Spa-
niards by Pope Alexander VI. on condition that
they fhould teach them the Chrifiian Reli-
gion, is provM by Don Bartholomew de lasCafas
Bifhop of Chiapay in his Account of the fir ft Voj-
,
who was accufed of Piracv, for that lame Ex-
pedition, and fucceeded Sawkins in his Com-
mand, was acquitted in England, becaufe he
had that Prince's Commiflion.
Having fully provM that the Spaniards have
no Title 10 Darien^ it remains to be prov'd that
the Scots have as good and jull a Title to their
Settlement th^e, as any People in the World
can have , which may eafily be dcmonftrated
thus :
Thev
14 yi Defence of the Scots
They were authorized by an A£l of Parlia-
ment, and the King's Letters Patent, to plant
Colomesin Afia, Africa, or Amtnc^^upon Pla-
ces not inhabit edy or any othtr Place, by confent
of the Natives^ not pojfeji by any European
Prince or State. Being provided wich this
Authority, than which there cannot be a
Greater, or one more duly and honeftly limit-
ed, they equipped their Siiips, and landed on
the North fide of the IJlhmus of Darien in No-
-
cially with Don Pedro and Corbet^ in order to a
Settlement, make ic evident enough that it is
the Intereft of Spain the Scots fhould rather
have it than the French^ who have already been
tampering with th^Spaniards as well as with
the Indians^ and doubt not to have a large (hare
of America whenever the King of Spain dies.
But admitting that the Spaniards lliould fo far
miftake their Intereft, as to accept of the Prof-
fers of the french to expel the Scots, it is not im-
poffible for the latter to find ether Allies than the
£»^///Jtoaffift them witha naval Force to main-
tain their Poifeffion. E2 The
I S A Defence of the Scots
The Djitcb are known to be a People thac
leldoQi or never miftake their Intereft : They
^TQ fenfihle how ufeful the Alliance of Scotland
inay be to them, both in regard of their Liber-
ty to Hfh in our Seas without conrroul, and of
being a Curb upon England, in cafe the old
fioman Maxim of delenda eft Carthago, fhould
eome any more to be applied by the En^hjh ro
that Republick, asin the Reign oiK, Charles U.
They are likewife fenfible of the advantage it
V. ould be to their Trade to be Partners with the
Scots ar Parkn ; and how effectual it may be
to difable th^ French to puifue their Claim to
Spain, and by confequence to revive the old
Title of that Crown upon their own (even, as
well as to fwallow up the other ten Provinces,
Thefe things, together with a long continu'd
Amity and Trade betwixt Scotland dnd Holland,
and their Union in Religion and Ecclefiaftical
Difcipline^ are fufficient to evince that the
Pitch would become our Partners in America
with little Courtfbip. That they are able
toaflift us in that cafe with a Naval Force fuf-
ficSent, is beyond contradiftion ; and that they
Would foon be convinc'd it is their Intereft to
do it, to prevent that monflrous Increafe of the
Fn-z/f^ Monarchy, is obvious enough from th^
part they aQed in the late War*
Butadmiiting that none of thofe Confidera-
tlons fliould prevail with the Dutch, and that
they ftouUlikewile abandon us ; it is not im^
pcffiblefcrus to obtain an Alliance and Naval
^ Fore©,
Settlement in Daricn.' ip
Force from the Northern Crowns : It's well
enough known that thoft Kingdoms abound
with Men and Shipping, and that they would
be glad with all their hearts to make an Ex-
change of thefe for the Gold and Silver of J-
nierica, which they might eafily carry from
Town to Town, and from Market to Market,
without the trouble of a Wheel-barrow, as
they are now obliged to do with their Copper.
From all which it is evident enough that it is
not impoffib'e for the Scots to maintain tl em-
felves in Darien without the Affiiiance of £;?^-
Und.
The next thing to be difcours'd of is, what
the confequences may probably be, if the
JE^gl/Jb fhould oppofe us in this Settlement.
We could heartily wifh there had never been
any ground for this fuggeftion, and that the
Oppofition we have met with from EngUncL
had been lefs National than that which we had
from both their Houfes of Parliament, after the
pafling an Aft for an African Company, &c. in
ours : and it were to be wilh^d that fo many
of the Engltfb had not given us fuch proofs of
an alienated mind and averfion to our Welfare,
as they have done fince by their Refident at
fiamhorough, and their late Proclamations in
their Weft /W/4 Plantations: and we could have
wifh'd above all that his Majefty of England
had not in the leart concurred, orgiv'n his Coun-
tenance to that Oppofition ; for as King oi Scots
it is plain he could not do it : he hath con-
firmM
^ o A Defence of the Scots
firm'd what we have done by the Touch of his
Scepter, which no private Order or Inftruftions
can revoke. And we could wifh that his Eng-
Ii(h Counfellors, who put him upon thofe things,
\voald remember that Strafford and Lmd loft
their heads for giving K, Charles I. that fatal
Advice of opprefling and oppofing the Scots.
We did verily think that the fuftlring of our
Crown ro be united with that oi Er^gUndm
the Perfbn of i^^JJames their Fir ft, and our Sixth ;
our kafombh coming to the refcue of their
expiring Liberties in the Reign of K. Charles I.
pur being fo inftrumental to refcue them from
Anarchy and Confufion, by the Reftoration of
K. Charles IL and above all, our generous and
frank Concurrence with them in the late happy
Revolution, and Advancement oiKWillUm IIL
We did verily think that all thefe thing'^ deferv'd
a better Treatment ; and to evince that they
did, we fhall beg leave to infift a littb upon the
firft and laft.
''■■ The Englifh have no caufe to think that we
vi^ere ignorant of the Reafon why their politick
Henry Nil. ciiofe rather to match his eldeft
Daughter with the King of ScotSy than w'ith
the King of f ranee, becaufe he forefaw that if
the Kin;::^ of Scots fliould by that means come
to the Crown of England^ he would remove
the Sear of bis Government thither, which
would add ro the Grandeur and Riches of Er^g-
land: \Vhereas if the King oi France did by
that me?.n5 fall Heir to the E^glifi Crov/n, he
would
Settk?7ient in Davien. ^t
would certainly drarw the Court of England to
Paris, This the Scots were fb far from being
ignorant of, that many of the Nobility and
Gentry did exprefs their diflike of the Union
of the Crowns, as well knowing that it would
reduce our Kingdom into a Subjedion and De-
pendance upon Englan^^ and drain us of what
Subftance we had ', and therefore fome of them
exprefs'd themfelves on that occafion, that
Scotland was never conquered till then : yet fuch
was our Zeal for the common V/elfare of the
Iflandjthe Interefl: of theProteftant Religion,and
of £^r(9/?^ in general, v/nich were then alraoft
in as much danger by Spai^y as they have been
fince by France^ that we quietly and freely
parted with our King, anc^fuffer'd bim to ac-
cept the Engliih Crown, rather than that Nari-*
on fhould be involved in War and Confufion,
and the Proteftant Religion indangec'd by ano-
ther Succeflbr, as it muft neceffarily have bin,
had the Infanta of SfaWj whofe Title was then
promoted by the Popifh Intsreft, fucceeded.
And all the reward we had for this Condefcen-
fion and Kindnefs, was a contemptuous and dif-
dainful refufal, on the part of EngUnA^ of an
Union of the Nations when propofed, tho the
fame would vifibly have tended to the benefit of
the whole Idand, the general advantage of Ew
rofe^ and the fecurity and increafe of the Prote-
ftant Interefl:. And our King was fo little thank-
ful on his'part, that tho he promised fblemnly
in the Great Church oi Edinburgh before his de-
parture^
5 1 A Defence of the Scots
parture, that he would vifit his Antient King-
dom once in three years, he never faw it after
hut once, and that not till 14 years after. And
by the influence of that fame Faftion in Eng-
Undy who are ftill our enemies, he made Inno-
vations both in Church and State, contrary to
the Laws of the Land, and his own fblemn
Oath ; which laid the foundation of all thofe
Difarters that ended in the fatal exit of his Son,
and the fubverfion of the Government of both
Nations. Thefe were the firft Advantages we
had by the Union of the Crowns.
His Son King Charles L had fcarce afcend-
ed the Throne, when we had new Proofs of the
Difadvantages we laboured under by that Uni-
on ; for he by the Advice of {bme Enemies to
our Nation, did in an imperious and arbitrary
manner fend for our Crown, tho the only Mo-
nument almoft left us of our Independency and
Freedom ; but was generoufly anfwer'd by him
that had it in keeping, That if he would come
and beCrown'd in Scotland^ he fhould have all
the Honour done him that ever was to his An-
ceftors ; but if he did not think it worth his
while, they might perhaps be inclined to make
choice of another Soveraign, or to that effeft ;
as recorded in the Continuation of Sir Richard
Baker^s Hiftory. Another Di/advancage we
had by that Union of the Crown, was this.
That that unfortunate Prince being infpir'd
with an averfion to the Conftitution of our
Country, by his Education in the Court of £;3f^-
Ia;fdf
Settlement in Darfen? 5 ^
landy he made an unnatural War upon us to
bring us to a Conformity with England in
Church-Matters. We fhall not here offer to
debate which of the Churches was beft confti-
tuted, or moft agreable to the Scripture- Pat-
tern : It fuffices for our Argument, that we
were injured in having a foreign Model offered
to be obtruded upon us, which was the Con-
sequence of the Union of the Crowns, and of
having our King educated in another Nation ;
but that was not all, another mifchievous effeflh
of the Union was this, that whatever King
Charles bad deferv'd at our hands, yet out of
natural Affeftion, Confcience and Honour, we
were obhg'd to do what we could to prevent
his illegal Trial and Death, and to defend his
Son's Title, which threw us into Convulfions
at home, occafion'd us the lofs of feveral
Armies, and expos'd our Nation afterwards
to ruin and devaftation by our implacable
Enemy the Ufurper, which together with
the ungrateful Retributions made us by the
Government after the Reftoration , were
enough to have w-earied any Nation under
Heav'n, but our felves, of the Union of the
Crowns.
Yet fuch was our Zeal for the Proteftant In-
reft, the Welfare of .the Ifland, and the Liber-
ty of Europe^ that tho we had a fair oppor-
tunity of providing otherwife for our fecurity
and the Advancement of our Trade, and of
forming our felves into aComraonwealcb, or
F of
^4 ^ Defence of the Scots
of bringing England, to our own terms, yet we
frankly and generoufly concurrM with them
to fettle our Government on the fame Per-
fons, and in the fame manner as they did
theirs, and all the Reward we had from them
is, that an Union of the Nations, tho twice
proposed by his Majefty in Parliament, hath
been contemptoufly rejected, our King quefti-
oned by a Parliament of England for an Ad: of
his Parliament in Scotland, which is a mani-
feft Impeachment of our Soveraingty ; a Com-
pliance with which excluded Baliel and his
Heirs for ever from our Crown ; and to this
they have added an oppofition to our receiving
foreign Subfcriptions at Hamburgh and elfe-
where, refused us a Supply of Corn for our
Mony, to relieve us in our Diftrefs ; and dit
couragM cur Settlement at Darien, by forbid-
ding their Subjects to trade with us there. If
thele continued Slights and Injuries be not
enough to make us weary of the Union of the
Crowns, let any Man judg.
To difcover a little of the unreafonablenefs
of this fort of Treatment, we dare appeal to
the calm thoughts of fuch of our Neighbours in
England^ as prefer the Intereft of the Publick
to private Animofities, and foolifh ill-ground-
ed Piques, either as to Church or State ; whe-
ther at the time of the Revolution, and before
we declarM our fel ves, they would not have been
willing tohavealTur'd themfelvesof our Friend-
fl^ip, at the rateof uniting with us as one Nati-
on?
Settlement in Darien. 5 j
on ? Had we but demurred upon forfeiting the
late K. Jamesy or made btit a Proffer of renew-
ing our antient League with France, and joining
with that Crown to keep that Prince upon
the Throne oi Great Britain \ they know we
might have made what Terms wepleas'd with
the late King and Louis XIV. on that conditi-
on, and might have been reftor'd to all the Ho-
nours and Privileges that our Anceftors enjoy'd
in Framey which were almoft equal to thole
of the Natives ; and yet that gah'ant Nation
thought it no difparagement to them, howe-
ver we be defpis'd and undervalued now by a
certain Party in England.
Had we but feem'd to have made fuch Over=
tures, the Englijh muft needs have forefeen that
the natural Conlequences of (uch a Defign, if
it had taken efleft, muft have been thefe, viz,
the late King's Adherents in England would cer-
tainly have join'd us, and our Nation would
have afforded them a fafe retreat, in cafe of any
Difafter, till they could have concerted Matters
to the belt advantage ; the late King would not
have yielded himfelf fuch an eafy Conqueft,
nor disbanded his Army in fuch a manner as he
did ', Ireland had certainly never revolted, fince
every one knows that the Revolution was be-
gun, and in a great meafure perfefled there
by the Scots of the North ; fo that England
muft have become the Theatre of War, bin
liable to an Invafion from France on'all occa-
fions, would only have ftrengthened her Fec-
F 2 ters
^^6 A Defence of the Scots
tersby ftruggling with them, and exposM all
the Patriots of her Religion and Liberty to But-
chery and Deftruftion.
Thefe muft certainly have been the Confe-
quences of our adhering to the late King, and
the English would have thought they had had a
very good Bargain if they could have bought
us off in that cafe^di uniting both the King-
doms intoone,^ and granting us a joint Trade to
their own Plantations ; wheras now they will
not allow us to fettle a foreign Colony of our
own, and treat us as Foreigners in theirs.
To fhew that this is not a mere Conjefture,
that has no other ground but a Vifion of the
Brain, they may be pleasM to confider the ho-
norable Privileges granted us by their Anceftors^
and fome of the greatefl: Princes that ever fway-
ed their Scepter, viz. KmgEdtvard 2iX\dlVilHam
the Conqueror, who by the Confent of the
States in Parliament alTembled, enaded, That
the Scots Jhould he accounted Denizons of En^;-
land, and enjoy the fame Privileges with them-
f elves ^becatife of their frequent Intermarriages with
the Englifb, and that they did everjland (loutly as
one Man with them for the common Vtility of the
Crown and Kjngdom^ againjl the Danes and Nor-
wegians, fought it mofi valiantly and unanl-
tnoujly againjl the common Enemy^ and bore the
burden of mo (I fierce Wars in the Kingdom. This
they will find in a Book calld, Archaionomia, tranf-
lated from the Saxon by William Lambard, and
printed at London bj John Day /;; 1 568.
It
Setdetnent in Darien^ 57
Ic muft be granted, that the Reafons of fwch
a grateful Retribution are redoubled now: In-
termarriages betwixt the two Nations are more
frequent than ever ; the Union of the King-
doms under one Crown for almofi: ico years;
the generous Concurrence of the Scots in the
laft Revolution ; their lofs of fomany gallant
Officers and brave Soldiers in the common
Caufe during the late War, and the preferva-
tion of Ireland^ which hath been twice owing
to our Countrymen, might reafonably entitle
us to the fame Privileges now, that ourAnce-
ftors were formerly allow'd by King Edward,
and William the Conqueror. We need not in-
fifl: on another fort of Obligation, that we have
put upon England twice within this 60 years,
viz. the delivering them from their Oppreffions
in the time of K. Charles I. the Anarchy of the
Rump, and feveral Models of Armys and Jun-
tos, By encouraging General ik/i?«i's Undertak-
ing; for it cannot be denied that we had the
Ballance of Europe in our hands at thetime of the
laft Rev^olution, and that we turn'd the Scale to
the advantage of England in particular and of
Europe in general, which muft be allowed to be
as great a Service, as that which was (b thankful-
ly rewarded by Edward^ and William the Con-
queror ; whence it is evident that thofe Englifh^
wen^ who at prefent oppofe our Settlement ia
America^ don't inherit the gratitude of their
Anceftors, when they not only will not allow
us to trade in conjundion with them, but with-
ftand
'38 A Defence of the Scots
(land our doing any thing that may advance a
Trade by our felves.
If they objeQ: that what we did in all thofe
cafes was no more than onr duty, and what we
ow'd to our own Pref^rvation as well as to
theiis: iciseafyto reply, that admitting it to
be fb, yet by the Laws of God and Men People
are incourag'd to perform their Duties by Re-
wards ; and their Anceftors were fo fenfible of
this, that tho they knew we were equally con-
cern'd to defend the Ifland againft foreign In-
vaders as well as they, yet they thought them-
felves oblig'd in Policy as well as Gratitude, to
reward us ; which they not only did by that Ho-
norary Prewtum of allowing us to beDenifons.of
f^ngland^ as above-mention'd, but fometimes
gave to us, and at other times confirmM to us the
three Northern Counties of NonhumberUnd^
WefimorUnd, and Cumber Imd^ to be held in Fee
of the Crown of England,
It is iikewife very well known with how
much Honour the Parliament of England treated
us, when they courted our Afliftance againft
K. Charles I. and what large Promifes that
Prince made us, if we would have but flood
Neuter ^ which tho w^e had reafon to think ma-
ny of thofe that oppofed him had no great kind-
nefs neither for our Civil nor Ecclefiaftical
Conftitution, yet the fenfe that we had of the
common Danger that our Religion and Liber-
ties were in at that time, made us proof a-
gainft all thofe Tentations; (o that after all
Endea-
Settlement in Darien.^ ^p
Endeavours for a Reconciliation betwixt the
King and the Parliament of England proved un-
fuccefsful, we fent in an Army, which caft the
Ballance on the fide of the latter ; who before
that time were reducM low enough by the
King's Army, as is very well known to fuch as
are acquainted with the Hiftory of thofe times,
and is ownM by my Lord Mollis in his Memoirs
lately publifii'd.
But to return to the laft Revolution : Tho we
mufl: own that we owe our Deliverance to his
prefent Majefty, and were obligM in Confci-
ence and Honour to concur with him ; yet
who could have blam'd us to have flood upon
Terms before we had fallen in with England ?
efpecially confidering how ungratefully (nay
villanoufly) we were treated by Cromwel and
his Party, after we had fav'd them and the
Parliament of England from the Scorpions that
the Cavaliers had prepared to chaftife them
with ; as is own'd by the faid Lord Hollis.
Nor could we have been any way culpable, if
we had flood upon higher and furer Terms-
with his Majefty, confidering how unthankfully
we were abus'd and enflav'd by our late Kings,
for whum we had afted and fufFered fo much.
And tho we muft own that no lefs PrefeiU than
that of our Crown was fufficient to teftify our
Gratitude for what the Prince of Orange bad
done for us, yet we were under no necefiity of
gratifying him in that manner, fince our Deliver-
ance w^as effe^ed before hand, and tlxat he him-
felf
4 o A Defence of the Scots
felf in his Declaration exprefs'd it to be no part
of his defign to come for the Crown ; fo that
our Reward was as Irank and generous as his
Service.
Then as to Erigland^ we were under no man-
ner of obligation to continue the Union with
them : We might have infifted upon having
our King obliged to refide as much amongft us
as amongft them : that we fhould be governed
without any confideration or refpefl: to their
Intereft, any further than it fell in with our
own. We might have infifted upon an Acl ^
that we fhould notbeobiig' to attend his Ma-
jefty at any time at the Court of England^ a-
bout our Affairs; but that he fhould either at-
tend upon our Adminiftration in perfon fro re
nata^ as he does now upon the Affairs of Hoi-
knd^ or lay down Methods to have his Pleafure
fignified to us at home in fuch cafes as it was
required ; which would fave a vaft deal of Mo-
ney annually to the Kingdom of Scotland.
Then as to the Succeffion, w^e were under
no neceffity of fettling it in the fame man-
ner as they did in England : for fince they had
made a Breach in the Line, they could not hand-
fomly have biam'd us to have made an improve-
ment of it,and either to have limited the Reverfi-
on after his prefent Majefty's Death, or other wife
as we (liould have thought beft, for the fecurity
of our Civil and Religious Liberties; or we might
have fettled it upon the Prince of Orange and
his Iffue by any other Wife, there being caufe
enough
Setdetnent in Darien. 41
enough then to conceive that he was never like
to have any by his late excellent Princefs. Had
we taken any of thefe Methods, it muft be
own'd that E;;^/^;?^ would have been con fider-
ably weakned, and leffenM in the Elieem of the
World by it , that we fhould have thereby had
an opportunity of making fuGli foreign Allian-
ces With Fraftce, as formerly, or wich any o-
ther Nation, as would have made England un*
eafy, and perhaps unfafe on occafion 5 and
therefore it muft be reckoned highly impolitick,
as well as ungrateful, in our Neighbours to treat
us continually at fuch a rate, as if they had a
mind to bring us under fubjeflion, (ince v/e
have (b many open Doors to get out at.
They muft not think that we have fo far de-
generated from the Courage and Honour of our
Ancettors, as tamely to fubmic to become their
Vaflals, when for 2000 years we have main-
tained our Freedom ; and therefore it is noc
their Intereft to cpprefs us too much. If they
confult their Hiftories, they will rind that we
always broke their Yoke at long-run, if at any
time we were brought Under it by Force or
Fraud. The beft way to allure themfelves of
us is to treat us in a friendly manner : Tho w-a
be not fb great and powerful as they, it is noc
impoflible for us to tind fuch Allies as may en-
able us to defend our feives now as w^ell as for-
merly.
None of thefe things are fuggefted with an
illdefign to raife Animofity betwixt the Na-
G tionsi
4% ^ Defence of the Scots
tiorjj, or to perfwade to a Separation of the
Ciou^ns, but merely to fliew thofe of our
Neighbours, who ufe us fo unkindly^ that they
are bound in Gratitude, Duty and Intereft to
do otherwife, and particularly to fupport us in
our American Settlement, and not to lay bur
King under a necedity by their frovvard Hu-
mours in Parliament or otherwife, todifcou-
rage us in that Undertaking, as they have hi-
therto done, and continue ftill to do in their
American Colonies, by their Proclamations a-
gainft having any Commerce or Trade with
the Scots at Darien ; tho they be fettkd there
according to the Terms of hisown Patent, and
an Acl of Parliament in Scotland,
We are notinfenHble that the prefent Jun-
£lure of Affairs obliges the Kingdom of fi;;^/^^
to carry fair ^^ithSpain^ and may admit that
in part as an Apology for feme of that Oppo-
fition we have met with from them ; but the
queflioning our Aft of Parliament at firft, and
their hindering pur Subfcriptions 2ii Hamburgh
afterward, before ever they knew what our de-
fign was, make that Excufe of little weight :
but allowing it all the force they w'ould have it
to bear, it may be worth their while to con-
fider whether it be more their Intereft to incou-
ragt the Spaniards in an unjuft Oppofition to
our American Settlement, or to fupport the
Scots in maintaining their Right. It is certain
th2Xi\it Spaniards are in no conditi )n to break
with England'^ or if they fbould, it's in the
power
ScltUmmt in Darieti, 4]
power of the Engli(h to reduce them fpeedily to
reafon : whereas if the Scots fhould mifcarry in
their Undertaking by theDircouragementsfroQi
ErjgUfjd before-mencioned, which expofes our
Ships to be taken and treated as Pirates by any
Nation that pleafes, the infallible confequence
of it will be, that the Ruin and utter Impove-
rifhment o^ScotUnd^ which mult neceffarily fol-
low fuch a Mifcarriage, will immediatly affeci
England both in her Trade and Strength : The
City of Londo?t and the Northern Road v/iU
foon feel the effcfls of it, when the Money
fpent by our Gentry and Merchants continually
for Cloaths, Provifions, and Goods, ceafes to
circulate there: England mull; unavoidably
become an eailer Prey to any foreign Ene-
my ; finceit will not be only theLofsof aTribe,
but of an entire Sifter-Nation. Or fuppofing
that Scotland fhould be able to bear up under
the Lofs, it will lay the foundation of an irre-
concilable Feud, ai]d perhaps illue in a War be-
twixt the two Nations ; which did never yet
terminate at long-run to the advantage of
E^ngUnd, and is as unlikely to do fo now as ^e-
ver : for in fuch a cafe they would find us una-
nimous as one Man againft them 5 whereas we
are fure that all thoTe who wifh well to the
Proteftant Interefr, and their prefent Conftitu-
tion, would never join in any fuch War againft
us ; and therefore thofe who are Enemies to
the Peace of the Nations, being aware of this,
labour to effe£l their Defign by another Method,
G 2 and
44 ^ Defence of the Scots
and endeavour as nnuch as they\ can to dafh the
Government and us againfl one another. But
they are nniftaken in the People of Scotland :
we are fo fenfible of our Obligations to K. Wil-
liamj and know (b well what is due to our De-
liverer, thst it furpafles all their Art to create
in us the leafl: ill thought of him ; it is not in
the tennper of our Nation. The World knows
that however frequent and fuccefsful we have
been in reducing our bad Kings to reafon, yet
there never was any People under the Sun more
loyal and affeftionate to good Princes than we
have been ; and if, when we have been forcM
to oppofe our Monarchs, private perfbns have
fometimes carried their Refentments too high,
yet the publick Juftice of the Nation was al-
ways governed with Temper. We could mul-
tiply Inftances to prove this, but need go no
higher than the three laft Kings, who thoall
of them Enemies to our Conftitution, as ap-
peared by their Principles and Fraftices, yen it^s
very well known what we both did and fiiffer'd
for them, and particularly for K. Charles I. tho
the Malice of a Faftion in our neighbouring
Nation fix'd a fcandalous Reproach upon us, as
if we had fold him ; from which Refleftion
we are fuiEciently vindicated by the Lord HoHu^
Memoirs before-mentioned ; wherein that ex-
cellent Perfon makes it evident, that tho our
War againfl: that Prince was juft, yet we had
all pcflible refpeQ: for his Perlbn, made the beft
^Conditions we could for his Safcj;y and Honour,
ancj
Settlement in Darien. 45
and to avoid greater Mifchiefs, and the playing
of our Enemies game to the ruin of our felves
and his Ma jefty, we were neceflitated to leave
him in Er^gUnd. Memoirs p. 68.
Then hnce we carried it fo to a Prince that
had been no way kind to us, it will be impof-
fible to create a Breach betwixt us and a Prince,
to whom, under God, we owe all that we en-
joy as Men and Chriftians : But at the fame
time our Neighbours, who think to drive than
Nail as far as it will go, would do well to con-
fider that we never believ'd that DoQrine in
Scotland^ that it is unlawful to refift a King, or
any that have a Commiflrion under him, upon
any pretence whatloever : we left that Do-
flrine in Scyth'iA, from whence fome Authors
derive our Origin, and think it only fit to be
fent back to Turkey^ from whence it came.
We know very well how to diftinguifh betwixt
a lawful Power, and the abufe of it ; and our
Anceftors rightly underftood how to obey the
lawful Commands of their Princes, whenMa-
fters of themfelves, and how to govern by their
Authority, and in their Name, when they
were not ; tho they did not think themfelves
obliged to obey their perfi^nal Commands,
when the Fortune of War, or other Accidents
had put them into the hands of our Enemies.
Thus we refufed Obedience to K. "^ames I. v/he,n
detained Prifoner in England contrary to the
Law of Nations, and carried over into Iranccj
to command his SubjeCts there not to bear
Arms
4^ A Defence of the Scots
Arms againft the EnglifrJ Army, where he was
in Perfon. We told him we knew howtodi-
flinguifh betwixt the Commands'of a King and
thofe of a Captive: and that moft of the Kings
oi Scots have been fuch in relation to us (ipcethe
Union, we could heartily wifh were not too
demonflrable.
To return to the point of what may probably
be the Confequences if the Englifb fhould pro-
ceed to any further degree of oppofition ; or if
the Scots fliould mifcarry in the Defign. It*s
reafonable to believe that the E^gllfl? wili be fo
wile as to forbear Hoftiliries, the we are very
well fatisfied there is a Party in that Nation
who bear ours no good will ; but they being
fuch as are either difaffefted to the prefent Con-
ftitution, Grafted by a fordid Prmciple of pri-
vate Inrereft, it's to be hop'd they will never
he able fo far to leaven the found part of the
Engltjh Nation, as to occafion a Rupture be-
twixt them and us : yet we muft needs fay that
we look upon their way of treating us to be
a very unaccountable thing, and that it was no
fmall furprife to us, to find that an Englijh Par-
liament fhould look on our taking Subicriptions
in England in order to admit them Joint-Sharers
with our felvesjin the benefit of the Aft to encou-
rage our Trade, to be no lefs than a high Mif
demeanour. We have reafon likewife to com-
plain of their conftant praft ice of prefling our Sea-
men in time of War, as if they were their own
Subjefts, and that they fhould treat us in other
refpefts
■ • Settlement in Darien. 47
refpeSs as if we were Aliens ; and fbmetimes
confiicate Ships, by reckoning ^r^^i Mariners as
fuch : ib that the Erjgiijh have not only dcpriv'd
us of our Government and the warm Influen-
ces of our Court, the want of which is a confi-
derable addition to the natural coldnefs of our
Climate, but they likewife opprefs us on all
occafions, and do manifeflly endeavour to pre-
vent our Application to Trade. We know
there's a Party in that Nation, who think we
fulfain'd no great lofs by the removal of our
Princes; but we would wifh them toconfider
what a murmuring they themfelves make when
the King goes annually to the Netherlands (tho
the fafety of Europe requires it) becaufe of the
damp it puts upon Trade, and the Mony it
carries out of the Kingdom. Let them confi-
der then what our Nation has fuffer'd in that
refpeft now for almoft ico years, befides the
lerfening our efleem in the Eyes of the World,
lb that our Honour and Subftance are both fwal-
low'd up by the Kingdom oi England) and yet
they will neither admit us to the privileges of
Fellow-Subjefts with themfelves, nor fuffer us
to take fuch meafures as may inable us to ftand
on our own bottom. Certainly this is not the
way to eftablifh the Peace, nor to increafe the
Wealth of the Ifland.
We know that it w^as a Maxim in fbme of
the late Reigns, That it would never be well
till all that part of Scotland ot\ this fide Forth^
were red uc'd to a hunting Field ; but we were in
hopes
48 A 'Defence of the Scots
hopes the bicternefs of thofe days had been
paft : yet ic feems that Party have dill fb far
thealcendant amongft our Neighbours, as to
procure a publick oppofuion to all our Endea-
vours for raifing our Nation by Trade.
It u'ill upon due examination be found as bad
Policy as ic is Chriftianity, to urge, aslbme of
our Neighbours do, that it is the Intereft of
England to keep the Scots low, becaufe they are
an independent and free Nation, and were
our antient Enemies ; and therefore may be
dangerous Neighbours if they grow rich and
potent. Nothing but Rancour and inveterate
Malice can fuggelt fuch (bur thoughts as thefe.
It were fit that fort of Men fhould be purg'd
of their Choler. The Scots to obviate all dan-
gers from that Head,have, tho they be much the
antienter Nation, condefcended fb far as feveral
times to propofe a Union, which the Gentle-
men of that Kidney have hitherto prevented ;
and therefore we would wifh them to look back
into their Hiftories, and upon cafting up their
Accounts, make a true Eftimate of whatever
they gain'd by a War with Scotland, They
will find that their Anceliors, as well as the Ro-
mans^ have been fenfible, as Tacitus expreffes it,
Quos fibi Viros Caledonia fef of uer it \ and that as
it was true what our Hiftorian fays of the un-
jufl: and treacherous War made upon us by Ed-
ward I. that Scotorum Nomen pene delevit ; it was
alfo true what he fays on the other hand, that
Anglia^m vehement if conc^ffit : So that thofe Gen-
tlemen
Settlement in Darien. 49
tiemen take the direfl: way by cppofing and op-
prefTingustorun into thofe dangers they would
avoid ; for they may afTure themfelves that if
the Englijh Oppofinon to our Amtrk^in Settle-
meof fhould once break out into Holtilities, the
Sicots will find fome Allies, antientornew, that
will be glad of the opportunity to join with
them. Or if, which is moft probable, tho
highly ungrateful and impolitick, the Englijh
fhould fo far neglefl: th^Scots^ as to fuffer them
to be overpowered by the Frerjch, thev may
be fure that the Scots^ when put to their iaft
fhift, can always make an honourable Capitula-
tion with France: It's not to be doubted, but
that Crown would be very willing t > renew
their antient Alliance v^ ich us ; and befides al-
lowing us a Share at leaft in the Trade of Da-
rien, would on condition of giving them the
Poffeflionof A^ni?OW^;?//j, reftore us likewiie
to all our antient Privileges in Fra,nce. They
Vv^ould think it a very good purchafe if tl-ey
could fecure themfelves of that Colony by coo-
ing fo, granting us what (ecuricy we could rea-
Ibnabiy defire for the uninterrupted Injoymenc
of the Proreftant Religion, ?ind a Freedom of
Trade to all places of the World where it did
not aftually interfere with their own Settie-
ments and Colonies. So that if this fhould
be the cafe, we leave it to our Neighbours
to judg what would become of their Eaji
and Wefi India, Trade and Plantations, and of
their own Liberty, and whether they would
.be able ro ftand out againft France and us, now
H that
5 o A Defence of the Scots
that they have no footing on the Continent,
fince formerly, when they had fo many Provin-
ces of that Kingdom in their pofleffion, they
found it a hard matter to do it, and at lad: loft
every foot of their French Dominions : Where-
as had theybeen in Union v^ith us, they might
certainly have retained them, and by confe-
quence have prevented the great Calamities that
Eurofe hath fince groan'd under by the prodigi-
ous Incrcafe of the Fr^»Ci& Monarchy.
Tnis M/e think fufBcient to convince thofe
angry Genucmen in our neighbouring Nation,
that are fo very much difgufted u^ith ouv Ame-
rican Settlement, that it is the Intereft of En^-
Imd to join with us and fupport it, and that it
may be of dangerous confequence to them ei-
ther to oppofe or negleQ: us : Whereas by join-
ing cordially in this matter, they may unite us
inleparably tothemfelves for c-7er, inrich their
own Nation, fecureand advance the Proteftant
Jntereft, ktep the Ballance of Europe m their
hands, and prevent the returns of its danger,
their own expence of Blood and Treafure to
lave its being threatned with Slavery any more,
either by the Houfe of Bourbon or Aujlria.
Therefore we cannot believe after all, but our
wife and politick Neighbours will at laft fee it
their Intereft to proteft and incourage us in this
matter, that we may mutually ftrengthen and
fupport one another againft the French^ who
are loudeft in their Clamours againft our Settle-
ment, becaufe if incourag'd and improved it
■ . will
Settlement in Darien. 5 1
will defeat all their ambitious and Antichrifti-
an Defigns; and thereby we fhall al(b be in a
condition to aflift the Engli(h Plantations in the
Wefl Indies, who as we find by the proceedings
of the Earl of Bellomont and the AfTemblies of
New England and New Tork, are fufficiently
fenfible of their danger, from the incroaching
temper of the French^ which increafes every
day ; and it is evident that their new de-
(Ign'd Colony in Miffiffipi River looks with
a dangerous Afpefl: upon all the Englifh Planta*
tions in America,2inA may be more j^iiily efteem-
ed an Incroachment upon Spain^ as being in
the Bay of Mexico^ than our Plantation in Da,"
rien : which argues the treacherous Humour of
that Nation, to make fuch an Outcry againfl: the
Scots who have invaded no Mans Property,
when they themfelves are fo notorioufly guilty
of it ; and therefore it would feem to be the
Intereft of England rather to ftrengthen them-
felves by our Friendfhip, and to look after the
French^ than to provoke us to look out for other
Allies by their oppofition and negleft. •
We (liall conclude this matter with one or
two more Arguments to prove, That it is the
Intereft of England to join with us in this Af-
fair ; by which alfo it will appear that there is
nothing advanced in thefe Sheets out of any ill
Defign againft the Englijb Nation, or to per-
fwade to a difunitingof the Crowns ; but on
the contrary, that a ItriQer Union is ablblutely
neceffary, that both Nations may have but one
H 2 Intereft,
5 i A 'Defence of the Scots
Intereft, which will render us Jefs liable to Con-
vulfions and inteftine Commotions at home,
and put us out of danger of being attacked by
Enemies from abroad.
The firft Argument is this ; That by incou-
raging our Settlement at Darien^ EngUjh Ships
that have occafion to pais by thofe Coafts will
there be certain of a place of Retreat in cafe of
attack either by Enemy or Tempeft, without
danger of being confifcated by the Spaniards^
and having their Men condcmn'd to be perpe-
tual Slaves in the Mines.
2. If we be incouraged In our American
Colony, it will contribute much to heighten
the Confumption of the Englijb Produft ; fince
what we have not of our own, or wherein we
are wanting either as to quality or quantity,
we fliall fupply our felves, for the ufe of our
Plantation, in England^ which may be of great
benefit to the Northern Counties efpecially,
whence we may conveniently furnifh our felves
with Beeves for viftualling our Ships, our own
Cattel being for the raoft part too fmall for
that ufe; befides many other things that we
fhall have occafion to export from E^gla^d for
the ufe of the Plantation, and to maintain a
Commerce with the Natives.
^. By joining with us in this Colony, and
lecuring a Poft on the South-Sea, which the
Princes of Darien will no doubt very readily a-
pree to, they may (horten their Voyages to the
Eafi^J^dkSi and by that means be able to outdo
* all
Settlement in Darienl jj
all their Rivals in that Trade : but if they will
be fo far wanting to themfelves, as to fuffer
thofe advantages to fall into the hands of others
who are Enemies to our Religion and common
Country, they cannot blame the ScofSy\vhoh2iVQ
made them fuch fair Offers ; and if our Nation
fhould mifcarry in the Attempt, they themfelves
cannot expeO: to ftand long, butmuftbe buried
in the common Ruins, and fall unpitied.
4. If after all the £;?^///i& Ihould continue
obftinate in their Oppofition to us, as their
late Proclamations in America^ and other PaC-
fages would feem to imply they have a mind
to, the World cannot blame the Scots to provide
for themfelves by fuch other Alliances as they
Ihall think meet ; fince the Engli(b are fo un-
kind, and have been conftantly growing upon
us, efpecially fince the Reftoration of King
Charles II. to which we did fo much contribute,
that without our concurrence it could never
have been effefted. This will appear to be in-
controvertibly true, if weconfider that in the
time of K. "J Ames I. we were under no Re-
ftridions as to matters of Trade more than they,
except as to the exportation of Wool, and a
few other things oiEngli[h ProduQ: ; and fb we
continud till the Reftoration, when K. Charles
II. and the Englifh did very ungratefully lay
fueh Preclufions and Reftriftions upon us con-
trary to the Laws relating to the Fojlnati^ by
the i2thoi Car. 2, for the incour aging and, in^
sreafing Shifting and Navigation, and the 1 5
Car.
J 4 ^ Defence of the Scots
Car. 2, for the imourA^emerit of Trade ; by which
we are put in the fame Circumliances as ro
Traffick with Trance and Holland, and in a
worfe condition than Ireland that is a Conqueft ;
which is fo much the more unreafbnable, fince
we are always involved and ingag'd in the Wars
betwixifi^/g/^WandotherCountries : andthofe
with whom they have moft frequent Wars,
being Ho/land - and France^ the only two Na-
tions with whom the Scots have almoft any
Commerce, our Trade muft of necefiity fink
during fuch Wars, whereas England hath ftill a
great Trade to other parts of the World ; and
by this means we are forc'd to be fharcrs in
their Troubles, tho they will not allow us to
partake of their Profits, nor fufFer us to take a-
ny' meafures to procure fuch as we may call
our own.
It is plain from the Inftance of Darien^ and
the Proclamations in the Englifh American
Colonies againft their SubjeQs entertaining a«
ny Commerce with our Settlement there, that
by the Union of the Crowns upon the prefent
footing, we are in a worfe condition than ever ;
for when any thing happens wherein the In-
tereft of England feems to be contrary to ours,
it is certainly carried againft us, and we are left
without remedy : fo that in this refpeft we are
in a worfe condition than any Foreigners, with
vthixon to England \ for if a foreign People dif-
cover any thing that may be of advantage to
them, chey are at liberty to purfue it by them-?
felves,
Settlement in Darien!^ 55"
felves, or to take in the Affiftance of others ;
and if they find themfelves aggrieved by E;f^'
land^thty have their refpeftive Governments to
make application to for redrefs : but we are the
moft unhappy People in the World ; for if £;;^'
land oppofe us, we have no King to appeal to,
but one that is either an Alien and Enemy to us,
as being King of a greater People who are fuch,
or if he be inclinable to protefl: and do us Juftice
as King of Scots^ he is a Prifoner in England,
and cannot do it : If they queftion him in the
Parliament of England for any thing relating to
his Government of Scotland, as in the cafe of
our late Aft for an Eaft-Indiaznd JfricanTr^dey
his Interefl: as King of England obliges him to
fubmit himfelfas King of Scotland; by which
means our Crown, which we defended Co gal-
lantly for fb many ages, and which the Englijb
could never make fubjeft to theirs by force, is
now intirely fubjefted by a falfe ftep of our
own, infuffering our King to take their Crown
upon him without making better terms for our
felves: So that inftead of having a King to
fight our Battels, we have made a furrender of
our Prince to the Enemy, who arm him againft
us ; and which is worft of all, we have fal-
fified our own Proverb as to our felves, That
Scots-men are mfe behind hand : for tho we fut
ficiently fmarted for it in the four laft Reigns,
yet we had not fbmuch forefight or care of our
felves as to prevent the Confequences of it in
this Reign, when it was in our power to have
done
56 A Defence of the Scots
done It. Then if we make application to our
antient Allies, or any other foreign Power for
Afliftance, when we gro-an under Oppreflion,
we are treated as Rebels : Thus our whole Na-
tion was proclaimed fuch for but offering to
make application to the King of Vrmce^ as
our antient Friend and Ally, when a certain Par-
ty in EnglanJi hadarm'd our natural Soveraign
K.Charles I. againft us. And that which is
ftill worfe, tho our Crown from the time of
the Union has been for the moft part on the
Head of an Alien or Enemy, yet it has influ-
ence enough to divide us amongft our (elves a-
gainft the Intereft of the Nation ; as in the
Reign of KXharlesll. thofe that comply'd
with the Court of England were brib'd with
all the chief places in our Adminiftration,
whilft thofe who were true Patriots to their
Country (as for Honour fake to inftance only in
the late Great Duke of Hamilton^ and our pre-
fent Lord High Chancellor) were exposed to
all manner of Dangers and Vexations. This
we think fufficient to convince our Neighbors
that we have no reafon to be fond of having
the Union of the Crowns continued, except
the Interefl of the Nations be more clofely uni-
ted than ever they have hitherto been. And
to let them fee that it is their intereft as well as
ours it fliould be fb, we fliall only defire them
to confider how fatal it may be to them, if by
any Emergency we fliould be forc'dto break off
the Union of the Crowns, and enter again in-
to
Settlement in Darieni 57
to a fremh Alliance. It*s in vain for them to
objeft that in fuch a cafe we fhould betray our
Religion ; for we fee the perfecuted Hungartans
were protefted in that by the Turksy tho fworn
Enemies to it : nor is it impoifible but there
may be a Change as to that matter in France ;
L. XIV. is not immortal : and even "Jultan the
Apoftate himlelf found it his Intereft for fome
time to proteQ: the Orthodox Chriftians, whom
he mortally hated. But fuppofing (as indeed
there':> no grdat likelihood of it) that no fuch
Alliance as this fnould ever happen ; yet how-
ever, if thefe two Nations be not more clofely
united, it may be of ill confequence to EngUnd,
if any ot their Kings at any time (hould be io
far difgufted with xheir Proceedings, as to
leave them, and betake themfelves to us. Whiit
a Field of Blood and Slaughter muft England
have become, had we carried off K. Charles L,
when he came to our Army, or if we had join'd
him apainft the Parliament of England ? What
great tfforts did a Party of our Nation make to
inthrone K. Charles II. when England was a-
gainlt him ? and how did our Concurrence
afterwards with General Morjk effeft it ? How
fbon did our efpoufingthe D.of iVi'Mncereft
turn the Tables upon tho(e that oppoled him in
E^oland? And if our Nation had likewife e-
fpou^'d his Caufe before the Revolution, the
Vifcount of Dundee gave a fuiH.ient poof
what we could have done for him. There's a
ftrong Party in England at prefent againit aU
I lowinj
58 A Defence of the Scots
lowing the King a {landing Force, for fear, as
they pretend, of lofing their Liberties ; but all
their Oppofition in that rcfpeS would fignify
little, if (in cafe of a Rupture)' our Nation
fhould take part with the Court, and bring in
22000 men, with 6 weeks Provifions and Pay,
as we are obli:^'d to do by AQ, of Parliannent,
for his Afliftance. This makes it evident that
it is not the intereft of England to flight an U-
nion with us fo much as ihey have don : for fo
long as we remain divided, any King that is (b
minded, may make ufe of ns to inflaveonc a-
nother ; and any envious Neighbour, whofe-
Intereft it is to keep this Ifland low, will be.
lure to blow the Goals. If they'd but turn the
Tables, and make our Cafe their own, they
would quickly befarisfiedof the truth of what
we advance. Suppofing that the Government
of Scotland fhould traverfe the Aftings of the
Government of EngUnd in relation to their
Trade, &c. as they have done ours; and fup-
pofing that a'^afliament of ScotUnd^ when
tlie King were there, fhould queftion him for
the Navigation Acl, and that for thelncourage-
ment of Trade in EngUndhy K.CharlesU. which
lays us under fuch hard Circumftances and Re^
ftridions, the EngUfh would certainly very
much refent it, and Ipeedily tell us we meddled
with what did not belong to us : Then why
fliould they deny us the like liberty in reference
to their Proceedings againft us, feeing we are
a iicQ Nation as well as they ?
They
Settlemejtt in Darien* jp
They cannon think that the Kingdom .of
Scotland will look upon the Engltflj Proclama*
tions in the Wejl-hdies^ againft liaving any
Commerce with our Colony at Darien^ to be
the Ad and Beed of a King of Scotland, fince
it is not only contrary to his own aQ. of Farlia-
ment there, and his Patent under the Great
Seal of that Kingdom, but contrary to the In-
tereft of that Nation : but being the Afl: of a
perfon who is really King of Scots^ we caa
look upon it to be no other than the effefl: of a
force put upon him by a Nation which in this
matter thinks it their Intereft he fbould do fo.
Now fuppofe, which God forbid, our Colony
lliould be ftarv'd by virtue of thofe Proclama-
tions, or that our Ships going and coming from
Darien, fhould by reafon thereof be attack^,
and treated as Pirates by the Engli[hj French^
Dutch^ or any other Nation, who may take thq
opportunity to do it, and fay our King has de-
clared againft us ; to whom fhould we make
application for redrefs in this matter ? The
King of England^ he is our Enemy, and emit^
ted thofe Proclamations ; the King of Scots
is detained in £»^/W, and not Mafterof him-
felf, but is forc'd to aft thus contrary to the In-
tereft of his own antient Crown and KinL^dom ;
as a former K. Witliamy John Ballol^ and James I.
wereforc'dto do, when in the power of the
Engltfb, In fuch a cafe, if our infant Colony
iTiould by ih'is means be deftroyed, our Ncigh-^
hours muft needs think that we fhould look for
I ? a
^o A Defejtce^ 8cc*
a Compenfation fomewhere, refume the Govern-
ment into our own hands, and rtrengthen cur
felves by new Alliances ; which perhaps might
be little to their advantage. This is not fug-
gerted as a thing that is ever likely to be pra-
ftis'*d, or to wliich the Kingdom of Scotland
is any way inclined : Our whole Conduct fince
the Union is a continued evidence of the up-
rightnefs of our Intentions towards £;^^/4»i;
and the Offers we did make, and do ftill con-
tinue to make, of admitting 'em as Partners
and Sharers in our new Settlement, are enough
to iiop the mouth of Calumny it Telf. But if in
return for our kindnefs we meet with Negleffc
and Contempt, have our Soveraignty trampled
under foot, our Settlement in Amtricx by an
Aft of Parliament in ScotUnd reflefted upon
as unjuft by Proclamations from' E^gUnd^ the
World cannot blame us to complain of the Vio-
lence done to our Independency and Honour;
which is not to be falvM by any politick con-
fideratlons whatever, that our Neighbours can
pretend for this Treatment.
Nor can any thing le(s than joining with us,
and proteOiing that Settlement againft all oppofi.
tion incafe of Attacks by thz French^ or others,
fufficiently atone for what is already don, or heal
the Wound thofe Proclamations have giv'n to
the common Intereft and Honor of the Ifland.
We come in the next place to give a Dc-
fcriptionof the I/fhmus oi DAvkft. It lies be-
t tvvixt
A Vefcription o/Darien. 6i
twixt the 8/Aand lo^^ Degrees of Northern
Latitude, and in the narroweft plxe is betwixt
60 and So Italian Miles over. We (hall not
trouble our (elves with the Defcription of any
more ofit than is in thepofleffion of the Natives,
which is in length from E. to W. on the North
fi' e from the Mouth of the River Darien to
Port ScTtvAny above 1/^0 Italian Miles; from
Carcf Bay to the River of Cheapo on the South-
fide, it is about 169 in length. It is fuppofed
to take its Name from the great River of D4r/>;^,
that bounds its Northern Coaft to the Eaft-
ward. It is bounded on the North and South
with the vaft Oceans that carry the names of
the North and South Seas. Its Situation is ve-
ry pleafant and agreable, and very commo-
dious for a fpeedy and fhort Communication of
Trade betwixt the North and South Seas, and
preventing that vaft Compafs that muft other-
wife be fetch'd round either of the Extremes
of North and South-Jmerica. By this means
alio it lies convenient for a fpeedier Communi-
qation of Trade betwixt JS/zr^^^ and theS^y?-
Indies than any that hath hitherto been found
out. Mr. Dampier lays, that from Cheapo, or
Santa Maria River, a m.an may pais from Sea
to Sea iri three days, and that th.Q Indians do ifc
in a day and half. There are abundance of
valuable Jflands on both fides tlitljihmus^ which
prevent the breaking in of the Ocean upon it
at once ; and befides the Conveniences of Wood,
Fifh, Fowl^ and Water, afford good and fate
Riding
6t A Defcription of Darien.'
Riding in all Weathers, to any number of Ships,
cfpecially thole Call'd the Sambaloes, that lie a-
long the Northern Coaft. The Continent is
agreabiy intermixed with Hills and Valleys of
great variety, for height, depth, and extent.
The Valleys are watered with Rivers, Brooks
and Springs, which take their rile from a great
Ridg of Hills that run along the Ifihmusy but
neareftto the Northern Shore, from which it is
feldom above 1 5 miles diftarit, and from whence
the Sambaloes Iflands, and the various makings
of the Shore, and the continued Foreft all along
the Country gratify the Eye with a very fine
profpeft. The Rivers on the Northern CoaQ:
are generally fmall, becaufe their Courfe from
the abovementionedRidg of Hills is but fhort;
yet the River of Darien is very large, but the
depth of its entrance not anfwerable to its
width, yet further in it is deep enough, and
hath a good Harbour in Caret Bay which is fome
leagues up the River, hath two Iflands of pretty
high Land, cloath'd with variety of Trees ly^
ing before it, and two or three ftreams of frefh
Water falling info it. From this Bay to the
Promontory near Golden I(lmdy the Shore is in-
differently fruitful, and the Soil on the Nor-
thern Coaft is generally good, but fwampy here
and there to the Sea.
To the Weft ward of the Promontory, at the
entrance of the River, is a fine Tandy Bay with
three Iflands, one of them Golden IJland lying
before it, which make it an extraordinary good
Harbour,
A Pefcription of Darien.' 6^
Harbour. Golden I/land is rocky and fteep all
round, except at the landing place on the South
fide, fo that it is naturally fortify 'd. The Land
of the Iflhwu^ over againfi: it to the S. E. is an
excellent fruitful Soil. Weft of this Ifland lies
the largefl: of the three, being fwampy and co-
vered u^ith Maingroves. To the North of
thefe lies the Ifland of Pif^esj cover'd v^ith tall
Trees fit for any ufe. From the point againffc
thefe Iflands for three Leagues Weftward, the
Shore is guarded by Rucks, ib that a Boat can-
not land ; but at the N. W. end of the Rocks
there's a very good Harbour, and good Riding,
as has been faid, in all Winds, by fbme or other
of thofe Iflands, which with the adjacent Siiore
rhake a lovely Landskip ofFat Sea, The Chan-
nel betwixt them and the IJlhmus is two,
three, and four miles broad, and navigable from
end to end ; and the Ground oppofite to them
within Land an excellent Soil, and a continued
Foreft of flrately Timber-trees.
On the South fide there's the River Sambo
that falls into the Sea by \)o\nx.Garachina. This
is a large River. Then there's the Gulph of
St. Michdel, made by the Outlet of feveral con-
fiderable Rivers,as thofe of Santa Maria and Con-
go^ and the G^/^'i^/x/^r, focall'dbecaufe of the
great plenty of Gold Dufl: it affords to the Spa-
niards. The River Congo may be entred at
high water, and affords a good Harbour. The
Gulph has feveral Iflands in it, and affords
good Riding in many places. The Country on
this
64 ^ Defcription of Darien.
this fide as on the other is one continued Forefl: ;
and forms a Bay call'd theBay of P^/^^^w^jabound-
ing with fine Iflands, and affording goud Rid-
ing for S lips. The Sjil of the Inland Country
is for the moft part a black fruitful Mold.
The Weather is much the fame as in other
places of the Torrid Zone in this Latitude, but
inclining to the wet extreme, for two thirds of
the vear, the Rains beginning in Jpril.
The moft remarkable of their Trees are the
Cono/9 Tree, which bears a Cod as big as a Nut-
meg full of fhort Wool or Down, and affords
Timber for Canoes and Periagoes ; they abound
with ftately Cedais and Macaiv TvQQSy which
bear a Fruit as big as a fmall Pear, of a tarr but
not unpleafant Tafte ; BMy Tree, the Wood
hard and black as Ink, and being tapp'd, affords
a Liquor call'd BMyj of a pleafant tarr tafte,
which the Indians drink. They have abun-
dance of Plmtains fet in Walks, which make
very delightful Groves, and yield an excellent
Fruit, and being green and fappy, are cut down
with one ftroke of an Ax. They have alfb
plenty of Bonanoes another fort of Plantain,
v/hich eats beft raw as the Plantain does boITd.
They have great ftore of that excellent Fruit
call'd Pine-apples^ which taftes like a Mixture
of all delicious Fruits, and ripens at all times
of the year. Thev have 2i[[o Prickle- pear, which
is a very good Fruit ; and SugAr-Canes^ of
which thsy make no other ufe but to fuck out
the Juice. The Maho Tree, of which they
make
A Defcriptton o/Darlcn^ 6^
make Ropes, Cables for Ships, and N'ets for
fifhing. The Caldafl? whofe Shells ferve for
Cups and other occafions, is curiouflv paint-
ed ; the fueet fort of em is eatable, and the bit-
ter fort Medicinal. They have alfo Gourds of
the like nature. There's a Plant they call S/Ik
Grafs which refembles our Flaggs ; this they
beat into ftrings like fine Flax, much ftronger
than our Flax or Hemp ; of thefe they make
Ropes, Cordage of all forts, Nets for fmall
Fifh ; and the Spaniards and others ufe it for
Shoemakers Thread, Stockins, and a fort of
Lace. They have a Tree cali'd Lightrvood^ as
large as an Elm, but fb light, that a Man may
carry a great quantity of it on his back. It is
in fubftance like Cork, and made ufe of by
the Indims for rafters to go to Sea, or pafs Ri-
vers. They have a Tree call'd Whitewoodai a
finer Grain, and whiter than any European
Wood, and fit for inlaying. They haveXl^^^^-
rindj Locuji Tree^ BaJIard Cinnamon^ Bamboesy
and Maingrove Trees in plenty. They have
Shrubs that bear ftore of Pepper of two forts,
calPd bell Pepper, and bird Pepper.
Mr. Wafer, to whom we owe this Defcripti-
on, takes notice of a Redwood^ whereof there
grow great quantities on the Northern Coaft ;
the Indians make ufe of it for dying, and mix
a kind of Earth they have with it. It makes
a bright gloffy lively Red, which no wafhmg
can fetch out again. This we fuppofe to be
xh^ NicaragusyNood. Their Roots are Pota-
K toes.
66 A Vefcription of Darien^
toes, Yams, andCaflava; of the laft of which
they make Bread. They have likewife Tobac-
co, but don't underftand the planting and ma-
nuring of it J it is not fo ftrong as that of Pir-
gima.
Their Beafls are the Peccary, and Waree a
kind of wild Hogs, which are very good
Meat. They have confiderable ftore of Deer
and Rabbits, and great droves of Monkys,
which are extraordinary fat and good to eat#
They have an Infefl: calPd a Soldier^ Ibmewhat
refembling a Crab, which feeds upon what falls ,
from the Tree, is a delicious Meat, and yields
an Oil that is an excellent Salve. They have
no European Cattle.
Their Birds are the Chicalji-Chicaly, which
makes a noife fomewhat like a Cuccoo,is a large
Bird, has Feathers of divers Colours very beau-
tiful and lively, whereof the Natives Ibme-
times make Aprons. This Bird keeps moftly
on the Trees, feeds on fruit, and is pretty good
Meat. The ^am feeds in the fame manner,
his Wings are dun, his Tail dark, fhort, and
upright. He is much preferable to the other
for Meat. There's a Ruffet-colour^d Bird, re-
fembling a Partridg, runs miOftonthe ground,
and is excellent Meat. The Corrofou is a large
Fowl as big as a Turky, and of a black colour.
The Cock has a fine Crown of yellow Feathers
on his Head, and Gills like a Turkey. They
live on Trees, and eat Fruit. They fing very
delightfully, and are fo well imitated by the
Indians^
'A 7)efcrtption of DarienJ (f/
Indians^ that they difcover their haunts by it.
They are very good Meat, but their Bones make
the Dogs run mad, and are therefore hid from
them by the Indians. They have abundance of
Parrots^ for fize and Ihape much hke thofe of
Jamaica, they are very good Meat. Their Pa-
rakites are moft of them green, and go in large
ilights by themfelves. They have Macaw Birds
which are as big again as Parrots, and refemble
them in fliape. They have a Bill like a Hawk-^
and a bufhy Tail with two or three long ftrag-
gling Feathers, either red or blue ; but thofe of
the Body are of a lovely blue,green,and red. The
Indians tame thofe Birds, and teach them to
fpeak ; and then letting them go into the Woods
amongfl: the wild ones, they will return of .
their own accord to the Houfes. They exa£l-
ly imitate the Voices and finging of the Indians^
and call the Chicaly in its own Note. It is one
of the pleafanteft Birds in the World, and iis
flefh fweet and well tafted. They have alfo
Woodpeckers which are pied like our Magpies,
and have long Claws that they climb up Trees
with ; they are not pleafant to eat. They have
plenty of Dunghil-foul refembling thofe oi Eu-
rope^ and their Flefh and Eggs as well tafted as
ours. About the Sambaloes they have great ftorc
of Sea-foul, and particularly Pelicans which ar«
large Birds, having Legs and Feet like a Goole,
and a Neck like a Swan, the Feathers are grey.
It has a Bag under its throat, which when fllPd,
is as large as a man's two fifts ; and when dr7,
K 2 will
6^ A Defcrtption o/Darien.
will hold a pound of Tobacco ; they feed up-
on Fifh, and the young ones are good meat.
They have alp3 Cormorants refembling Ducks
for fize and fhape, are of a black Colour, have
a white fpot on the Breaft, and pitch fbmetimes
on Trees and Shrubs by the water fide. They
are too rank to be eaten. They have abundance
of Sea-gulls and Pye^, which are pretty good
meat, but eat fifhy, which is cur'd by burying
'em eight or ten hours in the Sand with
their Feathers on. They have flying Infe£ls
too, and anfiong others Bees, which form their
Hives on Trees ; and it's obferv'd, That they
never fting any body : The Natives mix the
Hony with Water, and fo drink it, but know
not the ufe of the Wax. They have fhining
Flies, which in the night time refemble Glow*
wormsi
Their Fifh are the Tarpomj which eats like
Salmon ; fome of 'em weigh 50 or 60 pound :
They afford good Oil. They have Sharks^ and
another fifh that refembles a Sjmrkj but much
better Meat. The CavaUy is much of the fize
of a Maccarel, and very good Meat. They
have a Fifli calTd Old Wives, which is alfo very
good to eat. Their Paracoods are as large as a
well-grown Pike, and very good Meat ; but
in feme particular places poifbnous, which are
difl:inguifhy by the Liver. Their G^r-fifh is
good Meat, they have a long Bone on their
Snout, with which they will fometimes pierce
the fide of a Canoe. They have alfo SctilpinSf
^ -a
X
A f)efcription of Darien^ 6^
a prickly Fifh, which when ftripM, Is very
good Meat. They have likewife String-rays^
Parrot' fi/h, Snooks^ Conger Eds, Conchs, Per^
r twinkles, Limp/ts, Sea Crabs ^ and Craw-fifhf
and other forts whofe names we know not, thac
eat very well
The Inhabitants are mofl: numerous on the
North of the Ifihmtts ; the Men ufually 5 or<$
foot high, ftreight, clean limb'd, big-bon'd,
handfomely fhapM, nimble, aSive, and rua
well. The Women are (hort and thick, and
not ib lively as the Men ; the young Womea
plump, well-(hap'd, and have a brisk Eye: both
Sexes have a round Vifage, fhort bottle Nofes,
large and grey Eyes, high Forehead, white
even Teeth, thin Lips, pretty large Mouths,
well proportion'd Cheeks and Chins, and iti
general handfome; but the Men exceed the Wch
men. Both Sexes have ftreight long lank blacfc
Hair, which they generally wear down to th©
middle of their Back. All other Hair but that
of their Eye-brows and Eye-lids they pull up by
the Roots, cut oft' the hair of their Heads, an-d
paint themfelves black by way of triumph,
when they kill a Spaniard, Their natural com-»
plexion is a copper Colour, and their Eye-»
brows black as jet. There are (bme among
them of both Sexes, which bear the proporti-
on of two or three to a hundred, who are milk
white, and have all their Bodies covered over
with a milk white Down ; their Hair is of the
fame Colour, . and very fine, about 6 or 8 Inches
long,
70 A Defcnption of Darien.'
long, and inclining to curl. They are lefs ia
ftature than the other Indians^ and their Eye-
lids point downwards in form of a Crefcent ;
they don't fee well in the Sun, their Eyes being
weak and running with Water if the Sun fhine
upon them, therefore they arecalPd Moon-eyy.
They are weak and fluggifh in the day time,
but in Moon-fhiny nights all life and aftivity,
and run as faft thro the Woods by night, as the
other Indians do by day. They are not fo much
refpefted as the other Indians, but look'd upon
as monftrous. The Natives go naked both
Men and Women, only the Men have a thing
like an Extinguifher of filver or gold Plate
tied round their middle to cover their Yard,
and the Women tie a piece of Cloth before
them, which comes as lowas their Knee; but
they ufe none of thofe Precautions till they come
to the years of Puberty ; the Men that have not
thofe Extinguifhers,make ufe of a piece of a Plan-
tain-leaf of a Conick Figure. They are in general
a modefl and cleanly People, and have a value for
Cloths if they had them. The better fore have
long Cotton Garments fliapM like Carmens
Frocks,whichthey ufe on folemn occaf]ons,as at-
tending the King or Chief, €^^. For an Ornament
to the Face, befides their general painting and
daubing, the Men wear a piece of Plate hang-
ing over their Mouths, and the Chief of them
have it of Gold. It is of an Oval Form, and
gently pinching the Bridle of the Nofe with
its points, hangs dangling from thence as low
as
A Defcription of Darieni! 71
as the under Lip; and inftead of this the
Women wear a Ring thro the Bridle of the
Nofe : they lay them afide at their Feafts.
They hkewife wear Chains of Teeth, Shells,
Beads, or the like ; the heavier they be, they
reckon them the more ornamental. Their
Houfes lie moftly fcattering, and always by a
River-fide, but in (bme places they are fb many
as to form a Town or Village. Their Walls
are made up of Sticks, and daub'd over with
Earth : The Fire is in the middle of theHoufe,
and the Smoke goes out at a Hole in the Roof :
They are not divided into Stories or Rooms,
but into Hovels ; every one has a Hammock
for a Bed in one of thofe Hovels. They have
no Doors, Shelves, or Seats, other than Logs
of Wood. Every Neighbourhood has a War-
houfe of I JO foot long, the fides and Ends full
of Holes, whence they fhoot their Arrows on
the approach of thcSpamards. In their Plan-
tations they fee fo much Plantain, Maiz, &c.
as ferves their occafions : They likewife make
Drink of Maiz, which they ferment by Grains
of the fame chewed in their Mouths : They
have alfo another fort of Drink, which they
make of Plantains. Mofl: of the Drudgery is
perform'd by the Women with great cheerful-
nefs, being very well conditioned, and dutiful
to their Husbands, who are otherwife very in-
dulgent to them, and their Children. The
Women wafh the Mother and Child in a River
within an hour after Delivery. The Boys are
bred
y% A Ve/cription of Daricn."
bred to the Bow, Hunting, and Fifliing, d'c.
at which they are mighty dexterous ; and the
Girls help the Women in dreffing their ViSuals,
Weaving, making Cotton Cloth, Cordage,
Nets, &c. and the Men make Baskets very
neat, dying the Materials firft with lively Co-
lours. They allow Poligamy, but punifh A-
dultery with Death of both Parties : They pu-
nifh Theft alfo with Death; and Fornication
with thrufting a Briar up the Man's Yard,
whereof they commonly die. The Fads muft
be provMby Oath, which is a fwearing by their
Tooth.' When they marry, the Father or near-
eft Kinfman keeps the Bride privately in his
own Apartments the firfl: 7 Nights, and then
flie is delivered to her Husband ; All the Neigh-
bours for fbme Miles round are invited to a
great Feaft, and bring Provifions with them:
The Fathers of the young Couple bring them
forth in their hands, and the Bridegroom's Fa-
ther makes a Speech ; then he dances about in
antick Geftures till all on a fweat, when he
kneels down, and gives his Son to the Bride,her
Father alfo having danc'd himfelf intoa Swear,
and prefenting her to the Bridegroom in the
fame manner ; then they take each other by
the hand, and fb the Ceremony concludes.
After this all the Men take up their Axes, and
run fhcutingtoaTra£l of Wood-land, to pre-
pare a Plantation for the new Couple. That
being done, they have their Featt, arid aftef-
wards drink hard, all their Arms being firft
put
A De/cription of Darien^ ^ jl
put out of the way, to prevent Danger in cafe
of quarrelling. They divert themfelves fom-
timesby dancing, and piping on a finall hollow
Bamboe,but Vv'ithoutdiflinftion of Notes : The
Men and Women never dance nor feaft toge-
ther, but apart. The Women accompany them
Jikewife in their bunting Expeditions, which
(bmetimes laft 20 days : They tie their Ham-
mocks betwuct two Trees, cover them with
Plantain Leaves, and have Fires all night by
their Hammocks : Such of their Prey as they
take a Hunting, and defign to keep for future
ufe, they barbecue in the Woods ; and what:
they make ufe of for prefent Suftenance, they
miK with Roots, Plantain, Bonanoes, and
Pepper, and liew it together till it be brought
to a Pulps which they take up with the two
foremoiV Fingers of their right Hand bent
hookwife, and put into their Mouths. They
travel by dire£l-ion of the Sun, or the bending
of the Trees, according as the Wind is. None
of the E^glffl? Authors take notice of their Wor-
jThip or Religion, but give an account that they
pawaw, or confult the Devil to know Futuri-
ties : and it would feem they are as ignorant
in matters of Phyfick and Chirurgery, fince
when they would let a Patient blood, they fet
him upon the Bank of a River, and with a
little Bow, and fmall Arrow, gag'd that it
may enter no further than our Lancets, they
fhoot as faft as they can at all parts of the Pa-
tient's Body ; and if they chance to hit on a
L Vein,
74 ^ Defcri^tlon of Darien^
Vein, that the Blood fpurts out a little^ they
teftify their joy by antick Dances.
We come next to give an account of the
Settlement of our men there ; how they were
received by the Natives ; what hdia^^ Princes
there are in their Neighbourhood ; in what
ftate they found the Affairs of the Country;
and of the Situation of our Colony.
On the 2jth of O^ober 1698. ourShips came
to an Anchor in a fair fandy Bay, 2 Leagues W.
off' the Gulf of Darkn ; upon which two Ca-
noes, with feveral Indians ^ came on board, were
very free with our Men, told them they had
been long expeQed, and were very welcome :
Our Men gave them fome old Hats, Looking-
giaiTcs and Knives, with which they were ex-
tremely well pleas'd, and went off. When our
Ships ftood further into the Bay, they fa w about
20 Indians drawn upon the Shoar, being arm'd
with Bows and Lances ; upon which a Boat be-
ing fent afhoar, and making a fignal of Peace,
they unftrung their Bows, talk'd familiarly,
sod told cur Men that tvi^o Great Captains
would in a little time come on board our Ships.
Accordingly on November 2d in the morning
Capr. Andreas y one of their Princes, accom*-
panied by 12 Men, came on board, and ask'd
their bufinels ; he was anfwered, that we came
to live among them, and trade with them, and
would afford them European Commodities
cheaper than any other People, He ask'd if
we
A Defcri^tion of Darien. 7 j
we were Friends or Enemies to the Spamards ;
and was anfwcred that we were at peace with
all men, and would rtiake war upon no man^
except they injur'd us. He took us for Bucca-
neers, and told us he knew Capt. Swaft and
Capt. Davl^ in the South-Sea, and commended
them as men of valour. We heard that part of
his Dilcourfe with very much coldnefs, and told
him we came on no fuch defign as thofe men did,
but had Authority for what we undertook.
We treated him civilly, gave him a Hat lac'd
with Gold, and fome Toys : and fo he parted,
promifingin a little time tocome again ; which
he accordingly did, and brought Dotj Pcdroy
another of their Princes or Captains, wich him.
Capt. Andreas was freer with us than at firii,
plainly ownM that he took us for Buccaneers,
and complain'd that fome Englijh'metf of that
fort had after great pretences of Friendfljip,
carried oflF fome of their People ; and therefore
Don Pedro would not come aboard us till he had
further affurance of us.
Capt, Andreas is a perfon of a fluall ftature ;
he affefts the Spanish Gravity, as having been
often among them at the Mines Oi Santa Maria^
Panama^ &:c. and formerly had a Commiffion
under them as a Captain, upon which he va-
lues himfelf above others : The French hate
him mortally, becaufe of fomething he did a-
gainft (bme of their Nation formerly. When
he came on board us, he had a (brt of a Coat of
red loofe Stuff/ an old Hat, a pair of Drawers,
L 2 but
y6 A Defcription of Darien.
but no Stockings nor Shoes ; and the reft that
came with him were all naked, excepting their
Pe^is^ which was covered by Extinguifhers,
as formerly mentioned.
Upon further communing, Capr. Mdreas
was very well pleasM with us, offered us what
part of the Country we would chule, and ac*
cepted a Commiflionfrom us ; and at tli€ fame
time we gave him a Basket-hiked Sword, and
a pair of Piftols : upon which he promifed to
defend us to the laft of his Blood.
Some of the Princes on this fide the Ijlhmus
had been in peace with the Spaniards (ov feveral
years, and fuffered a few of them to refide a-
mongftthem, to give notice to F^;?^^^ of what
Ships came upon thefe Coafts ; but upon Ibme
frefh difguft, about two months before we ar-
riv'd, Capt. Ambrofw, who is the moft noted
Prince amongft 'em, had obliged them to enter
Into a common Alliance againft tS"/?^/;^, and cut
off ten Spar^iardsy who liv'd upon Golden 1/land.
The Place where we are fetled is 4 Miles Eafl:
o( Golden IJland, within a great Bay. We have
an excellent Harbor, furrounded with high
Mountains, capable of holding a thoufand Sail
land-lock'd, and fafe from all Winds andTem-
pefts. The Mouth of the Harbor is about ran-
dom Cannon- fhot over, formed by 2iPenw/uU
on the one fide, and a point of Land on the 0-
ther. In the middle of the Entrance there is a
Rock three foot above water, upon which the
Sea breaks moft terribly when the Wind blows
^ hard j
A Vefcription of Darien.' 77
hard ; and within the Points there is a fmall
Rock that lies a little under water. On both
fides thefe Rocks there's a very good wide
Channel for Ships to come in : that on the
South- nde is three Cables long, and feven Fa-
thom deep ; and that on the North two Cables
long. From the two outermoft points the
Harbour runs away Eaft a Mile and an half;,
and near the middle, on the right hand, a point
of Land fhoots out into the Bay : fo that by rai^
fing Forts on the faid Point, on the Rock in the
middle of the Entrance, and the two outer-
moft Points, it will be the ftrongeft Harbor,
both by Art and Nature, that's in the known
World. The Bay within is for the moft part
6 Fathom Water, and till you come within a
Cable's length of the Shoar,' three Fathom and
an half: So that a Key may be built, to which
great Ships may lay their Sides, and unload.
The PemnfuU lies on the left hand, is a mile
and an half in length, very fteep,. and high
towards the Sea : fo that it would be very dif«
ficult for any body to land, till you come to the
Ijihmu^^ where there's a fmall fandy Bay that
little Ships may put into, but is eafy to be (e-
cured by a Ditch and a Fort. There are feveral
jittle Rivers of very good Water that fall into
the Bay ; and it abounds fo with excellent Fifb,
that we can with eafe take more than it's pof
fible for us todeftroy, having fometimes caught
140 at a draught: amongft others there be
Tortoifes, which are excellent Meat, and fbme
of them above 600 weight. The
78 A Defcription of Darien.'
The PeninfuU was never inhabited, and is
cover'd all over with Trees of various forts,*
as (lately Cedars, Brafil-wood, Ligmm Vita^
BoX'WOod, Fuftick.wood, Yellow Sanders,
Manfhinel, &c. and the like forts, befides others
whofe names we know not, grow on the Con-
tinent ; and we doubt not of finding out the
Nicaragu/t Wood : we have found Cabbage
Trees, the Fruit of which eats like Colly-
flowers. The Natives have no Plantation
within two Miles of us.
We have a Watch-Tower upon an high Hill
adjoining to our Plantation, about a mile South
of the Bay ; from whence we can fee the Ships
in the Bay, the Fort we have raifed on the
Mouth of the Bay, and as far as the Mouth of
the River Darien: We can fee above thirty
Miles Southward, and have a fine Profpeft of
Golden J/landy and the IJle of Vinesy Weftward
towards FortoheUoy and Northward towards
Jamaica, The Hill is about a Mile in height ;
ib that we can fee any Ships before they come
within fbme Leagues of the Harbor. We com-
pute our fclves to be about 50 Leagues North of
Carthagena^ and as much South of Portohello.
The 4 Indian Kings or Captains on this Coaft
vifit us frequently in their Canoes ; and the
Natives are very kind to us, and feJl us Plan-
tains, Fowls, &€. for Toys or old Shifts. A
Trenth-man who hath married one of the Na-
tives, informs us chat ih& Spaniards have Silver
and Gold Mines on the Ifihmmi which we
might
A Defcriptm of Darien.^ y^
might make our felves Matters of withaico
Men ; fo that if they commit Hoftilities upon
us, as we hear they threaten to do, it's not un-
likely that we may vifit them. We found
fome Fremh Refugees in the Country, who
are willing to (ettle under us ; and having beea
feveral years in thefe Parts, and underftanding
the Language of the Natives, are very ufeful
to us. We have feen fbme Sand in the Rivers,
which looks as if it were mixt with Gold, and
in fome places the Earth (eems to be very
much mixt with it : fo that its concluded
there's more Goid-duft here, than in any part
of Guinea.
The hdian Princes or Captains on thisCoaft
do fbmewhat refemble our Heads of Clans in
Scotland ; and by their Converfe at times with
the Spaniards^ and other European Nations^
affefl: Chriftian Names. The firli of thefe Prin-
ces we fhall name is Capt. Diego \ he commands
from the bottom oftheGulph of Oria on this
f\dc Caret Bay y and has 3000 men under him;
he has been at war with the Spaniards leveral
years, occafion'd by an Infulc his People had
received from them, when they came to de-
mand their fhare in the Mines which they had
difcover'd to the Spaniards in their Country, on
condition of being Partners with them : but
when they came to demand it, the Spaniards
treated them villanoufly, beat and abus'd them ;
upon which they attack'd the Spaniards, cut
ofF2o of their men, and 3 Prieflsthat belong'd
to the Mines. The
8o A Defcnptm of Darien.
The next is Capt. Pouftgo. He is an IndUn
Clergy-man, and Brother in-law to Czpx, An*
dreas. The Peninfula that we poiTefs, lies be-
twixt his Territory and that of Capr. AndreaSy
who together with his Brother, commands trom
Golden Ijlmd to the River Pwas. Their Com-
mand is greater than that of Poujigo^ but not fb
great as that of Diego^ Thefe Pnnces are very
ufeful to us, becaufe of their Neighbourhood
andConfanguinity to one another.
Capt. Ambrofio commands from the River
Tinas to the Samballoes : He is a man of about
60 years of age, but ftrong and vigorous, well
limb'd, and of a ftern Countenance : he is a
mortal Enemy to the Spamardsy with whom he
hath had a long War : he is efteemed the braved
of all the hdia^ Captains. His Son-in-law
Don Pedro having been taken by the Spaniards,
and kept by them as a Slave at Panama, he can
never forget nor forgive it them : This young
man is a great Friend to the French^ who they
are made to believe defign to come and fettle
among them. Ambrofw and his Son-in-law
preft us much to come and fettle in their
Dominions, and join with them to make
war on the Spaniards: We gave them fair
Words, and promis'd to come and view their
Coafts, which we accordingly did ; and in our
way thither, four Leagues Weftward of our
Settlement, we found an excellent Harbour,
capable of looco Sail ; but it can't be defended
without many Forts : Here the Privateers usM
to
A Vefcription of Dariea. 8 £
to come and careen. Capr. Ambrofio\ Houfe
lies about a League from the Warer-fide, on
the Bank of a River, having U2 kffer Houfes
about it : When we drew near ic, he advanced
50 Paces to meet us, being attended by 20 men
in white loofe Frocks with Fringes round the
bottom, and arm'd with Lances : He faluted
us kindly, and gave us a Calabadi of Liquor
almoft like Lambs- wool, made of Indim Cora
and Potatoes. His Houfe is 90 foot lon^^,^
35 broad, and ^o in height, curioufly thatchM
with Palmetto- Royal, and over that Cotton-
leaves. The Floor is of firm Earth like Tarras,
very fmooth and clean. The fides are com^^
pos'd of large Canes, as thick as a Man's
Leg. In this Houfe live Ambrofw and his Son-
in-law Don Pedro, with both their Families,
confiding of about 40 Perfons. We law ^/»-
^r