north of the river, but the country south from the river is covered with
wood for many miles.

[Footnote 175: In modern maps the town of Chepo is placed on the _right_
bank of the river, as descending the stream, and only about five miles
up the river.--E.]

Our men returned from Cheapo on the 24th, having taken that town without
opposition, but found nothing there worth mention. The 25th we were
joined by Captain Harris, and arrived at Taboga on the 28th, when,
finding ourselves nearly a thousand strong, we meditated an attack on
Panama; but, being informed by our prisoners that the Spaniards there
had received considerable reinforcements from Porto Bello, that design
was laid aside. The 25th May we had intelligence from some prisoners
that the Lima fleet was daily expected, whereupon we anchored in a
narrow channel, a mile long and not above seven paces wide, formed by
two or three small islands on the south side of the island of
_Pacheque_. Our fleet now consisted of ten sail, only two of which were
ships of war, that commanded by Captain Davis having 36 guns and 156,
while Captain Swan's carried 16 guns and 140 men. The rest were only
provided with small arms, and our whole force amounted to 960 men. We
had also a fire-ship.

Hitherto we had the wind at N.N.E. with fair weather, but on the 28th of
May the rainy season began. On that day, about 11 a.m. it began to clear
up, and we discovered the Spanish fleet three leagues W.N.W. from the
island of Pacheque, standing to the east, we being then at anchor a
league S.E. from that isle, between it and the continent. We set sail
about three p.m. bearing down upon the Spaniards right before the wind,
while they kept close upon a wind to meet us. Night coming on, we only