he would needs make upon himself, by receiving an over-strong purgation
of his own device, after which taken, he never spake; nor his Boy
recovered the health which he lost by tasting it, till he saw England.

The Cimaroons, who, as is before said, had been entertained by our
Captain in September last, and usually repaired to our ship, during all
the time of our absence, ranged the country up and down, between Nombre
de Dios and us, to learn what they might for us; whereof they gave our
Captain advertisement, from time to time; as now particularly certain of
them let him understand, that the Fleet had certainly arrived in Nombre
de Dios.

Therefore he sent (30th January) the _Lion_, to the seamost islands of
the Cativaas, to descry the truth of the report: by reason it must
needs be, that if the Fleet were in Nombre de Dios, all frigates of the
country would repair thitherward with victuals.

The _Lion_, within a few days descried that she was sent for, espying a
frigate, which she presently boarded and took, laden with maize, hens,
and pompions from Tolou; who assured us of the whole truth of the
arrival of the Fleet: in this frigate were taken one woman and twelve
men, of whom one was the _Scrivano_ of Tolou. These we used very
courteously, keeping them diligently guarded form the deadly hatred of
the Cimaroons; who sought daily by all means they could, to get them of
our Captain, that they might cut their throats, to revenge their wrongs
and injuries which the Spanish nation had done them; but our Captain
persuaded them not to touch them, or give them ill countenance, while
they were in his charge; and took order for their safety, not only in
his presence, but also in his absence. For when he had prepared to take
his journey for Panama, by land; he gave ELLIS HIXOM charge of his own