For there came three _Recuas_, one of 50 mules, the other two, of 70
each, every [one] of which carried 300 lbs. weight of silver; which in
all amounted to near thirty tons.

We putting ourselves in readiness, went down near the way to hear the
bells; where we stayed not long, but we saw of what metal they were
made; and took such hold on the heads of the foremost and hindmost
mules, that all the rest stayed and lay down, as their manner is.

These three _Recuas_ were guarded with forty-five soldiers or
thereabouts, fifteen to each _Recua_, which caused some exchange of
bullets and arrows for a time; in which conflict the French Captain was
sore wounded with hail-shot in the belly, and one Cimaroon was slain:
but in the end, these soldiers thought it the best way to leave their
mules with us, and to seek for more help abroad.

In which meantime we took some pain to ease some of the mules which
were heaviest loaden of their carriage. And because we ourselves were
somewhat weary, we were contented with a few bars and quoits of gold, as
we could well carry: burying about fifteen tons of silver, partly in
the burrows which the great land crabs had made in the earth, and partly
under old trees which were fallen thereabout, and partly in the sand and
gravel of a river, not very deep of water.

Thus when about this business, we had spent some two hours, and had
disposed of all our matters, and were ready to march back the very
self-same way that we came, we heard both horse and foot coming as it
seemed to the mules: for they never followed us, after we were once
entered the woods, where the French Captain by reason of his wound, not