"
[Illustration: THE CITY OF PANAMA.]
THE CITY OF PANAMA.
Not until they reached the vicinity of the isthmus did Morgan announce to
his followers the plan he had conceived, which was to attack the important
and opulent city of Panama, in which he expected to find a vast wealth of
gold and silver. It was no trifling adventure. This city lay on the
Pacific side of the Isthmus of Panama, and could be reached only by a long
and toilsome land journey, the route well defended by nature and doubtless
by art, while not a man on board the fleet had ever trod the way thither.
To supply themselves with a guide the island of St. Catharine, where the
Spaniards confined their criminals, was attacked and taken, and three of
the convicts were selected for guides, under promise of liberty and
reward.
Panama was at that time one of the largest and wealthiest cities in
America. It contained some seven thousand houses, one-third the number
being large and handsome dwellings, many of them strongly built of stone
and richly furnished.
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