Walls surrounded the city, which was well prepared
for defence. It was the emporium for the precious metals of Peru and
Mexico, two thousand mules being kept for the transportation of those rich
ores. It was also the seat of a great trade in negro slaves, for the
supply of Chili and Peru. The merchants of the place lived in great
opulence and the churches were magnificently adorned, the chief among them
being a handsome cathedral. Beautiful paintings and other costly works of
art ornamented the principal dwellings, and everything concurred to add to
the importance and beauty of the place.
A century earlier Sir Francis Drake had led his men near enough to Panama
to behold the distant sea from the top of a high tree. But he had
contented himself with waylaying and plundering a mule-train laden with
treasure, and in 1670 it seemed the act of madness for a horde of
freebooters to attack the city itself. Yet this was what the daring Morgan
designed to do.
The first thing to be done was to capture Fort St. Laurent, a strong place
on an almost inaccessible hill, near the banks of the Chagres River.
Pages:
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195