The means of conveyance being limited, and
the need of marching light important, a very small supply of provisions
was taken, it being expected to find an abundance on the route. But in
this the raiders were seriously at fault, the Spaniards fleeing with all
their cattle and cutting all the growing grain, so that the buccaneers
soon found themselves almost destitute of supplies.
The journey was made in boats up the river as far as practicable, five
small vessels carrying the artillery. At the end of the second day most of
the men were forced to abandon the boats and prosecute their journey on
foot. On the third day they found themselves in a marshy forest, which
they traversed with difficulty and reached the town of Cedro Bueno. Here
they had hoped to find food, but the place was deserted and not a scrap of
provisions left.
The affair was now growing very serious, all their food having been
consumed and they left in imminent danger of starvation. Many of them were
reduced to eat the leaves of the trees in their extremity. They found
themselves also benumbed with cold as they spent the night unsheltered on
the chilly river-bank.
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