1632205122 (N) by Graham A. Thomas

Author:Graham A. Thomas [Thomas, Graham A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2014-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

The Road to Panama

The Hardships this Party underwent were surprising, they not only struggled with common Difficulties, but likewise encountered Famine and every kind of Misery. They were reduced to feed upon the Leaves of Trees, and to take unheard-of Methods to preserve their Lives.1

It’s at this point in the narrative that perhaps Morgan’s judgement comes into question. At Chagres Morgan left 300 men split between the castle and the fleet now anchored at the foot of the gun batteries, under the command of Major Richard Norman. ‘They started on 9 January 1671, with 1,400 men in seven ships and thirty-six boats up the river,’ Morgan wrote in his official report. Interestingly, Pope follows along with Esquemeling’s number of 1,200 men.2

Morgan decided not to take any provisions, having left them with the fleet anchored under the protection of San Lorenzo Castle. His decision was based on the hope that they would find food along the way. He knew the Spanish had set up ambushes for him and so he assumed that these ambushes would have food. There were also plantations that they could raid for provisions, so there should have been no problem with victualling his men. The main reason for this decision was that the men would have to travel light. Morgan knew the rainy season was over and the river was at a low level. If there was too much weight in the boats they would not be able to haul them over the rough terrain to skirt difficult stretches of river that they couldn’t negotiate. It would mean going aground at the low points in the river, which would slow them down even more.

Although Morgan believed that food and water could be obtained during their journey to Panama, he knew it would be much harder to obtain dry powder and dry match, so every man would have to carry not just the dry powder and match, but also ammunition, a cutlass and a pike. Each man would also need a blanket to keep away the insects and a jacket to keep out the rain. None of these things could be found along the way. Morgan made his decision and began the journey.

While much of the Chagres River has been assimilated into the Panama Canal, in Morgan’s time it twisted and turned to such a degree that it was almost three times longer than the distance directly between Chagres and Venta de Cruz. Branches of the river would fork off in different directions, sometimes almost as wide as the river itself, making it difficult for the buccaneers to know the right way to go. If it hadn’t been for their guides the expedition would have been lost.

On day one of the journey, Esquemeling tells us they travelled 6 leagues and arrived at a place called De Los Bracos, where Morgan sent the men ashore ‘to sleep and stretch their limbs, being almost crippled with lying too much crowded in the boats.’ After resting Morgan ordered the men to go to the plantations in the area to look for food as well as for the enemy.

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