that this way would not bee very troublesome. Although in the Winter it is reported that here is good store of water in this place, which in the Sommer is all dryed vp, and where these waters are, there we may builde a causey, to which purpose there are great quantities of stones and timber very seruiceable: so this way may bee made with that treasure which your maiestie doeth receiue of the auerages and customes of Nombre de Dios and Panama, which doth amount vnto twelue or fourteene thousand pezos yeerely: and an order might be taken for the same, that the sayd money may serue for the building and repairing of these wayes.
Panama.
Panama is the principall citie of this Dioces: it lieth 18. leagues from Nombre de Dios on the South sea, and standeth in 9. degrees. There are 3. Monasteries in this said city of fryers: also there is a College of Iesuits, and the royal audience or chancery is kept in this citie.
[This citie is situated hard by the sea side on a sandy bay: the one side of this citie is enuironed with the sea, and on the other side it is enclosed with an arme of the sea which runneth vp into the land 1000. yards.
Sidenote: Panama hath 350 houses.]
Negros Simerons mortall enemies to the Spanyards. This citie hath three hundred and fiftie houses, all built of timber, and there are sixe hundred dwellers and eight hundred souldiers with the townesmen, and foure hundred Negros of Guyney, and some of them are freemen: and there is another towne which is called Santa Cruz la Real of Negros Simerons, and most of them are imployed in your maiesties seruice, and they are 100. in number, and this towne is a league from this citie vpon a great riuers side, which is a league from the sea right ouer against the harbour of Pericos. But there is no trust nor confidence in any of these Negros, and therefore we must take heede and beware of them, for they are our mortall enemies.
There are three sundry wayes to come to this citie, besides the sea, where the enemy may assault vs. The one is at the bridge which is builded vpon the riuer: and on the one side of this, there lieth a creeke: so on this side the citie is very strong, because it is all soft muddie ground, for in no way they cannot goe vpon it. And right ouer against it there lieth a riuer which is in
