defence, a man of war may very easily come to this place, as I haue certified your maiestie, thorow the streits of Magellane, and arriue at that instant, when those barks do come from Peru with your maiesties gold and siluer, for sometimes they bring 5 or 6 millions in those barks; so the enemy may come and take al their treasure, and not leese one man, because here is not one man to resist him, therefore this place being thus fortified, the treasure may be kept in the fort. There is a trench made round about your maiesties houses which are builded of timber: the President and Iudges did cause it to be made, for that here was newes brought that there were certaine men of warre, and pirats comming for these parts. So this trench is thus maintained vntil such time as your maiesties pleasure is to the contrary, and in such wise that your souldiers may fight lying behind the trench: so there is order giuen to build a platforme vpon the plaine ground, and so to plant such ordinance in those places, as shall be thought most conuenient.
If it wil please your maiestie, here we may make a sconce or fort toward the land side, and so trench it round about and build it with stone, because here is a place and al things readie for the same purpose; and by this meanes the citie would be securely kept: as for the sea there is no danger at al, by reason that the water doth ebbe and flow twise a day, and then when it is ebbing water it wil be al ozy and muddy ground and rocks, so that in no wise at a low water the enemy can wade ouer the mud to come to this city, and it reacheth from the Island til you come to the bridge called Paita. Two leagues from this city there lieth a harbor called Perico downe to the Westward: this is a very sure harbor by reason of 3. Islands which do ioyne in maner of a halfe moone, they lie halfe a league from the maine, the Islands do enclose the harbor round about, the harbor is a very high land, and the Ilands are but reasonable high, there is good store of fresh water: also there hath neuer any ship bene cast away in this harbour, for there is 7. fathome water at ful sea, and 3 or 4 fathome at lower water, and very good ground for their ankering, and when they will trimme their ships they may hale them ashore. All those ships and barks which come from Peru with gold, siluer or any other kind of commodities, do first come to an anker in this harbour, and if they haue a contrary weather they cannot come into the harbour of Panama; and for so much as the harbour hath no defence for the safegard of the ships, if a man of warre should
