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in their flight, he ordered them to shew him the Governor’s house, where he was informed the treasure that came from Panama was deposited. Accordingly, he and his men being led thither they found the great door open, a candle upon the stairs, and a fine horse standing ready saddled. By means of the light, they saw a prodigious heap of silver in the lower room, being a pile of bars as near as they could guess, 70 feet in length 20 in breadth, and 12 in height. Each of the bars which were thus piled up against the wall, was about 30 or 40 pounds weight. At sight of this Drake gave strict orders that none should touch a bar of the silver, but stand to their arms; because the town was still full of people, and there was in the King’s treasure-house, near the water side, more gold and jewels than all their pinnaces could carry with them.
They were no sooner returned to their arms than a report was brought by some of their men that their pinnaces were in danger of being taken and that if themselves did not get on board before day light, they would be overpowered by multitudes of soldiers and townsmen. Drake immediately sent his brother, with John Oxenham, to enquire what had occasioned this report; and they found the men who were left to guard the pinnaces, very much disheartened, because they had seen great bodies of men running up and down, some with lighted matches, and some armed with different kinds of weapons. At this instant a violent shower of rain fell, attended with thunder and lightening; so that before they could take shelter under a pent-house, at the west end of the King’s treasure-house, some of their bow-strings were wet, and their match and powder damaged.
