The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-08-20
OPENING UP HISTORIC
SPOTS ON THE ISTE MUS
In the Footsteps of Morgan and the Buccanneers-HoW
a City Was Looted-Fightlng With Wild Bulls
Where Columbus Landed.

Nf1SAs htA @A1 -
near the great quarries, from where
We have been getting the stone for
the concrete work OF the Gatun locks.
Porto Bello is practically nothing
today, but in 1868 it was one OF the
chief landmarks of the new world,
and was noted everywhere for It's
wealth and importance. 1t was then
the strongest fortified town that the
! King of Spain had in the West Indies,
with the receptions only Of C~artagena
and Havana. Esqueneling says that
its castles were almost impregnable,
and that the garrison consisted or
800 soldiers. 1t had a population OF
about 5000 people, and among its
buildings were some great ware
houses, where the silver and gold were
brought upon mules, and where the
ships landed the negroes brought here
to be used as slaves.
When Morgan took Porto Bello he
slipped in and embarked some dis
lance up the coast. He then march
ed with his down to the
forts and put the Spaniards to the
sword He blew up one of the castles
and set fire to another. The battle
was a terrible one, and the Spaniards
fought bravely. The governor Of the
town refused to surrender, saying, Il
would rather die as a soldier than be
hanged as a coward"
After taking the town the pirates
looted it. They tortured the citizens
to S.ake them give up their wealth
and this with such cruelties that many
died on the rack.
Besieging Old Panama.
Morgan now Sent word across the
isthmus to the citizens of old Pan
anna, demanding a ransom. This was
refused and the pirate went with his
- baoly 20 N,h - ~5 hama 10 q
maica to repair for it's capture
They had then in ready money $50
900 pieces Of eight, as we'll as a grea,
stock of linens, silks and other goods
The fall Of old Panama occurred IL
1871, and the fleet which started GU
to take it was perhaps the larges
pirate gang ever gotten together. /
had thirty-seven ships, and 1000 men
Morgan was admiral and he divided
the fleet into two %squadrons and mad'
a ixed scheme Of division as to wha
share every man should have Of tn
booty. When the pirates ngage
with Morgan they did not know jus
GALLY TWO-CARPENTER
where they We're going and had tn,
hope Of plundering either C~artagena
Panama or Vera Cruz. They selected
the place by lot, and the lot fell upor
Panama.
The Trip Across the Isthmus.
Coming to the isthmus they mad
their way up the River Chagres t
what was then known as the Castl
Of the Chagres. This was San Lo
renzo, a picnicking place for the can
al employees OF today. There was
fort there and some sort Of, a struc
! ture called a castle, which I Suppos
: was only a blockhouse.
At any rate, they took the castl
. and fort after a strong defense on tn
3 Fart Of the S~paniards, who cried on
: Come on, We English dogs, enemie
to God and our king! Ye shall not 6
to panama this bout"
S The pirates used fireballs and fnall
: burned down the fort. They los
. about n hundred men during tn
r battle.
One can follow the road from Sa
S Lorenzo to old Panama now. 1t goe
right through the jungle, but
plainly marked. The pirates>cut the
d way through it and almost starved Q
the way. At one time they were i
such straits that they cooked SON
leather bags which they had found
n the fort, but this food f]errnented
e their stomachS and gnawed their yer
e bowels.
They had other h%ardships. and
last came to Las Cruces, where TT
new road is to go. AS they neare
>NCJ ~" " oAlo ool
posed that the Spaniards we're cool
ing their dinner. They found tn;
n the smoke came from the ruins Tt
is Spaniards had fired Las Cruces ar
e. fled. The pirates greedily drank SON
S. Peru wine that was left, but the wi,
s. was poisoned, and it made them sit
&c almost unto death.
1T n Battle With Wild Bulls.
Leaving Las Cruces, the pirate a
lg my went IN over the line of the roo
9. which we are now about to macadar
lze, and at last they came to a mou
Of tain, from where they could see Il
n Pacific ocean. Going down this, tn
p entered the savannaS which are tu
as outside the present city Of Panan
40 and not more than a mile from {
as Tivoli Hotel at Ancon. Here tn
found some cattle which they kille
he They ate the meat half raw. Tn
camped on the for a de
and thence went on to attack the cj
lis of old Panama. The SDaniar
~ &ho,~bt To 6ofon6 ho"co1x-oo ~