During this time the wretched colonists of Darien liberated the cacique of Coiba, Careca, and even agreed to serve as his allies during a campaign against the cacique called Poncha, who was a neighbour of Careca on the continent.  Careca agreed to supply the Spaniards with food, and to join them with his family and subjects.  The only arms these natives used were bows and poisoned arrows, as we have already described was the case amongst those in the eastern part beyond the gulf.  As they have no iron, they use in hand-to-hand combat long wooden swords, which they call machanas.  They likewise use pointed sticks hardened in the fire, bone-tipped javelins, and other projectiles.  The campaign with Poncha began immediately after they had sown their fields as well as they could.  Careca acted both as guide and commander of the vanguard.  When his town was attacked Poncha fled, and the village and its surroundings were sacked.  Thanks to the cacique’s provisions, nothing was to be feared from hunger, but none of these supplies could be taken to the colonists who remained behind, for the distance between Darien and Poncha’s village was more than a hundred miles, and everything had to be carried on men’s backs to the nearest coast where the ships, which had been brought by the Spaniards to Careca’s village, were lying.  A few pounds of wrought gold, in the form of divers necklaces, were obtained; after ruining Poncha, the Spaniards returned to their ships, deciding to leave the caciques of the interior in peace and to confine their attacks to those along the coast.

Not far distant, in the same direction from Coiba, lies a country called Comogra, whose cacique is named Comogre, and against him the Spaniards delivered their next attack.  His town stands at the foot of the other side of the neighbouring mountain chain, in a fertile plain some twelve leagues in extent.  A relative of one of Careca’s principal officers, who had quarrelled with him, had taken refuge with Comogre.  This man was called Jura, and acted as intermediary between the Spaniards and Comogre, whose friendship he secured for them.  Jura was very well known to the Spaniards ever since Nicuesa’s expedition, and it was he who had received those three deserters from Nicuesa’s company in his own house during their stay.  When peace was concluded, the Spaniards repaired to the palace of Comogre, which lies some thirty leagues distant from Darien, but not in a direct line, for the intervening mountains obliged them to make long detours.  Comogre had seven sons from different women, all handsome children or young men, wearing no clothes.  His palace was formed of beams cut from the trees, and securely fastened together.  It was further strengthened by stone walls.  The Spaniards estimated the dimensions of this palace at one hundred and fifty paces the length and eighty paces the breadth.  Its ceilings were carved and the floors were artistically decorated.  They noticed a storehouse filled with native provisions