Our Captain who had heard and observed by reason of the hardness of the ground and stillness of the night, the change of this gentleman’s trot to a gallop, suspected that he was discovered, but could not imagine by whose fault, neither did the time give him leisure to search.  And therefore considering that it might be, by reason of the danger of the place, well known to ordinary travellers:  we lay still in expectation of the Treasurer’s coming; and he had come forward to us, but that this horseman meeting him, and (as we afterwards learnt by the other Recuas) making report to him, what he had seen presently that night, what he heard of Captain DRAKE this long time, and what he conjectured to be most likely:  viz., that the said Captain DRAKE, or some for him, disappointed of his expectation, of getting any great treasure, both at Nombre de Dios and other places, was by some means or other come by land, in covert through the woods, unto this place, to speed of his purpose:  and thereupon persuaded him to turn his Recua out of the way, and let the other Recuas which were coming after to pass on.  They were whole Recuas, and loaded but with victuals for the most part, so that the loss of them were far less if the worst befell, and yet they should serve to discover them as well as the best.

Thus by the recklessness of one of our company, and by the carefulness of this traveller; we were disappointed of a most rich booty:  which is to be thought GOD would not should be taken, for that, by all likelihood, it was well gotten by that Treasurer.

The other two Recuas were no sooner come up to us, but being stayed and seized on.  One of the Chief Carriers, a very sensible fellow, told our Captain by what means we were discovered, and counselled us to shift for ourselves betimes, unless we were able to encounter the whole force of the city and country before day would be about us.

It pleased us but little, that we were defeated of our golden Recua, and that in these we could find not past some two horse-loads of silver:  but it grieved our Captain much more, that he was discovered, and that by one of his own men.  But knowing it bootless to grieve at things past, and having learned by experience, that all safety in extremity, consisteth in taking of time [i. e., by the forelock, making an instant decision]; after no long consultation with PEDRO the chief of our Cimaroons, who declared that “there were but two ways for him:  the one to travel back again the same secret way they came, for four leagues space into the woods, or else to march forward, by the highway to Venta Cruz, being two leagues, and make a way with his sword through the enemies.”  He resolved, considering the long and weary marches that we had taken, and chiefly that last evening and day before:  to take now the shortest and readiest way:  as choosing rather to encounter his enemies while he had strength remaining, than to be encountered or chased when we should be worn out with weariness:  principally now having the mules to ease them that would, some part of the way.