The weeke before Easter newes came of a frigat from _Panama_ to _Golfo de Salinas_, which much comforted us, who already began to mistrust the delay. The Master of the frigat came to _Nicoya_, which is as Court thereabouts; and with him the three _Spaniards_ and my selfe agreed for our passage to _Panama_. About _Chira, Golfo de Salinas_, and _Nicoya_, there are some farmes of _Spaniards_, few and very small _Indian_ Townes, who are all like slaves employed by the Alcalde Maior, to make him a kind of thred called Pita, which is a very rich Commodity in _Spain_, especially of that colour wherewith it is dyed in these parts of _Nicoya_, which is a purple colour; for the which the _Indians_ are here much charged to work about the Sea shore, and there to finde out certain shels, wherewith they make this purple dye.
There are also shels for other colours, which are not knowne to be so plentifully in any other place as here. About _Chira_ and _Golfo de Salinas_ the chief commodities are Salt, Hony, Maiz, some Wheat and Fowles, which every yeer they send by some few Frigats to _Panama_, which from thence come on purpose to fetch them with this purple coloured thred, or _Pita_, which I have spoken of. The Frigat which came when I was there, was soon laden with these Commodities, and with it we set out hoping to have been at _Panama_ within five or six dayes. But as often before we had been crossed, so likewise in this short passage wee were striving with the Wind, Sea, and Corrientes, as they are called (which are swift streames as of a River) foure full weekes. After the first day that wee set out, wee were driven with a wind and storme towards _Peru_, till wee came under the very Æquinoctiall line, where what with excessive heat, what with mighty stormes, we utterly despaired of life. But after one week that we had thus run towards death, it pleased God in whom and by whom all creatures live, move, and have their being, to comfort us againe with hopes of life, sending us a prosperous gale, which drove us out of that Æquinoctiall heat, and stormy Sea, towards the Islands of _Perlas_ and _Puerta de Chame_, lying on the South side of the Mountaines of _Veragua_, from whence wee hoped within two dayes at the most, to be at rest and Anchor at _Panama_. But yet these our hopes were frustrated, for there our wind was calmed, and we fell upon those strong Corrientes or streams, which drave us back in the night for the space of almost a fortnight as much as wee had sailed in the day. Had not God againe been merciful here unto us, we had certainly perished in this our striving with the stream; for although wee wanted not provision of food, yet our drink failed us so, that for foure dayes wee tasted neither drop of wine or water, or any thing that might quench our thirst, save onely a little hony which wee found did cause more thirst in us, which made mee and some others to drink our own Urine, and to refresh our mouthes with peeces of lead bullets, which did for a while refresh, but would not long have sufficed Nature, had not Gods good Providence sent us such a wind which in the day drave us quite off from those Corrientes. Our first thoughts were then to strike either to the Continent, or some Island of many which were about us to seek for water, finding our bodies weak and languishing; which the Captaine of the Ship would by no meanes yeeld unto, assuring us that that day hee would land us at _Panama_; but wee not being able to saile on without drink, unlesse wee should yeeld to have our dead and not live bodies landed where hee promised, thought it no good purchase though we might buy all _Panama_ with our lives, which wee judged could not hold out another day; and seeing that the wind began to slacken, we all required him to strike into some Island for water; which he stubbornly refused and denyed to doe; whereupon the three _Spaniards_ and some of the Mariners mutinied against him with drawn Swords, threatning to kill him if he betooke not himselfe presently to some Island. The good Master thought it bad sport to see Swords at his breast, and so commanded his Ship to bee turned to two or three Islands, which were not above two or three houres sail from us. When we drew nigh unto them, wee cast our Anchor, and our Cock-boat, and happy was hee that could first cast himself into it to be rowed to land to fill his belly with water.