Panama had been decided upon, by general consent, as being the richest of the three cities from which a selection was to be made, the other two being Cartagena and Vera Cruz. The pirates sailed first to the island of St. Catherine or Old Providence to obtain guides from among the bandit outlaws from Panama who were banished to that place. When they arrived at this penal settlement, which was strongly fortified, Morgan, with the connivance of the Governor of the island, put up a sham fight in order to give the appearance that force had been used in obtaining what he wanted. Having obtained a plentiful supply of provisions and three bandits, who were acquainted with the route from Porto Bello to Panama and who were promised their liberty and a share of the plunder, should the undertaking prove successful, Morgan sent four ships and one boat well equipped to Chagres to take the castle there, while he remained at St. Catherine’s with the bulk of the expedition awaiting the result of this preliminary venture, and to avoid giving the alarm to the Spaniards as to his real design. The castle of Chagres or San Lorenzo, situated on the summit of a steep hill at the entrance of the river, was surrounded by high palisades filled in with earth, a formidable place almost impregnable in those days, yet notwithstanding the strong position it occupied and the extraordinarily brilliant defence which the Spanish untiringly maintained it fell at last into the hands of the enemy. [Illustration: AN OLD SENTRY TOWER ON THE CHAGRES.] On receiving news of the capture of Chagres, Morgan sailed thither with the main portion of his expedition and repaired the castle, establishing a garrison there. Besides this garrison he left a number of his men in charge of the ships, and on the 18th January, 1671, with one thousand two hundred men, thirty-two canoes, and five boats laden with artillery started up the Chagres River _en route_ for Panama. The next evening they arrived at Cruz de Juan Jallego, where the river was so dry, and the way blocked by so many fallen trees, that they were obliged to leave the boats in charge of one hundred and sixty men who were ordered not to desert their post upon pain of death. Some of the party continued the journey in canoes, and with great difficulty reached Cedro Bueno, the canoes returning for the rest of the party, and all were assembled that same night, hoping in vain to fall in with Spaniards or Indians from whom they might obtain food, as they were well-nigh exhausted from hunger. On the fourth day most of the party marched by land, the remainder still keeping to the canoes, both parties being conducted by guides, whilst scouts sent on ahead took care to examine the sides of the track and to prevent surprise from any lurking enemies.