But to return to our matter: _Arias_ coming to an Anchor in the River _Daria_, was cheerfully receiv’d by _Nunnez_; his first Business which he undertook was the building of three Forts, to secure the Passages to the _South Sea_; to which purpose _Joannes Aiora_ received the Command over four hundred Workmen. Moreover, _Arias_ took great dislike in the Place call’d _Maria Antiqua_, which the _Spaniards_ were forc’d by necessity first to Plant in: it lay in a deep Valley between high Mountains, so that it not onely wanted the benefit of the rising and setting of the Sun, but when in or near the Meridian, it shin’d down upon them, and scorch’d all their Plants, and the tepifi’d Morassy Grounds about the same infected the Air, and the Water which they took up to wash their Houses, immediately bred Frogs, the River _Daria_ overflow’d the Grounds with his muddy Water three Leagues distance from the Sea; the Passage thither also was very troublesom, because of the uneven Ways; and besides, the Tygers and Lyons devour’d many People and Cattel. [Sidenote: A strange Accident.] The first Night that _Arias_ lay in _Maria Antiqua_, the House wherein his Chirurgion Lodg’d was fir’d with Lightning, who running out with his Wife, being both scorched by the Flames, saw a very great Crocodile, which snatching up his Dog ran away with him towards the River. [Sidenote: Remarkable Trees.] The neighboring Territory _Coiba_ produced Trees, whose Timber us’d for Shipping never breeds Worms, because of its acerbity; whereas on the contrary, all other Vessels in that Countrey are very subject to that inconvenience. Here also grow those famous Plague-Trees, whose very Leaves, if but falling upon one, are like Gods Arrows, mortal, and immediately kill, unless the Place whereon they light be straightway anointed with fasting Spittle: and the _Coibensers_ say, that they know another poysonous Wood, which they use to destroy their Enemies withall. [Sidenote: Remarkable Journey of _Moralis_ to the _South Sea_.]