DarieDf  and  take  the  rich  town  of  Panama.  But,  though  cms  reaolatini
was  taken  early  in  Januaiyy  it  was  upwards  of  two  months  before  ^
*  troops  and  traniqports  were  ready  for  embarkation.  The  flest  consisted  of
eight  sail  of  the  lin%  three  fire-ships  and  two  hospital  ships,  witb  foi^
transports,  on  board  of  which  were  three  thousand  hmd  fbfcesy  and  fife
hundred  nQ;roes  raised  by  Governor  Trelawney,  who  himself  attended  tht
expedition.  On  the  28th  of  March,  the  fleet  carae  to  an  anchor  in  the
harbour  of  Porto  Bello.  The  admiral  imagined  that  the  titx>pB  wodd
proceed  without  dday ;  but  to  his  great  surprise,  a  council  ci  the  bud-
officeis  resolved  that  the  season  being  too  fiir  advanced,  their  numben
being  diminished  by  sickness  and  the  separation  of  soane  of  the  trans*
ports,  and  their  having  received  intdligence  that  the  garrison  of  Panama
had  been  lately  reinforced,  the  scheme  was  impracticabk.  These  reasoas
did  not  iqppear  quite  satisfaetoiy  to  Admiral  Vernon ;  ntvertheksB,  as  in
their  general  councils  of  war,  there  was  a  majority  of  land  oSdten,  his
opinion  was  over-ruled.  That  their  number  was  somewhat  reduced  is
most  certain ;  but  there  remained  yet  two  thousand  effecttte  men ;  an
army  more  than  sufficient,  under  a  general  of  spirit  and  abilities,  to  have
secured  the  treasure  of  Panama.  Be  this  as  it  may,  however,  the  whole
Aeet  sailed  from  Porto  Bello  in  the  beginning  of  April,  and  arrived  at
Jamaica  on  the  15th  of  May.  On  the  23d  of  September,  the  Gibmkur
man-of-war  arrived  at  Port  Royal  in  that  island,  with  a  letter  from  the
Duke  of  Newcastle,  ordering  Vice-admiral  Vernon  and  General  Wentwofth.
to  return  immediately  to  England.
