The disastrous Darien expedition was one of the lowest points of Scottish economic and political history. So much money was lost that the country faced ruin, and its vulnerability hastened calls for a union with England, which followed in 1707. The Company of Scotland Trading to the Indies and Africa, better known as the Scottish Darien Company, had promised prosperity by opening up trade with central America and Africa. Raising £400,000 for the scheme, which accounted for about half of the accessible capital in Scotland, the Company set sail to stake out its first post, on the Darien coast on the Panama isthmus. Five ships carrying 1,200 Scots landed in November 1698, but by the summer of the following year they had fled, 300 already dead, 150 more to die as they made for home or America. They had faced hostile Spanish colonists, English neighbours who were forbidden to trade with them, and above all chronic illness and lack of provisions. Shortly after the first settlers had fled, a second fleet arrived, bringing food and manpower, swiftly followed by a third and final party. On board this last arrival, on a ship called the Rising Sun, was the Reverend Archibald Stobo, one of four ministers in the party. He had left Scotland on 20 August 1699, and arrived to discover that the rumours about the desertion of the colony, and the conditions faced, had been all too true. Stobo later deserted the Rising Sun in Carolina, and never returned to Scotland.
… Upon the 20 day [of October] we came within the tropicks, where each one that had never passed the tropicks, according to the custom of those that goe unto the East or West Indies payed ther bottle of brandie & pound of sugar, which proved fatall to some through ther excessive drinking. Upon the 9 November we discovered land which was very refreshing unto us (being out of sight of it for six weeks). The islands were these, Antego possessed by the English, Monserat possessed by the same, Rockdundo [Redonda] possessed by none, Navis possessed by the English also. Our Counsellors thought it fitt to wreat [write] from Monserat unto the Directors & other kynd frinds in Scotland to let them know of our preservatione & safety hitherto, and since they were going ashore upon this account, they thought it convenient to carry along some casks to bring aboard some fresh water. The Governor by noe means would suffer them to bring one bottle of water telling them he was discharged to give any aid or assistance to the Scots Collony, but there being some particular gentlemen upon that island which were intimately acquaint with some of owr officers which went ashore entertained them kyndly & complemented them with some oranges, rum and sugar & lykways told them the Collony was deserted & dispersed themselves among the Dutch, France and English plantations which was not at all beleeved by us.
Having passed all these islands we saw noe more land until the 18 of this instant that we discovered the land of Carthagine upon the coasts of America about 50 leagues from Darien. Upon the 17 of this instant, it pleased the Lord to call Mr Allexander Dallgleish one of the ministers who dyed on the 15 day of his sickness, being ane hecktick fever. And the self same day we lost the Litle Hope in the night tyme & did not sie her until the 26 day. Upon the 27 [possibly 29] day, ther came two indians aboard of us in one of ther canows, we were very kind unto them & keeped them aboard all night, but we could not well understand them …
Upon the last day of November we arrived in Calledonia Bay; wher instead of being comforted after owr long voage we mett with greater sound of sorrow then ever hitherto, finding the Collony deserted & owr country men gone. But by the good providence of God ther was two English sloupes here, one from New England in which was Capt Thomas Drumond, one of the late Councellors, & some of owr country men which had come along with him expecting to meet us heir. The other from Jamaica which he mett with by the way & perswaded to come heir with him from whom he [we] got ane account of the Collony’s desertions, both tyme & reasons. The tyme of its desertions was upon the 20 day of June 1699. The reasons whereof (as Capt Drumond said) was (1) great sickness, having noemen to work. (2) want of provisione. (3) never from the tyme of ther aryvall heir hearing any word from Scotland, for all the letters they had sent. (4) The threatned invasione of the Spaniards, which is owr own case at present. (5) The great divisione that fell among the Counsellors which gave occasione of many inconveniencies amongst themselves & to the Collony, such as seasing upon the ships &c., but was severall tymes prevented until they came all at length to goe togither. He gave us ane account of the ships also. One of them called the Snow [it was actually the Dolphin] was lost upon this coast. The St Andrew was gone to Jamaica and as some say was arrested ther for debt. The Unicorn and Calledonia were at New England. The Unicorn was outerly disabled for goeing to sea, & the Calledonia was bound for Scotland. These two sloups were lodden with provisione, which owr Councellors bought, together with the Jamaica sloup.
There were also 5 men heir which came with Jamieson’s ship and Stark’s, who gave us account what was become of these two ships & the men. They landed heir about the 10 of August 1699. Jamieson’s ship was brunt heir in this bay, the wrack of which is to be seen to this day. Her burning was occasioned by a whore which Jamiesone had brought along with him, she making a complaint of his Mait unto him, who had the charge of drawing the oyl, brandy &c. Jamieson caused lay him in confinemen[t], then the couper had his charge, and being one night when he was drawing brandy, he lets the candle fall among the brandy, but all their might could not quench it, so ship and provisions were all lost, but no men. It is said he thought to have brunt Stark’s ship also. When his ship was on fyre he cut her cables & sett her straight upon Stark’s wher she was rideing. But he escaped with great difficulty. Mr Starck went unto Jamaica wher the officers sold ther men (as it is said) at a very base rate for sugar & brandy &c. This in short about those that were before us.
As for our selvs, the day after owr landing, which was the first of December 1699, Scots colours was sett up wher owr men had been, which was done with great solemnity, shutting of guns, drinking &c. Then after that ther was a generall court called both of Counsellars & officers to sie if they would resettle the place, and after much consultatione it was voted resettle. Then ther was ane account taken of the provisions which came to about 6 moneths provisione at sharp allowance, each man half pund of bread, as much of beef and the third part of a gill of brandy per diem, and the want of provisione made them send away with the ships all the men that were thought unfit for work. The sharp allowance & word of sending some away to Jamaica occasioned a ploatt designed by some to sease upon the provissions & the ships, then to make the best of ther way for ther own hands. This was tymously discovered, and one of the men was hanged upon the 20 of December 1699. At this executione the first peece of worship was performed ashoar in Calledonia by the ministers. The last day of December, being the Sabbath, was the first day of preaying ashoar, and, upon the Wednesday after, we had a Fast and Thanksgiving in one. If ther come not speedy recreets from Scotland we will be obleidged to desert the place as those before us did, owr provisions ar both scarcer then was expected & growen very bade, which occasions much sicness unto owr men.
As for the place & country wher we are, it is very comodius for fortificatione but not soe good for plantatione … The neck that owr Collony is settled upon is full of litle hills except a litle peece wher the fort is made, and this is not fit for planting, it being very marishy ground, & full of crabs that destroyes all that is planted in it. Besydes, it is thought to be very unwholsome for people’s health. Ther is noe kynd of fruit in this place for use unless we goe 3 or 4 miles in the countrey into the indians’ plantations. Ther indeed is a very pleasant countrey & such fruits as the countrey yields such as plantines, bonanes, potates &c. and befor owr people can get them it costs them twice ther worth. Ther is a great deall of fowls, wild hogs, munkies &c. in this place but very ill to get, it being such a woody place & noe passage can be had through these woods unless we fall upon a small foot road made by the indians, and this is very rare to find. In short it may be called a countrey of wonders …
There are exceeding great thunderings & lightenings & showers that comes doun almost lyke whole water. This is the only temperall tyme in the year. But they say from the latter end of March untill the first of December it is always great heat & rain …
As for the nativs, they are a very insignificant people, both for poverty & paucity. They provyde nothing but for the present tyme. They live in fruits they hav in ther plantations … & now & then shuts a fowl or a wild hogg, and that they hing above ther fire till it be as tastles as a widered loaf [leaf?]. This is all the mens’ work; the women makes the meal ready & spins some cotine and barks of tress to be hangmakes to ly in, which they ty betwixt two trees & this is all ther beds. They have noe cloaths but what they have gott & does get from owr people, only the women hat a bit brale [?brate, an apron] of ther own making wrapt about their middle. Ther women are very modest …
They are a very greedy & covetous people, especially of linnen cloath. They have a very strange language & difficule. Some words of it scarce any man would be able to get letters for expressing it. They are & which is most of all lyke to learn, & hes already learned, of owr people wicked ways. When anything angers or offends them, they will say God dam you for a son of a bich.
Ther were about ane 160 men dyed upon the voage besyds what hath dyed since we came heir …
Upon the first day of the new year the drums were allowed to go through the gentlemen’s hutts ashore for the new year’s gift, & after that they came aboard of the ships & being all drunk with the brandy they had got, when they came to owr ship two of them fell overboard, one of which perished cursing & swearing most hardily.