600. miles I passed 400. leauing my shippes so farre from me at ancor in the sea which was more of desire to performe that discouery then of reason especially hauing such poore weake vessels to transport our selues in for in the bottom of an old Gallego which I caused to be fashioned like a Galley and in one barge two wherries and a ship bote of the Lions whelpe we caried too persons and their victuals for a moneth in the same being al driuen to lie in the raine weather in the open aire in the burning sunne vpon the hard bords and to dresse our meat and to cary al manner of furniture in them wherewith they were so pestred and vnsauery that what with victuals being most fish with the weet clothes of so many men thrust together and the heate of the sunne I will vndertake there was neuer any prison in England that coulde be founde more vnsauory and lothsome especially to my selfe who had for many yeares before beene dieted and cared for in a sort farre more differing If Captaine Preston had not beene perswaded that he should haue come too late to Trinedado to haue found vs there for the moneth was expired which I promised to tarry for him there ere he could recouer the coast of Spayne but that it had pleased God he might haue ioyned with vs and that wee had entred the countrey but some ten daies sooner ere the riuers were ouerflow en we had aduentured either to haue gone to the great City of Manoa or at least taken so many of the other Cities and townes neerer at hand as would haue made a royall returne but it pleased not God so much to fauour me at this time if it shalbe my lot to prosecute the same I shall willingly spend my life therein and if any else shalbe enabled thereunto and conquere the same I assure him thus much he shall performe more then euer was done in Mexico by Cortez or in Peru by Pacaro wherof the one conquered the Empyre of Mutezuma the other of Guascar and Atabalipa and whatsoeuer Prince shall possesseit that Prince shall be Lorde of more Golde and of a more beautifull Empire and of more Cities and people then eyther the king of Spaine or the great Turke But because there may arise many doubtes and how this Empyre of Guiana is become so populous and adorned with so many greate Cities Townes Temples and treasures I thought good to make it knowen that the Emperor now raigning is descēded from those magnificent Princes of Peru of whose large territories of whose pollicies conquests edifices and riches Pedro de Cieza Francisco Lopez and others haue written large discourses for when Francisco Pacaro Diego Almagro and others conquered the said Empyre of Peru and had put to death Atabalipa sonne to Cuaynacapa which Atabalipa had formerly caused his eldest brother Guascar to be slaine one of the yonger sonnes of Guaynacapa fled out of Peru and tooke with him many thousandes of those souldiers of the Empyre called Oreiones and with those and many others which followed him he vanquished al that tract and valley of America which is situate betweene the greate riuer of Amazones and Baraquan otherwise called Orenoke and Maranion The Empyre of Guiana is directly east from Peru towards the sea and lieth vnder the Equinoctiall line and it hath more abundance of Golde then any part of Peru and as many or moe great Cities then euer Peru had when it florished most it is gouerned by the same lawes and the Emperour and people obserue the same religion and the same forme and pollicies in gouernment as was vsed in Peru not differing in any part and as I have beene assured by such of the Spanyardes as haue seene Manoa the imperial Citie of Guiana which the Spaniards cal El Dorado that for the greatnes for the riches and for the excellent seate it farre exceedeth any of the world at least of so much of the world as is knowen to the Spanish nation it is founded vpon a lake of salt water of 200 leagues long like vnto mare caspin̄ And if we compare it to that of Peru but read the reiport of Francisco Lopez others it wil seeme more then credible and because we may iudge of the one by the other I thought good to insert part of the 120 chapter of Lopez in his generall historie of the Indies wherein he discribeth the court and magnificence of Guynacapa auncestor to the Emperour of Guiana whose very wordes are these Todo el seruicio de su casa mesa y cozina era de oro y de plata y quando menos de plata y cobre per mas rezio Tenia ensurecamara estatuas huecas de oro que parecian gigantes y las figuras alpropio y tamano de quantos animales aues arboles y yeruas produze la tierra y de quantos peces cria la mary aguas de sus reynos Tenia assi mesmo sogas costales celtas y troxes de oro y plata rimeros de palos de oro que pareciessen lenna raiada para quemar En fin no auia cosa en su tierra que no la tuuiesse de oro contrahecha y aun dizen que tenian los Ingas vn vergal en vna Islacerca de la Puna donde se yuan a hol gar quando querian mar que tenia la ortaliza las flores yarboles de oro y plata inuencion y grandeza hasta entonces nunca vista Allende de todo esto tenia infinitissmia cantidad de plata y oro por labrar en el Cuzco que se perdio po la muerte de Guascar ca los Indios lo escondieron viendo que los espanioles se lo tomauan y embiauan a Espania That is All the vessels of his house table and kitchin were of Gould and Siluer and the meanest of siluer copper for strength and hardnes of mettal He had in his wardroppe hollow statues of golde which seemed giants and the figures in proportion and bignes of all the beastes birdes trees and hearbes that the earth bringeth forth and of all the fishes that the sea or waters of his kingdome breedeth Hee had also ropes budgets chestes and troughs of golde and siluer heapes of billets of golde that seemed woode marked out to burne Finally there was nothing in his countrey whereof he had not the counterfeat in gold Yea and they say The Ingas had a garden of pleasure in an Iland neere Puna where they went to recreate themselues when they would take the ayre of the sea which had all kind of garden hearbes flowers and trees of Gold and Siluer an inuention magnificence til then neuer seene Besides all this he had an infinite quantitie of siluer and gold vnwrought in Cuzco which was lost by the death of Guascar for the Indians hid it seeing that the Spaniards tooke it and sent it into Spaine And in the 117.
DISCOVERIE OF THE LARGE RICH AND BEVVTIFVL EMPIRE OF GVIANA WITH a relation of the great and Golden Citie of Manoa which the spanyards call El Dorado And the Prouinces of Emeria Arromaia Amapaia and other Countries with their riuers adioyning Performed in the yeare 1595. by Sir W. Ralegh Knight Captaine of her Maiesties Guard Lo. Warden of the Sannerries and her Highnesse Lieutenant generall of the Countie of Cornewall Imprinted at London by Robert Robinson 1596. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY singular good Lord and kinsman Charles Howard knight of the Garter Barron and Counceller and of the Admiralls of England the most renowmed And to the Right Honorable S r Robert Cecyll Knight Counceller in her Highnes priuie Councels FOR your Honors many Honorable and friendlie partes I haue hitherto only returned promises and nowe for answere of both your aduentures I haue sent you a bundle of papers which I haue deuided betwene your Lo. S r Robert Cecyl in these two respectes chiefly First for that it is reason that wastful factors when they haue consumed such stockes as they had in trust doe yeeld some cullor for the same in their account secondly for that I am assured that whatsoeuer shalbe done or written by me shall neede a double protection and defence The triall that I had of both your loues when I was left of all but of malice and reuenge makes me still prejume that you wil be pleased knowing what little power I had to performe ought and the great aduantage of for warnedenemies to answeare that out of knowledge which others shall but obiect out of malice In my more happy times as I did especially honour you both so I found that your loues sought me out in the darkest shadow of aduersitie and the same affection which accompanied my better fortune sored not away from me in my manie miseries all which though I cannot requite yet I shal euer acknowledge and the great debt which I haue no power to pay I can doe no more for a time but confesse to be due It is true that as my errors were great so they haue yeelded verie grieuous effects and if ought might haue beene deferued in fomer times to haue counterpoysed anie part of offences the frute thereof as it seemeth was long before fallen from the tree and the dead stocke onely remained I did therefore euen in deadstocke onely remained I did therefore euen in the winter of my life vndertake these trauels fitter for bodies lesse blasted with mis-fortunes for men of greater abilitie and for mindes of better incouragement that thereby if it were possible I might recouer but the moderation of excesse and the least tast of the greatest plentie formerly possessed If I had knowen other way to win if I had imagined how greater aduentures might haue regained if I coulde conceiue what farther meanes I might yet vse but even to appease so powerefull displeasure I would not doubt but for one yeare more to hold fast my soule in my teeth til it were performed Of that little remaine I had I haue wasted in effect all herein I haue undergone many constructions I haue beene accompanyed with many sorrows with labor hunger heat sicknesse peril It appeareth notwithstand that I made no other brauado of going to the sea then was ment and that I was neither hidden in cornwell or else where as was supposed They haue grosly belied me that foreiudged that I would rather become a seruant to the Spanish king thē return the rest were much mistaken who woulde haue perswaded that I was too easeful sensuall to vndertake a iorney of so great trauel But if what I haue done receiue the gratious construction of a painful pilgrimage and purchase the least remission I shal thinke all too little and that there were wanting to the rest many miseries But if both the times past the present and what may be in the future doe all by one graine of gall continue in an eternall distast I doe not then knowe whether I should bewaile my selfe either for my too much trauel and expence or condemne my selfe for doing lesse then that which can deserue nothing From my selfe I haue deserued no thankes for I am returned a begger and withered but that I might haue bettred my poore estate it shall appeare by the following discourse if I had not onely respected her Maiesties future Honor and riches It became not the former fortune in which I once liued to goe iourneys of picorie and it had sorted ill with the offices of Honor which by her maiesties grace I hold this day in England to run from Cape to Cape from place to place for the pillage of ordinarie prizes Many yeares since I had knowledge by relatiō of that mighty rich and beawtifull Empier of Guiana and of that great and Golden Citie which the spanyards call El Dorado and the naturals Manoa which Citie was conquered reedified and inlarged by a gonger sonne of Guainacapa Emperor of Peru at such time as Francisco Pazaro and others conquered the saide Empire from his two elder brethren Guascar and Atabalipa both then contending for the same the one being fauoured by the Oreiones of Cuzco the other by the people of Caximalca I sent my seruant Iacob VVhiddon the yeer before to get knowledge of the passages and I had some light from Captaine Parker sometime my seruant and nowe attending on your Lo. that such a place there was to the southward of the great bay of Charuas or Guanipa but I found that it was 600. miles farther off then they supposed and manie other impediments to them vnknowne and vnheard After I had displanted Don Anthonio de Berreo who was vpon the same enterprize leauing my ships at Trinedado at the port called Curiapan I wandred 400. miles into the said countrey by land and riuer the particulers I will leaue to the following discourse The countrey hath more quantity of Gold by manifolde then the best partes of the Indies or Peru All the most of the kings of the borders are already become her Maiesties vassals seeme to desire nothing more then her Maiesties protection and the returne of the English nation It hath another grounde and assurance of riches glory then the voiages of the west Indies an easier way to inuade the best parts therof then by the common course The king of Spaine is not so impouerished by taking 3 or 4 port townes in America as we suppose neither are the riches of Peru or Nueua Espania so left by the seaside as it can be easily washt away with a great flood or springtide or left drie vpon the sandes on a lowe ebbe The port townes are few and poore in respect of the rest within the land and are of little defence and are onely rich When the fleets are to receiue the treasure for spaine And we might thinke the spanyards verie simple haueing so many horses and slaues that if they could
indaungered and brought from his powerfulnes as any prince in Europe if it be considered from how many kingdoms and nations his reuenews are gathered and those so weake in their own beings and so farre seuered from mutuall succor But because such a preparation and resolution is not to be hoped for in hast and that the time which our enimies embrace can not be had againe to aduantage I will hope that these prouinces and that Empyre now by me discouered shall suffice to inable her Maiesty and the whole kingdome with no lesse quantities of treasure then the king of Spayne hath in all the Indies east and west which he possesseth which if the same be considered and followed ere the Spanyards enforce the same if her Maiesty will vndertake it I wil be contented to lose her highnes faueur and good opinion for euer and my life withal if the same be not found rather to exceede then to equal what soeuer is in this discourse promised or declared I will nowe referre the reader to the following discourse with the hope that the perilous and chargeable labors and indeuours of such as thereby seeke the profit and honor of her Maiesty and the English nation shall by men of quallitie and vertue receiue such construction and good acceptance as themselues would looke to be rewarded withall in the like W R. THE DISCOVERIE OF GVIANA ON Thursday the 6. of Februarie in the yeare 1595. we departed England and the sunday following had sight of the North cape of Spayne the winde for the most part continuing prosperous wee passed in sight of the Burlings and the rocke and so onwardes for the Canaries and fell with Fuerte ventura the 17. of the same moneth where we spent two or three daies and relieued our companies with some fresh meate From thence we coasted by the Gran Canaria and so to Tenerife and staied there for the Lyons whelp your Lordships ship and for captaine Amys Preston and the rest But when after 7. or 8 daies we found thcm not wee departed and directed our course for Trinedado with mine owne shippe and a small barke of Captaine Crosses onely for we had before lost sight of a smal Gallego on the coast of Spayne which came with vs from Plymmouth wee arriued at Trinedado the 22. of March casting ancour at point Curiapan vvhich the Spaniards call punto de Gallo which is situate in 8. degrees or there abouts we abode there 4. or 5. daies and in all that time we came not to the speach of any Indian or Spaniard on the coast we saw a fire as we sailed from the point Carao towards Curiapan but for feare of the Spanyards none durst come to speake with vs. I my selfe coasted it in my barge close abord the shore and landed in euery Coue the better to know the Iland while the ships kept the chanell From Curiapan after a fewe daies we turned vp Northeast to recouer that place which the Spaniards cal Puerto de los Hispanioles and the inhabitants Conquerabia and as before reuictualing my barge I left the shippes and kept by the shore the better to come to speach with some of the inhabitantes and also to vnderstand the riuers watring places and portes of the Iland which as it is rudely done my purpose is to send your Lordship after a fewe daies From Curiapan I came to a port seat of Indians called Parico where we founde a fresh-water riuer but sawe no people From thence I rowed to another porte called by the naturals Piche and by the Spaniardes Tierra de Brea In the way betweene both were diuers little brooks of fresh water one salt riuer that had store of oisters vpon the branches of the trees were very salt wel tasted Al their oisters grow vpon those boughs and spraies and not on the grounde the like is commonly seene in the West Indies and else where This tree is described by Andrewe Theuet in his french Antartique and the forme figured in the booke as a plante verye straunge and by Plinie in his XII booke of his naturall historie But in this Ilande as also in Guiana there are verie manie of them At this point called Tierra de Brea or Piche there is that abundance of stone pich that all the ships of the world may be therewith Ioden from thence and wee made triall of it in trimming our ships to be most excellent good and melteth not with the sunne as the pitch of Norway and therefore for ships trading the south partes very profitable From thence we went to the mountaine foote called Annaperima and so pasing the riuer Carone on which the Spanish Citie was seated we met with our ships at puerto de los Hispanioles or Conquerabia This Iland of Trinedado hath the forme of a sheephooke and is but narrow the north part is very mounteynous the soile is very excellent and wil beare suger ginger or any other commodity that the Indies yeeld It hath store of deare wild porks fruits fish fowle It hath also for breade sufficient Mais Cassani and of those roots and fruits which are common euerywhere in the west Indies It hath diuers beasts which the Indies haue not the spainards cōfessed that they found grains of gold in some of the riuers but they hauing a purpose to enter Guiana the Magazin of all rich metetls cared not to spend time in the search therof any farther This Iland is called by the people thereof Catri and in it are diuers nations those about Parico are called Iaio those at Punto Carao are of the Arwacas and betweene Carao and Curiadan they are called Saluaios betweene Carao and punto Gallera are the Nepoios and those about the Spanish Citie tearme themselues Carinepagotes Of the rest of the nations and of other portes and riuers I leaue to speake heere beeing impertinent to my purpose and meane to describe them as they are situate in the particular plot and description of the Iland three partes whereof I coasted with my barge that I might the better describe it Meeting with the shipps at puerto de los Hispanioles we founde at the landing place a company of Spanyards who kept a gard at the descente and they offering a signe of peace I sent Captaine Whiddon to speake with them whome afterward to my great griefe I left buried in the saide Iland after my returne from Guiana beeing a man most honest and valiant The Spanyards semed to be desirous to trade with vs and to enter into tearms of peace more for doubt of their own strength then for ought else and in the ende vpon pledge som of them came abord the same euening there stale also abord vs in a finall Canoa two Indians the one of them being a Casique or Lord of the people called Cantyman who had the yeare before beene with Captaine Whiddon and was of his acquaintance By this Cantyman wee vnderstood what strength the Spanyardes had how farre
stone we also esteeme them of these I saw diuers in Guiana and commonly euery king or Casique hath one which their wiues for the most part weare and they esteem them as greate iewels But to returne to the enterprise of Berreo who as I haue said departed from Nueuo reygno with 700. horse besides the prouisions aboue rehearsed he descended by the riuer called Cassanar which riseth in Nueno reygno out of the mountaines by the citie of Tuuia from which mountaine also springeth Pato both which fall into the great riuer of Meta and Meta riseth from a mountaine ioyning to Pampelone in the same Nueuo reygno de Granada these as also Guaiare which issueth out of the mountaines by Timana fall all into Baraquan and are but of his heads for at their comming togither they loose their names and Baraquan farther down is also rebaptized by the name of Orenoque On the other side of the citie and hils of Timana riseth rio grande which falleth into the sea by Sancta Marta By Cassonar first and so into Meta Berreo passed keeping his horsemen on the bankes where the countrie serued them for to march and where otherwise he was driuen to embarque them in boates which he builded for the purpose so came with the currant down the riuer of Meta and so into Baraquan After he entred that great and mighty riuer he began daily to loose of his companies both men and horse for it is in many places violently swift and hath forcible eddies many sands and diuers Ilandes sharpe pointed with rocks But after one whole yeere iourneying for the most part by riuer and the rest by land he grew daily to fewer numbers for both by sicknes and by encountring with the people of those regions through which he trauelled his companies were much wasted especially by diuers incounters with the Amapaiens And in all this time he neuer could learne of any passage into Guiana nor any newes or same thereof vntill he came to a farther border of the saide Amapaia eight daies iourney from the riuer Caroli which was the farthest riuer that he entred Among those of Amapaia Guiana was famous but few of these people accosted Berreo or woulde trade with him the first three moneths of the six which he foiourned there This Amapaia is also maruellous rich in golde as both Berreo confessed and those of Guiana with whome I had most conference and is situate vpon Orenoke also In his countrey Berreo lost 60. of his best soldiers and most of all his horse that remained in his former yeeres trauell but in the end after diuers encounters with those nations they grew to peace and they presented Berreo with 10. Images of fine gold amōg diuers other plates and Croissants which as he sware to me and diuers other gentlemen were so curiously wrought as he had not seene the like eyther in Italy Spayne or the Lowe Countries and he was resolued that when they came to the handes of the Spanish king to whom he had sent them by his Campmaster they would appeare very admirable especially being wrought by such a nation as had no Iron instruments at all nor any of those helps which our gold smiths haue to work with all The particular name of the people in Amapaia which gaue him these peeces are called Anebas and the riuer of Orenoque at that place is aboue 12. English miles brode which may be from his out fall into the sea 700. or 800. miles This Prouince of Amapaia is a verie low and a marish ground neere the riuer and by reason of the red water which issueth out in small branches thorow the fenny and boggie ground there breed diuers poysonfull wormes and serpents and the Spaniards not suspecting nor in any fort foreknowing the danger were infected with a grieuous kind of flux by drinking therof and euen the very horses poisoned therewith In so much as at the end of the six months that they abode there of all their troups there were not left aboue 120. soldiers and neyther horse nor cattle For Berreo hoped to haue found Guiana by 1000. miles neerer than it fell out to be in the end by means wherof they sustained much want and much hunger oppressed with greeuous diseases and all the miseries that could be imagined I demanded of those in Guiana that had trauelled Amapaia how they liued with that tawny or red water when they trauelled thither and they tolde me that after the Sun was neere the midle of the skie they vsed to fill their pots and pitchers with that water but either before that time or towards the setting of the Sun it was dangerous to drinke of and in the night strong poison I learned also of diuers other riuers of that nature among them which were also while the Sun was in the Meridian very safe to drink and in the morning evening and night woonderfull dangerous and infectiue From this prouiuce Berreo hasted away as foone as the Spring and beginning of Summer appeered sought his entrance on the borders of Orenoque on the south side but there ran a ledge of so high impassable mountaines as he was not able by any meanes to march ouer thē cōtinuing from the east sea into which Orenoque falleth euen to Quito in Peru neither had he meanes to carrie victuall or munition ouer those craggie high and fast hils being all wooddy and those so thicke and spiny and so full of prickles thornes aud briers as it is impossible to creepe thorow them he had also neither friendship among the people nor any interpreter to perswade or treate with them and more to his disaduantage the Cassiqui and kings of Amapaia had giuen knowledge of his purpose to the Guianians and that he sought to sacke and conquer the Empire for the hope of their so greate abundance and quantities of gold he passed by the mouths of many greate riuers which fell into Orenoque both from the north and south which I forbeare to name for tediousnes and bicause they are more pleasing in describing than reading Ilstreo affirmed that there fell an hundred riuers into Orenoque from the north and south whereof the left was as big as Ria grande that passed between Popayan and Nueuo reyno de granada Ria grande being esteemed one of the renowned riuers in all the west Indies numbred among the great riuers of the world But he knew not the names of any of these but Caroli only neither from what nations they discended neither to what Provinces they led for he had no meanes to discourse with the inhibatants at any time neither was he curious in these things being vtterly vnlearned not knowing the east frō the west But of all these I got som knowlegde of many more partly by mine own trauel the rest by cōference of fom one I learned one of others the rest hauing with me an Indian that spake many languages that of Guiana
not vpon two daies warning carrie all the Golde they haue into the land and farre enough from the reach of our footmen especiallie the Indies being as it for the most part so mountainous so full of woods riuers and marishes In the port townes of the prouince of Vensuello as Cumana Coro and S. Iago where of Coro and S. Iago were taken by Captaine Preston and Cumana and S. Iosephus by vs we found not the value of one riall of plate in either but the Cities of Barquasimeta Valentia S. Sebastian Cororo S. Lucia Alleguna Marecabo and Truxillo are not so easely inuaded neither doth the burning of those on the coast impouerish the king of spayne anie one Ducket and if we sacke the riuer of Hache S. Marta and Cartagena which are the portes of Nueuo reyno and Popayan There are besides within the land which are indeede rich and populus the townes and Cities of Merida Lagrita S. Christofero the great Cities of Pampelone S. Fede Bogota Tunia and Mozo where the Esmeralds are founde the townes and Cities of Morequito velis la villa de Leua Palma vnda ā Angustura the greate Citie of Timana Tocaima S. Aguila Pasto Iuago the great citie of Popaian it selfe Los Remedios and the rest If we take the ports and villages within the bay Vraba in the kingdom or riuers of Dariena and Caribana the cities and townes of S. Iuan de Roydas of Cassaris of Antiocha Carramanta Cali and Auserma haue gold enough to pay the King part and are not easily inuaded by the way of the Ocean or if Nombre de Dios and Panama be taken in the prouince of Castillo de oro and the villages vpon the riuers of Cenu and Chagre peru hath besides those and besides the magnificent cities of Quito and Lima so manie Ilands ports Cities and mines as if I should name thē with the rest it would seeme incredible to the reader of all which because I haue writen a particular treatise of the west Indies I will omit their repetition at this time seing that in the saide treatise I haue anatomized the rest of the sea townes as well of Nicaragna Iucata Nueua Espanna and the Ilands as those of the Inland and by what meanes thy maybe beste inuaded as farre as any meane Iudgement can comprehend But I hope it shall appeare that there is a way found to answere euerie mans longing a better Indies for her maiestie then the King of Spaine hath any which if it shall please her highness to vndertake I shall most willingly end the rest of my daies in following the same If it be left to the spoyle and sackage of common persons if the loue and seruice of so many nations be despised so great riches and so mightie an Empyre refused I hopē her Maiesty will yet take my humble desire and my labour therein in gracious part which if it had not beene in respect of her highnes future honor riches I could haue laid hāds and ransomed many of the kings Cassiqui of the Country have had a reasonable proportion of gold for their redemption But I haue chosen rather to beare the burthen of pouertie then reproch rather to endure a second trauel the chaunces therof thē to haue defaced an enterprise of so great assurance vntill I knew whether it pleased God to put a disposition in her princely and royall heart eyther to follow or foreflow the same I wil therefore leaue it to his ordinance that hath onely power in al thinges and do humbly pray that your honors wil excuse such errors as without the defence of art ouer run in euery part the following discourse in which I haue neither studied phrase forme nor fashion and that you will be pleased to estceme me as your owne thought ouer dearly bought and I shall euer remained ready to doe you all honour and service W R. To the Reader BEcause there haue been diuers opinions conceiued of the gold oare brought from Guiana and for that an Alderman of London and an officer of her maiesties minte hath giuen out that the same is of no price I haue thought good by the addition of these lines to giue answere as wel to the said malicious flaunder as to other obiectiōs It is true that while we abode at the Iland of Trinedado I was in formed by an Iudian that not farre from the Port where we ancored there were founde certaine minerall stones which they esteemed to be gold and were the reunto perswaded the rather for that they had seen both English and French mengather and imbarque some quantities thereof vppon this liklyhoode I sent 40. men gaue order that each one should bring a stone of that mync to make triall of the goodnesse which being performed I assured them at their returne that the same was Marcasite and of no riches or value Notwithstanding diuers trusting more to their owne sence then to my opinion kept of the saide Marcasite and haue tried thereof since my returne in diucrs places In Guiana it selfe I neuer sawe Marcasite but all the rocks mountaines all stones in the plaines in woodes and by the riuers side are in effect thorow shining and appeare marueylous rich which being tried to be no Marcasite are the trew signes of rich minerals but are no other then El madre del oro as the Spanyards terme them which is the mother of golde or as it is saide by others the scum of Gold of diuers sortes of these manie of my companie brought also into England euery one taking the fayrest for the best which is not generall For mine owne parte I did not countermand any mans desire or opinion I could haue a forded them little if I shoulde haue denied them the pleasing of their owne fancies therein But I was resolued that golde must be found either in graines separate frō the stone as it is in most of the riuers in Guiana or else in a kinde of hard stone which we call the white Sparre of which I saw diuers hils in sundrie places but had neither time nor men nor instruments fit to labour Neere vnto one of the riuers I founde of the saide white Sparre or flint a very greatledge orbanke which I endeuored to breake by all the meanes I coulde bicause there appeared on the out side some small graines of gold but finding no meane to worke the same vpon the vpper part seeking the sides and circuit of the sayd rock I founde a clift in the same from whence with daggers and with the head of an axe we gotte out some small quantitie therof of which kinde of white stone wherein golde in gendered we fawe diuers hils and rocks in euery part of Guiana wherein we trauelled Of this there hath beene made many trialls and in London it was first assaide by Master Westwood a refiner dwelling in woodstreet and it helde after the rate of 12000 or 13000 pounds a tunne Another sort
it was to their Citie and of Don Anthonio de Berreo the gouernour who was said to be slaine in his second attempt of Guiana but was nor While we remained at puerto de los Hispanioles some Spanyardes came abord vs to buy lynnen of the company and such other thinges as they wanted and also to view our shippes and company all which I entertained kindly and feasted after our manner by meanes whereof I learned of one and another as much of the estate of Guiana as I could or as they knew for those poore souldiers hauing beene many yeares without wine a fewe draughtes made them merie in which mood they vaunted of Guiana and of the riches therof and all what they knew of the wayes and passages my selfe seeming to purpose nothing lesse then the enterance or discouerie thereof but bred in them an opinion that I was bound only for the reliefe of those english which I had plainted in Virginia whereof the brute was come among them which I had performed in my returne if extremity of weather had not forst me from the saide coast I found occasions of staying in this place for two causes the one was to be reuenged of Berreo who the yeare before betraied 8. of Captaine Whiddons met tooke them while he departed from them to seeke the E. Bonauenture which ariued at Trinedado the day before from the East Indies in whose absence Barreo sent a Canoa abord the pinnace only with Indians and dogs inuiting the company to go with them into the wods to kil a deare who like wise men in the absence of their Captaine followed the Indians but were no sooner one harquebush shot from the shore but Berreos souldiers lying in ambush had them al notwithstanding that he had giuen his worde to Captaine Whiddon that they should take water and wood safely the other cause of my stay was for that by discourse with the Spanyards I dayly learned more and more of Guiana of the riuers and passages and of the enterprize of Berreo by what meanes or fault he failed and how he meant to prosecute the same While we thus spent the time I was assured by another Casique of the north side of the Iland that Berreo had sent to Marguerita to Cumana for souldiers meaning to haue giuen me a Cassado at parting if it had bin possible For although he had giuen order through all the Iland that no Indian should come aborde to trade with me vpon paine of hanging and quartering hauing executed two of them for the same which I afterwardes founde yet euerie night there came some with most lamētable complaints of his cruelty how he had deuided the Iland giuen to euery soldier a part that he made the ancient Cassiqui which were Lordes of the countrie to be their slaues that he kept them in chains dropped their naked bodies with burning bacon such other torments which I found afterwards to be true for in the citie after I entred the same there were 5. of the Lords or litle kings which they call Casiqui in the west Indies in one chaine almost dead of famine wasted with torments these are called in their own langauge Acarewana and now of late since English French Spanish are come among them they cal themselues Capitaines because they perceiue that the chiefest of euery ship is called by that name Those fiue Capitaines in the chaine were called Wannawanare Carroaori Maquarima Tarroopanama Aterima So as both to be reuenged of the former wrong as also considering that to enter Guiana by small boats to depart 400. or 500. miles from my ships and to leaue a garison in my backe interressed in the same enterprize who also daily expected supplies out of Spaine I should haue sauoured very much of the Asse and therefore taking a time of most aduantage I set upon the Corp duguard in the euening and haueing put them to the sword sent Captaine Calfield onwards with 60. soldiers my selfe followed with 40. more so toke their new city which they called S. Ioseph by breake of day they abode not any fight after a few shot al being dismissed but only Berreo his companion I brought them with meabord and at the instance of the Indians I set their now City of S. Iosephs on fire The same day arriued Captaine George Gifford with your Lord ships ship Captaine Keymis whom I lost on the coast of Spayne with the Gallego and in them diuers Gent. and others which to our little army was a great comfort and supply We then hastened away towards our purposed discouerie and first I called all the Captaines of the Iland together that were enemies to the Spaniards for there were some which Berreo had broght out of other countries planted there to eat out wast those that were natural of the place by my Indian interpreter which I caried out of England I made them vnderstand that I was the seruant of a Queene who was the great Casique of the north and a virgin and had more Casique vnder her then there were trees in that Iland that she was an enemy to the Castelani in respect of their tyranny and oppression and that the deliuered all such nations about her as were by them oppressed hauing freed al the coast of the northren world from their feruitude had sent me to free them also and with al to defend the countrey of Guiana from their inuasion and conquest I shewed them her maiesties picture which they so admired and honoured as it had beene easie to haue brought them Idolatrous thereof The like a more large discourse I made to the rest of the nations both in my passing to Guiana to those of the borders so as in that part of the world her maiesty is very famous and admirable whom they now call Ezrabeta Cassipuna Aquerewana which is as much as Elizabeth the great princesse or greatest commaunder This done wee left puerto de los Hispanioles and returned to Curiapan and hauing Berreo my prisonour I gathered from him as much of Guiana as he knewe This Berreo is a gent. vvell descended and had long serued the Spanish king in Millain Naples the lovve Countries and else where verie valiant liberall and a Gent. of great assurednes and of a great heart I vfed him according to his estate and vvorth in all things I could according to the small meanes I had I sent Captain VVhiddon the yeare before to get what knowledge he could of Guiana and the end of my iorney at this time was to discouer enter the same but my intelligence was farre from trueth for the country is situate aboue 600. English miles further from the sea then I was made beleeue it had beene which afterward vnderstanding to be true by Berreo I kept it from the knowledge of my companie who else woulde neuer haue beene brought to attempt the same of which
to helpe vs we spared our arms from rowing for after we entred Orenoque the riuer lieth for the most part east and west euen from the sea vnto Quinto in Peru. This riuer is nauigable vvith ships little lesse than 1000. miles and from the place vvhere vve entred it may be failed vp in small pinaces to many of the best parts of Nueuo reyno de granada and of Popayan and from no place may the cities of these parts of the Indies be so easilie taken and inuaded as from hence All that day we sailed vp a branch of that riuer hauing on the left hand a great Iland which they cal Assapana which may containe some fiue and twentie miles in length 6. miles in breadth the great body of the riuer running on the other side of this Iland Beyond that middle branch there is also another Iland in the riuer called Iwana which is twise as big as the Isle of Wight and beyond it and betweene it and the maine of Guiana runneth a third branch of Orenoque called Arraroepana all three are goodly branches and all nauigable for great ships I iudge the riuer in this place to be at least thirtie miles brode reckoning the Ilands which deuide the branches in it for afterwards I sought also both the other branches After we reached to the head of the Iland called Assapana a little to the westward on the right hand there opened a riued which came from the north called Europa and fell into the great riuer beyond it on the same side we ankored for that night by another Iland six miles long and two miles brode which they call Ocaywita From hence in the morning we landed two Guianians which we found in the towne of Toparimaca that came with vs who went to giue notice of our comming to the Lord of that countrey called Putyma a follower of Topiawari chiefe Lord of Arromaia who suceeded Morequito whom as you haue heard before Berreo put to death but his towne being farre within the land he came not vnto vs that day so as we ankored againe that night neere the bankes of another Iland of bignes much like the other which they call Putapayma on the maine lande ouer against which Iland was a very high mountain called Oceope we coueted to ankor rather by these Ilands in the riuer than by the maine because of the Tortugas egges which our people found on them in great abundance also because the ground serued better for vs to cast our nets for fish the maine banks being for the most part stony and high the rocks of a blew metalline colour like vnto the best steele ore which I assuredly take it to be of the same blew stone are also diuers great mountaines which border this riuer in many places The next morning towards nine of the clocke we weyed ankor the brize encreasing we failed alwaies west vp the riuer a and after a while opening the land on the right side the countrey appeered to be champaine and the banks shewed very perfect red I therefore sent two of the little barges with captaine Gifford and with him captaine Thyn captaine Calfield my cosen Greenvile my nephew Io. Gilbert captaine Eynus master Edw. Porter and my cosen Butshead Gorges with some fewe soldiers to march ouer the bankes of that red land and to discouer what maner of countrey it was on the other side who at their returne found it all a plaine leuel as farre as they went or could discerne from the highest tree they could get vpon And my old Pilot a man of great trauell brother to the Cassique Toparimica told me that those were called the plaines of the Sayma and that the same leuell reached to Cumana and Carracas in the west Indies which are 120. leagues to the north and that there inhabited fower principall nations The first were the Sayma the next Assawai the third and greatest the Wikiri by whom Pedro Hernandez de Serpa before mentioned was ouerthrowen as he passed with three hundred horse from Cumana towardes Orenoque in his enterprize of Guiana the fourth are called Aroras and are as blacke as Negros but haue smooth haire and these are very valiant or rather desperate people and haue the most strong poison on their arrowes and most dangerous of all nations of which poison I will speake somwhat being a digression not vnnecessarie There was nothing whereof I was more curious than to finde out the true remedies of these poisoned arrowes for besides the mortalitic of the wound they make the partie shot indureth the most insufferable torment in the world and abideth a most vgly and lamentable death somtimes dying starke mad somtimes their bowels breaking out of their bellies and are presently discolored as blacke as pitch and so vnsauery as no man can endure to cure or to attende them And it is more strange to know that in al this time there was neuer Spaniard either by gift or torment that could attaine to the true knowledge of the cure although they haue martired and put to inuented torture I know not how many of them But euery one of these Indians know it not no not one among thousands but their southsaires and priestes who do conceile it and only teach it but from the father to the sonne Those medicines which are vulgar and serue for the ordinarie poison are made of the iuice of a roote called Tupara the same also quencheth maruellously the heart of burning feauers and healeth inward wounds and broken veines that bleed within the body But I was more beholding to the Guianians than any other for Anthonio de Berreo told me that he could neuer attaine to the knowledge thereof yet they taught me the best way of healing as well thereof as of al other poisons Some of the Spaniards haue been cured in ordinary wounds of the common poisoned arrowes with the iuice of garlike but this is a generall rule for all mē that shall herafter trauell the Indies where poisoned arrows are vsed that they must abstaine from drinke for if they take any licor into their body as they shall be maruellously prouoked there vnto by drought I say if they drink before the wound be dressed or soon vpon it there is no way with thē but present death And so I will returne again to our iourney which for this third day we finished and cast ancor againe neere the continent or the left hand betweene two mountains the one called Aroami and the other Aio I made no stay heere but till midnight for I feared howerly least any raine should fall and then it had beene impossible to haue gone any further vp notwithstanding that there is euery day a very strong brize and easterly winde I deferred the search of the country on Guiana side till my returne downe the riuer The next day we failed by a great Iland in the midle of the riuer called Manoripano and as wee walked a while on the
sent your Honours of two sorts such as I could by chance recouer more to shew the maner of them then for the value For I did not in any sort make my desire of gold knowen because I had neyther time nor power to haue a greater quantity I gaue among them manie more peeces of Golde then I receiued of the new money of 20. shillings with her Maiesties picture to weare with promise that they woulde become her feruantes thenceforth I haue also sent your Honor of the oare whereof I know some is as rich as the earth yeeldeth anie of which I know there is sufficient if nothing else were to be hoped for But besides that we were not able to tarry and search the hils so we had neither pioners bars sledges nor wedges of Iron to break the ground without which there is no working in mines but we saw all the hils with stones of the cullor of Gold and siluer and we tried them to be no Marquesite and therefore such as the Spanyardes call El Madre de oro which is an vndoubted assurance of the generall abundance and my selfe saw the outside of many mines of the Sparre which I know to be the same that all couet in this worlde and of those more then I will speake of Hauing learned what I could in Canuri and Aremaia and receiued a faithfull promise of the principallest of those prouinces to become seruantes to her Maiestie and to resist the Spanyardes if they made any attempt in our absence and that they woulde drawe in the nations about the lake of Cassipa and those Iwarawaqueri I then parted from olde Topiawari and receiued his sonne for a pledge betweene vs and left with him two of ours as aforesaid To Francis Sparrowe I gaue instructions to trauel to Marcuregnarai with such marchandizes as I left with them thereby to learne the place and if it were possible to go on to the great Citie of Manoa which being done we weyed ancor and coasted the riuer on Guiana side because we came vp on the north side by the launes of the Saima and Wikiri There came with vs from Aremaia a Cassique called Putijma that commaunded the prouince of Warapana which Putijma slewe the nyne Spanyardes vppon Caroli before spoken of who desired vs to rest at the porte of his Countrey promising to bring vs to a mountaine adioyning to his towne that had stones of the cullor of Golde which he performed And after wee had rested there one night I went my selfe in the morning with most of the Gentlemen of my company ouer lande towardes the said mountaine marching by a riuers side called Mana leauing on the right hand a towne called Tuteritona standing in the prouince of Tarracoa of which Wartaaremagoto is principall Beyond it lyeth another towne towardes the south in the valley of Amariocapana which beareth the name of the said valley whose plaines stretch themselues some 60. miles in leugth east and west as fayre ground and as beawtifull fieldes as any man hath euer seene with diuers copsies scatered heere and there by the riuers fule and all as full of deare as any forrest or parke in England and in cuelic lake and riuer the like abundance of fish and fowle of which Ieriparragosa is Lord. From the diuer of Mana we crost another riuer in the said beiwtiful valley called Oiana and rested our selues by a cleare lake which lay in the middle of the said Oiana and one of our guides kindling vs fire with two stickes we stayed a while to dry our shirts which with the heat hong very weete heauie on our sholders Afterwards we sought the ford to passe ouer towardes the montain called Iconuri where Putijma foretold vs of the mine In this lake we saw one of the great fishes as big as a wine pipe which they call Manati and is most excellent and holsome meate But after I perceiued that to passe the saide riuer would require halfe a daies march more I was not able my selfe to indure it and therefore I sent Captaine Keymis with six shotte to goe on and gaue him order not to returne to the port of Putijma which is called Chiparepare but to take leasure and to march downe the saide valley as farre as a riuer called Cumaca where I promised to meete him againe Putijma himselfe promising also to be his guide and as they marched they left the townes of Emparepana and Capurepana on the right hande and marched from Putijmas house downe the saide valley of Amariocapana wee returning the same day to the riuers side sawe by the way many rockes like vnto Gold oare and on the left hand a round mountaine which consisted of minerall stone From hence we rowed downe the streame coasting the prouice of Parino As for the braunches of riuers which I ouerpasse in this discourse those shalbe better expressed in the discription with the mountaines of Aio Ara the rest which are situate in the prouinces of Parino anp Carricurrina When wee were come as farre downe as the land called Ariacoa where Orenoque deuideth it selfe into three great braunches each of them beeing most goodly riuers I sent away Captaine Henry Thin and Captaine Greeneuile with the Galley the nearest way and tooke with me Captaine Gifford Captaine Calfielde Edward porter and Captaine Eynos with mine owne barge and the two wherries and went downe that braunch of Orenoque which is called Cararoopana which leadeth towardes Emeria the prouince of Carapana and towards the east sea as well to finde out Captaine Keymis whome I had sent ouer land as also to acquaint my selfe with Carapana who is one of the greatest of all the Lords of the Orenoqueponi and when he came to the riuer of Cumaca to which Putijma promised to conduct Captaine Keymis I left Captaine Eynos and Master Porter in the saide riuer to expect his comming and the rest of vs rowed downe the streame towardes Emeria In this braunch called Cararoopana were also many goodly I landes some of six miles long some of tenne and some of Twentie when it grewe towards sunne sett we entred a braunch of a riuer that fell into Orenoque called Winicapora where I was enformed of the mountaine of Christall to which in trueth for the length of the way and the euill season of the yeare I was not able to march nor abide any longer vpon the iourney wee saw it a farre off and it appeared like a white Church towr of an exceeding height There falleth ouer it a mightie riuer which toucheth no part of the side of the mountaine but rusheth ouer the toppe of it and falleth to the grounde with a terrible noyse and clamor as if 1000 greate belles were knockt one against another I thinke there is not in the worlde so straunge an ouerfall nor so wonderfull to beholde Berreo tolde mee that it hath Diamondes and other precious stones on it and that they shined verie farre off but what it hath I
of that Countrey it hath beene thought fitte that they shoulde be thereunto adioyned Wherein the Reader is to be aduertised that although the Spanyardes seeme to glorie much of their formall possession taken before Morequito the Lord of Aromaya and others there aboutes which throughly vnderstood them not at that time whatsoeuer the Spanyardes otherwise pretend Yet according to the former discourse and as also it is related by Cayworaco the sonne of Topiawary now chiefe Lord of the saide Aromaya who was brought into England by Sir Walter Ralegh and was present at the same possession and discouerie of the Spayardes mentioned in these letters it appeareth that after they were gone out of their Countrey the Indians then hauing farther consideration of the matter and more then coniecture of their intent hauing knowne and hearde of their former cruelties vppon their borderers and others of the Indians elsewhere At their next comming there beeing tenne of them sent and imployed for a farther discouery they were prouided to receiue and entertaine them in an other manner of sort then they had done before that is to say they slewe them and buried them in the Countrey so much sought They gaue them by that meanes a full and complete possession the which before they had but begunne And so they are minded to doe to as many Spanyardes as come after Other possession they haue had none since Neyther doe the Indians meane as they protest to giue them any other One other thing to bee remembred is that in these letters the Spanyards seeme to call Guiana and other Countries neere it bordering vppon the riuer of Orenoque by the name of Nueuo Dorado because of the greate plentie of Golde there in most places to be founde Alluding also to the name of El Dorado which was giuen by Martines to the greate Citie of Manoa as is in the former treatise specified This is all I thought good to aduertise As for some other matters I leaue them to the consideration and iudgement of the indifferent reader W R Letters taken at Sea by Captaine George Popham 1594. Allonso his Letter from the Gran Canaria to his brother being commaunder of S. Lucas concerning El Dorado There haue beene certain letters receiued heere of late of a land newly discouered called Nueuo Dorado from the sonnes of certaine Inhabitantes of this Citie who were in the discouerie they write of wonderful riches to be founde in the said Dorado and that golde there is in great abundauce the course to fall with it is 50. leagues to the windward to the Marguarita Allonsos letter from thence to certaine Marchantes of S. Lucas concerning the Dorado SIrs we haue no newes worth the writing sauing of a discouery lately made by the spanyardes in a newe land called Nueuo Dorado and is two daies sailing to the windward of the Marguarita there is golde in that abundance as the like hath not beene hard of We haue it for certaine in letters Written from thence by some that were in the discouery vnto their parentes heere in this City I purpose God willing to bestow ten or twelue daies in search of the said Dorado as I passe in voyag towards Carthagena hoping there to make some good sale of our commodities I haue sent you therewith part of the information of the said discouery that was sent to his Maiesty Part of the Coppy that was sent to his Maiesty of the discouery of Nueuo Dorado In the riuer of Pato otherwise called Orenoque in the principall part there of called Warismero the 23. of April 1593. Domingo de vera Master of the Campe and Generall for Anth. de Berreo Gouernour and Captaine generall for our Lord the King betwixt the riuers of Pato and Papamene alias Orenoque and Marannon and of the Iland of Trinidado in presence of me Rodrigo de Caranc̄a register for the sea commaunded all the soldiers to be drawne together and put in order of battaile the Captaines and soldiers and Master of the Campe standing in the middest of them saide vnto them Sirs Soldiers and Captaines you vnderstand long since that our Generall Antho de Berreo with the trauell of 11 yeares and expence of more then 100000. pesoes of Gold discouered the royall prouinces of Guiana and Dorado Of the which he tooke possession to gouern the same but through want of his peoples health and necessary munition he issued out at the Iland Maguarita and from thence peopled the Trinedado But now they haue sent me to learne out and discouer the waies most easily to enter to people the said prouinces and where the Campes and Armies may best enter the same By reason whereof I intend so to do in the name of his Maiesty and the said gouernour Antho de Berreo and in token thereof I require you Fran. Carillo that you aide me to aduance this crosse that lieth heere on the ground which they set on end towardes the east and the said Master of the Campe the Captains and soldiers kneeled down and did due reuerence vnto the said crosse and thereupon the Master of the Campe tooke a bole of water and dranke it of and tooke more and threw abroad on the ground he also drew out his sword and cut the grasse of the ground and the boughs of the trees saying I take his possession in the name of the king Don Phillip our master and of his Gouernour Antho. de Berreo and because some make question of this possession to them I answere that in these our actiōs was present the Casique or principal Don Antho. otherwise called Morequito whole land this was who yeelded consent to the said possession was glad ther of and gaue his obedience to our Lord the King in his name to the said gouernor Antho de Berreo And the said Master of the Campe kneeled downe being in his liberty and all the Captaines and soldiers said that the possession was well taken that they would defend it with their liues vpon whosoeuer would say the contrary And the said Master of the Campe hauing his sword drawne in his hand said vnto me register that art heere present giue me an instrument or testimoniall to confirme me in this possession which I haue taken of this land for the gouernor Antho. de Berreo and if it be needfull I will take it a newe And I require you all that are present to witnes the same and do further declare that I will goe on taking the possession of all these landes wheresoeuer I shall enter Signed thus Domingo de vera and vndernetah Before me Rodrigo de Caranca Register of the Army And in prosecution of the said possession and discouerie of the way prouinces the 27. of April of the said yeare the Master of the Campe entred by little and little with all the Campe and men of warre more then two leagues into the Inland and came to a towne of a principall and confering with him did let him vnderstand by
Chapter Francisco Picarro caused the Goulde and Siluer of Atabalipa to bee weyed after hee had taken it which Lopez setteth downe in these wordes following Hallaron cinquenta y dos mill marcos de buena plata y vu millon y trezientos y veinte y seys mil y quinientos pesos de oro which is They found fiftie and two thousand markes of good siluer and one million and three hundred twentie and six thousand and fiue hundred pesoes of golde Nowe although these reportes may seeme strange yet if wee consider the many millions which are daily brought out of Peru into spaine wee may easely beleeue the same for wee finde that by the abundant treasure of that countrey the Spanish King vexeth all the Princes of Europe and is become in a fewe yeares from a poore king of Castile the greatest monarke of this parte of the worlde and likelie euery day to increase if other Princes forsloe the good occasions offered and suffer him to adde this Empire to the rest which by farre exceedeth all the rest if his golde now indanger vs hee will then be vnresistable Such of the Spanyardes as afterwarde endeuoured the conquest thereof whereof there haue beene many as shall bee declared heereafter thought that this Inga of who me this Emperor now liuing is descended tooke his way by the riuer Amazones by that braunch which is callen Papamene for by that way followed Oreliano by the commaundement of the Marquis Pacarro in the yeare 1542. whose name the riuer also beareth this day which is also by others called Maragnon althogh Andrew Theuet doth affirm that betwen Maragnon and Amazones there are 120. leagues but sure it is that those riuers haue one head beginning and the Maragnon which Theuet describeth is but a braunch of Amazones or Oreliano of which I wil speake more in another place It was also attempted by Diego Ordace but whether before Oreliano or after I knowe not but it is now little lesse then 70. yeares since that Ordace a knight of the order of Saint Iago attempted the same and it was in the yeare 1542. that Oreliano discouered the riuer of Amazones but the first that euersawe Manoa was Iohannes Martines maister of the munition to Ordace At a port called Morequito in Guiana there lieth at this day a greate ancor of Ordaces shippe and this port is some 300. miles within the lande vpon the greate riuer of Orenoque I rested at this port sowre daies twentie dayes after I left the shippes at Curiapan The relation of this Martines who was the first that discouered Manoa his successe end is to be seene in the Chauncery of Saint Iuan de puerto rico whereof Berreo had a copie which appeared to be the greatest incoragement as well to Berreo as to others that formerly attemped the discouery and conquest Oreliano after he failed of the discouery of Guiana by the saide riuer of Amazones passed into Spaine and there obtained a patten of the king for the inuasion and conquest but died by sea about the Ilandes and his fleet seuered by tempest the action for that time proceeded not Diego Ordace followed the enterprize and departed Spain with 600. soldiers and 30. horse who ariuing on the coast of Guiana was slaine in a mutiny with the most part of such as fauoured him as also of the rebellious part in so much as his ships perished and few or none returned neither was it certainely knowen what became of the saide Ordace vntill Berreo found the ancor of his ship in the riuer of Orenoque but it was supposed and so it is written by Lopez that he perished on the seas and of other writers diuerfly conceiued reported And heereof it came that Martines entred so farre within the Lande and ariued at that Citie of Inga the Emperor for it chanced that while Ordace with his army rested at the port of Morequito who was either the first or second that attempted Guiana by som negligence the whol store of powder prouided for the seruice was set on fire Martines hauing the chief charg was condemned by the generall Ordace to be executed forthwith Martines being much fauoured by the soldiers had al the meane possible procured for his life but it could not be obtained in other sort then this That he should be set into a Canoa alone without any victual only with his armes and so turnd loose into the great riuer but it pleased God that the Canoa was caried downe the streame that certain of the Guianians met it the same euening hauing not at any time sene any Christian nor any man of that colour the caried Martynes into the land to be wondred at and so from towne to towne vntill he came to the great Citie of Manoa the seate and residence of Inga the Emperor The Emperor after he had beheld him knew him to be a Christian for it was not long before that his brethren Guascar and Atabalipa were vanquished by the Spaniards in Peru and caused him to be lodged in his pallace and well entertained hee liued 7. moneths in Manoa but not suffered to wander into the countrey any where hee was also brought thither all the waie blindfield led by the Indians vntill he came to the entrance of Manoa it selfe and was 14. or 15. daies in the passage he auowed at his death that he entred the City at Noon and then they vncouered his face that he trauelled all that day til night thorow the City and the next day from sun rising to sun setting ere he came to the pallace of Inga After that Martynes had liued 7 moneths in Manoa and began to vnderstand the language of the country Inga asked him whether he desired to returne into his own countrey or would wilingly abide with him but Martynes not desirous to stay abtained the fauour of Inga to depart with whom he sent diuers Guianians to conduct him to the riuer of Orenoque al loden with as much gold as they could carrie which he gaue to Martynes at his departure but whē he was arriued neere the riuers side the borderers which are called Orenoqueponi robbed him and his Guianians of all the treasure the borderers beeing at that time at warres which Inga had not conquered saue onely of two great bottels of gords which were filled with beads of golde curiously wrought which those Orenoqueponi thought had bin no other thing then his drink or meat or graine for food with which Martynes had liberty to passe and so in Canoas he fell down from the riuer of Orenoque to Trinedado and from thence to Marguerita so to Saint Iuan de puerto rico where remaining a long tyme for passage into Spaine he died In the time of his extreeme sicknesse and when he was without hope of life receiuing the Sacrament at the handes of his Confessor he deliuered these things with the relation of his trauels and also called for his Culabaza or gords of
the gold beads which he gave to the Church friers to be praid for This Martynes was he that christned the citie of Manoa by the name of El Dorado and as Berreo informed me vpon this occasion Those Guianians and also the borderers and all other in that tract which I haue seen are marueylous great drunkards in which vice I thinke no nation can compare with them and at the times of their solemne feasts when the Emperor carowseth with his Captayns tributaries gouernors the manner is thus All those that pledge him are first stripped naked their bodies annointed al ouer with a kind of white Balsamum by them called Curcai of which there is great plenty and yet very deare amongst them and it is of all other the most precious whereof we haue had good experience when they are annointed all ouer certaine seruants of the Emperor hauing prepared gold made into fine powder blow it thorow holow canesvpō their naked bodies vntil they be al shining from the foote to the head in this sort they sit drinking by twenties hundreds continue in drunkennes sometimes six or seven daies together the same is also confirmed by a letter written into Spayne which was intercepted which master Robert Dudley told me he had seene Vpon this sight and for the abundance of Gold which he saw in the citie the Images of gold in their Temples the plates armors and shields of gold which they vse in the wars hee called it El Dorado After Oreliano who was emploied by Pacaro afterwards Marques Pacaro conqueror and gouernour of Peru and the death of Ordace and Martynes one Pedro de Osua a knight of Nauarre attempted Guiana taking his way from Peru and built his brigandines vpon a riuer called Oia which riseth to the southward of Quinto and is very great this riuer falleth into Amazones by which Osua with his companies descended and came out of that Prouince which is called Mutylones and it seemeth to me that this Empyre is reserued for her Maiestie and the English nation by reason of the hard successe which all these other Spaniards found in attempting the same wherof I will speake briefly though impertinent in some sort to my purpose This Pedro de Osua had among his troupes a Bescayn called Agiri a man meanely borne bare no other office than a Surgeant or Alferez but after certain months when the souldiers were grieued with trauels and consumed with famine and that no entrance could be found by the branches or bodie of Amazones this Agiri raised a muteny of which hee made himselfe the head and so preuailed as he put Osua to the sword and all his followers taking on him the whole charge and commaundement with a purpose not onely to make himselfe Emperour of Guiana but also of Peru and of al that side of the West Indies he had of his partie seven hundred soldiers and of those many promised to draw in other captains and companies to deliuer vp townes and sorts in Peru but neither finding by the said riuer any passage into Guiana nor any possibilitie to returne towards Peru by the same Amazones by reason that the descent of the riuer made so great a currant he was inforced to desemboque at the mouth of the said Amazones which cannot be lesse than a thousand leagues frō the place where they imbarqued from thence he coasted the land till he arriued at Marguerita to the North of Mompatar which is at this daie called puerto de Tyranno for that he there slue Don Iuan de villa Andreda gouernor of Marguerita who was father to Don Iuan Sermiento gouernour of Marguerita when Sir Iohn Burgh landed there and attempted the Iland Agiri put to the sworde all other in the Iland that refused to be of his partie and tooke with him certane Cemerones and other desperate companions From thence he went to Cumana and there flew the Gouernour and dealt in all as at Marguerita he spoiled all the coast of Caracas and the province of Vesuello and of Rio de hache and as I remember it was the same yeer that Sir Iohn Hawkins failed to Saint Iuan de Lua in the Iesus of Lubeck for himselfe told me that he met with such a one vpon the coast that rebelled and had failed downe all the riuer of Amazones Agiri from thence landed about Sancta Marta and sacked it also putting to death so many as refused to be his followers purposing to inuade Nueuo reygno de Granada to sack Pampelone Merida Lagrita Tunia the rest of the cities of Nueuo reygno and from thence againe to enter Peru but in a fight in the said Nueuo reygno he was ouerthrowne finding no way to escape he first put to the sworde his own children foretelling them that they should not liue to be defamed or opbraid by the Spaniards after his death who would haue tearmed them the children of a Traytor or Tyrant and that sithence he could not make them Princes he would yet deliuer them from shame and reproch These were the ends and tragedies of Oreliano Ordace Osua Martines and Agiri After these followed Ieronimo Ortal de Saragosa with 130. soldiers who failing his enterance by sea was cast with the currant on the coast of Paria and peopled about S. Miguell de Neueri It was then attempted by Don Pedro de Silua a Portugues of the familie of Rigomes de Sylua and by the fauour which Rigomes had with the king he was set out but he also shot wide of the mark for being departed from Spaine with his fleete he entred by Maragnon and Amazones whereby the nations of the riuer and by the Amazones he was vtterly ouerthrowen and himselfe and all his armie defeated onely seuen escaped and of those but two returned After him came Pedro Harnandez de Serpa and landed at Camana in the West Indies taking his iourney by land towards Orenoque which may bee some 120. leagues but ere he came to the boarders of the saide riuer he was set vpon by a nation of Indians called Wikiri and ouerthrowne in sort that of 300. soldiers horsemen many Indians and Negros there returned but 18 others affirme that he was defeated in the very entrance of Guiana at the first ciuill towne of the Empire called Macureguarai Captaine Preston in taking S Iago de Leon which was by him and his companies very resolutly performed being a greate towne and far within the land held a gentleman prisoner who died in his ship that was one of the companie of Hernandes de Serpa and faued among those that escaped who witnessed what opinion is held among the Spaniards thereabouts of the greate riches of Guiana and El dorado the citie of Inga Another Spaniard was brought aboord me by Captaine Preston who told me in the hearing of himselfe and diuers other gentlemen that he met with Berreos Campmaister at Carasas when he came from the borders of Guiana and that he