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.
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
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
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
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
naturally I sought out all the aged men such as were greatest trauelers and by the one the other I came to vnderstand the situations the riuers the kingdoms from the east sea to the borders of Peru from Orenoque southward as far as Amazones or Maragnon and the religions of Maria Tamball and of all the kings of Prouinces and captains of townes and villages how they stood in tearms of peace or war and which were friends or enimies the one with the other without which there can be neither entrance nor conquest in those parts nor els where For by the dissention betweene Guascar and Atabalipa Pacaro conquered Peru and by the hatred that the Tra 〈…〉 calliani bare to Mutezuma Cortez was victorious ouer Mexico without which both the one and the other had failed of their enterprize and of the great honor and riches which they attained vnto Now Berreo began to grow into dispaire and looked for no other successe than his predecessor in this enterprize vntill such time as he ariued at the Province of Emeria towardes the east sea and mouth of the riuer where he found a nation of people very fauourable and the countrie full of all manner of victuall The king of this land is called Carapana a man verie wise subtill and of great experience being litle lesse than 100. yeeres old In his youth he was sent by his father into the Iland of Trinedado by reason of ciuill warre among themselues and was bred at a village in that Iland called Parico at that place in his youth he had seene many Christians both French and Spanish and went diuers times with the Indians of Trinedado to Marguerita and Cumana in the west Indies for both those places haue euer been releeued with victuall from Trinedado by reason whereof he grew of more vnderstanding and noted the difference of the nations comparing the strength and armes of his country with those of the Christians and euer after temporized so as whosoeuer else did amisse or was wasted by contention Carapana kept himselfe and his country in quiet and plenty he also held peace with Caribas or Canibals his neighbour and had free trade with all nations whosoeuer else had war Berreo soiourned and rested his weake troupe in the towne of Carapana six weeks and from him learned the way and passage to Guiana and the riches magnificence thereof but being then vtterly disable to proceede he determined to try his fortune another yere when he had renewed his prouisions and regathered more force which he hoped for as wel out of Spain as frō Nueuo reyno where he had left his son Don Anthonio Xemenes to second him vpō the first notice giuen of his entrance so for the present imbarqued himselfe in Canoas by the braunches of Orenoque ariued at Trinedado hauing from Carapana sufficient Pilots to conduct him From Trinedado he coasted Paria and so recouered Marguerita and hauing made relation to Don Iuan Sermiento the gouernour of his proceeding and perswaded him of the riches of Guiana he obtained from thence 50. soldiers promising presently to returne to Carapana and so into Guiana But Berreo ment nothing lesse at that time for he wanted many prouisions necessarie for such an enterprize and therefore departed from Marguerita seated himselfe in Trinedado and from thence sent his Campmaister and his Sargeant maior backe to the borders to discouer the neerest passage into the Empire as also to treate with the borderers and to drawe them to his partie and loue without which he knew he could neither passe safely nor in anie sort be releeued with victuall or ought els Carapana directed this companie to a king called Morequito assuring them that no man coulde deliuer so much of Guiana as Morequito could and that his dwelling was but fiue daies iourney from Macureguarai the first ciuill towne of Guiana Now your Lordship shall vnderstand that this Morequito one of the greatest Lords or Kinges of the borders of Guiana had two or three yeares before beene at Cumana and at Marguerita in the west Indies with greate store of plates of golde which he carried to exchange for such other things as he wanted in his owne countrey and was dayly feasted and presented by the gouernours of those places and held amongst them some two moneths in which time one Vides gouernor of Cumana wan him to be his conductor into Guiana being allured by those Croissants and Images of gold which he brought with him to trade as also by the ancient fame and magnificence of El Dorado whereupon Vides sent into Spayne for a Patent to discouer and conquer Guiana not knowing of the precedence of Berreos patent which as Berreo affirmeth was signed before that of Vides so as when Vides vnderstood of Berreo and that he had made entrance into that territorie and foregone his desire and hope it was verilie thought that Vides practised with Morequito hinder and disturbe Berreo in al he could and not to suffer him to enter through his Seignorie nor any of his companies neither to victuall nor guide them in any sort for Vides gouenor of Camana and Berreo were become mortall enemies as well for that Berreo had gotten Trinedado into his Patent with Guiana as also in that he was by Berreo preuented in the iourney of Guiana it selfe howsoeuer it was I know not but Morequito for a time dissembled his disposition suffered Spaniards and a Frier which Berreo had sent to discouer Manoa to trauell through his country gaue them a guide for Macureguaray the first towne of ciuill and apparrelled people from whence they had other guides to bring them to Manoa the great citie of Inga and being furnished with those thinges which they had learned of Carapana were of most price in Guiana went onward and in eleuen daies arriued at Manoa as Berreo affirmeth for certain although I could not be assured therof by the Lord which now gouerneth the Prouince of Morequito for he told me that they got all the golde they had in other townes on this side Manoa there being many very great and rich and as he said built like the townes of Christians with many roomes When these ten Spaniards were returned and readie to put out of the border of Arromaia the people of Morequito set vpon them flew them all but one that swam the riuer and tooke from them to the value of 40000. pesoes of golde and as it is written in the storie of Iob one onely liued to bring the newes to Berreo that both his nine souldiers and holie father were benighted in the saide Prouince I my selfe spake with the Captaines of Morequito that flewe them and was at the place where it was executed Berreo inraged heerewithall sente all the strength he coulde make into Arromaia to be reuenged of him his people and countrey but Morequito suspecting the fame fled ouer Orenoque and thorow the territories of the Saima and Wikiri recouered Cumana
the strongest nations of all the frontires that were enemies to the Epuremei which are subiects to Inga Emperor of Guiana and Menoa and that night we ankored at another Iland called Caiama of some fiue or sixe miles in length and the next day ariued at the mouth of Caroli when we were short of it as low or further down as the port of Morequito we heard the great rore and fall of the riuer but when we came to enter with our barge and wherries thinking to haue gone vp some fortie miles to the nations of the Cassipagotos we were not able with a barge of eight oares to row one stones cast in an hower and yet the riuer is as broad as the Thames at Wolwich and we tried both sides and the middle and euery part of the riuer so as we incamped vpon the bankes adioyning and sent off our Orenequepone which came with vs from Morequito to giue knowledge to the nations vpon the riuer of our being there and that we desired to see the Lords of Camuria which dwelt within the prouince vpon that riuer making them know that we were enemies to the Spaniards for it was on this riuer side that Morequito slew the Frier and those nine Spaniards which came from Manoa the Citie of Inga and tooke from them 40000. pesoes of Golde so as the next daie there came downe a Lorde or Cassique called Wanuretona with many people with him and brought all store of prouisions to entertaine vs as the rest had done And as I had before made my comming knowne to Topiawari so did I acquaint this Cassique therewith and how I was sent by her Maiesty for the purpose aforesaid and gathered also what I could of him touching the estate of Guiana and I founde that those also of Caroli were not onely enemies to the Spaniardes but most of all to the Epuremei which abound in Golde and by this Warunetona I had knowledge that on the heade of this riuer were three mightie nations which were seated on a great lake from when ce this riuer descended and were called Cessipagotos Eparagotos and Arawagotos and that all those eyther against the Spaniardes or the Epuremei would ioine with vs that if we entred the lande ouer the mountaines of Curaa wee should satisfie our selues with golde and all other goodthinges hee tolde vs farther of a nation called Iwarawaqueri before spoken off that held daily warre with the Epuremei that inhabited Macuregnarai the first ciuill towne pf Guiana of the subiectes of Inga the Emperour Vpon this riuer one Captaine George that I tooke with Berreo tolde me there was a greate siluer mine and that it was neere the banckes of the saide riuer But by this time as well Orenoque Caroli and all the rest of the riuers were risen fowre or fiue foote in height so as it was not possible by the strength of any men or with any boate whatsoeuer to rowe into the riuer against the stream I therefore sent Captain Thyn Captaine Greenuile my nephew Iohn Gylbert my cosen Butshead Gorges Captaine Clarke and some 30. shot more to coast the riuer by lande and to goe to a towne some twentie miles ouer the valley called Amnatapoi and they found guides there to goe farther towardes the mountaine foote to another great towne called Capurepana belonging to a Cassique called Haharacea that was a nephew to old Topiawari king of Arromaia our chiefest friend because this towne and prouince of Capurepnna adioyned to Macureguarai which was a frontier towne of the Empire and the meane while my selfe with Captaine Gifford Captaine Calfield Edw. Hancocke some halfe a dosen shot marched ouer land to view the strange ouerfalls of the riuer of Carols which rored so farre of also to see the plaines adioyning and the rest of the prouince of Canuri I sent also captaine Whiddon W. Connocke som eight shot with them to see if they coulde finde any minerall stone alongst the riuer side When we ronne to the tops of the first hils of the plaines adioyning to the riuer we beheld that wonderfull breach of waters which ranne downe Caroli and might from that mountaine see the riuer how it ran in thre parts aboue twentie miles of and there appeared som ten or twelue ouerfals in sight euery one as high ouer the other as a Church tower which fell with that fury that the rebound of water made it seeme as if it had beene all couered ouer with a greate shower of raine and in some places we took it at the first for a smoke that had risen ouer some greate towne For mine owne part I was well perswaded from thence to haue returned being a very ill footeman but the rest were all so desirous to go neere the saide strange thunder of waters as they drew mee on by little and litle til we came into the next valley where we might better discerne the same I neuer saw a more beawtifull countrey nor more liuely prospectes hils so raised heere and there ouer the vallies the riuer winding into diuers braunches the plaines adioyning without bush or stubble all faire greene grasse the ground of hard sand easie to march on eyther for horse or foote the deare crossing in euery path the birds towards the euening singing on euery tree with a thousand seuerall tunes cranes herons of white crimson and carnation pearching in the riuers side the ayre fresh with a gentle easterly wind and euery stone that we stooped to take vp promised eyther gold or siluer by his complexion Your L. shall see of many sortes and I hope some of them cannot be bettered vnder the sunne and yet we had no meanes but with our daggers and fingers to teare them out heere and there the rockes being most hard of that minerall sparre aforesaid and is like a flint and is altogether as hard or harder and besides the veines like a fathome or two deepe in the rockes But we wanted all thinges requisite saue only our desires and good will to haue performed more if it had pleased God To be shorte when both our companies returned each of them brought also seueral sorts of stones that appeared very faire but were such as they found loose on the ground were for the most part but cullored and had not any gold fixed in them yet such as had no iudgement or experience kept all that glistered and would not be perswaded but it was rich because of the lustre and brought of those and of Marquesite with all from Trinedado and haue deliuered of those stones to be tried in many places and haue thereby bred an opinion that all the rest is of the same yet some of these stones I shewed afterward to a Spaniard of the Caracas who told me that it was El Madre deloro and that the mine was farther in the ground But it shall be found a weake policie in mee eyther to betray my selfe or my Countrey with imaginations neyther am I
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
meanes of Antho Bisante the Interpretor that his Maiesty Antho de Berreo had sent him to take the said possession And the said fryer Francis Carillo by the Interpretor deliuered him certain thinges of our holy Catholique faith to all which he answered that they vnderstod him well and would become Christians and that with a very good wil they should aduance the crosse in what part or place of the towne it pleased them for he was for the gouernor Antho de Berreo who was his Master Thereupon the said master of the Campe tooke a great crosse and set it on ende towarde the east and requested the whole Campe to witnesse it and Domingo de vera firmed it thus It is well and firmely done and vnderneath before me Rodrigo Caranca Register of the Army The first of May they prosecuted the said possession and discouery to the towne of Carapana From thence the said Master of the Campe passed to the towne of Toroco whose principall is called Topiawary beeing fiue leagues farther within the land then the first nation wel inhabited And to this principall by meane of the interpretor they gaue to vnderstand that his Maiesty and the said Corrigidor commauded them to take the prossession of that land that they should yeeld their obedience to his Maiesty and to his Corrigidor and to the Master of the Campe in his name and that in token thereof he would place a crosse in the middle of his towne Whe run to the said Cassique answered they should aduance it with a very good will and that he remained in the obediene of our Lorde the King and of the said Gouernour Antho de Berreo whose vassall he would be The fourth of May we came to a prouince aboue fiue leagues thence of all sides inhabited with much people the principall of this people came and mette vs in peaceable manner and hee is called Renato he brought vs to a very large house where he entertained vs wel gaue vs much Gold the interpreter as king him from whence that gold was he answered from a prouince not passing a daies iourney off where there are so many Indians as would shadow the sunne and so much gold as all yonder plaine will not containe it In which Countrey when they enter into the Borachera they take of the said Gold in dust and anoynt themselues all ouer there with to make the brauer shewe and to the end the Gold may couer them they annoynt their bodies with stamped herbs of a glewenous substance and they haue warre with those Indians They promised vs that if we would goe vnto them they woulde ayd vs but they were such infinite number as no doubt they woulde kill vs. And being asked how they gat the same Gold they told vs they went to a certaine downe or playne and pulled or digged up the grasse by the roote which done they tooke of the earth puting it in greate buckets which they caried to wash at the riuer that which came in powder they kept for their Boracheras that which was in peeces they wrought into Eagles The eight of May we went from thence and marched about fiue leagues at the foote of a hill we founde a principall called Arataco with 3000 Indians men women all in peace and with much victual as hens venison in great abundance and many sortes of wine Hee intreated vs to goe to his house and to rest that night in his towne being of 500. houses The interpretor asked whence he had those hens he said they were brought from a mountaine not passing a quarter of a league thence where were many Indians yea so many as grasse on the ground and that these men had the pointes of their shoulders higher then the Crownes of their heades and had so many hens as was wonderfull and if we would haue any we should send them Iewes harpes for they woulde giue for euery one two hens we tooke an Indian and gaue him 500. harpes the hens were so many that he brought vs as were not to be numbred Wee said we woulde goe thither they told vs they were now in their Borrachera and would kill vs we asked the Indian that brought the hens if it were true he said it was most true We asked him how they made their Borrachera he saide they had many Eagles of Gold hanging on their breasts pearls in their eares and that they daunced being al couered with Gold The Indiā said vnto vs if we would see thē we should giue him some hatches and he would bring vs of those Eagles The Master of the Camp gaue him one hatchet he would giue him no more because they should not vnderstand we went to seeke gold he brought vs an Eagle which wayed 27 pounds of good Gold The Master of the Campe tooke it and shewed to the soldiers and then threwe it from him making shew not to regard it About midnight came an Indian and said vnto him giue me a pickeaxe and I will tell thee what the Indians with the high shoulders meane to doe the Interpretor told the Master of the Campe who commanded one to be giuen him he then tolde vs those Indians were comming to kill vs from our marchandize Herevpon the master of the Campe caused his company to be set in order and beganne to march The 11. day of May we went about 7 leagues from thence to a prouince where we found a great company of Indians apparrelled they told vs that if we came to fight they woulde fill vp those plaines with Indians to fight with vs but if we came in peace we should enter and be well entertained of them because they had a great desire to see Christians and there they told vs of all the riches that was I doe not heere set it downe because there is no place for it but it shall appeare by the information that goes to his Maiesty for it should heere be set downe fower leaues of paper would not containe it The letter of George Burien Britton from the saide Canaries vnto his cosen a french man dwelling in S. Lucas concerning the Dorado Sir and my very good cosen there came of late certaine letters from a new discouered country not farre from Trinedado which they writ hath Gold in great abundance the newes seemeth to be very certaine because it passeth for good amongst the best of this City Part of the information of the discouery that went to his Maiesty gocth inclosed in Alonsos letters it is a thing worth the seeing The report of Domingo Martines of Iamica concerning the Dorado He saith that in 93 being at Carthagena there was a general report of a late discouery called Nueuo Dorado and that a little before him comming thither there came a Frigot from the said Dorado bringing in it the portrature of a Giant all of Gold of weight 47 kintals which the Indians there helde for their Idoll But nowe admitting of Christianity and obedienee to the King of Spayne sent their said Idoll vnto him in token they were become Christians and helde him for their King The company comming in the saide Frigott reported Golde to be there in most abundaunce Diamondes of inestimable value with great store of pearle The report of a french man called Bountillier of Sherbrouke concerniug the Trinedado and the Dorado He saith that being at Trinedado in 91. he had of an Indian there a peece of Golde of a quarter of a pounde in exchaunge of a knife the said Indian told him he had it at the head of the riuer which cōmeth to Paracoa in the Trinedado but said within the riuer of Orenoque it was in great abūdance Also in 93 being taken by the Spanyardes and brought prisoner into the Iland of Madera the place for his prison there came in this meane time a barke of 40 tunnes from a newe discouery with two millions of Gold the company whereof reported Gold in that place to be in great abundances called it the Nueuo Dorado This french man passed from Spayne in the barke and hauing a cabben nere a gentleman one of the discouerers that came from that place in the said barke had diuers times conference with him and amongst other thinges of the great abundance of Golde in the said Dorado being as they said within the riuer of Orenoque Reportes of Certaine Marchantes of Rio de Hacha concerning the Nueuo Dorado They said aduancing the kings great treasure in the Indies that Nueuo Reyno yeelded very many Gold mines wonderful rich but latly was discouered a certain prouince so rich in Gold as the report thereof may seeme incredible it is there in such abundance and is called the Nueuo Dorado Anthonio de Berreo made the said discouery The Report of a Spanyard Captaine with Berreo in the discouerie of Nueuo Dorado That the information sent to the K. was in euery point truely said that the riuer Orenoque hath seauen mouths or out lets into the sea called Las Sciete bocas de drago that the said riuer runneth farre into the land in many places very broad and that Antho de Berreo lay at Trinedado making head to goe to conquere and people the said Dorado