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land_n	degree_n	minute_n	north_n	1,710	5	9.7859	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65182	Voyages and discoveries in South-America the first up the river of Amazons to Quito in Peru, and back again to Brazil, perform'd at the command of the King of Spain by Christopher D'Acugna : the second up the river of Plata, and thence by land to the mines of Potosi by Mons Acarete : the third from Cayenne into Guiana, in search of the lake of Parima, reputed the richest place in the world by M. Grillet and Bechamel : done into English from the originals, being the only accounts of those parts hitherto extant : the whole illustrated with notes and maps.	Acuña, Cristóbal de, b. 1597. Nuevo descubrimiento del gran rio de las Amazonas. English.; Acarete, du Biscay, 17th cent. Relation des voyages dans la rivière de la Plate. English.; Grillet, Jean, 1624-1677. Journal du voyage qu'on fait les Per̀es Jean Grillet et François Bećhamel ... dans la Goyane l'an 1674. English.; Béchamel, François, 1637-1676.	1698 (1698)	Wing V746; ESTC R1215	153,168	365

the Cuchuguara Two Leagues The Mouth of this River is also on the South of the Amazone From the Cuchuguara to the Basurura Thirty two Leagues The Mouth of this River is on the North-side of the Amazone and hath Four Degrees Thirty Minutes of Southern Latitude From the Basurura to the Rio Negro or Black River Thirty Leagues The Mouth of this River is also on the North-side of the Amazone having Four Degrees of Southern Latitude and Three Hundred Twenty Two Degrees and Twenty Minutes of Longitude From Rio-Negro unto the Modera are Four Leagues the Mouth of this River being on the South of the Amazone From the Modera to the beginning of the Isle Topinambas Twenty Eight Leagues This great Isle is in the River of the Amazons towards the South-side From the beginning to the end of this Isle Sixty two Leagues In this place is a Great and Puissant Habitation of the Topinambi having Three Degrees of Southern Latitude and Three Hundred twenty seven Degrees Thirty Minutes of Longitude From the end of Topinambas to the Cunuris Thirty Leagues the Mouth of which River is to the North of the Amozone From the Cunuris to the Bosphore of the Amazone Twenty four Leagues This Strait hath Two Degrees and Forty Minutes of Southern Latitude and Three hundred and twenty eight Degrees and Fifty Minutes in Longitude From the Bosphore to the Tapajosos Forty Leagues the Mouth of which River is on the South-side of the great Amazone From the Tapajosos to the Curupatuba Forty Leagues the Mouth of which River is on the North-side of the great Amazone From the Curupatuba to the Fort of Destierro Fifty four Leagues which Fort is also on the North-side of the great River From the foresaid Fort to the Ginipape Six Leagues the Mouth of which River is on the North-side also having Two Degrees of Southern Latitude and Three hundred thirty one Degrees and Fifty Minutes of Longitude And about Two Leagues from this Ginipape towards the Sea the great River of Amazons begins to open by little and little towards its great Mouth into the Sea From the Ginipape to the Paranaiba Ten Leagues the Mouth of which River is on the South-side of the Amazone From the Paranaiba to the Pacaxas Forty Leagues the Mouth of which is also on the South of the Amazone From the Pacaxas to Commuta Forty Leagues This place is also on the South-side of the Amazone From Commuta to Para Thirty Leagues This Town is also on the South-bank of the great Mouth of the Amazone having one Degree and Thirty Minutes of South Latitude From Para to the Isle du Soleil Fourteen Leagues This Isle is also near to the same South-bank And from Para to Zaparara Forty Leagues which is a Cape on the extremity of the South-bank of the great River having Thirty five Minutes of South Latitude and Three hundred thirty seven Degrees and ten Minutes of Longitude So the whole length of this great River of Amazons is One thousand two hundred seventy six Leagues From the Ginipape to Corupa which is on the North-side of the Mouth of this River Thirty Leagues From Corupa to the North Cape the distance is not well known This Cape is on the extremity of the North-bank of the great River having Forty five Minutes of North Latitude and Three hundred thirty three Degrees and Fifty Minutes of Longitude The End AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE UP THE River de la Plata And thence over Land to PERU With Observations on the Inhabitants as well Indians and Spaniards the Cities Commerce Fertility and Riches of that Part of America By Mons Acarete du Biscay LONDON Printed for Samuel Buckley at the Dolphin over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1698. A MAP of the Provinces PARAGUAY and TUCUMAN with the River Plate London Printed for S Buckley A Relation of Mons Acarete du Biscay's Voyage up the River de la Plata and from thence by Land to Peru and his Observations in it THE Inclination I always had to Travelling made me leave my Father's House very young but I can truly aver that I was not so much prompted to it out of pure Curiosity to 〈◊〉 Forreign Countries as out of hope 〈◊〉 acquire Knowledge and improve my ●●dgment which for the future might 〈◊〉 helpful to me not only in my private concerns but likewise render me more ●●●viceable to my King and Country which I declare was the chief aim of my Voyages I went first into Spain where 〈◊〉 tarried long enough to learn their language particularly at Cadiz The fancy took me to go to the West-Indies possess'd by the Spaniards for I often heard them talk of the Beauty and Fertility of the Country and the great Riches they draw from thence but then I was at a loss how to bring it about because 't is very difficult for a Stranger to get into those Parts but there happen'd a conjuncture which favour'd my Design and gave me an opportunity to proceed in it in the manner following In the Year 1654 Oliver Cromwell at that time Protector of the Common-wealth of England sent Admiral Blake with a Squadron of Men of War towards the Coasts of Algarve and Andalousia to wait for the Spanish Gallions which come yearly from the Indies The Spaniards being advertis'd of it resolv'd to equip a Fleet with all expedition to oppose the English and frustrate their design To this end they set out 28 Men of War and 6 Fireships under the Command of Don Paul de Contreras whose Vice-Admiral was the Amirante Castana on board whom was I. The Two Fleets came up with each other near Cape St. Vincent where they staid many Days but the English perceiving they were like to make nothing on 't retir'd towards Lisbon and the Spaniards stood into Cadiz where all the Gallions safely arriv'd in the beginning of the Year 1655 except the Vice-Admiral which was lost in the Channel of Bahama upon the Coasts of Florida Sometime after this the English having declar'd War against the Spaniards more openly by taking Jamaica the Navigation to the West-Indies was a long time interrupted by their Cruisers hovering about Cadiz and San Lucar where they intercepted some Ships coming from the Indies richly laden took one of the biggest burnt Two others and put the rest to flight and afterwards went to the Canaries where they burnt most of the Flota that were arriv'd there from New Spain and waited orders from Madrid what course to take to escape falling into the hands of the English While these things were doing the Dutch who sought to make their advantage of the Troubles that the Spaniards were embroil'd in sent several Ships to the River de la Plata laden with Goods and Negroes which they took in at Angola and Congo These Ships being arriv'd in that River and come up to Buenos Ayres the Inhabitants of the place who had a long time been depriv'd of the Supplies which they had

that we might give him no offence because we stood in need of his Protection After I had continu'd a Fortnight with him making all the Children say their Prayers Morning and Evening and repeating my little Instrustions to the greatest part of those I was acquainted with but especially to Three Young Men who were well Marry'd confirming 'em in the Resolution they had made never to take a Second Wife of which promise they seem'd to make no difficulty I set forward the Fifteenth of March to seek Father Bechamel and to wait for the Chief of the Cottage who was to go by Water Five days after with his Canoo I had but Three Leagues to go by Land whereas it was near Fifteen by Water From that time I found those People still more teachable and when the Captain return'd among Four and twenty Persons there were not above Three but signified they took a great deal of pleasure in my Instructions During our stay here a Serpent came in the Night in the place where we lay and bit a Hound so that he died in 30 Hours after This Accident was Injurious to us because the Chief and the Owner of the Dog attributed it to the Prayers which we sang so that I durst not Sing any more but contented my self to make every body in the Cottage say their Prayers except three as I said before namely the Chief Camiati and Two other Old Men. The Ninth of April after I had much importun'd the Chief that we might set forward he told us he was not willing to make this Voyage and that all his Men should go to set us in our way and should leave us when we went ashore to go by Land to the Rivers that lead to the Acoquas whether Four of the Company should attend us We understood that their Voyage was determin'd without any regard to us however we did not scruple to pay 'em for it being willing to make use of this Opportunity because it was no easie matter to meet with another However I oppos'd the Design of having so many Men go with us because the Two Canoos they had were too small for such a Company This was a great difficulty with us and was not resolv'd till the next day when we represented to the Chief that we would leave him our little Chest that we would take very few of our 12 things out of it for our Voyage that when we return'd I would continue with him that if he was not pleas'd to assist us in our Voyage I must return to Cayenne that then he must never expect to see any of us again and would have no more of our Commodities this made him resolve to lessen the number of his Men. The Tenth of March we parted being Sixteen in Number of which the Chief would needs be one for Three days that he might bring back his Canoo In the Evening we went ashore into the Woods and on the Eleventh after we had pass'd several Falls of Waters in the way we made the Two days we Arriv'd at a Cottage of the Nouragues Ten Leagues from the former here we were well receiv'd and went forward the Third day with a Third Canoo which was very small it carry'd only Two Men a Woman and a Girl of Ten or Twelve Years Old We passed Two Falls that were difficult enough and Arriv'd at a Third which the Canoo could not pass which has oblig'd the Nouragues to make a way to draw their Canoos by Land almost half a League this fall is at Two Degrees and Forty Six Minutes of Northern Latitude The Indians drew only the little Canoo by Land for the Chief left us and return'd back with the Two others and we who were then Fifteen in Number went to Embark in a great Canoo that was above the Water-fall which the Two Persons that were sent by Camiati had borrow'd Four Leagues higher we found the Mouth of the River Tenaporibo and went to lie in a Cottage hard by which was yet upon the River Aproague where we found Five Nourague Travellers who were going to the Country of the Mercious besides whom there was a Woman who had a little Girl of Seven or Eight Months Old that was very ill Imanon of whom I have spoken was now the Chief of our Company he is the greatest Physician that is the greatest Juggler of the Country who tho' he is a great Hypocrite and very much for plurality of Wives yet did not scruple to acquaint us that this Child was very Sick when we had examin'd the matter we judged it necessary to Baptize her which Father Bechamel did at the time when these Travellers parted from us I had before Baptiz'd a little Girl in the Cottage of this Imanon immediately after it was born because the Mother of it when she brought it into the World had left it in the 13 Dirt from whence they would not take it up for a long time being told of this disorder and finding they would put nothing under the Infant to keep it from the coldness of the Mud and of the Night I baptiz'd it The Fourteenth we left this Hutt and presently enter'd into the River of Tenaporibo which is very deep and rapid tho' it winds much we were not the First French-Men that had been upon this River and we have been inform'd that Three English-Men were kill'd and Eaten there 14 some Years ago by the Nouragues 'T is very difficult to Navigate this River meerly because of its narrowness and because the great Trees upon the Banks of it when they fall often extend their Branches to the other side so that one must either pass over or under these Trees which is not done without a great deal of difficulty We lay one Night in the Woods and on the Fifteenth Arriv'd at a Hutt where we continued to the Eighteenth which was the last Day we were upon this River and in the Evening we saw the last Company of the Nouragues on this River 80 Leagues from the Mouth of it This Company consists of Four Huts at a little distance one from another wherein there are above Sixscore Persons of a good natural Disposition and very teachable There was not one in the Cottage where we lodg'd but was taught by us to pray to God every Day this Cottage was compos'd of several Men some of whom were single Persons others were married only to one Wife with whom they liv'd very well and there is great Probability of making good Christians of ' em This Cottage is at Two Degrees Forty Two Minutes of Northern Latitude and together with the Neighbouring ones and two others at Two Leagues distance might give employ to a good Missionary We left this Hut on the Twenty Seventh of April towards Evening to go and seek our Guides who were not far off with whom we advanc'd by Land and went only Five Leagues among very difficult Mountains The Twenty Ninth we travell'd about Ten Leagues in a Way a

River you need only follow the Stream of it to enter into the Amazone and the Entrance of it is almost under the Line where the Province of the long-hair'd Indians begins ninety Leagues below the Port of Napo This is the third Passage which is discover'd into the River of Amazons on the North side CHAP. XLVI Of the River Coca and the River Pagamino which enter into the Amazone on the South side UNder the Line there is another River by which one may descend into the Amazone it passes across the Province of Quixos and is nearest to the City of Quito beginning at the City of the Cofanes where it takes the Name of Coca and from all along hence it amasses together such great Quantities of Water that it may well be said to make the principal of all those Channels that compose this great Fresh-water Sea The Navigation of this River is very troublesom and difficult by reason of the great Sreams of Water that trouble it all along till it meets the River Napo but this last and the others that enter into the Amazone on the other side of the Line toward the South are navigated with much more ease The first of these is the River Pagamino which is none of the most commodious and pleasant it is three days Journey by Land from the City of Avila which likewise belongs to the Government of the Quixos 'T was by this River the Portuguez Fleet enter'd and landed within the Jurisdiction of Quito This River enters into the Amazone below the River Quito and the Napo at a place call'd La Junta de los Rios twenty five Leagues below the Port of Napo When the Portuguez returned we found a better way to join their Fleet than that which they lighted on in coming into this Country For we went strait from Quito to Archidoua which likewise belongs to the Government of the Quixos and is under the Jurisdiction of Quito from whence by one day's Journey only which we travelled on foot it being in the Winter that is in the time of the Rains but might be performed on Horse-back at any other Season we arrived at the Port of the River Napo This River is great and rich and all the Inhabitants of the neighbouring Ports under the Government of Quito account it the Depository of their Treasures for they every Year gather from its Shores all the Gold they need to defray the Expence of their Families Besides this River abounds with Fish and the Fields near it are full of Game the Soil is very good and requires but little Charge to cultivate it It returns the Husbandman prodigious quantities of all sorts of Grain This is the principal and best Way that can be taken to go from the Province of Quito to the River of Amazons 't is much more commodious and easy than all the rest Yet I have heard on that side that near the Town of Ambatte which is 10 Leagues from Quito on the River Bamba there is another River that comes to discharge it self into the Amazone and that there is in it but one fall of Water caus'd by the Currents that at all obstructs the Navigation of it This way is very commodious to bring one into this great River about 60 or 70 Leagues lower than the Port of Napo by which means we may cross through the whole Province of the Quixos CHAP. XLVII Of the Rivers of Curaray and Maragnon THE seventh way of coming at the River Amazone is on the side of the Province of the Macas which also appertains to the Government and Jurisdiction of Quito from the Mountains of this Province there descends a great River call'd Curaray by following the Course of which you 'l fall into this great River at 2 degrees Latitude and 150 Leagues below the Port of Napo all the space of Land is well peopled with several different Nations The eighth and last Passage into our great River is on the side of St. Jago from the Mountains of the Province of the Maguas the most powerful of all the Rivers that render Tribute to the Amazone It waters all that great Country so distant from it and is there call'd Maragnon but at its Mouth and some Leagues higher it bears the Name of Tumburagna This River enters into the Amazone at four degrees Latitude and more than 300 Leagues above the Mouth of it it is so deep and has such impetuous Currents that the Navigation of it is troublesome and somewhat dangerous but the Assurances we have that there are great numbers of Idolatrous and Barbarous Indians inhabiting these large Countries it waters will make those that are animated with Zeal for the Glory of God and the Salvation of Souls easily surmount some Difficulties It was to make an Essay of so noble an Enterprize that in the beginning of the Year 1638 two of our Society pass'd through the Province of the Maguas in quest of these large Countries from whom I receiv'd a great many Letters in which they give an account of the endless Extent of this River and of the innumerable Provinces they receiv'd certain Intelligence of from time to time This River Maragnon joins with Amazone 230 Leagues below the Port of Napo CHAP. XLVIII Of the River Napo THis River Napo of which I have had occasion to speak so often has its Source at the foot of a great Desart call'd Aulizana which is 18 Leagues from Quito and which is very wonderful tho this Place is so near the Equinoctial Line yet this as well as many other Plains that are upon those Mountains call'd the Cordeliers is always cover'd with Snow that serves to temper the Heat under the Torrid Zone which is so excessive that one would think it should render all those Countries not habitable as St. Augustin says of them which yet by means of this perpetual Refreshment are the most temperate and serene Regions that have been discover'd since the Age wherein that great Saint flourish'd This River of Napo from its Source takes its Course between great Rocks which render it unnavigable till it comes to touch that place which is call'd the Port of Napo where the Vezinos or Inhabitants of Archidoua have their Plantations and Gardens there it becomes more smooth and less rapid and bears upon its Waters those little Canoos the Indians use for their Traffick however it retains something of its Roughness and Impetuosity for five or six Leagues below this Port and then all on a sudden becomes calm and smooth and so remains till it enters into the River Coca which makes the space of about 25 Leagues during which space it has a good Bottom and a smooth Course and affords the largest Vessels a very safe Passage The Conjunction it makes with the River Coca is call'd La Junta de los Rios the joining of the Rivers and this is reported to have been the place where Francis d' Oreillane and his Men arriv'd and made that Brigantine in which

Place the Spaniards have in that Country and stands higher up the River Paraguay on the North-side 't is the Metrapolitan City a Bishop's Seat has several very neat Churches and Convents and is well crowded with Inhabitants because a great many Idle People and such as have run out their Fortunes and can live no longer in Spain or Peru flock thither as to their last refuge The Land abounds in Corn Millet Sugar Tobacco Honey Cattle Oaks fit for Shipping Pine-Trees for Masts and particularly in that Herb call'd the Herb of Paraguay which they drive a great Trade in all over the West-Indies and this obliges the Merchants of Chili and Peru to hold a Correspondence with those of Paraguay because without that Herb with which they make a refreshing Liquor with Water and Sugar to be drank lukewarm the Inhabitants of Peru Savages and others especially those that work in the Mines could not subsist for the Soil of the Country being full of Mineral Veins the Vapours that rise out of the Ground suffocate them and nothing but that Liquor can recover them again which revives and restores them to their former Vigour In this City of Assomption the Native Indians as well as Spaniards are very courteous and obliging to Strangers They indulge themselves in a great deal of liberty even with respect to Women insomuch that being often necessitated to Sleep in the open Air because of the excessive Heat they spread their Quilts in the Streets and lie there all Night Men and Women together Nor is any Body scandaliz'd at it Having plenty of all things good to eat and drink they give themselves up to Ease and Idleness and don 't much trouble themselves with Trading abroad nor heaping up Money which upon that account is very scarce among 'em contenting themselves with trucking the Commodities of their own Product for others more necessary and useful to them Further up in the Country that is to say towards the Head of the River Vrugay in the Province of Paraguay are many Settlements of Colonies transplanted thither by the Jesuits Missionaries that prevail'd upon the Savages in those Parts who are naturally tractable to quit their Woods and Mountains and come and dwell together in Villages in a Civil Community where they instructed them in the Christian Religion taught them Mechanicks to play upon Musical Instruments and several other Arts covenient to Human Life Thus the Missionaries who came upon a Religious Motive are largely recompenc'd by the Temporal Advantages which they reap here The report that there were Golden Mines in this Country could not be kept so close but that the Spaniards had some inkling of it and among others Don Hiacinto de Laris Governor of Buenes Ayres who about the Year 1653 had orders from the King of Spain to go and visit these Settlements and examine into their Wealth At first coming he was well receiv'd but perceiving that he began to inspect their Riches and search for Gold The Savages who are shy of working in the Mines took up Arms and forc'd him and his Followers Fifty in Number to depart out of their Country The Governor who succeeded him inform'd himself more particularly of this matter and to make the best use of his Intelligence inter'd into a strict Alliance with the Jesuits of his own Government who hold a Correspondence with the rest of their Fraternity and having got a considerable Sum from the Hollanders for leave to Trade at Buenos Ayres he engag'd the Jesuits to furnish him 100000 Crowns in Gold for the value in Silver for lightness of Carriage But this same Governor being arrested by the King of Spain's Order for permitting the Dutch to Trade at Buenos Ayres his Gold was seiz'd and confiscated which upon trial prov'd to be much finer than that of Peru and by this and other Circumstances they discover'd that it came from the Mines found out by the Jesuits in these parts On the South-side of the River de la Plata from Cape Sant Antonio to within 30 Leagues of Buenos Ayres 't is dangerous Sailing because of the Banks that lie in the way wherefore they always go on the North-side as I said before till they come up so far then they cross over to the South-side which is very safe especially when the Wind blows against the Stream of the River and swells it for when a Westerly Wind blows from Land the Water falls however when the Water is at the lowest 't is Three Fathom and a half deep both in the North and South Channels When we enter'd into the South-Channel we came in sight of those Vast Plains extending to Buenos Ayres and thence as far as the River Salladillo 60 Leagues short of Cordoua which are so cover'd with all sorts of Cattle that notwithstanding multitudes of them are daily destroy'd for their Skins there 's no Sign of their diminution As soon as we arriv'd at the Cape of Buenos Ayres we gave notice of it to the Governor who understanding that we had the King of Spain's Licence for coming thither without which he could not have permitted us entrance into the place unless he would have broke his Orders he sent the Kings Officers on board to visit our Ship according to custom which done we landed our Goods and laid them up in a Ware-house hired for the time of our stay They consisted chiefly in Linnen Cloath particularly that made at Rouen which goes off very well in those Parts as also in Silks Ribans Thread Needles Swords Horse-shoes and other Iron-work Working-tools of all sorts Drugs Spices Silk and Wollen-Stockings Woollen-Cloath Serges and other Woollen-Stuffs and generally in every thing fit for Cloathing which as we were inform'd were proper commodities for those Parts Now the Custom is that as soon as a Licens'd Ship that is to say which has the King of Spain's Permission comes to Buenos Ayres The Governor of the Place or Captain of the Ship dispatches a Messenger to Peru with the Letters from Spain if he has any or else to acquaint the Merchants with his Arrival whereupon some of them immediately set out to Buenos Ayres or else send Commissions to their Correspondents to buy up what Wares they think convenient 'T was my fortune to be sent upon both these Errands for among a great many Letters that we brought with us was a large pacquet from his Catholick Majesty for Peru enclos'd in a Leaden Box as all the Dispatches from the Spanish Court to the Indies commonly are to the end that if the Ship that carries them should be in eminent peril of falling into an Enemies Hands they might be flung over board and sunk This Pacquet was entrusted to my care wherein were many Letters to the Vice-Roy of Peru and other Prime Officers in those Parts signifying the Birth of the Prince of Spain and I carry'd likewise an Inventory attested by the Kings Officers at Buenos Ayres of the greatest part of our Lading to be

of the Spaniards according to the opinion of many of their Authors which has often engag'd that Nation in very expensive Attempts but the Hopes of finding this rich Countrey have still fail'd of success The Essay that Sir Walter Raleigh made to this purpose and which he was so eagerly set upon was no less unhappy for it cost him his Son's Life who was killed by the Spaniards in this Expedition as well as his own Head which was taken off at London by King James soon after his Return from America And indeed this Manoa del Dorado may be called the Philosophers Stone or rather the Spaniards Chimera in search of which they have imploy'd immense Sums to no purpose at several Times and under several Commanders and must needs have lost a great number of Men in above sixty different Expeditions or Attempts which they have made * This Meal of Magnioc the Author speaks of is bak'd and eaten instead of Bread or Cassave as well in this Country he speaks of as on almost all the Coasts of Brazil where the Captains of Ships store themselves with it when they are in want of Bisquet This kind of Meal will not only keep good oftentimes as far as Portugal but will sometimes serve again in other Voyages when they are over-stock'd with it It has this Property with it that 't is more fit for long Voyages than Cassave because it keeps better 'T is true it becomes very insipid at last and so would the best Bread we make if kept as long And 't is further to-be noted that this bak'd Meal can't be made into Bread and that the Indians bake it in great Earthen Basons over the Fire almost as Confectioners do their Sweat-meats after which they dry it yet more in the Sun when 't is prepar'd for long Voyages When you are past the River of Amazons the Indians on the other side of the Line know neither how to make it nor the use of it they only make Cassave which is Bread made of this same Meal of Magnioc before it is bak'd There is also a particular way of preparing that to make it keep well for long Voyages but not so well as this bak'd Meal * The Guiana is a considerable part of the Continent and not one of the Islands of the Ocean as our Author seems to signify in this place yet it may well enough be said that he spake more truly than he thought and that the River Orenoque or Paria parting from the River of Amazons to come afterwards to discharge it self into the Sea over against the Island of La Trinidada betwixt the ninth and tenth Degrees of Northern Latitude it may very well be I say that Guiana by these means becomes an Island comprehending all that Extent of Land between the Mouth of Orenoque and that of the Amazone quite to the place where these two great Rivers divide to take their Course asunder till they fall into the Sea at above 300 Leagues distance one from another All this Interval is what Geographers commonly call in their Maps the Coast of Guiana In this place the Island of Cayenne is situate which is so famous either for the divers Adventures which the French Colonies have had at several times in establishing themselves there or for the divers Battels they have had as well with the Indians as the Europeans to maintain their Ground there in which they have succeeded so well that 't is now one of the most considerable and advantageous Colonies they have in all America * The Aroba is a Weight of 25 Pounds as the Quintal is of a 100 Pounds * Note That this Discovery was made at a time when the Portuguez were continually driving the Dutch from one Garison or another in Brazil of which they had possess'd themselves not long before and the Conquest the Dutch made of this Country was the occasion of the Establishment of the West-India Company in Holland as well for the carrying on of Trade in this part of America which the Portuguez possess'd as for the compleating of the Conquest of it But 't is now above 30 Years since they have had any thing beyond the Line On this side of the Line they yet possess Surinam on the Continent and the Island of Corassol or Curazao and they have still a great many strong Places on the Western Coast of Africa and several Factories in divers places on that Coast * Monsieur de la Barre had not yet made a Settlement there when this Account was written