Xaraya out of which all Geographers that give us the Cartes of America make a considerable River to come forth which they bring to that of the great Amazones whereof they ought to abstain to speak too hardily untill by certain experience the truth of their first thoughts be better assured CHAP. XXIX Of the I le of the Topinambes SEeing the I le of Topinambes is in this place of the River of the Amazones and that it is the greatest of all its Iles the most renowned Province of any that it waters we shall say first that it is of more than sixty leagues of length and that it is so situated in the great Amazone that it comes nearer to his South-side than to his North and that all the distances and measures that concern it are in the tenth Chapter of this Book Secondly we shall say that it is admirable in fertility of its Grounds in the beauty of its bankes in the multitude of its Habitations whereof the most mighty is in the Eastmost point of it and hath three degrees of South latitude Finally we shall say that once it was inhabited by its Natives and originall Indians but that the Topinambes coming upon them chased them from it after sundry Battells and possest themselves of it with so much glory and reputation for themselves that the terrour of their names did reach to the neighbouring Nations Now these Topinambes before had inhabited the South coasts of Brasile where not being able to endure the hard entreaty of the Portugalls towards them after that they had come upon them they renounced their dear Countrey and voluntarily abandoned with great resolution more than eighty of their great Bourgades So they marched in infinite multitudes of men women and children streight towards the West and under the same parallell They crossed by swimming the great Rivers of Parane and of the Plata and leaving on their left hand the Province of Tucuman they in end took up their lodgings on the beginnings of the great River Madera But it befalling one of these Topinambes some while after to kill a Cow of a Spaniard on the frontier of Peru for which he was rudely chastised the same fear that carried them too lightly to leave their ancient abode made them all to dislodge presently from this new one And to the end to put themselves farre enough from all the Provinces of any neighbourhood with Peru possest by the Spaniards and and to make their Voyage or removall with lesse inconvenience and the more diligence and circumspection they embarqued themselves in Canoes which they had ready in great number and so suffered themselves to go at adventure down the stream of Madera and after sundry Moneths navigation found themselves arrived in the great Amazone and so lastly on the bankes of this I le of Topinambe which they possest by Armes as hath been said Now this Warlike and valiant Nation entertain'd very courteously the Portugalls at their passing them and received very pleasantly their proposalls that they made of a mutuall Covenant and Alliance Which alone might suffice for the conquest of the whole Realm of the Amazone seeing all ply to the only name of the Topinambes CHAP. XXX Of the Bosphore of the Amazone and of the Neighbouring Nations to it FOllowing the course of the great Amazone you shall find about fifty four leagues from the Topinambes the Bosphore of the Amazone whereby a marvellous effect of the naturall disposition of the ground of these Countries all the waters of the great River of the Amazones and of all the others that we have described reduce themselves by a sweet violence to the necessity of passing in one only channell so strait that it is no more than one good quarter of a league But of this famous Bosphore and all that concerns it see the tenth and thirteenth Chapters of this Book that we may passe without hinderance to the Province of Mataya which lies on the South-side of the great River from the Province of Cayane before-mentioned unto the Bosphore of the great Amazone The Inhabitants whereof being often beaten by the Topinambes have at last submitted to their yoake and are now their Tributaries being bound yearly to furnish them with Stone-axes to fell their Woods and great Trees and with other usefull Instruments of the same matter for labouring and manuring of the Ground wherein the Topinambes are marvellous expert and diligent as appears in all their plaines and champain Grounds But on the other North-banke of the great Amazone the Province of Apanta presents it self happy enough in all things It hath for its confines on the West the Province of Camsuare on the East it passeth the Bosphore and on the North its frontiers on the famous Region of the Amazones which I pass over as well as other doubtfull reports which the Spaniards and Portugalls have heard of it as they passed along the great River The Inhabitants of this Province next Neighbours to the Topinambes trade in Salt with them and other Nations that are farther from them and Salt is not found but in this place all alongst the whole course of the great Amazone As to the Apantes and Conures they labour their fair Fields that are watered by the Coruris which enters presently into the great River according to the tenth Chapter of this Book as also the Orixamine a River no lesse considerable of the same North-side and near to the Bosphore They have this singular amongst all the Peoples of that Countrey that their language is the common language of all Brasile though they be distant from it three hundred leagues But it may be that the Topinambes in keeping their own which was this have also communicated it to this neighbourhood Finally the best counsell that one can give on this behalf to a Prince or Republique in the progresse of this conquest is to keep the Bosphore in his possession and the Topinambes in amity and confederacy with him CHAP. XXXI Of the Province and River of Tapayse PResently after that the Amazone is come forth of the famous Bosphore he betakes himself to his accustomed broadnesse again and begins to mingle the boilings of his waters with the floods of the high-sea The first Province that he visits on his South-side takes its name from the great and broad River of the Tapayfeâ— and is no lesse considerable for the abundance of his Fruites and Crops than for the couragious Nation that inhabits it the which is so much the more redoubted to its Neighbours as that it addes to its valour an art of empoysoning their Arrows But the Source of this fair and fertile River is unknown to us as yet and yet its greatnesse makes it appear and perswades us that is it very remote on the South-side between the coast of Brasile and the great Lake of Xaraya About the year One thousand six hundred thirty the English went up his broad channell with one Ship and coming down his bankes again
Zaparara and make Sail or launch to the Southwest after that follow the coast of the Province of Maragnon and pass the Channell of the I le of the Sun at one degree and a quarter of South-latitude and twenty six Leagnes from the full Sea finally make Sail to the West leave the side of Para and keep the same latitude to gain the bankside of Corupa in the Province of Guyana and for conclusion follow still the same side and enter at last into the true Channell of the great River of the Amazones at two degrees of South-latitude and thirty Leagues beyond Corupa which is but one degree and a half of the same side of the Line CHAP. XXXVII Of the first discovery of this River FOrasmuch as historicall Relations are easilier understood if they follow Geographicall ones we have changed the order of Authors that went before us begun at the latter After that Gonsales Pizarro Governour of the Province of Kito had first of all the Spaniards pushed on by the same ambition to find gold and silver in the vast Countries of the great Amazone passed the high and dangerous Mountains of the Cordeliere and discovered the Province of Kixo his Lieutenant Generall Francis of Areillana finding himself well far engaged and that in Challops only on so many unknown and great Rivers and not knowing any sure way of going up again and returning to his Generall who with them that were with him suffered an extream great want of Victuals he would stay at the famous place where the River of Napo loseth himself in that great one of the Amazones where causing his men to build another Bark greater and more convenient than his others for a long navigation he resolved by an ambitious desire to purchase glory to commit his life and fortune to the uncertain currants and waters of that great River This admirable voyage and singular for so many circumstances was begun on the eighth of the Moneth of January in the year 1541 and continued with so much good luck and happiness that this great and marvellous River was wholly navigated and first discovered by this ventorious Knight from whom also the River had the name of Areillane In passing over the Provinces of the Cassique or Lord Aparia this Prince received him very courteously and advertised him to take heed in his way of travell of certain Amazones and warlike women the renown of whom though they were very far from him yet ceased not to give him knowledge of them Finally in his course he had diverse successes sometimes good sometimes bad according to the fear or fearless confidence of the Nations that saw him with astonishment pass along upon the great River And after having known not without admiration the Rio-negro he saw in the Moneth of June Indians in great number upon the banks thereof and at the head of them armed women which seemed to command and lead them to warre whereupon the Spaniards of Francis of Areillana and himself were so perswaded of the truth of these Amazones that they published the report of it with such confidence that from thence the name did remain to this great and memorable River Lastly after sundry fortunes and much wearinesse on the 26. of the moneth of August of the same year 1541. he went out at the great mouth of this great River and making sail towards the West along the coasts of Guyana and Paria Provinces of the same America on the eleventh of the moneth of September he happily attain'd the Isle of Cubagua near to that of Marguarite both of them inhabited by Spaniards and then rich in the fishing of Pearls CHAP. XXXVIII Of the second Expedition of Areillana in the same River AFter that Areillana was return'd to Europe had fill'd all Spain with the admiration of his adventures and the Court of the Emperour Charles the V. with the hopes of the great River of the Amazones had got also from this Prince whose arms and ambition troubled no lesse the old than the new-found world the charge of making conquest of it in the name of the Crown of Castile and that he had at his own leisure made ready three Ships and man'd them with Horsemen and provisions necessary he made sail the xi day of the moneth of May in the year 1549. from the Haven of St Luke of Barrameda in Andalusia for the Tenariff in the Canaries where the ships stayed three moneths as also two moneths more under Cape-verd on the Continent of Africk loosing by those stayes an 150. souldiers by sicknesse Passing from thence to the coast of America the tempest drown'd one ship to him which had xi horse and 70. men aboard and coming to half a degree of South-latitude he drew up sweet water in the full Sea and by that conjectur'd that infallibly he was in the River of the Amazones being not then above twelve Leagues from the point of Zaparara But having gone in an hundred Leagues into the great mouth of this great River an 107. of his folks being yet wanting to him and he perceiving that the rest would not be sufficient to furnish out these two ships he caused of the one of them a Barke to be made which was not compleated in three moneths and making sail again scarcely had he gone up twenty Leagues in the same River but he broke his other ship of the planks whereof he was constrain'd to make another Bark which thirty men made an end of only in two months and an half and that with much toile and wearinesse Areillana in this mean while set himselfe twice with the other Bark to seek the true channel of the Amazone and never having been able to find it amongst so many arms and Isles of that River and so confused he finished his life with his adventures being surcharged with travail grief and sadnesse so that the two Barks retired themselves severally from the great Amazone and following the coasts of the firm Land of America betook themselves to the Isles of Cubagua and the Marguarite where the Spaniards that were but few now surviving this so ruinous an expedition made an end of all the rest of their lives dying there of sicknesse CHAP. XXXIX Of Pedro D'Orsua and of the Tyrant Lope d'Aguirre AS all the Authours that have imployed their watchings to describe largely unto us the things of America were neither good enough Geographers nor good enough Geometricians to disintangle the difficulties that grows ordinarily in such matters so they have but too often fallen into contrarieties that make their Histories confused and into obscurities that robs their Readers of possibilities to understand them Such as would take advantage at depressing them will somewhat strange at my censure of them but I seeking nothing but truth and not after vain-glory in my works will passe on to my subject of this famous River the discovery whereof was no more essayed from Spain its self after the disgraces of Francis of Areillana but
coasts of the Province of Maragnon and of the Countries that are subject to it the Portugalls could no longer know neither the bank-sides nor the right wayes and courses of the great River because of so many crooked Armes of his that he castes out and thereby frames his many Islands So that the Navigation becoming longer by following waies uncertain and not before known and the troubles and toyles inseparable from a Sea-Army that must often disembark to camp on the firm Land began to weary the Indians and to distaste them from further pursuing of the Voyage Already many of them stole away to regain as well as they could the Land of their Nativity and those that stayed peaceably behind in the Barkes or in the Camp ceased not to make their mindes known by their murmurings in so far that the fear of a greater deserting of him giving this Generall occasion of just unquietnesse he set himself to find out more sure waies to prevent this disorder since punishment and severity kept out hardly to their duty the rest of the Indians and Vallets of his Army He was but yet half way come in his Voyage but feign'd that he was near enough the place where the Fleet should arrive And the better to perswade them to this he ordered eight Barkes well furnisht and well armed to go before and as it were to make the encampments for the body of the Army to follow in places where it was to Land But in truth his intent was in this only to find out and discover the best waies that were to be held in the great River and by these ambiguities to keep all his men in breath CHAP. XLIV Of the Arrivall of the Fleet at Peru. MEan while the Fleet goes on her Sails being fill'd with an East-wind alwaies favourable and triumphs over the rapid current of the proud Amazone Already six Moneths were past and six hundred leagues had been measured which they had runne the half of the way was done and sundry Nations had been discovered The wildest amongst them fled to the Mountains or lesser Hills the lesse fearfull stood unmoved upon the Bankes the more confident came and traffiqued with the Camp but the valientest no more than the others never armed themselves against the Fleet nor against her Avantcourriers or Vantguard which already very far advanced because of its lightnesse was tracing and following on the channells of the great River the waies that were streightest and least oblique and marked forth the addresses or directions on the Bankes by Trophees set up or by Ensignes set together The Vantguard was commanded by Bennet Rodrigue d'Olivera a Portugall who having been born in Brasile and brought up as it were amidst the Americans he dived presently into the secret of their thoughts and by the least of their actions he could guesse what they had in their minds whence he was as well feared as respected by all the Indians of these Countries so that by his good qualities he had also this prerogative to contribute much to the happy finishing of so noble an enterprise So pursuing the Voyage with his Vantguard of eight Barkes armed he attained with as much diligence as good luck the Port of Payamine in the Province of the Kixes the 24th of June in the year 1638 while the Captain Major with all the rest of the Fleet followed the traces advices and addresses that Olivera left at the places where he had rested with his Vantguard whence the Souldiers of his Army receiving every day comfort they thought alway that the morrow was to be the last of the Voyage Thus entertain'd with this hope they arrived at the River of the long-hair'd People on the Mouth of which Pedro Texcira made fourty Portugalls and three hundred Indians of his Troopes to encamp and gave orders to Pedro d'Acosta Savela who was appointed to the command of them to stay in this place and not to depart thence till he heard from him leaving there moreover Pedra Bayon a Captain also of infantrie And himself continuing his Navigation with some few persons he came likewise to the Haven of Payamine towards the end of September having passed one thousand two hundred leagues in a continuall going up the River of the Amazones since the 28th of October of the year before After that from thence taking his way by Land and crosse the Mountains of the Andes he came no lesse happily than gloriously to the Town of Kito where he was received with such Acclamations and Triumphs as the greatnesse and successe of his Enterprise did deserve CHAP. XLV Of the Orders of the Viceroy for the Return of the Portugalls AFter that the Royal Audience of the Town of Kito had received from the Portugalls all the informations that were needfull on a businesse of such importance which look't towards the discovery or conquest of the great River of the Amazones it would not for all that deliberate upon it nor proceed to things so weighty without giving advertisement thereof to the Count of Chinchon Viceroy of Peru. Who with the other Officers of the King of Spaine having considered all the circumstances of a successe so advantagious sent the Audience his Orders from the Town of Lima the chief of the whole Kingdom dated the 20th of November in the year 1638 to send back with all diligence the Portugalls by the way that they came to the Town of Para giving them and furnishing them with all things necessary and fit for fear that Brasile suffered not inconvenience by the Hollanders through so great and farre an absence of so many worthy Persons of service and to perswade them to receive into their company two faithfull Persons that were Dependants on the Crown of Castile to give an account to his Catholique Majesty of all that was discovered and should be discovered along the great Amazone in the return of a like Voyage Presently after the Orders of the Viceroy were published through the Town of Kito sundry Spaniards especially Religious presented themselves for the choice to go on that Voyage But as Don Johne Vasquez d'Acogna Lieutenant Generall of the Province of the same name and Knight of the order of Calatrave was making offers much more advantagious for the Crown of Castile proposing to make Levies pay the Souldiers buy Provisions and bear all other charges in favour of this conquest the Count of Chinchon broke presently the design judging it no waies convenient to the service of the Catholique King that that Personage should then leave his Charge And Father Christopher d'Acogna his Brother a Spanish Jesuite who hath merited to live as long in the memories of men as the great Amazone shall runne in the Fields of America had the good hap of this nomination wherein he behaved himself with so much zeal towards God so much fidelity towards his Prince so much affection towards the Souldiers and so much care to remarke and put in writ all the circumstances of the
Parallaxes in the Eclipses of the Sun and of the Phenombres in the Eclipse of the Moon which hinder the taking exactly of the time of her immersion and emersion under and out of the shadow of the Earth But to let it be seen that I am not the only man that take to my self this licence to suspect and give little trust to the exactness of these Observations so as thereby definitively to regulate Longitudes with neglect of itinerary distances which being well managed often supply in some sort the others too great incertitude I shall here set down the examples which John Kepler that famous Astronomer thought good himself to set down at the end of the Catalogue of the Towns of the Rodolphine Tables that he might show the varieties of the difference of Longitudes found out by diverse Observations of the same Eclipses between the Meridians of Rome and Norimberg as followeth Regiomontanus makes it of thirty six minutes of an hour or of nine degrees of the equator and with him many more Stafler and Verner of eighteen minutes of an hour or of font degrees and an half Shoner Mercator and Hondius regulate it to twelve minutes of an hour or to three degrees And leaving others Kepler himself hath reduced it to four minutes of an hour or to one degree only So that the varieties of the difference of these two Meridians in so little a distance as they stand in coming to eight whole degrees with how much more reason may we doubt of the true Longitude of the West-coasts of the South and North America Now these diversities are no less frequent every where else as may be verified by the difference of the Meridians of the same Rome and of Toledo in Spain set down in Authors of Astronomy and Geography For Kepler the last and painfullest of all reduces it to sixteen degrees and according to others it amounts often to thirty Which notwithstanding we have made an essay to remedy as much as the matter doth permit in our Geographicall Tables by more exact cares and researches than those of this curious Author Kepler himself which being not yet Printed yet Monsieur Morin the Kings professor of the Mathematicks hath not thought ill to draw out of them that which he hath set at the beginning of his Abridgement of the Rodolphine Tables as preferable to any other Catalogue of Towns that he could then meet with to serve his purpose After these Reasons brought I would now willingly consent that the Longitude of the West-coast of America were made shorter by ten degrees at least that the difference of the Longitudes of the Town of Kito and of the Point of Zaparara were made of fourty seven degrees and so the distance from the one to the other in a straight Line of nine hundred fourty Geometricall Leagues And this would agree better and not be so far different from the total number of measures observed in the navigation of the great River of the Amazones as is to be seen in the eighth Chapter of this Book through all which that we might change nothing out of our own opinion we have set down the Longitudes according to the ordinary and recentest Carts of South America But surely it ought to be made broader by Geographers that shall go over it again to find place there for all that we faithfully relate unto them in this work that so the great Amazone and so many other Rivers that run unto him and Provinces that are discovered upon them may commodiously be lodged and in their own naturall extent In which case the East-coast of this same America to the turn of the Cape of St. Augustine should be kept in the same degrees and minutes of its longitude and all the rest from thence towards the West augmented unto ten degrees and compassed in the just and fitting Geometricall proportions as well in regard to Meridians as to the Longitudes And the same ampliation being made over North America you will find his East-coast drawn back by four or five degrees conformably to the assurances that the first English gave that sail'd to Virginia and to the report of John Laet in his third Book of America Whereunto I offer my self willingly to contribute my cares and studies in favours of such as will undertake it making use and serving my self in all these Geographicall procedures with the precepts of the true and new doctrine of the eighth Book of my Geometricall Theorems Printed 1654 as well for the Longitudes as itenerary distances which I there shew that they ought alwayes to be in great Circles and not in parallells reduced to certain proportions Which last is a Rule altogether contrary to the truths of Geometry however Mathematicians and Geographers that preceeded the impression of that Book have generally taught the Maxime of it without adverting or considering so notable an errour That the shortest distance from one point to another on the Globe of the Earth is alwayes described or led by a great Circle c. See the eighth Book of my foresaid Theorems A second Advertisement to Geographers about the restitution of Longitudes BUt to get a perfecter knowledge as well of the Longitudes that fit America as those that concern the East Indies we have resolved to set down here a method to find them easily by the motion of the Moon upon firm land in this manner 1. Draw on a right horizontall Plain that is very smooth and white a very exact meridian Line and with the same exactness observe the height of the Pole by a quadrant that can mark minutes and if possible half minutes as it is easie now to get such an one by the new inventions of dividing the Alhidades of it 2. On the night of the full Moon take the horizontall height of a fixt Star untill the shadow of a Plummet hung made by the Moon shall be just upon the Meridian but with this caution that the height of the Star observed be at least of thirty degrees to avoid refractions and that the same Stars distance from the Meridian be reasonable enough for a greater exactness 3. Seek the true distance of the foresaid Star from the Meridian of your Hemisphere by this Rule As the Rectangle contained in the Sinuses of the complement of the elevation of the Pole and of the complement of the declination of the Star is to the quadrat-side of the whole Sinuse so the Rectangle contained in the Sinuses of the summe or totall and of the difference of the half of the complement of the observed height of the Star and of the half of the difference of the complement of the declination of the Star and of the complement of the elevation of the Pole is unto the quadrat-side of the Sinuse of the half of the true distance of the Star from the Meridian But if the declination and right ascension of the Star which you make use of for this astronomicall Observation be not set down
foundation of that doctrine depends on the equall motion of the Sun in the Ecliptick and not at all in the equator the opinion that we have of it is more from the appearances of truth than from any design we have to contradict FINIS A Table of the Chapters CHAP. I. OF the greatness of the River of the Amazones page 1 CHAP. II. Of the great Kingdome of this Amazone if reduced to one by conquest 3 CHAP. III. Of the Nations of this great Kingdome 6 CHAP. IV. Of their Arms and of their Commerce 8 CHAP. V. Of their Customes and Religion 9 CHAP. VI. Of the great Cordeliere 11 CHAP. VII Of the sources of the great River of the Amazones 13 CHAP. VIII Of the length and of the course of this River 15 CHAP. IX Of the longitudes latitudes and measures of Leagues and Distances observed in this great River 18 CHAP. X. Of the same continued upon the same River unto the Atlantique-Sea 23 CHAP. XI Of the breadth and of the Islands of this River 26 CHAP. XII Of its depth and of its portableness or navigation 28 CHAP. XIII Of the Bosphore or Strait of the Amazone 31 CHAP. XIIII Of the three first Rivers that enter into that of the Amazones 33 CHAP. XV. Of the Agarick and of the Putomaya 36 CHAP. XVI Of the great Caketa a considerable River 39 CHAP. XVII Of the River of Maragnon 43 CHAP. XVIII Of the Amarumaya and of the Madera 46 CHAP. XIX Of the other Rivers and of the ' Province of the Kixes 49 CHAP. XX. Of the Province of the long-hairs and of that of the Homagues 52 CHAP. XXI Of the condition of slaves and of the neighbour-Nrtions 55 CHAP. XXII Of the Province of Corosirara and other neighbour-Nations 57 CHAP. XXIII Of the Gold-mine of the Swanes and of the neighbouring-Nations 60 CHAP. XXIV Of the Province of Yoriman 62 CHAP. XXV Of the Province of Surina and of the neighbouring-Nations 65 CHAP. XXVI Of the Province of Caribane 68 CHAP. XXVII Of Rio-negro and of the Province of Camsware 71 CHAP. XXVIII Of the Province of Cayana and of the neighbouring-Nations 73 CHAP. XXIX Of the Isle of the Topinambes 76 CHAP. XXX Of the Bosphore of the Amazone and of the neighbouring-Nations 79 CHAP. XXXI Of the Province and River of Tapayse 81 CHAP. XXXII Of the rich and great Province of Coropa 84 CHAP. XXXIII Of the great mouth of the River of the Amazones 86 CHAP. XXXIV Of the great Province of Guyana 89 CHAP. XXXV Of the Province of Maragnon and of the Town of Para. 91 CHAP. XXXVI Of the Entries into the River of the Amazones 94 CHAP. XXXVII Of the first discovery of this River 96 CHAP. XXXVIII Of the second Expedition of Areillana on the same River 99 CHAP. XXXIX Of Pedro d'Orsua and of the Tyrant Lope de Aguirre 101 CHAP. XL. Of the unfortunate Expedition of Maldonado 104 CHAP. XLI Of other designs for discovery of this River 108 CHAP. XLII Of the Friers of St. Francis that went down all this River 111 CHAP. XLIII Of the departure of Peter Texeira for the discovery of it 114 CHAP. XLIV Of the aarivall of the Fleet at Peru. 117 CHAP. XLV Of the Orders of the Viceroy for the return of the Portugall Fleet. 120 CHAP. XLVI Of the Camp of the Portugalls in the Province of the long-haired or Chevelues 122 CHAP. XLVII Of the return of the Portugall Fleet. 125 CHAP. XLVIII Of the arrivall of the Fleet at Brasile 127 CHAP XLIX Of the Amazones of America 129 CHAP. L Of the qualities of the Aire and of the Land of the great Amazone 132 CHAP. LI. Of the fertileness of the land and the waters for nourishment of men 135 CHAP. LII Of the riches of Commerce for strangers 137. 1. Advertisement to Geographers on the longitudes of America 140 2. Advertisement to Geographers on the restitution of longitudes 146 FINIS
Wisemen or Wizards among them of great esteem who serve them for Counsellors as well for Religion and Physick as for Law and policy and in the year 1639 the Portuguais found an Indian in these Countries that called himself the son of the Sun who coming to a peaceable and loving conference with them was not satisfied with the grounds of our Belief but going away without renouncing his own imposture said that every night he went by the Spirit to consult the Sun for the government of the following day Finally all these peoples are of a good nature nimble and quick of body and of colour not so tawny and Sun-burnt as those of Brasile They are of quick apprehension and understanding and are very expert in their hands for all sort of works They are naturally sweet and meek officious and tractable and they converse familiarly with strangers without any fear They are every way so docile and teachable and so little possest with malice that from hence the easiness to subdue them as well to Laws and policy as to Christian Religion may be guessed at CHAP. VI. Of the great Cordeliere IN the Southern America to the East of the Kingdom of Peru and as it were from the North to the South runs and rangeth along a garland of great Mountains more than six hundred Leagues in length under the name of the great Cordeliere And by a wonderfull work of nature all the waters which from thence arise in abundance on that side of the great Mountains that look towards the East do all render themselves into the North-Sea by one only mouth and confluent But these well-heads and springs being so many cannot be yet all discovered it sufficeth us in this Book to remark the chief ones and such of them as are famous by the origine and source of the great River of the Amamazones and of others the most famous that he receiveth into his channell to convey them together with himself into the Ocean-Sea And amongst the longest and greatest of all these Rivers the Great Caketa the Putumaye and the Aguarike are on the North-side and the Madera the Amarumaya the Maragnon and the Curaray are on the Southside of the River of the Amazones Which being the only and the principall object of our Discourse we will here begin to describe its source in this Chapter telling you that it is the most Westward of all the sources that are to the East of the great Cordeliere that which is furthest off from the Ocean or Atlantique-Sea and the nearest of any to the Town of Kyto one of the greatest and fairest Cities not only of the Kingdom of Peru but also of any in all America the seat of a Soveraign Court and Capitall of a great Province of three hundred degrees and ten minutes of Longitude counting from the first and fixt Meridian of the I le of Saint Michell of the Azores and sixteen minutes only of Latitude meridionale But for better clearing of this matter yet we must adde that between the Town of Kyto the source of the great River of the Amazons these tops or risings of the great Cordeliere that are after mentioned are interjected CHAP. VII Of the sources of the great River of the Amazones Pulcan and Guanama are two Mountains of the great and high Cordeliere distant one from the other little less than two Spanish Leagues of three hundred degrees thirty six minutes of Longitude on the terrestriall Globe and twenty minutes only of meridionale or Southern Latitude They are in the great Province of Kyto of the rich Empire of Peru about six Leagues to the Southside of the equinoctiall Line and eight Leagues to the East of the Town of Kyto the Capitall of that Province and two Lakes that are at the two foots of these two Mountains are the renowned sources of the great and famous Amazone That of Pulcan is the largest openest and best discovered and that of Guanama is the deepest and profoundest and as it were almost covered by a great rock overturned upon it by an Earthquake But these two spring-heads the most wonderfull of all the world since they give the beginning to the most memorable River of the universall world run quickly into one and pass along together the terrible rocks of the Cordeliere rolling their roaring waters over its precipices and fals from whence this great River coming forth and running alwayes strong swift and straight towards the East receives presently upon his leaving the Cordeliere a marvellous great increase from the Coca the Payamine and the Napo three considerable Rivers whereof we shall speak else where and in short while makes his navigableness like unto that of the great Ocean-Sea as well for the depth of his channell as for the less rapidness of his currant of water But this remarkable place where the River of Napo enters into that of the Amazones which the Spaniards call the Junto of the Rivers and we the conjunction or joyning of the Rivers to the same very sense verbatim is about sixty Leagues from the Town of Kyto and under the equinoctiall Line And it was in this place that the adventurous Francis D'Areillane that Spanish Knight made build a Vessell in the which he first navigated and happily discovered all this great River of the Amazones CHAP. VIII Of the length and course of this River AFter that the great Amazone hath made his channell like unto that of the greatest Rivers of the world by the conflux of the foresaid three Rivers he goes on his way through the vast and fertile fields of America alwayes towards the East and without longer straying from under the Line than five or six degrees at the most on the Southside or that of the antarctick Pole Yet drawing his now-slow waters after him by infinite turnings and windings in plains and fields of so large and great extent he casts out his arms on every side to receive the more easily the Rivers which from all parts come unto him and that with such admirable agreement that the least of his armes receive alway the least Rivers and Rivulets and the greater the greater and if Rivers come to him that are bigge and made great by a course of more hundreths of Leagues together he there shuts up all his waters into one channell to receive those greater worthily and as it were with a greater state and magnificence As for his length from his source to his mouth at the Atlantique-Sea following the course of his wide channell it is diversly reported The fore-mentioned Areillane makes it of eighteen hundred and Father D' Acogna of one thousand two hundred seventy six Spanish Leagues according to the justest measures that we could gather from the Relations of this Author who contradicts himself often through forgetfulness and not taking heed Now the sparingest reckoning of Father D' Acogna being modester than that of Areillane seems to me to have more appearances of the truth in it because
the distance of the mountains of Pulcan and Guanama where the Sources of this great River are in a streight line unto Zaparara which is the Easterliest Cape at which he ends his course is but of six hundred fourty leagues of the same sort according to my Geographick Tables or Mappes and the methods of the eighth Book of my Geometricall Theorems But because this distance in a streight line appears to me to be yet too farre different from the foresaid length of one thousand two hundred seventy six leagues I could easily perswade my self that either the Southern longitude of America were greater or that the leagues of this Spanish Father Jesuit should be no other but Celtiberian-Spanish leagues or Biscay leagues like unto our French-sea-leagues the which amounting but to twenty for every degree of a great circle would give us seven hundred thirty two leagues in a right or streight line for the same distance between the Sources of the great River of the Amazones and the extremity of his mouth or upshutting CHAP. IX Of the Longitudes Latitudes and Measures observed in this great River IN the design we have to set down in this place and all along the distances and their latitudes which the Spaniards have observed an one thousand six hundred thirty nine alongst the River of the Amazones reported by D' Acogna aforesaid delegated by King Philip the fourth to this charge we have also resolved to adde the longitudes which we have adjusted as much as is possible from confusion and uncertainty and this as well for the curiosity of such as love Geography as for the help of these Authours that would make new Cartes of these places But going back to the end of the 7th Chapter we shall continue the course of this great River in this manner From the mouth of Napo which is on the South of the great Amazone to Anete are fourty seven leagues This place of Anete is yet under the line and on the South-side of the great River From Anete to the Agarico are eighteen leagues The mouth of this River is on the North-side of the Amazone and under the line also From the Agarico to Chevela twenty leagues The mouth of this River is also on the North of Amazone and begins to decline a little from the line towards the South From the Chevelu to the Curaray fourty leagues The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazone and under the second degree of Southern latitude From the Curaray to the Maragnon eighty leagues The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazone having four degrees of Southern latitude and three hundred seven degrees and fifty minutes of longitude From the Maragnon to the beginning of the Province of Homague sixty leagues All this Province consists in great Ilands From the foresaid beginning of Homague to a certain great habitation of the same one hundred and nineteen leagues This place is in an I le on the South-side of the body of Amazone having three degrees of Southern latitude and three hundred twelve degrees and fifty five minutes of longitude From this Habitation to the Putumaya seventeen leagues The mouth of this River is on the North-side of the great Amazone From the Putumaya to Lyetau fifty leagues The mouth of this River is on the South-side of Amazone and hath three degrees thirty minutes of Southern latitude From Lyetau to the end of the Province of Homague fourteen leagues In this place there is a great and puissant Habitation in an I le From the end of Homague to the Amarumaya twenty five leagues The mouth of this River is on the South-side of Amazone having five degrees of Southern latitude and three hundred fifteen degrees and fifty minutes of longitude From the Amarumaya to the Village of the gold twenty eight leagues This place is on the South-bank of the Channell of the great Amazone From the Village of the gold to the Yopura fourteen leagues The mouth of this River is on the North-side of Amazone and hath three degrees of Southern latitude From the Yopura to Tapy four leagues The mouth of this River is on the South-side of Amazone From the Tapy to the Catua twenty five leagues The mouth of this River is on the South side of Amazone and towards the Green Lake formed into that condition by the great Amazone From the Catua and the Green Lake to the first mouth of the Araganatuba six leagues This is on the North-side of the Amazone From the fist mouth to the second of the Araganatuba sixteen leagues on the North-side of Amazone also From the second mouth of the Araganatuba to the end of the Province of Corosirare twenty two leagues All this Province is on the South of the great River From the end of Corosirare to the beginning of the Province of Yoriman two leagues On the South-side of Amazone From the beginning of Yoriman to a great and very long Habitation twenty three leagues on the South of the River to four degrees of that latitude and three hundred nineteen degrees and thirty minutes of longitude From this long Habitation to the I le Yoriman thirty two leagues on the South-bank side of the Amazone From this I le to the end of the Province of Yoriman ten leagues On the South-side of the Amazone From the end of Yoriman to the Cusiguare two leagues The mouth of this River is also on the South of the Amazone From the Cusiguare to the Basurure 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 Basurure 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 And thus the course of the great River of the Amazones into Rio-negro or the Black River is of seven hundred eighty eight leagues according to the preceding Measures CHAP. X. The rest of the Longitudes Latitudes and Measures observed unto the Atlantique Sea FOllowing the same design of the Chapter preceding wherein we made stay till we came to the mouth of Rio-negro where he enters into the great River of the Amazones we shall in this Chapter make an end thereof pursuing the Amazones course into the great Ocean its self From Rio-negro then unto the Madera are four leagues the mouth of this River being on the South of the Amazone From the Madera to the beginning of the I le of Topinamba twenty eight leagues This great I le is in the River of the Amazones towards the South-side From the beginning to the end of this I le sixty two leagues In this place is a great and puissant Habitation of the Topinambians having three degrees of Southern latitude and three hundred twenty seven degrees thirty minutes of longitude From the end of Topinamba to the Coruris
They had from the year One thousand six hundred thirty eight Knives and Axes and other Instruments of Iron after the fashion of Europe which they gave out to have bought from Indians their Neighbours that were nearer than they to the Sea and these again from certain persons that were white of countenance and cloathed like the Portuguais and armed with Sword and Musket that dwelt upon the Atlantique Sea which have been without doubt either Hollanders or English who have both sailed into the Orenoc and dwelt for some time in the Coasts of Guyana but were at length hostilely chased from thence by the Savages as also all the French were an One thousand six hundred fifty four from the I le of Cayene in the main Land and on the same side of the Sea of the North which is not above two hundred leagues at the most from Rio-negro but reckoning in a streight line and by the shortest distance But because nature hath not offered in all the Realm of the great Amazone a more favourable situation than on the point of the Comanares for setling of a Colony of the most considerable ones of any in the world and which cannot fail one day to be the Seat of an Empire most flourishing and of great richesse in Trade we shall therewith finish this Chapter in telling you That the Land of it is right upon the bankes of these two great Rivers that it is also mounted above the height of ordinary inundations that the surface of it is plain sweet and not shrubby that the Neighbouring Fields abound in graines for necessary Provisions and in good pasturage for nourishing of Cattle that Quarries of an excellent Stone for Building and easie to be cut and hewn are as near it as Woods and Trees of a marvellous greatnesse and height for the conveniency of Buildings and Houses that the distance of the great Amazone from the Rio-negro is not so great but the fortifications may conveniently and regularly be drawn along on the Land-side and that the Foussies of these fortifications and this wall being well ordered may easily be made deep enough and themselves fill'd by the debordments of the one or of the other River at pleasure CHAP. XXVII Of Rio-negro and of the Province of Camsuara FOllowing the North-side of the great River of the Amazones Rio-negro incontinent presents its self next after the Province of Caribane His bredth and depth give him the prerogative to be thought the fairest and mightiest River of all that enter into the great Amazone whose mouth being wide a great league and an half hath four degrees of South latitude and three hundred twenty two degrees and twenty minutes of longitude and seven hundred eighty eight leagues of distance from the Sources of the great Amazone The Amazones course is here towards the North-east and that of Rio-negro right East where he enters into the other with such grandure and majesty that he keeps his waters distinct and separate from the others and keeps half of the whole channell to himself for the space of twelve leagues before the great River though here all united into one great bed to receive him can overcome the distinctnesse of his waters with all the force that he hath The Spaniards first and after them the Portugall's call'd it Rio-negro because at his mouth as often also in his channell his waters appear very black because indeed they are very clear and without any colour but very deep The Natives also name it for the same reason Coriguacure that is the Black River But as Rio-negro is the great Caketa of the sixteenth Chaper of our Book we shall say no more of it here nor stay again upon the obscurities of Father D' Acogna which we have there briefly unfolded but passe on to the recitall of the Nations that inhabite its bankes and tell you That the Province of Camsuare is the first that presents its self having on its South Rio-negro on its East the great Amazone and on its North the great Province of Guyane All the Plaines of these Countries are mounted like those of Caribana and not subject to the ordinary overflowings covered with infinite Peoples and aboundant in all things especially of Trees of a prodigious height and thicknesse But amongst the rich Nations of this fertile Province of Camsuare those of the Aguares of the Agaypes of the Jamnes and of the Carupatabes are not the least considerable without relating the Guaranacasanes which make a Province on the beginning of the River of Orenoc as he comes out of the great Caketa See the sixteenth Chapter to make the knowledge of these things lesse confused and imperfect than they are in Historians and Geographers who treat of them either too diffusedly in great Books or too lightly in little Tractates seeing also it becomes daily more certain by new and reiterated experiences CHAP. XXVIII Of the Province of Cayane and of the Nations Neighbouring BUt going now to the South-side of the great River of the Amazones again we shall find to the East and following that of Surina the Province of Cayane through which the great and long River of the Madera passeth and renders it self into the great Amazone And because this River of the Madera which was so called by the Spaniards because of the great number of Trees which it drew alongst with it into its mouth is one of the principall Rivers of America you shall find the distances and measures and other circumstances that concern it in the tenth and eighteenth Chapters of this Book Now the Nations that Province great enough contains within its extent whether lying alongst the great Amazone or in going up the great River of the Madera which the Natives call also Cayane are no lesse happy for the fertility of their fair Fields and pleasant Rivulets than other Peoples of all these fertile Countries are They are of no lesse courage for Warre not lesse expert in Fights and handling of Armes they have also the like industry in their handy-works that serve to make their happinesse of life the more accomplished by the exchange of them with such commodities as they stand in need of and they keep likewise in their conduct and Government of affairs Laws and Customes like unto those that all other Provinces of the Realm of the Amazone do But of all these infinite Peoples that cover so many considerable Plaines and Fields the Cayanes and the Anamares are the most renown'd and next to these the Curares and the Goarinumes and after them the Abacares and the Oragunagues and lastly the Sabucares and the Urubingues in going down the great Amazone which yet are the most esteem'd for their curious finenesse of working and making house Utensiles But the remotest of all in going down the great Amazone and amongst these the best known are the Maraques and the Oregates and towards the South the Guaranaques and others without number which undoubtedly border upon the great Lake of