a goodly riuer and well inhabited Cowo is void of inhabitants Wio is a faire riuer and leadeth many daies iourney into the high land and discouereth a firtile and hopefull Countrey At Caiane there is an excellent harbour for shipping of any burden which heretofore by Captaine Lawrence Keymis was called Port Howard On the Starboord side as you enter this harbour there is an Iland of low land called Muccumbro scituate betwixt the riuers of Caiane and Meccoria containing in circuit about sixteene leagues In this Island there are two Hils the one called Muccumbro whereof the Island taketh the name the other called Cillicedemo from these Hils the greatest part of the Island may bee ouerviewed which containeth many goodly pastures and meadowes intermixt with some woods and is full of Deere both red and fallow On the Larboord side as you enter Caiane there is another Island of high Land called Mattoory in quantity much like vnto the first this Island for the commodious scituation is of great effect for the defence of the harbour affording naturally two such notable conuenient places for the planting of Ordinance for that purpose as no industry of art could deuise better or more auailable The inhabitants of this Prouince of Caiane are Charibes their principall commander is called Arrawicary who dwelleth at Cillicedemo before mentioned we haue found him trusty and faithfull to our Nation but to our friend Leoanard of Cooshebery hee is a mortall enemie At this mans house I left foure or fiue of my company thereby to hold amity and friendshippe with the Charibes to learne their language and to keepe peace betweene them and the Yaios Arwaccas and other nations their allies To the South-westward of these Prouinces aboue mentioned towards the high land there bee many others which hereafter shall bee more exactly discribed by a second discouery These Prouinces and Signiories to the Landward are not plentifully inhabited the greatest numbers of people are seated neere vnto the riuers and trauell from place to place in Canoes There is no setled gouernement amongst them onely they acknowledge a superiority which they will obay as far as they please In euery Prouince or Signiory there is a Chiefe Cassique or Captaine commanding all So likewise in euerie Towne and Village they commonly chastice murder and adultery by death which onely are the offences punished amongst them and certaine persons are appointed by them to execute those punishments The Indians take wiues ouer whom they are extreamly iealous and expect great continencie in them for if they take them in adultery they presently cause their braines to be beaten out The better sort of persons haue euery one of them two or three wiues or more the rest but one accounting him that hath most wiues the greatest man Their wiues especially the elder sort are as seruants vnto them for they make their bread and drinke dresse their meate serue them at meales and doe all the other businesse about the house These Prouinces are peopled with diuers Nations of seuerall languages namely Yaios Arwaccas Sappaios Paragotos and Charibes The Charibes are the ancient inhabitants and the other Nations are such as haue beene chased away from Trinidado and the borders of Orenoque And forasmuch as they haue vnited themselues in those parts the Charibes haue held them in continuall warres but the Yaios and the other Nations their Allyes are growne so strong that they haue constrained the Charibes of the Sea cost to contract a peace with them yet beare no hearty loue the one Nation to the other But with the Charibes inhabiting the in-land parts vpon the Mountaines they haue as yet no peace at all for they doe often times come downe vpon them in great numbers spoile and burne their houses kill their men and carry away their weomen which is the greatest cause of warre and hatred amongst them whereof our men haue seene experience in Cooshebery where happened an accident worth the obseruing which I will here declare vnto your Highnesse The Indian Leonard Ragapo before mentioned is a Yaio who finding the Country of Cooshebery slenderly inhabited hath seazed vpon it for his owne Siguiorie and at his earnest request I sent foure Gentlemen of my company to remaine there with him The naturall inhabitants that dwell vpon the vttermost bounds thereof towards the South and West are Charibes and enemies to him and to his Nation for while our men vnknowne to the Charibes staied at Cooshebery they assembled themselues together to the number of 200. or more and came downe into his Signiorie burned and spoiled houses roasted one woman tooke many prisoners intended to assault him also which to preuent he armed about 50. of his Indians with their vsuall weapons which are Bowes and Arrowes long staues sharpened at the point and with fire hardened wooden Swords and Targets very artificially made of wood and painted with Beasts and Birds He requested also our men to aide and assist him with their muskets which I commanded them to doe vpon all such occasions offered And so being all in readinesse Leonard as their captaine led them on to intercept his enemies and as I haue heard by Mr. Henry Baldwin who then was present and to obserue the manner of their warres gaue him leaue to command all hee brauely performed that exploit in good order after their manner and with great iudgement and resolution For in the Front he first placed our foure Englishmen by two in a rancke next to them two Indians armed with woodden Swords and Targets then two archers and after them two men with sharpned staues insteed of pikes and in like manner ordered and ranked all his Company Being thus prepared he marched against the Charibs who neer at hand were comming in the same order towards him but when they approched vnexpected perceued our English men amongst the Yaios they were much amazed and made a sudden stand which Leonard perceiuing guessed rightly at the cause and instantly did make good vse of that aduantage Hee commanded his owne company to keepe their Station himselfe with a sword in his hand which I had giuen him and a Target of his owne fashion went boldly towards them to parley with their Captaines And hauing called them out hee reproued them for comming as enemies into his Signiory for burning and spoiling his houses and his people hee demaunded satisfaction for the hurt done and restitution of the prisoners taken and warned them forthwith to depart out of his Signiory and desist from warre which if they refused to fulfill hee was there ready with his friends the Englishmen to fight with them and reuenge his wrongs and said further that if in the conflict any of the English men were slaine or hurt hee would then fetch all the rest from Wiapoco and returne to burne their houses and cut them all in peeces Thus he boldly spake
A RELATION OF A VOYAGE TO GVIANA DESCRIBING THE CLIMAT Scituation fertilitie prouisions and commodities of that Country containing seuen Prouinces and other Signiories within that Territory Together with the manners customes behauiors and dispositions of the people Performed by ROBERT HARCOVRT of Stanton Harcourt Esquire The Pattent for the Plantation of which Country his Maiestie hath granted to the said ROBERT HARCOVRT vnder the Great Seale NOMB 14. 7 8. The Land which we walked thorow to search it is a very good Land If the Lord loue vs he will bring vs into this land and wil giue it vs. AT LONDON Printed by IOHN BEALE for W. WELBY and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church yard at the signe of the Swan 1613. ⧠To the high and Mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of GREAT BRITAINE HAuing had tryall most worthy Prince of your most renowned Brother Prince HeÌ„rie his many fauours towardes mee and princely furtherance of my humble sute vnto his Maiestie your royall Father and our dread Soueraigne for obtayning for mee his gracious Letters Pattents for the planting and inhabiting of all that tract of Land and part of Guiana betweene the riuers of Amazones Dessequebe scituate in America vnder the Equinoctiall Line Whereof I haue taken possession to his Maiesties vse and discouered the maritime parts I was greatly thereby incouraged to proceed in the enterprise and had vnder his Maiesties fauour deuoted my selfe vnto his seruice But now seeing by Gods permission your excellent Brother his princely Honour by right of succession is fallen vpon your Highnesse and verily hoping that you will not onely equall but also exceed him in vertuous exercises and aduancing all honorable actioÌ„s and worthy enterprises I haue in like maner religiously vowed the best fruits and effects of my indeauors vnto your Highnesse seruice And for as much as that part of the world which wee now call America was heretofore in the yeere of our Lord 1170. discouered conquered and possessed by Madoc one of the sons of Owen Gwyneth prince of north-Wales I therfore in all humble reuerence present the prosecution of this high Action vnto your gracious Patronage principally belonging of right vnto you being the honourable true and worthy Successor to the Principality of VVales If my trauell seruice therein shall perform ought woorthy of your Princely regard I shall much glory thereat and account it my happiest fortune and greatest honour And shall heartily pray vnto the King of Kings to continue in your Highnesse a pious and inuincible heart and to giue you a conquering and victorious hand and the dominion of many rich and mighty Kingdomes in this world and in the worlde to come a Crowne of Glorie in his eternall Kingdome Your Highnesse most humble deuoted seruant ROBERT HARCOVRT ⧠To the Readers ADVENTVRERS FAVORERS and wel-willers to the Plantation in GVIANA IT is the part of valiant and noble spirites to apply their indeuours to honourable and woorthie atchiuements but chiefely to frame their actions therein by the rule of vertue and accomplish the end for which they were created which is in their vocations to serue and glorifie GOD and to doe good vnto others For the better performance of their dueties in that behalfe let them examine their inclinations and dispositions in the course of their life and what they finde themselues most inclined vnto to that let them seriously bend their forces either to cherish or suppresse it to follow or forsake it according as it tendeth to vertue or vice to honour or disgrace As touching the courses of life inclining to the better part some men are naturally giuen to bee schollers either in Diuinity Philosophy or other learning some are more inclined to be Statists some to be Souldiers and trauellers some desire to bee Citizens and Merchants and some like best to leade Counâ—trey life and follow husbandry and othersome are wholly inclined to the Mechannicall trades and handy crafts In all which professions as men are naturally addicted more or lesse they attaine to perfection and may thereby accomplish the end for which they were created But to vndertake any profession contrary to a mans naturall inclination is a losse of time a worke that yeldeth no profit but breedeth many inconueniences and destroyeth nature For the meere Scholler will neuer bee good Statist Souldier Merchant nor Mechanicall tradesman yet learning is a singular helpe in all these professions neither will the professed Souldier euer attaine to exquisite perfection in learning or in the other professions so likwise of the rest The naturall inclination of man may bee somwhat restrained corrected and reformed but is rarely and hardly altered Naturam expellas furca licèt vsque recurret In these and all other professions whatsoeuer men may so proceede in their particular societies that each seuerall company in his proper vocation may bee a help comfort and support vnto the rest and they are firmely bound both by the law of God and Nature to exercise and follow their professions for the benefit of others not coueteously seeking their owne gaine only thereby but charitably respecting first the glory of God and then the honour of their Prince and profit of their Countrey which is the end for which they were created To the end therefore that our Countreymen of all professions in this Kingdome may bee worthily induced to performe their duties in that kinde not only at home in their owne Countrey but also abroade in foraigne parts wheresoeuer any of our Nation shall be imployed eyther by discouery or conquest for the reducing of vnknowne and barbarous people void of all knowledge of God and ciuill gouernement to Christianity and the subiection and obedience of of our Soueraigne and that such others as want imployment or competent meanes to follow their professions and are slipt aside from vertuous exercises and honourable enterprises to idle wantonnesse effeminate disorders and other extrauagant courses of life may bee recalled reformed and encouraged by better endeuours to performe their duties to God their Prince and their Countrey I thought it conuenient to propound vnto them a worthy and memorable enterprise for the prosecution and accomplishing whereof it hath gratiously pleased his Maiesty to grant mee priuiledge by Pattent namely the discouery and plantation of a part of the great rich mighty Empire of Guiana wherein they shall finde variety of imployments to spend their times worthily in their seuerall vocations plentifull meanes to supply all wants and necessities and many worthy aduentures to obtaine immortall renowne and perpetuall fame And for as much as all mens actions are subiect to miscensure and some perhaps may thinke the labour lost which is bestowed in this enterprise foreiudgeing the Countrey being rude barbarous and heathen to bee vnprofitable I will therefore here particularly shew wherein our Countreymen of the seuerall professions before mentioned may profitably labour in this worke and performe thereby to God a seruice most
A VOYAGE TO Guiana performed by Robert Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in the Countie of OXFORD Esquire IN the yeare of our Lord 1608. and the three and twentieth of March when I had furnished my selfe with one ship of fourescore Tunnes called the Rose a Pinnesse of sixe and thirtie Tunnes called the Patience and a Shallop of nine Tunnes called the Lilly which I built at Dartmouth and had finished my other businesse there and prepared all things in readinesse to begin my voyage the winde reasonably seruing I then imbarked my companie as followeth In the Rose I was accompanied with captaine Edward Fisher captaine Edward Haruey master Edward Gifford and my cosen Thomas Harcourt And besides them I had of Gentlemen and others one and thirtie land men two Indians and three and twentie Mariners and Saylers In the Patience my brother captain Michael Harcort had with him of gentlemen and others twentie land-men and eleuen Mariners and Saylers In the Lilly Iesper Lilly the Master had one landman and two Saylers so that my iust number too great for so few ships of no greater burden was in all fourescore seuenteen wherof threescore were land-men Being thus imbarked wee set saile from the Rainge at Dartmouth the said three and twentieth of March but the winde altering vpon a sudden put vs back againe that euening and about two of the clock the next morning it comming better for vs we weighed anchor and put to Sea the euening following we lost sight of the Lyzart and steered away for the Canaries Vpon Saturday the first of Aprill 1609. towards the euening the winde increased and grew so violent that my Shallop which we towed in a Cablet by reason of the foule weather was that night seperated from vs for by the rage and fury of the winde and Sea the Cablet brake in sunder and the little Barke was in great danger to be cast away but it pleased God to preserue her for the next morning we discryed her to Leeward of vs contrary to our expectation hauing giuen her lost Then holding on our course the seuenth day wee fell with Alegranza and Lancerote two Islands of the Canaries wee stoode in with Alegranza and came to anchor on the South-west side thereof that euening and the next day I landed my company to exercise their limbs on shoare in this Island we found no inhabitants nor fresh-water neither fruitfull tree plant herbe grasse nor any thing growing that was good onely an abundance of vnwholsome Sea-foule which after one meale were vnsauory distasteful a few wilde Captitos or wilde Goats which the craggy rocks defended frō our hands and hungry mouthes The eighth of Aprill we departed from Alegranza and directed our course for Tenerife another of the Islands The eleuenth day I sent the Pinnesse and the Shalloppe to water at the calmes and there to attend my comming but with my Shippe I held my course for Orotauo a towne on the other side of the Island in hope to get some wine amongst the Merchants there but not being able by reason of a contrary winde to double Punta de Nega wee altered our course from wine to water And the twelfth day wee Passed by Santa Cruz and watered that euening at the Calmes This watering place is very conuenient for all such as passe by those Islands and is thus to bee found there is a wooden crosse neere vnto it the high Pike of Tenerife beareth due North from it There is also a ledge of rockes to the Eastward of the landing place which is a short Sandy bay When you are landed you shall finde the place about fourty or fifty yardes from the Sea side The next day we met againe with the Pinnesse and the Shalloppe who missing of the right place had not yet watered wherefore wee stood backe againe to guide them to it but the winde preuenting vs enforced them to seeke for water elsewhere which with some dificulty they obtained vpon the fifteenth day in the morning Then wee stood on our course for the riuer of Wiapoco in Guiana hauing aprosperous winde faire weather and a smooth Sea The ninth day of May wee fell into the current of the great and famous riuer of Amazones which putteth out into the Sea such a violent and mighty streame of fresh water that being thirty leagues from land wee drunke thereof and found it as fresh and good as in a spring or poole This riuer for the great and wonderfull breadth contayning at the mouth neere Sixty leagues is rightly termed by Iosephus Acosta the Empresse and Queene of all flouds and by Hieronimus Giraua Tarraconensis it is said to bee the greatest not only of all India but also of the whole world and for the greatues is called of many the sweete Sea It riseth and floweth from the Mountaines of Peru and draweth out her streams in many windings turnings vnder the Equinoctiall for the space of one thousand fiue hundred leagues and more although from her fountaines and springs vnto the Sea it is but six hundred When wee entred into the aforesaid current wee sounded and had fouerty fouer fadome water sandy sounding The tenth day the colour of the water changed became muddy whitish and thicke then wee sounded againe at twelue of the clocke at noone and had thirteene fadome and seauenteene at fower in the after noone The eleauenth day at eight of the clocke in the morning we made land the vttermost point thereof bearing West from vs and came to anchor in fiue fadome water At night the Patience putting in to neare the shoare came to anchor in 2½ fadome water vpon the floud which fell from her vpon the ebbe and left her dry vpon the Oaze and the next floud comming in did so shake and beate her against the ground that before shee could get off her rudder was beaten away and her ribbes so rent and crased that if Almighty God had not preserued her she had been wrackt but God bee thanked with much adoe shee came off into deeper water and mended her rudder as well as the time and place would afford meanes Then wee followed on our course coasting along to the North-north-west the land so trending It is very shoale all along this coast the ground soft oaze but no danger to bee feared keeping our ship in fiue fadome water When wee came to the latitude of two degrees and a halfe wee anchored in a goodly bay by certaine Islands called Carripapoory I did at that time forbeare to make particular discouery of this coast intending if God spare me life to make a perfect discouery of the famous riuer of Amazones and of her seuerall branches and countries bordering vppon it and of all this tract of land from the Amazones vnto the riuer of Wiapoco which containeth many goodly Prouinces and Signiories which are in this
discouering a gallant Country From Arrawary vnto the riuer of Cassipurogh extendeth the Prouince of Arricary containing the Signiories of Arrawary Maicary and Cooshebery of which Anakyury is principall who by Nation is a Yaio and fled from the borders of Orenoque for feare of the Spaniards to whom hee is a mortall enemy Hee hath seated himselfe in the Prouince of Arricary and now dwelleth at Morooga in the Signiory of Maicari To the N. Norwest of which there falleth into the Sea a riuer called Conawini wherevpon the Signiory of Cooshebery bordereth whereof an Indian named Leonard Ragapo is Chiefe vnder the subiection of Anaki-v-ry This Indian is christened and hath been heretofore in England with Sr. Walter Raleigh to whom hee beareth great affection hee can a little vnderstand and speake our language and loueth our Nation with all his heart During my aboad at Wiapoco hauing intelligence of him and of his Country and that certaine stones were found therein supposed to bee Diamonds I sent my Cozen Captaine Fisher to discouer the same and to fetch some of those stones to bee resolued of the truth At his comming thither Leonard entertained him with all kindnesse not after the ordinary rude manner of the Indians but in more ciuill fashion and with much respect and loue hee furnished him with guides to conduct him through the Country to the place where the Stones were found being fifty miles Southward vp into the Land beyond which place there is an high Mountaine appearing in sight called Cowob and on the top thereof as the Indians report a great Lake or Poole full of excellent fish of diuers kindes The Country was as pleasant and delightfull as euer any man beheld but the Stones not Diamonds yet they were Topases which being well cut and set in Gold by a cunning workman doe make as faire a shew and giue as good a lustre as any Diamond whatsoeuer which yeeld good hopes of better to be found hereafter For where the Topas is found on the Mountaines of Tenaseren in the East Indies the greatest store of Diamonds are also found When my kinsman returned Captaine Leonard came with him to Wiapoco being aboue an hundred miles from his owne Country only to visite mee and my company for the great loue hee did beare to Sr. Walter Raleigh and our Nation I much maruelled to see him for assuredly hee is the brauest Indian of all those parts After hee had been with mee a day or two hee earnestly requested mee to send some of my company into his Countrey which hee greatly commended for the wholsome ayre and plenty of victuals alleaging that the place where then wee liued by his owne experience was very vnhealthfull that our men would there bee subiect to sicknesse and die and for an instance hee named Captaine Lee and his company who formerly were planted there and almost all dyed by sicknesse in the same place But hee assured me that his owne Country Cooshebery was of a good ayre pleasant and healthfull that there they might haue roome sufficient to build English houses in for those were the words hee vsed that thither they should be welcome and should want nothing Much hee perswaded to draw mee to his desire which by his importunity I granted and accordingly performed it finding his Country answerable to his report being for the most part champian ground naturally intermixt of plaine fields fruitfull meadowes and goodlywoods in such admirable order as if they had been planted artificially by handy labour The fields appearing aboue the meadowes in pleasant and delightfull manner presenting here and there vnto the eye from stately Mounts most beautifull and liuely prospects the meadowes bordering on euery side betweene the fields and woods the woods growing in the lowest valleyes betwixt the meadowes and commonly are watered with sweete and pleasant fresh stremes running through them which strange rare mixture of Mounts valleies meadowes fields and woods afford as excellent and healthfull habitations as can bee wished or desired but is not greatly peopled From the riuer of Cassipurogh N. Westward to the riuer of Arracow and vp further into the land towards the West and Southwest as farre as the riuer of Arwy which falleth into Wiapoco aboue the ouerfalles extend the Prouinces of Arracoory and Morownia which also to the landward by the relation of my Brother Captaine Michael Harcourt and Captaine Haruey who haue trauelled and discouered those parts are pleasant and delightfull plaine Countries like vnto Cooshebery The Arracoory Countrey is well peopled and their chiefe Captaine is called Ipero Betwixt the Wiapocoories and Arracoories there is no hearty loue and friendship yet in outward shew they hold good quarter In Morrownia there is also store of people which are friendly Indians In that Prouince there is a very high Hill called Callipuny fashioned like a Sugerloafe or a Pyramides which ouervieweth and discouereth all the Territories adioyning aboue an hundred miles Beyond the Country of Morrownia to the Southward bordering the riuer of Arwy is the Prouince of Norrak the people thereof are Charibes and enemies both to the Morrowinnes the inhabitants of Morrownia and to the Wiapocoories who are also vnder the subiection of Anaky-v-ry the Principall and greatest Lord or Cassique of all the Yaios in those Prouinces bordering vpon the Sea betwixt the Amazones South-eastward and Dessequcbe North-westward From the riuer of Amazones to the Bay of Wiapoco there fall into the Sea these riuers following Arrapoco a branch of Amazones Arrawary Micary Conawini and Cassipurogh In the Bay of Wiapoco to the East of the said riuer there falleth into the Sea the riuer of Arracow and into Arracow falleth the riuer of Watts To the North of Wiapoco there is a smal creeke called Wianary which letteth in the Sea a daies iorney Westward vp into the land some take this creeke to bee a riuer but they doe erre in that opinion it hauing neither spring nor fountaine from whence it falleth To the North and N. west of the said creeke there is a ridge of high Mountains running towards the riuer of Apurwaca the soile whereof is excellent fertile for Tobacco and beareth the best of all those parts so are the Sugar-canes there growing the best and fairest that are found vpon the Coast and all the tract of Land betwixt the riuers of Wiapoco and Apurwaca is accounted the Prouince of Wiapocoory containing the Signiories of Wiapoco and Wianary Beneath the ouerfalles in Wiapoco which are forty miles distant from the Sea there is much people both of Yaios and Arwaccas of the Yaios in this riuer Carasana is chiefe Of the Arwaccas Arriquona is Principall In Wianary there are few Indians and Casurino is their chiefetaine To the N. west of the Bay of Wiapoco there fall into the Sea the riuers of Apurwaca Cowo Wio and Caiane Apurwaca is
the land is low where the heate would bee most vehement if it were not quallified and tempered by a fresh Easterly winde or Brieze most forcibly blowing in the heate of the day in many places this low land is very vnhealthfull and little inhabited by reason of the ouerflowing of the waters but for the most part it hath goodly nauigable riuers a fertile soile much people and is a healthfull habitation Vpon the Mountaines there is a high land where the ayre is coldest in some places it is fruitfull in others not but generally is full of Mineralls and mines of mettals and yeeldeth as many as any part eyther of the East or West Indies both of the best and of the basest whereof we shall by Gods permission giue good testimony to the benefit of our Countrey and honour of our Nation in time conuenient and in most places vpon the Mountaines there is sound and healthfull dwelling There is also a middle sort of land which is of a meane height and is most temperate healthfull firtile and most inhabited of all other it aboundeth in meadowes pastures and pleasant streames of fresh water in goodly woods and most delightfull plaines for profit pleasure sport and recreation and also is not void of Minerals The prouisions of this countrey for victuals are many First of the roote of a tree called Cassaui they make their bread in manner following they grate the roote vpon a stone and presse out the iuice thereof which being rawe is poyson but boyled with Guinea pepper whereof they haue abundance it maketh an excellent and wholsome sawce then they drie the grated roote and bake it vpon a stone as wee bake our Oaten cakes in England This bread is very excellent much like but far better then our great Oaten cakes a finger thicke which are vsed in the Moorlands and the â—eake in Staffordshire and Darbyshire There is a kinde of great wheat called Maix of some it is called Guinea wheat which graine is a singular prouision in those Countries and yeeldeth admirable increase euen a thousand or fifteene hundred for one and many times much more It maketh excellent meale or flower for bread and very good malte for beere or ale and serueth well for sundry other necessary vses for the reliefe of man Of the aforesaid Cassaui bread and this wheat the Indians make drink which they call Passiaw it will not keep long but must bee spent within foure or fiue daies they make another kinde of drinke of Cassaui called Parranow very good and strong much like vnto our best March beere in England and that kinde of drinke will keepe ten daies many sorts they haue which I haue tasted some strong some small some thicke some thinne but all good being well made as commonly they were amongst the Yaios and Arwaccas which are the cleanliest people of all those Nations There is great store of hony in the Country and although it bee wilde being taken out of trees and buries in the earth yet is it as good as any in the world of which may be made an excellent drinke much vsed in Wales called meath The hony and the waxe are also good commodities for marchandise There be no Vines in that country but the Soyle being rich and ferlile and the climate hot if they were planted there they would prosper exccedingly and yeeld good Sackes and Canary wines which in those parts we finde to be very wholesome Many other necessary prouisions sufficient for the sustenance of man do there abound in plenty Namely Deere of all sorts wilde Swine in great numbers whereof there are two kinds the one small by the Indians called Pockiero which hath the nauile in the backe the other is called Paingo and is as faire and large as any we haue in England There be store of Hares and Conies but of a kinde farre differing from ours There be Tigers Leopards Ounces Armadils Maipuries which are in taste like beefe and will take salt Baremoes or Ant-Beares which taste like Mutton and other small beasts of the same taste coloured like a fawne Elks Monkies and Marmosites of diuers sorts both great and small of these beasts there be innumerable and by experience wee haue found them all good meate Many other kinds of beasts there are of sundrie and strange shapes which heereafter shall bee figured in their true proportion according to the life with their names annexed Of Fowles there be diuers kinds namely Wild-ducks Widgins Teates Wild-geese Herons of diuers colours Cranes Storks Pheasants Partriges Doues Stock-doues Black-birds Curlewes God-wits Wood-cockes Snits Parrats of sundry sorts many other kinds of great and small birds of rare colours besides great rauenous fowles and Hawkes of euery kinde Of Fish the variety is great first of Sea-fish there is Sea-breame Mullet Soale Scate Thorneback the Sword-fish Sturgion Seale a fish like vnto a Salmon but as the Salmon is red this is yellow Shrimps Lobstars and Oysters which hang vpon the branches of trees There is a rare fish called Cassoorwa which hath in each eye two sights and as it swimmeth it beareth the lower sights within the water and the other aboue the ribbes and backe of this fish resemble those parts of a man hauing the ribbes round and the backe flat with a dent therein as a man hath it is somewhat bigger then a Smelt but farre exceeding it for dainty meate and many other sorts there be most excellent Of fresh-water fish many kinds vnknowen in these parts but all exceeding good and dainty And I dare be bold to say that this Country may compare with any other of the world for the great variety of excellent fish both of the Sea and fresh waters There is also a Sea-fish which vsually commeth into the fresh waters especially in the winter and wet season it is of great esteem amongst vs and we account it halfe flesh for the bloud of it is warme it commeth vp into the shallow waters in the drowned lands and feedeth vpon grasse and weeds the Indians name it Coiumero and the Spaniards Manati but we call it the Sea-cow in taste it is like beefe will take salt and serue to victuall ships as in our knowledge hath beene proued by our Countrimen Of this fish may be made an excellent oyle for many purposes the fat of it is good to frie either fish or flesh the hide as I haue heard will make good buffe and being dried in the Sunne and kept from wet will serue for Targets and Armours against the Indian arrowes In the wet season the store of them are infinite some of these hides were heretofore brought into England by Sr. Walter Rawleigh The seuerall kindes of fruits are many the Pina Platana Potato Medler Plummes of diuers sorts 〈◊〉 Nuts of strange kindes The excellency of the Pina I cannot expresse for I dare boldly affirme that the world affordeth not a
them and satisfied vs all that there was Gold in Guiana Shortly after that my Indian Anthony Canabre brought mee a peec of a rocke of white Sparre whereof the high Countrey is full And if the white Sparres of this kinde which are the purest white of all others for euery sort of Mine hath a sparre and for the most part white bee in a maine rocke they are certainely Mines of Gold or Siluer or of both I made triall of a peece of Sparre which the same Indian discouered vnto me and I found that it held both Gold and Siluer which although it was in small quantity gaue mee satisfaction that there bee richer Mines in the Countrey to bee found but the best lie deeper in the earth and wee had not time nor power to make search for them Being thus informed and sufficiently resolued of the commodities of the Countrey well satisfied of the Minerals I bent all my endeauours to finde out the fittest places and most conuenient for our first plantations at the last I found out many and some of speciall note which are for many respects of great importance and when time serueth our forces and number of men being answerable I will lay them open to the knowledge of the world and for wealth I hope they shall fully answere all mens expectations I trauelled vp the riuer of Wiapoco to view the ouerfalles but the waters being high and strong I could not passe them In August when they are fallen with some labour they may bee passed This riuer hath very many ouerfalles lying one a good distance beyond another euen to the head thereof Aboue some of the first falles there dwelleth an Indian called Comarian who is an old man of a free disposition by him I learned that a certaine distance aboue the first falles the riuer Arwy falleth into Wiapoco moreouer that certaine daies iourney beyond him towards the high land vpon the borders of Wiapoco there is a Natiō of Charibes hauing great eares of an extraordinary bignes hard to bee beleeued whom hee called Marashewaccas amongst these people as Comarian reporteth there is an Idole of stone which they worship as their God they haue placed it in a house made of purpose for the greater honour of it which they keepe very cleane and hansome This Idole is fashioned like a man sitting vpon his heeles holding open his knees and resting his elbowes vpon them holding vp his hands with the palmes forwards looking vpwards and gaping with his mouth wide open The meaning of this proportion he could not declare although he hath been many times amongst them and hath often seene it What other Nations were beyond these he did not know hauing neuer trauailed so farre but hee sayth they be Charibes and also enemies vnto them It seemeth there bee many Nations of those great eared people for in the Riuer of Marrawini I heard also of the like who dwell farre vp towards the high land as hereafter you shall heare and I suppose by the trending of the Riuers of Wiapoco and Marrawini are all one people Vpon the 14. day of August I went vnto a Mountaine called Gomeribo being the vttermost point of land to the Northward in the bay of Wiapoco I found the soile of it most excellēt for Tobacco Maix Cotton trees Annoto trees Vines for any other thing that should be planted there When I had taken good view of the place and found it commodious for many purposes then in the presence of Capt. Fisher diuers Gentlemen and others of my company and of the Indians also I tooke possession of the land by turfe and twig in the behalf of our Soueraigne Lord King IAMES I tooke the said posession of a part in name of the whole continent of Guiana lying betwixt the riuers of Amazones and Orenoque not being actually possessed and inhabited by any other Christian Prince or State wherewith the Indians seemed to be well content and pleased In like manner my Brother Capt. Michael Harecourt and Capt. Haruey whom I left as his associate and hee esteemed as an inward friend in a notable iourney which to their great honour they performed to discouer the Riuer of Arrawary and the Country bordering vpon it neere adioining to the riuer of Amazones did take the like possession of the land there to his Maiesties vse The dangers and great difficulties which they in that attempt incountred were memorabe and such as hardly any of our Nation in such small Canoes being onely some-what longer but not so broad as our Thames wherries and flat bottomed euer ouercame the like First the number of their owne attendants besides themselues was onely one man and a boy Their troope of Indians 60. persons Their iourney by Sea vnto the Riuer of Arrawary was neere 100. Leagues wherein by the way they met with many dreadful plunges by reason of a high going sea which breaketh vpon the flats and shoales especially at the next great cape to the North of Arraway which in respect of the danger they passed there they named Point Perilous Then their discouery vp the riuer was 50. leagues more where they found a Nation of Indians which neuer had seene white men or Christians before and could not be drawne to any familiar commerce or conuersation no not so much as with our Indians because they were strangers to them and of another Nation The discouery of this riuer is of great importance and speciall note affording an entrance more behouefull for the searching and discouery of the inland parts of Guiana then any other riuer yet knowne vpon the Coast for trending Westward vp into the land it discouereth all the Countries and Nations to the Southward of Arricary Cooshebery Morrownia and Norrack which I haue mentioned before Many weekes they spent in this aduenture still taking vp their lodgings in the woods at night Prouision of meate they wanted not for Fish were euer plenty and at hand and the woods yeelded eyther Deere Tigers or Foule their greatest want was of bread and drinke which onely defect did hinder at that time the accomplishment of that discouery For when the Indians perceiued their bread to bee neere spent and their drinke to bee corrupted they could not bee perswaded to proceede hauing no meanes to supply their wants amongst the Arrawaries the Indians of that riuer who would not freely trade with them vpon this first acquaintance but alwaies stood vpon their guard on the other side of the riuer where they inhabited yet they desiring to obtaine some of our English commodities and make triall of our Indians friendshippe afforded some small trade for their present releefe during their aboade in that riuer So that of force they were constrained to breake off their discouery and hasten homeward But here their dangers ended not for as they returned arriuing at certaine Islands called Carripoory and passing betweene them the main land much against the wils
them abuse and harme issue the fault is ours for a worme being trodden on will turne againe If they at any time doe giue offence to vs they will suffer and abide such moderate chastisements as we in our discretions shall thinke fit to lay vpon them The soile of the land there as is said before is exceeding rich neuer yet broken vp nor ouerworne with tillage but still remaineth in the greatest perfection of fertility The prouisions of that Countrey for victuals are already mentioned before But it is fit they bee againe remembred for the comfort of the ordinary people that in person shall aduenture in this action There are great store of Deere of all sorts wilde Swine Hares and Conies besides diuers other beasts vnknowne in these parts Phesants Partriges wilde foule of all sorts and euery house hath Cocks Hennes and Chickens as in England and the variety of Fish is wonderfull without compare but the chiefest comfort for our Countreymen is this that the beast called Maypury and the fish called the Sea Cow being seuerally as bigge as a Heifer of two yeres old of which kinde there are very many are in eating so like vnto our English beefe that hardly in tast wee can distinguish them and may as well as beefe bee salted and kept for our prouision There is also a beast in colour like a Fawne but fuller of white spots in stature somewhat lesse then a small sheep and in tast like Mutton but is rather better meate the Baremo is also of the same taste These for the time will giue vs good content vntill wee can bee stored with the breed of our English sheepe and cattell The store of Maix or Guinea wheat in Guiana is very plentifull which graine doth make an excellent good bread and very wholsome So likewise doth the Cassaui whereof there is also great abundance and much more may bee as we please to plant Of the Cassaui bread the Indians do make good drink which in colour taste and strength doth equall our March beere in England Of the Guinea wheat we may make good Malt which also maketh as excellent strong Ale as can bee possible The soile being rich fruitfull and neuer nipt with frosts doth giue vs hope that in few yeeres space by planting vines we shal make good store of Sacke and Canary wine which in those parts are needefull and very wholsome and will greatly comfort and lighten the hearts of our Countreymen and make them iouiall and couragious to vndertake and execute the greatest laboures and most difficult aduentures of discouery The commodities already found in Guiana are at large declared in the former discourse yet for the better memory of those that are disposed to aduenture in this action I haue againe in briefe remembred them First within a yeere without much labour there may bee transported thence good store of Cotton wooll diuers kinds of rich dies sundrie sorts of gummes drugges and feathers many kindes of rich woods Iasper and Purphery stone Balsamum waxe hony and Tobacco And hereafter within few yeeres wee shall returne thence great plenty of Sugers and I hope discouer as rich Mines as euer the Spaniard found eyther in new Spaine Peru or any other part of the Indies FOrasmuch as it hath pleased his Excellent Maiestie for the planting and inhabiting of all that part of Guiana or continent of America lying betweene the riuer of Amazones and the riuer of Dessequebe to grant his gracious Letters Pattents to Robert Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt in the County of Oxford Esquire Sir Thomas Challener Knight and Iohn Rouenzon Esquire and to the heires of the said Robert Harcourt of all the saide Countries Lands and Territories betweene the said two riuers of Amazones and Dessequebe and of all Islands Lands and Territories within twenty Leagues adiacent thereunto c. Together with all Prerogatiues Iurisdictions Royalties Priuiledges Franchises and Preheminenses both for Gouernement Trade Trafficke and otherwise in as large and ample manner as either his Maiestie or any of his noble Progenitors or Predecessors haue heretofore graunted to any Aduenturers or Vndertakers of any Discoueries Plantations or Trafficke of in or into any forraigne parts whatsoeuer To haue hold possesse and enioy all and singular the premisses to the sole and proper vse of the saide Robert Harcourt and his heires for euer And for that diuers honourable personages Gentlemen and others who are willing and desirous for the Glory of God and the Honour of our Nation to giue aide and assistance eyther in person or purse to the vndertaking of this worthy Action and Plantation may truly vnderstand and know how and in what maner they shall receiue benefit and profit by their aduentures and trauells therein It is thought fit and necessary for their better content and satisfaction to publish these Articles insuing THe Planters in generall are all Aduenturers either in person or purse The meanest Aduenturer in Person shall haue fiue hundred Acres as a single share Euery one that aduentureth twelue pounds tenne shillings shall haue fiue hundred Acres as a single share and so ratably according to the aduenture be it more or lesse The Plantation and Aduenture is intended to bee partly Generall and partly Particular In the Generall Plantation and Aduenture all persons of all conditions and estates euen to the poorest seruants and laborers men women and children may aduenture asmuch or as little as they please from ten shillings vpwards and shall haue in fee simple the assured ratable increase and gaine according to the quantitie of his aduenture So as for euery ten shillings aduentured he shall haue twenty Acres in inheritance and so much yearely profit as those twenty Acres may yeeld A Register shall be truely kept of the names of euery Aduenturer in person and of euery Aduenturer in mony and of the summe by him aduentured to the end that they may proportionably receiue the full benefit of their Aduentures During the first three yeres the whole benefit shall goe towards the aduancement of the Plantation At the end of those three yeres a fourth part of the cleere profites remayning shall be diuided betwixt all the Aduenturers in purse or person ratably according to their shares and aduentures Yeerely for seuen yeares after the first three yeeres ended three parts of the whole cleere yeerely profit vpon euery returne shall be in like maner diuided and the other fourth part shall goe towards the aduancement of the Plantation In those tenne yeares the Land may be surueyed fit distributions alotments made thereof to the Aduenturers and Planters After those tenne yeares it shall be free for euery one to make his best of his alotment at his owne discretion by himselfe or else to trade and deale in common as he did before with others which perhappes will be most conuenient for all small Aduenturers And a setled order shall for that end be continued for
to the power and strength of the Vndertakers of the Generall nerall Plantation which I hope with Gods assistance shall be sufficient to resist and repell the malice of our greatest enemies FINIS Gutyn Owen 23 of March 1608. The Rose The Patience The Lilly Land men 60. They set saile the 23. of March The first of April 1609. The Shallop in danger to be lost They ariue at Alegranza Tenerife An excellent watering place The riuer of Amazones Fresh water in the Sea 30 leagues from land Iosepth Acosta Hieron Giraua Tarraconensis The 11 of May they made land in Guiana The Patience in danger of wracke Islands called Carripapoory The Bay of Wiapoco Indian boats A village called Caripo A messenger sent to the Indians The Indians came aboord The chiefe men of the Nation of the Yaios couer their priuities The women generally goe all naked Their conference with the Indians The Orenoqueponi rendred themselues subiects to Queene Elizabeth Possession of the Countrey taken at Wiapoco by Captaine Lee to his Meiestics vse The Indians goe to councel Their answer * By Sr. Walt. Raleigh and Capt. Lee. The Indian Martyn goeth ashoare The English take land The English feasted by the Indians The gratefull offer of Martyn The English setled at Caripo in Wiapoco The strength of the place The bounds and limits of Guiana Arrapoco a branch of Amazones Arrawary Maicary Anaky-v-ry chiefe of the Yaios Morooga Conowini Cooshebery Leonard Rapago Lord of Cooshebery A Mountaine called Cowob Topases in Cooshebery The quality of the Prouince of Cooshebery Arracoory Morrownia An exceeding high Hill called Callipuny Norrak Anaki-v-ry Riuers falling into the Sea betweene Amazones and Wiapoco Wianary a creeke The Prouince of Wiapocoory Carasana Arriquona Casurino Riuers faling into the Sea to the N. West of Wiapoco Muccumbro an Island Mattoory an Island Arrawicary chiefe Captaine of the Caiane Foure or fiue men placed at Caiane The manner of their gouernement Murder and Adultery punished by death The Indians by nature iealous ouer their wiues The Indians haue manie wiues Diuers languages in Guiana The Charibes most ancient vpon the sea coast The Indians make warre for their weomen The Charibes warre vpon Leonard The vsuall weapons of the Indians Leonard desireth and of the English The manner of ordering their men in the warres The Charibes amazed at the sight of the English Leonard speaketh to the Charibes The Charibes agree to peace for feare of the English The season of the yeere in Guiana Teh summer beginneth in August The winter beginneth in February The burning Zone Ioseph Acosta Their account of times and numbers They vse no sacrifice nor religious worship to anithing The manner of their drinking feast at the death of their Captaines Their Peeaios or Priests haue conference with the diuel Their opinion of the dead At the death of a Cassique they kill an Indian to serue him in the other world The quality of the Land The prouisions for victuals The roote of Cassaui maketh their bread and drinke Maix or Guinea wheat Their diuers kindes of drinke An excellent drinke made of Cassaui Store of hony The soile excellent for Vines Sundry kinds of beasts in Guiana Swine which haue the nauile in the backe Great variety of Fowles Diuers kinds of fish Oysters hang vpon trees A fish hauing 4. eyes and the ribs and backe like a man The Sea-cow like beefe Sundry kinds of fruits Pina Platana Potato Medler Plummes Nuts The variety of Commodities Suger canes Cotton woll Natural hemp or flaxe Diuers commodities for Diers Annoto A gumme which dyeth a yellow in graine Sweete Gummes The vertues of Colliman or Carriman The Colliman helpeth the gout Barratta a rare Balsamum A perfume like sweet Margerome Druggs and simples for phisicke An apple which prouoketh sleepe to death A berry curing the bloody Fluxe A leafe curing the wounds of the poisoned arrowes A leafe curing the headache A wood that maketh fish drunke Tobacco The commodities most esteemed by the Indians Disorders by mutiny The high Countrey of Guiana aboundeth with Images of Gold The rocks of the purest white Sparre are Mines of gold or siluer Many ouerfalles in Wiapoco People hauing great eares who worship an Idoll of stone The proportion of the Idole Possession taken for the king at Gomeribo The like possession taken at Arrawary Point Perillus. A great argument of plenty in the Countrey A dangrous Boore at Carripoory Two speciall things to bee obserued The fidelity of the Indians The plenty of victuals Gomeribo deliuered to an Indian as the Kings tenant The only cause of losse by the Voyage Capt. Michael Harcourt left commander of the company Twenty men left with Captaine Harcourt at Waipoco The Pinnesse receiued a leake at Caiane R. Meccooria R. Courwo Riuers to the West of Courwo Islands called Curewapory They proceede in discouery of Marrawini The riuer full of ouerfalles They went six daies iourney vp the riuer Trees which had the sense of feeling Scallger Exercit 181. sect 28. Bartas Eden 1. day 2. week Viawia a Towne of 20 houses Mr. Vnton Fisher and two others left at Wiawia Mr. Fisher trauelled eleuen daies iourney vp the riuer of Marra viz. 100 leagues The Prouince of Moreshegoro Indians with rough skins like Buffe Diuers mighty Nations of Indians far vp in Marrawini towards the high land Riuers falling into Marrawini Twenty daies iourney from Taupuramune to the head of Marraw The Country aboue the head of Mar. is plaine and Champian ground The tenth of September they left Guiana They were in danger to be cast away They finde three English shippes at Pūta de Galea Pitch gotten in the earth which melteth not with the Sunne They arriue at Port ae Hispania Don Sanches de Mendosa commeth aboord their shippe The Spaniards much molested by the Charibes They depart from Trinidado They arriue at Meues An excellent hot Bath at Meues An extreame cough cured by the Bath A mans hand burned with Gunpouder and by the Bath cured in 24 houres Swellings in the legges cured in a day They depart from Meues They left the Pinnesse to follow after them They fell with Fayal They are driuē by a storme into Ireland Their great necessitie and want The Pinnesse first arriued in Ireland and afterward at Bristol The number of those that died Three principall ends to be obserued in euery forraine action 1. The glory of God 2. The honour of our Soueraigne An. 1588. The profit of our Country The burning Zone habituable The clmate pleasant fruitfull and healthfull The loue of the people towards our Nation A good motiue to those that want imployment An Empire may be gained to our Soueraigne The nature of the climate Page 23. The disposition of the people The quallity of the land Page 27. The prouisions of the Countrey page 27. 28. 30. and 31. A beast and a fish like Beefe A Beast like Mutton Good bread Drinke like March beere Excellent strong Ale Sacke and Canary wine The commodities of the Country pag. 31 and 32.
discourse but briefely mentioned For at this time I purpose onely to prosecute my first proiect which hastened mee vnto another place From hence I stood along the coast and the seauenteenth of May I came to anchor in the Bay of Wiapoco where the Indiands came off vnto vs in two or three * Canoes as well to learne of what Nation wee were as also to trade with vs who vnerstanding that wee were English men boldly came aboard vs one of them could speake our language well and was knowne to some of my company to bee an Indian that sometime had been in England and serued Sr. Iohn Gilbert many yeeres they brought with them such dainties as their country yeeldeth as hennes fish pinas platanaes potatoes bread of Cassaui and such like cates which were heartily welcome to my hungry company In recompence whereof I gaue them kniues beades Iewes trumpes and such toies which well contented them But when I had awhile entertained them and made knowne vnto them the returne of the Indian Martyn their country man whom I brought with mee out of England they seemed exceeding ioyfull supposing that hee had been dead being aboue foure yeares since hee departed from them The Indian before mentioned to haue serued Sr. Iohn Gilbert whose name was Iohn whilest hee liued for he is now dead and died a Christian was a great helpe vnto vs because hee spake our language much better then either of those that I brought with mee and was euer firme faithful to vs vntill his death By him I vnderstood that their town was scituate vpō the east side of the hil in the mouth of Wiapoco was called Caripo that the Indian Martin was Lord therof and that in his absence his brother was chiefe Moreouer hee certified me that the principall Indian of that riuer was called Carasana who by good fortune was then at Caripo and so hauing spent sometime in other conference and friendly entertainement they tooke their leaue and departed for that time I sent one of my company with them to giue notice to Carasana the rest of the Indians of Caripo that I had brought home their Countrymand Martin whom they all thought to be dead and another of their Nation also who had kindred and friends amongst them to desire him to come aboord my ship and to bring with him the principall Indians of Caripo that I might declare vnto them the cause of my comming into their Country and conferre with them of other matters intended for their good The next day I came into the riuer of Wiapoco and Anchored ouer against the Sandy Bay The day following the Indians came aboord as I had desired and brought vs good store of their Country prouision Carasana and one or two more of them were attired in old clothes which they had gotten of certaine Englishmen who by the direction of Sir Walter Raleigh had traded there the yeere before the rest were all naked both men and women and this I obserued amongst them that although the better sort of men especially the Yaios doe couer their priuities by wearing ouer them a little peece of Cotton cloth pretily wouen after their manner yet did I neuer see any of their women couered in any part either aboue or beneath the waste albeit they daily conuersed amongst vs but were all as the plaine prouerbe is euen starke belly naked At their comming aboord my ship first Carasana as the principall amongst them and after him the rest saluted and welcōmed vs after their rude maner I vsed them with all curtesie and entertained them as wel as the straight roome would giue me leaue giuing them good store of Aquauitae which they loue exceedingly I presented to their view their two countrymen Martyn the Lord of their towne and Anthony Canabre who was a christian and had liued in England fourteen yeers both which I had brought home vnto them when they beheld them and after salutations and some conference knew to bee the same persons whom they supposed had been long since dead they expressed much ioy and contentment aud vnderstanding from their owne mouthes how well I had vsed them they seemed to bee better pleased with our comming and when their rude salutations to their new come countrymen were ended I tooke them apart and thus declared the cause of my comming First I brought to their remembrance the exploits performed by Sr. Walter Raleigh in their country in the raigne of our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth when to free them from seruitude hee most worthily vanquished the Spaniards at Trinidado burned their towne tooke their Gouernour Don Anthonio de Berreo prisoner deliuered fiue of the Indian Kings imprisoned and bound by the necke with collers of Iron and with great labour and perill discouered the riuer of Orenoque and the countryes adioyning as far as the Prouince of Aromaya the countrey of Topiawary and the riuer of Caroly beyond it And that their countreymen called the Orenoqueponi who are the borderers of the Orenoque did then most willingly submit and render themselues vnder the subiection of the late Queene all which they well remembred and said that Sr. Walter Raleigh promised to haue returned againe vnto them long since Then I excused his not returning according to his promise by reason of other imployments of great importance imposed vpon him by the late Queene shewing them moreouer that when he could not for that cause returne himselfe hee sent Captaine Keymis to visite them and to bring him true intelligence of their estate supposing that he had left no Spaniards behind him at Trinidado of power to molest them to the end that releef aid might be prepared for them according to their necessities and oppression of their enemies Then I told them of the death of the late Queene whereby that businesse of theirs was againe hindered Moreouer I declared vnto them that our gracious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES who now raigneth ouer v3 being the onely right and lawfull heire and Successor to the Crowne and dignity of the Realme of England after the death of the late Queene was throughout the whole land proclaimed King of England and so comming to raigne ouer vs hath been euer since busied in ordering the State and affaires of the Kingdome which being by his great wisdome setled in tranquillity and peace like a good gracious and worthy King doth now permit his subiects to trauell abroad into forraigne Countryes and Nations to aid and assist all such as are vniustly molested by their enemies Whereupon I and the rest of these worthy Gentlemen my associats and friends hauing intelligence by some that had been followers of Captaine Charles Lee who was a man well knowne amongst them and heretofore had taken possession of their Countrey to his Maiesties vse and was planted diuers yeares in Wiapoco where he lyeth buried of the great variance and discord depending betweene them the allyed
Anguilla vpon St. Lukes day where I thinke neuer EnglishmaÌ„ dissembogued before vs for we found all our Sea-charts false concerning that place those broken Islands being placed therein to the Southward of Anguilla betwene it and St. Martins and wee found them scituat to the Northward thereof When wee had cleered our selues of the broken Islands wee stood away North-East shaping our course the neerest way wee could for Flores and Corues and so continued with faire weather the winde still mending vpon vs vntill the thirtieth day of October about twelue of the clocke that day there began a storme with contrarie windes still variable which continued vntill 4. the next day in the afternoone In this storme wee lost the company of the Pinnesse in the night but had fight of her againe vpon the fourth of Nouember late in the euening and the next day shee came vp vnto vs at two of the clocke in the afternoone Then the winde came faire at West and wee steered away East by North and E. N. Eastamong The seauenth of Nouember I relieued the Pinnesse with more bread and left her to follow after vs not being able to keepe way with vs before the winde which then blew strongly at West for I was very vnwilling to loose the benefit of a speedy passage which the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce of that faire winde was like to afford vs. And so following our course on the eleuenth day in the morning we had sight of Fayal one of the Islands of the Terceras which we left on our starboord side and steered away for England the winde continuing faire vntill the twenty foure day But then it changed first to the East by North and then to the East south-east and became so violent and furious that for three daies space we were not able to beare out saile but did driue before the winde at the least three leagues a watch out of our course and the first land wee made was Cape Cleere in the South-west part of Ireland where against our wils we arriued at Crooke Hauen the twenty nine of Nouember Our arriuall there at that present was happy for vs considering our extreame wants and great necessities for of all our store we had remaining but one hogshed of water halfe a hogshed of beuerage all our beere being spent and wasted by leakage sixe peeces of beefe and three of Porke which was all our prouision we had neither fish butter oyle cheese nor pease left to relieue vs whereby we had fallen into a lamentable distresse if almighty God had not in time brought vs vnto this harbour where we supplied our wants by the helpe of Captaine Reignolds commander of his Maiesties Pinnesse called the Moone whom we fortunately met there altogether vnexpected But the winde continuing contrary at the East and like to hold still in that corner presaged new wants to insue if a speedy remedy was not prouided To preuent the worst I resolued to goe by land to Yoghall neere vnto which place remained some friends and acquaintance of mine by whom I might prouide my selfe of meanes to defray my charge vntill my returne into England and therefore gaue commandement to the master of my shippe to wage a Pilot and vpon the first shift of winde if it fauoured him in any time to bring the shippe about to Yoghall where I ment to abide his comming resoluing thence to goe for Bristol And I appointed if the winde did hold against him to send him mony to supplie their victuals vntill it pleased God to alter it but he regarding his owne priuate ends more then my commaund and direction vpon the first shift of wind went away with my shippe without my knowledge to Dartmouth in the west Country and left me behind in Ireland whereof as soone as I had intelligence I presently tooke the opertunitie of a speedy passage in a barke then reddy bound for Bristol and so the next morning being the fifteenth of December I departed from Yoghall and arriued at Bristol the seuententh day My Pinnesse which we left at Sea to follow after vs was likewise by the aforesaid storme driuen into the west of Ireland to a place caled Dingen le Coushe and there remained along time wind-bound but at the last by Gods permission arriued at Bristol the second day of February During the time of my voyage we left but one land-man who died in Guiana and one sailer and an Indian boy who died at Sea in our returne and during the space of these three yeares last past since the voiage of all the men which I left in the country being in number about thirty there died but six whereof one was drowned another was an old man of threescore yeeres of age and another tooke his death by his owne disorder the rest died of sicknes as pleased God the giuer of life for which small losse his holy name be blessed now and euer Hauing thus most noble Prince declared the whole course of my voiage to Guiana performed in the yeare of our Lord 1609. I hold it needefull for the better satisfaction of the fauourers and wel-willers of this action by adding of a speciall note or two and by a briefe reremembrance of some points mentioned in the former discourse to expresse the worthinesse of the enterprise being of importance and not to bee regarded lightly In euery forraine action vndertaken by the subiects of a Christian Prince they ought to haue especiall regard to three principall ends and designes First that it may bee for the glory of God Secondly for the honour of their Soueraigne Thirdly for the benefit and profit of their Countrey Which three principall ends and intendements if they faithfully prosecute and labour to aduance with constant resolution they shall infallibly bring their vndertakings to blessed prosperous and honorable end And now if it shall appeare that this enterprise for discouery and plantation in Guiana is chiefely grounded vpon these three designes I hope there is not any man bee hee neuer so malitious and full of enuy that can with iust expâ—â—â—tions scandalise it or worthily contemne it First then for the glory of God it hath been and euer will bee held cleere and vnquestionable that God cannot be more honoured nor his holy name by any meanes more glorified then by the prosperous grouth and happy increase of his Church through the conuersion of those that bee heathen and barbarous Nations to the knowledge of him our true God his Sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost the blessed indiuiduall Trinity and to the profession and practise of Christianity which heauenly and euer memorable worke may through Gods good blessing and assistance without which indeede all our trauell therein and all the labour of the world is but lost bee easily effected and accomplished in Guiana the people thereof being of a louing and tractable nature towards the English whom they loue and preferre before all other strangers
with such a courage shewing also our men vnto them who had their match in cocke ready to discharge that he strooke such a feare into them all by reason of our mens presence that they presently agreed to peace performed what conditions he required and then departed home with all their company Here may your Highnesse note the factions among the Indian Nations the discipline and order they hold in war the feare the Charibes conceiued at the sight of our Englishmen and the policy of the Indian Leonard to take aduantage by their feare and make our men his Guard and chiefe protection against them These things in time will much auaile vs being well obserued and rightly applied according to occasion But to our former discourse The power and strength of these Countries being so thinly peopled is not very great to withstand the might of forraine enemies the vsuall weapons of the Indians are before described sauing that their arrowes are oft-times poisoned But since our trade and commerce with them they haue gotten a few good swords muskets caliuers and some small quantity of shot and powder and haue learned to handle their peeces very orderly and some of them are good shot The seasons of the yeere vpon this coast and in this climate are diuers for in the East parts of Guiana towards the Amazones the dry weather which we call their Summer beginneth in August and the violent raines and tempestuous winds which we count their winter doe begin in February But in the Westerne parts towards Orenoque the dry season beginneth in October and the raines and windes in Aprill There is little difference of heate and cold in this diuersity of seasons beeing so neere the Equinoctiall where the day and night are alwaies equall the sunne euer rising and seting at six of the clocke or neere thereabout which climat by the ancient Philosophers in respect of the neerenes of the Sunne which causeth excessiue drowth and heate was accounted the vnhabitable and burning Zone but our dayly experience doth assure vs of their certaine mistaking in that point for in those parts wee finde that when the Sunne declineth furthest from them towards the Tropicke of Capricorne the ayre is then cleerest and the season of the yeare most dry as in the Easterne parts of Guiana in August September October Nouember and December and when the Sunne returneth towards the Tropicke of Cancer then doe the raines begin increase and decrease from February to Iuly but sometimes they begin to fall and the riuers to rise swell and ouerflow sooner or later by a moneth and the yeare is sometimes more or lesse windie and wet according to the disposition of the heauens and of the Planets and as the Sunne approcheth or declineth little or much euen so the earth wanteth or aboundeth with water and moisture The reasons of these strange diuersities from other regions without the Tropickes are very excellently declared by Ioseph Acosta in the second book of his natural morall history of the Indies to which Author I refer you for your better satisfaction therein but withall I must aduertise you that when you reade his first and second bookes you haue regard to the place where they were writtē which was in Peru reputed by vs to be beyond the Equinoctiall towards the South or Pole Antarticke lest you erre by mistaking his meaning for in those two bookes when hee mentioneth any place beyond the Equinoctiall hee meaneth towards the North or Pole Articke And also you must note that this generall rule for the heauens temprature is only limited to the Region of the burning Zone within the Tropickes They haue no diuision or account of times or numbers they onely reckon by the Moones as one two three foure or fiue Moones or by daies in like manner Their numbers they reckon thus one two three and so to tenne then they say tenne and one ten and two tenne and three c. And to shew their meaning more certainely they will hold vp one two three or more of their fingers expressing the numbers still making signes as they speake the better to declare their meaning when they will reckon twenty they will hold downe both their hands to their feete shewing all their fingers and toes and as the number is greater so will they double the signe When they appoint or promise any thing to bee done by a time limited they will deliuer a little bundle of sticks equall to the number of daies or Moones that they appoint and will themselues keepe another bundle of the like number and to obserue their appointed time they will euery day or Moone take away a sticke and when they haue taken away all then they know that the time of their appointment is come and will accordingly performe their promise As touching Religion they haue none amongst them that I could perceiue more then a certaine obseruance of the Sunne and Moone supposing them to bee aliue but vse no religious worshippe towards them nor offer sacrifice to any thing vnlesse they vse a superstition in their drinking feasts by sacrificing Iarres of drinke for at the death of any of their Cassiques Captaines or great friends whom they esteeme they will make a solemne feast their chiefest prouision being of their best and strongest drinke which they call Parranow which feast shall continue three or foure daies or as long as their liquor lasteth spending their time in dancing singing and drinking excessiuely in which vice they exceede all other nations whatsoeuer accounting him that will bee drunke first the brauest fellow during this solemnity of their drinking some woman being neerest of kin vnto the party dead doth stand by and cry extreamely thus their manner is vntill their drinke bee spent and then the feast is ended Whether they vse any superstition in this custome I know not time will reueale and also reforme it It is most certaine that their Peeaios as they call them Priests or Southsayers at some speciall times haue conference with the diuell the common deceiuer of mankinde whom they call Wattipa and are by him deluded yet notwithstanding their often conference with him they feare and hate him much and say that hee is nought and not without great reason for hee will often times to their great terror beate them blacke and blew They beleeue that the good Indians when they die goe vp and will point towards the heauens which they call Caupo and that the bad Indians goe downe pointing to the earth which they call Soy when any Cassique Captaine or chiefe man dieth amongst them if hee haue a slaue or prisoner taken from their enemies they will kill him and if he haue none such then wil they kill one of his other seruants that hee may haue one to attend him in the other world The quallity of the land in those Countries is of diuers kindes by the Sea side
a continuall ioynt and common trade and commerce for euer for otherwise it might prooue hard for Aduenturers of small summes to reape any benefit after the ten yeeres ended but by a common continued commerce they or their heires or assignes shall be sure to haue it A Treasurer generall for the Plantation shall bee resident in London and when the returne of profit diuidable shall be he shall forthwith deliuer to a particular Treasurer resident in euery shire the proportionable part or profit due to the Aduenturers of that shire which particular Treasurer shall deliuer to the high Constables of euery Hundred the proportionable part due to the Aduenturers of that Hundred And the high Constables shal deliuer to the Constables and Minister of euery Parish within their Hundreds where any Aduenturers shall be the proportionable part due to the Aduenturers of that Parish And the Constable Minister shal deliuer to euery person in that Parish his due according to the proportion of his aduenture To this end a Register shall be kept by the Constable and Minister of each parish of the names of each Aduenturer in that Parish with their seueral aduentures the time when they brought in the same So as such as he remooued out of a Parish where they aduentured to some other place shall either themselues or their heires or assignes receiue his proportionable profite in the parish where he aduentured without further trouble or trauell The like Register shall remaine with the high Constables of the Aduenturers in their Hundred And the like with the particular Treasurer of that shire of the Aduenturers of that shire And the like of all the Aduenturers whatsoeuer with the Treasurer generall for the Plantation But yet such as aduenture not before this next intended voyage which wee account the first voyage for the Plantation or before the second but stay longer expecting the euent must not expect equall shares with the first Aduenturers but if his aduenture come in after the second voyage and before the third he shall want a fift part of that which the first Aduenturers shall haue And such as come in before the fourth voyoge shall want two fift parts And such as come in before the fift voyage shall want three fift parts And such as come in before the sixt voyage which perhappes may be the last voyage in the first three yeeres a voyage being ses forth euery halfe yeare shall want foure fift parts of what the first Aduenturer shall haue And so a single share for so late an Aduenturer of twelue pound tenne shillings will be but one hundred Acres in inheritance and his profit accordingly in proportion and so for a greater or lesser rate so lately aduentured Euery Aduenturer in person if he die hauing neyther wife nor childe in Guiana liuing his next kinsman that will goe in person at the next voyage or sending after his decease shall haue his share or part but if none such will goe in person then the next heire of the deceased in England shall haue a fift part of that share in inheritance being about one hundred Acres And the residue being foure hundred Acres shall be disposed of to some other that will goe in person that so by the death of the party deceased the number of the Planters in person may not be diminished and that yet his next heire here may haue some competent benefite by the aduenture of his kinsmans person If a man and his wife goe each of them shall haue fiue hundred acres yet so that the share of the wife be at the husbands dispose as is vsed by husbands in England that marry women heires who cannot alien the same without the wiues consent If a man his wife goe the suruiuor shal haue the others share if they haue no children borne in Guiana but if they haue children borne there then onely the suruiuor shall haue the share of the deceased vntill the childe be one and twenty yeeres olde and then the child shall haue it for that the share of the personall aduenture of the suruiuor will be competent maintenance so as the childe may well haue the other share If a man and his wife and a childe of theirs goe each shall haue fiue hundred Acres The shares of Commaunders Officers and men of place and qualitie that aduenture in Person are not to be rated according to single shares of inferiour and common persons that aduenture in person but according to their place qualitie and merite in such sort as shall be fit to giue them content and incouragement to aduenture their persons in so honorable and worthy an Action Diuine Preachers that wil imitate the glorious examples of the Apostles who ceased not to trauell amongst all sorts of Heathen and sauage people for the plantation of the holy Gospel are worthily numbred amongst the persons of place qualitie and shall haue such worthy shares for the aduenture of their persons in 〈◊〉 seruice of the blessed Trinitie as shall giue them good content Thus much concerning the Generall Aduenture and Plantation In the Particular Plantation and Aduenture there shal be certaine Signiories or other Portions of land allotted and graunted to such as like not to be partakers of the Generall Plantation and Aduenture but haue otherwise a desire to ioyne together in seuerall companies or corporations of select friends and acquaintance or else to plant apart and single by themselues as Lords of Mannors or as Farmers These Signiories or Portions of Land shal be conueyed and assured vnto them in Fee simple with all such Royalties Liberties Priuiledges Franchises and Commodities as shal be fit and necessary for the aduancement of their Plantations and can by vertue of the Pattent be granted vnto them They shall plant and people the same at their owne proper costs and charges and conuert the profits thereof to their owne vse and behoofe vnder the conditions following They shal yeerely pay vnto such Officers as shal be appointed for that purpose the fift part of all Ores of Gold and Siluer as shall at all times hereafter be found and gotten within the bounds and limites of the Signiories and Lands graunted vnto them which fift part of Oare is by the Pattent reserued to his Maiestie The fift part being deducted for his Maiestie they shal also pay to the Patentees or vnto their Officers for that purpose appointed all such rents and dueties as betwixt the said Patentees and them shall be agreed vpon and such as haue beene vsually payed by the planters and inhabiters of the like Plantations whereof there are extant many presidents And also from time to time shall obserue pay performe all such other customs impositions reseruations and limitations as are mentioned expressed in the said Patent And for their safety and defence in all the said particular Plantations they shall be ayded protected and defended both by Sea and Land against all assaulters inuaders and intruders according