200. men to assist Diego de Ordas They sought El Dorado by the riuer of Amazones but staying there a short time they fell down to Trinidado where they all three were buried 4 Iuan Gonzales set saile from Trinidado to discouer the Guiana He reposed himselfe more on the faith of his guides the on his small number of men He by triall found the confines of Guiana so far as he entred to be populous plentiful of victuall rich in gold Vpon such proofes as he brought with him to make good his report manie others aduentured to follow his steps 5. 6. Philip de Vren and after him Pedro de Limpias who both successiuelie commaunded the Almaines were leaders in this action Limpias was slaine by an Indian Cassique named Porima 7 Ieronimo de Ortall vndetrooke it by the way of Marecupana After great trauell and his substance all spent he dyed on the sudden at S. Domingo 8. 9. Ximenes brother of Don Ximenes de Quesida the Lantado and Pedro de Osuq were both at sundrie times in the same quest 10 Father Iala a Frier taking with him onelie one companion and some Indian guides passed into the prouinces of Guiana He returned with good intelligence brought with him Eagles Idols and other iewels of golde An. 1560. He assayed the second time to passe in like maner but was slaine by the Indians 11 Hernandes de Serpa also vndertooke it The Indians of Cumanawgoto killed him and defeated his Armie 12 Afterwards Diego de Vargas and his sonne Don Iuan followed this enterprise and at their first setting out were slaine by the Indians 13 Caceres vndertooke this discouerie from Nueuo Reino de Granada He came no neerer to it theÌ„ Matachines which borders vpon the said kingdom of Granada He rested there and peopled that place 14 It was also attempted by Alonzo de Herera at two seuerall times He endured great miserie but neuer entred one league into the countrey He sought it by Wiapari or Amana and was at last slaine by a nation of Indians called â—aguas 15 It was also vndertaken by Antonio Sedenno with whoÌ„ Herera and Augustine Delgado ioyned in the conquest of Trinidado against Bawcunar a famous king of that place He passed by Marecupana in the yeare 1536. to discouer El Dorado with 500. chosen men In this iourny he got much gold and tooke manie Indian prisoners whome he manacled in yrons manie of them died as they were led in the way The Tygres being fleshed on those dead carkasses assaulted the Spaniards who with much trouble hardlie defended themselues from them Sedenno was buried within the precinct of the Empire neere the head of the riuer Tinados Most of his people perished likewise 16 Augustine Delgado searched the country to the southward of Cumanawgoto with 53. footmen and three horsmen The warres that were then between the Indians of the vale and those of the mountaines serued well for his purpose By which occasion he found meanes to passe so farre vntill hee came to an Indian Cassique named Garamentall who entertained him with al kindnes And gaue him for a present some rich iewels of gold six seemlie Pages ten young slaues and three Nymphes verie beautifull which bore the names of three prouinces from whence they were sent to Garamental cheife Commander of all that countrey Their names were Guanba Gotoguane and Matarare These prouinces are of an excellent temperature verie healthful and haue an admirable influence in producing beautifull women The Spaniards afterwards to requite the manifold curtesies that they receiued in that countrey tooke and caried away besides all the gold that they could get al the Indians that they could lay hold on they conueyed them in yrons to Cubagua and solde them for slaues Delgado afterwards was shot in the eie by an Indian of which hurt he died 17 Diego de Losada succeeded in his brothers place Hee had manie more men who in the end wasted themselues in mutinies those that liued returned to Cubugua 18 Reynoso vndertooke this iourney but hauing endured exceeding troubles in the discomfort of his minde hee gaue it ouer and was buried in Hispaniola 19 Pedro de Vrsua in the yeare 1560. sought it with 400 Spaniards by the riuer Oreliano He imbarqued his men in the country of the Motiâ—ones As they passed downe the riuer they found Synamon trees His men murdered him and afterward the said rebels beheaded Lady Anes his wife who forsooke not her Lord in all his trauels vnto death 20 Fryer Francis Montesinos was in the prouince of Marecupana with 100. souldiors bound for the Guiana when Lope Aguirri the Tyrant made insurrection in all those partes of the Indies What became of this intended iourney is not expressed In the discouerie of Guiana you may read both of Oreliano who discouered the riuer of Amazones An. 1510. and of Berreo with others that haue trode this maze and lost them selues in seeking to find this countrie An aduertisment to the Reader IN this Breuiarie the names onlie are comprised of such as being led with the generall fame of Guiana haue endeuoured to discouer possesse it The whole histories are long and cannot suddenlie be translated or Englished at large as we in these Elegies find them It may perhaps seeme strange and incredible that so manie Caualeros should all faile in this one attempt since in many partes of the Indies far smaller numbers in shorter time haue performed as great matters and subdued mightie Kingdoms I haue therefore thought it good here to alleadge those reasons which by circumstance may be gathered to haue beene chief impediments to the Spaniard in this intended search conquest The first may be the remotenesse or distance of their places of Rondevow from the Dorado which appeare to be foure Nueuo Reyno the mouth of Amazones or Oreliano Cubagua or the coast of the Carackas Trinidado 1. From Moisbanda where Oreliano hath his head-spring to his mouth the Spaniards account it 2000. leagues Raleana riseth neere the saide mountaines in Moiabanda and tributeth his waters to the sea not farre from the other Guiana is enuironed with these two fresh water seas wher their distance is greatest from their risinges and is besides guarded with impassable mountains which in close defend it on al partes excepting Topiawaries country It is no maruel then if the vigor heat life of those Spaniards who sought it from Nueuo Reyno were allayed and spent before they came nere it in those long desolate and vncomfortable waies 2. From Cubagua to seek it by sea in vessels of any burthen is a worke of farre greater labour then to saile directly from Spaine And to passe ouerland is a matter of great difficultie by reason that the Indian Nations inhabiting between the coast of the Carackas and Guiana being wearied and harried with the daylie incursions of the Spaniards haue now turned their abused patience into furie refusing to suffer any forces of men to be led through their countries For the Spaniards trauelling in those parts when they found not golde answerable to their expectation ouerlaid them with cruelties tyrannie and thraldom forbearing neither men women friends nor foes Which maner of dealing though in some sort it satisfied their desire of present profit yet hath it otherwise done them much harme in hardening and driuing those nations to desperate resolutions 3 From the mouth of Oreliano to seeke entrance with any number of men and to bore a hole through the mountaines is all one Neither find we that any seeking it that way haue at anie time boasted of their gaines or pleasurable iourneyes 4 From Trinidado as the course is shortest so doth it promise best likelihood of successe Howbeit impossible it is with any vessell of ordinarie burthen by that way to recouer the riuer of Raleana The second The Spaniards haue bene so far from furthering and helping on another or admitting partners or coadiutors in the Guiana cause that amongst so many attempts from the beginning to the last I cannot find any one when they were otherwise likliest to preuaile free from discords mutinies and cruel murders amongst themselues Thirdly The Spaniards in this place haue mist that aduantage which els where hath steeded them in all their conquests namelie the dissentitions and mutuall warres of the Indians amongst themselues Which of what force it is may be gathered by the example of Aâ—awcania in Peru. For the Indians of that one prouince containing in circuit not aboue 20. leagues haue maintained warres aboue these 30. yeares against all the Spaniards and in despight of them haue kept their own countrie oftentimes discomforting their enemies in many set battayles burning destroying some of their strongest townes The chiefe reason wherof I take to be because no Indian nation was enemy vnto them And howsoeuer the Spaniards vaunt of their redoubted exploits in the Indies yet do their owne writings in effect testifie that without the aid of the Indians diuided amongst rhemselues Mexico Peru and the rest had neuer bene Spanish Lastly I can impute it to no cause so rightly as immediately to the diuine prouidence For by him princes raigne And in my beleefe except we will looke to be warned by miracle from heauen we need no farther assurances then we already haue to perswade our selues that it hath pleased our God of his infinit goodnesse in his will and purpose to appoint and reserue this Empire for vs. FINIS
fadam we came to an ancor the ground sandie oase Sunday the 14. towardes night about some sixe leagues from the shoar we descried a low land in the bottom of a bay From the 9 of March vntill this time wee kept for the most part a south south west course The water in this place is smooth but muddie and the collour red or Tawny From the westermost of the Cap. de Verd. Ilands vnto this bay I do estimat the distance to be neer 550. leagues It semed to most of our sea-men to be the verie banke of a shoald vpon a leigh shoare the rather because without it in the cleane greene sea we had but 7. fadam depth but after by proofe finding that there is no sudden alteration in anie part of the coast and that the sea is smoothest nere the land we alwaies at night sought to ancor in three or four fadam And doubtlesse as the hand of God is woonderfull in all his workes so heerin his mercifull prouidence is most admirable that vpon a leigh shore subiect to a perpetuall easterlie gâ—le neither much wind can endanger shipping by reason that the foule heauie water is not capable of vehement motion and the softe light oase if they touch cannot bruise them nor is there anie ieopardie in being wind-bound or imbayed for the most forcible windes make the greatest floud-tydes whereby the freshets when they take their ordinarie course of ebbe doe grow strong and swift setting directlie off to sea against the wind We by turning went cleare of all bayes howbeit in this case as also in the riuers the vse of a droue sayle seemeth a good and readie help The first place wherin we ancored was in the mouth of Arrowaâ—â— a faire great riuer It standeth in one degree and fourtie minutes for we fell so farre to the southwards by your Lordships direction The bar without hath at the least three fadam at the sholdest place when it is low ebb The depth within is eight and ten fadam The water alwayes brackish We found not anie inhabitantes in this place neere the sea coast I omit here to recite the names of the nations that are borderers their townes Captaines and commodities that their countries doe yeelde as also the soundinges tydes and how the coast lyeth c. thinking it fittest to reduce these disioyned and scattered remembrances to one place As we passed we alwaies kept the shoare within view and stopped the flouds still ancoring at night in three or foure fadam When wee came to the north-hed laÌ„d of this bay which we named Cape Cecylâ— we sawe two high mountaines like two Ilandes but they ioyne with the mayne In this tract lying north north-west neere 60. leagues there fall into the sea these seuerall great riuers Arrowari Iwaripoco Maipari Coanawini Caipurogh We ancored in two fadam not far from these hilles and filled all our caske with fresh water by the ship side for in the sea 30. miles from the mouth of anie riuer it is fresh and good This second bay extendeth it selfe aboue 30. leagues to the westward containeth within it these riuers Arcooa Wiapoco wanari Caparwacka Cawo Carare wia Macuria Cawroor Curassawini Here leauing the ship at ancor I tooke into the boat Iohn Prouost my Indian Interpreter Iohn Lynser and 8. or nine others intending to search some of these riuers and to seeke speech with the Indians In Wiapoco at the foot of the Eastermost mountaine where the riuer falleth into the sea we found twentie or thirtie houses but not inhabited Wee stayed there but one night Wanari we ouerpassed because the entrance is rockie and not deep In Capperwacka we sailed some fourtie miles but could see no Indian At one of their portes vnder the side of a hill we took in so much Brafill wood as our boat could carie Amongst other trees wee cut downe one for an example which I doe verilie beleeue to bee the same sorte of Sinamon which is founde in the streightes of Magellane From Capurwacka wee passed to Cawo and there met with a Canoa wherein were two Indians It was long time before we could procure them to come neere vs for they doubted least we were Spanish When my interpreter had perswaded them the contrarie and that wee came from England they without farther speech or delay brought vs to Wareo their Captaine who entertained vs most frendly and then at large declared vnto vs that he was latelie chased by the Spaniard from Moruga one of the neighbour riuers to Raleana or Orenoque and that hauing burnt his owne houses and destroyed his fruites and gardens he had left his countrey and townes to be possessed by the Arwaccas who are a vagabound nation of Indians which finding no certaine place of abode of their owne do for the most part serue and follow the Spaniardes He shewed mee that he was of the nation of the Iaos who are a mightie people and of late time were Lordes of all the sea coast so farre as Trinidado which they likewise possessed Howbeit that with a generall consent when the Spaniardes first began to borrow some of their wiues they all agreed to change their habitation doe now liue vnited for the most part towards the riuer of Amazones But the especiall cause of his present remooue was because two or three yeares past twenty Spaniardes came to his towne and sought to take his best wife from him but before they caried her away hee at time and place of aduantage killed halfe of them the rest fled most of them sore hurt Now in this case he thought it best to dwel far ynough from them Your Indian Pilot Ferdinando who conducted you by Amana and now abideth neere the head of Dessekeebe is one of this mans subiects By whom as it may seeme hee hath taken good notice of our Princesse and country For he descended more particularlie to inquire what forces were come with vs assuring me of the Spaniards being in Trinidado and that the Indians our friends betwixt hope and feare haue earnestlie expected our return from England these foure or fiue moneths When I had answered him that at our departure we left no Spaniards aliue to annoy them that we now came onlie to discouer trade with them and that if her Maiestie should haue sent a power of men where no enemie was to resist the Indians might perhaps imagine that we came rather to inuade then to defend them He replyed that this course very well sorted with the report which they had heard of our Princesse Iustice rare graces vertues the fame of whose power in being able to vanquish the Spaniards and singular goodnesse in vndertaking to succour and defend the afflicted Indians was now so generall that the nations farre and neere were all agreed to ioyne with vs and by all meanes possible to assist vs in expelling and rooting out the Spaniards from all partes of the land and that we were
French meÌ„ that suffered shipwrack some two or three yeares since do liue 3 Maipariâ—g Arricarri   3. 4. 5. These with the other 2 seem to be branches of the great riuer of Amazones When wee first fell with land wee were by the Indians report but one dayes iorney from the greatest riuer that is on that coast 4 Caipurogh g. Arricurri   5 Arcooa g Marowannas Cha.   6 Wiapoco g Coonoracki Wacacoia Wariseaco Charib   6 The first mountains that appear within land doe lie on the East side of this riuer From the mouth thereof the inhabitants do passe with their Canoas in twenty daies to the salt lake where Manoa standeth The water hath manie Cateractes like Caroli but that they are of greater distance one froÌ„ another where it falles into the sea hilles doe inclose it on both sides 7 Wanari     8 Capurwacka g. Charibes    9 Cawo g. Iaos Ico omana Wareo  10 Wia. g. Maworia Charib ParamoÌ„na g. Mashwipo 10 The Freshet shoots out into the sea with great force the sea doth here sometimes campe high and breake as if it were full of rockes but in prooffe it is nothing els but the pride and force of the tydes In this baye and round about so farre as the mountaines doe extend there is great store of Brasill wood some of it bearing far darker collour then other some Here are also manie sortes of other good woods 11 Caiane g. Gowateri a great Iland Wiaco Ch. Shebaios Canawi g Orinikero Parawatteo  12 Macuria Piraos Ch.    13 Cawroâ—ra Arawaccos Charib    14 Manmanuri Ipaios Ch.   14 These speake the language of the Indians of Dominicae They are but few but verie cruell to their enemies For they bind and eat them aliue peece-meale This torment is not comparable to the dedlie pains that commeth of hurtes or woundes made by those arrowes that ar inuenomed with the iuice of the hearbe Wapototo These Indians because they eat theÌ„ whom they kill vse no poyson The sea coast is no where populous for they haue much wasted themselues in mutuall warres But now in all partes so farre as Orenoque they liue in league and peace 15 Cureey Shebaios    16 Curassawini Shebaios Musswara g. Ocapanio  17 Cunanama Iaos Arwaccas Waritappi g Carinamari Curipotoore  18 Vracco Arwaccas  Marwabo   Moruga Arwaccas  Eramacoa  19 Mawari Winicinas Arwaccas Iwanama Atanacoa  20 Mawarpari Arwaccas Awaricana Mahahonero  21 Amonna very great Capeleppo g. Charibes Iaremappo very great  21 Nere the head of this riuer Capeleppo falleth out of the plaines runneth into the sea with Cuâ—itini Some of the Guianians liue in this riuer 22 Marawini g. Paracuttos    23 Owcowi     24 Wiawiami     25 Aramatappo     26 Wiapo     27 Macuruma     28 Carapi     29 Vraca    29. This riuer as also most of the rest is not nauigable aboue six daies iourney by reason of rockes It is ten daies iorney to the heade where the Guianians do dwel Honey yarne of Cotton Silke Balsamum and Brasill beddes are hereto bee had in plentie and so all the coast alongst Eastwarde Some Images of Golde spleenestones and others may bee gotten on this coast but they doe somewhat extraordinariliy esteeme of them because euery where they are current money They get their Moones and other peeces of gold by exchange taking for ech one of their greater Canoas one peece or image of golde with three heads and after that rate for their lesser Canoas they receiue peeces of golde of lesse value One hatchet is the ordinary price for a Canoa They haue euery where diuers sortes of drugges Gummes rootes which I doubt not by father trial will be found medicinable Names of poysoned hearbes Ourari Carassi Apaâ—eepo Parapara Hea beâ— good against poyson Turara Cutarapama Wapo Macatto The 29. day of Iune we arriued in Portland Roade hauing spente fiue moneths in going staying and returning 30 Chaimawinini g. Carepini Charib    31 Ecrowio     32 Pawro Vpotommas Arwaccas Maripomma Caponaiarie  33 Shurinama g. Carepini Cha.    34 Shurama g. Carepini Cha. Cupari   35 NorthuÌ„briae or Cupanama very g Arwaccas    36 Wioma     37 Cushwini Neekcari Tawrooromene Neperwari  38 Inana g.     39 Curitini g Carepini Arwaccas Parawianni Owaripoore Mawronama Maiapoore Cariwacka Aneta Manacobeece   40 Winitwari g.  Eppera Parawiannos   41 Berbice g. Arwaccas Lupulee Warawaroco  42 Wapari Shebaios Arwaccas Madewini Benmurwagh  43 Maicawini Panapi â—rwâ—ccas Itewee Caporaco great Cap.  44 Mahawaica Arwaccas Maâ—uresa g   45 〈◊〉 e. g. wacawaios Arwaccas Maburesa g    46 * So called after the name of the right ho. the Earle of Essex Deuoritia or Dessekebe very g. Matorooni Coowini Chipanama Arawanna Itorebece Iaos Shebaios Arwaccas Charâ—bes Maripai wocowaios Parawianni Iwarwackeri    47 Pawrooma g. Aripacoro Ecawini Manuriwini Iaos Panipi Caiaremappo waroopana Maripa Chiparipaâ—o Towtwi Sarinbugh Wariwagh Macapowa Shuracoima  48 Moruga g. Piara Chaimeragoro Iaos Arwaccas Cooparoore g. Awiapati Topoo Manare cowa Iarwarema  49 Waini g. Charibes Tocoopoima g. Parana  50 Barima g. Caitooma Arooca Charibes Arwaccas Pekwa g Arwakima Anawra Aparwa Arracurri  51 Amacur g.     52 Aratoori g. Cawrooma g. Raleana or Orenoque Maipar Itacaponea Owarecapater Warucanasso Ilandes in mouth of Raleana    Heere followe the names of those worthie Spaniardes that haue sought to discouer and conquere Guiana Extracted out of the writinges of Iuan de Castellanos clerigo who compiled the booke intituled Primera parte de las Elegias de varones illustres de Indias 1 THe enterprise of Guiana was vndertaken by Diego de Ordas of the kingdom of Leon in the yeare 1531. He was one of the Captaines of Cortes in the conquest of Mexico This Ordas made his entrance by the riuer of Amana by which we entered and spent fiftie dayes before hee came to the riuer of Orenoque which we past in fifteene Hee named the riuer by which he entred Viapari which name it still retaineth in the Spanish descriptions It lieth South from Trinidado some fiue leagues He transported out of Spaine a thousand souldiours He dyed afterwardes at sea in returning for Spaine 2 Iâ—an Gorteso arriued at the riuer of Amazones or Oreliano with three hundred men Hee marched vp into the countrey But neither he nor any of his companie did returne againe 3 Gaspar de Sylua with his two brothers departed from Tenerife accompanied with