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 — of Spain. 
 
 
 
 
 
 See ree 
 
 [VOYAGES 
 
 AND 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Fir up the Riy erof Pee ra’ 
 Laito in Peru, and back again to Brazil,' 
 perform’d at the: Command of the King; 
 
 > By CHRISTOPHER DACUGNA, 
 
 The Second up the River of se acd) 
 thence by Land to the Mines of Poto 
 By Monf. AC AR ET E-- 
 
 The Third from Cayenne into Guiana, in 1 fea } 
 of the Lake of Parima, reputed the richeft 
 Place inthe World. 
 
 By M. GRILLET and BECHAMEL. 
 
 aes Se: 
 
 
 
 a fm lance ee 9 mic ns 
 
 Done into Englifh from the Originals, being the on- 
 ly Accounts of thofe Parts hitherto extant, 
 
 
 
 The whole illuflrated with Notes and Maps. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for S. Buckley at the Dolphin over againft 
 St. Dunftan’s Church in Fleetftreet. 16,8. 
 
 
 
 
 
and fecure the Trade of it to themfelves. 
 
 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 THEN the Introduction was going into the Prefs, Ad- 
 
 vice came from Lisbon by the way of Paris, That the 
 Sieur de\ Ferolle, Governour of Cayenne, being informed that the 
 Portuguez were building a Fort.on the. North-fide of the River of 
 Amazons, fo fecure a rich Silver. Mine which they bad difcover'd 
 there, fent notice to the Portuguez, that they had invaded the French 
 King’s Territories, and therefore defir'd “em to vetire, that River 
 being the Limits of the two Nations; but the Portuguez refufing to 
 quit their Enterprize, Monfiew de Ferolle. march’d again them, 
 and attack’d’em with fo much Succefs, that thofe who guarded the 
 Mine and the Fort were killed, or put to fight. How. this Conteft 
 between thefe two Nations will be decided, is uncertain ; but 
 this is certain, thar whatever Europeans fir{t poffefs themfelves of . 
 the Jfle of: the Sun, and the Bofphore or Strait of the Amazone, 
 will command the Entrance into, and Paffage up that noble River, — 
 
 ’ 
 
( iit ) 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 HE following Relations difcovering fome of 
 the richeft Parts of the World, not yer 
 planted by the Europeans, and others bus 
 little known, worthv the perufal of the Curi- 
 
 ous, can bardly fail.of a favourable Reception at this 
 Funcure ; for of all the Bleffings of Peace, none 
 appear more. charming or. profitable than Navigation 
 
 and. Commerce, efpecially to the Englifh Nation, 
 
 whofe Genius ts much bent upon Improvements at Sea, 
 and Plantations abroad, which bring great Riches 
 into the Kingdom, particularly thofe z2 America, 
 where the Spaniards by. thei il Condu have given 
 Opportunities. to fome of their Neighbours to put m for 
  afbare of the Wealth and Trade of that vaft Trak 
 of Land: eo anf | 
 
 The frequent Sacking of their Towns and seizing — 
 
 of their Ships by the Englifh, French, and Dutch, 
 put Philip the Third upon fearching out new ways 
 
 of tranfporting the Treafures of Peru, Chili, and . 
 
 Granada into Spain towhich end (the Coafts about, 
 and in the Gulpb of Mexico being as well known as 
 thofe inEurope) Orders were difpatched from the 
 Court at Madrid to the Governours of Brazil and 
 Peru to attempt the Navigation of the great River of 
 AMAZONS, that if *twere found pradicable, 
 the Gold, Silver, and other Merchandizes of Pe- 
 rudnd the adjacent Countries might be fafely and 
 commodioufly fent down to Para to be put on board 
 
 the Galleons, which would lie lefs expos’d there, than 
 
 at Cartagena, Porto Belo, or Vera Cruz, the 
 
 Soundings of the Mouth of that River being un- 
 
 known, and dangerous to Strangers. What Effays 
 ee: ae were 
 . 
 
 
 
iv Introduction. 
 were mande purfuant to thefe Inftruttions, is beft feen 
 by the fix? Chapters of the enfumg Relation of F. 
 Chr. @? Acugna, to which the Reader ts referr’d, 
 as the true Journal of the only Voyage upon, and 
 Difcovery of that noble River fromthe Source to the 
 Adouth : “twere needle{sta offer. any otber Recommen- 
 dation of the Work,except fome Account of the Author. 
 -+ Ghriftopher d’ Acugna was born at Burgos in 
 Spain, Anno 1597. and entred into the Soctety of 
 Fefus at.15 Years of Age, After fome Years fpent 
 in Study, he went into America, and was Rector of 
 the Fefuits College at Cuence: under the Furifdiction 
 of Quito, when Peter. Texeira the Portuguez Gene- 
 ral came thither from Para in Brazilupthe River of 
 Amazons. The Viceroy of Peru ordered our Author 
 to embark with Texeira (who return?d: by. the fame 
 way-he came) and to inform bimfelf exadly im his 
 Voyage of every thing that might enable him to give 
 a fatisfaory Account of the Amazone tothe K. of 
 Spain, Ackordingly they departed from Quito Jan. 
 16, 1639. and arriv’d at Para Dee. 12. following, 
 Thence be went into Spain, and prefented to the King 
 his Master an.am;le Relation of the faid River ; 
 _ which was publifhed at Madrid in 1641, and entitu- 
 led * Nuevo defcubrimiento del gran Rio de\las 
 Amazonas, iy’. He was fent toRome m Quality 
 of Provincial; came back to Spain banoured with 
 the Title of Qualificator of the Inquilition, returw’d 
 agen into the ‘Nelt-indies, and was alive at Li- 
 ma iv 1675. according to Father Sotwel.. || Tis 
 thought that the Revolutions of Portugal is 1641. 
 \ a ree Si which 
 + Nat. Sotvelli Bibliothec. Scripcor. Societ. Jefu. Romz, 
 1677. Fol’ Bre Age Ss ct 
 * Nic. Antonii Bibiorh, Hifpan. x : 
 | Differt.de M. Villamsonc, and’Hift. du Monde par Chey- 
 ~ Teall. 2 ESR BSR SAS OOM Doe 
 
 ‘S 
 
Introd ution: | Vv 
 which eccafsondithe Lofs of all Brazil, and\ the Colo: 
 
 - nyof Para, at the Adouth of the River of Amazons — 
 
 fromthe Spaniards, were the Caufe of this Relatio 
 | being fuppre{s'd both iv Spain and America,le/t being 
 of no ufe to the Spaniards,toe Portuguez wight make 
 _ tangreat Advantages of it: Thus the Copies. of it 
 _ became. fo foarce, that the Editor of the French 
 Tranflation fays, there was mot one: fingle: Book any 
 where to be bad,except that the Tranflator ¢ AZ, Gom- 
 berville of the French Academy) made ufe of, and 
 perhaps there might be anotoer inthe Vatican Libra- 
 ry 3 for Philip the Fourth bad taken all poffible care 
 to get and deftroy moft of the printed Copies in Eu- 
 rope and the Wett-Indies, 
 +: In the Year 1655 the Count de Pagan, Master 
 of the Artillery, prefented to Mazarine Propofals for 
 conquering and planting this great River, but-the 
 Cardinal being involu’d in Domeftick Troubles, was 
 not at leifure to pufbon the Enterprize, tho it bad been 
 | Sirf frarted by that eminent Minifter himfelf. This 
 Difcourfe of Monfieur de Pagan ts extracted for the 
 moft part out of Acugna, and is a fort of Para- 
 phrafe upon him, full of Digreffions, and not con-* 
 — pacable to the Original it felf, which is more uniform 
  @ad-autbentich, containing abundance of remarkable 
 ~ Ghfervations, not mentioned by Pagan nor any other 
 Copift. whatfeever. The Cardinal was once refolu'd 
 “to plant five feveral Colonies ,. the firjft in the \fle ot 
 the Sun, to suard the beft Entrance into the Afouth 
 of the Amazone; the fecond on the Bofphore er 
 Strait, to keep the Paffage , the third ov the Points of 
 the Rio Negro; the fourth on the Znanes near the 
 Golden Mines ; the laft onthe Mouth of the Maraz- 
 nOii, to watch over the Spanifh Frontiers on that oe 
 ‘ 
 of Defcription de la Riviere & Pais’ des. Amazones per M. 
 Le Comre de Pagan 12°. Paris 1635. 
 
 
 
v1 Introduction. 
 of the Andes: This was the Plan of his Defign. 
 The many Difficulties of entring the Mouth, and 
 getting into the true Channel of this River of A- 
 _ mazons, ‘bave often difcouraged the Spaniards, 
 Englith, and Dutch from attempting to trade in it, 
 whereas upon Pradice and Experience it might prove - 
 as navigable as moft of the great Rivers of the World, 
 whofe Mouths are generally encumbred either with 
 Sands,) Flats, Iles; or impetuous Currents, which 
 after a few Trials become familiar. The way pro- — 
 pounded to the Cardinal was this. Firft {bun the 
 firong Currents, by paffing afide mto 2 Degrees of 
 South Latitude; then fteer up agen by the Coaft of 
 Brazil at 30 mine’ South Lat. double the Point of 
 Zaparara, and fail to the South-weft, after that 
 follow the Coajt of the Province of Para, and pafs 
 the Channel of the fle of the Sun at 1 Deg. 15 Ain, 
 South Lat. and 26 Leagues from the main Sea; laft- 
 ly, faitWeftward, leave the fide of Para, and keep 
 the fame Latitude to gain the Bank-fide of Curupa, 
 and there.enter into the beft Road of this River at 2 
 deg. S. Lat. and 30 Leagues beyond Curupa, which 
 is but 1 deg. 30 min. on the fame fide of the Line. — 
 ~ Since that time the French beimg Mafters of the 
 ifle of ‘Cayenne (which they have fortified and cul- 
 tivated) to the North of the Amazone, have not 
 (nor any other Nation that weknow of) planted any- 
 GCountrey on this River, but bave contented themfelves 
 with making Sourneys into Guiana, particularly i 
 fearch of the vaft Lake of Parima, which the Spani- 
 ards have long fancied to be * the richeft Place in 
 the World,calling it the Kingdom of Dorado, whither 
 all the great Families of Peru retir'd, and built the 
 : ASE eR NE . | Goldew 
 
 
 
 * Lopez de Gomara, alfo’ Hakluyt, and Parchas in their 
 Colleétions concerning Guiana. © 8 H tag. igo 
 
 yh 
 
wee Introduction.. .....,, .:.Vil 
 Golden City of +; Manoa.. What grounds the Spani- 
 ards went upon in their Attempts to find out theje 
 Places at a mighty. Expence of Blood and Treafure, 
 will. beft appear by the following Travels of M. Grillet 
 and. Bechamel, who. ment beyond the fuppos’d Lon- 
 gitudes of thefe Places, and could not learn. the 
 
 deat Tidings of them from any of the Indian 
 
 Nations, tho the Circumference of the Lake alone 
 ts generally reckowd to. be above 15co Miles. “Tis: 1 
 - true, fome may objed that this doth not wholly. de- 
 ftroy the common Geography of that Country, and 
 give this plaufible Argument, that the femple snocent 
 Indians are grown fo extremely fenfable of the cruel 
 Difpofitions of the Europeans, that they begin now to 
 conceal indujtrioufly every thing from them, and lead 
 them out of the way, left they (hould fix in their Coun- 
 try and. exercife thew Barbarities over them 5 * for by 
 a modeft Computation, the number of Americans 
 murder’d in cold Blood exceeds that of the People now 
 living in Europe... To this Fourney a fhort. Deforipti- | 
 on of Guiana, was thought fit to be annex?d, being . 
 drawn up by M. Gomberville out of Original Papers | 
 for the Inftru@ion and Ufe of Marefhal D’Eftrade, 
 Vice-roy of allthe French Plantations in America. 
 The Notes ave from another band, perbaps M. Villa- ba 
 mont, who was pleas’d to. divert himfelf with fuch fort 
 of Papers. : ‘3 | 
 ~ It. remains.now that we give fome Account of what : 
 Voyages baue been made up the River De la Plata. a 
 || In. the Year 1512, Joannes Dias de Solis ( and 
 SHO ARes agam | 
 | + Herrera, and John de Laet fpeak doubtfully of thefe 
 places, © fis PA 
 * Barth, de.tas Cafas. ( obifpo de las -Chiapas ). Hift. 
 dela deftrucion de los Indios, Venet. 1630... Alfo Hift. novi 
 orbis per Hier. Benzon. 4nd the Commett. Reales delos’\ - 
 Y¥neas, Reyes del Peru. fol.’ {| Pet. Maier. Decad. 3. cap.10. / 
 
 4 
 
 Mh 
 
 Ae 
 
 
 
Wi Introdution. 
 again im 1515.) was the firft Difcoverer of this 
 Plate or Silver River, wherein be aad moft of bis — 
 Relations {pent thew Lives and Effates. || An.1525. 
 Sebaitian Cabota, 4 Venetian by bis Father, but - 
 bora at Briftol im England, ment above 120 Leagues 
 uy this River, aud fatd in it above 15 Afonths. An, 
 ¥§27. Diego Garcias 4 Portuguez, made further 
 Difcoveries in it 5 but nothing more was done till nize 
 Years after, mben Pedro de Mendoza return’d mith 
 $2 Ships dnd 1009 Aten. And about the Year 1540. 
 * Alvarez Cabeca de Vacca went and peopled the 
 Provinces to fomse purpofe. At firjt they found much 
 Gold and Silver, with mfinite numbers of different 
 WVations ( foon leffened under the Tyranny and De- 
 waftations of their nem Adafters ) the Country prodi- 
 sioufly fertile, the Rivers overflowing every Year upon 
 the Stationary Rains, as the Amazone aud Ore- 
 nogue i Guiana, and as the Nile and the Niger 
 in Africa. Since then the Spaniards have been pofjeft 
 ‘of this part of America, and no Strangers bave 
 pafsd up this River to Potohl to give us any exad 
 Relation thereof; this of M. Acarete ws the. late/t, 
 find much more covious and particular than that of 
 Martin del Barco, er the. Dutch Fournal tranflated 
 from a Manufcript by J.de Laet im his Hitt. ind. 
 ~ befides, what is bere related by Acarete of the Adines 
 of Potoli is wholly new, and merits our notice. 
 “The way be ment feems to be afhorter and a fafer 
 ~ Paffage to and from the Adines of Potofi than that 
  afually praGis d by Arica, Lima, Panama and Porto- 
 Belo, efpecially now the Boucaniers are fo well. ac- 
 quainted with thofe Seas and Countries , but he bas 
 ‘given a pretty good reafon why the Spaniards don’t 
 open a Trade that way. 
 {| Ant. Galvancs’s Difcoveries, 4° and Fol. 
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 330 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 A Relation of the Great River 
 
 of AMAZONS in South-America. 
 
 Containing all the Particulars of 
 Father Chriftopber d Acugna’s Voy- 
 age, made at the Command of the 
 King of Spain. Ay 
 
 Taken from the Spanifh Original of ‘the 
 faid Chr. d? Acugna, Jefuit. 
 
 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 Of the Country in which the River of Ama+ 
 zons # fituated. Of tts Reputation, and 
 3 the firft Diftovertes the Spaniards made 
 of its as 
 
 ” H E Spaniards were no fooner bee 
 come Mafters of that Part of 
 
 America, which is now called 
 Pera, but they extremely defir’d 
 to make a Difcovery of the great River 
 of Amazons, which fome Geographers . 
 through a vulgar Error have call’d the — 
 | | B RIVER 
 
ee ee ee eee ee ee el 
 
 2 —. A Difcovery of 
 River of Maragnuon. _ They were induc’d 
 to.attempt this-not, only by the Account 
 they hadreceiv’d“of the Fertility of. the 
 Soil, and of the-Riches of the, People a- 
 long that famous River, but alfo becaufe 
 they ,hadavery, good: Reafons to: believe 
 that. it took its Courfe from the Weft.to 
 the Haft, and that receiving all-the Rivers 
 that defcend from the Mountains of Pera, 
 it was.a kind of Canal through which 
 there was'a Paffage from the Southern to- 
 the Northern Sea. Upon thefe Conjec- 
 tures fome Perfons undertook to go in 
 fearch of this River, but to no purpofe. 
 Others afterward made the like Effay,.but 
 with no better Succefs. . At length in the 
 Year:1539. Gouzalles Pizarre being made 
 Governor of the Province of Quzto by the 
 Marquefs Francis Pizarre his Brother, who: 
 
 . was Governor of Pery, put-himfelf in-an 
 Equipage to go to his Government, and 
 from thence to pafs on to the Conqueft of 
 
 the County of Cazzelle. He got together 
 two hundred Foot and a hundred Horfe, 
 partly at his.own Charge, and partly at 
 the Expence of fome that accompanied him 
 
 | io this Expeditions: which coft 
 
 * 4 Caftillan above fifty thoufand * Cafta- 
 
 about 5s. fore oe Id: Being artiv’d 
 6d. Eggi, tans.or Gold. Being arriv 
 
 ~~. af Quito, he order'd all necefla~ 
 | Sig : ry 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. = 3 
 ry Provifions to be made for his Journey, 
 took a great number of Indian Slaves to 
 carry ‘the Baggage, and fet forward at 
 the end of December in the Year 1539, | 
 with four hundred Spaniards and four 
 thoufand Indians. He order’d for the 
 Subfiftence of his Men four thoufand. 
 Sheep, Cows, and Swine to be driven 
 along with ’em; and taking his Courfe 
 directly Northward, he enter’d into the 
 Country of the Quixos, where the Con- 
 quefts of the Yaeas of Perz ended. This 
 Province is forty Leagues in length, and 
 _ twenty in breadth; and was inhabited by 
 a People that never us’d to dwell together 
 in’ Towns or Villages like‘thofe of Pery, 
 but liv’d ina ftraggling manner fcatter’d 
 upand down the Country. 
 
 
 
 : CHAP. IL. 
 
 The way Gonzales Pizatre took in pafing 
 out of Quito, and the Difficalties he met 
 with in his Journey. | 
 
 HE March of our Adventurers was. 
 retarded, not only by the Oppofit 
 
 on they had from the People of the Coun- 
 try, who difputed their Paflage, but alfo 
 Be boy 
 

 
 4 A Difcovery of 
 by continual Rains and Earthquakes. fo 
 violent, that. many Houfes . were .over- 
 turn’d, and deep Breaches ' made. in. the 
 Earth before ’em, together with fuch ter- 
 rible Storms and Claps of ‘Thunder,, that 
 any one but Gouzalles Pizarre would have 
 abandon’d fuch an Enterprize as feem’d to 
 be oppos’d both by Heaven and. Earth, 
 However he with his. Men did not give 
 over their March for all this bad Weather, 
 but crofs’d the Province of the. Quixos, 
 till they came to the foot of fome high 
 Mountains all cover’d with Snow,..which 
 make a part.of thofe which the Spaniards 
 call the Cordeliers, and which bound the 
 Province of the Qazxos on the, North. 
 Tho-the Rains fill. continued they .re- 
 folv’d to pafs over the Mountains, , but 
 were not far advanc’d before the Rain 
 -turn’d into.a Snow fothick and cold, that 
 many of the Indians were kill’d by it. ‘The 
 Spaniards. were likely.to have undergone 
 the fame fate, if they had continued their 
 March as they began: They concluded 
 that nothing but Expedition could fave 
 ?em from the Rigor of the Cold, and — 
 _ therefore left all the Cattle they had with 
 them, and lighted themfelves of the reft 
 of their Provifions and Baggage, hoping 
 they fhould find enough on t’other ade 
 the 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 5 
 the Mountains. When they were got 
 over them, they enter’d into a Valley call’d 
 Xygmaque, which is a hundred Leagues 
 from Quito by the account of good Geo- 
 graphers; there they found abundance of 
 Provifions and ‘Refrefhments, and. conti- 
 nued there two Months to acquaint them=. 
 felves with the Country, ‘and to fee if 
 they could make any advantage of it. . 
 But this Place not anfwering the great 
 hopes they had conceiv’d of their Adven- 
 ture, Pizarre ‘parted from Zamagque with 
 _ fixty good Souldiers to difcover the Coun- 
 try of Cazzelle ; but in purfuing the Courfe | 
 he had taken towards the North, he 
 found the way fo rough and mountainous, 
 that he ‘was ‘conftrain’d to change his 
 Road; he therefore curn’d direétly to the 
 Kaft, and after fome few days march, en- 
 - ter’d into that famous Country call’d by 
 _ the Inhabitants Camnelle, from certain great — 
 Trees, like Olive-Trees, that are call’d fo 
 in that Place. : 
 
 
 
s 
 
 6 A Difcovery of 
 
 } 
 
 
 
 CHA P. iit. 
 The Countries near the River of Amazons 
 ~ difcover'd by Gonzalles Pizarre, 
 
 YY Errera the Spanifh Hiftorian fays, 
 Pizarre exercis’d the greateft Cru- 
 elty imaginable on the Inhabitants of thefe 
 Regions, infomuch that he gave Men to 
 be ‘eaten alive by his Dogs. This en- 
 gag’d all the Country to put themfelves 
 in Arms againft him, fo that he was 
 oblig’d to encamp himfelf as in an Ene- 
 my’s Country: And his Cruelties, toge- 
 ‘ther with the Defpair he was in of ever 
 being able to find what he was fecking . 
 after, had like to have put an end to his 
 Enterprize at once. He was encamp’d 
 on the Bank of a River, which {well’d 
 fo much in one Night, that if the Senti- 
 nels, who perceiv’d the Water was apace 
 getting ground of ’em, had not warn’d 
 *em of their Danger, they had been all - 
 _ drown’d ; but at the Alarm they gave em ~ 
 they foon fecur’d themfelves by’ making 
 towards the Cottages of the wild People, 
 and Pizarre refolv’d to return to Zama- 
 que, not knowing what other courfe to 
 « Bars pibv2 ce Me Abie eer sta be ay take. 
 
 thes 4 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 
 take. From thence he proceeded again — 
 
 swith all his ‘Men, and after a\ March of 
 four Leagues, he met with a great Vil- 
 
 lage calPd Ampua,’ goverii’d by: a Cacique, 
 
 and found.a. great number’ of the Inha- 
 bitants if a. pofture of Defence expeCting 
 their Enemy. © But there was another and 
 a greater Obftacle in his way than this 
 
 Cacigue-and all his Troops, and that was — 
 
 a River fo wide and deep, that he could 
 
 p | 
 
 have no thoughts of venturing to fwim . 
 
 over it. He could-therefore find no bet- 
 ter Expedient than to enter-ihto a Treaty 
 with the People of the Country, and to 
 defire the help of their Canoos to crofs 
 this ‘River. “The .Cacigue receiv’d this 
 Propofal with great Civility, offer’d ’em 
 what they ask’d, and gave ’em as many 
 of thofe little Boats as they defir’d, and 
 Pizarre made’em a return of a great ma- 
 ny little Spanifh Toys by way of Re- 
 quital, This Cacique having receiv’d Ad- 
 vice of the ill Treatment many of his 
 Neighbours had receiv’d from the Spa- 
 niards, thought of nothing more than 
 how to get rid of them: And to deliver 
 himfelf from the danger of the Compa- 
 
 ny of fuch. bad Guefts, endeavour’d to ~ 
 
 make ’em believe there were great Riches 
 -to be found among the Peopie that dwelt 
 , B4 Upon 
 

 
 BA Difeovery. of 
 
 gpon this River fome days Journey lower. 
 Pizarre both by his A€tions, and by the 
 Mouth of his Guides, who were his In- 
 terpreters, return’d him Thanks for-his 
 Courtefy : but finding no appearance of 
 thofe pretended Riches, he return’d to 
 Aumaque, very much diflatisfied with his 
 Expedition. However, he had too much 
 Courage to return back, to Quito juft as 
 he came ; he had a mind therefore to at- 
 
 — fempt fome great Exploit, and by the 
 
 Difcovery of. fome other Pera, to render 
 himfelf as. confiderable.as the Marquefs 
 
 of Prearre his elder Brother ;, He open’d 
 
 his Mind to. Francis Oreillave,a Gentleman 
 of Traxzllo in Spain, who.was.come-to 
 join him in the Valley, of. Ramaque with 
 fifty Troopers well appointed: Heivery 
 much encourag’d his Defign;, and tho the 
 
 ' Rainy Seafon was not yet paft, that did 
 
 not hinder him from advancing forward ; 
 he Jeft his little Army at Zumaque, and 
 having taken a. hundred -effeGtive Soul- 
 diers, and fome Indians for Guides, and 
 to carry Provifions, he march’d direttly 
 totheEat : 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 9 
 
 
 
 GH. A Pal V.. 
 
 The firft News be receiv'd of this famous 
 River, and of the Riches of the People 
 that dwell near it. | mh 
 
 VF ther the Ignorance of his Guides, or 
 the Hatred they bare him engaged 
 him in a Country all full of Mountains, 
 Forefts and Torrents, fo that he was ne- 
 ceffitated to make Ways where he found 
 none,and to open himfelfa Paflage through 
 the Woods with Hatchets, where none had 
 ever gone before. At length after many 
 days ‘March he pierc’d through as far as 
 the Province of Coca. ‘The Cacique of 
 which Province came before him, and of- 
 fer’d him all the Accommodations the 
 Country afforded for his Refrefhment. 
 
 Gonzalles promis’d himfelf much from this 
 
 -kind Entertainment, and by the Affiftance 
 of his Guides enter’d into Converfaton 
 with the Cacique. He inform’d him that 
 _the Country through which he had pafs’d, 
 which was fo full of Mountains, Forefts 
 and Brooks, was the only Paflage he could 
 have taken to come thither ; that it was 
 extremely difficult to get through it, but 
 MBL ee | that, 
 
. 
 
 __ Courfe of the River. ‘This good way 
 
 10 =. ot Difcovery of ©: 
 
 that if he were willing to embark on the 
 
 River he faw before him,or to follow it by 
 
 Land, he might affure himfelf, that alone — 
 
 the Banks of another River much greater 
 than this, he fhould find «a Country a- 
 Bounding with all things, whofe Inha- 
 
 ~ bitants were cover’d with Plates of Gold. 
 
 There was no need of faying any thing 
 more to Pizarre to incite him to any kind 
 of Enterprize ; who prefently fent two of 
 his Guides to Kamaque with Orders to his 
 
 Officers to come and joinhim,whomarch’d 
 
 immediately, and furmounting all the Dif- 
 ficulties of the way, arrrv’d much fatigued 
 to the Town of Coca. | Pizarre having 
 refted ’em fome few days, and after- 
 wards put them in Battalia before the 
 Cacique, who was much terrified at them ; 
 he amafs’d almoft all the Provifions: of 
 his whole Province to make a Prefent of 
 them to Pizarre, that by this Magnifi- 
 cence he might civilly acquit himfelf of 
 his new Acquaintance, who was more 
 impatient of his flay than the other; and 
 the next Morning having filed his Troops 
 
 ‘along the River, he took his leave of » 
 the Cacique, prefenting him with a fine — 
 
 Sword, and put himfelf atthe head of 
 his Cavalry, and followed the pleafant 
 
 did 
 
 \ 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 414 
 did not laft long, but they had Rivulets 
 to {wim over, -muft go up-hill and down- 
 hill in uneven ways, and march forty 
 three days without finding any Provifion 
 for his Troops, or any Fords or Canoos 
 by which to pafs the River. | 
 
 
 
 oy: bal cere 
 
 The Difcovery which Pizavre. made ef the 
 
  Riwer of Coca, azd Oreillane’s floating 
 on this River by Pizarve’s order, and fo 
 entering into the River of Amazons, 
 
 ’ His long March having mightily 
 
 fatigued our Travellers, they were 
 ftop’d by a very furprizing fight: The 
 River was prefs’d by two Rocks, one 
 on each fide its Paflage, at no more than 
 twenty foot diftance from one another ; 
 and the Water going through this Strait, 
 precipitated it felf into a Valley, and 
 made a Leap of two hundred Fathom. 
 Here it was that Pizarre-caus’d that fa- 
 mous Bridg to be, made. for his ‘Troops 
 to pafs over, which is fo much boafted 
 of by the Spanifh Hiftorians. But find- 
 ing the Way not at all better on the 
 other fide, and their Provifiom growing 
 a Apogee An? sae more | 
 

 
 \ 
 
 2 qi Diary J 
 more:and more fcarce every day; Pizarré 
 refolv’d to make a Brigantine to carry 
 by Water all his fick Men, Provifions, 
 Baggage, and a hundred thoufand Livres 
 in Gold which they had got amongft 
 em. This was no fmall Difficulty, but 
 ‘Unduftry and Neceffity furmounted it; 
 and the Veffel being finifhed, Pizarre em- 
 bark’d all in it that hindred his March, 
 and gave the Command of it to. Fraxcis 
 Oreilane with fifty Souldiers, giving him 
 exprefs Order net to part far from him, 
 but to come every Night to the Camp. 
 He obferv’d this Order exaétly, till his 
 General feeing all his Men were much 
 pinch’d with: Hunger, commanded him 
 to go.and feek fome Provifions and Cot- 
 tages, where his Men might be 'refrefhed. 
 Oreillane had no. fooner: veceiv’d: his ‘Or- 
 ‘ders, but he launched out into the mid- 
 dle of the River; and the Rapidity of 
 the Stream carry'd him as faft as he could 
 wifh, for he made above a hundred 
 Leagues in three days without the’ ufe of 
 either Sails or Oars: The Current ‘ of 
 Coca. carried him into another River: 
 which was much larger, but nothing’ 
 near fo fwift ; he made his Obfervation of - 
 it one whole day, and feeing that the 
 farther he went down, the more the Ri- 
 
 ver 
 

 
 the Riverof Atnazons. 13 
 yer .widen’d, he did not doubt but this * 
 was that great River which had been fo 
 often and in vain foughtafter. The Joy 
 
 _ he conceiv’d-at his good Fortune fo tran{= 
 
 \ \ported him, that it made him quite forger 
 himfelf; fo that he thought of nothing 
 But the Enjoyment of this good Succefs ; 
 and trampling upon his Duty, Oath, Fide- 
 lity and Gratitude, he had now nothing in 
 view but how to bring about the Enter- 
 prize he was contriving. 
 
 
 
 CH AS. VA 
 
 Oreillane oping for an extraordinary Suc. 
 
 __c¢fs from the Difcovery of this River , and 
 being willing to have the fole Glory of it, 
 leaves his General, and makes hinsfelf the 
 Head. of this Enterprize. : 
 
 FO ..this end Oreillane perfwaded his 
 
 B. . Companions thatthe Country whi- 
 ther they. were arriv’d, was not the fame | 
 with that which their General had de- 
 {cribed:; that it had not that great Plenty — 
 the Cacique had told him he fhould find © 
 at, the, joining of the two Rivers; that 
 they, muft certainly float along farther. 
 to find that pleafant:and fertile Coun- 
 di ahi 
 
A (ab Difcovery of 
 try, where they might -ftore themfelves 
 with Provifions; and befides that; they 
 all faw there was no likelihood of getting 
 up this River again, which indeed’ they 
 came down i three days, but, as he be-. 
 liey’d, could not make the fame way 
 back again in the fpacé of a whoie Year ; 
 that it was much more reafonable to wait 
 for their Company on this new River, 
 and that in the mean’ time 1t was: necefla- 
 ty for em to go feek Provifions. ‘Thus 
 concealing his Defign, he hoifted up the 
 Sails, and abandoning himfelf to the ~ 
 Wind, to his Fortune, and. to his Refo- 
 _Jution, hé thought of nothing but of pur- 
 fuing the courfe of the River, till he 
 fhould difcover it quite to: the Sea. His 
 | Companions were ftartled at the manner 
 ; ef his-putting in execution the Defign he 
 « had been’ propofiag. to’ em, and thought 
 themfelves oblig’d to tell him that he 
 went beyond the Orders of his General ; 
 and' that inthe extrerne want he wasin, 
 \ they ought to carry Tim the little Provi= _ 
 a fen they could find; and that he’ had 
 oa a4 fufficient Evidence'that he had‘fome 
 il Defign, becaufe he: had negletted to 
 leave two Canoos.at the Bank of the two 
 Rivers, as the General lad appointed him, 
 for his Army to pafs overin: ‘Thefe Res. 
 ag 3 : mons 
 
 
 
the Riverof Amazons. vg 
 mionftrances ‘were made to him chiefly by 
 a: Dominican Frier nam’d Gafpard de Cars 
 vajal, and bya young’ Gentleman of 
 Badajos in Spain,’ call’d Fernand Sanches 
 de Vargas, “The Confideration they had 
 for thefe two Perfons occafion’d a Divi- 
 fion of the Company in this little Veffel 
 into two Parties; and from Words they 
 were like to have fallen to Blows, but . 
 that Orveillane ftifling their Gratitude by his 
 Diffimulation, by fair Proteftations and 
 great Promifes appeas’d this Diforder. 
 By means of the Friends he had in the 
 Veflel he gain’d moft of the Souldiers that 
 were again{t him to his fide; and feeing . 
 the two Heads of the other Party left 
 almoft alone,’ he caus’d Fernand Sanches de 
 Vargas to be fet afhore, leaving him quite 
 alone, without Vittuals’ and without 
 Arms, ina difmal Wildernefs, bounded on 
 one fide with high Mountains, and witha 
 River on the other: He had more Pru- 
 dence than to treat the Frier after the 
 fame manner, yet he gave him to under- 
 ftand, that it was not for him to pene- 
 trate any more into the Pretenfions of his 
 Commander, unlefs he had a mind to be 
 feverely chaftis’d: After this he continued 
 his Voyage ; and the next day being wil- 
 ling to know if he might depend i 
 
 | ; a 
 

 
 26, ch Difeveyof 
 all that were with hira for the ficcefs 
 of. his Refolutions, he let "em know that 
 he afpir’d to a: much higher pitch of Dig- 
 
 nity than what he might have obtain’d , 
 in the Service: of Pizarre, that he ow’d | 
 
 every thing to himfelf and his King ; and 
 that his Fortune having as it were led 
 him by. the hand, to the greateft and 
 moft defirable Difcovery that was ever 
 made in the Indies, namely, the great 
 River _upon ~which they were failing, 
 which coming out of Perz, and running, 
 from Weft to Eaft, was the fineft Channel 
 in the new World, through which one 
 might pafs from the Northern to the 
 Southern Sea: that he could not without 
 betraying them all, and without ravifh- 
 
 ing from them the. Fruits of their Voy- 
 
 age and Induftry, make others fhare ina 
 Favour which Heaven had referv’d for 
 them alone. ~That as for himfelf, his De- 
 fign was to go into Spain, to beg of his 
 
 Catholick Majefty the Government of this: 
 great Country all along this noble Ri-’ 
 ver; he promis’d them they fhould be all ° 
 
 Governours of Caftles and Towns, and 
 have other Recompences proportionate to 
 their Valour and Generofity; that they 
 fhould only follow him; that they knew 
 him well; that he was not uncapable oe 
 
 4 
 
 ; Me Sea 
 

 
 the Riverof Amazons. 1% 
 
 Poft he defign’d to''ask of the King, and 
 _ that it Was certainly due to him for 
 having made a“Difcovery of the Country. 
 That ‘as for the Oath he had taken to 
 Pizarre, he difingae’d himfelf of it; thar 
 he was refolv’d to Be commanded by him 
 no longer ; that he reneunc’d the Power he 
 fhad receiv’d from him, and wotld: have 
 no other Authority nor Command but 
 
 what he ask’d of them, and what they 
 
 would give him in naming hint chief 
 Commander, under the King their Mafter; 
 in the Difcovery of this great River. 
 
 
 
 
 
 ASAE A Ba AIG ce 
 
 Oreillane gives his Name to this River. 
 The Change of the. Name he had given tt 
 by a Fable himfelf compos’d, to render his 
 Difcovery the more famous. 
 
 > 
 2, 4 
 
 Hi: Hatangue was followed with 4 
 
 3 general Confent to make-him the 
 
 Head of this Enterprize, He began to 
 ufe his Authority in giving his Name to 
 
 this great and famous River, and not con: - 
 
 tent to know the courfe of it, he was de- 
 firous of difcovering the Country it wa- 
 
 ter’d. He therefore went afhore to get - 
 Cc 
 
 Provis 
 
 
 
18 A Difcovery of 
 Provifions, and to acquaint himfelf with 
 the Inhabitants: But he found the Peo- 
 ple able to defend their Bread, and had {e- 
 veral Battels with the Natives, who let 
 him know they were not without Cou- 
 rage; nay, they were fo ftout and refo- 
 lute inthe defence of their Country, that 
 the Women mix’d themfelves: with the 
 Men in the Battel, and feconded them 
 with admirable Bravery both in {hooting 
 of Arrows, and in ftanding their Ground. 
 *T'was this that gave occafion to Oreillane, 
 that he might render his Difcovery more. 
 confiderable and glorious, to tell that he 
 had enter’d into a Country of vaft Extent 
 along this River, which was govern’d by 
 Amazons, a fort of Wornen who had no 
 Husbands, who deftroy’d all their Male- 
 Children ; and who came arm’d at a cer- 
 tain time every Year in a Body) to. the 
 Frontiers of their Neighbours, there to 
 choofe themfelves'Paramours, to prevent 
 the Extinction ‘of fo extraordinary a Nati- 
 on: And this was the reafon why this Ri- 
 ver he had firft call’d after his own Name, 
 was fince call’d the River of Amazons. 
 However Oreillane purfued his Courfe 
 with a great deal of Succefs, and the more 
 he advane’d, the more all things feem’d 
 to concur to profper his Infidelity. As he 
 se : Went 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. . 19 
 
 went farther down, he found other People, 
 not fo warlike and favage as the others: 
 They receiv’d him with a great deal of 
 Civility, and admir’d all that he and his 
 
 Company did, and all that they had, their — 
 
 Perfons, their Clothes, their Armis, their 
 Veffel, and every thing elfe: They look’d 
 upon ’em. asa fort of extraordinary Men, 
 were willing to enter into an amicable 
 
 Treaty with’em, and gave ’em as much - 
 
 Provifion as they could defire; 
 
 
 
 @H'AP,- VI: 
 - Oreillane paffes out of this River by an Arm 
 that goes. into the Sea near the North- 
 Cape. His Voyage into Spain to. beg of 
 the Kjng the Congqueft and Goverment 
 of this Country. His unfortunate Re- 
 
 turin, and his End worthy of his Trea-’ 
 
 therye er 
 
 co Reillane finding himfelf in a Poft fo | 
 
 : favourable to his Defigns, ftop’d 
 here for fome time, and_caus’d another 
 Brigantine. to be made. larger than the 
 former, becaufe;they..were too much 
 crowded ‘in it...He~continued, there as 
 long’as was neceflary to inform himfelf 
 
 teat C.22 well 
 
202 A Difcovery of 
 
 well of the Country ; and having .takers 
 his Farewel of the courteous Indians, he 
 fet fail. After feveral days Voyage, he 
 happily came tothe place where this Ri- 
 ¥er goes cut into the Sea, and faiP’d out 
 with it; and taking good notice of the 
 Flaces neceflary to be obferv’d for his Re- 
 turn, he coafted along a Cape, now call’d 
 the North Cape, 200 Leagues. from. the 
 
 Tland La Trinidada, and faild direQy thi- — 
 
 ther, where he bought a Veflel, in which 
 he pafsd into Spaim, and prefented himfelf 
 
 to the Emperor Charles V. at Vaslladolid ;, 
 
 hé fo:charm’d the. Emperor with the a- 
 
 _ greeable recital of his Adventures, and 
 with the fair Promifes he made, that he - 
 
 obtain’d three Ships of him in which to: 
 retutn from whence he came, with Or- 
 ders to build Forts and Houfes.in thofe 
 places which he fhould find moft com- 
 modious, and to take poffeffion. of the 
 
 Country in the Name of this Prince, 
 
 His Difpatches were foon given, but the 
 
 execution of ’em was very tedious; for | 
 
 he wasabove feven Years at the Court of 
 Spain before he could put himfelf in a 
 condition to fail. . About the end of the 
 
 Year 1549, he imbark’d with all his. 
 
 Men; but was -no fooner got to the Lati- 
 tude. of the Canaries, but a contagious 
 et hed é | Diftem- 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 24 
 Diftemper paffing from one of his Veffels 
 into the others, took of part of his Soul- 
 diers, a confiderable number of ’em was | 
 carried off foon after by the fame Infeti- 
 on, tho he was got no further than Cape- 
 Ferd, when he was advis’d to return back 
 to Spain: He was {0 raf notwithftand- 
 ing as to cogtinue his Voyage, and to pro- 
 mife himfelf the fight of the River of 4- 
 mazons for allthis: And indeed he did fee 
 it, and came to the Mouth of it with his 
 Vellels but finding he wanted Mer, he 
 order’d em all to come aboard his ewn 
 Ship, and guitted thetwo others. But the 
 number of his Men daily diminifhing, 
 having built two Barks in an Ifland where 
 he had made fome ftay, he only referv’d 
 _himfelf one of them, of a pretty large 
 _ fize, and feveral times attempted to get 
 
 up higher intothe River. He was, 1n fine, 
 neceffitated to yield to his Fortune, which 
 had forfaken him, and fuffer’d him to go 
 to the place of his Ruin. He was caft on 
 ‘the Coafts of Caracas, and from thence 
 upon a certain Tfland call’d St. Marguerite, 
 where he loft the laft of his Men ; and dy- 
 ing as well with Defpair as Sicknefs, he 
 made Charles V. lofe the great Hopes he 
 had conceiv’d of fo daring an Enterprize. 
 
 C3 <CHAP. 
 
 
 
g % 
 
 22 A Difcovery of - 
 
 
 
 CPAP AX, - 
 This Difcovery thus begunin 1540, remainrd 
 imperfect till the Year 1560, when a Spa~ 
 nifh Gentleman named Orfua, ask'd leave 
 of the Vice-Roy of Peru to make this 
 Difcovery. His Equipage, and the be- 
 ginning of his Voyage, and his parting 
 from Quito, 1 j ny 
 
 7 (HE ill Succefsof Oreillane’s Voyage 
 cool’d the ardent Defire the Spa- » 
 niards had for the Difcovery of the River 
 of Amazons; and it feem’d quite extin- 
 suifh’d by the Civil Wars of Perz, till — 
 the Marquefs de Cagwete being Vice-Roy _ 
 of that Kingdom, a Gentleman of Navarre, 
 nam’d Peter de Orfva, who had always en- 
 tertain’d Thoughts worthy of his great 
 Courage, turn’d his Defigns on this great - 
 River, and believ’d he fhould be more 
 fortunate than Oreillane : He prefented him-. 
 felf to the Vice-Roy, and propos’d his | 
 Defign.to him ; who being wellacquainted 
 with his Merit, commended his Refolu- 
 tion, and was perfwaded, that if fo diff- 
 cule a matter fhould fucceed, it muft be 
 by the Conduct of fo brave and. wife a 
 C ommander. He immediately difpatch’d 
 all necelary Orders for-himi, and caus’d a 
 ye ie Cae Publi- 
 
the River of Amazons. 23 
 
 Publication of his Attempt to be made 
 throughout the Kingdom, Moft of the 
 _ Gentry. came to offer their Service to Or- . 
 faa; who was fo much in every one’s 
 Efteem, that there was no Souldier fo old, 
 but would leave his Retirement with Plea- 
 fure to ferve under fo excellent a General. 
 His chief trouble was to return his Thanks 
 to fo many of ’em as he could not take 
 along with him: he made choice of fuch 
 amonegft ’em as weré moft fit for his pur- 
 pofe ; and tocarry on the famous Conqueft 
 he defign’d, he madeall neceflary Provi- 
 fions both of Ammunition and Vi€tuals, to 
 which ‘all the Lords and the Inhabitants of 
 the Towns contributed with a great deal 
 of Freedom .and Liberality, being well 
 perfwaded' that Or/va had Qualities that 
 well deferv’d to be oblig’d. He parted 
 from Cafcoin 1560, with the Acclamati- 
 ons and good Wifhes of all the Inhabitants 
 of that Place; he was attended with above 
 feven hundred choice Souldiers, and with a 
 confiderable number of very good Horfes, 
 - Being well. vers’d in the Map of Pera, 
 and ‘having for fome time been laying the 
 Scheme of his Journey, he march’d dire- 
 . ly tothe Province of Mojilones, firit to meet 
 » the River Moyabamba,by which he was fure 
 of entring into the River of Amazons. 
 ian C4 CHAP. 
 
teed 
 
 mar. Difcovery of 
 
 
 
 a pcos FL Ane ake nee 
 The Tragical End of Orfua by the Revolt of 
 “two of his Officers, who were fallen in love 
 . with their General’s Lady. The yet-more 
 Tragical. End of thofe two Rebels one 
 after Pother. And the Crueity of one of 
 them againft his own Dasghter. ; 
 
 WNE would have hop’d an Attempt 
 A {o wilely laid, and fo univerfally ap- 
 
 
 
 prov'd, fhould have had a happy Iffue: 
 Yet never was any Proje€t more unfuccefs- 
 ful; for Orfaahad taken with him one Doz 
 Fernand de Gufman,a young Man who was 
 
 lately come from Spain, and another more 
 : . 
 
 _ advanc’d in Years, named Lopez. Dagairre 
 . Of Bycay, a little ill-favour’d Man, whom 
 “he had made his. Enfign.. Thefe two 
 Wretches fell in Love with their General’s 
 Lady, whofe Name was Agnes, and who 
 had accompanied her Husband in all his 
 Travels; and thinking they hada favou: 
 rable occafion to fatisfy their Luft and Am- 
 bition together, engag’d Or/na’s Troops ta 
 revolt, and affaffinated him. After this 
 Tragical Fa€t the Traitors who corunit- 
 _ ted it, who to the number of feven of 
 eight were in a ftrict Confederacy, elected 
 a es A We GATE ee RN tts Be cere Ele AR Doz 
 
the River of Amazons. 25 
 Don. Fernand de Gafman for their King ; 
 whofe Mind was vain enough to réceive 
 that Title which became him fo little: But 
 he did not enjoy it long; for thofe very. 
 Perfonsthat had given him the Quality of 
 King, gave him his Death’s Waund too, 
 and Daguirre fucceeded him, who made 
 himfelf King, notwithftanding the Re- 
 monftrances of others: And naming him- 
 felf the Rebel and Traitor, he gave all thofe » 
 he had gain’d to his Party to underftand, 
 that he intended to make himfelf Matter . 
 of Guiana, of Peru, and of the new King- 
 dom of peti and promis’d ’em all the 
 Riches of thofe great Kingdoms His 
 Reign was fo bioady and sees that 
 the like Tyranny was fcarce'ever heard of 
 in the World; ‘Therefore the Spaniards to 
 this day call him the Tyrant.. However 
 he commanded Ov/aa’s Veflels, and went 
 down the River Coca into the Amazone, 
 hoping to obtain one of thofe Kingdoms, 
 and to makea confiderable Progrefs into it. 
 But having enter’d the Amazone, he was 
 not ableto mafter the Current of it, and 
 fo was conftrained to fuffer himfelf to be 
 carried downto the Mouth of a River a- 
 bove a thoufand Leagues from the place 
 where he imbark’d, and ‘was driven:in- 
 tothe great Channel which goes to the 
 EA PR ore © IN OrEne 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26 OA Difcoveryofe vs 
 
 North-Cape, being the fame way Oreillane 
 had taken before him. Going out of the 
 Amazone, he came’to the ifand of St. Mar! 
 guerite, which is to thisday call’d'the'T y= 
 rant’s Port; there he kil?d) Dox Irean de 
 Villa. Angrada, Governour. of the Tland, 
 and Doz ‘fohu Sermiento his Father: : After 
 their Death, with the Affftance of one 
 fohn Burg, he made himfelf Mafter: of 
 the Ifand, plunder’d it intirely; and there 
 committed unheard-of * Barbarities.» He 
 kill'd all that oppos’d him, and paft from 
 thence to Cumana, where he exercis’d the 
 fame Cruelties : He after that defolated all 
 
 _thofe Coafts that bear the Name of Ca- 
 
 rvacas, and all the Provinces along the Ri- 
 
 vers Venezuellaand Baccho. Hethen came 
 
 to St. Martha, where he put all to the 
 Sword, and enter’d the new Kingdom of 
 Grenada, defigning to march from thence 
 through Quito into Pera.. In this King- 
 
 dom he was fore’d to a Battel, in which he 
 
 was utterly defeated, and putto flight, but 
 all Ways being ftop’d, he found he muft 
 perith; and therefore begins his Tragedy 
 witha fort of Barbarity without Example: 
 _ Hehad a Daughter by his Wife Mendo- 
 za, that had follow’d him in his Expedi- 
 tions,and whomhe lov’dentirely. Daugh- 
 ter (fays he toher) I muft kill, thee : I 
 “ €- 
 
the River of Amazons. a7 
 defign’d to have placd:thee on:a Throne, 
 but fince Fortune oppofes.it; Iam-not-wili 
 ling thoudhouldft-live to-fuffer the Shame 
 of becoming a Slave to my. Enemies, and 
 of being:call’d the Daughter of a Tyranr 
 and. a Traitor. Die, my Child, die by 
 the Hand of thy Father, if thou haft not 
 Courage enough to die by thy own. She 
 furpriz’dat this Difcourfe, defir’d him at 
 leaft to give her fome time to prepare.for 
 Death, and to beg of God the Pardon of 
 her Sins: This he granted ; but thinking 
 her too tedious in her Devotion,-as fhe 
 was praying upon her Knees he fhot her 
 through the Body with a Carbine; but 
 haying not kill’d her out-right, he ftuck 
 his Dagger into her Heart. She falling 
 down at the Stroke, cry’d, Ah, Father, 
 tis enough ! | 
 Soon after her Death he was taken and 
 carried Prifoner to the Ifland La Trini- 
 dada, where he had a confiderable Eftate. 
 His Procefs was made, and he condemp’d 
 to be quarter’d ; he was publickly execu- 
 ted, his Houfes raz’d to the Ground, and. 
 the places where they ftood fow’d with 
 Salt, as may be feen to this day. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 — 
 
28 ae. A Difcovery f 
 
 q CHAP, XB. 
 This Difcovery by thefe fad Accidents conti~ 
  waed thus without any farther Advance- 
 ment, from the Tear 1560 to 1606, whex 
 _ two Felutts venturd to go and preach the 
 - Gofpel along this River, and were there 
 martyra. Many other Attempts formd 
 fiace by great Perfons without Succe(s. 
 
 ~Y CHE unhappy Iffue of thefe two En- 
 -terprizes abated the Defires of o- 
 thers after this Difcovery to that degree, 
 that the laft Age paft without any farther 
 knowledg of this great River: But our 
 Age has been more happy, and we have 
 feen this great Defign perfeCtly executed 
 in our days. In 1606, and 1607, two 
 Fathers of the Jefuits Society mov’d with 
 the defire of the Converfion of thofe. 
 batbarous People, went from ets and 
 pierc’d as far as the Province of the Co- 
 fanes, who inhabit thofe Parts where the 
 Springs of the River Coca rife. Thofe 
 good Fathers were willing to begin the 
 Publication of the Gofpel among thefe 
 ~ People: But the Hour of their being call’d° 
 to the Knowledg of God was not yet 
 Pe oR come; 
 

 
 the River of Amazons: 29 
 come ;. for they found thefe Men fo cruel, 
 and. fo uncapable..of hearing the Word; 
 _. that they kill’d one of thefe Fathers nam’d 
 Raphael Ferrier, and made the other fly 
 
 for his Life. dial wane att 
 
 Inthe Year 1621. under the Reign of 
 Philip IV. King of Spain, Vincent. Delos 
 Reyes de Villalobos, Serjeant-Major, Gover- 
 nor and .Captain-General of the Country 
 of the -Qzixos, refoly’d to attempt the 
 Navigation of the River Amazone; but 
 receiving an Order to quit his Govern- 
 ment, he was oblig’d to Jay afide the 
 thoughts of this:Adventure. Alozze Mi- 
 vanda form’d the fame Defign, prepar’d his 
 Equipage, and took all neceflary Precau- 
 tions to overcome all the Difficulties of 
 the. Attempt, but had no better fuccefs 
 than the others, for he dy’d without ha- 
 ving fo much as feen this famous River. 
 Before either of thefe two the General 
 Fofeph de Villamayor Maldonado Governor 
 of the Quixos, incited by the fame Mo- 
 tives of the Glory of God, the Grandure — 
 of the King his Mafter, and the Salvation 
 of fo many Infidels, had confum’d all he 
 had in the World in endeavouring to fet- 
 tle himfelf among thofe People that dwell 
 on the Borders of that wonderful River. © 
 
 CHAP. 
 
30. A Difcovery Ne 
 
 
 
 CHAP Kine ssn 
 The Commiffion the King of Spain fént to 
 
 the Governour of Brazil to make this 
 
 Difcovery. SOSH OES : 
 
 “PHE Spaniards were not the only 
 : ‘Conquerors of the new World, 
 that.exprefled fo earneft a defire to render — 
 themfelves Matters of thofe unknown Na- 
 tions. ‘The Portuguez were no lefs eager 
 in the fame Defign, and knowing they 
 were not far diftant from the Mouth of the 
 River, they were willing to believe this 
 Difcovery was referv’d for them. “In the 
 Year 1626, Bonito Macal then Governour 
 of Para receiv’d a Commiffion from Phi- 
 lip IIT. King of Spaiz, to put to Sea with 
 fome good Ships for this purpofe, and try 
 if he could overcome the ‘Difficulties: of 
 this Difcovery; but he could not ‘put in’ 
 execution thefe Orders ‘of his Catholick - 
 Majefty, being call’d away by others more 
 prefling, which oblig’d him to gointo the 
 King’s Service at Phernambuc: 
 
 In 1633, and 1634. the King of Spain 
 
 being extremely impatient to fee that En- 
 terprize at laft fucceed, which had fo ma- 
 tat aS tae . ny 
 
the Riverof: Amazons. 3% 
 ny times been in vain attempted, fent very 
 preffing Orders-to~Framcefco Coello Gover- 
 nor and Captain-General of the Ifland of 
 Maraguan, and of the Townand Fortrefs — 
 of Para, to’arm a confiderable Force to 
 attempt an effectual Difcovery of this 
 ’ River : And dire&ted him in his Orders, in 
 cafe he had “no Officer near him upon 
 whofe ConduG he could depend for. the 
 execution of this Defign, to go in Perfon 
 himfelf, becaufe he was refolv’d abfolutely 
 to know whether it were impoffible to go 
 up this River, and to find the Source of 
 it,-and, confequently its'length. | Carvallo 
 could not obey the King his Mafter, be* 
 caufe he did not think himfelf in a Con- 
 dition to abfent himfelf from his Govern- 
 ment,.and to divide his Forces at a time ' 
 when -he expefted to’ be attacked by the: 
 Dutch, who were unwilling to lofe any 
 opportunity of making their Defcents in- 
 to. Brazil: But what he did not think 
 jeafible,. without the help of a good num- 
 ber of Men and Veffels, was happily ac- 
 -complifhed by the good Fortune of two 
 _ Lay-Friers of the Order of St. Francis, 
 after the following manner. Pp 
 
 lahive owieer 
 CHAP, 
 
as A Difeovery of oes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 } - CHAP. XII. 
 
 That which fo many brave Met were not able 
 .. to perform, was accomplifl’d by two Lay- 
 _ Friers of the Order of St. Francis, whe 
 
 .  efeaped the hands of the Indians. 
 
 BY CHE Town of St. Francis in the Pro-- - 
 vince of Quito is one of the fineft 
 in America ; it is built upon one of thofe 
 ftupendous Mountains, which the Spa- 
 niards call Cordeliers, and Terras; half a 
 degree South of the Equinottial Line; yet 
 
 is it of the moft agreeable Temperature, 
 and the moft plentiful and healthful Place 
 in all Perz, and is never incommoded by 
 
 _exceflive Heat. In 1635, 1636;and 1637, 
 
 Captain ohn de Palacios having under- 
 taken to attempt the Difcovery of this Ri- 
 ver, to that end made a {mall Provifion of. 
 Arms, defiring rather to acquaint himfelf 
 with the Country, and to people it; than 
 to fubdue the Inhabitants of thofe Pro- 
 vinces by force of Arms. ‘Several Monks 
 of the Order of St. Francis were defirous 
 to accompany him to éflay the Converfion’ 
 of thefe Barbarians, and promis’d them- 
 felves more Succefs in this Work than the 
 
 ec MOTUS Feet Bs Jefuits 
 
the River of Amazons. 33 
 Jefuits had, who 30 Years before had madé. 
 the like Attempt, till they faw oneof their 
 - number Father Raphael Ferrier martyr’d 
 by thefe Infidels, as above related, _ i 
 _ Thefe march’d with more Precaution, 
 and after a long Fatigue arriv’d at the 
 Province of the long-hair’d Indians: This » 
 Country they found well peopled, but nor 
 _ being able to make any Eftablifhment here 
 _ by reafon of the rough Treatment they 
 met with from the Inhabitants, fome of 
 them gave over the Attempt, and return’ 
 to Quito, but others were more refoluté, 
 and continued with Captain de Palacios, 
 _ together with fome féw Souldiers that were 
 always faithful to him: Bu thefe being, 
 almoft all deftroy’d in feveral Battels, in 
 one of which at laft the Captain himfelf 
 was kill’d, the Monks made their Efcapeas 
 _wellas they could, and the two.Lay-Friers 
 we have fpoken of, one of whom was Do- 
 minic de Britto, and thé other Azdrew de 
 Tolede, dexteroutly fav’d. themfelves from 
 _ the hands of the Indians; and having got 
 to their Bark, with fix Souldiers that re- 
 main’d, abaridon’d themfelves to Provi- 
 dence, and fuffer’d their Bark to be driven _ 
 at the Pleafure of the Wirids and Streams, 
 ~ Te pleas’d God fo to favour their Voy- 
 age, that after they had been carried from 
 eer. D Pro- 
 

 
 34 __ A Difcovery of 
 Province to Province. upon this great Ri- — 
 ver, they happily landed at Para, a City 
 in Brazil, forty Leagues diftant from the 
 Mouth of the Amazone Southward. ‘The 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 35 
 
 made ’em talk reafonably : They told him 
 they went from Pera, that their Monafte- 
 ry was in the City of Quito; that they 
 came out with many of their Brethren to 
 _ labour to convert the wild People, bur 
 that the Indians had a greater mind to eat 
 ’em, than to hear ’em preach ; that their | 
 Captain being dead, and their Brethren put 
 to flight, they with fix Souldiers had put 
 themfelves into a Bark which miraculoufly 
 came afhore at Para; and that they were 
 ready to return to Perz, if they could meet 
 with a convenient Paflage. The Gover- 
 nor having deliberated on this Report, 
 believ’d God had offer’d him a fair occafion 
 to ferve his Religionand his Country, and 
 that he ought to attempt that Defign in 
 which fo many others had fail’d. 
 
 GCHAR: XIV. 3 
 Lhe Governor of Brazil on the Report. of 
 thefe two Cordelier Friers, attempts the 
 Difcovery ‘of this River. The Prepara- 
 tion he made for it, and the Commiffion 
 given to Don Pedro de Texeira, who 
 parted from Para in the Year 1637. 
 
 402 Pedro de Norogna refolv’d to 
 ' make Preparation for this Enter- 
 "3 ; prize, 
 
 
 

 
 36 A Difcovery of 
 prize, and caus’d it to be publrfh’d: at this 
 News many offer’d themfelves to ferve on 
 thisoccafion. “The Governor retain’d fuch 
 as he thought moft proper for his Defign ; 
 and that he might have a Man capable of 
 giving him an exact account of all he fhould 
 fee during fo long a Voyage, he chofe 
 Capt.Petsr de Texeira, a Man of Courage, 
 Conduct, and Probity, to command the 
 Fleet. This Gentleman with a great deal 
 of Joy receiv’d a Command fo futable to 
 huis Inclinations, for he had’ been all his Life 
 feeking occafions of ferving his King to 
 the prejudice of his own private Intereft, 
 and in the peril of his Life: and accord- 
 ing to his defire he had the Glory of ac- 
 complifhing the moft difficult, and moft 
 iluftrious. Enterprize of his time. He 
 parted from Para the 28h of Ofober 1637. 
 with forty feven Canoos of an indifferent 
 bignefs, wherein befides Ammunition and 
 Victuals- he embark’d feventy Portaguez 
 Souldiers, and twelve hundied Indians to 
 row and tobear Arms, who together with 
 their Wives and Servants made: tworthou- 
 fand Perfons: They enter’d intothemouth 
 of the River.on that fide that is neareft to 
 Para,and happily avoided thofe Rocksthat 
 come jult to the furface of the Water, and 
 ftop the Paflage of Veflels in many places. 
 How- 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. . 37 
 
 However they werealmofta Year without 
 feeing the end of their Voyage: indeed 
 having no Guides upon whofe Fidelity and 
 Experience they could depend in fteering 
 their Courfe; and befides, being fome-— 
 times carried to the South, and fometimes 
 tothe North by the Violence of the 
 Streams, ithey did not make the Advance 
 they would ‘have done if they had been 
 us’d to navigate the River. Befides, Tex- 
 eira being obliged to provide for the Sub- 
 fiftence of .all-thofe People:he carried with 
 him, and perceiving his Provifions dimi- 
 nifhed confiderably every day, was forc’d 
 from time to time tofend Parties in fome 
 of the Canoos to make Defcents fome- 
 times on Iflands, and fometimes on the 
 Continent, to procure a Supply. 
 
 
 
 CE A, Ron: 3 
 The Difficulties Texeira found in-his Voyage, 
 both from the People he.carried with him, 
 and from the length of the way; and the 
 happy Decent of his advanc’d Squadron in- 
 to. the Couatry of the a Re TR to 
 _.. the Goverument of ‘Quito. 
 
 | NUR. Travellers were not advanc’d - 
 a / halfway their Voyage, before the 
 FATE | D3 ~~» Indians 
 
 
 

 
 38 A Difcovery of — 
 Indians were weary of their Labour, and 
 quitting their Oars, began to murmur, and 
 make loud Complaints that they had ‘been 
 engae’d info tedious a Voyage. ’Twas'in 
 vain to tell ’em they would foon be at the 
 end of it: they defir’d Texeira to difmifs 
 ’em, and finding he put ’em off from day 
 to day, many tack’d about anid return’d to 
 Para, TheGeneral perceiv’d,that on'this , 
 occafion he muft ufe Prudence rather than 
 Force, therefore he did not ‘caufe ‘them 
 that were fled back to be purfu’d, ‘but en- 
 deavour’d with all imaginable Mildnefsto 
 hinder others from following ‘their Exam- 
 ple: To this end he treated the Indians 
 that remai’d with very kind Words, and 
 fo extremely pleas’d "em with his Dif 
 courte, that thofe that heard him convey’d 
 it from one Canoo to another with thofe 
 external Demonftrations of Joy and Satif- 
 faction, which they ufe to exprefs in their 
 Affemblies, fo that they unanimoully cry’d 
 from all the Canoos, that they ‘were wil- 
 ling Texeira fhould ‘continue his Voyage, 
 and that they would neverleavehim. The 
 General having given em ‘his Thanks for 
 their goodwill, caus’d fome Brandy to be 
 diftributed through all the Canoos, affuring 
 ’em they ‘would in a little timearrive at 
 the Place defign’d. And not ‘content in 
 Ravine 
 
, 
 
 X 
 
 the River of Amazons, 39 
 having fpread this Report among ’em, to 
 fix the Indians the more firmly in their 
 Refolution, he thought it neceflary to do 
 fomewhat that might {till make a greater — 
 appearance for ther Encouragement. ‘Lo 
 this purpofe he vifired all the Canoos, and 
 chofe out eight of the beft of em, which 
 he loaded with Provifion, Souldiers and 
 Rowers. He made Colonel Bezedito. Ro- 
 driguez a’ Olivera,a Native of Brazil, Com- 
 mander of this Squaaron; and having 
 communicated his Defign to him, fent him 
 away witha Charge to fend hinroftenfuch 
 News as might be moft: agneeable to the 
 Indians. Olivera was no.ordinary Man, 
 he had naturally a quick and piercing Wit; 
 and having been all his Life brought up 
 with the Indians, he had fo well itudied 
 their Actions and Countenances; that they 
 could hardly diffemble fo well; but he could 
 with one caft of his Eye difcover what was 
 in their Minds; fo that they look’d upon 
 him as a Manthat could: divine what o- 
 thers thought ; and from this Conceit they 
 had not only a great Veneration for him, 
 but ftood fo much in awe of him, that 
 they yielded hima blind Obedience in what 
 hecommanded’em. _ It isnot to be quefti- 
 on’d after this, whether thofe in the eight 
 Canoos which he was to command were 
 
 D 4 very 
 

 
 40. A Difcovery of 
 very willing to go with him. His Men 
 were fo induftrious one while at their Oars, 
 and another while at their Sails, that they 
 overcame all the Obftacles that prefented, 
 and fafely arriv’d onthe 24th of Fune 1638, 
 atthe place where the River of Pagamino 
 enters into the Amazone. "There isa Port 
 “near that place call’d after the Name of the 
 River, where the Spaniards had fortified 
 themfelves, and had built a Town to keep 
 the Qur«os in fubjection, who had not yet 
 been well accuftom’d to the Yoke. 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 OI OF 2.129 A AP. XVE 
 
 The Defcent of General Texeira, and the 
 “Orders he gave for the Prefervation of 
 - "his Army in bis Abfewce. * 
 
 
 
 WF the Impatience they were in to make 
 “RL their Defcent had not ftop’d ’em at this 
 place, they’ ‘would in’ failing fome time. 
 Tonger have met with the Entrance of the 
 River’ NVapo, of which fome account fhall : 
 be‘ given hereafter ;’ where they would 
 Have met with better Entertainment, and 
 would have been lefs expos’d to the Lofles 
 and Inconveniences which they fuffer’d in 
 this Country. ’ The very day they landed 
 Colonel Benedito difpatch’d a Canoo to his. 
 & RAN eh DO4L A EAs Re oe AY Sac ee te General, 
 
 eh 
 
the River of Amazons... 41 
 General, to give him advice of the Succefs 
 of his Voyage, and in how little time he 
 might alfo arrive at the fame place. This 
 News being fpread through the Fleet, in- 
 {pir’d them with new Vigor, when their 
 
 Courage was almoft exhaufted with the 
 
 — fedious length of their Toil and Hunger 
 together. Texeira made an Improvement 
 of this good Succefs likea prudent Man, 
 and confirm’d the Affurance that had been 
 given ’em of their near approach to the 
 place where they were to land, and fol- 
 low’d Benedito with great Expedition: 
 The Portuguez and the Indians perform’d 
 their Duty with great Emulation, and eve- 
 ry day that came about they concluded the 
 next would be the laft of their Voyage. In 
 fine, the Day fomuch long’d for appear’d ; 
 and the General, to acquit himfelf of his 
 Promife, landed all his Men at the mouth 
 of a River that defcends into that of the 
 Amazones through the Province of thofe 
 
 Indians that wear their Hair as long as 
 that of Women, ‘Thefe People formerly 
 kept a good Correfpondence with the 
 
 Spaniards, and confented to their Eftablifh- 
 ment in their Country: but having been 
 -forced to take up Arms againft Captain 
 Palacios for the ill Treatment they had re- 
 
 _ceiv’d from his Souldiers ; and having mtd 
 ea 4 ; : U the 
 
At A Difcovery of 
 
 the Captain himfelf in a Battel, they re- 
 main’d implacable Enemies to the ‘Spa- 
 niards. “The Portuguez General who had 
 never been inform’d of this Rupture, was 
 defirous to refrefh his Troops in this Coun- 
 try, finding it to be a very fine, fruir- 
 ful and commodious place; he therefore 
 pitch’d his Camp in the Angle of Land 
 which was form’d by the tivo Rivers, and 
 having well intrench’d it towards the 
 Plain, he there plac’d his Portuguez and 
 Indians, and made Captain Peter Dacofta 
 Favotta,and Captain Peter Bajox the chief — 
 Commnfanders over *em. Thefe two wife 
 and valiant Officers gave their General the 
 greateit Proofs imaginable both of their 
 Conduct and Fidelity, “They continued 
 encamp’d in this place for eleven Months, 
 in which time they endur’d extraordinary 
 tnconveniences,for they were often oblig’d 
 
 to fight with thefe long-hair’d Men to ob- 
 
 taina little Food to live upon; and many 
 of the Souldiers fell fick, partly by the 
 bad Drfpofition of the Air, which could 
 not be wholfome between two Rivers, 
 and partly from fo tedious a Confinement 
 
 totheir Camp. 
 
 CHAP. 
 

 
 the River of “Amazons. 
 , 3 
 
 GALAP. (XMILe: 
 The Arrival of -the Portuguez at’ Quito, 
 ‘The gener al Foy, and the Emulation of the 
 Portugues, and Spaniards on the account 
 
 of this Difcovery. ~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 AONE Il a SE 
 
 Ee \Exeira for his own part made the 
 ~G  beft of his way with a few Meni 
 fome of his ‘Canoos,'to join Col. Bexedito ; 
 and having ‘receiv’d anaccount of him, ‘he 
 left his Bark wherethe River ended, ‘and 
 went on foot to find him in the City of 
 ~ Quito, whither he had arriv’d fome days 
 before. The coming of General Texesra 
 compleated the foy which afl the People of 
 Quitojas well the'Clergy as others, had re- 
 ceiv’d froma Difcovery fo much defir’d 
 by ’em all. All the Portuguez were en- _ 
 tertain’d and: carefs’d by the ‘Spaniards 
 
 with the Endearments of Brethren, ‘not 
 only becaufe they were all Subjects of the 
 fame King, but becaufe by their means 
 they were affur’d of a Way which they 
 had never hitherto been ableto pafs, onthe 
 fide of Pera, and which they faw was 
 now difcover’d from the Sea quite to the 
 Sources of ‘this famous River. The Spa- 
 niards boafted that they were the firft foe 
 
 a 
 
44 A Difcovery of 
 thad navigated it from its Source to the 
 Sea ; and the others brage’d that they had 
 not only {ail’d upon it, but had pafs’d quite 
 up it, made a thorow Difcovery of it, 
 and knew it from its Mouth on the fide 
 of Brazil to its very Source near Quito, 
 All the Religious Orders of that City were 
 fill’d with extraordinary Joy, thanking 
 God for the Favour heshad fhewn ’em in 
 calling "em to drefs a Vineyard that had 
 not been. yet cultivated ; and all offer’d 
 themfelves with great Readinefs to go and 
 preach the Gofpel in thofe Regions. . 
 
 , ‘CHA Y. A VEL. 
 
 The Return of General Texesra to Brazil 
 by the River Amazone, and the Com- 
 milion given to the Reverend Father 
 Chriftopher d’Acugna. 4 i, to ob- 
 
 _ ferve all the Particulars of this Difcovery, 
 and to give a Relation of them. - 
 
 Vito isa Royal Seat, where there is a 
 
 Prefident and Afaiftants: Thefe Of- 
 ficers confidering the Importance of this 
 Difcovery the Portuguez had. made, and 
 how much both the Intereft of Religion, . 
 and that of his Catholick Majelty might 
 fuffer, if an Affair. of this Confequence . 
 tka . ae ihould 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 49 
 fhould’ be negleGted, were unwilling to 
 take any meafures of their own, but only 
 to write about itto the Count of Chinchor, 
 who wasthen Viceroy of Peru ; who having 
 deliberated on the matter with the princi- 
 pal Men of the Council of Lima, which 
 is the Soveraign Court of that great King- 
 dom, return’d an Anfwer to the Prefident 
 of Quito, who was then the Licentiate Doz 
 Alonze de Salazar, and requir’d him by an 
 Order dated the 10th of November 1638, 
 - to fend General Texeira to Para with all his 
 
 Men by the: fame way he came, ‘and to. 
 
 furnifh him with all things neceflary for 
 his Voyage; he likewife order’d him to 
 -choofé two Spanifh Gentlemen of good 
 account, and to agree with the Portuguez, 
 General that’ they might imbark -with 
 him, to makea’ faithful Report of the 
 whole Courfe they fhould fteer in this 
 long: Voyage, that his Catholick Majefty 
 might receive from Eye-witnefles, and 
 thofe of an unreproachable Reputation, ‘2 
 good account of what they had difcover’d, 
 
 or might farther obferve intheir Return. — 
 
 Many Perfons, zealous for the Service of 
 the King their Matter, prefented themfelves 
 to have a fhare in fo great'an Enterprize ; 
 amongft others Don Vafques @ Acugna, 
 Knight of the Order of Calatrava, A 
 
 | eu- 
 
 eS Meee 
 

 
 46 .. A Difcovery of 
 Lieutenant to the Captain General of the 
 Vice-roy of Pew, and Corregidor of Quito, 
 offer’d himfelf to go on this Expedition. 
 The Refpeét he bare to. his Prince made 
 him feek this new occafion of ferving him 
 ~ with,the fame Affeftion he had done for a- 
 hove fifty, Years himfelf, and his Anceftors 
 all their days on. the like occafions. . He 
 defir’d.of the Vice-roy, that he would per- 
 mit him to furnifh the Ammunition and 
 Hquipage for. this Adventure at his own 
 “proper Charge, without pretending toany 
 other-Intere{t in the. matter, than that’ of 
 feeing -his,Mafter well ferv’d; But. the 
 Vice-roy, not knowing how to fpare/him 
 from the Poft he was already in, after ha- 
 ving commended his:Zeal for his King,and 
 the Greatnels of his Offers, engag’d him to 
 continue in-his prefent Station; and to.gra- 
 tify him, nominated his: Brother Father 
 Cheiftopher P Acugna in his place, who was 
 animated with no lefs. degree of Generofi- 
 ty thanthe other, and counted it no fall 
 Happinefs to be able. by thefe means to 
 ile his Prince on fo important an Occe- 
 
 
 
 C H A P.. 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 47 
 
 
 
 OU OM 6 We Ge Ai bee ieee 
 The Departure of Father D’Acugna. The 
 way the Spaniards and Portuguez took to» 
 . gether to get tothe River Amazone. 
 
 HE, Portuguez General being. pre- 
 : _par’d for his return to Para by the 
 River. Amazone, and the Royal Audience 
 of Quito having well confider’d that it 
 might very much turn to account forfome 
 Jefuits to make this Voyage with him, that 
 they mighttake exact notice of every thing 
 worthy of Obfervation on this great River, 
 and. carry, the, Relation of it «into. Spain to. 
 his Gatholick-Majelty, fignified their Mind 
 to the Provincial: of the fefuits,) which'at 
 that time »wvas Father Fraucis de Fuentes; 
 who taking itfor a a Honour, that fo. 
 much Confidence fhould-be put inthe 
 Members’ of his Community’ as the dif- 
 charge of fodmportant an! Affair, confirm’d 
 the Nomination that had: been made: ot 
 Father, Chriftopher D? Acugna, tho he-wa: 
 ReGor of the. fefuits College at Crenci: 
 under the, Furifdiction of Quito, and gay 
 him Father Avdrew Dartieda, Proteflor ¢ 
 
 Divinity in the fame College; for his Com 
 
 panion. Theferwo fefuits recew’dthe | 
 Sy ayia Orde 
 
48  ~ (A Difcovery of | 
 
 _ Orders by Patents iffued from the Chance: 
 ry of Quito; the Purport of which was, 
 that they fhould go without delay with 
 the Captain Major Peter de Texéira, and 
 that after they were arriv’d’at Para they 
 ‘{hould go into Spaiz, to give the King an 
 Account of all they fhould obferve in their 
 Voyage. Thefe’ Fathers’ readily obey’d 
 the Orders they had receiv’d) arid accord- 
 ingly fet forward on the 16th of January 
 1639, to begin:a Voyage’ that lafted ten 
 -Months before they arriv’dat' Para; where . 
 they enter’d into Port the twelfth’ day of 
 December in the fame Year. As they left 
 Quito, they took the way of thofe high 
 Mountains on foot, from which that great 
 River of the Amazones derives its Sources, 
 a River which has nothing inits rife where- 
 in it excels other Rivers, but is fo very 
 much augmented ‘in its Courfe;' that the 
 Mouth of it is eighty four: Leagues in 
 breadth. Thefe Jefuits took allthe care . 
 
 they could, and labour’d with all poffible 
 Accuracy to obferve every thing that was 
 wortha Remark; they took the Latitudes 
 -in-every place of the River where they 
 - could do it; they took an account of the 
 Names of all the Rivers that run into it, 
 and. of all the Nations that inhabit the 
 Borders of it: ‘They took notice of the 
 
 Quality 
 
the River of Amazons. 49 
 Quality of the Lands, of the Goodnefs of 
 the Fruits, of the ‘Temperature of the 
 Climates, and of every thing that is fer- 
 viceable to the Life of Man ; they enter’d 
 into Commerce with the People of the 
 Country: Ina word, they forgot nothing, 
 that they thought might conduce to fur-; 
 nifh them with a perfect Knowledg of 
 _thofe Provinces, which had never been 
 entirely difcover’d till then. Therefore 
 they that read this Relation, are defir’d by 
 one of thofe Fathers, who undertook. to: 
 expofe it to the World, not to disbelieve 
 what he has written, becaufe he can prove 
 that what he affirms fora Truth, is really 
 fo, by above thirty Spaniards and Portu-. 
 guez that accompanied him in this Voy- 
 age ; and he hopes the Reader will not 
 imagine he makes no Con{cience of affirm-. ~ 
 ing things that are untrue in a matter of 
 this Weight and Importance. : i 
 
 COP AR, Xx, | 
 The general Idea mich Father 1’ Acugna 
 gives of this River, and the Elogiums.he 
 gives tt after he had view dit throughout. 
 
 \N the famous River of Amazons is 
 the richeft, moft fertile, and heft 
 : i peo- 
 

 
 : 50 A Difcovery of 
 
 peopled Country of Perz ; and, without 
 an Hyperbole *tis the largeft and moft emi- 
 nent River inthe World; it paffes through | 
 divers Kingdoms of a vaft Extent, and - 
 enriches more Provinces than the Ganges, 
 that vaft River that waters part of the 
 Exft Indies; than the Euphrates, which af 
 tet has run through Perfiz, comes acrofs’ 
 Syria to throw it felf into the Sea; or’ 
 than the Nile, which comes out of the. 
 Mountains of Cvama, and paffing through 
 Africa, and the moft barren Countries : 
 inthe World, turns ‘them into fruit- 
 ful and delicious Provinces by the over- 
 . flowing of its Waters. In a word, the — 
 River! Amazone nourifhes an infinitely 
 greater number of People, and carries its 
 frefh Water a great ‘way further into the 
 _ Sea, than any of thofe mighty Rivers, al- 
 ~~ tho thefe have given their Names to entire 
 Gulphs, or troubled the Sea with their’ 
 Waters to a confiderable length. A great 
 many more Rivers fall into the Amazone: 
 than into the Ganges ; and if the Banks of 
 the latter are cover’d with gilded Sand, 
 thofe of the former are fill’d with a Sand 
 of pure Gold, and the Waters that always 
 wafh them are. continually difcovering 
 Mines of Gold and Silver in the Bowels 
 of the, Barth. In fhort, the Places it 
 TGS BAS: : waters 
 
the River of Amazons. 51 
 waters are an Earthly Paradife; and if 
 Men did but lend their Affiftance to Na- 
 ture in that Country as they do in others, 
 all the Borders of that great River would 
 be full of large Gardens perpetually fill’d 
 with Fruits and Flowers: It fometimes 
 overflows its Banks, and thereby renders 
 all the Ground fruitful through which its 
 Waters pafs, and that not only for one, but 
 for feveral Years, After all thefe extraor- 
 dinary Improvements, the change of Sea- 
 fons is not neceflary to the Provinces fi- 
 tuate near this great River. They find 
 every thing near em, abundance of Fifh in 
 their Waters more than they can wifh; a 
 thoufand different kinds of Animals in the. 
 neighbouring Mountains, all forts of Birds 
 in fuch plenty as can hardly be imagined : 
 The Trees always loaded with Fruit, the 
 Fields with a plentiful Crop, and the 
 Bowels of the Earth confifting of preci- 
 ous Mines of all forts of Metals. In 
 fine, among the vaft number of People 
 that dwell along the Banks of this River, 
 there are fcarce any to be feen but what 
 are handfome, well made, and very in- 
 genious in all things they are concern’d 
 about. : 
 
 Ee CHAP. 
 

 
 52 A Difcovery of 
 CHAPS XX 
 
 The Source of this River, and the Emula- 
 tion of all the Provinces of Peruabout it. 
 
 
 
 ‘O enter into a particular Hiftory of 
 
 this River, I fhall begin with its 
 Original: andas there have heretofore been 
 great Contefts between eminent Cities a- 
 bout the Birth of divers Hero’s of former 
 
 Ages ; fo there is no lefs Emulation among 
 the Provinces of Pera, which of them — 
 
 fhould be the Mother of this great River, 
 
 becaufe the true Source of it is unknown | 
 tothisday. The City of Lima, as mag- 
 nificent and as potent as it:1s, boafts that 
 
 fhe has the Mountains of Gazzeo and the 
 
 Cavaliers withinher Jurifdiction, and the — 
 
 Fountain-head of the Amazone feventy 
 
 Leagues above her: But this is not the | 
 Source of it, but of another River that 
 runs into the Amazone. Others maintain 
 that the Source of this great River pro-— 
 ceeds irom the Mountains of Moda in 
 the new Kingdom of Granada, and is 
 
 cal?'d the River Cagaetta: but. they are 
 
 -miftaken too, and confound the matter ;_ 
 
 for the Caquetta and the Amazonve run fe- 
 
 parately above feven hundred Leagues, 
 
 and 
 
 | : 
 
the River of Amazons. —§3 
 and when they come near together, the | 
 Caguetta feems to turn its Courfe, and 
 - running on the fide of the Amazone ata | 
 confiderable diftance, thus continues it, 
 till having at length pierced through — 
 the Province of Aguos, it comes to add 
 its Waters to that vaft River. But in, 
 a word, Peru in general claims the Ori- 
 ginal of this great Work of Nature. 
 
 But the truth of this matter is, that the 
 City of St.Francis, commonly call’d Quiro, 
 has the fole Glory of producing this great 
 - Wonder of the World. Eight Leagues 
 from this: City is found the true Source of 
 this River beyond thofe vaft Mountains © 
 
 that divide the Jurifdiction of this City 
 from that of the Quixos, at the foot of two 
 great Rocks, one of which is call?’d Gua- 
 mana, and the other Pulca, which ftand 
 at near two Leagues diftance one from 
 another. Between thofe two Mountains 
 isa great Lake, and in the midft of this 
 Lake is another Mountain, which has been 
 torn up by the very Roots by an Earth- 
 quake, and fo overturn’d in the Lake, 
 which is very deep and large: ’Tis from 
 this Lake that the great River of Aya- 
 zons proceeds, within twenty Minutes of 
 the Equinoftia] Line, Southern Latitude. 
 
 She a: CHAP. 
 

 
 
 
 54 A Difcovery. of 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XXII. : 
 The Courfe of this River, its Length, its 
 different Breadth and Depth. | 
 
 His River runs from Weft to. Eaft, 
 it continually coafts along the South 
 fide of the Equinoétial Line, and is not 
 diftant from it above two, three, four or 
 at moft five Degrees in the greateft of its 
 Windings: From its Rife to. the Place 
 where it empties it felf into theSea, it 
 _ runs notabove 1276 good Spanifh Leagues, _ 
 tho OresHane makes it 1800. It always 
 proceeds in a winding Courfe, and by its 
 great Turnings, which are like fo many 
 Arms, draws into its Channel a great 
 number of Rivers as well from the South 
 as the North fide of it. Its breadth is 
 different ; in fome places ’tis a League 
 wide, in others two, three, andmore; in 
 other Places it does not widen it felfany 
 ‘more for:a long fpace, as if it were to a- 
 mafs all its Waters, and its whole impe- 
  ruous Force together, to difcharge it felf 
 by a Mouthof eighty four Leagues broad 
 into the Sea. eer 
 _ .The narrowefl Place of this River is a 
 quarter of a League, or a little’ lefs, in 
 i twe \ 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons, 5 
 two Degrees twothirds of Southern Las 
 titude, fo earns i snort.) 
 This Strait by the Providence of God, 
 is fitly fituated for the building ‘of a Gita: 
 del to ftop the Courfe of the ftrongeft E: 
 fa (ake fhould enter by Sea through 
 the Mouth of this River ; and if ani Bnes 
 my {fhould come down by a River: that 
 runs into the Amazon call’d Rionegro, by 
 building a Fort juft where this River en- 
 ters into the Amazone, this Paflage may be 
 fo fecured,, that any that fhould attempt 
 to get through it may be eafily hindred. 
 This Strait is three hundred and feven- 
 ty Leagues from the Mouth of the River, 
 from whence with Canoos and other light 
 Veffels with Sails and Oars, timely Ad- 
 vice might be given ineight days: of the 
 _ Arrival, of any Veflels, that the Fort at, 
 this Strait might put it felf ina pofture of 
 Defence,,and ftop the Enemy’s Paflage. 
 The Depth of this River is in fome Pla; 
 ces fo great, that no Bottom is to be found: 
 from. the Mouth of it, to the River Rz- 
 negro, which isnear 600 Leagues, there’s 
 always at leaft thirty or forty Fathom of 
 “Water in, its greateft Channel., From 
 thence upwards the Depth of it is un- 
 ‘certain, | fometimes twenty, fometimes 
 twelve, and fometimes eight Fathom : 
 eet E¢ But 
 
56 A Difcovery of 
 But atits Beginning it has Water enough 
 to carry the largeft Veffels : For tho the 
 Current be very {wilt ; yet every day 
 without fail there rife certain Ealtern 
 Breezes, that continue three or four Hours 
 together, and fometimes a whole day ; 
 which hold .back the Waters, fo as to re- 
 tain the Stream in a degree of Motionthat 
 is not violent. | : 
 
 
 
 | C HA Po XXhh: 2 
 The great number of Iflands in this River, 
 and the means the Inhabitants ufe for the 
 _ Prefervation of their Roots at the time of 
 its Inundations. : : 
 
 ~ ‘His River is all full of Iflands of all 
 
 BL Sizes, and in fo great number, that 
 they are not to be counted, many of them ° 
 being very near onetd another. Thereare 
 fome four or five, others ten, and others 
 ~ 20 Leagues in compafs. That which isin- 
 habited by the Toupinambi, of whom we 
 Shall fpeak hereafter, is above 100 Leagues 
 about :. There area great many very {mall 
 Iflands, ., which the Inhabitants of ‘the 
 Country ufe only to fow their'Seed> in; 
 but all of thefe, and the greateft part of 
 the large ones,are overflowed by the River 
 WOME sits |. CORLL ant - every’ 
 
the River of Amazons. §7 
 
 every Year; and thefe regular Inunda- 
 tions do foenrich them with the Slime and 
 Mud it carries along with it, that they 
 would never become barren, tho they 
 fhould be every year fown with Yua- 
 ca or Magnioca, which are a fort of 
 Roots, which ferve the Natives inftead 
 of Bread, and with which the Earth fure 
 nifhes them in great abundance. ~ | 
 Tho thefe frequent Inundations feem to 
 be attended with great Inconveniences ; 
 yet the Author of Nature has taught thefe 
 Barbarians to make a good Improvement 
 of them. Before thefe Floods come, they 
 gather. in all their Yuca, of which Root 
 they make a fort of Bread called Caffave, 
 which is ordinarily ufed in all the Coafts 
 of Brazil, andin many other Places both 
 of the Continent and Iflands of America. 
 They make great Caves in the Ground, 
 wherein they put thefe Roots ; and having 
 well ftopp’d them up with Earth, leave 
 ’em-there as long asthe Flood lafts: this is 
 an infallible way of preferving thofeR oots 
 which otherwife would be {ubje& to rot 
 with the exceffive moifture of the Ground. 
 ‘When the Waters are run off, fey open 
 thefe Caves, and take out their Roots, 
 and eat them, without finding them at all 
 the worfe for lyinginthe Earth. Thusas 
 EipV¥egi ts Nature 
 
 
 
$8 = A Difcovery of 
 
 Nature’ has*taught the Ant to ftote u 
 Food enough’ to’ nourifh her all the Year, 
 no wonder fhe has taught the Indians, 
 as barbarous as they are, how to preferve 
 their Provifions, feeing the Divine Provi- 
 dence takes a more particular Care of Men 
 than of Beafts. 
 
 mie 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. | 
 The Bread and Drink made by the Inhabi- 
 tants of thefe Iflands, and other Places that 
 “border on this River; and the various 
 forts of Fraits, Roots and Grain they 
 live upon. | | 
 
 
 
 “He Roots of Yuca we have been 
 ‘f- fpeaking of, ferve'thefe People for 
 Bread, which they eat with their other 
 Food ; befides this they make a Drink ofit, 
 which they all generally efteem as the moft 
  délicious and excellent Liquor inthe World. 
 To make the Bread, they fqueeze out all 
 the Juice of the Root, and them beat and 
 pound it, till ’tis become a kind of Meal, 
 of which ‘they make great Cakes, ‘and 
 bake them'in'an Oven ; this they call'Caf- 
 fave, which has a very pleafant “Fafte 
 when ’tis new, but afterone day becomes 
 very dry, fo that’it may be kept feveral 
 Months ; they ordinarily put it on the tops 
 
 
 
 of. * 
 

 
 the Riverof Amazons.  §9 
 of their Huts, that it may keep the more 
 dry. And when they havea mind to make 
 their Drink,they take thefe.dry Cakes, and 
 temper them in’ Water, which they boil 
 as long as they think fufficient, over.a 
 _ gentle] Fire: This Pafte bou’d thus,in 
 Water,makesa Drink fo ftrong by its great 
 Fermentation, that itfuddles ‘em like our 
 Wine. They ufe this Drink at al] their 
 Affemblies and Entertainments, as when 
 - they inter thewr-Dead, when they receive 
 any Guefts, when they. celebrate. their 
 Feafts, at their Seed-time, and Harvett ; 
 ina word, at,alltimes when they meet, 
 this Liquor is the Spirit that animates em, 
 and the Charm that holds ’em together. 
 They make befides this, another fort of 
 Drink, with a great deal of wild Fruit, 
 of which they have extraordinary plenty; 
 this they peel, and put in Water, with 
 which when it is well mix’d, it foon by 
 Fermentation acquires fuch a Savour and 
 Strength, that it often has a more agree- 
 able Relifh than Beer, which is fo much 
 inufe in many Nations. They keepthefe 
 _ Liquors in great Earthen Veflels, as they 
 doin Spain, or in lefler ones, which they 
 make of the'Trunk of a hollow Tree ; 
 or elfe in Baskets made of Rufhes, which 
 they cover within and without witha ie 
 
 0 
 

 
 
 
 60 A Difcovery of 
 
 of Pitch, fo that they don’t leak in the 
 feaft. This Bread and Drink are not the 
 only Provifions they live upon ; they have 
 many other forts of Food in ufe amongft 
 ’em, befides Fruit of various kinds, as 
 Bonanes, Ananas, Gouyaves, Amos, aid 
 a fort of very pleafant Chefnuts, which 
 at Perz they call Almandras dela Sierra,that 
 is Mountain-Almonds; but the Truth is, - 
 they are rather of the Figure of a Chefnut 
 than of an Almond, ‘becaufe they grow 
 in Hulls that are briftly, like thofe of 
 our Chefnuts >: They have Palms of va- 
 ridus kinds, Coco-Nuts, and Dates. that 
 are very well tafted, tho they are wild, 
 and many other forts of Fruit, that are 
 produced only in hot Countries... They 
 have likewife divers kinds of Roots, that 
 are good Food, as Batates, Yuca, Menfa, 
 which the Portuguez call Machachora, 
 and Cajas, which are like our Saligots, and 
 others, which are good: both to roft and. 
 boil, havea pleafant Relifh, and are ve- 
 ry nourifhing. | fa kh 
 
 CHAP. 
 

 
 che River of Amazons. 
 
 AC EATA, Be kat tLe sscted 
 The great Plenty of Filb in this River, and 
 
 which i the beft fort of them. 
 
 ‘ith is fo common with’em, that wher 
 » any one: offers it to 7em, they prover- 
 bially fay, E’ne put it in your.own Difh. 
 There is fo great a number of ’em in the 
 River, that without any other Nets thas 
 their Hands, they can take as many as they 
 pleafe. But the Pege Buey is as it were 
 the King of all the Fifh that fwim ia 
 the River Amazone, from its Source till it 
 difcharges it felf into the Sea. °Tis not 
 to be imagin’d what a delicious Tafte this 
 Fifth has, any one that eats it: would think 
 it to be moft excellent Flefhwell feafon’d : 
 This Fifh is as big asa Heifer of a Year 
 and a half:old, it has a Head and Ears jutt 
 hike thofe of a Hester, and the Body of ic 
 is all cover’d with Hair, like:the Briftles 
 of a white Hog; it fwims with two little 
 Arms, and under its Belly it has Teats 
 with which it fuckles its young Ones: The 
 Skin of it is very thick, and when ’tis 
 drefs’d into Leather it fervesto make Tar- 
 gets that are Proof again{ft a Mufquet Bul- 
 let. ‘This Fifh feeds upon Grafs on the 
 _ Bank of the River, like an Ox, from which ~ 
 it receives fo good Nourifhment, and is 
 of 
 

 
 
 
 / 
 / 
 
 62 104: Difcovery of 
 
 of fo pleafant a Tafte, that a Man is more 
 ftrengthen’d and better fatisfied in eating a 
 fmall quantity of it, than in eating twice as 
 much Mutton: This Fifh has not free Re- 
 fpiration in the Water, and therefore often 
 thrufts out its Snout to take Breath, and is 
 by this means difcover’d to them that feek 
 after it. When the Indians get the fight of 
 it, they follow 1t with their Oars in little 
 Canoos ; and when it appears above Water 
 toget Breath, they throw at it their fort of | 
 Harping-Irons made of Shells, with which 
 they {top its courfe, and takeit : when they 
 have kill’d it, they cut it into good pieces, 
 and broil it upon Wooden Grates, which 
 they call Boucan ; and being thus drefs’d, 
 ’ewill keep:good above a Month: They 
 have not the way. of falting and drying it 
 to.keep a great while, becaufe they have 
 no great quantity of Salt, and that which 
 they ufe to feafon their Meat is very rare 
 with ’em, and_is made only of the Afhes 
 of a fort of Palm-Tree, fo that *tis more 
 
 like Salt-Peter than common Salt. 
 “Note: This Pege Buey is very common in all the Rivers 
 along the Coaft of the Continent, and is call’d by 
 _ the Englith Manati.. There is'a great Vend for “em 
 inthe Antilles or Antego-Iflands, whither the Captains 
 ~ of Merchant-Ships carry “em, who buy ’em of the 
 . ‘Indians that {ifh for em in the Rivers, for Knives 
 . and Bills, ancl make the Sea-men ‘bone ‘em and falt 
 ’em, that thy may keep sill they have opportunity 
 
 to fell ’em. 
 | ChAT? 
 
the River of Amazons. 63 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. i 
 The Means the Indians ufe to preferve their 
 Fifh in thofe Seafons wherein they can nei- 
 ther filo nor hunt. ROB RIG 
 
 HO the Indians don’t know how 
 
 to keep their broil’d Fifh very long, 
 
 . yet they fuftain no great damage. by it, 
 becaufe Nature has given them Induftry 
 enough to get frefh: Meat all their Winter, 
 which is the time of the Rains, during 
 which they can neither hunt nor fifh; For 
 this purpofe they make choice of fome fit 
 places where the Floods can never come, 
 and there they dig a kind of a Pondof a 
 moderate depth, to hold a good quantity 
 of Water, which they inclofe round with 
 a Palifado of Stakes; they bring Water 
 into thefe Ponds, and: keep ’em always 
 full, that they may ufe:’em as Refervers 
 for their Winter Provifions. At the fea- 
 fon when the Tortoifes come afhore to 
 
 _ Jay their Eggs, the Indians go tolie in. 
 
 Ambufh in the places where they know 
 
 they ordinarily come; and when they fee 
 
 _a fufficient number upon the fhore, they 
 go and'turn ’em upon their Backs, to hin- 
 
 der ’em from retreating ; and when they 
 
 have thus fecur’d ’em, they begin at their 
 
 leifure 
 

 
 64 A Difcovery of 
 lei{re to carry ’em to their Refervers - 
 for this end, when they are at any eonfi- 
 derable diftance from their Huts, they 
 ftring all their Tortoifes together. with 
 great C ords through holes that they make 
 on the top of their Shells, and turning *em 
 upon ther Fect lead *em to the Warer, 
 where they tie em to their Canoos, and fo 
 make ’em follow them home: when they 
 are got home, they put ’em in their Re- 
 fervers, and unloofe em, feeding ’em with 
 the Leavesand Branches of Trees which 
 they throw into them, and take’em out 
 to fpend as they want ’em. One of thefe 
 ‘Tortoifes is enough to feed a numerous 
 Family fome time ; fo that °tis not to be 
 wonder’d at, that thefe Indians are neve; 
 reduc’d to Scarcity, feeing they make Pro- 
 vifion of fo great a number of Tortoifes, 
 having commonly above a hundred in each 
 Referver; fothat the proportion they pro- 
 vide for eaclt Perfon in their Families is 
 enough to maintain feveral People. Thefe 
 Tortoifes are as large as thofe Targets 
 Souldiers formerly us’d to defend them- 
 -felves withal, and their Flefh is as good as 
 that of a Heifer. At the time of their 
 laying, fome Females are found with two 
 or three hundred Eggs in their Belly big- 
 ger than thofe of Pullets, and as good, tho — 
 not 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 65. 
 
 not of fo eafy Digeftion.. At one Seafon 
 of the Year they are fo fat, that a good 
 Barrel of Fat may be taken out of ’em, 
 which is as good as Butter, and being 
 falted a little,taftes extraordinary well, and 
 keeps very well too; this will not only 
 ferve to fry Fith, but is likewife as good 
 for Sauces as the beft Butter in the World : 
 fo that thefe Barbarians have no abfolute 
 need of our Commodities, but make as 
 good Provifion for their Neceffities, as the 
 
 _ moft civiliz’d Nations in the World can do,’ 
 *Tis not amifs further to remark two things 
 in refpett of thefe Tortoifes ; one is, that 
 _after they have made a Hole in the Sand 
 above the Bounds of the higheft Tides, 
 they lay all their Eggs at a time, one after . 
 another, after which they carefully cover 
 them up with the fame Sand they have 
 digged up to make their Neft, fo that ’tis 
 impoffible for any to difcover the place of 
 it. Then they return backwards into the © 
 Water, to prevent the notice of their true 
 Track, and never come afhore again til! 
 ‘the next Year, leaving their Eggs to be 
 hatch’d by the Heat of the Sun, which is 
 always accomplifh’d in forty days; after 
 which the young ones are feen to creep 
 out of the Sand, being about the bigneis 
 of a Crown; and thus in a train, like Ants, 
 they make to the Water. The other Re. 
 
 € F mary 
 
 * 
 

 
 66 A Difcovery. of 
 
 mark is, that the Sea-men bone ’em, and 
 fale chem, and fo carry ’em into all the 
 Colonies of the Avtego Iflands, a Trade 
 in which many Captains and Merchants 
 have found ther Account. ~ 
 
 
 
 CHAP. AKL 
 The Prudence thefe People have been taught 
 by Neceffity, and the Confidence they have 
 in the abundance of all things which they. 
 enjoy. | 
 
 “HE Indians of this happy River 
 iT make this prudent Provifion I have 
 been {peaking of, for a. Seafon wherein 
 they feem to want every thing ; but their 
 Winter being paft, their Fears are carried 
 away with it, and they have plenty of all 
 things; fo that they never take care for the 
 Morrow : and becaufe they don’t think 
 of wanting any. thing the enfuing day, 
 they makeno other Provifion for it, than in 
 feeding themfelves well to day, that they 
 may be the ftronger and more ready in 
 fecking their Food to morrow. They have 
 all imaginable Dexterity in catching all 
 forts of Fifh that are in this River, and 
 have as many ways for it as theres diver- 
 
 " fity of Seafons. When the Inundations. 
 diminifh, and leave Lakes.in the lower. 
 hist parts | 
 
the River of Amazons. 67 
 
 parts of the Lands that have been over- 
 flow’d, they have a very pleafant Trick 
 to take the Fifh that are left in thofe 
 places: They ftrike the Water withtwo 
 or three flat Sticks, with the noife of 
 which the Fifh are no fooner ftunn’d, but 
 they come up to the top of the Water, as 
 if they were dead, and {uffer themfelves to 
 be taken up with the hand: Not that it is 
 the Noife that produces this Effect, but 
 the Quality of the Wood, which makes 
 the Fifh drunk. The Galibis who are the 
 Natives of Cayex, and of one part of Guaza- 
 na, make ufe of it, and call it Inecou. 
 
 But the moft common way of fifhing 
 which they ufe at all times, and on all 
 occafions, is with an Arrow which they 
 dart with one hand from a fmooth little 
 Board which they hold int’other. This 
 ‘Arrow having pierc’d the Pith, ferves in- 
 ftead of a Cork to fhew which way it 
 moves when it is wounded ; they purfue _ 
 it in their Canoos, and getting hold of 
 the end of the Arrow they draw up the 
 Fifh wirh it: they catch all forts of Fith 
 “after this manner, neither {mall nor great 
 an efcape their Weapons. And there are 
 fo many forts of ’em in this River, and all 
 _ of ’em fo excellent, that. it would be too 
 - tedious a ‘bufinefs to give an ample De- 
 fcription of °em, There is one amongft 
 
 | FH 2 ; Cie 
 

 
 68 A Difcovery of 
 
 the reft which the Indians call Parague, 
 which refembles a great Eel, or rather a 
 {mall Conger, which has a very ftrange 
 Property ; for if a Man takes it in his 
 Hand while ’tis alive, immediately a Cold- 
 nefs and Shivering feizes him, as if he 
 were taken with a fit of an Ague; but the 
 fhaking ‘oecac | ceafes upon letting it go 
 out of his Hand again. 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 The abundance of Game that ts found near 
 this River ; and the divers forts of Ani- 
 mals the People of thefe Countries live 
 
 - upon. 
 
 | O prevent the Difguft thefe wild 
 People might have of Fifh, tho it 
 
 were never fo good, if they fhould always 
 be fore’d tofeed uponit, and to fatisfy the 
 Defire they might have of fometimes eat- 
 ing Flefh, Nature has render’d the Land 
 as favourable to em as the Water; for 
 it produces Animals of all kinds, as well. 
 for the Neceffity as for the Delight of its 
 ‘Inhabitants. But among others there is a 
 Creature call’d Daatas, of the bignefs of a 
 Mule, and very like one both in Colour 
 and Shape, the Flefh of which is as good 
 as that of a young Bullock, only it has a 
 + more ° 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 69 
 
 ‘more faint and waterifh Tafte: They have 
 likewife a fort of Hogs in the Mountains, 
 that are neither of our domeftick, nor of 
 our wild kind of Swine, but of a particular 
 _ Species, which have a fort of Vent upon 
 their Backs, likea Navel. All the We/? 
 Ipaies are {tor’d with this kind of Animals: 
 Their Flefh is very good and wholfome, 
 and at leaft may compare with that of the 
 wild Swine that are taken in fome Forefts 
 in Earope. Befides thefe, there is another 
 fort refembling our Domeftick Hogs: they 
 have alfo Rewados, Pacas, Cotias, lgnanats, 
 Agotis, and other Animals which are pe- 
 culiar to. the Weft Indies, and are as good 
 as the moft delicious forts we have in Ez- 
 rope. ‘They have alfo Partridges, and tame 
 Poultry like ours, which have been 
 brought to ’em from Pera, and which 
 from one to another have been fpread 
 throughout the Coafts of the River of 
 Amazons, The many Lakes they have 
 up and down breed a multitude of Geefe, 
 and other Water-Fow]. Tis very re- 
 markable how little Pains their Game cofts 
 ’em: We often had experience-of it in 
 our Camp. Every Evening when our 
 Men went afhore,after they had caus’d the 
 
 Indians that were of our wk to make 
 
 us as many Huts as wereneceflary to lodg 
 us (which took up fome tse); our 
 
 F 3 | Com. | 
 
hs, 
 
 70 soph Difcovery of 
 Company feparated; fome went a hunting 
 
 in the Mountains with their Dogs, others 
 went upon the River with their Bows 
 and. Arrows, and in a few hours time we 
 fhould. fee ’em return loaded with more 
 Fifh and Venifon than all our Men could 
 eat ; and this was not once or twice only,but 
 throughout our whole Voyage, not with- 
 out our great Admuiration; which gave us 
 occafion to attribute this great Abundance — 
 to the mighty and liberal Providence of 
 that-God, who once fed five thoufand Per- 
 fons with five Loaves and a few Fifhes: 
 
 CHA FB. XOX 
 
 The agreeable Temperature of ‘the Air in all 
 this Country; what tt is that makes Win- 
 ter there, and whether the Heat be great, 
 
 it being under the Line. That. there is 
 but one Inconveniency there, — : 
 
 LL along this River, and in all the 
 neighbouring Provinces, the Air is 
 
 fo temperate, and the Seafons of the | 
 Year fo regular, that there’s no Excefs ei- 
 ther of Heat or Cold, nor any troublefome 
 
 variety of Weather: For tho there is eve- 
 
 ry Year a kind of Winter, yet it does not’ 
 proceed from the different Courfe of the 
 Planets, or Diftance of the Sun, for that 
 eH RAE Ce ahaa 
 
 ’ 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 71 
 
 always rifes and fets at the fame hour. 
 That which moft incommodes ’em is the 
 _ frequency of the Inundations, which leave 
 a great Dampnefs in the Ground, and by 
 their overflowing the Plains, hinder ’em - 
 feveral Months from fowing and gather- 
 ing in the Fruits of the Earth. By thefe 
 Floods they diftinguifh the Winter from 
 the Spring throughout all Perg : they call 
 all that time wherein the Earth produces 
 no Crop, the Winter; and they call thar 
 _ Seafon the Spring, which they employ in 
 fowing, and gathering in not only their 
 Maze, which is the principal part of their 
 Harvelt, but all che other Product of the 
 Ground, whether that which grows fpon- 
 taneoufly, or by Cultivation. Thefe In- 
 undations happen twice a Year all along 
 the whole Extent of this River. bats 
 
 We have obferv’d, that thofe who dwell 
 near the Mountains of Qyito, fuller more 
 Heat than thofe that inhabit along this Ri- 
 ver towards the Sea; the reafon is, be- 
 caufe there come Breezes from the Coaft 
 of the Northern Sea, that continue two, 
 three or four hours in aday, and fometimes 
 more ; thefe Winds extreamly refreth the 
 Air, and are a great Comfort to thofe Peo- 
 ple that are le{s remote from the Sea. 
 
 However, it mutt be faid that the high- | 
 
 eft degree of Heat, even in the Moun- 
 
 Fa tains © 
 
 t., 
 
 7 
 
<at> 2p >> A-Difcovery of 
 tains them{elves, is.no greater than is at 
 _ Panama, and at.Cartagena: for however 
 “violent it be in it felf, itisevery where mo- _ | 
 _ derated by the gentle Winds, which blow | 
 ~ every day, and not only render the Air to- 
 /terable and agreeable to the Inhabitants, 
 ~ but have befides the Property of preferv- 
 ing all their Victuals and Stores from cor- 
 rupting. [have had the Experience of it 
 my felf inthe Wafers we carried with us, - 
 which at the end of five Monthé anda 
 half fince we parted from. Quito, were as 
 good as if they had been newly made. 
 ‘This made me and my Companion won- 
 der the more, becaufe in our Travels in. 
 almoft all other Parts of America, we ob- ~ 
 ferv’d, that Bread and other things of the 
 leaft Subftance corrupted ina little time. 
 ‘And tho all this long ftretch of Land is 
 fo near the Equinoctial Line, yet the Heat 
 of the Sun is not at all hurtful, nor the — 
 Evening Air neither, tho it be very cool 
 and moiflt. I have good reafon to teftify 
 this, for during our whole Voyage I have 
 commonly pafs’d whole Nights in the o- 
 pen Air, without getting the leaft Pain in 
 my Head,or the leaft Defluxion of Rhume ; 
 and yet in all other Places, the leaft walk- ~ 
 ing abroad ina Moon-fhiny Night, has 
 very much incommoded me. ’Tis true, 
 at the beginning of our Voyage, almoft all 
 pages of 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. ~ 73 
 
 of our Men that came from cold Coun- 
 tries had Agues, but were all cur’d by 
 bleeding threeor four times. We neither 
 felt, nor heard of any fuch bad Air along 
 this River, as there is in almoft all other 
 _ places of Peru that have been difcover’d, 
 where People are fometimes in a moment 
 _ taken with violent Rhumatifms through- 
 out all their Limbs, which could not pro- 
 ceed but from a fudden Corruption of the 
 Humours, and which in fome degenerated 
 to an incurable Palfy, and coft others their 
 Lives. Ina word, were it not for the Heats 
 
 which are in moft of the inhabited Parts 
 of Peru intolerable, the Country of the 
 River of Amazons might without-Exagee- 
 - ration be term’d an Earthly Paradife. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 The Beauty of this Country, and the abun- 
 dance of Medicinal Simples, Plants and 
 Trees it yields. 
 
 THis fweet Temperature of the Air 
 caufes all the Borders of this River 
 
 to becover’d with a thoufand kinds of love- 
 ly Trees, the pleafant Verdure of which is - 
 perpetually preferv’d by the moderate Dif- 
 pofition of the Air: athoufand Landskips 
 were prefented to our Eyes {till more and 
 more 
 
) ss 
 
 ah OA Difcovery of 
 more fine, and more diverfified, as if they 
 einulated one another, and made us confefs 
 that Art had yet a great deal to learn 
 of Nature, when fhe difcovers her felf af- 
 ter fo excellent and furprizing a manner. 
 _ TheGround is very low in moft places near 
 the Bahks of the River, but rifes gradually 
 at a diftance, with little Hills that adjoin to 
 curious Plains all cover’d with Flowers, 
 without fo much as a Tree; beyond thefe 
 are lovely Vales all clotl’d with Grafs 
 and Herbs, preferv’d continually green by 
 the refrefhing Rivulets that run through 
 "ens © | 
 ~ Beyond al] this Extent of Ground are 
 Hills: rifing one above another, till they 
 make thofe high Mountains which extend 
 from one end of Perz to the other, call’d 
 Cordeliers, becaufe they arerang’d in order, 
 as if they were plac’d by a Line or Cord. 
 There area great many Thickets that 
 produce all forts of Simples, which the 
 Indians know how toufe for the Cure of 
 their Difeafes.. There grow Caffa-Trees, 
 which bear the beft Ca/ra in all the Izdies. 
 There is excellent Sar/aparilla, Gams and 
 Rofias, that are very good for Wounds 
 and Bruifes; and a prodigious quantity of 
 Honey, which the Bees on all fides make 
 in fach abundance, that the ftore of it is 
 not ro be exhaufted. ‘This is as good to 
 : ; eat, 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 75 
 eat, asit is for the Compofition of various 
 Medicines: The Bees alfo make a fort of 
 black Wax, whichis however very good, 
 and burns as well as that which is white or 
 yellow. ‘There area kind of Tyees, call’d 
 ‘by the People of the Country Audirouas, 
 from which there runs an Oil of extraor- 
 dinary. Virtue for curing Wounds: There | 
 is another Tree call’d Copayba, whichvyields 
 a Balm furpafling the beft that is to be 
 had in the Eaft. Ina word, there grows 
 a multitude of different kinds of Herbs 
 and Plants. of very great Virtue, befides 
 thofe that are not yet known,.which would 
 fuffice to make a new Diofcorides, anda 
 fecond Plimy: And it would be a matter 
 of no fmall Difficulty to give an account 
 of all the Properties of fo many different 
 . Simples. 
 
 
 
 CR AP..f SRE 
 he Multitude of Trees that grow in this 
 Countrey, Cedars, and other kinds fit for 
 the building of Veffels; and the Provi- 
 dence of Nature in Fans this Part 
 of the World with all Neceffaries for that 
  parpofe, except Tron. | 
 
  g \HE Trees that grow along this Ri- 
 ver are innumerable, and of a fur- 
 as: es : prizing 
 
276 ... A Difcovery of 
 prizing TallnefsandBulk. I meafured a 
 Cedar that. was thirty Hands breadth in 
 Compafs; the Poplars are almoft all of 
 that fize, and excellent Timber for build- 
 ing either forSeaorLand. Thofe Trees 
 which are known in the.Country, are for 
 the moft part Cedars, Cobos, Palohierro, 
 and Palocolorado, and other fuch like, 
 
 _ which-are'no fooner cut down, but the 
 
 may be fafely ufed; and the Veffels that’ 
 are made of ’em may be launched as foon 
 _asthey are finifhed. There is no need of 
 any of the Materials of Earope for the 
 building of ’em in thofe Parts ; but only 
 . of Irom tor the forging of Nails, and o- 
 ther pieces of Smiths Work neceflary to 
 the building of great and {mall Veilels. 
 All other things are found in this Country 
 in great Plenty : The Inhabitants make 
 Cables of the Barkof Trees; they have 
 Pitch, and Tar as good as are to be had in 
 Europe , and they have Oil either to ren- 
 der it firm and folid, or to temper its 
 Hardnefs ; one fort of which they draw 
 from Fifh, and another fort they get from 
 Trees. They makea fort of Tow, which 
 they call Ambira, fo good, that no better 
 can be ufed for the caulking of, Veflels, 
 and to make Musket-Match. Their Cot- 
 tort abundantly furnifhes ’em with Stuff'to 
 make Sails, and this grows the beft of 7 
 kon ees the 
 
the River of Amazons. (77 
 the fmall Seeds they fow in their Fields. 
 And after all, there are fo great numbers 
 of People, that one might have as many 
 Work-men and Sea-men asone pleas’d for 
 the building and manning of as many Gal- 
 leons as one fhould think meet to put up- 
 on the Stocks. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII, 
 
 Four things which abound on the Banks of 
 this River, which are capable of inriching 
 great Kingdoms, Ste 
 
 Here are four things along this Ri- © 
 
 ver, which being well manag’d, 
 
 would be capable of enriching many King- 
 doms; the firft is Wood for building, of 
 which there is fome found of a rare and 
 particular Colour, like fine Ebony ; and. 
 there is fo prodigious a quantity of com- 
 mon Wood, that is worth tranfporting, 
 . that how much foever fhould be carried a-. 
 “way, the Country can never be exhaufted, 
 The fecond thing is the Coco-tree, 
 which ferves for the Compofition of Cho- 
 colat ; with thefe the Banks of the River 
 are covered, and throughout our whole 
 Voyage, our Men cut fcarce any thing 
 elfeto make Huts of for ourCamp, This 
 Tree is very much efteem’d for its Fruit 
 | ) through- 
 

 
 
 
 78 A Difcovery of 
 throughout all Wew Spaiz, and in all other 
 Places where it is known what Chocolat 
 is. Every Foot of this’Tree will produce 
 eight Silver Rials, all Charges paid, And 
 it may eafily be fuppos’d there’s no need of 
 ‘great labour to cultivate thefe Trees along 
 this River, feeing Nature, without the 
 Affiftance of Husbandry and Art, makes 
 ’em bring forth Fruit in fo great abundance. 
 
 The third is Tobacco, of which there 
 is a prodigious quantity along this River, 
 which is very much efteem’d by all the 
 
 Natives; fo that if it were raifed with 
 that Care this Plant requires, it would be 
 the beft Tobacco in the World 5 becaufe in 
 the Judgment of thofe that underftand it, 
 there can’t be defired a better Soil and Cli- 
 mat for thisfort of Plant, than what is to 
 be found on this River. 
 
 But that which is the moft confiderable 
 _ of all, and forthe fake of which in my 
 opinion it would be very well worth the 
 while to make firm and fubftantial Efta- 
 blif{hments along this River,is Sagar : This — 
 is the fourth thing; and the Traffick of 
 it ismore honourable, as well as the Profit 
 more fure and greater for a Nation than 
 that of the reft. And now fince we 
 are ingag’d ina War withthe Dutch, it 
 ought to excite an Emulation in us, and 
 make us endeavour to furnifh our felves 
 with 
 
the River of Amazons. 79 
 with thofe Commodities our Enemies 
 _ bring from! Brazdl/*; and we ought toe 
 ftablith our felves with all Expedition in 
 this Countrey, and fet up Mills and o- 
 ther Sugar-Works ; which would neither 
 require very much Time, nor Labour, nor 
 Charge, which laft is that whichis moft 
 fear’'d now adays. The Ground isas good 
 for the planting of Sugar-Canes, as any 
 is in the whole Continent of Brazil; and 
 of this we can give Affurance, as having 
 feen and knownall thofe Provinces. The 
 Soil on the Banks of this River is white 
 and fat, of as good a kind as can be defired 
 by thofe that know what belongs to the 
 Cultivation of thefe Plants ; and it becomes 
 fo fruitful and rich by the Inundations 
 of the River, which by continuing a few 
 days improve the Ground, that there is 
 more reafon to fear too great than too little 
 a Crop. ’T'will be no new thing to make 
 Sugar-Canes grow in thisCountry, be- 
 caufe we found throughout the whole 
 Length of this great River, fuch as gave 
 us fufficient Proof of the great abun- 
 dance to which they might be multiplied | 
 
 | | when- 
 
 * Note. At the time when this Voyage was.made, the 
 Dutch, who were at War with the Spaniards, had 
 conguer’d and poffefs'd themfelves of almoft all 
 Brazil, the Durch Weft-India. Company then having 
 
 Prince Maurice de Naffau for the General of all their 
 _ Troops both by Sea and Land. Hey 
 
 
 
800 | A Difcovery of 
 
 whenever any People fhould apply them- 
 felyves to cultivate’em, and to make Su- 
 gar-Mills, which: might be done with’ a 
 
 little Charge at any time; not only be-. - 
 
 caufe there’s all forts of Wood in great 
 plenty, as I have already faid, but’ alfo 
 becaufe there 1s the Conveniency of Wa- 
 ter for ’em in as great quantity a5 one can 
 defire. There is nothing wanting but 
 Copper, which we may fupply in fending 
 it thither from: our own Country, and 
 which we may be fure will turn toa con- 
 fiderable Account. 8 | 
 
 
 
 CHAP.» XXXII. 
 
 Many other Commodities profitable for Traf- 
 
 fick, which are found in this Country. 
 A Efidesthefe four forts of Commodi. 
 
 |) tiesthat may be brought fromthefe 
 
 Lands that aredifcover’d,capable ofinrich- — 
 ingthe whole World, there arealfo many’ ~ 
 others, which altho lefs rare, would not — 
 fail to bring’ a confiderable Profit toa Na- ° 
 
 tion ; fuchas Cotton, that grows there a- 
 bundantly, Rocow, that our Dyersufe to — 
 
 make fine Scarlet, which is’ fo efteem’d 
 
 by all Nations that have Commerce with ~ 
 us; Cafia, and Sarfaparilla: there are ~ 
 made alfo feveral Oils for the. healing of 
 
 Wounds 
 
 RES 
 
the River of Amazons, 8¥ 
 Wounds which equal the beft Balfams 3° 
 there are fotind.Gums and Rofins of an’ 
 admirable Scent, and a certain Plant call’d: 
 Pita, which. yields the beft Thred in the — 
 World, and which the Ground produces 
 
 in vaft plenty ; anda thoufand other things, 
 
 the Ufefulnefs and Advantages of which 
 _are difcover’d every day. | 
 
 
 
 | CHAP, XXXIV. 
 Convincing Reafons to fhew that many of 
 the Mountains of this Countrey mufe 
 needs contain Mines of Gold and Silver. 
 
 Do not {peak of the many Mines of 
 — Gold and Silver, which are difcover’d ’ 
 in the. conquer’d Countries, not thofe 
 which Time may further difcover there 5 
 but Iam mightily miftaken in my Judg-~ 
 ment, if many others may not.be found ia 
 this Countrey more rich than all thofe of 
 Peru, tho the famous Mountain of Pozofi 
 be comprehended. in it :)I {peak not this 
 without .ground, nor only with a defiga . 
 ‘to advance the Value of this great Rivet, . 
 but found what I fay upon Reafon and 
 -Experierice ; becaufe [ have feen a great 
 deal of Gold among the Indians whom 
 We met as we went down the River, who | 
 gave us very certain Affurances, that there. 
 ae i were 
 

 
 $2 A Difcovery of — 
 were agreat number of Gold and Silver 
 “Mines intheir Country. This great Ri- 
 ver receives all the Waters of the richeft 
 Countries of America. On the South- 
 fide, thofe rich Rivers, fome of which have 
 their Sources round about Potofi, others. at 
 the Foot of Gaavico, whichisa Mountain 
 near the City of Lima, flow into it; o- 
 thers come down from Caco, others from 
 Cuenca, and from Gibaros, which is the 
 richeft Country for Gold’of any that has 
 ‘been yet difcovered ; fo that on this fide 
 all the Rivers, Sources, little Springs and 
 Rivulets, which run into the Sea for the — 
 {pace of 600 Leagues, that is from Potofi 
 as far as Quito, render Homage to the 
 River of Amazons, and pay it Tributes 
 ‘of Gold; as all the others likewife do 
 that defcend’ from the new Kingdom of — 
 Granada, which is‘no lefs rich-in’ Gold 
 than all the other Provinces ‘of Peru. 
 And feeing this River is the: great Channel — 
 “and principal Paffage to all the richeft Pla- 
 ces of Perw,one may reafonably be affured, 
 that itisthe Soveraign Miftrefsof thenyall : 
 befides, if that golden“Laké'harth all’ the 
 Gold which the commion Report aferibes - 
 -toit; if the Amazons inhabit the ticheft 
 Mountains in the World, as*thany that 
 ‘fay they have feen®em affure'us’; “ifthe 
 ‘Tocantins abound-*fo' much’ in ‘precious | 
 FO ee Stones | 
 
— oP “S vee eA i ‘ ne 5 
 Mot OTR Pen moe re Ee nt Wr ie or Meee MAS pir gens Tats: 
 
 the River of Amazons. 83 
 Stones and Gold, as fome of the French,. 
 who have travell’d in their Country,do af- 
 firm ; if the Omagnas withthe Reputation 
 ‘of their vaft Wealth, were once capable of 
 cafting all Perw into confufion, and of 
 forcing the Viceroy to fend a great Army 
 under the Conduct of Pedro de Orfuato © 
 conquer their Country; all thefe Places 
 adjoin to the River of Amazous: The 
 Golden Lake, the Amazons, the Tocan- 
 tins, and the Omaguas are upon the Banks 
 of it, as fhall be thew hereafter; and in 
 fine, this is the River that feemsto be or- 
 dain’d by the Hand of God to_be the De- 
 ‘pofitory of thofe immenfe ‘Treafures, 
 which the Divine Providence has refer- 
 ved to inrich the Greateft, moft Valiant, 
 _and happieft Prince upon Earth. , - 
 
 COTA? XXXV. 
 The Ban Extent of the Countries along 
 this River. | : 
 
 yf i ‘HE vadt Extent of Land along the 
 aw Banks of this great River, is as 
 much as an Empire of 4000 Leagues in 
 Circuit; Tthink Tam aot much out of the 
 way ig my Computation; for if it con- 
 Tains in length 1276 Leagues exattly.mea- 
 fur'd (tho Oreillane, who firlt difcover’d 
 oS? G2 a | iol 
 
Bab adios Re HOOD Ohrret, .. 
 ands paft through, it, accounts, it,.1800 
 T.eagues ) if-each River which enters into 
 it cither.on the North or South-fide, runs 
 above 200: Leagues in Jength, and. in ma- 
 ny places above 4oe, without .approach- 
 ‘ing any Country that is peopled by.the 
 ‘Spaniard on any. fide, there being only va- 
 rious Nations of Indians that.are yet un- | 
 known, to be found from, this. River:to 
 thofe Places fo, far diftant, it muft, be 
 _ granted that the breadth.of this Empire 
 would contain above 400 Leagues at leaft 
 in the narroweft part of it, which with | 
 the 1726 Leagues, in length. of our Ac- 
 count Cor 1800 Leagues, by Oretllane’s 
 Computation) makes very dittle lefs than 
 4000 Leagues in Compafs by the Rules of 
 Cofmography and Arithmetick. , 
 
 
 
 onttenss beet AyPa SSN I. 
 
 The many different Nations.which live in 
 .. thofe Provinces, to the numberof above 
 “one hundred and fiftys: +; ae 
 
 -' ®& LL the new World. Gitamay,well be 
 ‘L-\ fo call’d) is peopled. with. Barba- 
 _. Tians difpers’d in different Provinces, .who 
 -make fo many Nations, of which there 
 are more than 150, of, whom J can {peak 
 with good affurance. 1 fhall give anac- _ 
 Cae | count » 
 
the River of Amazons. 85 
 
 count of their Names, arid defcribe the 
 Situation of their Countries, having feen 
 “part of °em my felf, ‘and receiv’d Infotma- 
 tion of ‘the reft by thofe Indians that have 
 -convers’d with ’em 5 the'diverfity of their 
 _ Language’ makes the Diftin@ion of ‘thofe 
 ’ Nations, which ate’as large and as well 
 peopPd with Inhabitants as any of thofe 
 we have feen in our whole Voyage: the 
 Country is fo well peop?d that their Huts 
 “are near one another, and this not only in 
 the extent of one’and the fame Nation, 
 but throughout; fo that the utmoft Plan- 
 “tations of one Nation border fo: near to 
 thofe of another, that they can hear one 
 another cutting: Wood from the laft: Vil- 
 “lage of one Nation into divers Plantations 
 “of the other. “This near Neighbourhood 
 does not at all ferve to keep’em in Amity 
 one with another, but on the contrary, 
 they are in continual, War, and are daily 
 killing and making Slaves of one another ; 
 “this is the ordinary Misfortune of great 
 multitudés, and if it were not for. this,- 
 there would not be Ground enough to con- 
 tain’em. They appear valianc and refo- 
 “Jute ‘among themfelves,. but yet we never 
 aw any in our whole Voyage who would 
 ftand their ground againft our Souldiers ; 
 “and none of thefe Barbarians had fo much 
 *“Boldnefs as to put themfelves in a poe 
 
 eo 
 
~ a. 
 on 
 
 86 A Nifcovery of 
 
 of Defence, but only made ufe of that 
 fhift which thofe that are cowardly, and 
 faint-hearted have always imbraced, which 
 is to betake themfelves to flight, a thing 
 very eafy to them, becaufe they go.upon 
 the Water in certain little Veflels fo ex- 
 tremely light, that they make to the {hore 
 as {wilt as Lightning; and taking thefe 
 Boats at their Backs, retire towards fome 
 Lake, of which there are a great many 
 made by the River, where putting their 
 Veilels again intoghe Water, when they 
 aregot in ’em, they defy all their Enemies 
 let °em be who they will, becaufe they 
 cart do the fame with any, Veflels they 
 can have. 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIL 
 
 The Arms which thefe People ufe both Offen- 
 five and Defenfive. | 
 
 a eg their Arms confit in Javelins of 
 2 & a moderate length, and in Darts 
 made of very hard Wood, which they 
 (werk to fo {harp a Point, that they. can 
 ealily piercea Man through with’em,they 
 ‘throw ’em vuith fo muchdexterity. They 
 - -have belides thefe another fort..of Wea- 
 - pon call Efokeus, inthe wing of which — 
 the Souldsers of the gneat Jrica King. of 
 Bis ee Peru 
 
the River of: Amazons. 87 
 
 Peru were very well skilPd; thisisa Sta¥ 
 
 of about fix Foot long, and»threé Fingers 
 
 broad, made as flat asa Board 3 at the end 
 
 of it on one fide they: fix a’Bone made like 
 
 a Tooth, to which they: faften'an Arrow 
 
 of fix Foot long, the Point whereof is 
 
 likewife headed with a Bone; or witha 
 
 very hard piece of Wood, which they:cut 
 
 in the form of a barb’d Arrow-head; fo 
 
 that whereit hits, it remains faft;and hangs 
 at its whole length: they take iti their 
 
 Right-hand, with which they hold this 
 
 Weapon by the lower end, and fixing the 
 
 Arrow in the Bone that ‘is ‘in the uppet 
 
 end of it, they'caft it with fo much Force 
 
 and Exattnefs, that they never mifs doing 
 Execution within 50 Paces. ~“Thefe Wea- 
 
 » pons ferve em for War, for Hunting, and 
 efpecially for Fifhing ; fo that whatever 
 kind of Fifh they can perceive in the Ri- 
 ver, they fhoot it, let it' be never fo much 
 cover’d under Water: and that which is 
 yet more to be admir’d is, that with thefe 
 Weapons they pierce Tortoifes, when, af- 
 ter they are run into the River to hide 
 themfelves, they thruft their Heads out of 
 the Water to take breath, as they “com- 
 monly do from time to time after fmall 
 Intervals ; el {trike ’em with this Arrow 
 through the Neck, which is the only place 
 in which they can be wounded, becaufe 
 : a G4 it 
 
 4 
 

 
 88  .zoxkDilcdveryof «~*~ 
 itisinotocover’d: with the:Shell):» For. De- 
 fenfive Weapons theyomake ufe: of Tar- 
 gets; which: they make of :Canes‘fplit in 
 two, and which theyfo:fitly andiclofely 
 join: One with another, that tho they are 
 much) lighter, yet they are no lefs {trong 
 thamthofe others which they make of the 
 Skin of the Fith Pegebzey,: of which T have 
 fpoken before. Some of thefe: Nations 
 make ufe only of Bowsand Arrows, which 
 are efteem’d among all the others: for the 
 force and {wiftnefsiof ?em.. There are a- 
 bundance of venomous Herbs, with which 
 fome of thefe Nations make fo fubtilea 
 Poifon, that: their’ Arrows: being rub’d 
 with it, never-draw the leaft Blood: with- » 
 out taking away the Lifeat the fametime. 
 dhbadined: Gnbl Aobin aoe Valtess 
 
 T heit manner. of living together.:° Of their 
 . Commerce, avd of their making Boats for 
 
 their Traffick. oo. 
 
 bay LL the Nationsthat liveon theBanks 
 
 ‘of this great River dwell together 
 in great Colonies, and all their Commerce 
 and Praffickis.carried on by Water as it is 
 at Venice, or at. Mexico, in little Barks - 
 
 which they all Canoos ; thefe they make 
 
 withiCedar-wood, and the Providence of ' 
 SEE YO ‘ ys) 0 bs Bia | Gad 
 
the River of Amazons.  8o, 
 God provides: thefé: for ?em in fuch abun- 
 dance, that without: their being at the 
 trouble of cutting *emdown; and of draw- 
 ing ’envfrom the Mountains, they are fent 
 to: ’em:with the Current of the: River, 
 which*to fupply ‘the: Neceffities of thefe 
 “People, tears up»Cedars for ’em from the 
 higheft Mountains ‘of Peru, and brings 
 ’em down-to the foot of their Cottages, 
 where they: maysevery one chufe which 
 they think: moft fit for their purpofe » but 
 the wonder is, that among fo great num- 
 ber’ \of Indians, every~one: of «whom has 
 need of one orntwooot .thefe. Trunks of 
 ‘Trees for the Service’of his Family tomake 
 a Canoo or two ( forindeed they all have 
 _ of em.) there’snone of *em has.any more | 
 trouble to procure ’em, than that of going 
 to the River fide, and tying a Cord to the 
 firft Tree that floats along, and bringing 
 it over againfl:-his Hut, where he ftops it 
 tillthe Riverretires; and asfoonas itisdry, 
 they with the fame Induftry apply them- 
 felves to hollow them, and make fuch Ca- 
 moos of them as they want. TF 
 
 CHAP. 
 
4 
 
 
 
 90 ud: Difcovery of 
 
 | C HAP. XXXIX. 
 
 The: Fools which. they ufe to cut and cleave 
 Wood, to plaim tt, and to make their 
 Houfbold Stuff. 
 
 | LL the Tools which they have either 
 F% to maketheir Canoos, to build their 
 
 ‘Huts, or to'do other neceflary Jobs, are 
 
 Axes and Hatchets, not fuch as have been 
 forg’d by ingenious Smiths, but fuch as 
 have been form’d in their Fancies by Ne- 
 eeffity, which is the Mother of Invention, 
 and has taught *em to cut the hardeft part 
 of the Tortoife-fhell (which is that under 
 the Belly of it) into Leaves of about a 
 hand’s-breadth, and not quite fo thick as 
 
 ‘ones Hand. After having dry’d it in the 
 
 Smoak, they whet it upon a Stone, then 
 faften it toa wooden Helve, and make ufe 
 of this Tool to cut every thing they fancy, - 
 as well as if it were the beft Ax that can 
 be, but with a little more'pains. “They 
 make their Hatchets of the’ fame matter, 
 and the Handle they put to’emis a Pege- | 
 beuy’s Jaw-bone, which Nature feems to 
 have purpofely fitted to this ufe. With 
 thefe Inftruments they finifh all their 
 Works, not only their Canoos, but their 
 Tables, their Cupboards, their Seats, and — 
 
 their other Houfhold Goods, and that as 
 
 com- 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 4 
 
 compleatly asif they had the beft Joiners 
 Tools that are in ufe among us. There 
 are fome among. thefe Nations who make 
 their Axes of Stones, which they grind to 
 an Edg with main Strength; thefe are 
 -much f{tronger than thofe of Tortoife-fhell, 
 fo that they will cut downany great Tree 
 which they have a mind to fell, withthe 
 lefs fear of breaking em, and with much 
 more {peed.. ‘Their Chizzels, Plains and 
 Wimbles, which we ufe for the fineft 
 Works of Joinery. (in which they work 
 excellently well) are made of wild Hogs 
 Teeth, and of the Horns of other Animals, 
 which they graft in to Wooden Handles, 
 and make ufe of ’em as well as wecan do 
 of the beft that are made of Steel. 
 
 Almoft all thefe Provinces produce Cot- 
 ton more or lefs, but the greater part of 
 - 7em make no ufe of it for Clothing, but on 
 the contrary, the moft of ’em go ftark 
 
 naked, as well Men as Women, and are 
 no more afham’d of appearing fo than if 
 they were in the primitive State of In- 
 nocency. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
&: 
 e Ww 
 as 
 
 *, courfe of a Cacique'on this Subject. 
 
 t 
 
 @ GB LYS": 
 
 A Difcovery of 
 to VAS OL dust IA pl ITD: gil youl sa°7 
 
 "The Religion of theft People, and what they 
 
 - 
 
 “ believe concerning their Idols. The Dif- 
 
 BRStG 6 
 
 “ECHR Religion of thefe. barbarous 
 People is much alike, they all wor- 
 
 
 
 “fhip Idols, which they make with their 
 
 own Hands; to one of them they afcribe 
 ‘the Authority of governing the ‘Waters, 
 
 and put a Fifh in his Hand in token of ‘his 
 
 Power ; they chufe others to prefide over 
 their Seed-time, and others to infpire ’em 
 
 ‘with Courage in their Battels ; they fay 
 
 thefe Gods came down from Heaven on 
 -purpofe to dwell with them, and to fhew 
 them Kindnefs. They don’t fignify their 
 Adoration of thefe Tdols by any ourward . 
 
 Ceremonies, but on the contray, feem to 
 
 have forgotten "em as foon as they have 
 made ’em, and putting them in a Cafe let 
 em lie, without taking any notice of ’em 
 fo long as they imagine they have no occa- . 
 fion for their Help; but when they are 
 ready to march out to War, they fet up the 
 Idol in which they have plac’d the hopes 
 of their Vidtories, at the Prow of their 
 Canoos: fo when they goa fifhing, they 
 ‘take that Idol with ’em to which they at- 
 tribute the Government’ of the ‘Waters; 
 OTe ef tae 8 a ee BRN et Fe . Bling 2 Lat hho SUA BS) beicd vet 
 
the River of Amazons. 93 
 yet they havemot fo much Faith in any of 
 ’em, but that they freely acknowledg 
 that there may poffibly. be a God who is 
 greater and more powerful than thefe, I 
 made this Judgment upon what pafs’d be- 
 tween us and one. of thefe. Savage, Pegple, 
 ‘who yet, fhew’d nothing in his Converfa- 
 tion that, favour’d of a barbarous Educa- 
 tion: “This Indian had heard fome of our 
 Men {peak of the Almighty Power of 
 God; and. confidering what he had {een 
 ‘with, -bis own Eyes, that our Army had 
 ‘ navigated this great, River throughout its 
 whole Courfe,,and after haying pafs’d 
 through fo many different Warlike Nati- 
 ons, was return’d without having receiv’d. 
 the leaft, Damage or Prejudice from. any of 
 em, he thought: this could not be, unlefs 
 _ the Affiftance and Power of God hadcon- - 
 duéted us: upon this Imagination he came 
 to meet us, and with a great deal of Con- 
 cern and difquiet of Mind fignified to_us, 
 that for all the kind Entertainment he had 
 given us, he, defir’d no other Recompence 
 but that we would leave him one of our — 
 Gods, feeing they were fo good and pow- 
 erful,, that fo he might take him and his 
 Vaffals_ into his Protection, that he might 
 make ’em live in. Peace and Health, and 
 - ‘continually give ,’em whatever they ftood 
 ‘in need of for their Prefervation, Our Men 
 
 | did 
 
x 
 
 é 
 
 did not fail to promife him whatever he 
 
 ‘defir’d, and would fain have fet up the 
 
 Standard of the Crofs in his Village for a 
 certain Mark. This is a Cuftom the Por- 
 ‘tuguez have introduc’d throughout ‘all 
 places where Idols are worfhip’d; I know 
 not whether they do it from a true Princi- 
 ple of Zeal, asthe Action it felf feems to 
 fienify, for there is a great deal of reafon 
 to doubt that they fet up the facred Sign 
 ‘of the'Crofs‘only for a fpecious Pretext to 
 make Slaves of the poor Indians, whom 
 
 _ @hey carry away from their very Houtes, — 
 
 either for their own Service, or to fell em. 
 tovothers; which gave mean extreme’Com- 
 ‘paffion for thefe People who ‘don’t feem 
 unteachable, and might ‘be ‘more eafily 
 brought to the Knowledge: of the trueGod 
 
 by a-courteous and gentle Carriage, than 
 
 ‘by all'the Rigor thar-can be-us’d upon “em. 
 What 1 ‘have faid is ‘certainly true, that 
 when the Portuguez have been kindly re- 
 
 ‘ceiv’d and well ‘treated by thefe'honeft and 
 
 ‘charitable Indians, they in return ‘to all 
 
 their Hofpitality only leave em ‘the Sign 
 
 of the Crofs, which ‘they fer up sin:the 
 
 ‘moft-eminent ‘place of their Habitations, 
 -comithanding *em ‘to ‘keep this ‘holy ‘Sign 
 with fo-great “Care that it‘may ‘never ‘be 
 défac’d ; and-after this when this ‘Crofs 
 ‘happens either ‘to’be'thrown down by the 
 
 | Inju- 
 
the Riverof Amazons. 95 
 Injuries of the Weather, or to be:-worn 
 out, or it may be to be malicioufly broken 
 in. pieces by fome of thofe Idolatrous ‘In- 
 dians who bear no refpe&'to. it,’ the*Por- 
 tuguez never fail to condemn ’em all as 
 guilty of the Profanation of ‘the Crofs, 
 and ‘as fuch, declare both them and ‘all 
 their Children’ and: Childrens’ Children — 
 perpetual Slaves. ‘This wasithe main rea- 
 fon that ingag’d me to ‘forbid’ the*Portu- 
 guez to leave the'Crofs among thefePeo- 
 ‘ple; befides, Iwas) not willing that’ this 
 Cacique that had'ask’dus for a-God; fhould 
 have any occafion to believe that'our God 
 “was’a piece of ‘Wood, and’ that ‘this: had 
 the Power and Divinity of /hinythar fav'd 
 ‘us on the Crofs, for fear of confirming hit 
 in Idolatry. I therefore comforted him the 
 beft. I could, and told ‘hirh ‘the God we 
 worfhip’d would be' always with him,and 
 advis'd him to ‘pray to'‘him for whatever 
 ‘he'wanted, and ‘to’ put‘his ‘Truft *intirely 
 ‘ain him, ‘telling him‘ TD beltiév’d he »would 
 . one day favour him withthe Knowledgof 
 the true Religion. «By thisit appears that 
 ‘this: Indian: did: ‘not bekieve'his idols were 
 ‘powerful Gods,’ feeiigihe' wasfo ready to 
 ‘forfike ’ém to'worfhip aigreater Deity, if 
 “~wewould'have given him-one. | 
 
 CHAP. 
 
96 A Difcovery of 
 
 : ah os hp © hedge 
 
 The Difcourfes of two other Caciques, which 
 fbew the Capacity of thofe Peoples Minds. 
 
 ' &\ Nother of thefe Barbarians gave us 
 to underftand that his Sentiments 
 were not different from thofe of the for- - 
 mer which we have been relating. This 
 Indian who had more Knowledg, but lefs 
 Honefty than the other, knowing that 
 there was no Divinity, nor any Power in ~ 
 his Idols, fet up himfelf for the God. of all 
 hisCountry. We receiv’d Information of 
 this fome Leagues before we arriv’d at the 
 place where he dwelt, and fent him word 
 that we were coming to bring him Tidings 
 of the true God, who was much more 
 powerful than he could pretend to be, and _ 
 entreated him not to retire from his Houfe, 
 but to wait for our Arrival, He did fo, 
 and we had fcarce fet our Feet to Land on . 
 the fhore of this Country, but he came to 
 us big with Curiofity to enquire what 
 News we could tell him of that God, a- . 
 bout whom we had fent fuch a Meflage to __ 
 him. I helda long Difcourfe with him, to 
 inform him what God was; but becaufe 
 he would needs fee with his own Eyes the 
 God that I preach’d to him, I wasfore’d | 
 to leave himin his own Blindnefs: He told 
 me 
 
the River of Amazons. 97 
 
 _ me himfelf was.God, .and begotten by the 
 
 Sun ; affirming that his Soul went every. 
 _ Night into Heaven to give Orders for the 
  fucceeding Day, ‘and to regulate thé’Go- 
 _.;vernment of the Univerfe; fuch was the 
  Infolence and Pride of this Savage Crea- 
 CEOS eee oy: PAY core Bo 
 _.. Another of ’em fhew’d himfelf much 
 _ more reafonable; for when Iwas enquiring 
 _ of him how it came to pafs, that feeing his 
 » Companions retir’d into the Mountains at 
 ’ the approach of our Fleet, he alone with 
 
 afew of his Relations durft come near us, 
 _ and expofe themfelves to lie at our Mercy’ 
 _ without fear. He anfwer’d that he had 
  confider’d that fuch Men as‘had once got 
 up that River in fpight of fo many Ene+ 
 _ mies, and were return’d in like manner 
 _ without receiving any harm, could be no — 
  lefs than the Lords of this gteat River, and’ 
 _ would be fure frequently to return to bring 
 "it into Subjeétion, and to people it with 
 _ new Inhabitants ; and the cafe being thus, 
 _ he-was not willing to live always in fear 
 - anddread in his Houfe, but chofe rather 
 - torender-himfelf to em in time;.and wil- 
 _ lingly to acknowledg them for his Matters 
 : bed Lticids whom the others would one 
 _ day be conftrain’d to receive and ferve by 
 i Ratce;*"-- | ; mort 
 
 
 
 
 Gece Me 
 
 a H CHAP. 
 
 
 
98 A: Difcovery of. 
 
 
 
 A CHAP. XLIL 
 TheVeneration theyhave fortheir Wizards, 
 andthe Cerensonies of their Funerals, 
 
 WY ET us now refume the Thred of 
 our Hiftory, and return to the Cuf 
 
 toms of our Indians. °Tis very remark- 
 able how much Efteem and Refpe& all | 
 thefe Nations bear to thofe Wizards they 
 have among ’em, ‘which proceeds not fo 
 much from the Love they have for ’em, as 
 from the continual! Fear they live in of re- 
 ceiving fome Mifchief or other from their - 
 Hands. There isa certain Houfe devo- 
 ted to the ufe of thefeSorcerers, in which 
 they perform thew fuperftitious Exercifes, 
 and converfe with the Devil, (a very com- 
 mon thing with ’em in this Place) which 
 ferves for no other purpofe. They alfo 
 keep the dead Bones of thefe Sorcerers 
 with as much Veneration as if they were 
 the Reliques of Saints: when they have 
 put their Bones altogether, they hang em: 
 inthe Air inthe fame Cotton Beds thofe 
 ‘Wizards us’dto lie in whilealive. . Thefe 
 are their Matters, their Preachers, ‘their 
 Counfellors, and their Guides: They 
 -have recourfe to them in their Doubts to . 
 obtain the Refolution of ’em ; and when | 
 
 ge a eke they 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 99 
 they are in the greateft Rage againft their 
 Enemies, they apply themfelves to thefe 
 
 ' Conjurers for poifonous Herbs, by which 
 
 _ they execute their Revenge upon em. 
 
 For the Burial of their Dead there are 
 different Ceremonies among ’em; for 
 fome keep’em in their own Houfes, that 
 
 __ by having ’em always before their Eyes, « 
 _ they may (as they pretend) on all Occa- 
 
 _ onsbe put in mind of Beath: But certain- 
 _ ly if they did it for this intention, one 
 
 would think they fhould keep the Re- 
 
 : mains: of their Dead in better order than 
 they do. | Others burn their Carcafes in 
 _ great Pits, and with them all the deceafed 
 
 Party poflefs’d when alive: But in fhore, 
 
 _ they all, oneas wellas another, celebrate 
 
 See h- 
 
 _ their Funerals for many Days together, 
 
 with continual Mourning: and Weeping, 
 
 _ which they only interrupt with Drinking, 
 _ and that they do even to the Excefs of 
 _ Drunkennedfs. 
 
 
 
 CHAP. ALI 
 
 ; The Conftitution of their Bodies, and the 
 
 Difpofition of their Minds; their Dexte- 
 vity, Manners, and Inclinations. 
 
 ni iG may be faid in general, thatall thefe 
 
 People are well made; they have an 
 Ts agree- 
 
1oOo ld ‘Difcovery of 
 
 agreeable Air; and a Complexion much — 
 Jefstauny than that ofthe Brazilians ; they — 
 have a ready Wit, and a great deal of | 
 Dexterity in’ the Exercife of their Wea~" 
 - pons; their Converfation: is {weet and — 
 
 peaceable, and their Inclinations very a- 
 
 ~ greeable, We had fufhicient Opportunity © 
 
 of knowing this by the Commerce we had 
 with many of them: For they prefently 
 hadfuch a good Opinion of us, that they 
 did not make the sleaft difficulty of truft- 
 
 ing their Lives and all they had befices in | 
 our: Hands. Some of them continued = 
 with usa confiderable. time, catmg and © 
 drinking with our Men without {hewing | 
 the leait Sufpicion or Apprehenfion of © 
 . Danger: Nay they bad the .Civility to | 
 give us their Huts to lodg in, while feve- 7 
 ral of their Families crowded themfelves | 
 in one or two, that we might have the | 
 Accommodation of the ref. The Indi- | 
 ans we had with us ofer’d ’ema thoufand | 
 infolent Afronts, and we: could not pof- | 
 
 4 
 
 _ fibly hinder em from infulting over ’em ; | 
 but they patiently bore all, and without | 
 the leaft Refentment. All this, together 7 
 with the flender Veneration they feem to | 
 have for their Idols, give us great ground | 
 to hope, that if ever the Knowledg of the | 
 true God of Heaven and Harth,-and the | 
 DoGtrine of the Gofpel fhould be, preach?d | 
 cee S to | 
 
 
 
 re EI ae ae CO ee 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 10% 
  to’em, there will be agreat profpect of — 
 their becoming good Chriftians. 
 
 a 
 
 CDH AIP KETV. 
 
 The principal Mouths by which the River of 
 Amazons empties it felf into the Sea, 
 and the chief Rivers of Peru that run in- 
 
 tothe Amazone. 
 
 | ‘TE have hitherto treated in general 
 Y of this Noble and Famous River 
 
 of Amazons; now tis but reafonable we 
 fhould enter upon the Detail of our Ac- 
 count, and {peak particularly of its Sources 
 and Paflages: I fhall therefore give a Re- 
 lation of its Ports, and diftinétly obferve 
 all the Rivers that feed it, and maintain its 
 _ prodigious Greatnefs. I fhall even ad- 
 vance into all the Countries it waters: I 
 - Shall-make obfervation of its Depths in 
 -feveral Parts of it, and of the particular 
 Inclinations of the many forts of People 
 it maintains. I defign to omit nothing 
 ‘that’s worthy of notice, becaufe I have 
 been an Eye-witnefs of it; and having 
 been fent by one of the greateft Monarchs 
 in Chrittendom,: on purpofe to make ac- 
 curate Obfervations on every thing upon 
 this great River, it may be I am more 
 capable than another to give an account of 
 
 i ho. what 
 
102 A Difcovery of 
 
 what was given me incharge. I fhall fay 
 nothing of the principal Mouth of this R1- 
 ver intu the Ocean onthe fide of Para ; for 
 it has long fince been known by all that fail 
 into America ; it is well known that it lies 
 under the Line at the utmoft Confines of 
 Brazil: Nor fhall I fay any thing of that 
 Mouth of our River by which the Tyrant 
 Lopez, Daguyrre invaded the Ifland of 
 La Trinidada, becaufe [never faw it, and 
 thofe that have been there have told me 
 there is no direét Entrance into the River 
 of Amazons by the Mouth, it being the 
 Mouth of another River that’ has Com- 
 munication with. the Amazone by feveral 
 Arms, which from one fpace to another 
 extend themfeives far ftom it, and enter | 
 into the Sea with this other River. M 
 Intention is only to give the Inhabitants 
 of the conquer’d Countries of Perw an ac- 
 - count of the Paflages they have to the 
 River of Amazons, or rather of the Ri- 
 vers of each Province that empty them- 
 felves into it. Yhave already faid; that as 
 we came down it wefaw its Banks open’d 
 by many Rivers and Rivulets both onthe 
 South and North fides; Therefore if any 
 embark on thefe Rivers, they muft necef- 
 farily fallinto the Amazone. But becaufe 
 “tis not certainly known from what Provin- 
 ‘ces they draw their Original, and upon | 
 wy inane ow Ys eet ¥ Sapte a EN what | 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 103 
 _ what Towns their Sources border; and 
 - becaufe’tis yet lefs known in thofe places 
 | whence they fpring, whether they fall in- 
 to this great River or no, I fhall endea- 
 vour to remove thefe Doubts, and fhall . 
 treat of eight of ’em, which I have taken 
 particular notice of, and all that know 
 thefe Provinces will confirm the Report I 
 give. Three of ’em pafs from the fide of 
 the Amazone, and go down toward the 
 new Kingdom of Granada: Fourothers we 
 
 _~- fawontheSouth-fide; and there’sanother, 
 
 
 
 which runs under the Equinottial Line, and 
 at length empties it felf intothis great River. 
 
 CH AP. > KLV. 
 
 Of the Rivers of Caqueta, Putomayo, 
 and Aguarcio, which come from. the new 
 Kingdom of Granada, and enter into 
 the River Amazone onthe North-fide. 
 
 He firft Entrance that we difcover’d 
 : to fall into this River (which may 
 _ be termed a Sea of frefh Water) on that 
 fide that looks towards the new King. - 
 dom of Granada, is through the Pro- 
 - vince of Micoa in the Government. of 
 Popayan, following. the Current of the 
 sreat River Cagueta, into which all thofe 
 others that defcend onthe fide of Sz. Foy, 
 
 H 4 Bogota, 
 
 
 
Lod A Difcovery. of 
 
 Bogota, Sfimanas, and, Cagnan, come to 
 render Homage as to their Lady and Mif- 
 trifs, This River is very) famous in the 
 ~Countrey for the Numbers-of Indians 
 ‘that inhabit the Banks of it. .Itvhas a 
 great, many Arms that. extend themfelves 
 into, very remote Provinces, and return 
 to join themfelves to that Body from which 
 they feparated from a great. multitude of 
 I{lands, that are all inhabited: by» an in- - 
 finite number of wild People. ‘This R1- 
 ver continually takes its,'Courfe parallel 
 with the Amazone, alwaysrunningalong — 
 by itr, tho at aconfiderable -diftance, and 
 
 rom one Place to another fending Arms 
 of Water towards it, big enough to be 
 taken each ‘of ’em for’ whole Rivers; at 
 laft gathering it felf together at the Lati: 
 tude of four degrees, it difcharges it felf 
 into our River: and ’tis by that Arm. of. 
 it, which is neareft to the Province of the 
 ‘Aguas, that one muft. directly take ones 
 Courfe to go down unto the Amazone, 
 becaufe there are fome Arms that tend to- 
 wards the North; and they that fhall be 
 fo imprudent as to embark on this Arm, 
 will certainly be expos’d.tothe fame Dan- 
 ger that befel, Capt. Fernand Perez dg 
 Quefada, who having embarked on the 
 Caguetta with 300 Men, and fuffered 
 himfelf to be carried along the fide of Sz, 
 
 ra iy 
 
the River of Amazons. | 105 
 Foy, arrived inthe Province of A/godonal, 
 from whence he was forced to retire with | 
 much more hafte than he came, tho he. 
 was fo well attended with a good number 
 of Men. | 
 ~ The fecond moft remarkable Entrance 
 we find on the North fide is by the Town 
 of Pajffo, which alfo depends on the Go- 
 vernment of Popayan. From this Town 
 you muft crofs the neighbouring Moun- 
 tains called the Cordeliers, which isa diffi- 
 cult incommodious Journey, becaufe of the 
 badnefs of the Ways,which you muft travel 
 partly on Foot, and the reft on Horfe-back, . 
 You’! at length arrive at the River Pzto- 
 mayo, on which you muft. embark ; and 
 failing down it, it will bring into the fa- 
 mous River of Amazons, at the Latitude 
 of two Degrees and a half; and 330 
 Leagues below the Port of Napo. The 
 fame Way that leads to the River Pato- 
 mayo, leads in like manner to the River 
 Aguarico; becaufe when you leave the 
 Mountains,’tis but turning near Saccombios, 
 and near that Town you meet the River 
 Aguarico,otherwifecall’d thegolden River : 
 you need only follow the Stream of it to 
 enter into the Amazone, andthe Entrance 
 of it isalmoft under the Line, where the 
 Province of the long-hair’d Indians be- 
 _ gins ninety Leagues below) the hie 
 Bey m j Bs fe oO 
 
106. 0d Difcovery of 
 
 of Napo, This is the third Paffage, 
 whichis difcover’d into the River of Avza- 
 zons on the North fide. 
 
 ats CHAP. XLVL 
 Of the River Coca, and the River Paga- 
 
 mino, which enter into the Amazone on 
 the South fide, ~ | 
 
 Y Neer the Line there is another River, 
 am by which one may defcend into the 
 Amazone; it pafles acrofs the Province of 
 - Quixos, and is neareft to the City of Qui- 
 to, beginning at the City of the Cofazes, 
 where it takes the Name of Coca, and 
 from all along hence it amafles together 
 fuch great Quantities of Water, that it 
 may well be faid to make the principal of 
 all thofe Channels that compofe this great 
 Prefh-water Sea. The Navigation of this 
 River is very troublefom and difficult, by 
 reafon of the great Sreams of Water that 
 trouble it all along, till ic meets the River 
 Napo; but this laft, and the others that 
 -enter into the Amazone on the other fide 
 of the Line toward the South, are naviga- 
 ted with much more eafe. The firft of 
 . thefe is the River Pagamino, which isnone 
 of the moft-commodious and pleafant: 
 it is three days Journey by Land from Se 
 Be by ity 
 
 \ 
 NC 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 109 
 City of Avila, which likewife belongs to 
 the Government of the Quixos. ?T-was 
 by this River the Portuguez. Fleet enter’d, 
 and landed within the Jurifdiction of Qzi- 
 vo. - This River enters into the Amazone 
 below the River Quito, and the Napo, 
 at a place cal?’d La Junta de los Rios, 
 twenty. five Leagues below the Port 
 of Napo. Whenthe Portuguez returned, 
 we found a better way to join their Fleet 
 than that which they lighted on in coming 
 into this Country: For we went ftrait 
 from Qwito.to Archidoua, which likewife 
 belongs to the Government of the Quixos, 
 and is under the Jurifdi€tion of Quito ; 
 from: whence by one day’s Journey only 
 (which we travelled on foot, it being in 
 the Winter, that isinthe time of the Rains, 
 but might be performed on Horfe-back at 
 any other Seafon) we arrived at the Port 
 of the River NVapo. This River is great and 
 rich, and all theInhabitants of theneigh- 
 bouring Ports under the Government. of 
 Quito account it the Depofitory of their 
 -Treafures; for they every Year gather 
 from its Shores all the Gold they need to 
 defray the Expence of their Families. 
 Befides, this River abounds with Fith, and 
 the Fields near it are full of Game; the 
 Soil is very good, and requires but little 
 Charge toculetvate it: Tt returns the Huf- 
 ai 3 . -bandman 
 
108 .. A Difcovery of 
 
 bandman prodigious quantities of all forts 
 of Grain: ‘This is the principal and beft 
 Way that can be taken to go fromthe Pro- 
 vince of Quito tothe River ot Amazons; 
 *tis much more commodious and eafy 
 than allthe reft. Yet I have heard on that 
 fide, that near the Town of Ambatte, 
 which js ro Leagues from Quwito on the 
 River Bamba, there is another River that. 
 comes to difcharge it felf intothe Amazone, 
 and that there is in it but one fall of Wa- 
 ‘ter caus’d by the Currents, that at all ob- 
 ftructs the Navigation of it: This way is 
 very commodious to bring one into this 
 sreat River about 60 or 70 Leagues lower 
 than the Port of Napo, by which means 
 we may crofs through the whole. Province 
 of the Quixos. 
 
 
 
 
 
 CHAP) X~LVH. 
 Of the Rivers of Curaray and Maragnon. 
 
 HE feventh way of coming at the 
 River Amazone is on the fide of the 
 Province of the Macas, which alfo apper- 
 tains to the Government and Jurifdiétion 
 of Quito; fromthe Mountains of this Pro- 
 vince there defcends a great River call’d 
 Curaray, by following the Courfe of which 
 you’l fall into this great River at 2 degrees 
 | ; Lati- 
 
the River of ‘Amazons. 109 
 
 Latitude, and 150 Leagues below the Port 
 of JVapo: all the fpace of Land. is well 
 peopled with feveral different Nations, ; 
 The eighth and laft Paflage into our 
 great River is.on the fide of St. Fago, from 
 the Mountains of the Province. of the © 
 _ Maguas, the mot powerful of all the Ri- 
 vers that render Tribute to the Avazoue: 
 It waters all that great Country fo diftant 
 from it, and is there call’d Maragaon; but 
 at its Mouth, and fome Leagues higher, ir 
 bears the Name of Tamburagna. This 
 River enters into. the Amazoze at four de- 
 grees Latitude, and more than 300 Leagues 
 above the Mouth of it; it is fo deep, and 
 has fuch impetuous Currents, that the Na- 
 vigation of it is troublefome, and fome- 
 what dangerous: but the Affurances we 
 have that there are great numbers of Ido- 
 Jatrous and Barbarous Indians inhabiting 
 
 _ thefe large Countries it waters; will make 
 
 thofe that are animated with Zeal for the 
 Glory of God, and the Salvation of Souls, 
 eafily furmount fome Difficulties. It was 
 to make an Effay of fo noble an Enterprize, 
 that in the beginning of the, Year 1638, 
 two. of our Society pafs’d through the Pro- ° 
 vince of the Magwas in queft of thefe large 
 Countries, from wham I receiv’d, a great 
 many Letters, in, which they give an ac- 
 count of. the endicis Extent of this River, 
 
 and 
 

 
 
 
 vio = A Difcovery of 
 
 and of the innumerable Provinces they re= 
 ceiv’d certain Intelligence of from time to 
 ‘time. This River Maragzon joins with 
 Amazone 230 Leagues below the Port of 
 
 Napo. 
 
 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XLVIUI. Of the River Napo. 
 ie ee River iVapo, of which I have had 
 occafion to fpeak fo often, has its 
 Source at the foot of a great Defart call’d 
 Aulizana, which is 18 Leagues from Qui- 
 to; and, which is very wonderful, tho this 
 Place is fo near the Equino€tial Line, yet this 
 
 as wellas many other Plainsthat areupon _ | 
 
 thofe Mountains call’d the Cordeliers, is al- 
 ways cover’d with Snow, that ferves to 
 temper the Heat under the Torrid Zone, 
 which is fo exceffive, that one would think 
 it f{hould render ail thofe Countries not ha- 
 bitable (as St. Augufiin {ays of them) 
 which yet by means of this perpetual Re- 
 frefhment, arethe moft temperate and fe- 
 rene Reeions that have been difcover’d — 
 fincethe Age wherein that great Saint flou- - 
 rifh’d. This River of Napofrom its Source 
 takes its Courfe between great Rocks, 
 which render it unnavigable till it comes to 
 touch that place which is call’d the Port of 
 Napo, where the Vezinos, or since 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 11 
 
 of Archidoua; have their Plantations and 
 Gardens ; there it becomes more fmooth,. 
 and Jefs rapid, and bears upon its Waters 
 thofe little Canoos the Indians ufe for their 
 Traffick: however, it retains fomething of 
 its Roughnefs and Impetuofity for five or 
 fix Leagues below this Port ; and then all 
 ona fudden becomes calm and fmooth, 
 and fo remains till it enters into the River 
 Coca, which makes the fpace of about 25 
 Leagues; during which {pace it hasa good 
 Bottom, and a fmooth Courfe, and affords 
 the largeft Veflelsa very fafe Paflage. The 
 Conjunction it makes with the River Coca 
 iscall’d La funta de los Rios, the joining of 
 ‘ the Rivers; and this is reported to have 
 been the place where Francis ad? Oreillane 
 and his Men arriv’d, and made that Bri- 
 gantine in which he failed and difcover’d 
 all the River of Amazons. pee 
 
 
 
 CHAP. XLIX. 
 
 Of the Town of Anofe where Capt. John de 
 Palacios dwelt, with whom there were the 
 two Lay-Friers who made their Efcape 
 down to Para (fpoken of before. ) 
 
 Orty feven Leagues below the place . 
 where thefe Riversjoin, on the South< 
 
 fide, is fituated the Town of Azofe, which 
 is 
 
 
 

 
 Tid A Difcovery of 
 is a Plantation made by Capt. Joha de Pas 
 lacios, who (as IJ faid before) was kill’d 
 by the Inhabitants of the Country: 18 
 Leagues below this Town onthe North- - 
 fide lies the River Agarico, which enters 
 into the Amazone; this River is fufficient- 
 ly famous not only for its Air, which is 
 none of the beft, but alfo for the quan- 
 tity of Gold that is found in its Sands, 
 from whence it has had the Name. of 
 the Golden, River thefe hundred Years. 
 At the Mouth of it on one fide as well, 
 astvother of the River. of Awazons be- 
 gins the great Province of the long- 
 hair’d. Indians, . which. extends on the: 
 North-fide for, above 180. Leagues, and: 
 continually .receives great quantities of — 
 Water from the Amazone, which. makes 
 ‘divers Lakes, of a great Compafs and 
 Depth. The firft Notices that the Inhabi 
 tants of Quito receiv’d of this Country | 
 gave ’em a very great defire to makea 
 Conqueft of it, becaufe of the great num- 
 ber of Indians with which this Province is 
 peopled. And indeed there have been at 
 feveral times fome Eflays of this kind ” 
 made, but. always in vain, witnefs the laft 
 of ’em that had fuch bad Succefs, when 
 Capt. John de Palacios was kilP'd, as has 
 been already faid. ay 
 
 CHAP, 
 
the River of Amazons. 113 
 
 : CHAP. L. 
 The Place where General Texeira left his 
 Fleet of Portuguez,, 
 
 .? Was in this Province of the long- 
 hair’d Indians at the Mouth of the 
 River which bears their Name, and enters 
 intothe Amazone 20 Leagues below the River 
 again, that by the Order of General Texeira _ 
 forty Portuguez of his Fleet, with 200 of the 
 Indians they brought with ’em, continued 
 conftantly for the fpace of eleven Months: At 
 firft they found nothing but good Entertain- 
 ment of all forts from the Inhabitants of the — 
 Country, to whom in return they gave all Ne- - 
 ceffaries they had occafion for ; but this did not 
 continuelong. ‘This was too great a Familia- 
 rity for Menthat knew themfelves guilty of 
 the death of the Spanifh Captain ; for they 
 being the Authors of this Fact, knew well-e- . 
 nough that the Blood they had fhed cry’d for 
 Vengeance again{t’em,and therefore being un- 
 der Apprehenfions of being chaftis’d for their 
 _ Boldnefs on the leaft occafion that fhould of- 
 fer, they mutinied, and after they had kill’d 
 three of our Indians, took up Arms to defend 
 their Lives and Lands. The Portuguez on 
 _ this occafion acted like themfelves, and pre- 
 . fently fought to be reveng’d; for it being 
 contrary to their en to pix up Injuries, 
 Lee | or 
 
 bg 
 
srg A Difcovery of 
 
 ~ orto fuffer Indians to take the liberty of a€t- 
 ing with fo much Infolence as this, they be- 
 took themfelves to Arms, and with their ~ 
 
 wonted Courage, for which they are fo fa- _ 
 mous, flew upon their Enemies, and repuls’d | 
 them with fo much Vigor, that with the lofs | 
 of a very few Men they killed a confiderable © 
 number of Indians, and took above. 70 of "em — 
 Prifoners ; fome of whom died in the places of — 
 their Confinement, and the reft made their — 
 Efcape, fo that ina little time there was not © 
 one of them left. Thefe Portuguez did not — 
 get much by their Victory, for they now > 
 found themfelves reduc’d to fuch Extremity, 
 that they faw they muft either perifh for — 
 want of Food, or elfe be oblig’d to go with © 
 - their Swords in their hands to fetch Provifion — 
 out of the very Mouths of their Enemies. 
 Accordingly they refolv’d to make Incurfions 
 into the Country, and either by fair means or 
 foul to get'a Supply for their pinching Necef- © 
 fities. Some of ’em went out to fight, and — 
 others kept the Camp; but boththe one and | 
 the other in fpite of all their Bravery did not ; 
 fail tomeet with frequent.and violent Infults | 
 from their Enemies, who omitted no fit oc- 
 cafion to give’em all forts of Alarms, and to 
 do ’em all the Mifchief they could, efpecially ( 
 upon the River, where they furpriz’d a great 
 many of their Veffels, fome of which they — 
 pillaged, and brake others of ’em in pieces: | 
 
 and — 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 Pe ge 
 
 eae nn Sn raion Ua 
 
 PI re te Pe OG ee ee le ee eee 
 
the River of Amazons. 115 
 and yet this was not the greateft Damage 
 they did our Men; for they laid Ambufcades 
 for our Indians, and cut the Throats of all 
 that fell into their hands: ’Tis true, for eve- 
 ry Man they kill’d, the Portuguez kill’d fix of 
 them; but this Chaftifement was nothing 
 comparable to what the Portuguez ufed to 
 make the Indians fuffer for fuch kind of Re- 
 volts. ‘Thefe People were cali’d by the Spa- 
 niatds who faw them firft, the Hairy Indians, 
 becaufe throughout this Province the Men as 
 well as the Women wear their Hair quite 
 down to their Knees. ‘Their Weapons are 
 Darts, their Houfesare Huts made very neat- 
 ly and curioufly with the Branches of Palm- 
 ‘Trees: Their Food is like that of all the o- 
 ther Indians upon the Amazone. ‘They are 
 always in War with their Neighbours at 
 the Head of this Province of the long-hair’d 
 Savages on the South-fide ; onthe other fide of 
 the River of Amazons, they have for their 
 Neighbours the Avixiras, the Yurufmies, the 
 Raparas, and the Yquitos, whoare on one fide 
 enclofed by the River Cararay, and on the o- 
 ther by the Amazone, into which the former 
 empties it felf 4 Leagues below the Province 
 of the long-hair’d Indians,at near two degrees. 
 
 Latitude. Eighty Leagues below Cararay on 
 the fame South-fide, the famous River T v- 
 buragua, which, as I faid before, defcends 
 from the Province of the Mayzas, by the 
 2 Be ane) 
 
- Onsaguas, by acorruptionof its proper Name, | 
 
 - ‘This Province is above 260 Leagues in length, | 
 
 1160 A Difcovery of 
 Name of Maragaon, enters into the Amazone ; 
 
 and is fo impetuous and violent, that it pre- 
 ferves its Waters entirely together, while it 
 runs with its ordinary. Swiftnefs feveral 
 
 Leagues forward into the Amazone without | 
 mixing withit, which makes it extend above | 
 a League in Breadth at its Mouth: at length | 
 it acknowledgesthe Superiority of the Aima- 4 
 _ Zone, and pays it not only the, ordinary Tri- | 
 bute, which the other Rivers render it, but | 
 another more confiderable Advantage be- © 
 fides of many forts of Fifh, that are not | 
 found in the River of Amazons, till you } 
 
 come to the Mouth of this River. 
 
 
 
 CHAP CUE < | 
 The Province of the Aguas, their Manzers | 
 and Cuftoms. a 
 
 Ixty Leagues below the River Tumbura- | 
 
 gua begins the Province of the Aguas,” 
 which is the moft fertile and fpacious of all | 
 the Provinces we-found along this great River. 
 of Amazons; the Spaniards vulgarly call it) 
 
 and to make it anfwer to the Situation” 
 -of their Dwellings ; becaufe the Word Aguas 
 in their Language fignifies withawt; or abroad, 
 
 and 1s fo well peopled, that the Villages a 
 | : Aituate 
 
 ie 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 117 
 fituate very clofe one to another ; fo that al- 
 moft as foon asyou are paft one, youdifcover 
 
 another. ‘The Breadth of thisCountry in 
 all appearance is but of fmall extent, it be- 
 ing no greater than that of our River; for 
 _ the Habirations of thefe People are in all the — 
 Iflands throughout the whole Length of it, 
 which are in great number, and fome of 
 which are very fpacious: and confidering 
 they are all either peopled, or at leaft culti-. 
 vated for the Suftenance of the Inhabitants, 
 one may eafily imagine there muft needs be 
 vaft numbers of Indians in a Country that 
 extends 200 Leaguesin Length. This Na- 
 tion is the moft reafonable and beft civilized 
 of all thofethat dwell along this River. ‘This 
 _ Advantage they received from thofe that 
 not long fince went down amongft ’em from 
 the Countrey of the Quzxos ; where after 
 having had Peace with the Spaniards for a - 
 longtime, they were at laft wearied with 
 the ill Treatment they received from ’em, 
 and embarking in their Canoos,fuffered them- 
 - felvesto be carried down with the Stream 
 of the River, till they met with other Indi- 
 ans of their Nation, upon whofe Strength 
 _ and Power they couldrely, and accordingly 
 "took up their Refidence with ’em. Thefe 
 -_laft Comers ‘introduc’d among_ the others 
 _ feveral things they had feen practifed by the 
 Spaniards, and taught ’emhow tolive after 
 I 3 f 
 
 
 
 
 
 ea 
 Bayi 
 jae 
 
 
 
 
 
118 A Difcovery of 
 
 a more civil and regular manner. They 
 were all clothed, both Men and Women, 
 with all the Decency imaginable ; their Gar- 
 ments are made of Cotton, of which they 
 gather a prodigious quantity ; and they do 
 not only make Stuffs enough for their own 
 ufe, but make a great many to fell to their 
 Neighbours, who are mightily taken (and 
 that not without reafon) with the Beauty 
 of thofe pretty Works. with which they 
 deck their Stuffs : they make fome very thin 
 Clothes, which are not only woven with 
 ‘Threds of different Colours, but the Paint 
 of ’em is difpofed with fo much Art in the 
 weaving, that the different Thieds can’t be 
 diftinguifhed one from another. They are 
 fo fubmiffive and cbedient to their principal 
 Caciques, that thefe whom they look upon as 
 their Princes, need {peak but a Word to have 
 whatever they command put in execution. 
 _ ‘This whole Nation has been fo long accuf- \ 
 tomed to make their Heads flat, that as foon 
 as their Children are born they put them in. 
 a kind of Prefs ; forcing Nature after this 
 manner with one little Board,which they hold 
 upon the Forehead, and another much lar- 
 ger, which they put behind the Head, and 
 which ferves them: for a Cradle; and all 
 the reit of the Body of the new-born Infant 
 38 as it were inclos’d with this piece of 
 Wood: they lay the Child upon his Back, 
 ae and 
 
the River of Amazons. 119 
 and this Board being bound faft to that 
 which is upon the Forehead, they make the 
 Head of the Child almoft as flat as ones Hand ; 
 _ thus there being no room for the Head to 
 ~ grow, but by fpreading it felf wide from 
 - one Ear to the other, they are extremely dif- 
 ' figured by this violent Artifice. nae 
 
 ‘The Aguas have perpetual War with fe- 
 veral other Nations both onthe one and the 
 _ other fide of the River. Onthe South fide 
 _ among other Enemies they have the Carinas, 
 _ who are fo numerous, that they not only ve- 
 ry well defend themfelves on the fide of the 
 River from innumerable Multitudes of the . 
 Aguas ; but at the fame time likewife fuf- 
 tain'tthe Efforts and Shocks of other Nations, 
 that come a great way down the Countrey to 
 make War with them. On the North fide 
 the Zwunas are Enemies to the Aguas, and 
 _are,by the Accounts I have had ofthem,no lefs _ 
 - numerous, nor lefs ftout than the Carizas ; 
 _ which appears in that they maintaina War a- 
 gainit a great number of Enemies, that come 
 - down from Places a great way up in the. 
 
 Country. : : 2 
 
 I 4 CHAP. 
 
110 = A Difcovery of — 
 
 - CEL AE, .d11- 
 
 | The Love thefe People have for the Captives 
 they take in War, and the Calumny they be 
 
 under in being reported toeat em. — Ba 
 
 p ‘Hefe Aguas make Slaves of all the Pri- 
 
 foners they take in War, and ufe’em 
 forall kinds of Service; however they treat _ 
 em with fo much Love ard Kindnefs, that 
 they make *em eat with themfelves; and 
 there’s nothing inthe World difpleafes ’°em 
 ‘more, than to delfire ’em to fell ’em, as we 
 found by experience on feveral occafions : I 
 
 ~ remember once at our Arrival at an Indian 
 
 
 
 Town, they received us not only with all the 
 Marks of Peace and Amity, but even with 
 all the Tokens of extraordinary Joy: They 
 offer’d us all they had for our Suftenance, 
 without requiring any thing inreturn: We 
 onour parts fhewed that Civility tothem that 
 became us; we bought their painted Cotton- 
 Cloth, which they very willingly parted 
 with; we defired’em to fell us fome Canoos, 
 _ which are better to them than the beft and 
 fwifteft ~Horfes, and they prefently offer’d 
 ’em'to'us ; but when we began to talk with 
 ”em about their Slaves, and to importune ’em 
 to fell us fome-of ’em, this was to them 
 the moft uncivil and inhumane Difcourfe 
 that could be: one of them prefently gave _ 
 
the River of Amazons. 121 
 
 us to underftand that he would nolonger keep 
 company with us; another fhew’d himfelf. 
 ~ mightily troubled at the matter : On the one 
 hand they were very diligent to hide ’em 
 fromus, onthe other to get fome of ’em that 
 were with us out of our Hands; ina word, 
 they gave us Signs enough to convince us, 
 that they had a greater efleem for their Slaves” 
 than forall the reft of their Goods, and that 
 they had rather part with all they poffefs’d 
 befides than part withthem. And this be- 
 ing thetruth of the matter, ’tis a malicious 
 thing ofthe Portuguez to report that the rea- 
 fon why the Aguas are unwilling to fell their 
 Slaves, is becaufe they fatten ’em, and keep 
 ’ ’em to eat at their Feafts: This isa Calumny 
 they have invented, to palliate the Cruelties 
 they have exercifed upon thefe poor Wretch- 
 és. I may farther add, that at, leaft as far. 
 as concerns the Nation of the Agaas I have — 
 found the contrary true by the Teftimony: of 
 two Indians that were Natives of Para, who 
 came up with the Portuguez as far as Quito, 
 and ranaway whenthey werearriv’d there ; 
 who falling into the hands of thefe People, 
 were made Slaves, and remained with them 
 eight Months: thefe affured me they had — 
 been out with them at their Wars, and that 
 they never faw ’em eat any of their Enemies, 
 when they had taken’em, and made Slaves 
 of em: ’twastrue indeed (they faid) ware 
 | | they 
 
122 A Difcovery of 
 they had taken any of their Enemies that had 
 the Reputation of being Valiant and Greac, 
 they kill’d ’em at their Feafts and Affemblies, 
 only out of fear of fuftaining fome confider- 
 able Damage by ’em, if they fhould fufter 
 ’em to live; but that they did not eat thefe. 
 neither when they had kil?d ’em, but when 
 they had cut off their Heads, which they 
 us’'d tohang up in their Huts as Trophies, 
 they roll’d their Bodies into the River. 
 Idon’t deny that there are fome Caribees 
 in thofe Parts that eat their Enemies without 
 any Sentiments of Horror; but this is a 
 Cuftom peculiar to them, and is not pra€ti- 
 fed among other Indians. And this I de- 
 fire may betalsen notice of and credited, that 
 Human Flefh has never been fold in any of 
 the Publick Shambles of this Nation, as the 
 Portuguez have reported; who under the 
 pretence of revenging fuch kind of Cruel- 
 ties, commit thofe that are incomparably 
 greater themfelves, fince they are fo inhu- 
 man and barbarous, as to make Slaves of 
 thofe that were born free and independent. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 123 
 
 i 
 
 Ci AYP.) ELE 
 
 The great Cold in thofe parts under the Line ix 
 June, July and Auguit, and the reafow of it. 
 
 Fter we were got down about too . 
 Leagues more or lefs into the Country 
 of the Agaas, and fo had pafs’d about half 
 way through this vaft Province, we arriv’d at — 
 a Fown of this Nation, where we were ob- 
 liged to continue three days ; we there felt it 
 fo extreme cold, that thofe of us that,were © 
 born and bred in the coldeft Province of 
 Spain, were conftrain’d to put on more 
 Clothes. This fo fudden change of the Tem- 
 per of the Air furpriz’d me, and gave me the 
 Curiofity to enquire the Caufe of it, of the 
 People of the Country: they told me it was 
 
 -  nounufualthing intheir Quarters, that every 
 
 Year for three Moons (for thus they count 
 and mean for three Months) they felt the 
 fame Cold ; thefe three Months are ‘faze, 
 Fuly and Agguft : but this Anfwer did not fa- 
 tisty me,who was willing to have a more folid 
 and perfect knowledg of the reafon of this fo 
 piercing Cold. Upon Confideration I found 
 that the Winds paffing through that vaft and 
 mountainous Defert, which is fituate a great 
 way up in the Country on the South-fide, all 
 thofe three Months, and fo bringing along 
 with them the cold Air occafion’d by the 
 
 £ ‘Snow 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 324 A Difcovery of 
 
 ~ Snow with which thofe Defert Mountains 
 are cover’d, caufe thefe furprizing Effects in 
 the Neighbouring Countries under the Tor- 
 rid Zone. And for this reafon I don’t quetfti- 
 on bur the Situation of this Country is capa- 
 ble of making the Ground produce good 
 Wheat, and all other forts of Grain and 
 Fruits, that grow in the Soil of Quite, which 
 is in like manner fituated under the Line, or 
 very near it, and yet is made very fertile and 
 fit for all forts of Grain and Fruits, and this 
 by reafon of that frefh Air brought thither 
 by the Winds that come off from the Moun- 
 tains which are cover’d with Snow. 
 
 ! GHAP. LIV. 
 
 Of the River Putomayo, which comes. from 
 the new Kingdom of Granada, azd the Ri- 
 ver Yotau, which comes from the Neigh- 
 bourhood of the City of Cufco. | 
 
 Ixteen Leagues below the place where 
 
 we felt fo much Cold, on the North- 
 
 fide we met with the great River Putomayo, 
 which is fo famous in the Government of Po- 
 payan in the new Kingdom of Grazada. ‘This 
 is a very greatand wide River, becaufe it 
 receives 30 other very confiderable Rivers be- 
 fore it falls into the Amazonze. Thofe that in- 
 habit the places about its Mouth call it Iza, 
 LOE | | | it 
 
the River of Amazons. 125 
 - it comes down from the Mountains of Pa/to 
 inthe Kingdom of Grazada: there’s abun- 
 dance of Gold found in the Sand and Gravel 
 of it; and we were affur’d that the Banks of 
 it were extremely well peopled, fo that a 
 Troop of Spanifh Souldiers coming upon this 
 River, found Enemies enow to conftrain’em 
 to retire with fomelofs. The Names of the 
 Natives that inhabit thefe Parts are the Yuri- 
 nia, the Guaaraicas, the Parianas, the <yas, 
 the Abyves, the Cavos ; and thofe that are 
 neareft the Source dwell on both fides of the 
 River, as being the Lords and Mafters of it, 
 and are call’d the Omaguas ; the Aguas of the 
 If{lands call em the true Omaguas. | 
 
 Fifty Leagues below-this Mouth of Pato- — 
 mayo, we found on the other fide the Mouth — 
 of another fine large River, which takes its 
 Rife near Cafco, and enters into the Amazone 
 at the Latitude of three degrees and a half ; 
 ‘the Natives-call it Yofau, and ’tis efteem’d a-~ 
 bove all the reft for its Riches, and for the | 
 great number of People it maintains; the 
 Names of whom are thefe, the Tepanas, the _ 
 Gavains, the Ozganas, the Morvas, the Naz- 
 nos, the Conomamas, the Mariavas, and the — 
 Omaguas, which are the laft Nation that 
 dwell upon this River towards Pera, and by 
 confequence are the neareft Neighbours the 
 “ Spaniards have on that fide. This Nation 1s ac- 
 counted to be very rich in Gold, becaufe they 
 
 : wear 
 
126 A Difcovery of 
 
 wear gteat Plates of Gold hanging at their 
 Ears and Noftrils: and if I don’t miftake, 
 _ thefe Indians are the fame with thofe I have 
 read of in the Hiftory of the Tyrant Lopez 
 Daguirre, to whofe Country Pedro @ Orfua 
 was fent by the Vice-roy of Perw to make a 
 Difcovery of it, becaufe of the great Repu- 
 tation they had of being the moft wealth 
 People in America ; however, Pedro @ Orfua 
 mifs’d his way, and inftead of taking the 
 River Yotaz, fail’d upon an Arm-of another 
 River which enters into the Amazone fome 
 Leagues below the other ; fo that when he 
 was fallen down into the Amazone, he found 
 himfelf fo-far below thefe People, whofe 
 Country he went to difcover, that he per- 
 ceiv’d it impoffible to get up to ’em, not only 
 becaufe of the Impetuofity of the Currents, 
 againft which he was afraid to hazard him- ~ 
 felf, but likewife becaufe of the Difcontent 
 all his Souldiers exprefs’d at fo difficult an 
 Enterprize. This River Yotau abounds with 
 Fifh, and its Banks with all forts of Venifon 
 and wild Fowl ; and is befides very Navi- 
 gable, becaufe it has a good Bottom, and a 
 very gentle Current, by what I have been 
 able. to learn from thofe that dwell upon its 
 - Banks. | 
 
 CHAP: 
 
the River of Amazons. 127 
 
 CHAP. . LV. 
 
 The utmoft Borders of the People call’d the 
 Aguas, who poffe[s the fpace of 54 Leagues 
 along this River, and the River Yurva 
 
 which comes from the fide of Cufco. . | 
 
 1 following the Courfe of the. River of 
 Bt Amazons we came down about fourteen 
 _ Leagues lower, and arriv’d at the utmoft 
 Bounds of the long Province of the Aguas, 
 which isa Town well peopled, wherein they 
 keep a ftrong Garifon; this being the prin- 
 cipal Fort they have.on that fide to refift the 
 {rruptions of their Enemies for the fpace of 
 above 54 Leagues alongthis River. They 
 are the fole Matters of its Banks, fo that their 
 Enemies don’t poffefs an Inch of Land there: 
 but the Bounds of their Country are fo nar- 
 row, that from the Banks of the River you 
 may fee the remoteft Villages they have on 
 the Continent. They have athoufand fmall | 
 Rivers that fall into the Amazone, and that 
 ferve to convey ’em into the Country for 
 what they want; onthe North-fidethe Curis . 
 and the airabas are their Enemies, and the 
 \ Cachiguaras and the Fucaris on the South-fide. 
 We could not come at the fight of thefe Na- 
 tions,becaufe our Orders would not permit us 
 to go fo high into the Country ; but we dif 
 cover’d the Mouth of a River which we may 
 
 with 
 

 
 a5 A Difcovery of | 
 ‘with good reafon call the River of Ca/z, 
 becaufe, according to the Relation which I 
 have feen of the Voyage of Francis Oreillane, 
 this River goes North and South from the 
 City of Czco; it enters into the Amazone at — 
 the Latitude of 5 degrees, and at 24 Lea gues . 
 diftance from the laft great Village of the — 
 Aguas. ‘The Natives call it Yurna; the 
 Country is well peopled, and on the Right- | 
 hand, as you enter into this River againft the 
 Stream, are the fame People I have fpoken of 
 before, who inhabit the Banks of the River __ 
 Totau ; for they extend themfelves from the 
 Banks of one of thefe Rivers to the other, 
 and fo dwell between ’em both, almoftas in 
 an Ifland; and, if Iam not miftaken, it was 
 _ by this laft River that Pedro d? Orfua came 
 down from Perz into the Amazone. | 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; CHAPS LVI. 
 Of the Nation of the Curuzicaris whopoffefs 
 the fpace of 24 Leagues along this River: 
 
 Of their Husbandry, and Ingenuity in making 
 all forts of Utenfils, and Earthen Ware. 
 
 a Wenty eight Leagues below the River 
 Turva, on the fame South-fide, begins 
 
 the great and potent Nation of the Caruzi- 
 carisy in a Country all cover’d with Moun- 
 ' tains and Precipices. This Nation ager 
 3 only 
 
the ‘River of Amazons. 129 
 ~ only the Bank of the Amazone on the South. 
 fide, and poffeffes above 24 Leagues of it in 
 length. ‘This People is fo numerous, that — 
 their Villages are very near one another, fo 
 that we could {carce make four hours fail, bue 
 we found new Plantations; and fometimes 
 we found their Towns fo long, that we could 
 not get clear of "em in halfaday. We found 
 abundance of thofe Villages without one Soul 
 in’em, all the Inhabitants being frighted away 
 with the falfe News, that we put all to Fire 
 and Sword, and that the leaft Evil they were 
 to expect from us, was to be all made Slaves: 
 The greateft part of ’em retir’d as far as the 
 Mountains: But tho thefe People are fo ti- 
 merous, that they may well be term’d the 
 greateft Cowards uponthe River of Amazons, 
 yet we faw in all their Houfes the Marks of 
 a great deal of good Husbandry and Neat- _ 
 nefs; for we found abundance of Provifions 
 which they had laid up in ftore, and which - 
 is more, a great deal of Houfhold-goods, a- 
 mong{t which, the Veffels they had made to 
 eat and drinkin, were the neateft and moft 
 
 commodious of any we had yet {een through 
 
 the whole Courfe of this great River. They 
 have in the Marfhy Places where they dwell, 
 a fort of Earth very good to make all kinds 
 of Veffels; of thisthey make great Pots or 
 Jars, in which they make their Drink and 
 knead their Daugiyene fans and Pots to boil 
 
 in, 
 
things this People want, 
 ‘duc'd in their own-Country. The firft Vil- 
 
 v 
 
 which bought of ‘him. 
 
 130 A Difcovery of 
 
 in, and a fort of Ovens in which they bake 
 their Bread; they likewife make Drinking- 
 Cups and Bafons of it, and very neat Frying- 
 pans : They make great quantities of all thefe _ 
 Utenfils tacarry on the Trade they have with 
 
 all the neighbouring’ Nations, who having 
 
 occafion for all thefe pieces of Houfhold-ftuff 
 come from all Quarters to procure ’em in this 
 Country, and carry them away in great Bur- 
 dens, giving in exchange wh ’em all forts of 
 
 hich are not pro- 
 
 lage the Portuguez of our Fleet met with in 
 coming up the River of Amazons, they call’d 
 the Golden Town, becaufe they found fome | 
 ‘pieces of Gold there, which thefe People had _ 
 receiv’d in exchange from thofe Indians that’ 
 
 wear Plates of Gold at’ their Ears and Nofes. 
 
 This Gold was carried to Quito, and upon 
 
 ‘trial the greateft part of it was found of the 
 Finenefs of twenty three Carrats: But the 
 Natives obferving the Greedinefs of our’ Men, 
 
 and how eagerly they hunted after more of 
 thefe litle Plates of Gold, took care to hide - 
 ’em all, fothat in’a little time they were none 
 of ’em to be found. ‘And they took fuch ex-. 
 act care of the bufinefs at our return, that al- 
 tho we found'a great many'of thefe Indians, 
 
 yet there was but one of em:that had thefe 
 
 Rar-pendants, ‘and thofe very ‘{mall ones, 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 
the ‘River of Amazons. 131 
 
 hee A Po TNE: 
 
 Of the Golden Mine, and the River Yquyari- 
 which fprings out of it, and yields: all thofe 
 Plates of Gold, of which thofe People make 
 their Pendants, 
 
 ‘HE Portuguez Fleet,as they camefrom 
 Para to difcover this great River of 
 Amazons, could not get any certain know- 
 ledg of many things that areto be met with - 
 there, becaufe they came away without In- 
 terpreters, and could obtain none to inform 
 em and give’em a faithful account of things: 
 So that if the Portuguez pretend to give a 
 good account of any Matter, it muft be only 
 rom what they have learn’d of the Indians 
 _ by Signs, which are ordinarily very uncer- 
 tain and equivocal, becaufeevery one isapt to 
 apply them to what his Fancy leads him ; 
 thefe Difficulties ceas’d at theit return, and 
 it pleasd God to favour us withfuch good 
 Interpreters, that I can affirm that all that is 
 contain’d in this Relation, is written upon the 
 - certain Knowledg and ample Difcovery of 
 — allthings by the means of the Interpreters 
 we carried with us.. ’Tis from them I have 
 the Account I am now going to give of that 
 Mine from whence the. Natives have thofe 
 Golden Pendants for their Ears and Nofes 
 _ which we faw: Over againft this great Vil- 
 12 ge | 
 
132 A Difcovery of 
 
 lage a little higher on the North-fide, there 
 enters intothe Amazone a River cail’d Yurz- 
 paci; going upthis River you arrive at a 
 place where you are to go afhore, to crofs 
 the Country for three days Journey, at the | 
 end of which you meet another River call’d 
 Yupara, by failing on which you meet with 
 the River Yqusarz, which is that the Portu- 
 guez call the Golden River ; it fprings from ~ 
 the foot of a Mountain hard by: Here the 
 Natives amafs Gold together in prodigious 
 quantities; they find it all in Spangles, or 
 Grains of a good alloy ; they beat thefe {mall 
 Grains of Gold together till they form thofe 
 little Plates which they hang at their Ears 
 and Nofes, as we have faid before. The 
 People of this Country that find this Gold, 
 trade with it among their Neighbours, who 
 are call’d the Mavagus ; as for the other they 
 are call’d the Yama Gaaris, which is as much 
 as to fay, the Metal-gatherers; for Yuma 
 fignifies Metal, and Gwaris thofe that gather 
 it up: andunder this general Name of Yuma 
 they underftand all forts of Metals, there- 
 fore they call’d all the Iron Tools that we 
 had, as Axes, Hatchets, Bills, and Knives, 
 by the fame Name of Yuma. The way of 
 getting to this place feem’d to me to be very » 
 troublefome and difficult, becaufe of chang- 
 ing the Rivers fo many times, and of making 
 fo long a Journey acrofs the Country ; which 
 sa a ae giving 
 
the River of Amazons. 133 
 
 giving me no fatisfaction, I could not be at 
 reft till I had difcover’d an Advantage more 
 ‘eafily attainable, of which I fhall difcourfe 
 . hereafter. | 
 
 
 
 CHA P.\ EVIIL. 
 The Affectation of this People to have great 
 FHloles made in their Ears and Noftrils, at 
 which they hang their Plates of Gold. 
 
 Hefe Savages go all naked both Men 
 
 and Women, and their Riches only 
 
 ferve em for a {mall Ornament with which 
 they deck their Ears and Nofes; for they put 
 the Gold they get out of the Mines to no o- 
 ther ufe than that of adorning themfelves : 
 they all generally have their Ears bored for 
 this end, and they affe€t to have the Holes 
 made fo vaftly wide, that one may almoft 
 thruft ones Fift through the Hole in the tips 
 of fome of their Ears; this is the place at 
 
 which they hang their Jewels, and they com- 
 
 monly wear in them a handful of Leaves | 
 made up clofe together, to keep their Ears - 
 conftantly in the fame Figure. ‘This paffes 
 among *em for the greateft piece of Finery 
 - inthe World. Ontheother fide of the dmza- 
 zone, over againtt this high Country which 
 | the Carazicaris poffefs, there is a flat Couns 
 try all interfetted with Rivers (and particue 
 Lee Rips Jarly 
 
134 A Difcovery of 
 
 larly with feveral Arms of the River Caque- 
 
 ta) which runalong through it: fd that this 
 
 Country is all made up of Iflands inclos’d 
 
 by great Lakes, that extend feveral Leagues in 
 __ length, till at laft all thefe Waters crowd 
 
 togerher, and pour themfelves into the Rione- 
 
 gro, and fo faliinte the Amazone. All thefe — 
 ‘Tflands are peopled with many different Na- 
 tions, but thofe that poffefs the moft Land 
 are the <yavas. 
 
 
 
 Crab. BX, 
 
 Of the River Yupara, and the fhort Cut it 
 makes to the Golden Mountain. 
 
 }, Ourteen Leagues below the Village 
 
 which the Portuguez call the Golden 
 ‘Town, on the North-fide,we faw the mouth 
 of the River Yapara, which is that by which 
 one may enter into the Golden River; and 
 this is the moft dire@t, the moft fure, and. - 
 fhorteft way to come at that Golden Moun- 
 tain that is fo vaftly rich. This Mouth is 
 at the Latitude of two degrees and a half, 
 _ and fo is that Village which is fituate four 
 __ Leagues lower on the South-fide on the Edg 
 
 of a great Precipice, at the foot of which 1s 
 
 the Mouth of another great and fine River, 
 which the Natives call Tap:, the Banks of 
 which are inhabited by a great number of 
 
 | Indians 
 
the River of Amazons. 135 
 Indians call’d the Pagwavos, I have already 
 faid that the Nation of the Carazzcaris takes 
 up above four and twenty Leagues of the 
 Length of thisCountry ; and I add, that all 
 their Lands are very high Ground, where 
 you may fee very pleafant Fields and fine 
 ' Paftures for Cattel ; there are alfo Groves of 
 Trees that extend a great length, anda great 
 - many Lakes that abound with Fifh; which - 
 would be a great advantage to any that 
 fhould make Plantations in thofe parts? 
 
 
 
 CHAP. LX. 
 
 An Account of .many other Nations, and of 
 
 divers Rivers that defcendintothe Amazone; 
 
 and of the Golden Lake that as fo famous in — 
 Peru. 
 
 7% Wenty fix Leagues below Tapi the 
 River Catua falls into the Amazone, 
 atthe Mouth of it it forms a great Lake of 
 Water, that looks green; it has its Source 
 far up in the Country on the South-fide, and 
 its Banks, as well as thofe of other Rivers, 
 are peopled with Indians: Yet.’tis faid, a- 
 nother River, that comes on the North-fide, 
 and falls into the Amazone fix Leagues below 
 Tapi, andis called Agaranatuba, far excecds 
 allthe other Rivers for the multitude of dif- 
 ferent Nations that inhabit its Banks. One’ 
 
 K 4 pee: 
 

 
 136 A Difcovery of 
 may alfo have Communication with the Ri- 
 ver Tupara, of which we have fpoken above, 
 by the way of this River, The People it 
 maintains are called the Yacarets, &c. All 
 thefe Nations {peak two different Languages, 
 and tis in their Country (if what is talked 
 in the new ‘Kingdom of Grazada be true) 
 that this fo much defired Golden Lake is to 
 be found *,- which has fo long made the In- 
 habitants of Perw very uneafy. 1 don’t af- 
 firm this asa Certainty : It may be it will 
 pleafe God one day to put this Matter out of - 
 doubt. There is another River that enters 
 into the Amazoue fixteen Leagues lower than 
 Araganatuba, and bears the fame Name; but 
 it 
 
 * He means the Lake of Parima}; which all Geographers 
 place under the Equinogtial Line in Guiana, and upon 
 the Barks of which is that pretended City of Afanoa | 
 del Dorado, which the Peruvians buile-when they ted 
 thicher to fave themfelves from the Cruelty and Ty- 
 rdnoy of the Spaniards, according to. the cpinion of 
 many of their Authors; which has often engag’d that 
 Nation iii very expenfive Attempts: bue the Hopes df 
 Hnding this rich Countrey have ftill fil'd of fuccefs. 
 The Effay that Sir Walter Raleigh made to this purpofe, 
 
 _and which he was fo eagerly fet upon, was no lefs un- 
 happy; for it. coft him his Son’s Life, who was killed 
 by the Spaniards in this Expedition, 'as well as his oun 
 
 ’ Head, which, was taken cff at London by King Fasies 
 foon after hisReturn from America. And indeed this 
 ‘Manoa del Dorado may be called the Philofophers Stone, 
 or rather the Spaniards Chimera, in fearch of which 
 they have imploy’d immenfe Sums to no purpofe, at 
 feveral Times, and under feveral Commanders, and 
 rauft needs have loft a great number ef Men in abéve 
 fixty different Expeditions or Attempts which they have 
 made. EEN CIEE SON CAE Ge CUR Har or 
 
- “ 
 
 the River of Amazons. 13 
 
 it is to be obferv’d that thefe two are indeed 
 
 one and the fame River divided into two 
 different Arms, and therefore both bear the 
 fame Name, till they empty them#felves into 
 the Amazone. ‘Two and twenty Leagues 
 below this laft Arm of Araganatuba, are 
 the utmoft Limits of this great and rich Na- 
 tion of the Curazicaris, who inhabit one of 
 the bef{t Cantons of Land we have met with 
 inal] the Extent of this great River. ~— 
 
 
 
 CHAP, LXI. 
 Of the warlike People called Yorimaus, 
 
 -*°G ‘WO Leagues lower ‘begins the Coun- 
 
 try of the moft renown’d and war- 
 like Nation of any all along the River of - 
 mazons ; thefe People made all the Portu- 
 guez Fleet tremble when they went to land 
 in their Countrey, as they came up from 
 Para. ‘They are call’d the Yorimau:, they 
 
 dwell on the South-fide of the River, and © 
 
 not only poffefs all the Gontinent along its 
 Banks tor above fixty Leagues fucceffively, 
 but likewife the greateft part of all thofe 
 
 Iflands the Amazone makes in thatlong fpace: 
 
 for tho the Extent of Land this People 
 poffefs is confin’d within the Space of a little 
 above fixty Leagues onthe River Amazone, 
 yet having all the Iflands befides nae 
 ; ame 
 

 
 138 A Difcovery of 
 
 famefpace, andall the Continent a good way 
 up in the Countrey, they are as numerous as 
 any Nation we faw wherever we fet foot to 
 land all along the River. The greateft part 
 of the Yorimaws are well made, and of a 
 better Shape than the reft of the Indians ; 
 they go naked as wellas others, but one may 
 well fee by the Air of their Countenances, 
 that they have a greater dependance upon 
 their Courage than the other Savages: they 
 came amongf{t us, and went from us with 
 the greateft Affurance that could be; and 
 there pafs’d no day, but above 200 Canoos 
 full of Women and Children came aboard 
 our Admiral, bringing with them all forts 
 ef Fruits, Fifhes, Meal and other things, 
 which we bought of ’em in exchange for 
 - Glafs-Buttons, Needles and Knives. This 
 was at the firft Village of the Yorimaus, 
 whichis built at the Mouth of a fine River, 
 that feemed to us tobe very impetuous, by 
 the great Force with which it repuls’d the 
 Waters of the Amazone, as itran intoit. I 
 don’t doubt but the Banks of it are inhabited, 
 as wellas thofe of all the others, by many 
 different Nations; but we could not learn the 
 Names of ’em, becaufe our Fleet’only pafs’d 
 by the Mouthof it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 1 39 
 
 Ca A Po) xt 
 The Length of the Country which thefe People 
 . poffe/s, and the great Iflands they inhabit in 
 the Rever of Amazons. 
 
 Wo and twenty Leagues below this 
 firft Plantation of the Yorimaus, we 
 met withthe greateft Village we had yer feen 
 on this great River: The Houfes joined to 
 one another, and continued fo to doabovea 
 League in length: each of thefe Houfes con- 
 tains not only one Family, as is cuftomary in 
 moft Cities in Ewrope, but in thofe that were 
 leaft filld there dwelt 4 or 5 entireFamilies,and 
 more inthe greateft part of em. By this may 
 be conjeCtur’d what an incredible multitude 
 of people muft needs live in that one Town. 
 We went totheir Houfes, and found all there’ 
 in profound Peace. They waited for our. 
 coming, vvithout being at all alarm’d by it, 
 and/furnifhed us with all neceflary Provifi- 
 ons, which our Fleet began now to want. 
 We continued five days in this Place, and 
 ftor’'d our felves here with a Provifion of 
 above five hundred Meafures of Meal of 
 * Magnioc ; fo that we had more than ec- 
 nough 
 * This Meal of Magnioc the Author {peaks of, is bak’d and 
 eaten inftead of Bread or Caffave, as well in this Coun- 
 
 try he fpeaks of, as on almoft all the Coafts of Brazil, 
 where 
 

 
 ‘140 A Difcovery of . 
 
 nough of it to accomplifh our Voyage, which 
 as:we continued from thence, we perpetually 
 met with the Villages of this Nation one 
 foon after another; at laft we arriv’d at a 
 place thirty Leagues below this great Town, 
 which in allappearance is the chief Strength 
 of this Nation. ’Tis a great Ifland made by 
 one Arm of the Amazone, as it goes to join 
 it felf to another River that comes to fall in- 
 to it; and both together run againft the 
 Banks of this laft- River, which are inha- 
 bited by fo greata Multitude of people, that . 
 tis not without reafon that their Neighbours . 
 fear and refpect ’em, if it were only for > 
 their Numbers. 
 
 CHAP 
 
 where the Captains of Ships {tore themfelves with it, 
 when they are in want of Bifguet. This kind of Meal 
 will not only keep good oftentimes as far as Portuga/, 
 but will fometimes ferve again in other Voyages, when 
 they are over-ftock’d with it. It has this Property 
 with it, that’tis more fit for long Voyages than Cajjzve, 
 becaufe it keeps better. Tis true it becomes very. in- 
 ~ fipid at laft, and fo would the beft Bread we make, if 
 kept as Jong. And ’tis further to be noted, that this 
 bak’d Meal can’t be made into Bread, and that the Indi- 
 ans bake ir in great Earthen Bafons over the Fire almoft 
 as Confectioners do their Sweat-meats ; after which 
 they dry it yet more in the Su:., .vhen tis prepar’d for 
 long Voyages. When you are paft the River of Ama- 
 zons, the Indians on the other fide of the Line know 
 neither how to make it, nor the ufe of it, they only 
 make CafJave, which is Bread made of this fame Meal of 
 - Magnioc before it is bak’d: There is alfo a particular 
 way of preparing that- to make it keep well for long 
 ~ . Voyages, but not fo well as this bak'd Meal. 
 
the River of Amazons. 141 
 
 CHAE: EXE, 
 
 The Extent of the Province of the Yorimaus, 
 and of the River of Cuchiguara. Of a Peo- 
 ple fo ingenious in working of Wood, that 
 they equal the beft Majters in Kurope. 
 
 ae ‘Leagues below this Ifland the Pro- 
 
 vince of the Yorimaus ends ; and two 
 Leagues farther we. found on the South-fide 
 the Mouth of a famous River which the In- 
 dians call Cuchiguara; °tis navigable, tho 
 there are Rocks init in fome Places, and ’tis 
 very full of Fifh, and well ftock’d with 
 _ Tortoifes; its Banks are loaded with Maze 
 and Magnioc. In a word, it has every thing 
 neceflary to make the Navigation of it eafy 
 and agreeable. All the Banks of this River 
 are peopled with different Nations, which I 
 fhall name one after another fucceffively, be- 
 ginning with thofe that dwell at the Mouth 
 of it, going on with thofe that dwell along 
 the River upward, which are the Cachigua- 
 yas, and bear the fame Name with the River 
 Cuchiguara, &c. and in fine, all the laft are 
 call’d the Curiguiris ; who, according to the 
 _ Report that Perfons who have been with 
 - them, and offer’d to condu& us to them, ~ 
 gave us, are Giants. of fixteen Spans height, 
 and very ftout ; they go naked as well as the 
 
 others, and wear great Plates of Gold at their 
 yi : Fars 
 
142 A Difcovery of 
 
 Ears and Noftrils: We were informed that 
 ’ewould be a Journey of two Months to go 
 into the Province of thefe Giants from the 
 Mouthof this River. When we had paffed 
 fome fpace farther, we found on the South- 
 fide the People call’d the Caupuzas and the 
 A urinas, which. are the moft ingenious and 
 curious handy-craft Men that we faw in all | 
 the Country. Without any other Tools 
 than fuch as I have fpoken of before, they 
 _ make Chairs in the Form of Beafts, | with {o 
 much Curiofity, and fo commodi6us for a 
 Man to ‘fit at his Eafe, that I think the In- 
 vention of Man cannot contrive better. They 
 make Effolicas, which are their ordinary — 
 Weapons, of a very flender Stick, with fo 
 much Art, that ’tis not to be. wondred at that 
 other Nations in the Country’are very defi- 
 rous of them; and which is very ftrange, 
 they’ll cut a raisd Figure fo much to the 
 Life, and fo exa€tly upon any coarfe Piece of 
 Wood, that many of our Carvers might 
 take Pattern by them. ’Tis not only to gra- 
 tify their own Fancies, and for their own 
 Ufe, that they make thefe Pieces of Work, 
 but alfo for the Profit it brings them; for 
 they hereby maintain a Trade ,with their 
 Neighbours, and truck their Work with 
 them for any Neceflaries to ferve their Occa- 
 fions. ; , 
 
 ‘CHAP. 
 
the River of Amazons. 143 
 
 CA DTA, 
 
 “Of the River Bafurara, and the great Iflands it 
 forms: Of the People that inhabit thofe 
 Parts: Of their Arms, and the Commerce 
 they have with the Dutch that inhabit Cay- 
 
 ht + Senne: 
 
 Hirty two Leagues below the Mouth 
 
 B of Cuchiguara we met the Mouth of 
 another River on the North-fide, call’d Ba-. 
 furara by the Natives: This River extends it 
 felfa great way up in the Country, and 
 forms feveral great Lakes, fo that the Coun- 
 try is divided into divers large Iflands, which 
 are all peopled with an infinite Number of 
 Inhabitants, ‘Vhefe Lands lie very high, 
 and are never overflow’d by the Inundations, 
 let them be never fo great. This Country 
 abounds with all forts of Provifion, as Maze, 
 Magnioc, all kinds of Fruit, Venifon, Wild- 
 Fowl, and Fifh, and yields its Inhabitants a 
 liberal Maintenance ; which makes it abound 
 as much in Men asin all other things. > All 
 the People that live in the large Extent of 
 this Country are eall’d by the. general Name 
 of Carabayevas, and are divided into parti- 
 cular Provinces, fome. of which: are. call’d 
 the: Ceraguanas, &c,  All:the Indians ufe 
 Bows and Arrows; and among fome of 
 them I faw Iron Tools and Weapons, as 
 / _ Hatchets, 
 
144 A. Difcovery of» 
 
 Hatchets, Halbards, Bills and Knives. I 
 asked them, by our. Interpreters, from 
 whence they had thofe Inftruments of Iron: 
 
 they anfwered, that they bought them. of. 
 the People of that Country that dwelt near-. 
 
 eft the Sea on that fide, who had their Goods 
 in exchange for "em; that they were white 
 Men like us, and made ufe of the fame Arms, 
 as Swords and Guns, and had Houfes upon 
 the Sea-Coaft ; that the only-difference be- 
 tween them and us was, that they. had all 
 light-colour’d Hair. . Thefe. ‘Tokens were 
 fufficient to affure us that thefe were the 
 Dutch that were in poflefGion of the Mouth 
 of the Smooth River, or the River Philippe, 
 fome time before. It was in the Year 1638, 
 that they made a Defcent into Gziana, which 
 depends on the Government of the New 
 Kingdom of Granada, and not only. made 
 themfelves Mafters of the, whole Hfland, 
 * but came upon it by fuch a Surprize, that 
 . the 
 
 * The Guiana isaconfiderable part of the Continent, and 
 not one of the Iflands of the Ocean, as our Author feems 
 
 to fignify in this place; yet it may well enough be faid, 
 
 that he fpake more truly than he thought, and that the 
 River Orenoque, or Paria, parting from the River of .A- 
 mazons, to,come afterwards to difcharge Jt felt into the 
 
 Sea over againft the Ifland of La Trinidada, betwixt the 
 ninth and tenth Degrees of Northern Latitude , it may 
 very well be, Ifay, that Guiana by thefe means becomes 
 
 an Ifland, comprehending all that Extent of Land be- 
 
 tween the Mouth of Orenoque and that of the Amazone, 
 quite to the place where thefe two great Rivers divide 
 
 to / 
 
* 
 
 the River of Amazons. 146 
 
 the Spaniards had not time to carry away 
 the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, but left it 
 in Captivity in the Enemies hand: They 
 promifed themfelves a great Ranfom from us 
 to get this holy Pledg out of their hands, 
 knowing what Refpeét and Love the Catho- 
 licks have for the precious Body of their Sa- 
 viour ; but our Men took another Courfe, 
 which was, to betake themfelves to. their 
 Arms, and compofe good Companies of 
 Souldiers who were refolved to go with the 
 Courage of Chriftians to expofe their Lives. 
 to deliver their Saviour from the hands of his 
 Enemies, ‘They were big with thefe juft 
 and pious Refojutions, which could only be 
 infpired from Heaven, when we parted 
 from thence to return into Spai#, to render 
 
 an Account of our Voyage. 
 
 to take their Courfe 4fander, rill they fall into the Seq — 
 at above 300 Leagues diftance one from another. All 
 this Interval is what Geographers commonly call in their 
 Maps the Coaft of Guiana. In this place the Ifland of 
 Cayenne is fituate, which is fo famous either for the di- 
 vers Adventures which the French Colonies have had at 
 feveral times in eftablifhing themfélves there, or for the - 
 divers Battels they have had as well with the Indians as 
 the Europeans, to maintain their Ground there, in 
 which they have fucceeded fo well, that ’tis now one 
 of the moft confiderable and advantageous Golonies they 
 have in all Americas ¢ 
 
 i CHAP. 
 
146 apo Difcovery of ‘ 
 
 Cf AP YT Rye 
 
 Of the great River called Rionegro, [or the 
 
 Black River] becaufe tts Waters are foclear, 
 that they look black again: and of a fit 
 Place to fortify upon this River, which 
 would be a means to obtain the Sovereignty 
 
 at of the Amazone by. the way tou from the 
 
 North-Cape through the River call’d Rio- 
 grande. . : : 
 
 N the fame North-fide, thirty Leagues 
 or fomething lefs from Bafarara, we 
 
 - met with the largeft-Mouth, and the fineft 
 
 River of any that come to throw themfelves © 
 
 into the Amazoze. It runsa Courfe of 1300 
 
 ey 9 
 
 Leagues in length; the Mouth of it isa 
 League and a half wide, which: is. at the 
 
 . Latitude of four degrees; and to fpeak a lit- 
 
 . tle pleafantly, one may fay, this mighty Ri- 
 
 - veris fo haughty, that. *tis offended to meet 
 kas greater than it felf; and as the incom- 
 _ para 
 
 le Amazone ftretches out its Arms to re- 
 
 _ ceive it, this: proud River difdains to be fo 
 i embrac’d as to lofeit felf in the other’s Wa- 
 
 ters, and therefore keeps feparated from it, 
 and fills up half the Bed of the Amazone it 
 felf for above the length of twelve Leagues, 
 fo that the Waters of the one may be eafily 
 diftinguifhed from the other by. thofe thae | 
 
 _ failin this Channel. The Portuguez had 
 
 fome. 
 
8. the River of Amazons. 47 
 fome Reafon to call this the Blick River, be- 
 caufe at its Mouth, arid many Leagues above; 
 
 “its Depth, ‘together with the Clearnefs of 
 thofe Waters which are pour’d into its Chan- 
 nel from‘ fevera! great Lakes, make it ap- 
 pear black, as if it. Were dyed, tho when itis 
 
 - put ina Glafs it looks as clear as Cryftal. It 
 takes its Courfe from Weft to Eaft at its be- 
 ginning, but has fuch great Windings, that 
 ina very little {pace it changes its Courfeto — 
 different Points; but the Courfe it runs for 
 feveral Leagues before it empties it felf into 
 
 _the Amazone, is again from Weft to Haft. 
 The Indians that live upon the Banks of it 
 call it Curiguarura , but the Toupinazwbous; 
 of whom we fhall fpeak prefently, give it~ 
 
 the name of Urama, which fignifies [ Black 
 
 Water) in their. Language. They alfo give 
 another name to the Amazone, wiiich it re- 
 tains in thofe Parts, namely, Pajazagaris, 
 which is‘as much as to fay [the Great River], 
 
 . todiftinguifh it-from another, which tho it 
 be a great River, however is much lefs than 
 
 “this, and named Pajanamira, which enters 
 into the Amazone on the South-fide, a League 
 below the Black River. We were affur’d 
 that this River was inhabited by a great _, 
 “number of People of different Nations, the ~ 
 
 ’ Yaft of which wear Clothes and Hats like 
 
 ours, which fafficiently convine’d us that 
 ~ thefe People were not remote from our Ci- 
 
 i ee Is 2 ties 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
148 ae Difcovery of - es 
 ties in Peru. ‘Thofe that dwell on the Banks 
 Of the Black River, poflefs a great deal, of 
 Ground ; they are call’d Cavicuaris and Curu- 
 patabas; and the laft Nation is that of the 
 
 Quaravaguazanas, that dwell upon one Arm, 
 
 of the Biack River: and ’tis by this Arm, 
 as we were fufficiently inform’d, that one 
 may pafs into the Riogrande, the Mouth of 
 which goes into the Sea at the North-Cape, 
 acar which River the Dutch have eftablifhed 
 themfelves.” . | 
 
 All thefe Nations make ufe of Bows and 
 _ Arrows, the moft of which they poifon with 
 the Juice of Herbs. All the Lands upon this 
 Black River are fituate very high, the Soil is 
 very good, and if manur’d, would yield 
 plenty of all forts of Fruit (even fuch as we 
 have in Ezrope) in fome places that. lie well 
 to produce’em. ‘There are a great many 
 
 fine and pleafant Fields all cover’d with ex- ~ 
 cellent Pafturage fuficient. to nourifh-an in- 
 
 numerable ftock of all forts of Cattle. There 
 ‘Timber of which is very good for all forts of 
 Carpenters Work, whether for Land or 
 Water: ,And befides this great plenty of 
 Wood, the Country yields very good Stones, 
 and that in'vaft Quantities, fit for the nobleft 
 Buildings. ‘The Borders of it are ftor’d with 
 all forts of Game. Indeed it has but a few 
 ‘Pifh in comparifon with the River of Aya- 
 
 ZONS 
 
 2 
 
 are likewife abundance of good Trees, the ~ 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 149 
 zons the reafon. of which is from the ex- 
 ceeding Clearnefs of the Water: But to 
 make amends for this. Defe&t, the Lakes 
 which are in the Country, and pour their 
 Waters into this River,’ yield the Inhabi- - 
 tants more Fifh than they need. This River 
 has at the Mouth of it the beft Situation in ~ 
 the World for the making of a Fort, and ~ 
 plenty of Stones to build it, which would 
 be very proper to hinder our Enemies from 
 coming by this River to ‘enter into the great 
 Channel of the Amazone ; not that I think 
 this to be the beft place of all for a Fortifica- 
 tion for fuch a purpofe, but rather feveral 
 Leagues above this Mouth, inan Arm that 
 Soes to caft it felf into the River call’d Rzo- 
 grande, whofe Mouth (s I have already 
 faid) is in the North Sea: there we might 
 place all our Forces with the greateft Cer- 
 tainty of entirely ftopping the Paffage of our 
 Enemies into this new World, which. they 
 fo paffionately defire to difcover; and which 
 ‘they will fome time or other attempt, if 
 they are not prevented “by fecuring this Paf- 
 fage. I dare not affirm that this River call’d . 
 the Riogrande, into which the Arm of the 
 
 Black River enters, is the Smooth River, or 
 the Philippe, for both enter into the Sea to- - 
 ward the North Cape ; but, by all the Ob- 
 fervations I have made, I am very inclin- 
 able to believe that it is the River Phzlippe, 
 
iso A Difcovery of 
 becaufe *tis the firft confiderable’ River that 
 enters into the Sea beyond the Cape. But 
 this I know {or certain, that the Riograndeis 
 not the River Ovenogue, becaufe the princi- 
 pal Mouth of it into the Sea is overagainft 
 the Ifland of La Trinidada, which is abovea 
 hundred Leagues below the Place where the 
 Philippe empties it felf into the Sea. It was 
 by this River that the Tyrant Lopez Daguirre 
 pais'd into the North Sea; and feeing he 
 made this Voyage very well, fome body elfe 
 may as well fucceed in the fame Attempt, 
 and follow the Courfe which another has - 
 fteer’"d beforehim. © > uw | 
 
 
 
 
 
 oC HAP, LXVI. 
 A Mutiny happens in the Portuguez Fleet, 
 
 ~ when they fee themfelves fo near home without ~ 
 
 having got any Treafure: they take up a Re- 
 folution to go and pillage the People upon the 
 Black River, and to get Slaves, but ave pre- 
 
 vented by Father D° Acugna. 
 
 
 
 »UR Fleet lay ftill at Anchor in the 
 R Mouth of the Black River on the r2zh 
 day of Oéfober, inthe Year 1639, when the 
 Portuguez, Souldiers calling to mind that 
 they were now almoft as good as at home, 
 and had got nothing thefe two Years fince 
 they went out, began to look ‘upon the end 
 OY ee Po Soe 
 
 a 
 

 
 the River of Ariazons. 151 
 
 of the Voyage as the greateft. Misfortune 
 that could befal them, and to tell one ano- 
 ther, that fince they had reap’d no other Ad- 
 vantage by all the Labour and Hardfhip 
 they had pafs’d through but the lofs of two 
 long Years, and the Increafe of their Mife- 
 ries, they ought to confider what they had 
 >to do while opportunity ofer’d it felf; and 
 that it would be a ridiculous thing to expect 
 of his Catholick. Majefty the Reward of 
 thofe Services they had render’d him in the 
 Difcovery of fo many Countries, feeing a 
 great-many others before them, who had 
 been prodigal of thei Blood, and hazarded 
 their Lives for the Advancement of the Gran- 
 
 deur of Spain, had for all that died upon a - 
 
 Dunghil, not knowing to whom to apply 
 ' themfelves for the Relief of their Neceffities. 
 ‘Thefe. feditious. Words being received with 
 Applaufe by.the greateft part-of the Portu- 
 suez, . they. immediately refolv’d to {peak 
 their. Minds. to. their General, ‘and to engage 
 him one way or-other to fallin with their De- 
 figns. 
 °N o fooner had they taken up this Refolu- 
 tion, but they addrefled themfelves to him, 
 telling him, it was needlefs for them to re- 
 -prefent to him the miferable Condition they 
 
 swere in, fince he knew. it as. well as them- 
 -felves; that they had now been for two 
 Years roving up and down upon thefe Ri- 
 40s vers, 
 
352 0 ADifcovery of 
 vers, where they were every day in)danger 
 of perifhing, either by Hunger or exceffive 
 _ Labour, or by the Arrows of the Savages ; 
 and therefore bege’d him to compaffionate 
 their Neceffity, and not to take it amifs that 
 they fought fome Relief; that they were fure 
 that only along the Black River they could 
 get as many of thofe Slaves which the Indi- 
 ans had taken in War, as would turn to a 
 confiderable account to them ; and tho they 
 fhould bring nothing home from: their Voy- 
 age but thefe Slaves, they hop’d they fhould 
 not be ill receiv’d by their Friends at Para, 
 but that if they fhould return home empty- 
 handed, and fhould bring no Slaves’ with 
 them after they had pafs’d through fo many 
 - populous Provinces, the Inhabitants of which . 
 
 durft come to their very Doors to make 
 _ Slaves of them, they fhould be reckon’d the | 
 _ moft-cowardly and: infamous Wretches in 
 the World. | 
 
 ‘The General confidering he was but oné © 
 again{ft a great many, and perceiving a Mu- 
 tiny was already form’d inthe Minds of the 
 Souldiers, thought it not his beft way to irri- 
 _ tate them any more, but gave ’em permiffion 
 to put this Enterprize in execution, feeing 
 the Wind favour’d their Entrance.into the 
 Black River, and feem’d to invite ’em to this 
 Project. ‘The Portuguez were tranfported 
 with Joy that they had obtain’d this Leave, 
 
 | and 
 
the River of Amazons. 153 
 and there was not one amongft ’em but pro- 
 mis’d himfelfat leaft 300 Slaves for his fhare, | 
 This Refolution gave me no fmall Uneafinefs, 
 for I did not well know what were the Ge- 
 neral’strue Sentiments of this Attempt; but 
 I foomfound both that he had Courage and 
 a great deal of Generofity, and that he 
 was a mortal Enemy of fuch Violences as » 
 the Souldiers were going to commit 5 for my 
 part, by the Grace of God, I thought my 
 felf {trong enough norto need fear any thing, 
 and therefore made a firm Refolution with 
 my felf, rather to die a thoufand times if it 
 were poflible, than confent to any thing 
 that would be againft the Glory of God, or 
 againft the Service of his Catholick Majefty. 
 At the fame time I went to celebrate the holy 
 Mats, and after I had done, I retir’d with my 
 Comrade, that we might confult together 
 by what means to hinder fo barbarous and 
 diabolical Refolution ; and we agreed to'make 
 an open Proteftation againft their Rafhnefs| 
 and Difobedience. 
 
 / 
 
 CHAP. 
 
2: 4 engd Difcovery of ) 
 
 CHAP. LXVII. 
 
 The Order given to the Fleet to fet fail, which 
 was done without noife. And of the River 
 of Wood or Cayary, and the divers Na- 
 
 _ tions that inhabit its Banks, from whence 
 
 - there is a fbort cut to the Mountain Potohi. 
 
 Communicated our Refolution to the Ge- 
 netal, who was very glad to find me of 
 
 his Mind, but confefs’d nothing could be 
 - more bold than my Proteftation. However, 
 he gave fignal Proof of the greatnefs of his 
 Courage on this occafion ; for he caus’d the 
 Paper containing my Proteftation to be pub- 
 lifh’d through the Fleet, at the fame time 
 commanding the Sea-men to furl the Sails, 
 and to put all things in readinefsto pafsout of 
 the Black River the next day, and to return 
 into the Amazone to finifh our Voyage. This 
 Order was put inexecution, for we went back 
 the day following; and continuing our Courfe » 
 40 Leagues lower on the South-fide, we found 
 the great River of Wood, which is a Name 
 _ the Portuguez gave it when they came from 
 Para, becaufe of the vaft quantity of pieces 
 of Timber this River carried down with it: 
 But the proper Name of it among the Indians 
 _ that dwell near it is Cayari; it comes (as I 
 have faid)) from the South-fide, and, as.we 
 were told, is form’d of two great Rivers, - 
 ras | ene which 
 
the River of Amazons. 155 
 which meet together fome Leagues above the 
 Mouth of it. And in all probability, feeing 
 it was-by this River that the. Toupiaambous 
 came down into this Country, one may ven- 
 ture to.affirm, that there is no fhorter and 
 furer way to come at the Province of Poto/i, 
 than by the way of this River. Thereare 
 many Nations inhabiting the fhores of it; . 
 the firft on the fide of the Mouth of it are 
 the Kurinas, and the Cayavas, and abovethem 
 are the Urarchaus, the Axamaris, the Guari- 
 numas, the Curanaris, the Pepunacas, and the 
 Abacarvis. From thé Mouth of this River as 
 you go down the Amazone you meet with 
 the <ypucayas, and the Wharingas, who are 
 excellent Workmen in Wood: below them 
 are the Guwaranaquacos, the Maraguas, the 
 Guimajis, the Berais, the Punovis, the Ore- 
 guaras, the Aperas; and other Nations, of 
 whofe Names I can give no certain account; 
 
 
 
 
 
 US ACR TE SENIE. - 
 
 Of the Ifland of the Toupinambous, who 
 
 came out of Brazil when it was conquer’d by 
 the Portuguex, and made themfelves Mafters 
 of this Ifland. 
 
 ih 
 — °Wenty eight Leagues below the River 
 ff Cayart,as we continued our Courfe on 
 the Amazone onthe South-fide, we arriv’d at 
 papa Oe 
 
156 _A Difcovery of 
 a great Ifland 60 Leagues in breadth, and 
 confequently above 200 Leagues in compafs. 
 This whole Ifland is peopled with the va- 
 liant Toupinambous, who when Brazil was 
 conquer’d, voluntarily exil’d themfelves from 
 their Country, choofing rather to quit all the 
 Province of Ferzambuco than to lofe their _ 
 Liberty, and to fubmit themfelves to the fe- 
 vere Government of the Portuguez: ‘They 
 lett above 84 great Villages where they had 
 planted themfelves, and came away fo uni- 
 verfally, that there was not one living Soul 
 left in all their Houfes. They took their 
 way on the left-hand of thofe great Moun- 
 _ tains call’d Cordeliers, which begin at the 
 Strait of Magellan,’ and crofs through all 
 Southern America, from North to South. 
 They pafs’d all the Rivulets and Rivers that . 
 defcend from thofe Mountains to difcharge 
 themfelves into the Ocean. Some of ’em 
 came as far as Peru, and dwelt with the Spa- 
 . niards towards the Source of the River Cay- 
 art: they continued with ’em fome time; but 
 a Spaniard having caus’d one of ’em to be 
 whipp’d for killing a Cow, they could not 
 put up this Injury, but refolv’dall to be gone; 
 and making ufe of the Advantage of the Ri- 
 ver, they all embark’d in their Canoos and 
 went down it as far as this great Ifland, 
 -where they now dwell. They {peak the ge- 
 neral Language of Brazil, which extends 
 sea through 
 
 ce 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 1§7 
 through all the Country. that the Portuguez _ 
 have conquer’d as faras Maraguon and Para: 
 They told us, that when their Fathers left 
 Brazil, not knowing how to get Suftenance 
 all together in the Defarts through which 
 they were to pafs, they were conftrain’d du- 
 ring a March of above goo Leagues to fepa- 
 rate by reafon of their multitude, fo that 
 fome went one way, .and fome another ; and 
 by this means all the Mountains of Perz cal?'d 
 the Cordeliers are peopled with the Tozpi- 
 nambous, "This is a very brave and valiant 
 Nation of Indians, as they made themfelves 
 appear to be to the People whom they found 
 in this Ifland, where they are at prefent efta- 
 ftlifh’d. For inall appearance thefe 7 oupi- 
 nambous were very. few in comparifon of the 
 Inhabitants of this {land when they arriv’d 
 _ there, yet ’tis certain they fo often beat, and. 
 fo entirely fubdued all thofe they fought 
 with, that.after they had deftroy’d whole 
 Nations, they fore’d the reft to leave their 
 Native Country in fear, and to go and plant. 
 themfelves in, very diftant Regions. Thefe 
 Warlike Savages ufe Bows and Arrows with 
 great dexterity, and have fo noble a Courage, _ 
 and Greatnefs of Mind, that in thefe Quali- 
 ties they feem not to come behind the moft 
 accomplifh’d Nations in, Ezrope. But tho al- 
 moftall of ’emare but the Children or Grand- 
 children of thofe that came from Brazi/ into 
 
 7 _ this 
 
“98 6A Difcovery of | 
 this Ifland, yet it is to be obferv’d that they 
 begin to degenerate’ from their Anceltots, by 
 “the Alliances they contra€t with thofe: of 
 “this Country, and by their accuftoming them- 
 ‘felves to the manner of living us’d by the 
 original Inhabitants. ‘They all receiv’d' us 
 with Demonftrations of extraordinary Joy ; 
 and let us know, that they thought to re- 
 folve in a little time to enter into a ‘Treaty 
 with us, and to put themfelves in the num- 
 ber of the Allies and Friends of the People 
 of Para. This Declaration of theirs pleas’d 
 me very much, and made me hope that no 
 _ {mall Advantages would accrue to our Na- 
 tion by it: For if thefe valiant People once 
 become of our Party, it muft needs be an 
 eafy matter for us to bring all the other 
 Nations of the River of Amazons to reafo- 
 
 ~nable Terms, fince there is none of em but 
 
 tremble at the very Name of the Tozpi- 
 nambous. : 
 
 
 
 | CHAP. LXIX. 
 Of the Ingenuity of the Toupinambous; of 
 
 their Language; andthe Account we received 
 of the Salt-Pits tn Peru. 
 
  ™  Hefe Toupinambous are avery ingenious | 
 | | and intelligent People; and having 
 
 no need of Interpreters to treat with them, 
 A | becaufe 
 
 
 
the River of | Amazons. (Pgg ) 
 _becaufe (as [have faid) they fpeak the ge- 
 -neral Language of Brazil, which many. of 
 . our Portuguez, that have been born and bred 
 _ there, {peak as well as they, - we had the - 
 Advantage of a very particular Account of — 
 , divers. things, which I am going to relate, 
 - and which may be believed on their Report, 
 becaufe they are a People that have rov’d a- 
 broad, and fubjected all the neighbouring . 
 ‘Countries to their Power. They’told us, 
 that on the South-fide near their Ifland there, 
 are two Nations among others upon the Con- 
 tinent that are very remarkable; one of ’em 
 are Dwarfs as {mall as little Children, and 
 -yare called Gwayazis, the other is a Race of 
 People that come_into the World with their 
 Feet turn’d behind ’em, fo that thofethat 
 are unacquainted with their monftrous Shape, 
 _ ..and fhould. follow their Track, would run 
 from ’em inftead of overtaking ’em; they 
 are called Matayus, and are tributary to the 
 ‘T oupinambous, whom they are obliged to 
 ~furnifh with Hatchets made of Stone to fell 
 sreat Trees with, when they havea mind to 
 ,.clear a Piece of Ground; for they frame 
 “thefe Hatchets very: neatly, and ’tis their 
 “ whole bufinefs to make of ’em. They told 
 us moreover, that on the other fide of the 
 River, that. is Northward, there are feven 
 _. Provinces adjoining one to another, which are 
 every populous; but becaufe they are a pin 
 5 a pie 
 
 co 
 
 ne} 
 we phd 2S 
 
 
 

 
 160 A Difeovery of» \ 
 
 ple but of mean Courage and Strength,, and, 
 
 only feed upon Fruits and fome {mall wild, — 
 
 Animals, without ever fighting onewith a-. 
 nother when they are angry, orever taking. 
 up Arms to defend themfelves. from. other. , 
 Nations, they are of no account in the Coun- 
 try. They further told us, that themfelves . 
 had been a long time at Peace with another 
 Nation, whofe Confines extend to thofe we. 
 have jut {poken of, and had a regular ‘Trade 
 with ’em for all Commodities, wherewith 
 either Countrey abounded ; and that the 
 principal thing they had. from this. People 
 
 was Salt, for which they gave ’em other 
 
 things inexchange; and that this Salt came. 
 from a Place not far diftantfrom’em. Ifthis . 
 
 be true, thefe Salt-pits would be of great 
 
 advantage to the Spaniards, and would ferve. . 
 ’em not only for thofe parts of the Countrey, 
 that are conquer’d, but alfo for the more 
 commodious eftablifhing of Colonies on the 
 
 _ Banks of this great River. But if there 
 
 fhould be nothing in this Story on this fide, 
 it is not to be doubted but Salt is to be found 
 in great abundance along thofe Rivers that . 
 come down onthe fide of Peru ; becaufein 
 
 ‘ the Year 1631, when I was inthe City of 
 
 Lima, two Men went from thence at two 
 different times to feek fome, and came back 
 withas much as they could carry: they told 
 usthey came to 2 certain Place, where they 
 went» 
 
the River of Amazons. 161 
 went on one of the Rivers (in all appearance 
 one of thofe leffer Rivers that form that great 
 one,which falls into the Amazone) andatrived 
 at a Mountainall of Salt, of which the Inhabi-. 
 tants made great advantage, being become ve... 
 ry rich by the Traffick they had in exchange - 
 for it from thofe Indians that came a great 
 waytobuy it; not that it is any ftrangething 
 in Peru, and in all the Mountains, to fee. 
 
 ‘Rocks of Salt-ftones; the Sale of which is 
 very good; for no other is made ufe of in all 
 that Countrey: *Tis got out of the Rock. 
 with Iron Inftruments in great pieces, each 
 of which weigh 5.or 6 * Arobas.. This Pro- 
 vince of the Toupiwambous is fixty fix Leagues 
 in length, and ends with a great Town fi- 
 tuated at the Latitude of 3 Degrees, as is 
 
 -alfo the firft Town of the Indian Aguas, of 
 which we have f{poken before. | 
 
 * The Aroba is a Weight of 25 Pounds, as the Quintal is, 
 a of a rco Pounds, 7 sa 
 
 
 
 
 
 CHA Pe EX 
 Of the Amazons, a Account of their Man- 
 wers and Cuftoms, | 
 
 “Hele Toupinambous likewife confirm’d 
 
 the Report which is fpread through- 
 out this great River of the Renown’d Ama- 
 zoms, feom whence it borrows its true Namo, 
 
 M. by 
 
 a 
 

 
 162 A Difcovery of... 
 by which it has been known from the very. 
 ‘fir Difcovery of it to this day, not only by 
 ‘thofe who have navigated it, but alfo by all 
 Cofmographers who have given any good 
 account of it. It would be very firange if 
 the Name of Amazone fhould have beenim- 
 pos’d on this River without any reafonable 
 _- Ground ; and that tho it- well deferves a 
 Name that might render it famous, it fhould 
 only be known by afabulousone : ‘This does - 
 not feemmat all probable that fuch a River as 
 this, that poffeffes fo many Advantages above 
 all others, fhould have deriv’d its Glory from 
 a Title that does not belong to it ; like ‘what 
 we fee in fome Men, who when they have 
 - not Vertue enough to obtain the Glory they 
 defire by their own Merit, are fo mean fpi- 
 rited and difingenuous to deck themfelves 
 with the advantageous Qualities of ‘others : 
 “But the ‘Proofs that give affurance that 
 - there is a Province of Amazons on the Banks 
 of this River, are foftrong and’ convincing, 
 that it would be.a renouncing of moral Cer- 
 - tainty tofcruple the giving credit to it. I 
 don’t build upon the folemn Examinations 
 made by the Authority of the Soveraign Court 
 of Quito, inwhichmany Witneffes have been 
 heard that have been born in thofe Parts, 
 and liv’d there a long time; and ofall things 
 contain’d in their Frontier Countries, one of — 
 the principal whigh is particularly” by 
 NG; aa ere . nS : ly 
 
 
 
 
 
a the Rider of Aotazons. 163 
 by. ’em.is, that. one of thofe Provinces near 
 ‘our River is peopled witha fort of warlike 
 Womea, who -live-together,. and, maintain © 
 ‘their,Government alone, without the Com- 
 ‘pany.of Men; that.at a.certain Seafon of 
 the Year they feek the Society of Men in or- 
 der toperpetuate their Race ; bur.at all other 
 times live together in thei Towns, and im- 
 ploy, themfelves in manuring the Ground, 
 from, which with hard Labour they procure 
 all Neceflaries . for the Support and Comfort 
 of Life. , Nor .will [ infift. on other Infor- 
 ‘mations that have been. made inthe new 
 _Kingdom of Grazada, at the Royal Seat of 
 the City. of Paffo,. where feveral Indians 
 wereexamined, and particularly one Indian 
 Woman, who. affirm’d that fhe had been in 
 the very Countrey which thefe valiant Wo- 
 men inhabit, and. whofe Account was in 
 every xrefpeG.conformable to what had been 
 before afferted in. the foregoing Relations: 
 but I..can’t, concéal what.I have heard with 
 “my own Hats, and the Truth. of which I 
 have been enquiring after from my firit em- 
 barking on the Ayazonve; and I mult fay I 
 have been inform’d at allthe Indian Towns 
 “where I have been, that there are fuch Wo- 
 * men.in the Countrey as I:have above deferi- 
  bed:; and.every one that gave me an ac 
 count of ’emdid it by Characters fo exactly 
 agreeing with the reft, that if there be no 
 2 M 2 thing 
 
164>> Sods A Difcovery of <5... 7 
 thing in it, it muft needs be faid that. the 
 greateft Lie in the World paffes throughout: 
 all America for one of the moft certain Hifto- 
 rical Truths. However we had the cleareft 
 Information of the Province: where: thefe 
 Women dwell, of their fingular Cuftoms, 
 of the Indians that correfpond with them, of 
 the Ways into their Country, and of thofe - 
 Indians with whom they converfe to prevent 
 the Extinétion of their Race in the laft Vil- 
 lage, which makes the Frontier Town. be- 
 tween them and the Toupinambous. 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 oui Jaioy CHAR: BXXE 
 The bet Account of the Amazons of America. 
 
 Hirty fix Leagues below this utmoft 
 
 > Village of the Towpinambous, as you 
 
 go down our Great River, you meet with 
 ~ another on the North-fide, which comes - 
 from the very Provinee of the Amazons, 
 and is. known among the People of the 
 Country by the Name of Caxaris., © This 
 River bears the Name of ‘thofe Indians ‘that 
 dwell neareft to the Mouth of it: Above 
 thefe firft People higher up the River Cuns#- 
 ris you meet with other Indians call’d Apotos; 
 that {peak the general Language of ‘Brazil ; 
 higher ftill- you tind the Tagaris, and laftly 
 the Guacaras, who are the People that have 
 ; . the 
 
the River of Amazons. 165 
 the Privilege to converfe with thefe valiant 
 Women, and enjoy their Fayours. They 
 dwell upon huge Mountains, that are: pro- 
 digioufly. high, among which there.is. one 
 that lifts: its Head a great Height: above all 
 the reft, which is fo buffered with. Winds, 
 that itvis quite barren, and looks very bare; 
 the Name of it 1s 'Yacamiaba. Thefe Wo- 
 men (as has been faid) are very couragious, 
 and have always maintain’d themfelves alone 
 without the help and affiftance of Men; and 
 when their Neighbours come into their Coun- 
 trey at a time concerted with them, they re- — 
 ceive em with their Weapons in their Hands, 
 which are Bows.and Arrows, and which 
 they exercife as if they were going againit 
 their Enemies; - but. knowing. well that the 
 others don’t come to fight, but are their 
 Friends, they lay down their Arms, and all 
 - run into the Canoos or other little Veflels of 
 thefe Indians, and each Amazone takes the 
 Hammock ‘(a Cotton Bed they hang up to 
 {leep in). which fhe finds next at hand; this 
 fhe carries home, and hangs up in a Place, 
 where the Qwner of it may know it. again 
 when-he comes; after which fhe receives 
 him: as her Gueft, and treats him thofe few 
 days they’ continue together. Thefe In- 
 dians. afterward return to their own Dwel- 
 lings, and, never fail to make this Voyage 
 every “Year. at the appointed time. The 
 
 eho. 
 

 
 166 A Difcovery of .\. 
 
 Girls which they bear:are brought-up. by. 
 their Mothers; and. inftructed in’ the wfe-of 
 Arms, as well as inur’d to-Labour, as if they 
 were ambitious to’ advance the! wonted. Va- 
 Jour of their Predeceffors ftill to a greater 
 “Height... As forthe’ Male-Children, tis not 
 certain what they -do ‘with ’em: }fawan 
 Indian who-told me, that when-he was a 
 Child he was with his Father at fich ah Ens 
 terview, and aflured me, that they gave the 
 Male Children: to-their Fathers the next 
 time they came after their Birth, — But the 
 commnon ‘Report is, that they kill all their 
 Males as foon as they are born: and this is 
 genctally fuppos’d:to be the trueft Account. 
 Time will difcover the Truth of this Matter. 
 *Tis certain they have Treafutes in their 
 Country, enough to.enrich the whole World: — 
 The Mouth of this River, upon the Banks 6f 
 which the Amazons dwell, is at the Lati- 
 tudeiof two Degrees and a half. sf 
 
 
 
 
 
 CHAP. LXXIf. | 
 
 Of the River Vexamina, and the Strait of the 
 ' Amazone, where 2 is but « quarter of « 
 League in breadth, arent a 
 
 A, Fier having crofsd the Mouth of the 
 i & tie Riven. of: Amazons, we came 
 down 24 Leagues more upon our great Ri- 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 167 
 ver, and on the fame North-fide found ano- 
 ther {mall River call’d Vexamina, which en< _ 
 ters intothe Amazone juft at the place wher, | 
 this great and. fpacious Kiver grows narrow 
 and is fo fhut up by the Land, that it con- 
 tradts it felf into thé {pace of a little more 
 than a quarter of a League. The Situation 
 is extretnely favourable for the building of 
 two Forts on the two Banks of our incom- 
 parable River, which would hot only ob- 
 ftruct the Paflage of an Enemy that fhould 
 come up this River from the Sea, but would 
 alfo ferve for Cuftom-houfes for the Entry of 
 every thing that fhould be carried down 
 from Peru this way, if this River fliould ever 
 be inhabited and ftock’d. with the People of 
 our Nation. . Tho this Strait is at 360 Leagues 
 diftance from the Sea, yet the flowing and _ 
 ebbing of ‘Tides are perceiv’d here; for the 
 River is feén to increafé and diminifh every 
 day, altho not fo fenfibly as fome Leagues 
 below. - 
 
 
 
 ees 2 eae er 
 

 
 168 : oA Difcovery: of.» 
 
 
 
 Vr hetyr GHA POM KRM hie bo: 
 The River of the Tapajotos ; their Courage, 
 their potfowd Arrows, and the manner of 
 “their treating the Portuguex Fleet. 
 
 
 
 “J|“OUR Leagues below this Strait, on the 
 ft South-fide, is the Mouth of the great 
 and noble.River of the Tapajotos, which bor- 
 rows.its Name from that of the Inhabitants 
 of the Province which it waters. ‘This Coun- 
 
 try is well ftock’d with Indians ; the Land © : 
 
 of it isvery good, and abounds with all forts 
 of Provifion : ‘Thefe T'apajotos are a couragi- 
 ous People, and are dreaded. by all the Nati- 
 ons that dwell ‘near ’em, becaufe they inve: 
 nom theif Arrows with fo fubtilea Poifon, 
 that they kill thofe they wound, there being 
 no Remedy found powerful enough to_refift 
 their Venom. This was the only Reafon 
 “why the Portuguez themfelves were fo long 
 their. Neighbours without having any Com- 
 merce or Alliance with them, tho they were 
 very defirous of obtaining their Friendfhip ; 
 but when they. would have obliged ’em to 
 quit their Country, and to: come-and inhabit 
 the Places which the Portuguez had: con- 
 quer’d, the T'apajotos would never give their 
 Confentte.it, becaufe nothing in-the World 
 touches ?em more fenfibly, than to talk: to 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 169 | 
 
 ’em of leaving their native Country. Not 
 but that they received our Menvery kindly, 
 and with a greatdeal of Joy, when they 
 landediin their Country: We had large Ex- 
 ~perience.of their Kindnefs when we lodged 
 at one of their. great. “Towns,. which con- 
 tain’d above 500 Families, where for a whole 
 day. they -were continually coming to vifit us, 
 bringing us Hens, Ducks, Fifh, Meal, Fruits, 
 and all-other,things we wanted, with fo 
 much: Freedom and. Confidence in us, that 
 the. Women and Children did not care to go’ 
 out of: our fight; Nay they frankly told us, 
 that if the -Portuguez would let them alone 
 to enjoy their own Houfes, they fhould come 
 if they pleas’d,. with all their Hearts, to 
 dwell amonegft em ;, and that they would re- 
 ceive ’em, and ferve’em as their beft Friends 
 as long as they liv’d. a iyedt oo 
 
 
 
 CHAP... LXXIV.. 
 The ill Treatment thefe People veceiv’d from the 
 
 _ «Portugues at this time. 
 
 ; ‘ § \ 
 of LL thé Civilities of the Tapajotos. were 
 {7% not fufficient to touch the Minds of 
 People that mind nothing but Self-interefl, 
 and the Gratification of their covetous Hu- 
 mourj ‘fuch as thofe that go to conquer thefe 
 _ Countries, propofing nothing to themf{elves 
 
 
 
 6a Ge ee 
 
170 CA Difcovery of 
 
 in fo long and difficult an Enterptize, butto _ 
 ‘get a great number of Slaves to fell, or truck 
 for other Goods ; who therefore had fearce 
 Patience to hear the Propofals of thefe poor 
 People, muich lefs fo much Jiiftice as to treat 
 ’em with Civility and Reafon ; but having 
 _ gota Notion that thefe People had abundance 
 of Slaves to wait on ’em, beganto treat ’em 
 ‘ ‘as Rebels, to commit great Outrages upon 
 *em, and to menace ’em with a cruel War. 
 All things were in this poiture when we ar- 
 rived at the Fort of the Portuguez calPd 
 Deftierra, that is [the Fort of Banifoment] 
 where their. Troops were coming together to 
 put in exécution this barbarous Defign. I 
 not being able wholly to hinder it, however 
 endeavour’d by the beft Methods I could 
 take, at leaft to fufpend the execution of it 
 fora little time, till I could give the Gover- 
 nour of Para advice of it. Hethat wasto 
 command in this Expedition was Benoife Ma- - 
 ziel, the Governour of Pava’s Son, who was 
 conftitured in the Office of Sérjeant Major of 
 the State. He gavé nie his Word that he 
 svould not advance to put his Enterprize in 
 execution fill he had received frefh Orders 
 from his Rather, But T had fearce left him 
 before he embark’d as mary Souldiers as he 
 could ina Brigaiitine arm’d with Piéces of 
 Canon, and in other lefs Veffels, with which 
 he came faddenly upon "em to furptize ’em. 
 ge naee pe Thefe 
 

 
 
 
 the River of Amiazons. x70 . 
 Thefe poor . People - immediately. accépted: 
 Peace, witha thoufand Teftimonies of their: 
 good Affection to the Portuguez; and when 
 they had fubmitted their Perfons to their 
 pleafure, Maziel commanded ’em to bring 
 him all the poifon’d Arrowsthey had, which 
 was what they moft- fear’d: Thefe’ poor 
 Wretches prefently obey’d, and they were 
 no fooner difarm’d but the Portuguez made 
 ’emall come together, and inclos’d’em like 
 Sheep in a Fold, fecuring ’em witha ftrong 
 Guard ; and immediately let loofe a great 
 many Indians of their own Company, whom 
 they brought with ’em, who for doing of 
 Mitchief are like fo many unchain’d Devils; 
 and thefe in a very little time fack’d this 
 yhole Town, fo that they fpoil’d and broke 
 every thing init; they feiz’d all the Daugh- 
 ters and Wives of thefe miferable Creatures, 
 and committed fuich abominable Violences 
 before their Eyes, that one of the Company 
 that gave me an account of this Action, pro- 
 tefted to me, that he had rather never have 
 any Slaves, than to procure enrat this rate ; 
 ~ atid that he would fooner leave all thofe he 
 had in poffeffion, than fee fuch Cruelties — 
 - committed agai. | 
 
 CHAP. 
 
172 A Difcovery of 
 
 
 
 Cal AP. TXN Ne 
 
 T hit: fuch kind of Treatment makes shel Peo- 
 ple hare the Europeans, and that they have 
 
 as much Subtlety as Courage to defend them- 
 ee 
 
 THE Inhumanity of the Por tuguez' did 
 
 not ftop here; for they having no 
 
 other defign than that-of procuring Slaves, 
 were not Yfatisied in having the Mafters in 
 pofleffion: therefore they endeavour’d to 
 aftright thefe poor Indians, whom they kept 
 under. Guard, with terrible Menaces, and 
 made ’em tremble at the thoughts of the’ 
 new Cruelties they faid they would exercife 
 on’em, if they would not give ’em Slaves ; 
 and on the other hand promis’d them, thatif 
 they would, they fhould not only have their 
 full Liberty, but they would confider ’em:as: 
 their beft Friends; and befides, would give 
 
 ’ %emas many Iron Tools and Cotton Clothes’ 
 in exchange for em, as fhould fully. fatisfy. 
 em. What could thefe poor Creatures ido 
 
 more than abandon themfelves fo the Difcres 
 tion of their Enemics? They faw they were: 
 in their hands, depriv’dof their Arms, their 
 Houtfes. plunder’d, their Wives and Daugh-: 
 ‘tersravifh’d,. They therefore offer’d to pro:: 
 cure ema thowfand Shaves spe fent wate of: 
 395 tf berehi sli oatheir: 
 
 
 
the River of Amazons. 172 
 their Company to get ’em together ; but thefe 
 poor Wretches were fled away to fecure 
 themfelves. while’ the ‘Town was pillaging ; 
 therefore they could not poflibly get above 
 two hundred.:, Thefe they deliver’d to. the 
 Portuguez, and promifing to procure all the 
 reft for which they had engag’d, were fet at 
 liberty... In the Condition thefe poor Crea- 
 tures were, they would have given their ve- 
 ry Children for Slaves, to come to a Com- 
 pofition with their Enemies, as they have 
 frequently done. ThePortuguez put all thefe 
 Slaves in a Veffel, and fent’em to Maragnon 
 and Para. This I affert as a thing I faw 
 _ with my own Eyes: This Prey was very. 
 grateful to the Portuguez ; and their Succefs 
 in this Expedition fo encouraged ’em, and 
 - excited their Avarice, that they foon made 
 preparation to goand {eek a greater Booty of 
 _ this kind in another Province more remote: 
 ‘upon this great River. ”Tis not to be doubted: 
 but they exercis’d ftill greater Cruelties, - be-: 
 - caufe in thefe Expeditions there go very few: 
 that have any Honour or Confcience, who’ 
 might be capable of affifting him that: com- 
 mands, to reftrainthe Souldiers Barbarities. 
 Thefe things muft needs enrage all the. In- 
 habitants of this River -againft the Name of 
 the Portuguez. And I doubr not thar when 
 am Attempt fhall be made to:pacify the Com- 
 motions, and allay the Hatred rhefe Mees 
 
 tan lave 
 
174 OA Difcovery of * 
 
 have eaiis’d among thofe People, it will be 
 found a matter of that great difficulty that 
 “twill fearce ever be accomplifh’d; whereas 
 in'the State'we left chefe People upon the Ri- 
 ver when we pafs'd by their Countries, no- 
 thing could have been more eafy than to have 
 madea General Peace with them. ‘Thefe are 
 the Conquelts of Brazil fo much.talk’d of, 
 and this is the Traffick the Souldiers live up- 
 ou; and let me add, this is the true and juft 
 Caufe for which God punifhes thefe miferable 
 Souldiers to that degree, that they are perpe+ 
 tually in War and ‘Trouble, and have fearce | 
 Bread to eat. And I believe, if it were not 
 that God in fome fort makes wleof ’emtoac- 
 complifh his Defigns upon the Indians, and 
 that they are continually engag’d in War a- 
 gainft the Dutch, and have already obtain’d 
 feveral Victories over thofe * Hereticks ; if it 
 were not, I fay, for thefe things, I believe 
 
 * Note, That this Difcovery was made at a time when the 
 Portuguez were continually driving the Ducch from one - 
 Garifon or another in Brazil, of which they had poffefs’d 
 themfelves not long before, and the-ConquefttheDutch 
 made of this Country was the occafion of the Eftablith-- 
 ment of the We/t-India Company in Holland, as well for 
 the carrying on of Trade in this part of America which the 
 Portuguez poffefs’d, as for the compleating of the Con- 
 queft of ir, But’tis now above 30 Years fince they have 
 had any thing beyond the Line. Onrthis fide ofthe Line | 
 
 “they yet poflefs Surinam on the Continent, and the Ifland 
 of Coraffal, or Curazao ; and they haveitill a great many 
 ftrong Places on the Weflern Coaft ot Africa, and feveral 
 Faétories in-divers places on that Coaft. 
 
the River of Amazons. A975 
 
 our Lord Fefus Chri would have:longfince 
 extirpated:fuch cruel. and abominable Con- 
 querors. Buttoreturn to the Tapajotos, and 
 the famous River upon the Banks ef which 
 they dwell ; I fay, the bottom of this River is 
 very good, fo that a great Englifh Veffel fome 
 Years ago went.a confiderable way up it, 
 with a defign to make Plantations in this Pro- 
 vince, arfd to fettle the Trade of Tobacco 
 with the People of the Country, to. which end 
 they offer’d ’em very advantagious Terms’; 
 but the Tapajotos would accept of. none, but. 
 furpriz’d the Englifh unawares, and kil?d_ 
 all they could come at after they had feiz’d 
 their Arms, which they keep to this day. 
 Thus they made the reft leave the Country 
 in more hafte than they come to. it; for 
 they efcap’d in their Veffel, and by fet- 
 ‘ting Sail with all {peed avoided fuch ano- 
 ther Rencounter, which would have de- 
 
 ftroy’d ’em all. 
 
 
 
 a Mag Adie ee 
 AL i4 ar Pal 
 Vitbiy IB°7 IK 
 
 Pierre kk, Nae ge 
 ABYTBVOK OS gh3i 5) cf 
 
they were wont formerly to make Hatchets 
 
 176 A Difcovery of 
 
 
 
 CHAP. LXXVL 
 
 Of the River Curupatuba, and the Account 
 
 we receiv’d of Mountains of Gold, Silver, 
 Azure, and precious Stones, among the In- 
 ‘habitants of this River. 
 
 Bout forty Leagues below the Mouth of 
 ’ & the River of the Tapajotos we met 
 with the River Carupatuba, which comes 
 
 down on the North-fide of the Amazone, « 
 
 and gives its Name to the firft Indian Town 
 that is at Peace with the Portuguez, and un- 
 der the Proteétion of their King. This Ri- 
 
 ver is not very big, but very wealthy, if the 
 
 Natives are to be believ’d, who aifure us, 
 that at the end of fix days Voyage up the 
 
 - Stream of it, there is a little Rivulet, in the 
 
 Sand and Banks of which there is a great 
 quantity of Gold: found below the place 
 where it wafhes the foot of an indifferently 
 large Mountain called Yaquaratinci. The 
 Indians moreover told us; that near this Ri- 
 
 ver there is another place calP’d Picari, from 
 
 whence they have often taken a fort of Me- 
 tal harder than Gold, but very white (with- 
 out doubt they mean Silver) with which 
 
 and 
 
 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. (169) 
 and Knives; but finding the Tools made of 
 this Metal'were apt to have their Edg turn’d 
 when any Strefs. was put to ’em, they did 
 not make any account of "em. ‘They further 
 gave us an account, That near the Straic J 
 have {poken of, there are two Hills; one of 
 which by the Signs they gave of it, isin all 
 probability a Hill of Azwre; and it feems the 
 other, which they call Pezagara, when the 
 Sun fhines, or when the Nights are clear and 
 bright, glitters and fparkles as if it were full 
 of rich Diamonds. ‘They aflur’d us thee. 
 horrible Noifes were heard in it ftom time to 
 time, which isa certain fign that this Mour- 
 tain contains Stones of a great Value in its 
 Entrails, ’ ie 
 
 \i 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 CAPA Pek XXVE? : 
 
 Of the River Ginipape, which has Treafures 
 
 of Gold in its Banks, and is famous for a good 
 Soil for Tobacco, and Sagar-Canes. 
 
 WHE River Givipape which comes down 
 
 - on the North-fide, and enters into the 
 Amazone 60 Leagues below the Villages of 
 Curupatuba, promifes as great Treafures and 
 as rich Mountains as thofe of which we have 
 ii yee: i eae pull 
 
(170) oe Difcovery of 
 
 jut, now fpoken, . The Indians aflure us of 
 fo much Gold along the Banks of it, that if it 
 be according to, their Relation, this one River 
 pofleffes more Riches thai are in all Pera. 
 The Lands this River waters are of the Go- 
 vernment of Maragnom, which is in the hands ~ 
 of Benedito Maziel: And without counting 
 the great Extent of this Country, which a- 
 lone is larger than all Spain join’d together, 
 and that it contains feveral Mines of which 
 we have very certain knowledg,; I fhall only 
 fay that generally the Ground of it is of 
 the beft' kind for the Produ@tion .of all forts 
 
 of Grain and Fruit,and what. may turn to the 
 Account of thofe that inhabit it, that is to be 
 found in ail the vaft. Extent.of the great Ri- 
 
 ver of. Amazons. ThisCountry is fituate on 
 the North-fide, and comprehends . feveral 
 great Provinces of Savages. But that which ts 
 yet more confiderable is, that in this Country 
 
 are thofe Fields fo famous for the Production 
 
 of prodigious quantities of Twcai. Our Ene- 
 mies the Dutch have given a Reputation to 
 
  thefe Lands, and have often found by. Ex- 
 
 perience, not only the Goodnefs and Fertility 
 of tle Soil, but alfo the vat Profits. with 
 
 which this alone is capable of inriching its 
 
 Inhabitants :': Therefore they’ could. never 
 forget this {weet place, * but have made Plan- 
 
 . tations there feveral times, tho to their Da- 
 Wee ey eo” Tha) 
 
 7 
 
the River of Amazons. (171) 
 mage and. Sorrow, becaufe they have been 
 always fore’d out of °em by the Portueuez, 
 ‘Therefore tis worth Confideration. that this 
 Place is very good to make great Flantatior $ 
 of “Tobacco, and that there’s no part of all 
 the Countries that have been difcover’d that 
 is better for the planting of Canes, and for 
 making of Sugar. ‘This Soil returns al! the 
 Cultivation that is beftow’d upon it with 
 Ufury, and produces all forts of Provifion 
 in extraordinary plenty: There are very fine 
 pieces of Pafture-gtound, which in their vaft 
 Extent would feed an infinite number of all 
 forts of Cattle. Six Leagues. above the 
 place where tlfis River empties it felf into 
 the Amazone, the Portuguez had a Fort 
 which they-call’d Del Doffierro, that is 
 [The Fort of Banifhbment] kept oniy by 
 thirty Souldiers, and fome pieces of Artilie- 
 ry, which was of more ufe to keep the 
 Indians that are reduc’d under the Power of 
 the Portuguez, in Fear and Subjefticn, and 
 to maintain the Authority of the Governor, 
 than to fecure the River and obftruct the 
 Paflage of an Enemy. This Fort has been 
 ‘fince demolifh’d by Besedito Maziel with the 
 Confent of the Governor of Carapa, which 
 is thirty Leagues lower down the River: 
 Buc ic isto be remark’d, that it was ftnate 
 in, a place of fome Contideration, -feeing 
 WE. kM 2 fe CAele 
 

 
 (172) oA Difcoveryof ° 
 their Enemies Veffels were oblig’d to pay 
 -Cuftom for their Paflagethat way. 
 
 
 
 CHAP. LXXVITI. 
 Of the River Paranaiba, 
 
 FEN Leagues below the River Gini- 
 | pape on the South-fide is a fine, large 
 and noble River that comes to render Ho- 
 
 mage to the Amazone, into which it dif- 
 
 charges it felf by a Mouth two Leagues 
 wide. ‘The People of the Country call it 
 Paranaiba ; there are upon the Banks. of it 
 fome Villages of Indians that are at Peace 
 with the Portuguez, and that have’ fettled 
 themfelves upon the Mouth’ of this River, 
 in Obedience to the. Orders of the Governor 
 of this Province. There are. many. other 
 Nations further up in the Country, but we 
 could not have any fatisfattory Account of 
 em any more than of divers other things 
 upon this great River. 
 
the Riveriof Amazons. (173) 
 
 
 
 CHAP. Xxx. 
 
 A farther Account of the Réver of Amazons: 
 Of the multitude of Iflands near the Mouth 
 of it, inhabited by an infinite Number of 
 People of different Nations, 
 
 W O Leagues below the River Gini- 
 
 pape, of which I have given fome ac- 
 
 count in the 77¢#/ Chapter, our River of 
 Amazons begins to divide it felf into divers 
 reat Arms, which form that great Number 
 of Iflands that feem to float upon its Waters,’ 
 till it enters into the Sea. “Lhefe Iflands are 
 inhabited by Nations that differ one from 
 another, both in their Languages and Cuf- 
 toms. Not bur that moft of ’em underftand 
 the Language of Brazil very well, which is 
 the general, Tongue in thofe Parts. The 
 Number of thefe Ilands is fo great, and the 
 People that dwell in’em fo different, that tis 
 not poflible for me to give a particular Ac- 
 count of what is obfervable amongft ’em, 
 without compofing another Volume. How- 
 ever I’l] name fome of the moft confiderable 
 and beft known amongtt ’em, as the Tapayas, 
 mae oe and 
 
 Be 
 
ti 
 
 —Ciga) ee A Difcoveryofs x3. 
 
 and the valiant Pacaxas; which laft dwell on 
 the fide ofa River) (the Name of which they 
 bear) that enters into the Amazone.eighty 
 
 _ Leagues above the River Paravaiba, and. up- 
 
 on’ the Bank of this laft River too. . Thefe 
 
 ‘Tflands are fo well peopled, that there’s no 
 
 end of the number of the Inhabitants of °em; 
 nor indeed of their Villages; infomuch that 
 
 _ fome of the Portuguez affur’d me, they had 
 
 feen no Countries better ftock’d with Peo- 
 ple through the whole Extent of the Aza: 
 ROME, 
 
 Pkt ESE, ee 
 € H AP... LXXX. 
 Of the Town of Commuta. 
 ~Orty Leagues below the Pacaxas lies 
 {the Town of Commuta,, which. for- 
 merly was much noted not only for ‘the 
 
 multitude of its Inhabitants, but lkewife 
 becaufe -it us’d to be the place of rendez- 
 
 vouz, where the Indians aflembled_ their 
 
 Armies when they.were about to make any 
 Incurfions' upon their Enemies: But fince 
 Brazil bas been conquer’d, it. is almoft uns 
 inhabited, the People. being. retir’d into 
 ‘ \ i. Other: 
 

 
 the River of Amazons, ¢ 175) 
 other Parts; fo that Provifion is fearce there; 
 only for lack of a’ littl Care and Pains:to 
 manure the Ground, which ftill retains its 
 former Fruitfulne(s; and that?s-al] that re- 
 mains there, unlefS it be a fi mall number 
 of the Natives: Tho ’tis the moft lovely 
 Situation to dwejl in, and has the moft 
 agrecable Profpect in the World, fo that 
 it would continually furnifh thofe that fhould 
 _ fettle in it with all the gs esoaheat: and 
 Pleafures of Life. Ot aie 
 
 
 
 o HAP, LXXXI. 
 
 Of, the Riok. of the Tocantins, avd of A 
 French Maz that faiPd into this Country to 
 fetch the Sand of it.’ 
 
 (2 Ehind the Town of Commuta pafles 
 } yy the River of the Tocaztins, to throw 
 it Melf into the Amazone, and has ‘the Repu- 
 tation in this Country ‘of being very rich, 
 and that not without good reafon in all ap- 
 _ pearance: yet the Worth of it has not been 
 yet known by any, but only by one French — 
 ‘Man, who was wont to come afhore upon 
 the Banks of it every Year, and recurn’d with 
 his Veliels loaded only with the Barth,. spo! 
 3 fe) 
 
 
 

 
 (176) A Difcovery of 
 
 of which, by refining, he got a quantity of 
 Gold. ’Tis faid he inrich’d himfelf with 
 this Trade, without ever daring to let the 
 Natives know the: Value of the Earth he 
 carried away, for fear they fhould become 
 his Enemies, when they came to know what 
 Riches were in their Sands, and fo fhould 
 take up Arms againft him to hinder him from 
 tranfporting this Commodity as he was wont 
 todo. Some Portuguez-Souldiers going from 
 Phernambue Tome Years ago, with a Prieft 
 in their Company, paft over all the Cordelier 
 Mounxains, -and arriv’d at the Source of the 
 River of the Tocantins, with a defign to 
 make fome new Difcovery, and to feek for 
 fome Golden Mountains; and having a mind ~ 
 to know this River, and to go down quite 
 to its Mouth, were fo unhappy as to fall in- 
 to the hands of the Tocantins, who kill’d 
 emevery one. And ’tis not long fince the 
 Chalice was found in the hands of thefe 
 Indians, with which the good Prieft cele- . 
 brated Mafs during his ‘Travels. 
 
 CH AP. 
 
the River of Amazons 177 
 
 CHAP. LXXXIf. 
 
 Of the Fort of Para which is in the hands 
 of the Portugeze, and of the Iffand du 
 Soleil, or of the Sun, and the Commodi- 
 oufnels of it for Plantations. 
 
 HE Great Fort of Para is built 
 Thirty Leagues below Com- 
 
 muta, it belongs to the Portugeze, and 
 is under the command of a Governor, 
 who. has the overfight of all other Offi- 
 cers of Garrifons belonging to this Go- 
 vernment ; he has for his Garrifon or- 
 dinarily Three Companies of Foot, un- 
 _ der the Command of as many Captains, 
 ~ who are oblig’d to be always ready at 
 hand for the prefervation and defence 
 of this Fort; but the Officers as well as 
 the Governor of the Place, are under 
 the Jurifdiétion of the Governor of Ma- 
 ragnon, and are abfolutely to obey his 
 _ Orders. The Government of Maragnon is 
 at above 130 Leagues diftance from Pa- 
 ra down along the River, and then up 
 towards Brezil, which occafions great 
 inconveniencies in the Conduct of Af- 
 fairs in relation to the Government of 
 Para. And if we fhould ever be fo hap- 
 
 Py 
 

 
 178 A Difcovery of 
 py as to plant this River with our Peo- 
 ple, it will be neceflary to make the Go- 
 --vernor of Para Independant, and Abfo- 
 lute, as the Perfon who poffeffes the ~ 
 Keys of the whole Country. Not that | 
 the place where the Fort of Para is now 
 Situated, 1s the beft that can be chofen in 
 the Opinion of many Perfons of good 
 Judgment; but if this Difcovery. he 
 further Improv’d and Advanc’d ; it will 
 be an eafie matter to change it; and I 
 don't find any place more proper for 
 it than the I{land dz Soleil] which is 
 Fourteen Leagues below the Mouth of 
 the River: This is doubtlefs the place 
 to be abfolutely fixd on, not only be- 
 catife it affords abundance of Advanta- 
 ges for the Accomodation of Life, the 
 Ground being extraordinarily Fertile , 
 and capable of maintaining as many Peo- 
 ple as one can defire to fettle there; but 
 alfo for the convenient harbouring of 
 Veffels: “Tis a great Harbour fhelter’d 
 from all forts of bad Winds, in which 
 Ships may ride with great Safety, and ~ 
 when they have a mind to Sail, they 
 need only wait for the full of the Moon, 
 at which time the Sea is higher than or- 
 dinaty, and they may pafs over all the. 
 Sands, which renders the entrance of 
 | this 
 
_ the River of Amazon. 1 79 
 this River difficult ; which is none .of © 
 the leaft Conyeniencies. This Ifland is 
 above Ten Leagues in Compafs ; there is 
 very good Water in it, and abundance 
 of both Sea and River-Fifh, there is an 
 infinite number of Crabs, which are the 
 ordinary Food of the Indians, and o- 
 ther poor People ; and is now the main 
 fupport of Para ; for there is no Iile all 
 there about, wherein they go more a 
 Hunting for the Subfiftance ef the Gari- 
 fon, and Inhabitants of it, than in this. 
 
 
 
 CHAP. LXXXIIL 
 
 Of the Mouth of the River of Amazons, 
  Bighty Leagues in Breadth, joyning to 
 the North-Cape oz one fide, and to the 
 Coafts of Brezil oz the other. 
 
 ‘Wenty Six Leagues below the Ifland 
 
 of the Sun directly under the Line, 
 _ this great River of Awazons is 84 re 
 wide, bounded on the Sonth-fide by 
 parara, and on the other fide by the 
 North-Cape, and here at Jaft difcharges ic 
 felf into the Ocean. It may be faid to | 
 be a Sea of Frefh-Water, mixing it felf 
 with the Salt-Water-Sea. “Fis the No-« 
 : N 2 bleft 
 
SBOo Ce A, Difcovery OP ade. 
 
 Bleft and. Largeft. River in the whole 
 
 ' ‘known World. ‘This is the River other- 
 
 wile call'd Ore#llane, and by fome Marag- 
 non, {o often defir'd, and fo much fought 
 after, and fo often mifs'd by the Spani- 
 ards of Peru; and here at Length. it 
 flows into the Sea, after it has water'd a 
 Country of 1276 Leagues in Length, af- 
 ter it has furnifhed a multitude of Nati- 
 ‘ons with its Fruitfulnefs and Plenty ; 
 ‘and in a-word after it has divided Ameri- 
 ca into Two Parts, almoft in the wideft 
 -Place of it; and furnifh’d the Natives 
 with a great Channel into which the Beft, — 
 the Richeft and moft Pleafant Rivers, 
 that come down  from.all the Mountains 
 -and Coaftsof the New World difcharge 
 their Waters. And tis farther remarka- 
 ble, that againft the Mouth of it, for a-" 
 ‘bove 30 Leagues at Sea, you may take 
 up'Frefh-Water during the Ebb of the — 
 
 Tide, which is an extraordinary refrefh- 
 ment.to,thofe Ships efpecially that, in 
 
 ‘coming from Europe, have Sail’d 2000 
 -Leagues before they Arrive here. « 
 
 __. Thus in fhort, [have given a Relation 
 of an ample Difcovery of this great Ri- 
 ver. Which tho’ it poffeffes fo great Trea- 
 
 . fures, yet excludes no Nation in the 
 World from ’em, but on the contrary, 
 
 in= 
 
 Ss 
 # 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 181. 
 
 - invites all forts of People to. reap the, 
 Profits of. the Riches with which it fo 
 abounds.. It offers to the Poor a plenti- 
 ful Maintenance, to the Labourer the Li- 
 beral: Recompence.of his Toil; tothe — 
 Merchant a Profitable Trade ; to the Soul- 
 dieran Occafion of Signalizing himfelf; 
 to the Rich an Improvement, of their 
 
 | Wealth; to Gentlemen Honorable Em-, 
 ployments ; to Noblemen, Large Proyin-~ 
 ces; and to Kings thenifelves, Empires, 
 anda New World... But, thofe who of 
 all others are call’d. upon to promotefuch 
 
 _ new. Conquefts, and ought to be moft 
 heartily. concern’d in’em, are -fuch as 
 
 _ with the, greateft Affection, feek the Ad- 
 yancement of the Glory of God, and are 
 Zealoutly. bent to. defign the Salvation of 
 the Souls of an Innumerable Multitude 
 of Idolatrous and Heathenifh Jvdians, 
 who want the Help and Light the Faith- 
 ful.Minifters of the Gofpel fhould fur- 
 nifh them withal, todifpel the thadows 
 of Sin and. Death, with which. thofe 
 poor Wretches have been fo long be- 
 nighted. _ And, let none Excufe. them- 
 felves from an Attempt of this kind; 
 Here’s Work enough to empioy every 
 one of us, and how great a Number foe- 
 ver ofLabourers fhould devote themfelves 
 ‘ge N 3 to 
 
182 A Difcovery of 
 
 to it, there will {till be more wanting for 
 fo great a Harveft. This New Vine-yard 
 will {till want more hands to Cultivate 
 anid Drefs it, how able and how fervent 
 foever they fhould prove, who fhall be. 
 engaged in this Service, But it is rather 
 to be aviflfd than expected, that we fhall 
 ever fee this New World Subjected to 
 the Keys of the Church of Rome. I - 
 hope alt the Iluftrious Catholick Prin- 
 ces of Chriftexdom , (to whom may it 
 pleafe the Almighty to grant many 
 and happy Years, will each of ‘em be 
 m{pird from Heaven with Zeal for fo 
 Holy an Enteprize as the Conqueft of 
 Souls; fome by their wonted Liberali- 
 ties, for the Maintenance and Subfiftence 
 of Priefts and Miniflers of: the Gofpel, 
 and others by their care to provide and 
 convey Clergymen into thofe Countries : 
 And al} of ’em have reafon to efteem it 
 a great happine(s for them that in the Age 
 wherein they live, this difficult and trou- 
 blefom way fhould be open’d, to bring 
 more Nations, and thofe more populous 
 at once into the Bofom of the Church, 
 than ali the reft that have been hitherto 
 difcover'd in the whole New World. ° 
 
 CHAP. 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 183 
 
 CH A PeoLXXXIViL9 
 
 A Computation of the Longitudes, Lati- 
 tudes, and Diftances of Places upon 
 this-Great Rivers. 
 
 |B ata the Mouth of Napa, which is 
 on the South of the Amazone, to 
 Anete, are Forty feven Leagues. | Avete 
 is under the Line, on the South-fide. of 
 this great River. - | 
 
 From Azete to the Aguarico, Eighteen 
 Leagues. The Mouth of this River, is 
 onthe North-fide of the Amazone and 
 under the Line alfo. | 
 
 From the Aguarico to the Gevelus 
 Twenty Leagues. The Mouth of | this 
 River is alfo on the North of the Ama- | 
 zoue, and declines a little from the Line 
 cowards the South. 
 
 _ From the Chevelus to the Curaray,Forty 
 Leagues. The Mouth of this River ison 
 ‘the South of the Awazone, in the Second 
 Degree of Southern Latitude. +3 
 
 ‘From the Curaray to the Maragnon, 
 Eighty Leagues. The Mouth of this Ri- 
 ver is on the South of the Amazone, ha- 
 ving Four Degrees of Southern Latitude, © 
 
184 © Difcowery ‘of 
 and Three Hundred and Seven: Degrees 
 and Fifty Minutes of Longitude.. 
 - From the Maraguon'to the beginning | 
 of the Province of the Omaquas, Sixty 
 ‘Leagues. All this Province confifts in 
 great Iflands. 
 ‘From the beginning. of this Province 
 to a certain great Habitation of the fame, 
 One Hundred and Nineteen Leagues. 
 This 1s an Wfle, on the South-fideof the 
 Channel of the Amazone, having three 
 Degrees of Southern Latitude, and Three 
 hundred and twelve Degrees, and Fifty 
 five Minutes of Longitude. ' 
 From. this Habitation to the Putomayo, 
 Seventeen Leagues. The Mouth of this 
 River is on the North-fide of the great 
 Amazone. 
 From the Putonsayo to the Yetau, Fifty 
 Leagues. The Mouth of this River is 
 
 on the South-fide of the Awazone, and 
 hath Three Degrees Thirty Minutes of 
 Southern Latitude. 
 
 ‘From the Yetaw to the end of the Pro- 
 vince of the Omaquas, Fourteen Leagues. 
 In this place there is a great and. ipngiant 
 Habitation in an Ifle. 
 
 From the‘end of this: Pabsinew to.the 
 Cuzco, Twenty five Leagues. The Mouth 
 of this River is on the South-fide of 
 
 . the 
 

 
 the River of Amazons. 186 
 
 the Amazone having Five Degrees of 
 Southern Latitude, and Three Hundred 
 Fifteen Degrees, and.Fifty Minutes of 
 Longitude. 
 
 From the Cyzco to the Village of Gold, 
 Twenty eight leagues... This place is on 
 the South-bank of the Channel. of the 
 great Amazone. 
 
 From the Village of Gold to the Yupura, 
 Fourteen Leagues.. The Mouth of this 
 River is onthe North-fide of the Awa- 
 zone, and hath Three Degrees of South- 
 ern Latitude. 
 
 From the Yupura to the Tapi, Four 
 Leagues. The Mouth of this River is on 
 the South-fide of the Avzazone. . 
 
 From the Tapi to the Catua, Twenty 
 five Leagues., The Mouth of this River 
 is on the South-fide of Avazone, and to- 
 wards the Greez Lake, which is formed. 
 by the great Amazone. 
 
 From the Catua and the Green Lake to 
 the Firft Mouth of the Araganatuba, Six 
 Leagues. This is onthe North-fide of 
 the Amazone. | 
 . From theFirft Mouth to the Second of 
 the Araganatuba, Sixteen Leagues, on 
 - the: North-fide of the Amazone. | 
 
 From 
 
186  sA Difeovery of 
 _ From the Second Mouth of the Araga- 
 nathba to the end. of the Province of Cy- 
 rip aris, Twenty two Leagues. All this 
 Province is on the South ofthe great 
 River. > © He 
 From the end of Gurufiraris to the be- 
 “ginning of the Province of Yorinaz, 
 -Lwo Leagues, on the South-fide of the 
 Amazone. 
 
 From the beginning of Yoriman toa — 
 great and very long’ Habitation, Twenty 
 three Leagues, on thé South of the Ri- 
 ver to Four Degrees of that Latitude, and 
 Three hundred nineteen Degrees, and 
 Thirty Minutes of Longitude. 
 
 From this long Habitation to the Ifle 
 Yoriman, Thirty two Leagues. On the 
 South-bank fide of the Awazoue. 7 
 
 From this Ifle to the end of the Pro- 
 vince of Yoriman, Ten Leagues; on the 
 South-fide of the Awazone. . 
 
 From the end of Yorinzan to the Ger 
 chuguara' Two Leagues. The Mouth of 
 this River is'alfo on the South ofthe A- 
 
 ‘MazLone. 
 Se 
 
 From the Gichuguara to the Bafurura 
 Thirty two Leagues. The Mouth of this 
 ~ Raver is on the North-fide of the: Awma- 
 zone, and hath Four Degtees, Thirty 
 - Minutes, of Southern Latitude. 
 
 PER Satay From 
 
 
 
 
 
the River of Amozons,. 187 
 
 From the Bafurura to the Rio Negro, 
 or Black River, Thirty Leagues. The 
 Mouth of this River is alfo on the 
 North-fide of the Amazone, having 
 Four Degrees of Southern Latitude , 
 and Three Hundred ‘Twenty Two 
 Degrees, and Twenty Minutes of Lon- 
 Piriae.*, a as 
 
 From Rio-Negro. unto the Modera are 
 ‘Four Leagues ; the Mouth of this Ri- 
 ver being on the South of the Ama- 
 ZONE. pas 
 
 From .the Modera to the beginning ’ 
 of the Ifle Topaambas Twenty Eight 
 Leagues. This great Ifle is in the Ri- 
 ver of the Awzazons, towards the South- 
 fide. : 
 
 From the beginning to the end of this 
 Ifle, Sixty two Leagues. In this place 
 isa Great and Puifiant Habitation of the 
 Lopinambi having Three Degrees of 
 Southern Latitude, and Three Hundred 
 twenty feven Degrees, Thirty Minutes of 
 Longitude. pte 
 
 From the end of Topixambas to the 
 Cunuris, Thirty Leagues ; the Mouth of 
 which River is to the North of the 4- 
 
 MOONE. ie 
 
 ' From 
 
1.38, A.Dyfeovery of 
 From the Mi yris to. the Bofphore of 
 the Amazone, Twenty. four ‘Leagues, 
 
 This Strait hath’ Two Degrees and 
 Forty Minutes of Southern Latitude ; 
 and Three hundred and twenty. eight 
 Degrees, and. Fifty Minutes in Longi- 
 From the Bofphore to the Tapajofos, 
 Forty Leagues; the Mouth of which’ ' 
 River is on the South-fide of the great 
 Amazone. : 
 
 From the Tapajofos to the Gerupatuba, 
 Forty Leagues; the Mouth of which 
 River ison the North-fide of the great 
 Amazone. ? 
 
 _ From the Curupatuba to the Fort of. 
 Deftierro, Fifty fout Leagues; which 
 Fort is :alfo on the North-fide of the 
 Spear Rirver. Ps Serer tah ges 
 From the forefaid Fort to the Ginipape,. 
 Six Leagues ; the Mouth of -which Ri- 
 ver is on the North-fide alfo, having 
 _ Two. Degrees: of Southern Latitude , 
 
 _and Three hundred’ thirty one Degrees 
 and Fifty Minutes of Longitude. And 
 about Two Leagues from this Ginipape. 
 towards the Sea, the great .River of .A- 
 mazons begins to open by little and little 
 towards its great Mouth into the Sea: 
 
 “es 
 
 
 
 
 From 
 
 
 
the Rivks of Kmatons, 78, 
 From the Ginépape. to the Paranaiba, 
 “tga, dengueys. ths Momh vat ouhich 
 River is on the South-fide of the Ama- 
 
 ZO ms | tails NaF ia 
 _ From the Paranaiba,to..the Pacaxas, 
 “Forty Leagues; the Mouth of which 
 is alfo on the South of the Awazone. 
 
 From the Paczxas to Commuta, Forty 
 Leagues. This place is alfo on the 
 South-fide of the Amazone. - 
 
 From Commuta to Para, Thirty Leagues. 
 This Town is alfo on the South-bank of . 
 the great Mouth of the Amazone, having 
 one Degree and Thirty Minutes of South 
 Latitude. : 
 
 From Para to the Ifle dz Soleil, Four- 
 teen Leagues. This Ifle is alfo near to 
 the fame South-bank. And from Para 
 to Zaparara, Forty Leagues; which is 
 a Cape on the extremity of the South- 
 bank of the great River, having Thirty 
 five Minutes of South Latitude, and 
 Three hundred thirty feven Degrees 
 and ten Minutes of Longitude. So the 
 whole length of this great River of 4- 
 mazons, is One thoufand two hundred 
 feventy fix Leagues. 
 
 “ From the Gixipape to Corupa, which 
 
 is on the North-fide of the Mouth of 
 
 this River, Thirty Leagues. ~~ 
 From 
 
190 i. 4 Difcovery of, &c. 
 From Corupa to the North Cape, 
 the diftance is not well known: This 
 
 Cape is on the extremity of the North- 
 
 bank of the great River, having Forty 
 five Minutes of North Latitude, and 
 ‘Three hundred thirty three Degrees, and 
 Fifty Minutes of Longitude. 
 
 The End. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 VOYAGE 
 
 We OP ee 
 
 River de /a Plata, 
 
 And thence over Landto 
 
 PERU. 
 
 With Obfervations on the Inhabi- 
 tants, as well Indians and Spaniards ; 
 the Cities, Commerce, Fertility, and 
 Riches of that Part of Averica. 
 
 
 
 By Mont Acarete du Bifcay, 
 
 “Ory LO ye | 
 Printed for Samuel Buckley, atthe Dolphin 
 over again{t St. Duxftaxs Church in 
 dlestfirect. “1698...” 
 
 
 
 
 
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 —~ 
 
 A Relation of Monf, Acarete 
 du Bifcay’s Voyage up the 
 River de Ja Plata, and 
 from thence by Land to Pe= 
 ri, and his Obfervations in 
 iw | 
 
 @ HE Inclination I always had to 
 Travelling, made me leave my - 
 8 Father's Houfe very young, but 
 T-can truly aver, that I was not {o much | 
 prompted to it out of pure Curiofity to © 
 fee Forreign Countries, as out of hope 
 to acquire Knowledge and improve my 
 Judgment, which for the/future might | 
 ‘be helpful to me, ‘not only in my private. 
 Concerns, but likewife render me more 
 ferviceable to my King and. Country, 
 which I declare was the chief aim of my 
 Voyages. I went firftinto Spain, where 
 IT tarried long enough to learn. their 
 Language, particularly at Cadiz: The 
 : ena @ fancy 
 
a Ee he ee eS i SRB Ee Le Die ae 
 
 ee Voyage to Peru 
 
 fancy took me to go to the Weft-Indies 
 poffefsd-by the Spaxiards, for I often 
 heard them talk of the Beauty and Fer- 
 tility of, the Country, and the great 
 Riches they draw from thence, but then 
 
 Twas ata lofs how to bring it about, 
 
 becaufe ’tis very difficult for a Stranger, 
 to get into thofe Parts ; but there hap- 
 pend a ioe which favour'd my | 
 Defign, and gave me an opportunity to — 
 proeeed in it, in the manner follow- — 
 ing. : { 
 “a the Yeat 1654, Oliver Cromwell at | 
 that time Protector of the Common- | 
 wealth of Exgland, {ent Admiral Blake | 
 with a Squadron of Men of War to- | 
 wards the Coafts of Algarve and Anda- — 
 loufia., to wait for the Spanife Gal- — 
 lions which come yearly from the Indies. — 
 The Spaniards being advertis'd of it, re- | 
 folv'd to equip a Fleet with all expedi- ; 
 tion to oppofe the Exglifh and. fruftrate | 
 their defign: To this end they fet out | 
 28 Men of War and. 6 Firefhips, under | 
 the Command of Doz Paul de Contreras, © 
 whofe Vice-Admiral was the Awirante | 
 Caftana, on .board whom was I. The | 
 Two Fleets came up with each other, | 
 near Cape St. Vincent, where they ftaid | 
 
 many Days ; but the Evglifh perceiving © 
 
 they~ 
 
 
 
up the Riwer de la Plata. 3 
 
 _ they were like tomake nothing on’t, re- 
 tir'd towards Lisbox, and the Spaniards 
 {tood into Cadiz, where all the Gallions 
 fafely arriv'd in the beginning Of the 
 Year 1655, except the Vice- Admiral, 
 which was loft in the Channel of Bahama 
 upon the Coafts of Florida. Sometime af- 
 ter this, the Exglifh having declar’d War 
 again{t the Spaziards more openly,. by 
 taking Jamaica, the Navigation to the 
 Weft-Indies was a long time interrupted, 
 by their Cruifers hovering about Cadiz 
 and Sav Lucar, where they intercepted 
 fome Ships coming from the Indies tich- 
 ly laden, took one of the biggeft, burnt 
 Two others, and put the reft to flight, 
 and afterwards went to the Cazaries, 
 where they burnt moft of the Flota that 
 were arrivd there from New Spain, and 
 waited orders from Madrid, what courfe 
 to take to efcape falling into the hands of 
 the Exglifh, While thefe things were do- 
 ing,the Dutch who fought to make their 
 advantage of the Troubles that the Spz- 
 niards were embroil’d in, fent feveral 
 Ships to the River de Jaz Plata, laden 
 - with Goods and Negroes, which they. 
 took in at Axgola and Congo: Thefe 
 Ships being arriv’d in that River, and— 
 come up to Byenos Ayres, the Inhabi- 
 
 C\ O 2 tants 
 
4 Voyage to Peru : 
 - bitants of the place who had a long time. 
 been deprivd of the Supplies which 
 they had us‘d to receive by the Spanifh 
 Gallions (who were hinder’d by. the 
 Exglih from making their.conftant Voy- 
 ages) and were befides in want of Ne- 
 groes and other things,. wrought fo far 
 upon the Governor, that for a Prefent 
 which they oblie’d the Hol/anders to give 
 him, and {fatisfying the Cuftoms due to 
 the King of Spain, they were permitted 
 to Land and Trade there. ae 
 Mean time the Spanifh Minifters (ap-. 
 prehending left the Interruption of the 
 Commetce, and the {carcity of European 
 Commodities in thofe Parts, might con- 
 {train the Inhabitants to Traflick with 
 Strangers (which ‘tis their Intereft to 
 prevent as much as they can) thought 
 fitto grant Licences to feveral of their 
 private Subjects to Trade to the Indies at 
 their own proper rifque. A certain 
 Cavalier took ene of them, and fitted 
 out aShip at Cadiz, where I abode at 
 _ that time; I refolv’d to go in her, and 
 that the more willingly, becaufe Lhad 
 formerly had fome dealings with him. 
 He very friendly confented to let me go 
 under his Name for his Nephew, that I. 
 might conceal my being a Forreigner, | 
 a whith 
 
up the River dela Plata. 5 
 which if known would have ftopt my 
 Voyage, becaufe in Spaiz they allow 
 none but Native Spaziards to go in their 
 Ships to the Indies. We {et Sail about 
 the latter end of Decezber 1657, in a 
 Ship of 450 Tuns, and in tos Days 
 reach'd the Mouth of the River de la 
 Plata, where we met a Frezch Frigat, 
 Captain Foraz Commander, and fought 
 her fome time, we got clear of her, and 
 continued our Courfe till we came be- 
 _ fore Buenos Ayres, where we found 22 
 Dutch Ships, and among them 2 Exglif, 
 Laden homewards with Bulls-hides , 
 Plate, and Spanifh-wool, which they, > 
 had receiv'd in exchange for their Com= 
 -modities ; a few days after 3 Dutch 
 _ Ships going out of the Road encounterd 
 Captain Foraz and another Frigat, nam‘d 
 the Marefchale, Commanded by the Che- 
 
 valier de Fontenay; after a tough dif- .- 
 
 pute the Hollanders boarded and. took 
 the Marefchale, put ail her Men to 
 the Sword, and the Chevalier among the 
 reft. : 
 
 “This accident alarum’d thofe of Bewe- 
 nos Ayres, and made them put themfelves 
 upon their guard, imagining there wasa 
 Hench Squadron come into the River to. 
 make an attempt upon their Country. 
 SOC . O 3 Where- 
 
6 Voyage to Peru 
 
 Whereupon they refolv'd to fend for 
 aid to Count Albaelifte, Viceroy over all 
 the Spanifh Acquifitions in America, and 
 Refident at Liza in Peru; who caus‘d 
 to be Levy’d with much difficulty and 
 fome force but 100 Men, which were 
 not fent to them till 8 or 9 Months af- 
 ‘ter, under the Command of Dox Sebafti- 
 an Comacho. 
 
 But before ¥ proceed further, tis fit I. 
 
 deliver my Obfefvations concerning the 
 Ruver de la Plata, and the Countries 
 through which it runs. In thofe Parts 
 ‘tis call'd the Paraguay, but more vulgar- 
 ly the Great Parana , probably, becaufe 
 be River of Parana falls into it above 
 the Town de las Corrientes. “Its Mouth 
 (which lies in the 25th. Degree of Son- 
 thern Latitude, on that fide the Equinodi- 
 al Line) 1s between Cape de Caftillos and 
 Cape de Sant Antonio, about 80 Leagues 
 diftant from each, Tho’ it be deep e- 
 nough every where, yet the commioneft 
 Road into it, and moft usd. by Sailors 
 is on the North-fide, from Caffillos to 
 Moxtvidio, which is half-way to Buenos 
 Ayres, and notwithftandirag. there is a 
 Channel on the fame North-fide from 
 Montvidio to Buenos Ayres, the fhallow- 
 e{t place in which is Three Fathom deep, 
 
 yet 
 
 
 

 
 up the Riwer de la Plata’ 7 | 
 
 yet for more fecurity they crofs over a- 
 gaint Monvidio into the South Channel, 
 becaufe ‘tis broader and has Three Fa- 
 thom and a half Water at leaft where 
 ‘tis fhalloweft ; all the bottom is muddy 
 till within 2 Leagues of Buexos Ayres 
 where lyes a fand Bank, there they take 
 in Pilots to Steer them to a place call'd 
 the Poffo juft before the Town, diftant 
 a Cannon fhot from Shore, wherein no 
 Veffels may enter but fuch as have a Li- 
 cence from the King of Spaiz, thofe that 
 have no fuch permiffion are oblig’d to 
 Anchor a League Lower. The River is — 
 full of Fifh, but of them there are hard- 
 ly more than Seven or Eight forts goqd 
 to eat, there are abundance of thofe 
 Whales call’d Gibars, and Sea-dogs who 
 commonly bring forth their young a- 
 fhore, and whofe Skin is fit for feveral 
 ufes. I was told that about 5 or 6 Years be- 
 fore I came there, the River was almoft 
 dry’d up for fome days, no Water be- 
 ing left but only in the middle Channel, 
 and there fo little, that they forded it 
 on Horfeback, as one may do moft of 
 the Rivers that fall into that de la Plata, 
 in which there are likewife a great ma- 
 ny Otters, with whofe Skins the Savages 
 - Cloath chemfelves. : 
 | | : O4 The 
 
8 Voyage to Peru | 
 
 The Country on the North-fide of 
 the River'de la Plata is of great extent, 
 {Inhabited by none but Savages, call'd | 
 Charuas ; moft of the little I{lands: that 
 Tie all along the River, -and the Shore 
 fides are cover'd with Woods full of 
 Wild Boars. From Cape ‘de Caftillos up — 
 to Rio Negro, as well as from the fame 
 — Cape to San’ Paulo bordering upon Bra- 
 
 jel; the Coafts are uninhabited, tho’ the 
 Country; efpecially along the River 
 feems to be very good,. having little Ri- 
 vulets running down from the Hills thro: 
 the Plains. The Spaniards {ettled firft 
 there, but afterwards remov'd to Buenos — 
 Ayres, becaufe ‘twas troublefom to crofs 
 over the great Paranato goto Peru.» 
 
 I went afhore frequently beyond Rio 
 Negro, but never farther than Three 
 quarters of a League into the Land, 
 there are but few Savages to'be feen, and 
 they have their Habitations a good way 
 up in the Country; thofe: I met with 
 were well made, with long Hair and 
 very little Beard 5 they wear nothing but — 
 a great’Skin, made of little ones patchd ° 
 together, that hangs down totheir heels, | 
 and a piece of Leather under their Feet, 
 ty’d with Straps about their*Ankles. Por 
 Orament they bind a Fillet}of fome 
 Pee oe eh Ok eae Seat, 
 
up the River dela Plata. — 9 
 Stuff about their Heads, which comes o- - 
 ver the Fore-head, and keeps the Hair 
 back behind. The Women have no o- 
 ther Garment but thefe Skins, which 
 they gird about their Waftes, and co- 
 _ ver their heads-with a fort of little Hats 
 made of Rufhes of divers Colours. — 
 - From Rio Negro to Las Corrientes and 
 the River of Parana, ‘the Country is 
 well {tockt with Bulls and Cows, there 
 are likewife a great many Stags, whofe 
 Skins they fell for right Buf The Sa- 
 vages about Rio Negro are the only Peo- - 
 ple from the Sea thither, that keep Cor- 
 refpondence with thofe of Buenos Ayres, 
 and the Cafques, and Couracas their Lea- | 
 ' ders do Hommage to the Governor of 
 that Place, from whence they are but . 
 about 20 Leagues diftant. °° One of the’ 
 chief Spazifh Towns on that fide is Ls 
 Siete Corrientes, Situate near the place 
 where the Two Rivers Paraguay and Pa- 
 rana meet. Upon the Parana ftand 
 Three or Four Villages pretty far from 
 each other, and thinly Peopled, tho’. 
 the Country be very proper for Vine- 
 yards, and has enough planted already 
 to fupply the’ Neighbouring’ Parts with 
 Wine. The Inhabitants are under’ the 
 jJurifdiction Of a Governour refident at 
 Si = oo ae Affomption 
 
10 Voyage to. Peru 
 Affomption, which is the moft important 
 Place the Spaxiards have in that Coun- 
 try, and ftands higher up the River Pa- 
 raguay on the North-fide ; ‘tis the Metra- 
 politan City, a Bifhop’s Seat, has feve- 
 ral very neat Churches and Convents, 
 and is well crowded with Inhabitants, 
 becaufe a great many Idle People, and 
 fach as have run out their Fortunes and 
 can live no longer in Spaiz or Pern , 
 flock thither as-to their laft refuge. The 
 Land abounds mm Corn, Millet, Sugar, 
 Tobacco, Honey, Cattle; Oaks fit for 
 Shipping, Pine-Trees for Mafts, and 
 particularly in that Herb, call'd, the 
 Herb of Paraguay, which they drive a 
 great Trade in all over the Weft-Indies ; 
 and this obliges the Merchants of Chili 
 and Peru, to hold a Correfpondence 
 with thofe of Paraguay; becaufe, with- 
 out that Herb (with which they make a 
 refrefhing Liquor with Water ‘and Su- 
 gar, to be drank lukewarm) the Inhabi- 
 tants of Peru, Savages and others, efpe- 
 cially thofe that work in the Mines, could 
 not fubfift, for the Soil of the Country 
 being full of Minera! Veins, the Vapours — 
 that rife out of the Ground fuffocate 
 them, and nothing but that! Liquor can 
 recover them again, which revives and 
 a re{tores 
 
up the River dela Plata. it 
 reftores them to. their former Vi- 
 
 our. , 
 ; In this City of A/fomption, the Native 
 Indians, as well as Spaniards are very 
 courteous and obliging to Strangers. 
 They indulge themfelves in a great. deal 
 of liberty, even with refpect to Women, 
 infomuch that being often neceffitated 
 to Sleep in the open Air (becaufe of the 
 exteflive Heat) they fpread their Quilts 
 in the Streets, and lie. there all Night 
 Men and Women together: Nor is any 
 Body {candaliz‘d at it. Having plenty of 
 _all things good to eat and drink, they 
 give themfelves up to Eafe and Idlenefs, 
 and don't much trouble themfelves with 
 Trading abroad, nor heaping up Money, 
 which upon that account 1s very fcarce 
 among ‘em, contenting themfelves with 
 trucking the Commodities of their own 
 Produét, for others more neceflary and 
 ufefulto them. 
 Further up in the Country, that is to 
 fay, towards the Head of the River Uru- 
 gay, in the Province of Pardguay, are ma- 
 _ ny Settlements of Colonies, tranfplant- 
 ed thither by the Fefuits Miffionaries , 
 that prevail'd upon the Savages in thofe 
 Parts, who are naturally tractable, to 
 quit their Woods and Mountains, and 
 come 
 
12.» Voyage to Peru” 
 come and dwell together in’ Villages in 
 
 a Civil Community, where they’ in- 
 _ ftruéted them in the Chriftian Religion, 
 
 taught them’ Mechanicks, to play upon 
 Mufical Inftruments, and feveral other 
 Arts covenient to Human Life. Thys 
 the Miffionaries who came upon a Religi- 
 
 ons Motive, are largely recompenc'd by 
 
 the Temporal Advantages which they reap 
 bere. The report that there were Golden 
 Mines in this Country; could not ‘be 
 kept fo clofe, but that the Spaniards had 
 fome inkling of it, and among others, 
 Dow Hiacinto de Laris Governor of Bue- 
 
 wes Ayres, who about the Year 1653, had ~ 
 
 orders from the King of Spain, to go 
 and vifit thefe Settlements; and examine, 
 into their Wealth. At firft coming he 
 was well receivd, but perceiving that 
 he began to infpect their Riches, and 
 
 _ fearch for Gold, The Savages who are 
 
 fhy of working in the Mines, took up— 
 Arms, and forc’d him and his Followers — 
 Fifty in Number to depart out of their 
 Country. ‘The Governor who fucceeded 
 him, inform'd himfelf more particularly: 
 of this matter, and to make the belt ufe~ - 
 of his Intelligence, inter’d into a ftrict - 
 Alliance with the Fefuts of his own — 
 Government; who holda Correfpon-* - 
 a dence ’ 
 
up the River de la Plata.’ 13. 
 dence with the reft of their’ Fraternity ; 
 and. having got a confiderable Sum from 
 the Hollanders for leave to Trade at 
 Buenos Ayres, he engag'd the Fefnits to 
 furnifh him 100000 Crowns in Gold for 
 the value in Silver, for lightnefs of Car- 
 riage. But this fame Governor being 
 arrefted by the King of Spaiz’s Order, 
 for permitting the Dutch to Trade at 
 Buenos Ayres, his Gold. was feiz’d and 
 confifcated, which upon trial prov'd to 
 be much finer than that of Perz, and-by 
 this and other Circumftances, they dif- 
 coverd, that it came from the Mines 
 - found out by the Fefwits in thefe: parts. 
 
 On the South-fide of the River de Iz 
 Plata, from Cape Sant Antonio, towithin 
 30 Leagues of Buenos Ayres, ‘tis dange- 
 rous Sailing, becaufe of the Banks that - 
 lie in the way ; wherefore they always 
 go on the Nofth-fide, as I faid before, 
 till they come up fo far, then they crof 
 over to the South-fide which is very fafe ; 
 efpecially when the Wind blows againft 
 
 ‘the Stream of the River and {wells ic; 
 - for when a Wefterly. Wind blows: from 
 Land, the Water falls; however when 
 the. Water is.at the loweft, ‘tis Three 
 Fathom and a half deep, both in the 
 North and South Channels. When we 
 
 en- 
 
t4 f V oyage to Peru 
 entet’d into the South-Channel, we came 
 in fight of thofe Vaft Plains extending to 
 Buenos Ayres, and thence as far as the 
 ‘River Salladillo, 60 Leagues fhort of 
 Cordoua, which are fo cover'd with all 
 ‘forts of Cattle, that notwith{tanding 
 multitudes of them are daily deftroy’d 
 for their Skins, there's no Sign of their _ 
 diminution. 
 As foon as we arriv’d at the Cape of 
 Buenos Ayres, we gave notice of it to 
 the Governor, who underftanding that 
 _ we had the King of Spain’s Licence for 
 coming thither, ( without which he | 
 could not have permitted us entrance in- 
 to the place, unlefs he would have broke 
 his Orders) he fent the Kings Officers 
 on board te vifit our Ship, according to 
 cuftom, which done; we landed our 
 Goods, and laid them up in a Ware- 
 houfe hired for the time of our ‘ftay. 
 They confifted chiefly in Linnen Cloath, 
 particularly that. made at Rouen, which 
 goes off very wellin thofe Parts, as al- 
 fo in Silks, Ribans, ‘Thread, Needles, 
 Swords, Horfe-fhoes, and other Iron- 
 work, Working-tools of all forts, Drugs, 
 Spices, Silk and Woollen-Stockings , 
 Woollen-Cloath, Serges, and other 
 - Woollen-Stufis,.iand generally in every 
 thing 
 
up the River dela Plata. 15 
 thing fit for Cloathing: which as we 
 were inform'd were proper commodities 
 for thofe Parts. Now the Cultom is, 
 that a6 foon asa Licens'd Ship (that is 
 to fay which has the King of Spain's 
 Permiflion) comes to Buenos Ayres. The © 
 Governor of the Place, or Captain of 
 the Ship difpatches a Meflenger to Perz, - 
 with the Letters from Spain, if he has 
 
 any ; or elfe to acquaint the Merchants 
 
 with his Arrival, whereupon fome of 
 them immediately fet out to Buenos Ay- 
 ves, or elfe fend Commiffions to their 
 Correfpondents, to buy up what Wares 
 they think convenient. “Iwas my for- 
 tune to be fent upon both thefe Errands, 
 for among a great many Letters that 
 we brought with us, wasa large pac- 
 
 uet from his Catholick Majefty for 
 oe enclos'd in a Leaden Box, as all the 
 Difpatches from the Spanifh Court to the 
 Indies commonly are ; to the end, that if 
 the Ship that carries them fhould be in 
 eminent peril of falling into an Ene- 
 mies Hands, they might be flung over 
 
 board and funk. This Pacquet was 
 
 entrufted to my care, wherein were 
 many Letters to the Vice-Roy of Pe- 
 ru, and other Prime Officers in thofe 
 
 Parts, fignifying the Birth of the Prince 
 
 of 
 
16 Voyage to Peru” 
 of Spain: and 1 carry’d likewife an | 
 Inventory attefted by the Kings Officers 
 at Buenos Ayres of the greateft part of 
 our Lading, to be fhewn to the Mer-_ 
 chants of Potof#'; they relyd upon the 
 conditions of the Goods as {pecified in 
 the Inventory, and fo bargain’d for what 
 ~ they Jik’d, but their effects did not come 
 to ‘em till Seven or Fight*Months af- 
 ter. Bis Se) ; 
 
 
 
 “A Defcription of Buenos Ayres. 
 
 Brees I fay any thing of my Journy 
 to Perz, 1 will fet down what I ob- 
 ferv'd remarkable at Buevos Ayres whiltt 
 _ Utarry’d there... The Air is pretty tem- 
 perate, much as ‘tis in Azdgloufia, but 
 not quite fo warm, the Rains fall almoft 
 as otten in Summer. as Winter ;, and the 
 Rain in fultry weather ufually breeds 
 divers kinds of Toads, which.are very 
 common in this Country, but are. not ~ 
 venemous. The Town ftands upon a 
 rifing Ground on the fide of the River 
 — dela Plata, a Mufquet thot from the 
 Channel, in an Angle of Land made 
 : | ‘by 
 
upthe R. dela Plata. 17 
 
 by.a little Rivulet, call’d Riochuelo, 
 which falls into the River a quarter of 
 a League from the Town ; it contains 
 400 Houfes, has no enclofure, neither 
 Wall nor Ditch, and nothing to defend 
 . it buta little Fort of Earth furrounded 
 with a Ditch, which commands the Ri- 
 ver, and has Ten Iron Guns, the biggeft 
 of which is a Twelve Pounder; there 
 the Governor refides who has but 150 
 Men in Garrifon, which are form’d into 
 Three Companies Commanded by Three 
 Captains; whom he appoints at will, and 
 indeed he changes them fo often, thar - 
 there is hardly a Wealthy Citizen but has 
 been a Captain ; thefe Companies are not 
 always full, becaufe the Souldiers are 
 drawn by the cheapnefs of Living in 
 ‘thofe Parts to defert frequently, not- 
 withftanding they endeavour to keep 
 them in the Service by a large pay, which 
 is per diew Four Reals, worth 15. 6d. 
 Exglifh, and a Loaf of 3 d. ob. which 
 is as much as One Mancaneat. But the 
 Governor keeps 1200 tame Horfes in a 
 Plain thereabouts for his ordinary Ser- 
 vice, and in cafe of neceflity to mount 
 the Inhabitants of the Place, and form 
 a fmall Body of Cavalry. Befides this 
 Fort, there is 2 little Baftion at the 
 3 ois Mouth 
 

 
 18 , ‘A Voyage to Para 
 
 Mouth of the Rivulet’ wherein -they - 
 
 keep Guard, there are but Two Iron- 
 Guns mounted upon it, each carrying a 
 Three Pound Ball; this commands the 
 place where the Barks come afhore to de- 
 liver or take in goods, which are liable | 
 
 to be vifited by the Officers of the Ba- 
 
 {tion when they lade and unlade.. The 
 Houtes of the Town are built of Earth, 
 becaufe there'is but little Stone in all 
 thofe Parts up: as far as Perws they are 
 thatch’d with Canes and Straw, have 
 
 no Stories, all the Rooms are of 
 
 a Floor, and are very Spacious; they 
 have great Court-yards, and behind 
 
 their Houfes large Gardens full of 
 
 Orange-trees, Lemon-trees, Fig-trees , 
 
 Apple-trees, Pear-trees, and other Fruit- 
 
 trees, with ftore of Herbs, Cabbages,. 
 
 ,_ Onions , Garlick, Lettice; Peas, Beans, 
 and efpecially their Melons are excellent, 
 the Soil being very fat and good ; they 
 live very commodioufly, and. except 
 
 Wine, which is fomething dear; they 
 have plenty of all: forts of Victuals,, as 
 
 ‘Beef, Veal, Mutton , Venifon., Hares, 
 “Coneys , Pullets, Ducks, .Wild-geefe, 
 
 Partridges,. Pidgeons, Turtles,..and all 
 
 ‘kind of Wild-fowl ; and fo cheap, that: 
 ‘One may tuy Partridges for a Penny a 
 
 _ piece, 
 
up the R.de'la’Plata. 19 
 piece, and the ‘eft proportionably. 
 There are likewife abundance of Oftriches 
 who herd in: Flocks like Cattle, and tho’ 
 they are good Meat, yet none but the 
 Savageseat of them. ‘They make Um- 
 brellas of their Feathers, which are very 
 commodious in the Sun; their Eggs, are 
 good, and every body eats of “em, tho’ 
 they fay they are of hard Digeftion. I 
 faw one thing of thefe Creatures very 
 remarkable, and that is, while the Hen 
 fits upon the Eggs, they have the Infting 
 or Forefight to provide for their Young ; - 
 fo five or fix days before they come out 
 -of the Shell, they fetan Egg in each of 
 the four Corners of the place where they 
 fit, thefe Eggs they break, and when they - 
 rot, Worms and Maggots breed in ‘em 
 jn prodigious numbers, which ferve to 
 nourifh the Young Oftriches from the 
 time they are hatch’d till they are able to 
 go farther for their fuftenance. The 
 _. Houfes of the’better fort of Inhabitants . 
 vare adoro'd-with Hangings, Pictures, 
 -and other Ornaments and decent Movea- 
 bles, and ‘all that are tollerably well to © 
 pafsare fervd in Plate, and have a 
 “great many Servants, Blacks, Moulatos, 
 “Meftices, Indians , Cabres, or Sambos , 
 -»who are all Slaves; The Negroes come 
 24319 aM Ra from 
 

 
 20 A Voyage to Perw 
 
 from Guinea; the Moulatos hg Oo 
 by a Spaniard upon.a Blacks the Mefti- - 
 ces are born of a Spaniard andan Indian, - 
 and the Sawbos of an Indian Man and a 
 Meftice, all diftinguifhable by their Co- 
 lour and Hair. They employ thefe 
 Slaves in their Houfes, or to cultivate 
 their Grounds, for they have large Farms 
 ftock’d with Grain in abundance, as . 
 Wheat, Barley and Millet, or to look 
 after their Horfes and Mules, who feed 
 upon nothing but Grafs all the. Year 
 round, or to kill Wild-Bulls, or in fine 
 to do any kind of Service. All the Wealth 
 of thefe Inhabitants confifts in Cattle, 
 wich multiply fo prodigioufly in this 
 Province, that the Bains are quite co- 
 verd with’em, particularly with Bulls, 
 Cows, Sheep, Horfes, Mares, Mules, Af- 
 fes, Swine, Deer, and others, infomuch 
 that were it not for a vaft number of 
 Dogs, who devour the Calves and other 
 young Beafts, they would over-run_ the 
 Country, they make fo great profit of 
 the Skins and Hides of thefe Annimals, 
 that a fingle Inftance will be fufficient to 
 fhew how far it might be improv'd by 
 good hands: ~The 22 Dutch Ships that 
 we found at Buenos Ayres were each of 
 them laden with 13 or 14000 Bull-hides 
 7 at 
 

 
 upthe R.delaPlata. 21 
 
 at leaft, which amount toabove 300000 
 _ Livers, or'335001. Sterling, bought by 
 the Dutch at Seven or Eight Reals a 
 » piece,that is under an Exglifh Crownjand. 
 fold again in Europe for Twenty-five 
 Shillings Exgli/h at leaft.When I exprefs'd 
 my aftonifhment at the fight of fuch 
 an infinite number of Cattle, they told 
 me of a Stratagem fometimes made’ ufe 
 of, when they apprehend a defcent from 
 any Enemies, that is matter of greater 
 wonder, andtis this; they drive fuch 
 a Herd of Bulls, Cows, Horfes and other 
 Animals to the Shore-fide, that’tis utter- 
 ly impoffible for any number of Men, 
 even tho they fhould not dread the fu- 
 ry of thofe Wild Creatures, to make 
 their way through fo great a drove of 
 Beafts. The Firft Inhabitants of this 
 place, put every one their mark upon 
 thofe they could catch, and turn’d ‘em 
 _ into their enclofures, but they multiply’d 
 fo faft, that they wereforc’d to let “em 
 loofe, and now they go and kill them 
 _ according as they want ‘em, or have oc- 
 “cafion to make up a quantity of Hides 
 “for Sale. At prefent they mark only. 
 ~ ¢hofe Horfes and Mules which they catch 
 “to tame and breed up for Service. Some 
 - Perfons makea great Trade of fending 
 2 OER: 18 DES ie 
 

 
 ax ay ‘Voyage fo Peru ‘ 
 them to Peru, where they yield 50 Pata: 
 gous, OTOITL 13 5. 4d. Sterling a pair. 
 Mott of ‘the Dealers in Cattle are very 
 - Rich, but.of all the Trading People the 
 moft ‘confiderable are: they that» Traf- 
 fick in European Commodities... Ma= 
 my of whom are reputed worth 2 or 
 300000 Crowns, ‘or 67000 L) Sterling. 
 _ So that'a Merchant worth no more thar | 
 15 Or 20000 Crowns is look’dupon as 
 a mean Retailers of thefe laft there are 
 near 200 /Families in the Town, that 
 make soo Men bearing: Arms,  befides 
 their Slaves who are ‘three times’ that 
 Number, but are not to be reckon’d of 
 any Defence, becaufe they are not al- 
 low'd'to bear Arms : Thus the Spaniards; \ 
 Portuguefe; and their Sons (of whom 
 thofe that are born upon the place are 
 term’d Criolos, to diftingnith them from 
 the Natives of Spaiz) and fome Meftices 
 are the Militia, which with the Souldiers 
 in Garrifon, compofe a‘Body of above 
 600 Men, -as I computed them.in {everal 
 Mufters, for they draw out: on Horfe- 
 back Three times a Year nearthe Town 
 on Feftival Days. © I obferv’d theré:were 
 many Old Men among them that didnot 
 carry Fire-arms, but only a Sword by: 
 their fide, a Lance in hand; anda Buck- 
 rageah ce i ler 
 
up the R. dela Plata’ 23, 
 ler at their fhoulder » They are alfo moft, 
 of them Marry’d. and Matters of Fami- 
 lies, and confequently have» no. great 
 ftomach to Fighting. They love their 
 Eafe and Pleafure, and are entirely de- 
 voted to Venws ; I confefs they are in _ 
 fome meafure excufable in this point, 
 for moft of their Women are extreamly 
 pretty, well fhaped, and clear skind ; 
 and withal fo faithful to their Husbands, 
 _ that no Temptations can prevail with 
 
 them to Iloofen the Sacred Knot: But 
 then if their Husbands tranfgrels, they 
 are often punifh’d with Poifon or Dag- 
 ger. The Women are more in Number 
 than the Men. Befides Spaniards, there are 
 afew French, Hollanders, and Gexouefe, 
 _ butall go for Spaniards, otherwife there 
 would be no dwelling for them there, 
 efpecially thofe that differ in their Reli- 
 gion from the Roman-Catholicks, becaufe 
 the Inquifitionis fettled there. 
 
 The Bifhop’s Revenue amounts to 
 — 3000 Patagons, or 7001. Sterling per 
 — Annum. His Diocefs takes in this Town 
 
 and Santa Fe, with the Farms belonging 
 — toboth ; Eight or Ten Priefts Officiate 
 
 imthe Cathedral, which is built of Earth 
 aswell .as the Honfes. The Fefuits haye 
 a College; the Dominicans, the Recol- 
 
 a P4 leds, 
 
 
 
24 st Voyage to Peru: 
 fects, ‘and: the: Religious de la Mercy, have 
 each a Convent. -There is likewife an 
 Hofpital, but there are fo few poor Peo- 
 ple inthefe Parts that ‘tis of little ufe. 
 
 ~ 
 
 
 
 Monfieur Acarete du Bifcay s Four- 
 __. ney from Buenos Ayres to Peru. 
 
 Left Buenos Ayres, and took the Road 
 
 to Cordoua, Jeaving, Santa Fe on my 
 right hand, of which place take this ac- 
 count, ‘tis a Spanifh Settlement dependant 
 upon Buenos Ayres, the Commander is 
 no more than a Lieutenant, and do¢s no- 
 thing but by order from the Governor 
 of Buenos Ayrese “Tis a little place con- 
 taining 25 Houfes, without any Walls, 
 Fortifications, or Garrifon; diftant 80 
 Leagues from Buenos Ayres Northward, 
 ‘Situate upon the River de la Plata, \arge 
 Veffels might come up'toit, were it not 
 for a great bank that obftrucs the paf- 
 fage a little above Buenos Ayres. » Ne- 
 verthelefs ‘tis a very advantageous Poft, 
 becaufe “tis the only paflage from: Peru, 
 Chili and Tucumax to Paraguay; and in a 
 manner the Magazine of the. Commodi- 
 ties . 
 
.  apthe Ridela Plata. a5 
 ties drawn from thence, particularly that 
 Herb alteady fpoken of, ‘which ‘they 
 cannot be without: in: thofe! Provinces. 
 ‘The Soil is as good and Fertile ‘here as 
 at Buenos Ayres; and the Town hayin 
 nothing remarkably different from what 
 has been obferv’d of Buezos Ayres, I 
 ‘leave it, and proceed upon my. Jour- 
 ney. “Tis counted 140 Leagues from 
 Buenos Ayres to Cordona, and becaufe 
 fome parts of the Road are uninhabited 
 fora long way together; I furnifhed 
 my felf at my departure ‘with what I 
 was inform’d I fhould ftand in need 
 of; fo I fetout having a Savage for my 
 Guide, with ‘Three Horfes and ‘Three 
 Mules, fome to carry my Baggage, and 
 the reft to change upon the: way. when 
 that Trid upon was tired. 
 
 From Buenos Ayres, to the River Ln- 
 can, and‘even as a asthe River Recife, 
 30 Leagues, I pafsd by feveral Habita~ 
 tions and Farms cultivated’ by the Spavi- 
 ards, but beyond Recife ‘to the River 
 Salladillo, Wfaw none. ‘Let it be obfer- 
 -ved by the way, that thefe Rivers’ as well 
 “as all the reft in the Provinces of Biezos 
 » Ayres, Paraguay ‘and Tucuman, that fall 
 ito the River de Iz Plata are fordable 
 on Horfe-back; but when the Rains or 
 
 : any: 
 

 
 26. AVoyage to. Perus: 
 any. otheraccident {wells them, a> Tra" 
 veller muit either {wim over, orelfe get” 
 upon a bundle in the. mature of a raft, 
 which a Savage hawls over to the other 
 fide. I,could not Swim, and fo: was 
 _ forc'd to make ufe of this. expedient: 
 twice or thrice when [could not find a: 
 Ford, The way was this, my Indiax 
 killd a Wild Bull, flead the Hide off; 
 ftuffed it with ftraw, and tyd it up in 
 a great bundle with thongs of the fame 
 Hide, upon which I placd my. {elf with 
 my Baggage ; he {wam over hawling me 
 after him by a Cord ty’d to the bundle, 
 and then: he repafs'd and fwam my Horfes 
 and, Mules over to me. | 
 
 All the Country. between the River — 
 Recife and Salladillo, tho’ uninhabited, 
 abounds in Cattle and all forts of Fruit-, 
 trees, except Walnut and Chefnut-trees ; 
 there are whole Woods of. Nectarine- 
 Trees, Three or Four Leagues in compais, : 
 that bear. excellent Fruit,. which, they 
 not only. eat raw, but bake them, or dry 
 them in the Sun, to keep, as we in France. 
 do Prunes: They feldom ufe any other 
 than the Wood of this Tree for common 
 firing at Buenos Ayres, and. thereabouts. 
 The Savages that dwell in thefe Patts.are. 
 diflinguifh’d into. two forts,, thofe thar 
 es Ore ae Ur Cage Ww OLURTS 
 
up the RK. deda Plata. zp 
 voluntarily:-fubmit: to the Spaniards: ares 
 
 call’d Panpiftas, the »teft Serranos, bothy 
 cloathed with Skins; but the laft fer up= 
 on the Pazpiftas as their mortal: Enemies. 
 
 wherever.they ‘meet with them. All 
 Fight on Horfe-back; either with Lances 
 pointed with Iron.or Bones fharpen'd,, 
 
 or elfe with Bows:and Arrows, they” 
 
 wear Bulls-hides fafhion’d like a Doublet 
 without fleeves, to defend their Bodies. 
 Their Chiefs that command over them 
 in Warand Peace, are caH’d Couracas: 
 When they take any one of their Ene- 
 mies,’ alive or:dead, they meet all toge- 
 thers and after they have reproach’d him, 
 that either he or his Relations were the 
 death of their Kindred or Friends, they 
 cut and tear him into pieces, which they 
 roaft a little and eat, making a drinking 
 - Bowl of his Scull. - They feed moftly 
 
 upon flefh either raw or drefsd, and - 
 particularly Colts flefh, which they like 
 
 better than Veal, They catch abundance 
 of Fifh likewife in their Rivers. They 
 have no fettled. places of aboad, but 
 ramble up and down, {feveral’ Families 
 together, and live in Tents. aie 
 “<F could not inform my felf exaGly 
 what Religion’ they were of, but I was 
 
 told that they look'd upon the Sun and 
 
 Moon 
 
— 38 A Voyage to Peru: 
 Moon as Deities,and as'I travellid along, 
 ¥ faw a Savage upon his knees with his 
 Face to the Sun, who cry’d out and 
 made ftrange geftures: with his Hands 
 and Arms. I learn’d from the Savage that 
 accompany'd me, that he was one of 
 thofe they call’d Pzpas,, who in the 
 Morning kneel towards the Sun, and at 
 Night towards the Moon, to fupplicate 
 thofe fancy’d Divinities to be propitious 
 to them, to give them fair Weather, and 
 Victory over their Foes 
 ‘They. make no great Ceremony in 
 their Marriages ; but when a Relation 
 dies, after they have rubbd his body 
 with a certain Earth that confumes all but 
 the Bones, they preferve them, and carry 
 as many of them asthey can convenient- 
 - ly about with them ina fort of Chefts, _ 
 and this they do in token of their af- 
 feGtion to. their Kindred ; indeed they 
 are not wanting in good Offices to them 
 ‘during their Lives, nor in their Sicknefs 
 dee Deaton’ i rysiog Leeann Ad ip 
 . Along the River SaVadillo, 1, took 
 notice of a great many Parrats, or. Pa- 
 pagays,. as the Spaviards call them, and 
 certain Birds, call’d Guacamayos, which 
 are of divers. Colours, and twice of thrice 
 as big as a Parrat. The Riyer it ities 
 

 
 up:the Re dela Plata. --.29 
 full of the Fith, call’d Dorado; which is 
 very good toeat. There'is alfo a Crea- 
 ture init, whether ‘tis Meat or Poyfon — 
 no body knows, it has Four Feet and a 
 long Tail-like a Lizard. TSQOROSIE 
 
 From Sal/adillo quite to Cordona, you 
 go along a very fine River, that abounds 
 with Fifh, which is neither wide’ nor 
 deep, for it may be forded over.” On 
 the Bank of it you meet with little Plan- 
 tations every Three or Four Leagues ; 
 which are like Country Houfes inhabi- 
 ted: by Spaniards, Portuguefe, and the Na- 
 tives, who have all the neceffary acco- 
 modations of Life they can wifh, and 
 are very Civil and Charitable to Stran- 
 gers; their principal Wealth is in Hor- 
 fes and Mules, in which they Trade with 
 the Inhabitants of Perz. ) | 
 
 Cordona is a Town Situate in a pleafant 
 and fruitful Plain upon the fide of a 
 River, bigger and broader than that I 
 have juft fpoken of : “Tis compos'd of 
 about 400 Houfes, Built like thofe of 
 Buenos Ayres. Wt has neither Ditches, 
 nor Walls, nor Fort for its defences; He 
 that Commands it is Governor ofall the 
 Provinces of Tucuman', and tho’ it be 
 the place of his ordinary Refidence, yet 
 ‘he is wont now and then, as he fees oc- 
 cafion, 
 
30 £0 Voyage to Perw 
 cafion, to go and pafs fome time at Sf. 
 Jago del Eftro,at St. Miguel dé Tucuman, 
 (which is theCapitalCity of theProvince) 
 at Saltaand at Xuxui. In each of thefe 
 Villages there is a Lieutenant, who has 
 under him, an Alcalde and fome Officers 
 for the Adminiftration of Juftice. © The 
 “Bifhop.of Lneuman: likewile ufually re 
 fides at Cordoua, where the Cathedral 
 is the only. Parifh Church of the whole 
 ‘Fown:;'but there are divers Convent: of 
 Monks, namely of Dominicans, Reéol- 
 led sy and thofe of the Order. de le Mer- 
 ey.2.and one of Nunns. ‘The Fefits 
 have a College there, and their Chappel 
 asthe fineft and richeft of all. ip 
 The Inhabitants are Rich in Gold and 
 Silver, which) they get by the Trade 
 they have for Mules, with which they 
 ofurnifh Perx and other Parts; which ‘is 
 fo confiderable, that they fell about 28 
 “or 30000 of ‘em every Year, which they 
 breed up in their Farms. They ufually 
 ‘keep ’em till they are about Two Years 
 old, then expofe’em to Sale, andihave © 
 sabout Six Patagoxs a piece for em. “Fhe 
 Merchants that come to buy “em, i carry 
 ‘em to St. Fago, to Salta and -Xucui , 
 where they leave ‘em for Three Years, 
 -till they are well grown .and become 
 | {trong, 
 
up the Ridela Plata. 31 
 {trong and afterwards bring em to Pe- 
 va, where they prefently have Vent for 
 _ *em,’ becaufe there as well as in the reft 
 of the Weftern part of America, the 
 greateft part of their Carriage is upon 
 Mules. The People of Cordoxa: alfo 
 drive a Trade in Cows, which they have 
 from the Countrey of Buenos Ayres; and 
 carry to Pery, where without’ this’ way 
 of Subfiftance ‘tis certain they would 
 have much ado to live. ‘This kind of 
 Traffick makes this Town the moftcon- 
 fiderable in the: Province of Tucuman, 
 as well for its Riches and Commodities, 
 as for the Number of its Inhabitants. 
 which are counted to be at leaft 5 or 
 600 Families, ‘befides Slaves who. are 
 three times the number. But the gene- 
 yality of ‘em of all degrees have no other 
 Arms but a Sword and Poignard, and 
 are very indifferent Souldiers, the’ Air 
 of the Country, and the Plenty they 
 enjoy, rendring them Lazy and Cow- 
 ardly. | 
 » From Cordona 1 took the way of St. 
 Fago del Eftro, which is 90 Leagues 
 diftant from it. In my Journey I from 
 time to time, that is Seven or Eight 
 Leagues, met with fingle Houfes of Spa-. 
 niards.and. Portuguefe, who live very fo- 
 Serrors : litarily 3 
 
32 - \A Voyage to Peru: 
 
 litarily 3: they are all Situate upon fmall 
 Rivulets, fome of ‘em at the Corners of — 
 Forrefts which are frequently. to. be met 
 with in that Country, and are almott 
 all of Algarebe-wood, the Fruit of which — 
 fetves. to make a Drink that is {weet 
 and fhatpiih, and heady as Wine; o- 
 thers of them in open Fields, which 
 are not fo well. ftock'd .with Cattle, 
 as thofe of Buenes Ayres, bat however — 
 there are eriough of’em, and indeed 
 more than needs for the {ubfi{tance of the . 
 inhabitants, who alfo makea Trade of 
 Mules, and Cotton, and Gocheneil for 
 
 dying, which the Country produces. 
 St. Fago de f Eftroisa Town of a- 
 bout 200.Houfes, without Ditches or 
 Walls, Situate in a flat Country, fur- 
 rounded with Forreflts of Algarebe; - it 
 lies on amindifferently large River, Na- 
 vigable for Boats, and pretty well ftor'd 
 with Fifh. The Air is very hot, and 
 fultry, which makes the: Inhabitants la- 
 zy andeffemminate. Their Faces areall 
 very Tawny; they. are mightily given 
 to their Divertifements, and mind Traf- 
 fick very little. There are 300 Menthat | 
 can bear Arms, taking in as well the Sa~ 
 wages. as Slaves, and they are all ill 
 Armd, and but) very. mean a 
 | | e 
 
~*~ 
 
 upthe R.delaPlata. 43 
 
 The greateft part of the Women are’ 
 handfome enough, but have generally a 
 kind of {welling in the Throat, which 
 they call Coto in the Language of the. 
 Country, and feems to be much the fame 
 with what we calla Wen. The Coun- 
 try is {ufficiently ftor’d with Wild-Fowl, 
 Venizon, Wheat, Rye, Barley; and 
 Fruits, as Figgs, Peaches, Apples, Pears; 
 Plumbs, Heart-Cherries, Grapes, dc. 
 There are abundance of Tigers, that are 
 very fierce and ravenous; Lions that 
 are very gentle ; and Guanacos that are 
 as big as Horfes, with very long Necks, > 
 little Heads, and very fhort Tails, in 
 the Stomachs of thefe Creatures the 
 Bezoar-{tone ts found.’ There are Four 
 Churches in this Town, namely the Pa- 
 rifh-Church, that of the Fe/nits, that of 
 the Recollecé Friers, and one more. 
 Here the Inquifitor of the Province .of 
 -Tucuman has his refidence ; he is a Secu- 
 lar Prieft, and has Commiffaries or De- . 
 puties under him, whom he places iti 
 all the other Towns of the Province. — 
 After I had continued Three Days at 
 St. Fago, 1 went from thence to Suita, 
 which is 100 Leagues from it, and leav- 
 ing St. Miguel of Tucuman on the left 
 hand, which is a Town under the Jurif& 
 
34 A Voyage to Peru. , 
 diction of St. Fago, I took the Road of 
 Effeco, finding in my way fome little Vil- - 
 lazes of Spaniards here and there, and - 
 very few Savages. The Country is flat, 
 and confifts partly of Fruitful Plains, 
 and partly of Forrefts full of Algarobe 
 and Palm-trees ; which bear Dates fome- 
 what lefsthan thofe in the EFaft-Coun- 
 tries, as well as many other forts of Trees 
 and Plants, antongit others, thofe that 
 yield Pitch, and thofe that produce Co- 
 cheneil and Cotton. There are divers — 
 {mall Lakes, about which there are great 
 quantities of Salt produc’d, which 1susd 
 by the People of that Country. — I ftay'd 
 one day at Effece, to prepare my {elf 
 {ome Provifions to live upon.: It’s Situ- 
 ation, is upon a very handfome broad 
 River, which yet may be foarded on 
 Horfeback. This Town was formerly .as 
 big and as confiderable as Cordona, but 
 is now ruin‘d, there being not above 30 
 Families left in it, for the reft deferted 
 it, becaufe.of the great number of Tigers 
 that infefted ‘em, devouring their Chil- 
 dren, and fometimes Men when they 
 - could furprize ‘em, befides an incredible 
 number of Venemous Flies, that fting 
 very {martly, with which the Country 
 is fill’d for four or five Leagues a 
 
 the 
 
upthe R.dela Plata. 35 
 the Town; fo that there’s no going a- 
 broad without being mask’d. This 
 Country is alfo fufficiently Fruitful in 
 Wheat, Barley, Vines, and other Fruit- 
 trees; and would abound in Cattle ifthe 
 Tigers did not devour’em. 
 
 From Ljfeco to Salta is 15 Leagues: 
 And this {pace of Land, would be like 
 that I have juft now {poken of, but that 
 it is Gravelly in fome places. One may 
 eafily difcern Sz/ta about 2 Leaguesbe- , 
 fore one comes at it; becaufe it ftands 
 in the middle of a fine Plain, which 
 is fertile in Corn, Grapes, and other 
 forts of Fruit, Cattle, and other necef- 
 faries of Life: Encompatfs'd in fome pla- 
 ces with Hills, and fome pretty high 
 Mountains. The Town is upon the 
 
 ‘bank of a Little River, over which there 
 
 is a Bridge: It may contain about 400. 
 Houfes, and 5 or 6 Churches and Con- 
 vents, the Structure of which, is like that 
 
 ‘of thofe I have before defcrib’d. °Tis 
 ‘not encompa{sd with any Walls, Forti- 
 
 fications or Ditches ; but the Wars the 
 
 Inhabitants have had with their Neigh- 
 ‘bours, have train’d them in Martial Dif- 
 cipline, and render'd em more careful 
 
 to have Arms ina readinefs than former- 
 ly: They are about 500 Men, who 
 2 Q2 all 
 
36 A Voyage to Peru 
 all beat Arms,’ befides Slaves; Moulatos, 
 afid Blacks, who are three times as many. 
 °Tis a place of great refort, becatfe of 
 the confiderable Trade they have, in 
 Corn, Meal, Cattke, Wine, Salted Meat, 
 Tallow, and other Commodities where- 
 with they Trade with the Inhabitants of 
 Peru. , ey 
 
 Twelve Leagues beyond it lies Xuxwi, 
 which is the laft Town of Tueuman on 
 the fide of Peru. There are up and down 
 on the Road a great many Cottages or 
 Farms, and more than in’ any other 
 place, tho’the Country is not fo pleafant | 
 nor fo fruitful, being almoft nothing 
 elfe but Hills and Mountains. This 
 Town of Xuxui contains about 300 
 Houfes: “Tis not very full of People, 
 -becaufe of the continual Wars the Inha- 
 bitants of it, as well as thofe of Salta, 
 have with the Savages of the Valley of 
 Calchaqui, who are continually harafing 
 of “em. The Caufe that’ fet thefe Wars 
 ‘on Foot is as follows; The Governor 
 of Tucuman , Don Alonfo de Mercado , 
 and de Villa Corta, having receiv'd Infor - 
 - mation, that the Houle of the aft Incas 
 or Kings of Perz, which was call’d the 
 ‘White-houfe, was in this Valley, and | 
 that there wasa great deal of Treafure 
 
 . | there, 
 
upthe R.delaPlata. 39 
 
 there, which the Natives kept as a mark 
 of their Ancient Grandeur, gave advice 
 of it to his Catholick Majeflty, and 
 begg'd leave to make a Conqueft of it, 
 and. fubje& it to his Government, as it 
 had far'd with fo many: other places 
 which he obtain'd. To accomplith his 
 defign, he thought meet to employ Doz 
 - Pedro Bohoriers'a Moor, and Native of 
 Eftramadura, as being a Perfon who had 
 been accuftom’d to converfe with Savage 
 People, and was capable of carrying on 
 Intreagues amongft ‘em, and fo more fit 
 than another, to make this defign fuc- 
 ceed 5 but the bufinefs had a quite con- 
 trary Event. For this Bohoriers, when 
 he was got among the Savages of this 
 Valley, and had gain’d their Affections, 
 inftead of acquitting himfelf of his 
 Commiffion, endeavor'd to eftablifh him- 
 felf in Power amongft’em, in which he 
 ~ facceeded fo well, that by his Craft and 
 good addrefs, he brought ’em to choofe 
 and acknowledge him tor their King ; 
 after which he declar’d himfelf againtt 
 this Spazijh Governor, and began a War ~ 
 with him towards the end of 1638, and 
 feveral times routed him and his Forces, 
 which, gave occafion to feveral of the 
 Indian Natives, that were under the Do- 
 
 ; Q3.. . minion 
 
38 + AVoyage to Peru: 
 minion of the Spaxiards to throw of their 
 Yoke, and joyn with the People of 
 this Valley, who by thefe additions have 
 render’d themfelves fomewhat formida- 
 ble. Hither alfo the Slaves of Peru, 
 particularly thofe that ferve in the Mines, 
 fly, when they can find an opportunity 
 to make their efcape: And the fafe re- 
 treat they find here, draws a great num- 
 ber of ‘em to this place ; infomuch that 
 _ the Spaniards would not have half Men 
 enough to work in the Mines, if they 
 did not get Negros from Congo, Angola, 
 and other places on the Coat of Guizea, 
 by means of divers Geroefé that go thi- 
 ther to fetch em, and fell °em,to them 
 at a price concerted between ’em. 
 From Xuxui to Potof# they count 
 a 100 Leagues, the way is very trou- 
 blefome, and there is but this one Road 
 to go from Tucuman to Pern. Two 
 Leagues from Xuxui I began to advance . 
 to the Mountains, between which there's _ 
 a little and very narrow Valley, that 
 reaches as far as Oxagoaca, which is 20 
 Leagues beyond, and along it there runs 
 a {mall River, which one is oblig’d to 
 pals and repafs very often. Before you 
 are got 4 Leagues in this Road, you 
 meet with Vulcanos, or Burning Moun- 
 tains, 
 
up the R. dela Plata! 39 
 
 tains, full of Sulphurous matter, which 
 break out in Flames from time to time, 
 and fometimes burft open and throw 
 quantities of Earth into the Valley,which 
 miakes the way fo dirty when a Rain 
 comes foon after it, as it almoft always 
 happens, that fometimes you muft be 
 _ forc’d to ftay Five or Six Months, or till 
 the Summer comes to dry it to make it 
 paffable.. ‘Thefe Vulcanos continue for 
 2 Leagues upon this Road, and. in all 
 this fpace, there are no Houfes either of 
 Spaniards or Savages, but beyond. it all 
 along as far as Omagoaca, there are a 
 great many little Cottages, inhabited on- 
 ly by Indians, and depending on fome 
 Towns of theirs, which are govern'd by 
 their Chiefs, whom they call Couracas, 
 who havea Cacique over them, whofe 
 Orders they obey, and whofe refidence 
 is at Omagoaca, which isa Town of 200° 
 Houfes, built of Earth, and ftanding in 
 no good Order. The Land about it is none 
 of the beft, however they fow Wheat ~ 
 there, and a great quantity of Millet, 
 which the Jvdians ordinarily ufe. As 
 for Cattle; they have very few, and 
 - gommonly eat Beef dry’'d in the Sun, 
 which is brought them by thofe that 
 Trade with em; they have alfo Goats 
 
 Q4 and. 
 
4o 8A Voyage to Peru 
 
 and Sheep of their own Product. 
 
 _ The moft of thefe Savages are Catho- 
 licks, and live according to the Rules 
 of the Romgn Catholick Religion ; they 
 have a Church at Omagoaca, which is 
 fupplied with Priefts, who go from time 
 to time to celebrate Mafsthere: ‘Thefe 
 Priefts dwell at Socchoz, which is, the 
 Plantation of Dox Paulod Obaudo, who 
 4s a Spaniard, but born in this Country, 
 and is Lord Proprietor of it, which 
 contains not only all the Valley of Oma- 
 goaca, but likewife a great {pace of Land 
 beyond, and is a Country of about 60 - 
 or 80 Leagues in extent, where there are 
 a great many Vigognes of whofe Wool this 
 Lord makes a very confiderable Advan- 
 tage. He takes thefe Creatures with a great 
 deal of eafe by means of his Subjects the 
 Iudians, who have no other trouble than 
 that of making a great Inclofure with. 
 Netsabout a Foot anda half high, to 
 which they tie a great many Feathers 
 that are blown to and fro by the Wind, 
 after which the Savages hunt thefe Crea- 
 tures, and drive ‘em within the Nets, as 
 they do Wild-Boars in Frazce into the 
 Foils; when this is done, fome come 
 on Horfe-back within the compa{s of 
 Ground in which they are inclosd, and 
 
 i ~ while » 
 

 
 upthe R.dela Plata. 44 
 
 while the poor Beafts dare not go near 
 the Nets for fear of the Feathers that 
 play about ‘em, they with certain Bowls 
 fattened to Cords, knock, down and 
 kill as many of ‘em as they pleafe. 
 From Omagoacato Mayo, they count 
 it‘20 Leagues, & there's nothing to be 
 met with along this way, but a very 
 few Plantations of Savages, becaufe “tis 
 fo very Cold herein the Winter, that 
 ‘tis hard to be endurd. | | 
 The way from Mayo to Toropalea is 
 through very pleafant Plains, there are 
 Two hundred: Houfes in the Town, in- 
 habited by Catholick Savages, only one 
 Portuguefe lives there with his Fami- 
 ly. 
 4 Beyond Toropalca, is the Country of 
 Chichas which is very Mountainous, and 
 is ftor’'d with divers Mines of Gold and 
 Silver, and Work-houfes where they 
 prepare the Metal. “Tis 25 Leagues in 
 extent as far as Potofé, where I arriv’d 
 after a Journey of Sixty three Days. 
 
42. | AVoyage to Peru 
 
 
 
 A Defcription of the City of Potofi, 
 and the Mines there. 
 
 7 
 
 Was no fooner alighted from my 
 I Horfe, at a Merchants Houle to 
 whom I had been recommended, but I 
 was conducted by him to the Prefident 
 of the Provinces. of Los Charcas , to 
 whom'the Order I carried from the King 
 of x ee was directed, as the Principal 
 Director of his Catholick  Majefty’s. Af- 
 fairs in this Province, in which Potof is 
 Situate, which is the place of his Ordi- 
 nary# Refidence, altho’ the City de la’ 
 Plata is the Capital. After I had deli- 
 ver'd the Order to him, I was brought 
 to the Corregidor, to deliver that which 
 _ belong’d to him, and afterwards to thofe 
 other Officers for whom I brought: Or- 
 ders 5 they all receiv'd me very well, 
 particularly the Prefident, who prefent- 
 ed me with a Chain of Gold for the 
 good News I had brought him. 
 
 But before we go any farther ‘tiscon- 
 venient I fhould give fome defcription: 
 of the City of Poto/, as I have done of 
 
 | | | others. 
 
up the R. dela Plata. 43 
 
 others. The Spaniards call it the Impe- 
 rial City, but no body could ever tell 
 me for what reafon; ‘tis Situate at the 
 Foot of a Mountain, call’d Arazaffox , 
 and divided in the midft by a River, 
 which comes froma Lake inclos'd with 
 Walls, which lies about a quarter of a 
 League above the City, and isa kind of 
 referver to hold the Water that is necef- 
 fary for the Work-houfes: of that part 
 of the City, which is on this fide of the 
 River, over again{t the Mountain, is 
 
 rais'd upon a little Hill, and is the larg- 
 
 eft and moft inhabited part; for on 
 that which is on the fide of the Moun- 
 tain, there's {carce any thing but Engines 
 and the Houfes of thofe that Work in 
 ‘em. The City has neither Walls, Ditch- 
 es, nor Forts for its defence, there are 
 reckon’d to be 4000 Houfes well built 
 of good Stone, with feveral Floors, af- 
 ter the manner of the Buildings in Spaiz. 
 The Churches are well made, and al] 
 richly adorn’d with Plate, Tapeftry , 
 and other Ornaments, and above all 
 thofe of the Monks and Nunns, of 
 whom there are feveral Convents of 
 different Orders, which are very well 
 furnifh’d. ‘Fhisis not the leaft populous 
 City of Peru, with Spaniards, Meftices, 
 
 Stran- 
 
AA A Voyage to Peru 
 
 Strangers, and Natives (which aft the 
 Spaniards call Indios) with Moulatos and 
 Negroes. “They count there are between 
 -3 and. 4000 . Natural. Spaniards , -bear- 
 ing Arms, who have the Reputation of 
 being very {tout Men and good Sonldi- 
 ers. The number ofthe Meftices is not 
 much lefs, nor are they lefs expert at a 
 Weapon, but the greateft part of ‘em, 
 are Idle, apt to quarrel and Treache-. 
 rous, therefore they commonly wear 
 Three or Four Buff-waf{t-coats one upon 
 another, which are proof again{t. the 
 point of a Sword, to fecure themfelves 
 trom private {tabs. The Strangers there 
 are but few, there are fome Dutch, Irifh, 
 and Genoefe ; and fome French, moft of 
 whom are of St. Mala, Provence or Bay- 
 onze, and pals for People of Navarre 
 and Bifcaye. As for the Indians they are 
 reckon'd to amount to near 10000 be- 
 fides the Moulatos and the Blacks: but 
 they are not permitted, to. wear either 
 Swords or Fire-Arms, no not their Cou- 
 racas and Caciques, tho: they may. all 
 a(pire to. any degree.of Knight-hood, 
 and. to.Benefices, to which. they. are,of- 
 ten raisd, for their laudable ,A@ions 5. 
 and good Services.. They are alfo fory. 
 bidden. to wear the Spawifh. habit, but 
 
 : are 
 

 
 up the R. de la Plata. As 
 
 are oblig’d to cloath themfelves in a dif- 
 ferent manner, in a clofe-coat without 
 {leeves, which they wear next their Shirts, 
 to which their Band and lacd Cuffs are 
 -faften’d, their Breeches are wide at bot- 
 tom after the Frezch fafhion ; their Legs 
 and Feet naked. The Blacks and Mou- 
 latos being in the Service of the Spa- 
 niards, are habited after the Spanifh 
 Mode, and may bear Arms, and all the 
 Indian Slaves after Ten Years fervice are 
 fet at liberty, and have the fame privi- 
 leges with the others. The Government 
 of this City is very exact, by the Care 
 which is taken by Twenty four Magi- 
 _ ftrates, who are conftantly obferving, 
 that good orders be kept in it; befides 
 the Corregidor and Prefident of Los Char- 
 ca, who directs Officers after the man- 
 ner of Spain. It is to beobferv'd, that 
 excepting thefe two Principal Officers, 
 as well at Potofi as every where elfe in 
 the Indies, all the People , whether . 
 Knights, Gentlemen, Officers or others, 
 are concern’d in Commerce: of which 
 fome of them make fo great an advan- 
 tage, that in the, City of Potof, there 
 are fome reckon’d to be worth, Two, 
 fome Three, and fome Four Millions of 
 Crowns; and a-great many worth Two, 
 
 Three, 
 
46 - A Voyage to Peru 
 Three, or Four hundred thoufand 
 Crowns. The common People to live 
 much at theireafe, but are all proud and 
 haughty, and always go very fine, either 
 in Cloth of Gold and Silver, or in Scar- 
 Jet, or Silk trimmed with a great deal 
 of Gold and Silver-Lace. The Furni- 
 ture of their Houfes is very Rich, for 
 they are generally ferv’d in Plate. The 
 Wives both of Gentlemen and Citi 
 zens, are kept very clofe, to a degree 
 beyond. what they are in Spaiz ; they ne- 
 ver go abroad; unlefs it be to go to 
 Mats, or to make fome Vifit, or to fome 
 publick Feaft ; and that but rarely. The 
 Women here are generally addicted to 
 excefs| in taking Coca: This is a Plant 
 that comes from the fide of Cufco, which 
 when it is made up in Rowls and dry’d 
 they chew, as fome do Tobacco 3. they 
 are fo heated, and fometimes abfolutely 
 fuddled by it, that they have no com- 
 mand _ of themfelves at all: ’Tis likewife 
 often usd by the Men, and has the fame 
 effects upon them. They are otherwife 
 very Temperate in eating and drinking, 
 tho’ they have before dwelt in places 
 well {tor'd with all fore of Provifions, 
 as Beef, Mutton, Fowls, Venizon, raw 
 and preferv’d Fruits, Corn and Wine, 
 which 
 
up the R.dela Plata. 47 
 
 - which are brought hither -from~ other 
 parts, and fome from a great diftance, 
 which makes thefe Commodities dear, fo 
 that the meaner fort of People ; efpecially 
 thofe that have very little before-hand, 
 would find it hard enough to live there, 
 - if Money were not very plenty, and 
 eafie to be got by them that are willing 
 to work. 
 
 The beft and fineft Silver inall the Jz- 
 
 dies,is that of the Mines of Potof,the prin- 
 
 cipal of which are found in the Mountain 
 of Aranzaffe,where beftdes the prodigious 
 quantities of Silver that have been taken 
 out of Veins, in which the Mettal evi- 
 dently appear'd, and which are now 
 _exhaufted, there is almoft as great quan- 
 tities of it found in places where they 
 had not digg’d before; nay from fome 
 of the Earth which they threw afide for- 
 merly when they open’d the Mines, and 
 made Pits, and Gro{s-ways in the Moun- 
 tains, they have taken Silver, and have 
 found by this, that the Silver has been 
 form’d fince that time, which fhews how 
 proper the Quality of this Ground js 
 for the production of that Metal: But 
 indeed this Earth does not yield fo much 
 as the Mines that.are found by Veins a- 
 mong the Rocks, There are befides 
 i thefe 
 
48 © A Voyage to Pert’ 
 
 thefe another fort of Veins of Earth 
 which they call PaiWaco, which are as 
 hard as a Stone, and of the Colour of 
 - Clay; which were {lighted heretofore; 
 and yet as Experience has fince taught, 
 were not fo contemptable'as was fup- 
 posd ; fince Silver is got out of ‘ent 
 with fo little Charge, that there is no 
 inconfiderable profit found in the Work. 
 Belides the Mines of this Mountain,there 
 area great many others about the Cout- 
 try at a greater diftance, that are pretty 
 good, amongt{t others. thofe of Lippes, 
 of Carangas, and of Porco; but thofe 
 of Ouroures that have been lately difco- 
 ver'd are better. 
 
 The King of Spaiz does not caufe any 
 of thefe Mines to be wrought on his — 
 _ own account, but leaves ‘em to thofe 
 Petfons that make the Difcovery of ‘em, 
 who remain Matters of ’em after the Cor- 
 regidor has vifited ‘em, and declar'd 
 ‘em Proprietors, on the accuttom’d Con- 
 ditions and Privileges. The fame Cor- 
 regidor defcribes and marks out the fu- 
 perfices of the Ground, in ‘which they 
 are allow’d to open the Mine on the out-.. 
 fide, which does not for. all that, limit 
 or reftrain their work under-gtotmd ; 
 every Men having liberty to’ follow the 
 
 Vein 
 
upthe R.delaPlata. 49 
 Vein he has found, let the extent and 
 depth of it reach never fo far, tho’ it 
 fhould crofs that which another has dig- 
 ged nearit. All that the King referves 
 for himfelf, befides the Duties we fhall 
 hereafter {peak of, is to give a general 
 direction by his Officers, for all the 
 work of the Mines, and to order the 
 number of Savages to be employ’d in ’em; 
 to prevent the diforders that would arife, | 
 
 if every Proprietor of the Mines fhould _, 
 
 have liberty to fet as many of ‘em to 
 work as he pleasd 5; which would fre. 
 quently give occafion to thofe that are 
 moft powerful and Rich, to ingrofsand 
 have fo greata Number of ‘em, that few 
 or none would remain for others to em- 
 ploy, to keep their work going forward : 
 for this would be contrary to the Kings 
 Intereft, which is to make Provifion that 
 that there be a fufficient number of Slaves 
 _ for all the Mines that are open’d. For 
 this end he obliges all the Couracas, or 
 Chiefs of the Savages, to furnifh every 
 one a certain number, which they muft 
 always keep compleat, or elfe are fore’d 
 to give twice as much Money as would 
 have been paid in Wages to thofe that 
 are wanting, if they had been prefent. 
 Thofe that are deftin'd for the Mines of 
 
 R —— Potofr, 
 
To} _ AVoyage to Peru | 
 
 Potef, don't amount to above, Two 
 
 -thoufand’ and two or three hundred, 
 
 thefe are brought and put into a great: 
 Enclofure which is at the Foot of the 
 Mountain, where the Corregidor makes 
 a diftribution of ‘emto the Conductors 
 of the Mines, according to the Number 
 they want, and after Six days conftant. 
 Work, the Conductor brings ‘em back 
 the Saturday following to the fame place, 
 where the Corregidor caufes a review to 
 be made of “em, to make the owners of 
 the Mines give “em the Wages that are 
 appointed ‘em, and to fee how many — 
 of ‘em are dead, that the Couracas may 
 be ‘oblig’d to fupply the number that is 
 Wanting : for there’s no Week paffes but 
 
 - fome of ‘em die, either by divers acci- 
 _ dents that Occur,as the tumbling down of 
 
 great quantities of Earth, and falling of 
 Stones, or by Sicknefs and other Cafual- 
 ties. “They are fometimes very much in- 
 commoded by Winds that are fhut up in 
 the Mines; the coldnefs of which joyn’d 
 to that of fome parts of the Earth, chills — 
 em {0 exceflively, that unlefs they 
 chew'd Coca, which heats dnd fuddles 
 em, it would be intolerable to’em. An-. 
 other great hardthip which they fuffer is, 
 that im other places, the Sulphurous and 
 
 as ahaa BIW AOE “Mineral 
 
upthe R.dela Plata. si 
 Mineral Vapoursiare are fo great, that it 
 {trangely drys emup, fo that, it hinders 
 “em from free re{piration; and for. this 
 they have no other remedy, than. the 
 Drink which is,.made with the Herb of 
 Paraguay, of which they prepare. a great 
 quantity to, refrefh. and moiften, ‘em, 
 when they come out of the Mines at.the 
 times appointed for eating or fleeping 
 this Drink ferves ‘em alfo for, Phyfick 
 to make “em Vomit, and caft up what- 
 ever incommodes their Stomachs... A- 
 mong thefe Savages they ordinarily 
 choofe the beft.Workmen to break up 
 the Oar between the Rocks; this they 
 do with Iron-barrs, which the Spaniards 
 call Palancas, and other Inftruments of 
 Iron.; others ferve to carry what they 
 digg in little Baskets tothe entrance of 
 the Mine 5. others to. put it in Sacks, and 
 load it upon a fort of great Sheep,which 
 they call Carneros: de, la Tierra, they are 
 taller than Affes, and, commonly carry 
 Two hundred Pound weight ; thefe ferve 
 to. carry it. to the Work-houfes which are 
 in the “Town. along the River, which 
 comes fromthe Lake I have {poken of 
 before. In thefeWork-houfes which area 
 Hundred. and: twenty in Number; the 
 - Oaris.cefined, of which take the follow- 
 Re i Boa ee 
 
ga, 1 A Voyage to Peru. 
 
 ing account. They firft beat it well up- 
 on Anvils with certain great Hammers, 
 which a Mill continually keeps at work, 
 when they are pretty well reducd to 
 Powder, they pais it thro’ a fine Sieve, 
 and fpread it upon the Ground about 
 half a Foot thick in a fquare place that 
 
 4s very fmooth, prepar’d for the pur- — 
 
 pofe; then they caft a great deal. of 
 Water upon it, after which they with 
 a Sieve {pread upon it a certain quanti- 
 ty of Quick-filver, . which is propor- 
 tion’d by the Officers ofthe Mint, and - 
 alfo a Liquid fubftance of Iron, which — 
 is prepard by Two Millftones, one of 
 which isfix'd, and the other 1s continu- 
 ly turning, between thefe they put an 
 Old Anvil, or fome other Mafly~ piece 
 of Iron, which is worn away and Con- 
 , fum'd' with Water by the turning Mill- 
 ftone, fo that ‘tis reduc’d to a certain 
 Liquid Matter. ‘The Oar being thus pre- 
 pard, they ftir it about and mix it, as 
 Men do when they make Mortar; | fora 
 Fortnight together, every day temper- 
 ing it with Water; and after this they 
 feveral times put it into a Tub,, where- 
 fn there 1s a little Mill, which by. its mo- 
 ‘tion feparates from it all the'Earth with 
 the Water, and cafts ‘em off together , 
 : sie fo 
 

 
 uptbe R.delaPlata. 53 
 fo that nothing but’ the Metallick Mat- 
 ter remains at the bottom, which» is af- 
 terwards putinto the Firein Crucibles, 
 to feparate the Quick-filver from. it , 
 which is done by Evaporation, for as. 
 for the Tron fubftance, that does not 
 Evaporate, but remains mix’d with the 
 Silver, which is the reafon that thereisal- 
 ways in Eight Ounces. (for example fake) ° 
 Three quarters: of an Ounce or. therea- 
 bouts of falfe Alloysi+:: 4 neq ash 
 
 The Silver when thus refin’d is car- 
 ried to the Mint, where they make an 
 Effay. of it whether it be of the right Al- 
 loy, after which it is melted into Barrs | 
 or Ingots, which are weigh’d, and_ the 
 fifth part of ‘em deducted, which be- 
 longs to the King, and are ftamp’d with 
 his mark 5 the reft appertain to. the Mer- 
 chant, who in like manner applies his 
 - anark to them; and takes ‘em away from 
 _ thence when he pleafes in Barrs, or elfe 
 converts em into Reals and-other Money. 
 This fifth part is the only profit the King 
 ‘bas from: the Mines; which yet are 
 efteem’d to. amount to feveral Millions; 
 But’ befides this, he draws confiderable 
 Sums by the ordinary Impofitions. upon 
 - Goods, without reckoning what he rai- 
 fesupon Quick-filver, both, that. which 
 
54 fA Voyage #0 Reta, 
 
 “4s taken out of the Mines of Guancave- 
 
 lica, which are Situated between Liwa 
 and Cufco; and that which is brought 
 from Spain, with which Two Veffels 
 are loaded every Year, becaufe that 
 which is taken out of thefe Minesis not 
 fufficient for all the Iudies 
 
 ‘They ufe divers ‘ways of Carriage,’ to 
 
 ~ Tranfport all the Silver that is annually 
 
 made about Potof for Spain; firtt they 
 Load itupon Mules, that carry it to Ari- 
 ca, which is a Port on the South-Sea, 
 from whence they Tranfport it in {mall 
 Veflels to the Fort of Lima, orLos — 
 Reys, which is a Fort upon the fame — 
 Sea, Two Leagues from Lima; here 
 they Embark.ic with all that comes from 
 other parts of Perz, in Two great Gal- 
 lions that belong to his Catholick Ma- 
 jefty, each of which carry 10600 Tuns, 
 and are Arm’d each with 500r 60 Pie- 
 ces of Canon; thefe are commonly ac- 
 companied with a great many {mall 
 Merchant Ships as Richly Lbaded: which 
 have no Guns but a few Petareroes.to 
 give Salutes; and take their Courfe: to- 
 wards Pazama,taking care always to fend 
 a little Pinnace 8 or 10 Leagues before — 
 to make difcoveries. They might make 
 this way in a Fortnights time, haying al- 
 Cee ee 
 
ap the Reodela Plata’ 85 
 __ ways the help of the South-wind which 
 reigns alone in this’Sea ; yet they never 
 make it lefs thana Months Voyage,‘ be- 
 caufe by this delay the Commander of 
 the Gallions makes a great advantage’ in 
 furnifhing thofe with Cards that have’ a 
 mind to play on Ship-board; ‘during the 
 Voyage, which amounts to a very ‘con- 
 fiderable Sum, both becaufe the Tribute 
 he recéives is Ten Patagons for every 
 Pack of Cards, and becaufe theréis 4 - 
 prodigious quantity of em confunrd , 
 they being continually at play; “and 
 ‘there being f{carce any body aboard) but 
 is concern'd for very confiderable Sums. 
 When the Gallions arrive at Pavama'on 
 the Continent, they put their Lading ‘a- 
 fhoar, and wait to ‘hear of thofe'from 
 Spain, who commonly about the fame 
 time, or a }ittle after, artive at Porto- 
 belo, which is ¥8 Leagues from: the 
 ‘North-Sea ; in the mean time they carry 
 thither part of the Gold Silver,and other 
 Commodities of this Fleet which are de- 
 -fign’d ‘for Exrope, upon Mules by Land, 
 and part by Water upon the River of 
 ‘Chiagre, in Boats made of an entire piece 
 OF Wood ‘call'd Piragouas. “A few days 
 after they are uniaden, and after the Ga!- 
 lions are likewife arriy'd from Spzix 5 a 
 ovVEW R 4 ( Seey 
 
56 ow Voyage to Peru, 
 
 very: gteat Fair is held there, for a\Fort- 
 night: together, in which they. Sell-and 
 Barter all forts of. Goods neceflary for 
 
 each Country; which is perform’dwith{fo 
 
 much honefty, that the Sale is made only 
 by. the Inventories, without opening the - 
 Bales, without the leaft Fraud. The Fair 
 being ended, theyll retire to the pla- 
 ces to which they refpectively belong. 
 The Gallions that are to return. into 
 Spain, go to Havana, in the land of 
 Cuba, where they wait forthe Arrival of — 
 the Flota of le Vera-Grux in New Spain; 
 as {oon as that has joyn'd ‘em, they con- 
 
 tinue their Courfe together, pafling thro’ 
 the Channel of Bahama along the Coaft 
 of Florida, they touch at the Ifland of 
 Bermudos, where they commonly meet 
 with Advice of the State of Affairs in 
 Europe, and with orders to dire& them 
 how to avoid any difafters, and to per- 
 form their Voyage in fafety.. As for 
 the Gallions of Peru, after they. have 
 taken ina new Cargo: at Panama, they 
 return to Lia, fteering divers. Courfes, 
 becaufe of the Contrariety of the Wind, 
 which keeps *em, Two.or Three Months 
 at Sea. Being -there, they: difpofe of 
 
 - what they have for Perv: Andthe reft 
 of the Goods is taken off by the Mer- 
 nate chants 
 
upthe Rdela Plata. 59 
 chants of Chili, who give’ a great many 
 Commodities of their Country in ex- 
 change for’em; as Goats-leather, which 
 in the Language of the Country iscall’d 
 Cordouan, Cordage, Hemp, Pitch and 
 Tar, Oyls, Olives, and Almonds, and 
 above all a great quantity of Duft of 
 Gold, which is taken out of the Rivers 
 of Capiapo, Coquinbo, Baldivia, and others 
 which fall into the South-Sea. And ‘now 
 we are {peaking of the Commodities of . 
 Chili, fome fmall matter muft be faid 
 concerning this great Province or King- 
 dom. At the Mouths of thofe Rivers, 
 of which I have juft been {peaking, there 
 are. good Ports, and Cities, each of which | 
 confift of about 4 or 500 Houfes, and 
 thofe fufficiently ftock’d with People. 
 The moft confiderable Cities upon the 
 Sea-Coaft, are Batdivia , la Conception , 
 Copiapo and Cogquinbo.’ Baldivia is Forti- 
 fied, and has a Garrifon in it, ufually 
 -composd only of Banifh’d Men, and. 
 -Malefactors of the Jvdies'; the Three o- - 
 thers are Cities of Trade. Farther’ u; 
 in the Countrey is St. Fago de Chili , 
 which is the Capital of all Chi,’ where 
 “there is likewife a {trong Garrifon, and 
 fome regular Troops, by reafon of the 
 -continual War they have with ‘the $2- 
 PHO : vages 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
53 -2ut Voyage to Peru 
 vages; icall'd Aoucans. Beyond it in the 
 Mountains, ‘lies the little Province of 
 Chicuito, of which the principal “Places 
 are St. Fuan de la Frontera, and Mendoca, 
 round about. thefe’Towns, there grows 
 a great deal of Corn, and abundance of 
 Vines, which furnifh the Country of 
 Chili, and the Province of Tucuman as far 
 as Buenos Ayres. 3 
 Three Weeks after my Arrival at Po- 
 tof 5 ‘there ‘were great rejoycings made 
 for the Birth of the Prince of Spaiz , 
 which “lafted for a Fortnight together, 
 during which time’all Work | ceafed; 
 throughout the City, in the Mines, and in 
 the Adjacent places, and all the People 
 great and {mall, whether Spaniards, For — 
 reigners, Indians , or Blacks , minded 
 nothing elfe but to do fomething extra- 
 ordinary for the Solemnizing of | this 
 Feftival. It began with a Cavalcade; 
 made by the Corregidor, the Twenty 
 four Magiftrates of the City, the other — 
 Officers, the Principal’ of the Nobility 
 and Gentry, and the moft eminent Mer- 
 chants of the City ; all richly Cloth’d. 
 All the reft of the People, and particu- 
 Tarly the Ladies being at the Windows; 
 and cafting down abundance ‘of ‘per- 
 fum'd Waters, and great) quantities of 
 : dry 
 

 
 
 
 uptheR. dela Plata. 39 
 dry Sweet-meats. The following-days 
 they had. {everal Plays, fome of which 
 they call Juegos de Toros, others Fuegos 
 de Cannas, Several forts Of Mafquerades, 
 Comedies, Balls, with Vocal and Inftru- 
 mental Mufick, and other Divertifements, 
 which were carry’d on one day by the 
 Gentlemen, another day by the Citizens; 
 one while by the Gold-fmiths, another 
 while by the Miners ;'fome by the Peo- 
 _ ple of divers Nations, others’ by the Iz- 
 
 _ dians, and all with great Magnificence, 
 and a prodigious Expence.’ The Re- 
 joycings of the Indians deferve a par- 
 ticular remark, for befides that they 
 were richly cloth’d, and after a different 
 - manner, and that Comical enough ; with | 
 their Bows and Arrows ; they in one. 
 Night and Morning, in the Chief Pubs 
 ‘ lick place of the City, prepar’d a Gar- 
 den inthe form ofa Labyrinth, the Plats 
 of which were adorn’d with Fountains 
 {pouting out Waters, furnifhed with all 
 forts of Trees’ and Flowers, full of 
 Birds, and all forts of Wild-beafts, as 
 Lions, ‘Tygers and other. kinds; in the 
 — midft of which they exprefs'd their Joy 
 a Thouland different ways, with extra- 
 ordinary Ceremonies. The laft day 
 fave one furpafsd all the reft, and that 
 was 
 
60 A Voyage.to Pern 
 
 was a,Race at the Ring, which was per- 
 form’d at the Charge of the City with 
 very furpizing Machines.  Firft there 
 appear'd a Ship. Tow'd along’ by Sava- 
 ges, of the bulk and burden of a 100 
 Tuns, with her Guns and Equipage of 
 Men cloth’d in Curious Habit, her An- 
 chors, Ropes, and Sails {welling with 
 the Wind, which very luckily blew a- 
 long the Street through which they 
 drew her to the great publick place, 
 where as foon as fhe arriv’d, fhe faluted 
 the Company, by the difcharge of all 
 her Canon; and atthe fame time a Spa- 
 nifh Lord, reprefenting an Emperor of 
 the Eaf?, coming to Congratulate the 
 Birth of the Prince, came out of. the 
 Veffel attended with Six Gentlemen, and 
 a very fine Train of Servants that led 
 their Horfes, which they mounted, and 
 ‘fo went to falute the Prefident of Los 
 ‘Charcas, and while they were making 
 their Compliment to him, their Horfes 
 kneel’d down, and kept in that Pofture, 
 having been taught this Trick before. 
 They afterwards went to falute the Cor- 
 regidor, and the Judges of the Field; 
 from whom when they had receiv'd-per- 
 miffion.to run at the Ring againft the 
 Defendants, they acquitted: ‘thenfelves 
 
 
 
_upthe R. delaPlata. 61 
 with great Gallantry, and receiv’d yery 
 fine prizes diftributed by the, hands of 
 the Ladies. The face at the Ring be- 
 ing finifh'd, the Ship and a great many 
 other {mall Barks that. were brought 
 thither advanc'd to ‘attack a — great 
 ~ Caftle wherein Crommel the Protector, 
 who was then in War with the King of 
 Spain, was feign'd to be fhut up ; and 
 after a pretty long Combat of Fire- 
 works ; the fire took hold of the Ship, 
 the fmall Barkes, and the Caftle- and 
 
 all was.confum’d together. After this — 
 
 a great many pieces of Gold and Silver 
 were diftributed and thrown among the 
 People in the Name of his Catholick 
 Majefty : And there were fome particu- 
 Jar Perfons that had the prodigality to 
 throw away Two or Three Thoufand 
 Crowns a Man among the Mob. The 
 Day following thefe Rejoycings were 
 concluded by a Proceffion, made from 
 the great Church to that of the Recol- 
 lects,.in which the Holy Sacrament was 
 carry d, attended with all the Clergy 
 and,Laiety 5 and becaufe the way from 
 one.of thefe Churches to the other had 
 
 been. unpay'd for the Celebration of the, 
 
 other Rejoycings, they repair’d. it for 
 this.Proceffion with Barrs of Silver, 
 } ; with 
 
62 “A Voyage to Peru 
 with which all the way was entirely 
 coverd. The Altar where the Hoft was 
 to be Lodg'd in the Church of the Re- 
 collects was fo furnifh’d with Figures , 
 Veflels, and Plates of Gold and Silver , 
 adorn’d. with Pearles, Diamonds,. and - 
 other Precious Stones, that {carce ever 
 could any thing be feen more Rich : 
 For the Citizens brought thither all the 
 rareft Jewels they had. The extraordi- 
 nary Charge of this whole time of Re- 
 joycing, was reckon’d to amount to a- 
 bove 500000 Crowns. sj . 
 Thefe Divertifements being. ended, the 
 re{t of the time that I continued at Poto/, 
 was employ'd in compleating the Sale 
 of the Goods, the Inventories of which ] 
 had brought with me, and I oblig’d my 
 felf to caufe thefe Goods to be deliver'd 
 ina certain time. at Awxui, and.to pay 
 all the Charge of Carriage fo far. I. 
 took moft of my Payment in Silver, 
 namely in Patagons, Plate, Barrs, and. 
 Pignas, which is Virgin-filver ; and the 
 re{t in Vigogue Wool, and when I had 
 quite finifh’d. the bufinefs for, which I 
 was fent to Potof; 1 left the place to 
 return to Buenos Ayres the fame way I, 
 came. I loaded all my Bales upon Mules, 
 which is the ordinary way of Carriage 
 disc to 
 
up the R.dela‘Plata. 63 
 
 to.pafs the Moutains which divide Pery 
 from Iucuman. But.when,I wasarriv'd 
 at Awxui, I thought meet to make ufe of 
 Waggons, which is much more Com- 
 modious, and thus I continu’d my Tra~ 
 vels; and after a. Journey of 4 Months 
 happily arriv‘d at the River of Lucans 
 which is 5 Leagues from Buexos Ayres 5 
 where I met with Ignatio Maleo, who 
 was got thither before me 5. he came thi- 
 ther by the River in a little Boat, which 
 we refolv'd to make ufe of, to convey 
 moft of the Silver I had brought with 
 me, privately to our Ship; we thought 
 meet to take this Courfe to avoid the 
 ri{que we muft have run of being Con- 
 fifcated, if we had brought our Veffel by 
 Buenos Ayres, becaufe. of the Prohibition 
 of the Exportation of Gold and Silver, 
 tho’ this order is not always very regu- 
 larly obferv'd, the Governour fometimes, _ 
 fuffering it to be. carried out privately, 
 Conniving at it, for fome prefent, or 
 elfe not being very ftrict in taking no- 
 
 tice OF ihet. oy “and Se 
 _I. mnuft not omit here to tell the rea 
 fon why the Spaniards will not fuffer the. 
 Silver of Pern,and of other Neighbouring 
 Provinces to beTranfported by the River 
 of la Plata, nor all forts of Veflels to go 
 | a and 
 
64 98) A Voyage to Peru 
 
 and Trade’ there without Permiflion : 
 Ie’is from this Confideration, that if 
 they fhould give way to a free Trade 
 on that fide, where the Country is good 
 and Plentiful, the Earth Fruitful, The 
 Air wholefome, and Carriage Commo- 
 - dious; the Merchants that Trade in Pe- 
 rut, Chili, and Tucuman, would foon 
 - quit the way of the Gallions, and the 
 Ordinary Paffages through the North 
 and South-Seas, and through the Conti- 
 ~ nent, which is difficult and Incommodi- 
 ous ; and would take the way of Bue- 
 wos Ayres: And this would infallibly 
 — caufe moft of the Cities of the Conti- 
 nent to be deferted, where the Air 1s 
 bad, and the Neceflaries and Accomo- 
 dations of Life are not to be had in fuch 
 
 & plenty. 
 
 ~ When we had fecur’d our Silver by 
 the precaution we had usd, I came to 
 Buenos Ayres with the reft of our Goods; 
 where I was no fooner Arriv’d, butour | 
 
 return to Spaiz was refolvd°on. But — 
 
 ~ leaft any thing fhould be found on board 
 “ us to give occafion for any Seizure, when 
 the Kings Officers fhould make their nfu- 
 ~ al Vifit on-our Veffel, before it went out 
 of the Port; we thought convenient at 
 
 ~ firft to Embark only thofe ona 
 

 
 up the Ro de\fa Plata. 265 
 that took up the moft room, as Vigegne 
 Wool, Leather of {everal. forts, amongft 
 others 16000 Bulls-hides,. witha great ma- 
 ny other Bales and Chefts belonging to the 
 Paffengers that were to return with us, and 
 about: 30000 Crowns in Silver, which is 
 the largeft Sum that is permitted to be carri- 
 ed away, to fupply all neceffary charges that 
 may occur in the Voyage, and to pay of 
 the Ship... But after this Vifi¢ was made, 
 we made.an end of Embarking. the ‘Silver 
 we had hidden, which with the reft of the 
 Lading might amount to about Three Mil- 
 lions. of Livers. a ee 
 
 We parted from Buexos Ayres in the Month 
 of May 1659, in company. of a Dutch, 
 Veffel, Commanded by Ifaac de Brac,which 
 was alfo richly Laden; he engag’d -us to 
 fteer our Courfe with him, becaufe hisShip 
 Jeak'd ; and this fault incréafing in the fe- 
 quel of the Voyage, we were oblig’dto put _ 
 in at the Ifland of Ferzande de Lorona,with- 
 in 3 Degrees and a half of the Line on the 
 South-fide. It prov'd well for-us, as well 
 ‘as for the Dutch, that we ftop’d here. For 
 having a mind for fear of the worft to take 
 in a new Provifion of Frefh-Water here, 
 we perceiv d the greateft part of that we had 
 taken in at Buenos Ayres was run out, and 
 ofa Hundred Barrels, which we thought we 
 had remaining of our Store; we had but 
 
 ) Thirty 
 
66 . AV oyage. to Peru ... 
 Thirty, left. Therefore tho’ the Water. we 
 found there had a very flat Tafte, and had 
 this ill quality, that it prefently caft, them 
 that drank of st into a Loofenels,, we were 
 however neceffitated to fill our Barrels with 
 it. And an Accident unhappy enough 
 befell thofe.of our Men that went to fetch 
 it from the Rock out of which it {prang, 
 for having ftripp'd themfelves almoft naked, 
 to work the more commodioufly, the heat 
 of the Sun fcorch’d,’em fo. vehemently, that 
 it made their Bodies all over red, and after- 
 wards thofe parts upon which the Sun dart- 
 ed its Rays with the greateft violence,were. 
 full. of-Buboes and.Puftules, which were 
 very troublefome, and made ‘em very un- 
 eafie for a Fortnights ‘Time. 
 » Iwent.athore to fee this Ifland, which is 
 about a League and an half in-compafs, and 
 “uninhabited... One of our Pilots told me 
 that the Datch poflefs'd it, while they held 
 Fermanbuesin Brafl, and that they hada 
 fmall Fort there, fome {mall remains. of 
 which were {till left, that they fow'd Mil- 
 Jet and Beans there, of which they hada 
 tolerable Crop, and that they; bred up, a 
 great many Fowls, Goats and Hogs... We — 
 {aw a great number of Birds, of which fome — 
 were good to eats we continud there © 
 Four days, but when ‘we faw the Dutch — 
 ‘sould not be fo. foon ina condition to con- — 
 3 tinue 
 
up the R.dela Plata. 67 
 tinue their Voyage, being oblig’d to put — 
 their Cargo afhore, and today their Veffel 
 ‘upon one fide to refit 5 we fet fail, and af- 
 ter a Voyage fufficiently troublefome by 
 the Stonms we fufter’d, which fometimes 
 
 » drove us towards'the Coafts of Florida, and 
 _fometimes upon others, we at laft difcover'd 
 the Coafts of Spaiz. Inftead of going to 
 Cadiz, being under apprehenfions of meet- _ 
 -aing the Exglifh who were ftill at War with 
 the Spaniards, we thought convenient to 
 make to St. Azdero, where we happily ar- 
 riv'd about the middle of Avgw#. We were 
 immediatly inforn’d that the Spanifh Galli- 
 ons came to Moor at the fame Port in their 
 return from Mexico, for the fame’ reafon 
 that brought us thither, and that they fet 
 Sail but Two days before our Arrival.’ And 
 becaufe the Officers of the King of Spzim, 
 that had been fent to ‘em were {till there, 
 we thought beft to treat with them, as well. 
 to fave the Fine we had incurr'd, for not re- 
 turning to the place from whence we were 
 ent out, as that we might not be troubled 
 with a vifit fromthem. And for 4000 Pa- 
 tagons, which we prefented ‘em, we wete 
 --excus'd and exempted fromany fearch. We 
 therefore put our Silver and other Commo- 
 dities afhore there, part of which was after- 
 wards fent to Bilboa, and part to St. Sebaffi- 
 an, where in alittle time they were fold 
 Sei). Sa and 
 
68 A Voyage to Pera’ 
 eand difttibuted: to feveral: Merchants; who 
 _-\Pranfported “em to divers places to put’‘em 
 off. When ‘we had finifhed the Sale ofall 
 vourCommodities,there was an exact account 
 {tated among thofe that were concern’d in 
 the Ship; both of their Charge'and Profitof — 
 this Voyage ; about the detail of which I 
 fhall not trouble my head: I fhall only fay, — 
 -to give a fhort account’of it in Grofs; that | 
 “the Charge confifted firft in 290000'Crowns — 
 employ’d in buying the Goods with which — 
 our Veffel was Loaded at Cadiz, and in pay - 
 ing the Dues of Exportation from Spaiz. — 
 - 74000 Livers for the Freight of the Veflel 
 »for 19 Months, at the rate of 3200 Livers 
 per Month, 43000 Livers more for the pay 
 of 76 Seamen great and {mall:for the time, 
 ‘at the rate of ro Crowns per Month one 
 with another. 30000 ‘Crowns fpent» in 
 -Victualling the Ship for that time, as well 
 ‘for the Ships Crew as for the Paflengers, 
 there being a very good Provifion made, be- — 
 caufe in-thofe long Voyages beyond the 
 Line the Sailers muft have good ’Suftenance, — 
 and the Paffengers muft-have a great many 
 Sweet-meats, good Liquors, and other’ Coft- 
 ly things. » More 2000 Crowns for" the 
 Dues of Entry at Buewos Apres, andin Pre- — 
 fents to the Officers of the Place sand 1060 © 
 “Crowns in‘ Cuftom at our going from 
 ‘thence ; more in’ Expences, Impofts and | 
 “aa Charges 
 
 
 
up the R..de la Plata. 69 
 -Charges in carrying our Goods from Buenos 
 Ayres to-Potofi, and from, Potof to Buenos 
 | Ayres, at the rate of 20 Crowns fora Quin- 
 ‘tal or. 100. weight; more 4000 Crowns to 
 -procure.an Exemption from being fearch’d 
 
 and vifited.at our return to Spaiz, And in. 
 fine fome other Expences, as well in Cu= 
 ftoms of Entry, when we Landed) our 
 Goods in Spaiz, as in fome other things not 
 fore-feen, which did not amount to any 
 great Sums. Thefe. were almoft all. the 
 Principal. Articles of the Charge, which 
 being. .deducted and paid, the Profit was 
 found to amount to 250 per Cent. Compre- 
 hending that which was got by the, Hides, 
 which came to 15 Livers a piece, that being 
 the Ordinary Price, tho’ they coft but a 
 Crown at the firft hand-; and likewife what 
 was got by the Paffengers, of whom we had 
 above 50 On board us, aswell in going as 
 coming, which was not inconfiderable s for 
 one Man who. had nothing but his Cheft 
 paid 800,Crowns, and the ref{t paid propot- 
 tionably for their Paffage and Diet. _ | 
 ,..Weweretold at St.Audero, that the Dutch 
 ‘WVeflels which.we had feen at Buezos Ayres 
 _were Safely. arriv'd at Amfterdam, but that 
 the Spanijh Embaflador being infornyd that 
 they came from the River de Ja Plata, and 
 had bronght thence a prodigious Quantity 
 of Silver and other Commodities, as. well 
 ee ee - > 8 _ en 
 
 CAs \ i 
 
70. iA Voyage to Peru 
 on the account of (ome Dutch Merchants, as 
 for feveral Spaniards; who had’ taken the 
 opportunity of the return of thefe Veffels to 
 come back into Ezrope, and had remitted 
 their Money from Az/terdam to Cadiz and 
 Sevil by Bills of Exchange,’ 'befides the 
 - Dutch‘ Goods which they fent thither, had 
 given advice of it tothe Council for the Jrz- 
 dies at Madrid, who judged this Money 
 and thefe Effects liable to Confifcation, 'be- 
 caufe all Spaniards are Prohibited from 
 Trading upon Forreign Veffels, and‘ from 
 Tranfporting Silverto any other place be- 
 
 fides Spain 5 and accordingly*had {eiz’d and © 
 
 confifcated the’ greateft part of em, the reft 
 being faved by the precautions fome of the 
 Merchants took , who were not fo much in 
 hafte as the others. The fame Embaffador 
 having remonftrated at the fame time, what 
 would be the Confequence of Tolerating 
 Strangers to continue to trade in the River 
 of Plata, without putting any’ reftraint 
 upon “em, the Council had to much regard 
 
 to his advice; asto Equip a Veflelwithall 
 
 fpeed at. St. Sebaftian, which they Loaded 
 
 with Arms and'Men, to fend ‘to! Byexos 
 Ayres with very ftrict orders.as well to {eize 
 she Perfon of the Governor for having fuf- 
 fer'd thefe Dutch Veflels to come and Trade 
 
 in the Country, asto take anexaaccount — 
 
 of the Acquaintance and Intelligerice the 
 
 Dutch 
 
 
 
 oe Oe a Rees ee NE Se 
 
up the R, de la\ Plata. Rs 
 
 Dutch had gotten there, as alfo to - reefta-. 
 blith things fo well there, in fortifying the 
 
 Garrifons, and in Arming them better than 
 they had yet been in time paft, that for the 
 Future they might be in a condition to re- 
 
 fift Forreigners, and to hinder their De- 
 
 {cent and Communication in the Country. 
 
 Soon after our Arrival, Iguatio Maleo the 
 Captain of our Ship, receiv’d an Order 
 from the Court of Spaiz to come to Madrid, 
 to inform the, Council for the Indies of the 
 Condition in which he found and. left 
 things at Buenos Ayres: He was defirous 
 thatI would accompany him thither, which 
 I did. Asfoon as wearriv’d at. Madrid, he 
 gave in the Memoires, not only of al] he 
 had obferv’d in the River of Plata, but 
 alfo of the means that might be us’d to hin- 
 der Strangers from having the leaft thoughts 
 of Trading there, and that firft by keeping 
 
 Two good Men of War at the Mouth of 
 the River, to difpute and hinder the Paf- 
 {age of {uch Merchant Ships as fhould at- 
 
 tempt.to go up to Buenos Ayres; in the 
 
 fecond place by fending every Year Two 
 . Ships Loaded with all things the People of 
 
 ..thofe: parts have occafion for... That being 
 
 this. way (fafficiently fupply’d, they mighe 
 
 - have no.thoughts of favouring the defcent 
 
 and entrance of Strangers, when they fhould - 
 -. come thither.’ He moreover made a propo- 
 
 me. 
 

 
 7% asd Voyage to Peru 
 {al..of changing the ufual Way of carrying 
 Goods, which are fent to Peru, and brought 
 them by the Way of the Gallions>; =that it 
 might befettled on the River of Plata; from 
 whence he affur'd ‘em, -the Carriage of ‘em 
 ‘by Land to Peru, would be more conveni- 
 ently perform’d; and ata cheaper Rate; as 
 well,as with lefs Rifque, than any other 
 
 Way. But of all thefe Propofals the Goun- 
 
 cil of Spaiz relifh’d only that of :fending 
 to Buenos-Ayres Two. Veflels laden= with 
 Commodities proper for the Country: And 
 Mateo having obtain'd.a Grant, anda €om- 
 muiflion for. this Purpofe, upon the Affu- 
 - Tance of it, we returnid to Guipufcoa, to 
 make- Preparation for this Voyage, and:to 
 fet our Affairs in order ; which we fo well 
 difpatch’d, that ina little time, we had a 
 Veilel ready to {et fail, which Maleo order'd 
 to be bought at Amfterdam, and to. be 
 brought to the Port from whence we-were 
 to go, being partly laden with Dutch; and 
 -with other Commodities, taken up at»Bay- 
 onne, St. Sébaftian, and Bilboa, bought. in 
 grofs at a Venture, in which Affair I was 
 employ d, having undertaken it by ‘Maleo’s 
 ‘Commitffion. (ie> as yet WE EVE Sey ANS 
 - During thefe Preparations, and: while 
 we waited for the Difpatch of the Grant, 
 that had: been promis’d him by the Council 
 of Spain, it happen'd that the Baron of iy 
 BE ONG RN a ipa 
 
 
 
 
 
 
upithée Rdela'Plata. 73 
 teville being in hafte:to »goointo:Exgland, 
 in Quality:of Ambaflador from: his Catho- 
 lick Majefty ; and: having Orders to make 
 — ufe of the firft Ship that was ready to Sail; 
 
 took Maleo’s Veflel 5. which, yet{ferv'd on- 
 ly tovcarry his Baggage; the King of Great 
 Britain having {ent him a Frigat at the fame 
 time, in which he crofs'd'the Sea. During 
 the Stay, which Maleo was oblig’d to make — 
 in Exgland, he made new Provifion for his 
 
 Voyage tothe Ivdies ; and feeing his Grant 
 was not yet fent him, he thought it expe- 
 dient to take a Commiflion, trom the Ba- 
 ron of Vateville, as Captain-General of the 
 Province of Guipufcoa, in my Name, and 
 that of Pafcoal Hiriarte, commanding his 
 Ship to go in purfuit of the Portuguefe, on 
 the Coaft of Brezil; that this might ferve 
 
 us for a Pretext, to go into the River of 
 Plata. Being fortified with this. Order , 
 
 we embark’d, and having ftopp’d at Hawre 
 
 de Grace to fet N---- afhoar, who thought 
 
 good to return to Madrid, to folicite a 
 
 Commiflion alfo from the Council of Spaiz, 
 
 for the Two Veflels, with which we agreed, 
 that they fhould come and joyn us at Bue- 
 
 nos-Ayres 3 we continued our Courfe, and. 
 
 after many crofs Winds, we arriv‘d in the 
 River of Plata: As we enter’d into it,we 
 
 met’ T wo Dutch Veflels that came from Bue- 
 
 anos Ayres 3 the Captains of which inform’d 
 at 1 Cea ee B thw us, 
 
qs wd Voyage to Perus: 
 
 us, that one of em could by no means-ob- 
 
 tain leaveto Trade there; but that: the o~ 
 
 ther Arriving there before him; in a-con- 
 
 juncture when the Government was oblig’d 
 
 tofend avery important Meflage in all hafte 
 
 / to his “Catholick Majefty, relating to. his 
 
 Service, was fo happy, by the promife he 
 
 made of taking the Courrier, who was or- 
 
 der'd for Spaix on board him; as to: find 
 
 means of difpofing of all his Goods,» and 
 
 of bringing away a very Rich Cargo, in 
 which he fpake the very Truth ; for he had 
 
 _ the prudence before he came to the Port, to 
 take out his richeft Goods, and leave ‘em 
 iman Ifland below, and only referv'd thofe 
 of the greateft bulk to be exposd to the 
 View of the Officers, of which he had made 
 a falfe Envois at the price of the Country, 
 feparate from the general one, and had 
 made the Value of his Cargo to amount to 
 270000 Crawns. He agreed with the Go- 
 vernor to leave thefe Goods with him, pro- 
 vided he would give him for ‘em 22000 
 Hides at a Crown apiece, 12000 pound of 
 Vigogue Wool at 4 Livers ro Sous sper 
 Pound, ane 30000 Crowns in Silver to pay 
 the Charges. of Equipping his Ship which 
 was perfortn'daccordingly.' But under the 
 pretence of his Bargain, and-while the Lea~ 
 ther was Loading in the Veflel, the Cap- 
 
 tain under-hand fold his Richeft Commo-_ 
 ae | 3 dities, 
 
 PO mT ao aL PIN NL ee igh LL PD NA ag Te A ag Ee A, AO 
 
up the R: dela Plata. 75 
 dities, and ‘for the Value of “em ‘which a~ 
 mounted to: rooo00 Crowns, he got at leaft? 
 400000.’ Thus the Captain of the Ship’ 
 and the Governor both made a great Ad- 
 vantage; but this Governor whofe Name 
 is Dow Alonzade Mercado and de Villacorta, 
 being a very difinterefted Man, and not'at 
 all greedy of Money, declar'd that the Pro~ 
 fitof this bufinefs was for the King his 
 Mafter, and gave him advice of it by this 
 Courrier. | . v 
 
 Being feparated from thefe Veffels, we 
 came’ to an Anchor. before Buenos Ayres 
 but for all the Inftances and Offers we could — 
 make one time after another to’ this Go- 
 vernor, we could never obtain’ his Permif- 
 fion to put our Goods afhore, and to expofe 
 ‘em to Sale to the People of the Place ; be- 
 caufe we had no Licence for it from Spain. 
 He only confented to let us go into the 
 City from time to time to procure Victuals 
 for our Men, and fuch other Neceffaries as 
 we wanted. He treated us with this Rigour 
 for Eleven Months, after which there hap- 
 pen’d an Occafion which oblig’d him to 
 ufe us better, and to enter into a fort ofan 
 Accommodation with us. ‘There was ano- 
 ther Spazifh Ship in the Port, the fame that 
 ‘a’Year before had brought Troops and 
 Arms from Spatz, to reinforce the Garifons 
 ‘of Buenos Ayres, and of Chil, of which ] 
 mah have 
 
76 Voyage to Perit: » 
 
 have fpoken above; which contin’d here 
 all this time.upon her own. private bufinels, 
 but the Captain that Commanded her could 
 not manage his Affairs with fo much fecre- 
 cy, but.it came to. the Governor's Ear, that 
 he defign’d in prejudice of the Prohibition 
 that was made, to carry away.a great 
 quantity of Silver, and indeed he feiz'd.on 
 a Sum of 113000 Crowns that was juft rea- 
 dy to be carry'd of, of which the Captain 
 could have no reftitution made ; and fearing 
 a greater difapointment,. namely. that he 
 fhould be feiz’d, he fet Sail.to return into 
 Spain, without waiting for.any Letters for 
 his Catholick Majefty, with which the Go- 
 uernor would have intrufted him, together 
 with the Information. he. had_receiv'd 
 of the Intelligence the Dutch had gotten 
 in the Country, which: he had a mind 
 to fend into Spaiz with.all {peed.,-as 
 well as fome Perfons.whom.he had feiz‘d, 
 ‘that were guilty of holding this Correfpon- 
 _ dence with the Dutch, among. whomthere 
 was a Captain, nam‘d.. Alberta , Fanfon,-a 
 Duich-man, . The flight of this SpazifaVel — 
 fel therefore.oblig'd. the Governor; to,alter 
 his carriage toward us, and.,to facilitate.the 
 Return of our Veffel,. which the thought 
 good to make ufe of, for,want/of another 
 +0 carry his Letters and Prifoners into.Spains 
 upon condition we. would take, upon-us 
 Bry : beet this 
 

 
 up the ‘Ri déla Plata. = 
 this Charge, ‘he fuffer'd' us after“a tacite 
 manner to do‘our bufinels, ‘and ‘to carry off 
 4000 Hides’; but we having great Acquain- 
 tance with the Merchants of the Place, ma- 
 nagd our Affairs fo well, that under the 
 Umbrage of this permiflion, we fold all 
 our Goods, and brought away a Rich Car- 
 ‘go, in Silver, Hides, and other Commodi- 
 ‘ties, after which without loofing any time 
 ‘we took our Courfe for Spain. (a 
 - At our Arrival in the River of Corinna 
 ‘in Gallicia, we receiv'd ‘Advice by the Let- 
 ters which N—— fent us to the Ports upon 
 all the Coafts, that there was an Order from 
 the King of Spaiz to feize us at our return, 
 “becaufe we had been at Buenos Ayres with- 
 out leave.’ Upon this we refolv’d (after 
 we had fent the Letters and Prifoners, that 
 were committed to our Charge to the Go- 
 vernor of Corunna by the hand of the Sér- 
 geant Major of Buezos Ayres, who came a- 
 ‘bout the Affairs of that Country in ‘our 
 Veffel_) to’ pafs out of that River, and to 
 go'6 Leagnes from thence into the Road. 
 of Barias,; where I found a {mall Veflel; in 
 which I loaded the greateft part of what I 
 had ‘on my own account, and that of my 
 Friends. The Governor of Corunna re- 
 ‘ceiving advice ofit, difpatch’d a Hoy af- 
 terme to {top me, but T usd that precautt- 
 ‘on and diligence, that this Hoy could ne- | 
 ee ver 
 
$B 8 Voyage to Peru” 
 ver come up withme, fo that I happily ar- 
 riv'din' ‘France atthe Port of Socez, where 
 Iby this means favd the fruit of my La- 
 bours. and long Voyage. The great Ship 
 which Ileft.in the Road of Berizs had not — 
 fo favourable a Lot, and one may fay, was 
 fhip-wrack’d at the very Port; for having 
 leftthe Road of Bavias, to get {peedily to 
 that of Saztonge, to'fecure all the Goods 
 fhe had on boatd, except 4000 Hides, of 
 which her Bill of Lading gave an account, 
 and having begun'to put 600 Hides into ‘a 
 Dutch Veflel that fhe met there, the bad 
 Weather conftraind her to put. in at 'the 
 Port from whence fhe firft went out, where 
 fhe was Confifcated with all her Cargo for 
 the ufe of the King of Spaiz, under the pre- 
 tence before {poken of, that fhe had not the 
 Permiflion of his Catholick Majefty for her 
 MOVES AHES St od oe . 
 - While thefe things were tranfacting, the 
 Sergeant Major of Buenos Ayres Arriv’d at 
 Macrid, and the King of Spain having 
 Caufed the Informations he brought to be 
 examin'’d, which principally infi{ted upon 
 the neceffity there was of fending‘new Re- 
 cruits of Men and. Ammunition,’ ’to ‘aug- 
 ment the Carifonsof Buenos Ayres, and of 
 Chili, the better to fecure the Country a- 
 gaint the Enterprizes of Strangers, and al- 
 {o from the attempt of the Savages of Chili, 
 \ im- 
 

 
 up the R. dela Plata. 79 
 
 immediately orderd Three Veflels. to be 
 Equippd for this. purpofe, the Command 
 of which was given to N—. There was 
 good ftore of Ammunition Embark’d in 
 ‘em, but for Recruits of Souldiers, there 
 were but 300 Men, of whom the greateft 
 part were fent into Chiz. In the fame Vef- 
 {el there were Lawyers fent, to form a 
 Court of Common-Juftice, which they call 
 an Audience, at Buenos Ayres,. where there 
 were only fome Officers for the Decifions of 
 Petty Matters before, the Greater Caufes be- _ 
 ing remitted to the Audience that is Efta- 
 blifhed at Chaquifaca, otherwife calI'd lz 
 Plata, inthe Province of Los Chareas, 500 
 _ Leagues from Buenos Ayres. 
 
 When N-— return’d from this Voyage, 
 he came to Oyarfoz in the Province of Gui- 
 pufcoa his Native Country, from whence 
 he fent me an account of himfelf, and we 
 agreed to have a fecret Enterview upon the 
 Frontiers; accordingly we met, and gave 
 one another an account of the Affairs in 
 which we were both concern’d; and by 
 this account we found there were about 
 60000 Livers due from him to me; which - 
 he has not yet paid. 
 
 Be DIN. deere 
 

 
 
 

 
 JOURNAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TRAVELS || 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN GRILLET, 
 
 AND 
 
 
 
 
 FRANCIS BECHAMEL 
 LN, FO 
 
 GULAN GA 
 |) Inthe Year, 2674: 
 
 IN 
 Order to Difcover the Great Lake 
 of PA RIM 4A, and the many Cities 
 faid to be fituated on its Banks, and 
 | reputed the Riche(ft in the WoRLD. 
 
 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for Saruel Buckley. 169 8. 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
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 3 +N ee: pat » rey ye 
 
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 AMER dows 19 
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 A Letter written’ from 
 the Ifland of Cayenne, in the Month 
 of September, 1674. 
 
 3 Cayenne, Sept. 2. 
 
 3 1674. 
 
 Reverend Father, mn 
 
 a HE Difcovery that I and Father Be- 
 
 - chamel, have made of divers Savage 
 
 Nations on the Continent of Guiana, ‘wear the 
 
 Ifland of Cayenne, obliges me to draw wp z 
 
 brief Relation of our Voyage, and to prefent it to 
 
 your Reverence, that jon may know what En- 
 ployment we may have here, and how man 
 
 Miffionaries nay find a fit Occafion for the Ex- 
 
 ercife of their Zeal. If I had had fome Com- 
 
 pavions whom I might have left with the Nou- 
 ragues aud the Acoquas, I fhoyld have pierc’'d 
 much farther into the Country , but the Nou- 
 ragues who were our Guides, not daring toad- 
 vance farther into the Country of the Acoquas,to 
 retain the good will of ’ex both, we fhould have 
 left a Milfionary in each of thefe Nations, that 
 the Acoquas might have conduded us to their 
 
 _ Friends, who (as far as I can conjecture) reach 
 
 quite to the Equinottial Line. We might alfo 
 
 have pafsd to the Weft of the River Maroni, 
 and have enter'd into an Alliance with the Naz 
 tions that extend to the River of Surinam, 
 ~ gpor which the Dutch have planted (1) 4 Co- 
 
 T2 lony 
 
 Fd 
 
lony: but fince we have confir'd our felves to 
 thofe Countries that are from Ibree Degrees of 
 Northern Latitude to the Equinottial Line, 
 we need not be afraid that the People of any 
 European Nation will trouble usin our Mif- 
 frons, becanfe there's no gain to be made by 
 "em + befides, that we run the rifque of being 
 Maffacred by the Natives. ‘Tis: from your 
 Reverence that me expect Support and Ajfi(t- 
 ance fo far as you are capable, and fhall think 
 convenient in fending us Miffionaries of aVi- 
 gorous Conftitution, of great Vertue, and of 4 
 Difpofttion ready ta fuffer hardfhips ,, becanfe 
 in thefe parts there can little or no Accommoda- 
 tions be brought to relieve them in cafe. of Sick- 
 nels; for the lefs one carries thither fo much 
 the better 3 befides that the Igvorauce and Bar- 
 barity of thofe People almays give a Miffionary 
 juft occafion to fear, that they take up mifchie- 
 vous Refolutions against him at the very firft 
 foadow of diffatisfattion they receive, I ex- 
 ped here a good number of Miffionaries to dif- 
 pofe up and down this uaft Country; and I 
 hope your Reverence will not refufe this Re- 
 queft ; which obliges me particularly to recon 
 mend my felf to your good Prayers, who ane 
 
 Reverend Father, 2g 
 Your moft Humble, and moft Obedient 
 Servant in our Lord; Jobe Grillet, of 
 
 bie the Society of FESOS. 3 an) yt : mi 
 
 fA 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 7 i ~ oP 
 TRAVELS, ¢« 
 SHE Reverend Father Francis, Mer- 
 _cier having been {ent from France, 
 in Quality of Vifitor of the Miffi- 
 ons, of our Society, both in the Iflands, 
 and Continent of the Southern America, by 
 the Reverend: Father, Fohz Pizet, Provin- 
 cial of the Jefuits in France; with the 
 Reverend Father Gerard Brioz, Superior- 
 General of the faid Miffions, and Father 
 Mace, and Father Alarole ; he arriv'd in the 
 Ifland of Cayenne the 21/¢ of December,1673; 
 and parted thence Ten Days after : Du- 
 ring his Stay there, he regulated divers 
 ‘Affairs, as well Temporal as Spiritual ; and. 
 among other Things, finding we had yet 
 no Knowledge. of any other People, bue 
 the Galibis, and Aracarels, our Neighbours, 
 who dwell near the Sea, and among repaee 
 | 3 ~ the 
 
P. Travels in Search of 
 the Fathers of our Society employ’d their 
 Talents, with abundance of Zeal ; he re- 
 folv'd to attempt a Difcovery of thofe Na- 
 tions that lie remote from the Sea. It was 
 _ my Happinefs to be chofen for fo pious a 
 - Werk; and J. was particularly inftrutted 
 by my Orders, to difcover the Acoguas, a 
 vety populous Nation, according to the 
 Report, fome Nouragues, who frequent the 
 Galivis, gave us; withal, telling us, they 
 were-a:, Warlike People; and us'd to eat 
 Men. One of thefe Nouragues being ask'd, 
 
 verend Father-Vifitor, If it were true, that 
 the Acoquas us‘d to eat their Exemies, an- 
 fwer'd, “That he came frone’em Four Months 
 ago, and then they had just made an end of 
 boiling in their Pots, and eating a Nation, 
 which they had deftrey'd. 1 defir'd the Re- 
 verend Father, Francis Bechamel, for my 
 Comrade, who has a great Deal of Zeal 
 for thefe Miffions, and has an extraordina- 
 ry Faculty of learning ftrange Languages s 
 befides that, he already underftood the 
 Tongue of the Galbis, which many of the 
 Nouragues alfo {peak 5; fome of whom we 
 were oblig’d totake for our Guides, to 
 conduct us to the Acoguas 3 for we yet 
 know no other Way to come at em, but 
 through the Country of the Nouragues : And 
 Father Bechamel took care to provide fome 
 
 ' Galibjs, 
 
 
 
 
 
the Lake of Patima.' 3 
 _ Galibis, to condu& us‘ to the> Nosragnes, 
 who dwell above the Source of the River 
 (2) Ovia, and to buy fome Cyfave and 
 Pafte of (3) Ovicou for his Voyage; which 
 we counted would be for about Ten Days. 3 
 This Father having provided all Necef- 
 faries 3 namely, Three Galibis, fome Caffe, 
 and Pajte of Ovicou, in hopes of finding 
 by the good Providence of God, either Fith, 
 or Venifon, with the Affiftance of our Indi- 
 ans, we left the Port of Cayenne the 25th 
 of Fanuary, taking our Leave of thé Reve~ 
 rend Father Brioz, Superior-General, and 
 Father Mace, and Father Bechet 5 but: par- 
 ticularly of the (4) Chevalier de Lezy, our 
 Governour,who did usthe Honour to con- 
 duct us together, with the Fathers of our 
 Society, quite to the Cazoo, in which we 
 embark’d in the Afternoon, having our Fi- 
 _ {herman to f{teer the Cazoo, and’ Threedz- 
 dian Galibix to row with our Two Ser- 
 vants. All of us were of Opinion, That 
 our Canoo was too {mally iand imdeed. it 
 would have prov’d fo, if we had embark- 
 ed at the coming up of the Tide, forat that 
 time ‘the Waves are very rough near the 
 Shoar ; but we avoided this Danger by em- 
 barking a little before the Tide came up 5 
 fo that we were out of all danger when the 
 Fide began to drive us into the’ River, 
 which gives its Name to this Hland 5 be- 
 oa poe des 
 
F Travels’ in Search: of 
 
 fides, our Cavoo being very light, and not 
 eafie to be turn’d, was very fit to’ get clear 
 of feveral little Falls that are inthe River 
 Uvia, which we were to pafs almoft quite 
 through, ‘till we came to the Entrance of 
 a leffer River, that let us into‘the Country 
 of the Nouragnes, the firft Nation that we 
 were willing to be acquainted with, that 
 by their Means we might find a Pafiage to 
 
 the Acogua. Our Way was:betweem the — 
 
 Ifland of Cayenne, and the main Land; and 
 in the Evening*we arrivd at the Houle of 
 one Deflauriers, that had fettled. himfelf 
 there; we continued with him for a certain 
 Reafon, all the next Day, being the 26th of 
 January. Since God was pleas'd to protect 
 and Jead us by the Hand, as:it were in all 
 this Voyage ; we mutt confefs, that it was 
 he who infpir'd us with the Refolution to 
 begin it by the River Uvias for we knew 
 but two Ways of entering into the Coun- 
 try of the Nowragues,one by the River Uviz, 
 and rother by the River (5): Aproagues. this 
 laftis very difficult, becaufe the Falls of the 
 Water are {0 great, that the Szpayes; and 
 
 Galibis, that live at the Mouth of thisRi- 
 
 “Ver, Tequire.a very large Reward tovpet- 
 form: this Voyage ; and indeed; \are the 
 
 more unwilling to undertake: it;/becaufe - 
 
 they are afraid of thofe Nowragues, ‘that eat 
 Humane Flefh : So, that when any of ’em 
 
 go a 
 
 
 
 tala ite 9a 
 
 : ia 
 
 
 
 
 
she Take: of Parima. ‘ 5 | 
 
 go into thofe Parts, they ftay there as little . 
 time as they can: Therefore it is {earce pof- 
 fible to go this Way, and if we had gone 
 it, we fhould have been altogether unac- 
 quainted with thofe: Indiavs, thatdwell — 
 on the Coafts of the River Uzia; and with 
 the Nouragues that dwell above the Source 
 of it. But without knowing any thing of 
 this before, we chofe to pafs into'the Coun- - 
 try of the Nowragues, by the Uviz, and have 
 
 this Way. vifited that whole Nation. 
 ' » Theazth of Fanuary we left the Sieur 
 Deflauriers fomewhat late, and therefore 
 proceeded. but a little way that Day : Our 
 Galibis brought us into a Hut of the (6) 
 Maprouanes, as well to fhelter us froma 
 great Shower of Rain, as to lodge us 
 (7) there that Night... Thefe Maprouanes 
 are about Thirty in Number, who retir’d 
 from. their Country, near the River of A- 
 mazons, to avoid-the. Perfecution of the 
 Portugefe, and of thofe Indians call’d thé © 
 (8) Arianesy, who have almoft. extirpated 
 that Nation: We found nothing there but 
 Caffave and: Ovicon ; and to the 6th of Fe2 
 bruary, we hadnothing but Caffave, befides 
 Two Fifhes, and a Couple of Fowls, which 
 the Galibis took, (which ferv'd us for Four 
 {mall Meals):and a little Piece of Fifth we 
 met with.at another Indian Cottage. 
 
 oni’ | The 
 
~ Our paft Hardthips. 
 
 6 Travels in Search of : 
 
 The 28#4 we arriv'd ata Mountain, where 
 a certain Galibi, nam’d Maure, dwells: 
 this:is Twelve Leagues from the Mouth of 
 the Ovia: And Two Leagues below this 
 Mountain, theLand upon the River, which 
 is hitherto: very low, and almoft always 
 overflow'd, isa high, fine Country, as fat 
 as the Dwelling of the firft Nowragues. 
 
 The 29th we lay ina Wood, and fo we 
 did on the 30th, having pafs'd by a Vil- 
 lage of the Galibi’s, which contain’d but 
 very few People, tomake the bigger: Day’s 
 
 ‘Journey. - | 
 
 ‘The 31 we lodg’d in aGalibi’s Cot- 
 tage, whofe Family confifted of about Six 
 or Seven, but Three or Four of “em were 
 abfent. | | 
 
 “ooThe Firtt of February we pad the Night 
 
 in'the Woods, and on the Second we lay 
 
 at. a Galibi's Cottage agains and this was 
 _ the pooreft, and moft pitiful Hut that ever 
 ‘Tfaw among the Izdians of this Country’; 
 
 there was in it only one Man, and his Wife 
 and Children, who had nothing at all that 
 Day to fup on. One of their Children 
 was much fwell’d, and in a languifhing — 
 
 _ Condition, with a continual Fever, »of 
 
 which we thoughtit could never recover 3; 
 therefore Father Bechamel baptiz'd it's and 
 the Confolation this gave us fweeten'd all 
 oO Tee 
 
 Te 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 the Lake of :Parima: ' 7 
 The Third we went afhoar in the Cotin- 
 try of the Nowragues, after having this Day, 
 and the Day before pafs'd Three Falls in 
 the River Uvia, and another in the River 
 of the Nouragnes 5 but this was nothing in 
 - comparifon of the Falls of Water we were 
 to pafs on the Rivers of Aproague and Ca- 
 utopt. wre ea 
 And it was now time to land, for our. 
 (9) Caffave would have been {pent if we had. . 
 had but a little farther to go in thofe great 
 Defarts, and vaft Forefts, that are all along 
 upon this River; upon which there are 
 no other Cottages but thofe I have been 
 {peaking of, and thofe of fome Galsbis and. 
 Areacarets, who live towards the Mouth: 
 of it, and are in all about a Hundred or 
 Sixfcore Perfons. This River winds very 
 much, and runs a Courfe of near Fifty 
 Leagues. 
 Our Galibis ferv'd us in this Voyage with 
 _ agreatdeal of Refpec, and gave us Accefé - 
 to the Chief of thefe firft Nouragues, to 
 whom we prefented a Hatchet, to engage: 
 him to enter into an Alliance with us; they” 
 did not remember, that they had feen above 
 One French Man before in their Country; - 
 fothat the Women and Girls, who had ne- 
 ver travell'd into the Country of the Gali- 
 bis, were mightily amaz’d at the Sight of © 
 us. If one might judge of the whole Na- 
 oft : tion 
 
8 Travels in Search of 
 tion by thefe People, one might very well 
 fay, the Nouragues are a very courteousand | 
 aftable People. Some of. ‘em could {peak 
 the Language of the Galibis very well, and 
 ferv'd for our Interpreters. They did all they 
 could to feek Provifion, to treat us well 5 
 but being unfuccefsful in their Hunting, we 
 had only Caffave, and a little Meat atone 
 of our Repafts, but with great Demonftra- 
 tions of their Kindnefs. We bought Cafave 
 of “em for the Supply of the Men that be- 
 Yong to our Canoo; and on the Sixth of 
 February, after the Galibis had been treated 
 with a {mall Feaft after the Fafhion of the 
 Country, they parted from us at about Ten 
 a Clock in the Morning. | | 
 We alfo left this firft Cottage of the Nox- 
 ragues, onthe Seventh of February, to go 
 a Journey of Four and Twenty Leagues by 
 Land, over very rugged Mountains: but 
 went only half a League from thence. to 
 lodge that Night, being attended with Two 
 young Nowragues, each of about, Sixteen 
 or Seventeen Years of Age, who wete to 
 carry our Baggage ; here we were. to take 
 another Man, who had promis'‘d: to carry 
 our Provifion for us, which: confifted- of 
 Caffave, and Pafte of Ovicou : This Man's 
 Wife, in this Second Hut, was ill of .a Can+ 
 cer in her Breaft, which fo tormented ‘her, 
 and had fo exceedingly wafted her, that 
 Bi pigiven 90) iene, 
 
. the Lake of Parima. 9 
 {eeing. her under fo terrible a. Diftemper, 
 without the Help of any Medieine, we {up- 
 posd fhe could not recover, and thar ia 
 Probability, fhe would live) morally the 
 reft of her Days ; for thefe People endure 
 their Pains and Hardships very patiently, as 
 we obferv d in all the Gzisbis ; therefore we 
 refolvy'd to baptize her: In order to this; 
 Father Bechamel took care to inftruct her, 
 having already made fome Improvement 
 in the Language of this People, and had 
 likewife the Affiftance of one of our young 
 Nouragnes, who. underftood the Galibis 
 Tongue. This poor fick Woman receiv’d 
 his Inftructions very. well, and was bapti- ~ 
 zed, which was an occafion of great Com- 
 fort to us. 99's 
 _ The Eighth, having Bread and Pafte of 
 Ovicou enough to ferve us Four Days, we 
 fet forward with our Three Nouragues, to 
 perform our Journey of Four and Twenty 
 Leagues, over Mountains all the way,which 
 the Nouragues {ometimes perform in a Day 
 and a half; but ordinarily in Two or 
 Three Days, when they have Women in 
 their Company. One of our French Men 
 of Cayeune, that. came thence on the 27th 
 of January, follow’d us clofely with Seven 
 Galibis, and, overtook us where we lodg’d 
 the Second Night; who gave me a-Letter 
 from the Reverend Father Brioz, our Su- 
 fe | fee oa ae perior 
 
10 "Tavels’in Search of 
 perior written the day he came. away, 
 which gave ‘us no {mall joy, for. it: con- 
 tain'd a great deal of Good Advice, that 
 might be ferviceable to us in our Expedi- 
 tion. Bei 3 
 
 This Freach-Man was much fatigu'd with 
 
 a 3 
 
 his Journey,and {ent his Indians before him ~ 
 
 the day following, who in that one day be- 
 ing the Tenth of February, went as much 
 ground as we could do inaday anda half, 
 by reafon of the difficulty of the ways. ‘He 
 having joyn'd himfelf to our Company,and 
 comparing our Nouragues with his Galibis, 
 found a great alteration, and could not 
 
 but admire the Meeknefs and Patience of | 
 
 thefe Three Indiazs, but efpecially . their 
 - Refpect. They carry’d our Provifions, yet 
 * they durft not take any without asking, tho’ 
 we had often told ‘em that they might take 
 of ‘em when they pleasd. This day we 
 paffed the River Aratay, which throwsiit 
 
 felf into the Aprozgue. The Aratay is a fine 
 
 River, which comes from a Country ‘that 
 is Situate between the Source of the River 
 
 Oviaand the County of the Mercious,which _ 
 
 the Nouragues fay isa {pace of Land. that 
 extends about ‘Seven days Journey... -We 
 were forc'd to pafs this River Aratay which 
 Is pretty wide and deep, and the Stream of 
 which ts fomewhat Rapid, in a little Cazoo, 
 in much danger of being caft away, as this 
 : French- 
 
the Lake of Parima. 1E 
 French-Man. that joyn'd us happen’d to be, 
 » when he repafs'd it in his return, where he 
 loft what he carry’d with him; which 
 was all he had in the World. After this 
 we lodg'd a third time in the Woods, and 
 on the Eleventh of February, being, very 
 weary we about Noon Arriv‘d at the Cot- 
 - tage of Izanonx the Nourague a Famous 
 (10) Piaye (or Phyfician) in all that Coun- 
 try, where*we found the Ga/sbis that had 
 _advancd before us. the preceding day. 
 Thefe Galibs mutinied again{t this poor 
 French-Man, and probably were the occa: 
 fion of hindring the Nowragues of that place 
 from felling any thing tohim; fo that he 
 loft his Journey. Nay he was oblig’d to 
 entreat one of our Nourague Guides to car- 
 ty part of his Iron Wares, which’ he 
 brought to trade with, becaufe thefe Galzbis 
 refusd tohelphim. And there was nore- 
 medy for it but Patience, fince he was So 
 Leagues from Cayenne, ina Nation that had 
 no Cominerce with the Frezch. . 
 We did not part with our Three Guides 
 without regret 5 but we could not detain 
 ‘em, becaufe they were oblig’d to return for 
 feveral good Reafons. The Principal of 
 ‘em whofe Name was Paraton, told us, for 
 our comfort, that in the place where we 
 now were, which they call Croeoribo from 
 the Name of 4 little River that paffes by ir, 
 | we 
 
qe Travels. in Search of 
 we fhould find a great many Paratons; he 
 meant a great many Nouragues, as good 
 humor'd ashimfelf. But we found a great 
 deal of difference,in the Temper of thofe 
 Guides we had: from Cazraoribo to the Aco- 
 guas, and.of thofe we had. before. 
 
 As foon as thefe had left us, we enter’d 
 into a good Correfpondence with the Chief 
 Camiati the Father of Iuanon, by prefenting 
 him with a Hatchet; thisis a Ary Famous 
 Chief, and the Principal one the Nouragues 
 have, and the next to himin Eminence, is - 
 the Chief of the Nouragues of Uvia. This 
 Camiati the day after our Arrival came to 
 his Son's Cottage, (for his own is upon the 
 River Aproague) he may be about 60 Yeats 
 of Age, and feems to be ftill very Vigo- 
 rous: His Countenace tho’ lean has a War- | 
 like Mien, but withal he has..a Savage At 
 pect. his Humour is but very indifferent to- 
 wardStrangers,tho’ mild enough toward his 
 
 - own People, to whom according to the Fa- 
 fhion of the Country, he every day gives 
 the Good-morrow, and the Good-night, 
 from the Oldeft People to» Ghildren of . 
 FifteenY ears of Age. He promis'd us to con- 
 duct us quite to the Acoguas, when his Cavoo 
 was made, to whofe Country he pretended 
 he would go himfelf, and defir’d but the. 
 {pace of Ten Days to finith this Cazoo; now 
 tho’ we knew well eaough after what man- 
 
 ner 
 
 
 
the Lake of Parimae”: 13. 
 net the Indians us'd to reckon, who are 
 often Three Months in doing what they 
 might perform in the fpace of Ten Days: 
 we refolv'd however to continue with him . 
 to have the advantage of being under his 
 Protection ; and to perfwade him, if we 
 fhould find him make too long a delay, to 
 borrow another Canoo, that was at Five 
 Days Journy diftance from us ; and inthe ~ 
 mean time’ to acquaint our felves with | 
 the Language of the Nouragnes as mich as we 
 could, which (as we were told) differ’d but 
 little from that of the Acoguas and Mercious. 
 The Language of the Galibis, which fome of 
 us under{tood,and which was very Familiar 
 to Father Bechamel was fome help to us on ~ 
 _ this Occafion. This Noxragues Tongue is 
 not of an eafie and foft Pronunciation like 
 that of the Galibis,but has a great number o 
 Words that muft be pronounced with very 
 rough Afpirations, others of em can’t be 
 pronounc’d without thutting the Teeth ; at 
 another time one mutt fpeak through the ' 
 Nofe 5; and fometimes thefe Three difficul- 
 ties all occur im the famé Word. , 
 Father Bechamel immediately began’ to 
 apply himfelf to the ftudy of this Lan- 
 guage; and 1 made fo much advantge of 
 _ his Labour in which he fucceeded to admi- - 
 ration, that. by means of the Galitis Lan- 
 guage Lnade a fmall Difcourfe ofthe Cre- 
 rs y, ation 
 

 
 14 — Travels-in Search of 
 
 ation of the World 5 tomake thefe People 
 
 know fomething of their Creator. Inanox 
 the Mafter of. this Hut was the firft that 
 
 took delight in hearing this Difcourfe, and 
 
 after him the Chief himfelf; and Five or 
 _ Six others, as they were working would 
 repeat in that very indiffent Galibis 
 I could fpeak, thefe Words; God made 
 the Heavens, God made the Earth, &c. Here 
 were many Men that had each of em Two — 
 Wives, and one of ‘em who had Three; 
 this did not hinder me from telling ‘em in 
 the Account I gave em of the Creation of 
 Mankind; that God made but one Woman 
 for the Firft Man, and that he did not al- 
 low one Man to have Two Wives. And 
 tho’ all thefe Nouragues perceiv’'d we con- 
 denin’d their Cuftom of taking Two or 
 Three Wives at a time, yet they faid nota 
 word againft the Chriftian Law for not in- 
 dulging the fame Liberty. Ren omy 
 
 Seeing thefe People fo docile and pliable, 
 I was willing to try if the Songs of the 
 Church would pleafe em, and accordingly 
 I fang the Magnificat in the firft Tune, Fa- 
 ther Bechamel and our Two Servants joyn- 
 ing in with me. This was fo grateful 
 to’em, that afterwards we ordinarily fang 
 fome Hymns three-times a day to their 
 great fatisfation. Nay fome of ’entlearn’d 
 to an{wer to the Litawies of the Bleffed Vit-. 
 
 gin, i 
 
 
 
the Lake of Parima. 1g 
 gin, which we fang every Evening, In 
 ‘the mean while our Chief's Camoo. went 
 forward but very (11) flowly, and we » 
 thought we had munch better endeavour to 
 prevail with him to borrow another, with 
 which he comply’d, and fent Two of ‘his 
 Men for this end Five Days Journe 
 from his Houfe, to.get a convenient one 
 for us. | 
 
 It was the Twenty eighth of February, 
 when thefe Men parted from us, and fee- : 
 ing him the next day which was the Firft ~~~ 
 of March difpatch away another Company 
 ~—of his Men, we thought convenient to 
 make ufe of this occafion to engage fome of 
 ‘em to carry our Baggage, whom Father 
 Bechamel accompany'd, together with one 
 of our Servants, while I and our other Ser- 
 vant remain’d with the Chief, that we 
 might give him no offence; becaufle we 
 {tood in need of his Protection. 
 
 After I had continu’d a Fortnight ‘with 
 him, making all the Children fay their 
 Prayers Morning and Evening, and repeat- 
 ang my little Inftruftions to the greateit 
 part of thofe I was acquainted with, but 
 efpecially to Three Young Men who were 
 well Marry’d, confirming ‘em inthe Aefo- 
 lution they had made never to take a Se- 
 cond Wife; of which promife they feem‘d 
 - to make no difficulty. I fet forward the 
 ee V2 Fifs | 
 

 
 16 Travels in Search of 
 Fifteenth of March, to feek Father Bechamel, 
 and to wait for the Chief of the Cottage, 
 who was to go by Water Five days after 
 _ with his Cazoo ; I had but Three Leagues to 
 go by Land, whereas it was near Fifteen by - 
 Water. From that time I found thofe Peo- 
 ple ftill more teachable, and when the 
 Captain return’d, among Four and twenty 
 Perfons, there were not above Three, but | 
 fignified they took a great deal of pleafure 
 in my Inftructions. During our ftay here, 
 _ a Serpent came in the Night in the place 
 where we lay, and bit aHound, fo that he 
 died in 30 Hours after. ‘This Accident was 
 Injurious to us, becaufe the Chief, and the 
 Owner of the Dog attributed it to the Pray- 
 ers which we fang ; fo that I durft not 
 Sing any more, but contented miy {elf to 
 -make every body in the Cottage fay their 
 Prayers, except three (as ¥ faid- before) 
 namely the Chief Camiati and Two other 
 Old Men. aye : 
 The Ninth. of April, after I had much ~ 
 importund the Chief, that we might fet 
 forward ; he told us, he was not willing to 
 make this ‘Voyage; and that all his Men 
 fhould go to fet usin our way, and fhould 
 leave us when we went afhore to go by ©° 
 Land to the Rivers that lead to the Acoguas, - 
 whether Four of the Company fhould at- 
 tend us. We underftood that their Voy- 
 age 
 
 
 
the Lake of Parima. 17 
 age was determin’d without any regard to 
 us; however we did not {cruple to pay ‘em 
 
 _° for it, being willing to make ufé of this 
 
 
 
 Opportunity, becaufe it was no eafie matter 
 to meet wich another. Howeverlopposd ~ 
 the Defign of having fo many Men go with 
 us, becaufe the Two Canoos they had were 
 too {mall for fuch a Company: This was 
 a great difficulty with us, and was not re- 
 folvd till the next day, when we reprefent- 
 ed to the Chief, that we would leave 
 him our little Cheft, that we would take 
 very few of our (12) things ont of it for 
 our Voyage, that when we return’d I would 
 continue with him; that if he was not 
 pleas‘d to affift us in our Voyage, I mutt re- 
 turn to Cayenue, that then he muft never 
 _ expect to fee any of us again, and would 
 have no more of our Commodities ; this 
 made him refolve to leflen the number of 
 his Men. 
 
 The Tenth of March we parted, being 
 Sixteen in. Number, of which the Chief 
 would needs be one for Three days, that 
 he might bring back his Cazoo. In the E- 
 _vening we went afhore into the Woods, 
 
 cand .on the Eleventh, after we had pafs‘d 
 
 feveral Falls of Waters in the way we made 
 
 the Two days, we Arriv’d at a Cottage of 
 the Nouragues, Ten Leagues from the for- 
 mer 3 here we were well receiv'd, and went 
 I ae for= 
 
_ 18 Travels in Search of — 
 forward the Third day witha Third Cazoo - 
 which was very {mall ; itcarry’d only Two 
 Men, a Woman, and a Girl of Ten ot 
 Twelve Yeats Old. We pafled Two Falls 
 that were difficult enough, and Arriv’d at 
 a Third, which the Cazoo could not pafs, 
 which has oblig’d the Nouragnes to make a 
 way to draw their Cazoos by Land almoft 
 halfa League, this fall is at T wo Degrees,and 
 Forty Six Minutes of Northern Latitude. 
 The Indians drew only the little Cazoo by 
 Land; for the Chief left us and return’d 
 back with the Two others ; and we who 
 
 were then Fifteen in Number went to Em- 
 bark in a great Cazoo, that was above the. 
 Water-fall, which the Two Perfons that 
 were fent by Camiati had borrow’d; Four 
 ‘Leagues higher, we found the Mouth of 
 the River Tezaporibo : and went to' lie ina ' 
 Cottage hard by, which was yet upon the 
 River Aproague, where we found Five Nou- 
 rague Travellers, who were going to the 
 Country of the Mercious; befides whom 
 there was a Woman who had a little Girl 
 of Seven or Eight Months Old that was ve- 
 ty ill. Ivanon (of whom I have fpoken). 
 was now the Chief of our Company ; he is 
 the greateft Phyfician (that is the greateft 
 Juggler) of the Country :, who tho’ he is a 
 great Hypocrite, and very much for plura- 
 lity of Wives; yet did not fcruple to ac- 
 Ne ke Geant 
 
 
 

 
 the Lake of Parima. ig 
 quaint us, that this Child’ was very Sick ; 
 when we had examin'd the matter we jud-— 
 ged it neceflary to Baptize her, which Father 
 Bechamel did, at the time when thefe Tra- 
 vellers parted from us. 1 had before Bap- 
 tizd a little Girl in the Cottage of this Ima- — 
 zon immediately after it was born, becaufe 
 the Mother of it when the brought it into 
 _ the World had left it in the (13) Dirt, from 
 _ whence they would not take it up for a 
 Jong time, being told of this diforder, and 
 finding they would put nothing under the 
 Infant to keep it from the coldnefs of the 
 Mud, and of the Night I baptiz’d it. 
 
 The Fourteenth we left this Hutt, and 
 prefently enter‘d into the River of Tezapo- 
 ribo, which is very deep and rapid, tho’ it 
 winds much ; we were not the Firft-French- 
 Men that had been upon this River; and 
 we have been inform’d that Three Exglifh- 
 Men were kill’d and Eaten there (14) fome 
 Years ago by the Nouragues : ’Tis very dif- 
 ficult to Navigate this River, meerly be- 
 caufe of its narrownefs, and becaule the 
 great Trees upon the Banks of it when they 
 fall, often extend their Branches to the o- 
 ther fide, fo that one mutt either pafs over 
 or under thefe Trees, which is not done 
 
 without a great deal of difficulty, We lay 
 one Night in the Woods, and on the Fif- 
 teenth Arriv’d at a Hutt where we contt- 
 
 De | V4 nued 
 
2 
 
 20 Travels in. Search of 
 
 | nued, tothe Eighteenth, which was. the 
 Jaf Day we were upon this River, and-in 
 
 the Evening we faw the laft Company of 
 the Nouragues on this River, 80 Leagues 
 from the Mouth of it; This Company 
 confifts of Four Huts, at a little diftance 
 one fromanother, wherein-there are above 
 
 _ Six{core Perfons, ofa good natural Difpofi- 
 tion, and very teachable: There was not 
 
 one in the Cottage, where we lodg’d, but 
 was taught by us, to pray to God every 
 Day 3 this Cottage was compos'd of feve- 
 ral Men, fome of whom were fingle-Per- 
 fons, others were married only toone Wife, 
 with whom they liv’d very well; and there 
 is great Probability of making good Chri- 
 
 - ftians of ‘em. This Cottage is at Two De- 
 
 grees, Forty Two Minutes of Northern 
 
 _ Latitude, and together with the Neigh- 
 bouring ones, and two others at Two 
 
 Leagues diftance, might give employ toa 
 good Miflionary. | | 
 We left this Hut, on the Twenty Se- 
 venth of April, towards Evening, to go 
 and feek our Guides, who were not far off, 
 with whom we advanced by Land, and — 
 went only Five Leagues among very diffi- 
 cult Mountains. 7 pahok 01 
 The Twenty Ninth we travell’d about 
 Ten Leagues, ina Way a little more plea- - 
 fant, and lay in the Woods as we had 
 ce —* done 
 
the Lake of Parima. Qn 
 done the Night before. Our Three Guides 
 fhew’d us Two Rivulets, which they faid 
 were Tenaporibo and Camopi, that were ve- 
 ry rapid; and Five or Six Leagues beyond, 
 _ ‘Tenaporibo is Forty Foot broad, and full 
 Twelve in depth: And at Fifteen Leagues 
 diftance, or.a little more, the River Camo- 
 pi.is as big as the Seiz is below Paris, from 
 whence one may: conjecture what Compa{s 
 it takes in its courfe. 
 
 The Thirtieth we went to lodge upon 
 the River Eiski, from whence Two of our 
 Nouragues, went to the Nouragues of the 
 River Inipi, to borrow a Cazoo, and fo to 
 come again at us, where we Jodg'd ; for the 
 River Eiski runs into the Jzipi. This they 
 did for our Eafe, our Journey having been 
 very hard, confidering our Weaknefs. 
 
 The Firlt of May they came to us again, 
 with a pretty handfome. Cazoo, wherein 
 there were Three Nowragues, that never had 
 feen a French Man, or any other European, 
 in. their Lives. . Their Afpe&t was very 
 {weet, and |they feem'd to be of a very 
 tractable Difpofition ; when they had feen 
 us they returned Home, and we embarked 
 in this Cazoo, a little after Noon, and came 
 to lodge in the Woods, upon the River 
 Inipi, where our Guides (15) mended the 
 - Canoo 3 andthe next Day, being the Second 
 ef May, having gone down this River., 
 
22 Travels in Search of 
 
 which -has-@ very rapid Stream, about Ten 
 Leagues, we enterd into the River Camo- - 
 
 pz, in which we we went Four Leagues 
 more, and that againft the Stream: For J- 
 -  wipi \ofes its Name, and with Camopi makes 
 
 a great River, which goes and joyns it felf 
 to the River (16) Yapoqne, Five Days Voy- 
 age fromthence. Camopz is very fwift, and 
 has fo many difficult Falls, that ‘tis no eafie 
 Matter to number them; we went up this 
 River the Third and Fourth of May; with 
 
 a great deal of Difficulty and Danger. The 
 
 Fourth of May we lay upon a flat Rock, 
 where we found a Piece of a Min’d Cot- 
 tage, the Covering of which our Men 
 
 mended with Boughs: That Day we pafs'd 
 
 through a perilous Place, not only becaufe 
 of a dangerous Fall of Water ; but like- 
 wife, becaufe it was commanded by a Cot- 
 _ tage of Nouragnes, which is the Laft of that 
 Nation, the Mafter. of it is a Moroz, the 
 Narite of an Indian Nation, one, of whom 
 was hang'd at Cayenne, above a'Year ago, 
 for killing a Frezch Man: We had Reafon 
 to fear, that he would, after the Manner 
 of the Izdians, revenge this.Man’s Death 
 upon us; but one of our Guides, who 
 was alfo a Morou, had married his Daugh- 
 ter, and we hopd the Prefence of this 
 young Man, whom we then took. to bea 
 Nowrague, would divert ‘his ill Humour ; 
 
 5 ag 
 
 
 

 
 the Lake of Pagima. 23 
 as indeed it happend : And after we wete — 
 got affoat upon our flat Rock, which is 
 in the Country of the Acogum, we were 
 greatly comforted to fee our Three Guides 
 "ask for their Supper by the Sign of the 
 Crofs, where no Perfon had ever done it 
 befgre ; and that, without having any neéd 
 to be put in mind of it. But that which 
 {till increas'd our Joy, was, that the young= 
 eft of our Guides, who might be about 
 Seventeen Years of Age, after Supper, of 
 his ownaccord, fang in the Tune of the 
 Church, Santa Maria, Ora pro nobis 3 ha- 
 ving been yet taught no more than that. 1 
 continued the Litanies, and he anfwer'd 
 me. Towards Evening our principal Guide 
 gave a Signal, with a fort of a Pipe, that 
 may be heard ata great Diftance. The next 
 Day, being the Fifth of May, we hada 
 very rainy Morning, which hinder'd us - 
 from going forward; but notwithftanding 
 the Rain about Nine a Clock in the Morn- 
 ing, we faw three young Acoguas, who were 
 fent to know who we were, we went with 
 them towards Noon, and about Three’a 
 Clock arriv'd foon after them, at the firft 
 Hut of the Acoquas ; which is at Two De- 
 grees, and Twenty Five Minutes of Nor- 
 thern Latitude. They were mightily pleas 
 to fee us; for in all appearance, they had 
 fome confiderable time before heard of our 
 | Voyage. 
 
a4 Travels. in Search of 
 
 Voyage... Fhey fo familiarly acquainted 
 themfelyes with us, that in. Three Days 
 time, there was not one of them that refusd 
 to pray to Gods and we every Day put ‘em 
 upon. faying their Prayers Morning and. 
 Evening... The Second Day our firft Guide 
 brought us to two other Cottages note 
 off ; where we were entertaind with as 
 much Kindnels, as Strangers could defire of 
 a Savage People : Immediately, thofe that 
 liv'd. about a Day’s Journey. more remote 
 receiv d the News of our Arrival, and came 
 to feeus. They all admir'd our Hats, our 
 Caffocks, our Shooes, a Gun ; which we 
 made our firft Guide difcharge from time 
 
 » to time, in great Companies of ‘em ; the 
 
 Pictures of our Breviaries, our Writing, 
 and the Songs of the Church, which they 
 defir'd:to hear a great many times in a Day. 
 They heard our Inftructions with Attenti- 
 on; and {eem’d to have very good Senti- 
 ments, and to be much affected, when we. | 
 told ‘em, that formerly the People of our 
 - Country were ignorant of God, and that 
 fome good People came into our Nation, | 
 who taught us, thatthere wasa God, who 
 would make us happy for ever in Heaven ; 
 and. what we were to do, that we might 
 go to that bleffed Place: That we were 
 come to dothem the fame good Office, that 
 they might go to Heaven as well as we: 
 

 
 the Lake of Parima. a5. 
 That which gives me good Hopes of the 
 Converfion of this Nation, is, that they 
 heard thofe Commands of God with Re- 
 ~ verence, which are moft oppofite to their 
 ancient Manner of living. And this gives 
 me occafion to {peak more diftin@ly of 
 what I have remark'd in thefe Two Nati- 
 ons. i 
 The Nouragues and the Acoguas, in Mat- 
 ter of Religion, are the fame with the Gz- 
 libs. They acknowledge there is a God, 
 but don't worfhip him. They fay he dwells . 
 in Heaven, without knowing whether he 
 is a Spirit or no, but rather feem to believe 
 he has a Body. The Gualibis call God’ 
 (17) Lamoucicabo 5 that is as much as to fay, 
 the Ancient of Heaven. The Nowragues and 
 the Acoquas call him Maire, and never talk 
 of him but in fabulous Stories : They have 
 a great many Superftitions, which are on- 
 ly like the idle Tales and Fooleries of Chil- 
 dren, in which I never obferv’d ‘em practife 
 any Idolatry : But 1am very much afraid 
 their Phyficians, by their juggling Tricks, 
 debauch the Women and Maids; for they 
 have given me great Reafon to think fo, + 
 The natural Difpofition of the Nowragues. 
 and Acognas is mild ; but the more remote 
 from the Sea the Nouragues live, the more 
 tractable you'll find ‘em; for the frequent 
 Concourle they have with the lediaas, on 
 the 
 
me 
 
 26 .  Trawels in Search of 
 
 the Sea-Coafts,renders ‘em more uncontrou- 
 lable and difficult to be treated with. "Tis 
 certain, the Acoguas ate quite another fort 
 of People, than the French at Cayenne ima- 
 gine ‘em to be, who account ‘em fierce, 
 cruel, treacherous and perfidious, to thofe 
 they entertain, For if one may judge of 
 that Nation, by near’Two Hundred of ’em, 
 
 - whom we have feen, they are an honeft, 
 
 affable, pleafant People, and are very at- 
 tentive and ready to receive what is faid to 
 ‘em. Tis true, they not long fince exter- 
 minated a {mall Nation, and eat feveral of 
 them ; but I attribute this Barbarity to the 
 ill Cuftom of the Country, rather than to 
 the Difpofition of the People; and this 
 feems the more probable, becaufe being in- 
 form’d Two or Three Days after our arri- 
 val, that there was half a Day’s Journey 
 from us, fome of the Fleth of a Magapa 
 (the Name of a People that are their Ene- 
 mies) whom they had newly kill’d with 
 another, while they were watching their 
 Opportunity to {urprize one or other of the 
 Acoquas alone 3; and befides, one of the Peo- 
 
 le of the Cottage having fet before us the _ 
 
 ho of a young Man; wetold’em, Th 
 was not well done, and that God forbids ws 
 to kill an Enemy, when we take him Prifoner, 
 and to eat bin afterwards: At this they 
 
 _ dook'd down very much without giving- 
 
 one 
 
 OY Ie ET eg ee NR a OE anet hae  e RN e 
 
the. Lake of Parima. ty 
 one Word of aReply. Another time, the 
 Matter of oné of the Cottages having heard, 
 that the Galibis to hinder us frem underta- 
 king this Voyage, had threaten’d us, that 
 we fhould be roafted by the Acognuas, was — 
 ~fill'd with great Indignation at it, and 
 could not be pacified till I told him, I took 
 thofe Galibis for Lyars and Fools: Having 
 moreover, told’em, I had been. made Pri- 
 foner of War by the Exzglifh, and reftor’d 
 to the French, without receiving any harm; 
 and that God would not allow us to kill 
 thofe we took in War ; they feem’d pretty . 
 
 well to approve of this Law. And tho’. — 
 
 this barbarous Cuftom is a Point fo much 
 eftablifh’d and receiv'd in all Times among 
 the Acoquas, and among the Noxzragues too 5 
 yet it feems, by what I have been relating, 
 to be no difficult Matter to reftrain ‘em 
 from this Savage Practice, of killing and 
 eating their Enemies. 
 
 Polygamy 1s a Second Obftacle which we 
 found againft the Chriftian Religion a- 
 mong thefe Two Nations of the Nouragues, 
 and Acoguas;, for where there's one Man 
 to be found, that has but one Wife, there 
 are fix, who have each of ‘em two or 
 three. The Hope that may be conceiv'd 
 for the eradicating of this Vice, is, not 
 concerning Perfons that are already pre-in- 
 gagd in this evil Cuftom, but only thofe. 
 BS el 7 that 
 
 - 
 
 
 
28 Travels.in Search of 
 
 that have yet but one Wife, and young: 
 
 Men that are not yet married, who might 
 
 be perfwaded to be content with one Wife. 
 _ Iconfefs, there’s no hope of working upon. 
 
 the others. 
 
 The Way of Living among the People 
 of thefe Two Nations, is very agreeable, 
 
 and has fomething more courteous in it, 
 than that of the Galfbis. For Inftance, A- 
 
 mong the Galibis, thofe that are married,. 
 dine everyone apart, and thofe that are. 
 unmarried eat all together; and all the: 
 
 Women, Maids and little Children, go to 
 another fide of the Hut to eat. . The Noz- 
 
 — ragues and Acoquas do quite otherwife, for. 
 
 the Husband eats with his Wife, or Wives 
 and Children with admirable Agreement 
 and Union. They don't drink (19) much, 
 but are great eaters ; and are always Fifhing 
 or Hunting, in which they {pare no Pains, 
 
 to get their Living. They are all Lyars,. . 
 
 as well as.all other Izdiays, that: we know. 
 And when they perceive their Lyes are dif- 
 coverd, they retire, feeming to bea little 
 afhamd, but will not fail to frame a Lye 
 again on the next Occafion. The Nowragues 
 endeavour d ‘to fright us with a great many 
 Stories of their own Invention, to make us 
 alter our Refolution of going, to the Aco- 
 quas, that we might {pend all our Stock of 
 
 Goods with them; {ometimes telling. us,., 
 
 they 
 
 
 
the Lake of Patima.- 9 
 they had feen the Track of fome ftrange 
 wild Beaft ; fometimes that the Carazes, 
 their Enemies, were running up and down 
 their Woods, and that they had obferv’d 
 the Steps of Three of that Nation not far 
 from their Hut: But when they faw they 
 could not terrifie us, they did what we 
 would have ‘em. This Vice induces ’em 
 to promife much, and to perform but little ; 
 which alfo is occafion’d by the little Judg- 
 
 - ment they have, to efteem arly thing ac- 
 cording to the Value and Importance of 
 it 5 for this makes em not matter what In- 
 jury they do any one, in breaking their 
 Word; nor how much they difhonour 
 themfelvesin fo doing. To have a thorough 
 Conception, how common this is in thefe 
 Two Natiotis (which is alfo rife among all 
 the Indian Nations we are acquainted with) 
 one muft compare ‘em to little Children, 
 who efteem what they fee only by Fancy : 
 They ate alfo'fubje@ to Steal; fothat fome 
 times they mutt be narrowly watch'd, or 
 elfe they will be pilfering one thing or 
 othef. oie gn 
 The Nouragues make about Six or Seven. 
 Hundred Perfons, the Merciows, whodwell 
 on the Weft-fide of ’em, are equal to ‘em 
 in Number; the Acoguas aré South of ‘em, 
 and conceal'd from us the Strength of their 
 Natiod 5 however, 1 fappole it may be three 
 & | . or 
 
30 =. Travels in Search of 
 
 or four times {tronger .than that of the 
 Nouragues,; for having.ask'd an. old, Wo- 
 man, how many Cottages there were on 
 one fide, to which we pointed ; fhe -told 
 us, there-were Ten then pointing toward 
 the Quarter, where their Chief dwelt, fhe 
 took a(20) Handful of her Hair, to .fignifie 
 to.us, the great Number of Cottages there 
 were on that fide. Between the Acoguas, 
 and the Merciows, they told us, there was 
 the Nation of the Pirios, which the Acoquas 
 fay, are equal to themfelves in Strength : 
 On. the Eaft and South-Eaft-fide are the 
 Pirionays, and on the Eaft the Pirios and. 
 Magapas, and. in the midft of all thefe Na- 
 tions the Morows, who-are very barbarous. 
 Thefe Nations all {peak one and,the fame 
 Language, and are under{tood -by ithe Cz- 
 raves, Who are-the Enemies .of the Nox- 
 ragues. They allo fay, the Marazes, who 
 are a very great People, underftand .the 
 fame Tongue :.On,the South Seuth-Weft 
 of the Acoguas are the Aramifas, whofe 
 Language borders .on-that of the Galibys, 
 laving a great many of the fame Wordsin 
 it, tho’ they are unacquainted with that 
 Nation. The Acoguas{ay, thele. Aramifas — 
 are‘a-very great Nation. . If there bea Lake — 
 of Parima, thefe People can’t be Forty 
 Leagues. diftant from.it on the North-fide : 
 We could get no Account of this.Lake. 
 ae | There 
 
the Lake of Patima. 31 
 . Where was not one Jzdiaz, who when 
 we enquird of them, whether they did not 
 know of a vaft Place of Water like the Sea, 
 the Sand of which is Caracoli (for fo they. 
 call Gold, Silver and Copper) could give 
 me the leaft Intelligence of it. Thefe 
 (21) Aramifas are in the fame Longitude, 
 wherein the Maps place the Eaftern Part of 
 
 the Lake of Paria. p totes nret 
 After we had been. with the Acoguas 
 Twelve or Thitteen Days, the Air grew 
 unwholfome, by an exceflive Heat, at/a 
 time when there was very little Wind ; 
 which: feldom fails to blow in thofe-Coun- 
 itries ; and imdeed, ‘tis that that renders ‘em 
 habitable. Father Bechamel was taken with 
 a Tertian Ague, and the ftrongeft of our — 
 Servants alfo fell very fick : We therefore 
 prefsd° our Guides to return, fince they 
 were not willing to conduc us any farther, 
 ‘mor fufter the Acoguas to go and fetch their 
 Chief, who dwelt at the Diftance of Three 
 ‘Days Journey, from the Place where we 
 -were, with whom we would -have con- 
 ‘tracted an Alliance: ‘Thefe Three Guides — 
 ‘became infolent, upon the Suppofition, that 
 ‘it. was to honour them that the Acogmas 
 came m fuch great Numbers; tho’ in all 
 ‘appearance, it was the Curiofity of {eeing 
 us Frezch Men that brought ‘em together : 
 “They became very troublefome, ¢f{pecially 
 X 2 eons 
 
‘2o Travels in Search of 
 the Morox, who gave fufficient Indications - 
 of his wicked Difpofition, perfwading the 
 Acoguas, that. we ought to leave them 
 all our Wares ; thefe fo unreafonable Pro- 
 pofals did not much furprize us ; but togive 
 ‘em good Hopes of our Return, we left an 
 (22.) Iron Tool of Halfa Crown Price with | 
 one of ‘em, who had but one Wife, upon | 
 Condition, that I fhould have a great © 
 (23) Hamock when I came again; promi- | 
 fing I would then give him a Bill anda 
 Knife, to make up what this wantedofthe _ 
 Value of it. E made choice of this Man ~ 
 on purpofe to fignifie what refpect I had 
 for lawful Marriages; and he under{tood 
 mevery well, and promis’ me, he would | 
 not take a Second Wife, during the Life © 
 of this he already had, with whom he had ~ 
 liv'd at leaft Eight or Nine Years, for 
 they had a Daughter about Seven Years 
 old; however, this Project facilitated our 
 Return. Pk ake: ¥ 
 
 The 25th of May we embark'd on the 
 River Camopi, in Two Cazoo's ; Father Be- 
 chamel was in the leaft of “em, with our 
 principal Nourague, and. an Acoquas, who 
 had.a Mind to go with us to Cayenwes and — 
 I wentin the other with.our Two. Servants, 
 the Morou, and the young Nourague, who 
 not taking care to guide the Veflel right, 
 let it run fo near the Precipice of a 2 
 | : Fall .@ 
 
 
 
the Lake of Parima. 23 
 Fall of Water,that thofe in the other Cazoo, 
 cry'd out, believing we fhould be loft: But 
 thefe Two young Men, with much ado, 
 brought our Cazoo under a Rock, that brake 
 the Violence of the Stream, and getting up _ 
 ‘the Rock, with all their Might, drew the 
 Canoo out of this Danger. *Tis abundant- 
 ly more dangerous. to go down thele Falls, 
 than to get up ‘em; becaufe they chofe 
 thofe places where the Water runs lefs vio- 
 lently to get the Cavoo up with main 
 Strength, whereas in going down ‘em they 
 take the {wifteft Part of the Stream, fo that 
 one runs a greater Hazard of one’s Life, 
 than can eafily be exprefs’d. : 
 After having pa{sd thefe Dangers, the 
 Second Day after we embark’d, our young 
 Nourague,that had never run the like Rifque 
 before, faidin his own Language, God is 
 good, and is not angry with ws. When we 
 came to the Place, where we were to go 
 by Land, betwixt the River Ivipi and Te- 
 naporibo, our Guides, who were well load- 
 ed with Hamocks, and other things, which 
 they had bought of the Acoguas, were not 
 willing to help us, which yet they would 
 have done, if that Moroz had not put ‘em 
 ‘Out of Humour: They walk’d very faft, as 
 the Indians are wont to do, when they 
 dre loaded, and at laft left us at Five 
 Leagues diftance from Leaporiba 3 but 
 
 x 3 aS 
 
34° «. Trawels in Searebvof 
 by the Goodnefs of God we got thro’ 
 
 without lofing our Way, by following’ a 
 Path, in which thefe Indiazs had thrown 
 little Boughs, in feveral: places where ‘it 
 was noteafie to difcern the Track} to fig- 
 nifie which Way they went. When we 
 
 came within Three quarters of a League of 
 
 the firft Cottages, we heard fome Nowragues 
 calling tous, who broughtus Caffave and 
 Fifh to eat, and fome Ovicon to drink. © 
 The Firft Day of Fuze our young Morou, 
 being drunk, treated us very “ill, which 
 made us refolve to return to Cayenne in ano- 
 ther Cazoo, and in the Company of other 
 Indians, and the rather becaufe° our Di- 
 {tempers increas’d upon us. 1 had*a ‘vio- 
 dent Fever, and a great Cough, and Father 
 Bechamel was very ill, as well as the lufti- 
 e{t of our Servants. And now as we had 
 need of the fpecial Affiftance of Provi- 
 dence, to find a Conveniency for our Re- 
 turn; fo it pleas'd God to manifeft'to us, 
 how particular a Care he took of our Pre- 
 fervation, in furnifhing us with what we 
 needed 5 not indeed, at the Time we with’d, 
 nor after that Matiner we thought beft; but 
 in fuch a Seafon, and in fuch 4 Way) as 
 was moft convenient for us, “till at length 
 we arrivd at Cayenne. eer Gr eyeCes! 
 “The Second Day Of Fuse we made’an A- 
 greement with the firlt Nowragne;-whohad — 
 rk ee e o> done 
 
 
 

 
 the Lake of Parima.. 38 
 done usfome Service at Caraotibo, ‘Three 
 Leagues. from Aproague, who was of a very 
 good Femper, and was come thither with 
 two other Nouragues of the fame Place, 
 who hada Kindnefs for us, and were wil- 
 ling to return Home as foonas they could. © 
 We determin’d to fet forward the next 
 Day, toprevent our Moreu, and our other 
 Guides,who were elfewhere, from oppofing 
 our Defign. We were to go three Leagues by 
 Land, or Seven by Water, to get to this — 
 Man‘s Cazoo.; but I was foill, I could not 
 go by Land,and our Servant was asbad as I, 
 fo that we were forc'd to feek a Canoo, to go 
 by Water, the Providence God provided 
 us.a little One, which we hired, that was 
 funk in the Water, but was big enough to 
 carry Four of us ; namely, the Jzdian and 
 his Wife, our Servant and my felf. Father | 
 Bechamel, tho’ very weak, had the Courage 
 to undertake the Journey on Foot, with 
 our other Servant.We were defirous to have 
 gone forward the next Day, from the Place 
 where. this. Nowrague's Canoo.lay 5 but we 
 fhould. not have been able to have under- 
 . gone-this Fatigue: It pleas'd God to pro- 
 . vide for our Welfare, on this o¢cafion, in 
 permitting the Izdians to detain us Eleven 
 Days in this Place, where there were near 
 Sixty Perfons : The Chief of whom, who 
 - hada Son inthe Neighbourhood of Cayenne, 
 oh X 4 placd 
 
36 Trazels in Search of 
 
 plac'd .us.in.a,Cottage by our felves,. that 
 we might not be difturb’d, with theNoife 
 of a great Merry-meeting they were going 
 to have, and orderd,his Wife. to. treat us 
 _ the beft fhe could: This was partly from 
 his good. Humour, and: partly to fecuré 
 his Son from receiving any ill:Treatment 
 from the French at Cayexze. God was pleas'd, 
 during, our {tay here, to give us an Oppor- 
 tunity again, toin{trud a Woman thatwas 
 almoft eaten up with Cancers ; fo that fhe 
 was atlength baptiz’d by Father Bechamel, 
 the Day before we left this Place: This Fa- 
 ther was fo weak, that‘he could not repeat 
 
 his Breviary. walking; and yet-thé next - 
 Day, he was {trong enough.to walk. near - 
 
 a League from.thence to embark. .There 
 now remaind but one Difliculty to encoun- 
 ter with, fince we were in the Hands of 
 Three very honeft Nowraguess and that was, 
 how to get away from’ Caiiati’s, Cottage; 
 with our little Cheft that contain’d:all our 
 Goods; and to find.a convenientPaffage 
 to the Mouth of. the Aproague 5, for! Iohad 
 promis d Camiati, to, continne with himaf- 
 ter my return fromthe Acoguas 5: and-thofe 
 People are. not. very cafe, when ‘they {ee 
 us catry our Commodities out of their Cot 
 tages ; fo that we had Reafon. to.fearjothat 
 he would detain us with him, atleatI'we 
 Months, ‘before he would. condustts re 
 
 GE Ue anes Gale Oa a Mie ae ae ; the 
 

 
 the Lake of Parima. 27 
 the Indians, that dwell at the mouth of the 
 Aproagne: But itpleasd God to remove all 
 thefe Obftructions 3 for our Three Nowrz- 
 gues promis‘ to convey us to the Sea, upon 
 condition that we would give ’em an indif- 
 ferent Reward. And as we went by Cami- 
 ati's Cottage, we found he was gone a Hunt. 
 ing, and thofe we found in his Cottage. 
 were only his Two Wives, and fome Stran- 
 gers, who durft not hinder us from taking 
 our little Cheft, and our Three Guides , 
 tho' they were affraid to difpleafe Camiati 
 
 their Chief, yet knew not how to refirfe to 
 lead usto a Cottage that was a League low- 
 er,-where at that time no body’ dwelt, and 
 
 hither they were to goin order to pafs by 
 Land to Caraotibo where they dwelt, and to 
 conduc their Wives thither, and then to 
 _ come back again to us; tho’ they would . 
 
 fain have fet us afhore at Camiati’s Houfe,and 
 lefe us there. — | | 
 
 ‘When we Arriv’d at the empty Cottage.T 
 found my felf fo ill, that I thought I thould 
 have died ; but being fomewhat recruited a- 
 gain, and perceiving the Mafter of the €z- 
 noohad a mind to go and {peak with Cami- 
 ati, and that one of our Servants defir’d to 
 go.with him, to fetch a Hound he had 
 bought that wasrun away thither.I gave him — 
 an Iron-tool of half'a Crown price to pre- 
 fent from me to Cummiati, ‘that he might or- 
 GER o> > } E ig der 
 
38 Travels in. Search of 
 
 der his Wives to prepare me a; Hamock, and. 
 bid him.tell-him I would pay the reft at my. 
 return, which fhould be as foon as [had 
 . recover'd: my Health: this Idid to prevent 
 his offering any injury to our Servant, and 
 that he might not oppofe us in our defign 
 of going back. . The Mafter of the Cznoo 
 told the Stoty of the Affront the Young 
 Morow gave us, -andof the ill Condition of 
 my Health, {o well to Cemiati , that when 
 he had receiv’d the Prefent I fent him, he 
 would needs accompany me to the Mouth 
 of the Apreague, to the Cottage of the Chief 
 of the Szpayes, whom he had had.a mind: to 
 Vifit a great while, being his very good 
 Friend. . He came accordingly the next day 
 with one of his Sons, who: was about Thir- 
 thy Yearsof Age, and his Two Wives, and 
 {ent home Two of our Guides, taking their | 
 places, he fent the Woman, and one of our 
 Servants one League by Land. Our other 
 Servant continued in the Cazoo to row;. or 
 to ufe the Term of the Country to Pagay, 
 with thefe Three ftout Nouragues ; we-alfo 
 remaind in the Cazoo, by-reafon of: our 
 WeaknefS, which would not fuffer-us to-go 
 this League by Land. They lighted the Ca 
 aoo thus, that they might the better | pafS'a 
 fall of the River, that was fo roughand 
 difficult, that the Indians could not choofe 
 but turn pale at the extreme. danger we 
 fy were 
 

 
 the Lakevof Parma. 399 
 were in. One time among{t others’: they 
 toild{o hard to keep the Canoo from being 
 catry’'d down a precipice of Water, that. 
 when they had made thift to’ get under a 
 Rock,that breaks theViolence of the Stream, 
 they were forc'd to reft themfelves: for half 
 a quarter of an Hour, becaufe they were fo 
 much fpent, that they could fcarce’ fetch 
 their Breath. I have twice been very near 
 being caft away in two Ships, but the fighe 
 of this fall of the River was more dreadful 
 to me, than any thing T ever faw at Seas / 
 
 The Nineteenth of Fuze we pafs'd down 
 Two of thefé Falls, at the firf they fent the 
 Women away by Land, and crofs'd the Ri- 
 ver to know of a Galzbi that was lately come 
 thither to make a new Cottage, what courfe 
 they had beft take to avoid being over-fet, 
 becaufe the Bed of the River declin’d,fo that 
 it gave an extraordinary rapidity to the 
 Stream ; and befides there were a great many 
 Rocks under water, againft which we were 
 Viable to be dafh’d, and fo caft away. And 
 obferving our Men were ina great perplex- 
 ity in-theit minds about it, notwithftand- 
 ing all the directions this Man gave ’em, 
 we intreated him to conduct us through 
 this difficult paflage , promifing him a 
 Fifhing-hook for his pains, which he wil- 
 — lingly undertook, and happily perform’d. 
 At the Second which was the laft we met 
 
 with 
 
 , 
 
40 Travels in Search of 
 
 with upon the Aproague, we all went afhore 
 and walk'd along the River-fide upon ve- 
 ry uneven Rocks, and the Nowragues held 
 the Canoo by a. Line which they tied behind 
 it, and fo let it go gently down this place, 
 which is very dangerous at Low-water,for 
 the Flowing of the Tide covers it, tho’ 
 
 ‘tis Twenty Leagues up the River. » 
 After we had pafsd thefe many difficul- 
 ties by the mercy of God; we at laft had no 
 Caffave left, no Meat nor Fith, nor Ovicou, 
 when we were diftant a days Voyage and 
 a half from the Cottage of the Szpayes, “but 
 God of his Goodnefs was pleas’d to make 
 Provifion for our great neceflity; for as 
 we coated along the River we faw a Dog 
 barking ; upon which the Nouragnes call'd | 
 out to know ifany body were a Hunting, 
 and prefently to their great joy perceiv'd it 
 was their good Friend, the Chief of the 
 Sapayes, who came to us, and faluted us all 
 with demonftrations of Friendfhip. We 
 did what the Nouragues would not venture 
 to do, that is, to ask him to fell us fome 
 Provifion 5 acquainting him, that neither 
 we nor the Nozragues had any left. When 
 he under{tood in what neceflity we were, 
 he fent to fetch his Cazo0, which ‘was’a 
 large one, and very well ftor'd with Cafave, 
 Ovicou, Meat and Fith (24) Bowcaneed 
 which he furnifh’d us and the. EES 
 
 . DEE SOC) SUL & 10k SON Bl 
 
 
 
the Lake of Parima. At 
 and we paid him for it immediately. “He 
 told us his Lodging was a League off, 
 whither he would come and meet us in the 
 Eyening, and that becaufe his little half& 
 coverd Hut had only room enough for 
 him and his Men, we muft make another 
 for our felves. He came according to his 
 word toward Night, and the next day he 
 made Father Bechamel and me go into his 
 Canoo, becaufe he thought the Nouragues 
 Canoo was over-loaded. A 
 On the 21ft we Arrivd at the Cottage of 
 this Chief of the Sapayes, where we were | 
 kindly entertain’d. We were nofooner got 
 thither, but we began to think how we 
 fhould get from thence to Cayexze ; and we 
 could think of no better way, than to per- — 
 {wade the Chief of the Sapayes to conduct 
 us thither himfelf, which would have ta- 
 ken up Three Weeks time, and would have 
 been a great charge to us, but the Provi- 
 _dence of God had made Provifion for us, 
 for the next day we were inform’d that a 
 Chief of the Galibis would come the day 
 following to take a Sapaye with him to go 
 to Cayenne, and from thence to Marovi, 
 from whence he was to fetch his Son, who 
 had -been there with the Sapayes for Two 
 Years, as well as. the Son of the Chief of 
 the Sapayes. _ He was willing to take us in 
 his Canoo for a {mall matter, and we went to 
 a Lodge 
 
ee ee Ge ee ee 
 
 42... Travels in Search of 
 Lodge ata {mall Hland, which is in the 
 
 River at a pretty good diftance from the 
 ‘Sea; here we ftay’d the Twenty fourth of 
 June. Lobferv'd thatthe Sea came up here 
 Eight Foot high, and concluded from 
 
 thence, becaufe it covers the laft Fall of the 
 
 Raver, that it declines but Eight Foot in 
 the {pace of Twenty five Leagues from the 
 Sea. In.the Night they heard the Cry of a 
 Bird, and faid to one another in the Gulibis 
 Tongue, Hark how the Devil cries 3 Tre- 
 provd’em, telling em they were miftaken, 
 and that the Devil had no Body, but Was 
 
 a Spirit.as our Souls are, which they con- 
 
 fefls to be Invifible and Immertal, which 
 yet they do not fay of the Devils, but pre- 
 
 ~ tend that-their Phyficians or Piaies kill em 
 
 swith great Clubs. The Nowragues of one 
 Cottage made the Figure ofa Man in the 
 
 the|way by which they thought the Devil 
 
 cameto their’ Cottage in the Night, to 
 make ‘em Sick; that fo while he ftop’d at 
 this Fantome and took it to be a Nouragune, 
 
 the Pizies that'watch’d forhim might take | 
 their opportunity, when they faw him, to — 
 
 knock him on the head. We parted ‘from 
 this Ifland to go and lodge at Go, from 
 whence the next day we faw a great many 
 
 ‘Canoos of the Galébis at Sea, which were 20- 
 
 ing toward the River of Amazons, thefe 
 
 the Matter of our Gevoo; and the Sapaje 
 
 went 
 
 
 
the Lake of Rarima. == 43 
 
 went to. vifit, drawing their. (Cazoas - along 
 over the Mud.at Law-water,; and found in 
 one of em the Two Young Men,they were 
 going to feek for, at, Marozi.. They -had 
 now nothing,to do but to carry.us to,Cz- 
 yeunes and becaufe ;the Sea. was fo,rough, 
 
 -thatthey could not well bear up againft it, 
 ~we defir'd ‘em to fet us afhore at. Mahuti, 
 
 the firft place we could land at in-the Ifland 
 of Cayenne, which they.compafs'd with-a 
 great dealof.Labour. .As foon as Ifetmy 
 Foot upon, the Sand, I fell down,upon my 
 Knees to thank God for the Protection -he 
 had favourd us with for a Hundred and 
 Seventy Leagues, fince we came from the . 
 
 Country of the Acoguas, for our whole | 
 
 Voyage was Two hundred and forty 
 Leagues. We went tolodge at the Houtfe of 
 Mont. -Foxtain, whofe Eftate lies in-this-part 
 of the Ifland; and he receiv’d us with 
 great Joy. The next day being the Twen- 
 ty feventh, Father Bechet came to fetch us 
 with Two Horfes, and we borrow’d ano- 
 ther of (25) Monfieur Fortaine, and fo 
 Arrivd at the Fort of Cayexue, where the 
 
 ’ Governor was pleas’d to treat us with all 
 
 imaginable Friendfhip. And all the Peo- 
 ple came about us, to fee us, and to fignifie 
 
 the geat affection they had tous. . In three 
 
 Months I hope by the Grace of God to Vi-' 
 
 fit the Marthes of the Aracarets, the Pali- 
 
 Cours, 
 

 
 1 .u- ee ee saw i Be 
 
 44 Travels in Search of, &c. 
 cours, the Mayes, the Marones, and the 
 Couffades, whofe Habitations ftand more 
 thick and clofe one to another, than thofe 
 I have given an account of in this Relation. 
 Here's a great Field open'd to the Gofpel- 
 Labourers,into which Iam ready to coridué 
 thofe that are willing to employ themfelves 
 in it, as well as to difcover to ‘em a great 
 many other Nations: Being fully refolv’d 
 by the Grace of God to expofe my Life for 
 fo Glorious a purpofe, as the Propagation 
 of the Gofpel, and the Converfion of fuch 
 Numbers of People. | 
 
 
 
45 
 
 NOTES 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 TRAVEL s 
 
 O F 
 
 Father JOHN GRILLET, 
 
 A N D 
 
 Father FRANCIS ‘BECHAMEL,; Felttes: 
 INTO 
 
 Note (2) j in the Letter. 
 A Fort which the Dutch took from the 
 Englifh Fourteen or Fifteen Year ago, 
 on which the Exglih Colony. depends, 
 which is pretty Numerous, and was Efta- 
 blifh’d there Fight or Ten Years before un- 
 der ‘the Command of the Lord Willoughby. 
 This Fort was built by the Frezch in 1644, 
 they quitted it in 1646 , for the Reafons 
 that have been reported in.divers Relations. 
 Note (2) P..3.This River difcharges it felf 
 into the Seaon the Eaft-fide of the Cayenne. 
 Note (3) Ibid. Of Ovicouw they make a 
 ‘fort of Drink of the Confiftence and aig 
 hd “9 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 ; a 
 | 
 
 A6. ~ Notes upon: the 
 of Milk, by. fteeping it in Water, it will 
 keep a Month or Six Weeks ina kind of 
 Baskets lind with the Leaves of Boxana- 
 Trees, which are 40r 5 Footlong, and.a- 
 bove 2. Foot wide. ; 
 Note (4) Ibid. The Brother of the Mar- 
 quis de la Barre, who was formerly Go- 
 vernor, and the King’s Lieutenant General 
 inthe Awerican Mlands, both by. Sea and 
 Land, and is now a Captain of one of his 
 Majefty’s Ships. Ay 
 Note (5) P. 4. The Mouth of this Ri- 
 ver is 14 Leagues Eaftward from Cayenne... | 
 Note (6) P. 5. This is oneofthe Nations | 
 that fled into the Country of the Galibis.. 
 Note (7) Ibid.’ In thefe Huts or Cottages © 
 the Izdiazs hang their Hamocks or Cotton- _ 
 beds when the Sun fets, in which they re- © 
  pofe themfelves all Night. They ordinarily 
 rife with the Sun, and then their Wives take © 
 down their Beds and Hamocks,and hang’em | 
 in the Carbet, which is their kind of Hall or — 
 Out-houfe, the Props of which not.only | 
 ferve to f{upport the Roof, which is madeof — 
 Palm-leaves, but alfo to hang upall theBeds — 
 _ ofthe Men and Boys in the Family; and | 
 thofe of Strangers, when at any. time,they~ 
 entertain ‘em. This Carbet is. placd,Tenor, — 
 Twelve paces on the upper-fide of the Cot- — 
 tage, in which the Women always leave : 
 
 
 
 their own Beds. At one end ofthe Cottage — 
 
Travels into Giana. = 49 
 they commonly make Cafzve, and their Li- 
 quor Ovicou ; this part of it ferves for the 
 Kitchin,and for all theWork that belongs to 
 the fubfiftance of the Family. Some of thefe 
 Cottages have a Loft above to hang. their 
 Bedsinin the Night ; and then the lower- 
 part of the Hut ferves for the Carbet ; where 
 the Men fpend the day (when they are at’ 
 home) in making their Bows and Arrows, 
 and what other conveniencies they want ; 
 for their bufinefs is different from that of 
 the Women in thefe Parts,as well as in moft 
 other Places. But there’s one thing belonging 
 to the other Sex which theMen have ufurp’d, 
 that deferves to be treated on ina particular 
 Article, of whichT fhall only fpeak a word 
 or two here by the by. They go to bed, when 
 their Wives are deliver’d, and receive the | 
 Compliments of their happy delivery as if 
 they had endur’d the pain, and accordingly 
 an{fwer their Vifitors as the Women do on 
 the like occafion in other places. This Cu- 
 ‘ftom is not peculiar to the Galibis, but is 
 usd in a great many other Nations of Bra/i, 
 ‘and in other partsof Americas 
 ‘Tis farther to be noted, that their Carbets’ 
 vare the places where they hold their Conful- 
 ‘tations, and deliberate on their moft weighty 
 “Affairs, which is ordinarily done with great 
 - Solemnity 5 thofe that are concern’d and in- 
 “wited, aflembling together from divers pla- 
 ‘ces for this purpofe. 1, ANote 
 

 
 48... Notes upon the 
 
 Note (8) Ibid. This Nation dwells near 
 the mouth of the River of Amazons. 
 
 Note (9) P.7.This is the ordinaryBread of 
 the Country, made of a fort.of Root, which 
 they fcrape, and then prefstoget the Water 
 out of it, which isa cold Poifon, and will 
 Kill Men, or Beafts if they drink but halfa 
 glafs of it; which for all that may be put in 
 Sauces.and Pottage, and gives “em a better 
 ‘relifh, provided it be but boyl'd tho’ never fo 
 Tittle,afterwhich it has no pernicious quality. 
 
 Note (10) P. 11. Piaie is a Name which 
 the Galibis give their Phyficians,who befides | 
 the practife of Phyfick pretend alfo to Divi- | 
 
 nation ; but they profefs neither, till they | 
 
 have made divers Experiments,one of which . | 
 is {q dangerous that it often makes’em burft. | 
 ‘They ftamp the green Leavesof Tobacco, and | 
 {queeze out the Juice of it, of which they | 
 drink the quantity ofa large Glafsfull; fo 7 
 that none but thofe that are of a very ro- | 
 buft Conftitution, who try this-prattifeup- | 
 on themfelves, efcape with their Lives. Be- | 
 fides divers forts of Plants, Gumms, and | 
 Wood they ufe to cure difeafes and wounds, © 
 they havea way of fucking their Patientsin: © 
 ~ that part of the Body in which they feel | 
 their pain; and this method is moft com- — 
 _ %nonly very fuccefsful. o. : 
 
 Note (11) P.15. The. reafon why they — 
 employ fo much time in making theirCanoos, — 
 hie iS 4 
 
 iN 
 . NM 
 
 
 
Travels into Guiana. 49) 
 is becaufe after they have chofen and fell’d a 
 Tree, and have with a Hatchet made it hol- | 
 low, about the breadth of half a Foot, and 
 about the fame depth through the whole 
 length of it, they hollow the reft of it with 
 a gentle Fire ; and this work, which goes on 
 very flowly 5; continues in proportion to the 
 bulk of the piece of Timber, and to the 
 length they give their Czzoo. This way of 
 making their €zzoos is. very tedious,but tends 
 much to their duration, fo that they {carce 
 ever rot,becaufe after they are thus made,the 
 Worm never touches “em, which is alfo part- 
 ly owing to the hardnefs of the Wood ; 
 there being fcarce any betwixt the Tropicks 
 but has this quality. 
 Note (12) P. 17. The Commodities that. 
 have vent among thefe Nations are Hatchets, 
 Bills, Knives, Looking-glaffes, Hooks, ¢c. 
 Note (13) P.19.’Tis the Cuftom of this Na- 
 tion to ufe their Children after this manner, 
 Note (14) Ibid. In the Year 1625, the Ex- 
 glifh attempted to make aSettlement atCzyen- 
 ne, & thefe Three who were devéur'd by the 
 - Indians were probably fome of ’em,for their 
 Eftablifhment did not fucceed, they being 
 defeated by the Indians, for not managing 
 themfelves well towards ’em. Their Princi- 
 "pal Plantation was at Cayenne, upon the Ri- 
 ver Remire. ‘The fame difappointment be- 
 fel the Dutch fome Years after, 
 SRDU I 5 OME ule . Note 
 
RO "Notes npon the” 
 
 Note (15) P.21.The Poop of great Canoos 
 being commonly joyn'd to the reft, they 
 caulk it with a fort of fat Earth, which the 
 Water in a little time wathes away, and 
 therefore they are oblig’d to put itin a frefh 
 from time to time ; and this they call mend- 
 ing or refitting a Cazoo. — 
 
 Note (16) P.22. The month of this River 
 enters into the Avazene, and into the River 
 _ of Cayenne, about 20 Leagues from thé Apro- 
 
 ague , twas from hence that Monf. Lecy, the . 
 
 Governor of Cayenne, with 10 Men drove a- 
 way 6 or 700 of the Dutch, in the laft Wars 
 we had with them; tho’ they had a Fort 
 there with fome pieces of Canon: At the 
 {ame time they were likewife twice driven 
 from the River Aproague, where they al- 
 fo had a Fort defended with Canon. 
 
 “Note (17) P. 25. Tamouct, or Tamechi ~ 
 
 fignifies Old, and Cabo fignifies Heaven in 
 the Galibian Tongue. sohG 
 
 Note (18) P. 27. Line 9. When the Ex- © 
 
 glifh came from Barbadoes, with 4 ot 5 Fri- 
 
 gats, to make a d&{cent upon Cayenne in the 
 
 Year 1666, Father Grillet was Superior of 
 
 the ‘Fefuits there, and was fome time amongft 
 
 “the Exglifh, who left him there with the reft 
 of the Colony when they went away)!” 
 Note (19) P. 28. *Tis true, they drink 
 
 but little or nothing at their ordinary meals _ 
 
 (ul they have done eating, and then com- 
 
 monly | 
 
Travels into, Guiana. ot. 
 monly drink one draught ; but when they 
 
  affemble together, either for Warlike Enter- 
 
 prizes, or to. begin. a Cazoo, or to launch it 
 when ‘tis made, and when. they make a 
 Chief, or admit himinto their Council, af- — 
 ter they have exposd him to feveral rude 
 kind of Trials ; they have extraordinary Re- 
 joycings, which frequently hold 3 or 4 days, 
 continuing till they have drank up all their 
 Liquor ; which is what the Frezch call Faire 
 un Vin. For thefe occafions they make 2 or 4 
 different forts of Drink, fome of which be- 
 come very {trong by fermentation, as_ that 
 which they call Palizot, which they make 
 with Caf/ave that is bak’d more than ordina- 
 ry: The pieces of which they pile up one 
 
 - upon another when they are very hot, and 
 “keep ’em thus till they begin to be mouldy, 
 
 after which they mix them-with Potatoes, 
 which they cut in fall pieces as well as the 
 Caffave,and put them in great Earthen Jarrs, 
 then they pour a proportionate quantity of 
 Water upon ‘em, and fo leave all to fer- 
 ment and. work. together till this Liquor is 
 as {trong as they defire ; which isafter about 
 
 _5,0r-6 days fermentation... They {train it 
 
 before they ufe it, and then ‘tis of the Co- 
 lour and Confiftence of Beer, of a much bet~ 
 
 ter taft, but much more heady and intoxi- 
 . cating... They have befides a great many 
 
 forts.of drink, the diverfity of which Refules 
 | ¥ 4 — from 
 
s2 -— \iiNotes upon the | 
 from the different Fruits of which they’ make 
 ‘em. But that which they ordinarily make ufe 
 of, is as white as Milk, and of the famecon- 
 fiftence.. Itis very refrefhing and nourifh- 
 ing, and is compos'd of Cafave bak'd. after 
 their ordinary manner, and Potatoes boil'd 
 with it, till they are of the confiftence of 
 Pafte, this they put into Baskets lind with 
 the Leaves of Bozavo-trees,in which it keeps- 
 good for a Month, and then begins to grow 
 {ower, but not quite fo foon if it be mth in 
 a cool place. When they ufe it they fteep 
 as much as they have prefent occafion for in 
 a fufficient quantity of Water, and if they 
 ‘are at leifure they ftrain it: But they often 
 only fteep it,and drink it without ftraining, 
 and if Sugar or Sugar-cains bruis’d be mix'd 
 - with it, it comes very near the taft,and co- 
 lour, and confiftence of Orgeate, the ufeof 
 which the French have taken from the Jta- 
 lians {ome Years fince. This drink is call'd 
 Ovacou upon the Continent; and Owicou in 
 
 the Iflands. . “Tis believ’d that the reafon 
 why the Ewropeans can never attain to make 
 
 it {0 good as the Izdians do, is becaufe thefe 
 chew the Potatoes and Caffave, before’ they 
 boil ‘em together, and underftand better 
 what degree of boyling they require,to give 
 
 this Liquor its greateft perfection. But the 
 {eeing this way ofits preparation turns onés 
 ftomach more than the reading of it ; an 
 
 | the 
 
 j 
 ih 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 Travels into Guiana. = 53 
 the Wine that wafhes the dirty Feet of the 
 Grape-gatherers'as they tread the Grapes is 
 no lefs naufeous, but the Fermentation 
 both of the one and the other*corre@s all 
 this uncleanlmefS. = = 8 =~ @ He 
 
 Note (20) P.30.This is their common way. 
 of exprefling things they cannot number, 
 faying Ezoura, which fignifies [this zeuch.) 
 
 Note (21) P. 31. This Nation is fituated 
 towards the Source of the River Marovi, 
 the Mouth of which is about 50 Leagues 
 from Cayenne Weltwatd, and 36 from the 
 Rivet Surinam; where: the Dutch have a 
 Fort, which the french built in the Year, 
 1644, and were oblig’d to quit in 1646, 
 for want of Help from Frazce. This Fort is 
 3 Leagues from the Mouth of the Swrinai, _ 
 on the Right-hand as you enter into it. The 
 Lord Willoughby retird thither in 1648, or 
 1649, with a Colony of 1000 or 1206 
 Englifo, who endeavour'd to fapport the In- 
 tereft of the King of Exgland agairft Crom, 
 well, inthe Barbadoes ; thatis, thofe of the 
 Antilles, ot Antego Wlands,which the Exgli/h 
 have; for the Ezgli/p callall thofé Mlands, 
 
 ‘the Barbadoes, as the French call all the Ay- 
 tilles they poffels, St. Chriftopher's Ulands. 
 ov Note-(22) P..32. There are fevéral forts 
 of Tools proper for the Indians, of the Va- 
 jue of about Halfa Crown, Two Shillings, 
 Twenty-pence,Fifteen-pence, ec, as Hatch- 
 ets 
 
BA Notes upon theo... 
 ets or Axes, Bills; with Wooden Handles, 
 others with Iron Handles, in the:Socket of 
 which they may be fix'd or taken off at: 
 Pleafure; and {uch little Planing-Axes, 
 as Cooper’s Ufe; this Tool ferves the Jn- 
 . dians in making their Caxoos, particularly 
 in hollowing the infide of the Tree, they 
 defign for that ufe: They alfo ufe Plains 
 to {mooth the outfide of the Cazoos, as well 
 as for other Works. | went 
 Note (23) Ibid. A Hamock is an Indian 
 Bed, made of Cottons tho’ they all hang 
 ‘em up by the two ends, when they would 
 lie in ‘em, fometimes upon 2 Trees, atro 
 or 12 Foot diftance, and fometimes.at two 
 of the Potts that fupport their Houfes, or 
 their Carbetss yet they differ very. much 
 both in the Stuff and Work. For Inftance, 
 All the Hamocks that are made from the 
 River of Amazons to the Orenoque, are of 
 Cotton, made full, and almoft all without 
 Fringe ‘on the fides ; moft of ’em colour’d 
 with Rocoz,or red Paint, quarter in Flou- 
 rifhes that are made with pretty good Pro- 
 portion and exactne(s;thefe aremoft efteem’d 
 for. Ufe, efpecially in the Iflands,, becaufe 
 they laft a great while ; and are, ftronger 
 than thofe of Brazil, which are fo thin, one 
 may generally {ee through “em,and aremade 
 
 of twin’d Cotton, much finer than thofe of 
 
 Guiana, which are alfo made of twifted 
 Cot- 
 
 ) 
 | 
 LS Se 
 

 
 
 
 Travels into Guiana. 55 
 Cotton-thread, but courfer: Thole of Brazil 
 have'all a great Fringe on each fide,and have 
 for the moft part very much work about’em, 
 the Brazilian Women are fo ingenious, that 
 there is fcarce two of their Cotton Beds in 
 a hundred, which are brought from the fame — 
 place, that are made juft alike: The Galibis _ 
 paint moft of em Red, after they are made, 
 atid while they are yet upon the Loom. The 
 - Brazilian Women make {carce any but white 
 Hamocks; and if they mix either Red, or 
 Blue, or Green, with the White, or al] of 
 ‘em together (as they do frequently): they 
 work ‘em with Thread ready dyed, and fo 
 the Men don’t touch em ; whereas in Gui- — 
 anathefe Beds are painted only by the Men, 
 _ the Women leaving this Work to them, 
 when they ‘have finifhed the Web : They 
 weave ’em after the following Manner, as 
 wellin Brezil as in Guiaza. All their Imple- 
 ments are two round Sticks, about 8 org 
 Foot long, and 3 or 4 Inches Diameter ; 
 the two Ends of one of thefe round: Sticks 
 lie a-crofs upon two Pieces of Wood, about 
 8 or Foot from the Ground, more or lef, 
 according to the Length the Work-woman 
 is order'd, or defigns her felf.to make her 
 Bed. ‘The other round Stick hangs dirett- 
 ly under this, and “tis to thefe two round 
 Sticks that the Warp of the Hamockvis fa- 
 ften'd, after which they have a kind: of 
 
 a Shut. 
 
ee 
 
 _ or fick People in ; thofe that are put to this 
 
 56 Notes upon the 
 
 Shuttle, which they put through the 
 
 Threads, to weave it after the Manner of 
 our Cloth: But becaufe they put their Shuttle 
 through Thread by Thread, one above and 
 
 the other below ; this Work is extreamly 
 
 tedious, and has need of no lefs Patience 
 
 ‘than theirs. . : = 
 Thofe of Brazil having much more work 
 
 about ‘em, require the more Time and In- 
 
 —duftry to make’em ; but one fort oa ano- 
 
 ther are very much bought in the Iilands, 
 where almoft all the Ezropeans make ufe of 
 ‘em ; and they are very good to ufe in Ez- 
 rope, efpecially in thofe Places, where they 
 
 “have but bad and uncleanly Beds, particular- 
 
 ly Spaiz and Italy, whither one might carry 
 
 ‘em without much trouble, they being very 
 
 light ; for the biggeft of “em don’t weigh 
 
 above 5 or 6 Pound, and thofe of Brazil not — 
 
 above half fo much, becaufe they are thin 
 and fine; witho Pegs, or 2 great Nails 
 they may be hang’d up any where. The Jz- 
 giaus place the Props of their Houfes at a 
 convenient diftance one from another, for 
 
 this Purpofe: They don’t go out far into 
 
 the Country without thefe Beds ;-and there 
 are always enough left in their Houfes for 
 Strangers. nOpot fe et ae 
 This fort of Beds is likewife us'd almoft 
 in all Southern America, to carry wounded 
 
 ufe, 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 Travels into Guiana. 57 
 ufe, have at each end a great Ring, through 
 which they puta Pole of-a fufficient length 
 for the Bed, and ftrong enough to bear a - 
 Man's Weight : And thustwo Izdiazs, one 
 before and tother behind, carry the fick 
 Man, fupported in his Hamock, by the Pole 
 --which they bear upon their Shoulders. 
 
 The Arouagues, the Araotes, and. moft of 
 the other Nations, toward the River Ore- 
 noque, make their Beds of the Thread of 
 Pite, in Net-work, which they hang up af- 
 ter the Manner the other do their Cotton 
 Hamocks.Pite is a kind of Hemp or Flax,but 
 much longer and whiter, of this they make 
 their Cords for the Tackling of the Mafts 
 and Sails of their Cazoos, as for other Oc- - 
 cafions ; this Pte is alfo much lighter and 
 f{tronger than Hemp, and nothing near fo 
 apt to rot in the Water; they make very 
 _ fine Thread of it to mend their Arrows, 
 
 - and for other fuch ufes. Perhaps the Alve 
 
 
 
 Yucca foliis, Catal. Plantar. Famaic. p. 118. 
 Note (24) P. 40. Boucanee that is, dry‘d 
 without being falted, upon a kind of Grate 
 made of Sticks, plac’d about 3 Foot above 
 the Fire, they Boucance Meat as well as Fifh ; - 
 and the Word Boucaniers comes from this, 
 becaufe they ufually live upon Meat or .. 
 Fith drefsd after this Manner. This Name 
 was given to the Frexzch in the Iland of 
 St. Domingo ; becaufe, before they had 
 ‘ : Houfes 
 
58 Notes upon the, 8c. 
 
 Houles, as they now have in the Weftern 
 Part. of the Ifland, they liv’d only upon 
 Beef thus drefsd; and fold the Hides of 
 the Bulls and Cows, which they kill’d, to 
 the Captains of Ships, for Guns, Powder 
 and Shot, Shirts and Drawers, which was 
 
 all their Equipage. They were then Vaga- 
 
 bonds in the Ifland, and had no Houfes, 
 but now are fettled there, and plant a great 
 deal of Tobacco in {pight of the Spaziards. 
 They are under the Command-of the Go- 
 vernour of Ja Tortue, a fmall Ifland that 
 lies near St. Domingo, on the Welt-fide : 
 And ‘tis fuppos'd, that the Number of thefe 
 Boucaniers furpafles that of all the reft of the 
 French in thole American Mlands, call’d the 
 Antilles. Thele Boucaniers have perform’d 
 fuch furprizing Exploits againft the Spazi- 
 ards at Porto-Velo, at Panama, in New Spain, 
 and elfewhere, that what.we are told in 
 the Accounts of the Country concerning 
 “emare almoft incredible, but that a Spavi- 
 ara has \ately taken care to immortalize 
 their Memory 5 who has in his own Lan- 
 guage given us the Hiftory of divers Ex- 
 peditions of thefe Adventurers, in a Vo- 
 lumn in’ 4fo. Printed at Cologne, in ‘the 
 ‘Year 1681, with Figures. ot. Dade 
 Note (25). P..43. Monfieur. Fontaine is 
 Commiflary, or Affiftant to Monfieur: Fox- 
 ret, who has’ yery fine -Sugar-Works at 
 ‘Cayenne. A 
 
59 
 
 
 
 RELATION 
 GUIANA 
 
 AND OF THE 
 
 COMMERCE 
 
 THAT 
 
 May be Settled there. 
 
 Gienah is a great Country, on the Con- 
 tinent of Northern America, which 
 
 _.-extends in Latitude, from the Equi- 
 noctial Line, to the Tenth Degree, on the 
 fide.of the “Ardique Pole, and in Longi- 
 tude from the River of Arsazons to the O- 
 renoque,. which contains near. Four Hun- 
 dred Leagues on the Sea-Coafts, with an 
 -immenfe Stretch into the’ Countries that 
 _border upon Brazil, on the South-fide, and 
 New Andalonfia on the Welt. 
 
 Our 
 
60 Travels into Guiana. 
 
 Our French Seamen are wont tocallGui- 
 ana bythe Name, of the North-Cape,-be-  _ 
 caufe that is the moft remarkable Cape on | 
 that Coaft; and thofe that have Bufinefs in 
 thofe Parts, commonly put afhoar there, to 
 
 get fome Knowledge of the’'Country. 
 This Cape is between the 2 and 3 De- 
 grees of Northern Latitude, and between 
 the 345 and the 346 Degrees of Longitude. 
 This Part of the Continent is water'd with 
 abundance of Rivers, fome of which will 
 catrysgreat Vefiels up a.confiderable Way — 
 beyord*the Mouths of ‘em; and upon the 
 Shoars of ‘en? # an infiniteNumber of Plan- | 
 _ gations might be made, which would.turn | 
 - to avery confiderable Account, as well in 
 _., swegard of the Traffick that might be made 
 “with the ‘Natives, and the Fifhing-Trade 
 that might be carried’on in thefe Rivers, 
 and along the Sea-Coaft, as.of the Pro- 
 duct ‘of ‘the Labour and Induftry of the 
 
 ' Planters. : ios sca rel 
 The divers.Settlements the Frezch have 
 nade there at different Times, {ufficiently 
 prove the Poffibility of living in good Cor- 
 refpondence with the Indians, provided 
 they be treated civilly; and with more 
 *Monfieur dele ‘4onefty and Sincerity than 
 ; rite had a * they have'done, who have 
 “there, when ths Hitherto had the Conduct of 
 Account was writ- ‘ thefe kind of Enter prizes, - 
 
 fen, : te ; fall 
 
 
 
A Relation of Guiana. 64 
 \ ‘fall into their Hands. The ill Treatment 
 _ the Natives have receiv’d from them, for 
 which they have fometimes made them- 
 {elves amends by way of Reprizal, have not 
 render’d ‘em irreconcileable, as we have been 
 taught by Experience, when we have made 
 tryal of it‘on different Occafions. 
 
 They are tolerably endued with good 
 Senfe, which they have opportunity to cul- 
 tivate and refine by a long Train of Expe- 
 riences, with which the many Years they 
 live, furnifh em: For they countia Man 
 dies young, if he don’t live above 106 Years. 
 
 They have a pretty Berg sod ements and 
 have good rational Thoughts, about things. . 
 within the Compafs of their Notice, and 
 within the Reach of the Light of Nature, 
 with which alone they are furnith’d. 
 
 They obferve their Words with great Ex- 
 actnefs, and inviolably practife the Maxim, 
 of not doing to others, what they would 
 not have others do to them. 
 
 They are rather inclin’d to Peace than 
 War, which yet they engage in,either when 
 they have fome juft Quarrel, or when Re- 
 venge or Honour prompt ‘em to it. ey 
 
 They are fufficiently induftrious, and al- 
 though they have both Patience and Skill. 
 in Fifhing and Hunting, yet they have the 
 Fore-fight, not to let their Subfiftance de- 
 
 pend upon Hazard ; Be therefore a 
 
 De y 
 
62  ARelation of Guiana, - 
 dy, cultivate ‘their Ground, in »propdttion 
 4o their Qecafions,and: the Bigness of their 
 Families... hobs wot binw actlow 
 ») before) Europe had turnifh'd:theny,s 
 
 with 
 _» Tools) of Tronjand.Steel for, this*Parpefe, 
 they made themfelves:fome.of hard Stones ; 
 but befides, that the Labour of making. ’em 
 ‘was intolerable, the Pains they took. in 
 ufing of ‘em, was alfo fo» very great, :that 
 they laid afide the ufe of em,as foon/as they 
 found they. could do more Werk in-a;Day 
 with-our Hatchets, Bills and Knives; than 
 they could doin 6 Months with theirStone 
 Tools; which now are good for nothing, 
 butto be kept in the Clofets of the Curious, 
 asfo many Proofs of the wonderful Pati- 
 enceiof thofe- People: ) 5 dis: sro. qiats ee 
 ‘They fpeak a Tongue, whichis notsonly 
 underftood. by all the Nations, which the 
 Spaniards on one fide, and the:Portugefe-on 
 the other, have oblig'd. to.retire into,Gui- 
 dna 3, but is alfo intelligible to the Carraibes, 
 who-are the Natives of the Antilles; and 
 ufe this Language : Which I haye:known 
 by: the Izdians of the Ules.of St. Vincent, 
 St. Domingo, and others where Thad océa- 
 fion to conyerfe with them..,/In-fhort, this 
 
 and in many Places above Six{core Leagues 
 
 é 
 
 7 ies 
 
 Ss OT ice Op a A OE 
 
 
 
 OTR -_ is r ugh . > 
 aE ge Te EO eee ass 
 a ON RR ee ian TM ety, GEN ome = Paras ee 
 
 
 
 
 
 a ta 
 

 
 
 
 ARelabion of Guiana. Sz 
 
 They’ bring up) all: fortsof taitie ‘Fowl, 
 woHicle hey. exchange withous for Toys, ‘as 
 well as wild Fow], and other Game, which 
 is there in great Plenty: 3 as alfo abundance, 
 both of Seay and Ereth-water Fith:: 
 
 They buildtus Houfes after their Falhioi, | 
 whigh are commodious ’ enough for the 
 Country ;\ they clear our Ground-and tar- 
 ry our Letters,’ theyferve to load and un- 
 load’“Merchant Ships 3° and’ in a Word, 
 thete’sifcarce any: kind of Setvice bnt nay 
 be obtain’d of *em by a courteous Carriage, 
 and by giving emia few: Trifles of a’ {mall 
 Value)when they have occafion for ’em. 
 They undertake even to load Ships. entire- 
 ly-with a kind of bith, which they catch 
 in the Rivers witha fort of Harping-Iron ; 
 and this’ they ‘perform upon fuch ’reafon- 
 ble “Terms, that thofe who follow this 
 Trade: by their Means, always find an ex~ 
 
 craordinary Profic init 5 becaufe. the Vent 
 
 of emis ‘always {peedy and certain inthe 
 Iflands; where there is a great Confumption 
 of em made : ; fo that one may fay, this fort 
 of Fifth, and the Sea-Tortoife, are the'Cod- 
 fith of the Continent. sand the Anteeo Iflands. 
 
 And ’tis: the Manma, upon’ which the 
 Colonies between the Tropiques live,as much 
 as many of the Europeans, and (bind others, 
 
 do upon: Cod-fith. This: Fithing Trade 
 
 is asi all the Year in moft of the Ri- 
 
 yp vers . 
 
64  AoRelation of Guiana. 
 vers on this Coaft, ‘except the Fifhing for 
 Tortoife; which holds but 3 or 4 Monthsin 
 the Year's’ during which, the Females come 
 to:lay their Eggs inthe Sand, beyond the 
 Marks that-are left of the higheft T ides, and 
 that: in fo great abundance, (efpecially on 
 the Shoars that are leaft frequented) as can 
 hardly be imagin’d : For to Men canturn 
 asmany of em in a Night, as too can drefs 
 vin a Week. 2 SIONS TOS er ete 
 In the Night, which is'the only time 
 they take to lay their Eggs, they wait ‘till 
 they have pafs'd the Bounds, which ‘the 
 highef{t Tides have mark’d, and then turn 
 ‘em upon their Backs, and being once in this 
 Pofture,they can by no means'recoverthem- 
 felves upon their Feet to goback intothe Sea. 
 . Among the Plants which the Izdiazs cul- 
 
 - tivate im their Plantations, Cotton is one of 
 
 thofe that principally employs “em, efpeci- 
 
 vally the Women who make this their — 
 particular bufinefs ; and thus find meansto — 
 adorn themfelves ; for they know how to 
 {pin it as fine as can be defir'd. And if the 
 
 diforders that have happen’d in the Colo- 
 
 » Mies upon the Continent; had not hinder’d 
 ‘the Eftablifhing a Regular Traffick of ‘it, 
 which might have been eafily accomplith’d; 
 - T fay, if it had:not been forthis, all Exrope 
 
 might have been’ farnifh’d with itj.in_all . | 
 
 manner of ways in which it could have been 
 
 im- | 
 
A Relation of Guiana. 68 
 “imptoy'd,! without cofting the! French-any 
 moretrotblecor charge in a.manners than 
 thatoof receiving it 5 becaufe of the natural 
 and general inclination the Indians ‘have 
 bothfor Work, and for Finery ; efteeming 
  a‘grain of Chriftalto hang about their Neck 
 ‘ orat:their Ears, as much as we fhould do a 
 Diamond. of the fame bignefs.- » 
 > Befides,” it being well known, that Cot- 
 ton is one of thofe Commodities that are 
 confum'd the moft in Europe, and the Price 
 of whichis leaft varied; the Inhabitants of 
 the Iflands would never have left off culti- 
 -vating it, if there had been Women enough 
 to fpin it, without which it can’t be ‘Tranf- 
 ported but with a great deal of Trouble, 
 anid little Profit.’ | ia 
 ‘The Hamocks or Cotton-beds which the 
 Andiaas fellus for a Bill or Hatchet;are after- 
 _wards fold in the Iflands with confiderable 
 Advantage; every one there having one of 
 ’em,and there are none of them broughtfrom 
 
 any other Country than Guzavajexcept from - 
 
 » Brafil, and that but tarely, becaufe of the 
 {mall Commerce the Freach have there. 
 
 < Their Rocox is a-red Die, and valuable : 
 
 when ‘tis: natural, fuch as the Indians fell 
 us, before it has been falfified by For- 
 sreigners, who-carry it into’ Europe. See. 
 \‘Orucy tn Catal, Plant. FanaieoP. 1506 
 
 There 
 
66 A Relavion of Giuidnas. 
 
 . Thete.ate;to,be had amongyiemlikewife 
 divers forts, of Gumms, Woods, and Rueots 
 proper for Phy fick, which-are ‘good Com: 
 modities in, Frazee, as; wellas feverah forts 
 of Wood. proper for Dying);,and fort ma- 
 king,of Cabinets and Inlaid: Works; among 
 which. isthe Letter-wood,which theFrench 
 call Bois dela Chine,,and which growin. no 
 other, place:in the World but‘on this part of 
 the Continent. The Natives cut-it and car- 
 ry it in}great burthens, quite to the Ships fo 
 cheap, that.a 1coo weight of it comes: to 
 but a Crown 3, whereas that quantity, was.a 
 long time fold fora 100’ Crowns, and.ne- 
 ver for lefs:than 150 Livres. 
 
 . Befidesthofe. Animals that ‘ania fit. save 
 {port as Apes of divers kinds, Szpajous, Ta 
 
 marins, Sagovins,Parrots, Aniras and T ocaws: 
 I omit a great many other things; which 
 this Country produces’; and one may: fay, 
 this, large Compa{s of Ground. has more 
 
 over this Aslantaps above: the lands. of 
 America, that there is nofear of, tiring its. 
 
 as we are taught by Experience, the Ifland 
 
 of St. Chriftopher, and. others, have been in) 
 a little Space of Time, where the Land is: 
 ' become almoft barren, meerly by being o-: 
 
 vet-burden’d with continual Crops, becaufe 
 
 it can never, be, fuffer’d.to reft, by Reafon : 
 
 of the fall, Portion of Ground that every: 
 
 talgbitaat poffeffes ;.which yet does: not': 
 
 hinder 
 
 
 
 
 
 <‘Z i Oe gegee 
 
A: Relation of Guiana. 67 
 ‘hinder ‘em from raifing every Year a prodi- 
 gious! Quantity of Sugar) befides Ginger, 
 Indigo, Caflia,; and ‘other Commddicies: ine 
 are) cultivated ‘and made theres 201» 
 
 ‘This Country: of Guiana is divertigea 
 with Hills; Plains and Meadows's and there 
 arefearce any’ Mountains but would tirn 
 toa good Account, if they were manur'd’: 
 The Land isevery where fo fertile, that one 
 Man may eafily get, ‘with his own Hands, 
 a Livelihood for’Twenty People, ‘the Cul- 
 tivation of it isfo very eafie. The Fruits 
 of ‘itare excellent, and very plentiful’; and 
 all: our forts ‘of Corn grow there: all ‘the 
 Year round, without diftin@ion ‘of Séa 
 fons, ‘and that in a very little time: And 
 there being»no Winter, the Trees are-alter- 
 nately cover'd with Bloffoms and Fritts, 
 andialways' with Leaves. 
 
 The ‘Airis: very good, and the Clithate 
 very’ Temperate, tho’ it be between the 
 Tropigues 5 for the Heat is continually mi- 
 tigated by a frefh Eaft-wind, which blows 
 all the Year, except in the Night, when 
 the ‘Breezes come from the Land, which 
 are only felt oné or two Leagues toward" 
 the Sea. | 
 
 ‘The Waters are excellent, and keep good 
 throughout the longeft Voyages, ‘as has 
 been often experiencd in’ Evrope, where 
 eee are never found:to ftink at the Re-- 
 
 turn 
 
68  & Relation of Guiana. 
 éurn of the Ships, that have taken in their 
 Provifion of em in this Country. It muft 
 ‘not be omitted, that there are on this Coaft 
 a great many Iflands fo proper for the Feed- 
 ang of Cattle, that provided fome neceflary 
 Precautions be obferv'd, there is no doubt 
 but there would in a thort time be as great 
 a Number of ‘em produc’d (if a Stock were 
 catried thither) im proportion, as in the 
 other Iflands, whither Ships go every Day 
 
 for Hides; as they do to St. Domingo, and — 
 
 — elfewhere. | 
 
 This Account being drawn up only as a 
 Succin& Memoir of Guiavza in general, and, 
 of Cayenne in particular ; 1 thought not 
 meet to extend it further, nor to give the 
 Detail of a Country, where. the French 
 have now a Colony, from whence a more 
 ample Information may be expected. 
 
 FIN IS. 
 

 

 
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