1595.

This M. Benjamin Wood

charges of this

1 England with two prizes. The second expectation fell
out to our great comfort: for I tooke two very fine
Caravels under the calmes of Tenerif and Palma,
which both refreshed and amended my company, and
made me a Fleete of 3. sailes. In the one Caravel
called The Intent, I made Benjamin Wood Captaine,
in the other, one Captaine Wentworth. Thus cheared
was in the end
as a desolate traveller with the company of my small
of the yeere
and newe erected Fleete, I continued my purpose for 1596. sent
= the West Indies, and first for Cape Blanco in Africa forth with two
upon the deserts of Libya. My last hope was to meete ships, and cer-
taine pinnesses
my lost ship, and withall to renue my victuals upon upon a voyage
the Canthers, which are Portugal fishermen: but the for the South
Canthers had bene so frighted by Frenchmen, as I seas and for
could get none. Riding under this White Cape two China, at the
daies, and walking on shore to view the countrey, I honourable
found it a waste, desolate, barren, and sandie place, gentleman
the sand running in drifts like snow and being very Sir Robert
stony; for so is all the countrey sand upon stone (like Dudley.
Arabia deserta, and Petrea) and full of blacke venemous
lizards, with some wilde beasts and people which be
tawny Moores, so wilde, as they would but call to my
Caravels from the shore, who road very neere it. But
not desirous to make any longer aboad in this place,
by reason of the most infectious serenas or dewes that
fall all along these coasts of Africa, I caused my
Master Abraham Kendall to shape his course directly
for the isle of Trinidad in the West Indies; which The ysle of
after 22. dayes we descried, and the first of February Trinidad des-
came to an anker under a point thereof called Curiapan, Punta de
in a bay which was very full of pelicans, and I called Curiapan.
it Pelicans bay. About 3. leagues to the Eastwards of
this place we found a mine of Marcazites which
glister like golde (but all is not gold that glistereth)
for so we found the same nothing worth, though the
Indians did assure us it was Calvori, which signifieth
gold with them. These Indians are a fine shaped and
a gentle people, al naked & painted red, their com-

A description
of Cape Blanco
in

cried.

!

1595.

Paracoa, or
Parico.

themselves.

practize of the

Spaniards.

manders wearing crownes of feathers. These people did often resort unto my ship, & brought us hennes, hogs, plantans, potatoes, pinos, tobacco, & many other pretie commodities, which they exchanged with us for hatchets, knives, hookes, belles, and glasse buttons. From this bay I fell downe lower to a place called Paracoa, where I desired rather to ride, because it was a convenient place to water, balast, ground, & grave my Caravels. They inskonce Then I commanded al my men to lye on shore, after I had caused to be made for them a little skonce like an halfe moone for their defence, being jealous of the Spaniards, of whose estate I could gather no certaintie, till from Margarita Antonie Berreo for his defence had gotten some 300. souldiers, a greater number then I was able to encounter withall, having then but 50. men, because my Caravels before their comming were sent away. The Simerones of the yland traded with me stil in like A treasonable sort. And the Spaniards now provided for me, began to send messengers to me in kindnesse. Notwithstanding though I had no reason to assault them, because they were both poore & strong, yet for my experience and pleasure I marched 4. long marches upon the yland, & the last from one side of the yland to the other, which was some 50. miles: going and comming through a most monstrous thicke wood (for so is most part of the yland) & lodging my selfe in Indian townes. The country is fertile, and ful of fruits, strange beasts, and foules, whereof munkeis, babions & parats were in great abundance. Being much delighted with this yland, and meaning to stay here some time about discovering the maine right against the same (the entrance into the empire of Guiana) being shewed the discovery thereof by Captaine Popham, who received the discovery of the saide empire from one captaine Harper, which being a prisoner learned of the Spaniards at the Canaries in the selfe same maner almost, as sir Walter Ralegh very discreetly hath written. The intelligence of Harper, I conceive, the Captaine hath yet to shew

They march from one side of the yland to the other.

Captaine
Harpers
intelligence of
Guiana.

[III. 576.]

1595.

vels sent to

Indias.

Walter
Raleghs dis-

covery Cia

wani.

Ralegh speak

in Spanish. This discovery of Guiana I greatly desired: yet least I should adventure all occasions upon it onely, I sent my two Caravels from me the 17. day of His two CaraFebruary, to try their fortunes in the Indies not appointing any other place to meet but England, fur- range the nishing them with all the provision that I could spare, and dividing my victuals equally with them, knowing they were able to do more good in the Indies then greater ships. The Caravels being gone, I began to enquire privately of the Savages concerning the maine over against us, and learned that the names of the kingdomes joyning to the Sea-coast were in order these. The kingdom of Morucca, the kingdome of Seawano, the Seawano called kingdome of Waliame, the kingdom of Caribes, the perhaps in sir kingdome of Yguirie, and right against the Northermost part of Trinidad, the maine was called The high land of Paria, the rest a very lowe land. Morucco I learned to bee full of a greene stone called Tacarao, which is good Sir Walter for the stone. In Seawano I heard of a Mine of gold eth of Saima, to be in a towne called Wackerew, the Captaines name and Wikeri in Semaracon. Of Waliame I will speake last, because his discovery. therein I made most discovery. The Caribes I learned to be man-eaters or Canibals, and great enemies to the Islanders of Trinidad. The kingdome of Yguiri I heard to be full of a metall called by the Indians Arara, which is either copper (as I could learne) or very base gold. In the high land of Paria I was informed by divers of these Indians, that there was some Perota, which with them is silver, and great store of most excellent Canetabacco. But lastly to come to Waliame, it is the first kingdome of the empire of Guiana. The great wealth which I understood to be therein, and the assurance that I had by an Indian, mine interpreter, of a golden Mine in a towne of this kingdome called Orocoa, in the River (as he called it) of Owrinoicke was much to be esteemed. This Indian spake Spanish, and whatsoever he knew, he reveiled it to my selfe onely by a private interpreter, not in words alone, but offered upon paine of life to be guide

This Indians
name was

Balthasar,
who after-
ward gave our
men the slip at
their greatest

need.

himselfe to any place that he spake of. This discovery
of the Mine I mentioned to my company, who
altogether mutined against my going, because they
something feared the villany of Abraham Kendal, who
would by no meanes go.
I then wanted my lost
pinnesse, and was constrained to send 14. men in my
ship-boat for this discovery, with most of the discreetest
men in my ship, & gave them their directions to
follow, written under mine owne hand. They went
from me, and entred into one of the mouthes by
the broken lands, which river goeth under the name of
the great River Orenoque, the foreland wherof was
called Capulio bearing South & by West, wanting a
fourth part, from the point of Curiapan aforesaid, being
4. leags distant. They found the maine (as China is
reported) full of fresh Rivers running one into another,
abounding with fish, and a land al woody, seeming to
have great store of strange beasts and foules, & very
populous. They entred into a small river called Cabota,
the people named Veriotaus, a courteous people. The
next river they passed was called Mana in the kingdome
of Tivitivas, where the king offered to bring a Canoa
full of this golden oare, and to this purpose sent a Canoa,
which returned and brought my men this answere, that
Armago Captaine of the towne of Orocoa and the Mine
refused them, but if they would come thither, hee
himselfe would make them answere. Upon this my boat
went, and at his appointed place hee met them with some
100. men in Canoas, and tolde them that by force they
should have nothing but blowes, yet if they would bring
him hatchets, knives, and Jewes-harps, he bid them
assure me, he had a Mine of gold, and could refine it,
& would trade with me: for token whereof, he sent me
3. or 4. Croissants or halfe moones of gold weighing
a noble a piece or more, and two bracelets of silver.
Also he told them of another rich nation, that sprinkled
their bodies with the poulder of golde, and seemed to be
guilt, and farre beyond them a great towne called El