1595. This M. Benjamin Wood charges of this 1 England with two prizes. The second expectation fell A description cried. ! 1595. Paracoa, or 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 [III. 576.] 1595. vels sent to Indias. Walter 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 Balthasar, need. himselfe to any place that he spake of. This discovery |