the discovery of guiana-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


am　assured　now　that　they　will　all　die；　even　to　the　last　man；　against
the　Spaniards　in　hope　of　our　succour　and　return。　Whereas；　otherwise；
if　I　had　either　laid　hands　on　the　borderers　or　ransomed　the　lords；　as
Berreo　did；　or　invaded　the　subjects　of　Inga；　I　know　all　had　been　lost
for　hereafter。

After　that　I　had　resolved　Topiawari；　lord　of　Aromaia；　that　I　could　not
at　this　time　leave　with　him　the　companies　he　desired；　and　that　I　was
contented　to　forbear　the　enterprise　against　the　Epuremei　till　the　next
year；　he　freely　gave　me　his　only　son　to　take　with　me　into　England；　and
hoped　that　though　he　himself　had　but　a　short　time　to　live；　yet　that　by
our　means　his　son　should　be　established　after　his　death。　And　I　left
with　him　one　Francis　Sparrow；　a　servant　of　Captain　Gifford；　who　was
desirous　to　tarry；　and　could　describe　a　country　with　his　pen；　and　a
boy　of　mine　called　Hugh　Goodwin；　to　learn　the　language。　I　after　asked
the　manner　how　the　Epuremei　wrought　those　plates　of　gold；　and　how　they
could　melt　it　out　of　the　stone。　He　told　me　that　the　most　of　the　gold
which　they　made　in　plates　and　images　was　not　severed　from　the　stone；
but　that　on　the　lake　of　Manoa；　and　in　a　multitude　of　other　rivers；
they　gathered　it　in　grains　of　perfect　gold　and　in　pieces　as　big　as
small　stones；　and　they　put　it　to　a　part　of　copper；　otherwise　they
could　not　work　it；　and　that　they　used　a　great　earthen　pot　with　holes
round　about　it；　and　when　they　had　mingled　the　gold　and　copper　together
they　fastened　canes　to　the　holes；　and　so　with　the　breath　of　men　they
increased　the　fire　till　the　metal　ran；　and　then　they　cast　it　into
moulds　of　stone　and　clay；　and　so　make　those　plates　and　images。　I　have
sent　your　honours　of　two　sorts　such　as　I　could　by　chance　recover；　more
to　shew　the　manner　of　them　than　for　the　value。　For　I　did　not　in　any
sort　make　my　desire　of　gold　known；　because　I　had　neither　time　nor
power　to　have　a　great　quantity。　I　gave　among　them　many　more　pieces　of
gold　than　I　received；　of　the　new　money　of　twenty　shillings　with　her
Majesty's　picture；　to　wear；　with　promise　that　they　would　become　her
servants　thenceforth。

I　have　also　sent　your　honours　of　the　ore；　whereof　I　know　some　is　as
rich　as　the　earth　yieldeth　any；　of　which　I　know　there　is　sufficient；
if　nothing　else　were　to　be　hoped　for。　But　besides　that　we　were　not
able　to　tarry　and　search　the　hills；　so　we　had　neither　pioneers；　bars；
sledges；　nor　wedges　of　iron　to　break　the　ground；　without　which　there
is　no　working　in　mines。　But　we　saw　all　the　hills　with　stones　of　the
colour　of　gold　and　silver；　and　we　tried　them　to　be　no　marcasite；　and
therefore　such　as　the　Spaniards　call　El　madre　del　oro　or　〃the　mother
of　gold；〃　which　is　an　undoubted　assurance　of　the　general　abundance；
and　myself　saw　the　outside　of　many　mines　of　the　spar；　which　I　know　to
be　the　same　that　all　covet　in　this　world；　and　of　those　more　than　I
will　speak　of。

Having　learned　what　I　could　in　Canuri　and　Aromaia；　and　received　a
faithful　promise　of　the　principallest　of　those　provinces　to　become
servants　to　her　Majesty；　and　to　resist　the　Spaniards　if　they　made　any
attempt　in　our　absence；　and　that　they　would　draw　in　the　nations　about
the　lake　of　Cassipa　and　those　of　Iwarawaqueri；　I　then　parted　from　old
Topiawari；　and　received　his　son　for　a　pledge　between　us；　and　left　with
him　two　of　ours　as　aforesaid。　To　Francis　Sparrow　I　gave　instructions
to　travel　to　Macureguarai　with　such　merchandises　as　I　left　with　them；
thereby　to　learn　the　place；　and　if　it　were　possible；　to　go　on　to　the
great　city　of　Manoa。　Which　being　done；　we　weighed　anchor　and　coasted
the　river　on　Guiana　side；　because　we　came　upon　the　north　side；　by　the
lawns　of　the　Saima　and　Wikiri。

There　came　with　us　from　Aromaia　a　cacique　called　Putijma；　that
commanded　the　province　of　Warapana；　which　Putijma　slew　the　nine
Spaniards　upon　Caroli　before　spoken　of；　who　desired　us　to　rest　in　the
port　of　his　country；　promising　to　bring　us　unto　a　mountain　adjoining
to　his　town　that　had　stones　of　the　colour　of　gold；　which　he　performed。
And　after　we　had　rested　there　one　night　I　went　myself　in　the　morning
with　most　of　the　gentlemen　of　my　company　over…land　towards　the　said
mountain；　marching　by　a　river's　side　called　Mana；　leaving　on　the　right
hand　a　town　called　Tuteritona；　standing　in　the　province　of　Tarracoa；
of　which　Wariaaremagoto　is　principal。　Beyond　it　lieth　another　town
towards　the　south；　in　the　valley　of　Amariocapana；　which　beareth　the
name　of　the　said　valley；　whose　plains　stretch　themselves　some　sixty
miles　in　length；　east　and　west；　as　fair　ground　and　as　beautiful　fields
as　any　man　hath　ever　seen；　with　divers　copses　scattered　here　and　there
by　the　river's　side；　and　all　as　full　of　deer　as　any　forest　or　park　in
England；　and　in　every　lake　and　river　the　like　abundance　of　fish　and
fowl；　of　which　Irraparragota　is　lord。

From　the　river　of　Mana　we　crossed　another　river　in　the　said　beautiful
valley　called　Oiana；　and　rested　ourselves　by　a　clear　lake　which　lay　in
the　middle　of　the　said　Oiana；　and　one　of　our　guides　kindling　us　fire
with　two　sticks；　we　stayed　awhile　to　dry　our　shirts；　which　with　the
heat　hung　very　wet　and　heavy　on　our　shoulders。　Afterwards　we　sought
the　ford　to　pass　over　towards　the　mountain　called　Iconuri；　where
Putijma　foretold　us　of　the　mine。　In　this　lake　we　saw　one　of　the　great
fishes；　as　big　as　a　wine　pipe；　which　they　call　manati；　being　most
excellent　and　wholesome　meat。　But　after　I　perceived　that　to　pass　the
said　river　would　require　half…a…day's　march　more；　I　was　not　able
myself　to　endure　it；　and　therefore　I　sent　Captain　Keymis　with　six　shot
to　go　on；　and　gave　him　order　not　to　return　to　the　port　of　Putijma；
which　is　called　Chiparepare；　but　to　take　leisure；　and　to　march　down
the　said　valley　as　far　as　a　river　called　Cumaca；　where　I　promised　to
meet　him　again；　Putijma　himself　promising　also　to　be　his　guide。　And　as
they　marched；　they　left　the　towns　of　Emperapana　and　Capurepana　on　the
right　hand；　and　marched　from　Putijma's　house；　down　the　said　valley　of
Amariocapana；　and　we　returning　the　same　day　to　the　river's　side；　saw
by　the　way　many　rocks　like　unto　gold　ore；　and　on　the　left　hand　a　round
mountain　which　consisted　of　mineral　stone。

From　hence　we　rowed　down　the　stream；　coasting　the　province　of　Parino。
As　for　the　branches　of　rivers　which　I　overpass　in　this　discourse；
those　shall　be　better　expressed　in　the　description；　with　the　mountains
of　Aio；　Ara；　and　the　rest；　which　are　situate　in　the　provinces　of
Parino　and　Carricurrina。　When　we　were　come　as　far　down　as　the　land
called　Ariacoa；　where　Orenoque　divideth　itself　into　three　great
branches；　each　of　them　being　most　goodly　rivers；　I　sent　away　Captain
Henry　Thyn；　and　Captain　Greenvile　with　the　galley；　the　nearest　way；
and　took　with　me　Captain　Gifford；　Captain　Caulfield；　Edward　Porter；
and　Captain　Eynos　with　mine　own　barge　and　the　two　wherries；　and　went
down　that　branch　of　Orenoque　which　is　called　Cararoopana；　which
leadeth　towards　Emeria；　the　province　of　Carapana；　and　towards　the　east
sea；　as　well　to　find　out　Captain　Keymis；　whom　I　had　sent　overland；　as
also　to　acquaint　myself　with　Carapana；　who　is　one　of　the　greatest　of
all　the　lords　of　the　Orenoqueponi。　And　when　I　came　to　the　river　of
Cumaca；　to　which　Putijma　promised　to　conduct　Captain　Keymis；　I　left
Captain　Eynos　and　Master　Porter　in　the　said　river　to　expect　his
coming；　and　the　rest　of　us　rowed　down　the　stream　towards　Emeria。

In　this　branch　called　Cararoopana　were　also　many　goodly　islands；　some
of　six　miles　long；　some　of　ten；　and　some　of　twenty。　When　it　grew
towards　sunset；　we　entered　a　branch　of　a　river　that　fell　into
Orenoque；　called　Winicapora；　where　I　was　informed　of　the　mountain　of
crystal；　to　which　in　truth　for　the　length　of　the　way；　and　the　evil
season　of　the　year；　I　was　not　able　to　march；　nor　abide　any　longer　upon
the　journey。　We　saw　it　afar　off；　and　it　appeared　like　a　white　church…
tower　of　an　exceeding　height。　There　falleth　over　it　a　mighty　river
which　toucheth　no　part　of　the　side　of　the　mountain；　but　rusheth　over
the　top　of　it；　and　falleth　to　the　ground　with　so　terrible　a　noise　and
clamour；　as　if　a　thousand　great　bells　were　knocked　one　against
another。　I　think　there　is　not　in　the　world　so　strange　an　overfall；　nor
so　wonderful　to　behold。　Berreo　told　me　that　there　were　diamonds　and
other　precious　stones　on　it；　and　that　they　shined　very　far　off；　but
what　it　hath　I　know　not；　neither　durst　he　or　any　of　his　men　ascend　to
the　top　of　the　said　mountain；　those　people　adjoining　being　his
enemies；　as　they　were；　and　the　way　to　it　so　impassable。

Upon　this　river　of　Winicapora　we　rested　a　while；　and　from　thence
marched　into　the　country　to　a　town　called　after　the　name　of　the　river；
whereof　the　captain　was　one　Timitwara；　who　also　offered　to　conduct　me
to　the　top　of　the　said　mountain　called　Wacarima。　But　when　we　came　in
first　to　the　house　of　the　said　Timitwara；　being　upon　one　of　their　said
feast　days；　we　found　them　all　as　drunk　as　beggars；　and　the　pots
walking　from　one　to　another　without　rest。　We　that　were　weary　and　hot
with　marching　were　glad　of　the　plenty；　though　a　small　quantity
satisfied　us；　their　drink　being　very　strong　and　heady；　and　so　rested
ourselves　awhile。　After　we　had　fed；　we　drew　ourselves　back　to　our
boats　upon　the　river；　and　there　came　to　us　all　the　lords　of　the
country；　with　all　such　kind　of　victual　as　the　place　yielded；　and　with
their　delicate　wine　of　pinas；　and　with　abundance　of　hens　and　other
provisions；　and　of　those　stones　which　we　call　spleen…stones。　We
understood　by　these　chieftains　of　Winicapora　that　their　lord；
Carapana；　was　departed　from　Emeria；　which　was　now　in　sight；　and　that
he　was　fled　to　Cairamo；　adjoining　to　the　mountains　of　Guiana；　over　the
valley　called　Amariocapana；　being　persuaded　by　those　ten　Spaniards
which　lay　at　his　house　that　we　would　destroy　him　and　his　country。　But
after　these　caciques　of　Winicapora　and　Saporatona　his　followers
perceived　our　purpose；　and　saw　that　we　came　as　enemies　to　the
Spaniards　only；　and　had　not　so　much　as　harmed　any　of　those　nations；
no；　though　we　found　them　to　be　of　the　Spaniards'　own　servants；　they
assured　us　that　Carapana　would　be　as　ready　to　serve　us　as　any　of　the
lords　of　the　provinces　which　we　had　passed；　and　that　he　durst　do　no
other　till　this　day　but　entertain　the　Spaniards；　his　country　lying　so
directly　in　their　way；　and　next　of　all　other　to　any　entrance　that
should　be　made　in　Guiana　on　that　side。　And　they　further　assured　us；
that　it　was　not　for　fear　of　our　coming　that　he　was　removed；　but　to　be
acquitted　of　the　Spaniards　or　any　other　that　should　come　hereafter。
For　the　province　of　Cairoma　is　situate　at　the　mountain　foot；　which
divideth　the　plains　of　Guiana　from　the　countries　of　the　Orenoqueponi；
by　means　whereof　if　any　should　come　in　our　absence　into　his　towns；　he
would　slip　over　the　mountains　into　the　plains　of　Guiana　among　the
Epuremei；　where　the　Spaniards　durst　not　follow　him　without　great
force。　But　in　mine　opinion；　or　rather　I　assure　myself；　that　Carapana
being　a　notable　wise　and　subtle　fellow；　a　man　of　one　hundred　years　of
age　and　therefore　of　great　experience；　is　removed　to　look　on；　and　if
he　find　that　we　return　strong　he　will　be　ours；　if　not；　he　will　excuse
his　departure　to　the　Spaniards；　and