the discovery of guiana-第5章

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there　are　120　leagues；　but　sure　it　is　that　those　rivers　have　one　head
and　beginning；　and　the　Maranon；　which　Thevet　describeth；　is　but　a
branch　of　Amazons　or　Orellana；　of　which　I　will　speak　more　in　another
place。　It　was　attempted　by　Ordas；　but　it　is　now　little　less　than　70
years　since　that　Diego　Ordas；　a　Knight　of　the　Order　of　Santiago；
attempted　the　same；　and　it　was　in　the　year　1542　that　Orellana
discovered　the　river　of　Amazons；　but　the　first　that　ever　saw　Manoa　was
Juan　Martinez；　master　of　the　munition　to　Ordas。　At　a　port　called
Morequito　（probably　San　Miguel）；　in　Guiana；　there　lieth　at　this　day　a
great　anchor　of　Ordas　his　ship。　And　this　port　is　some　300　miles　within
the　land；　upon　the　great　river　of　Orenoque。　I　rested　at　this　port　four
days；　twenty　days　after　I　left　the　ships　at　Curiapan。

The　relation　of　this　Martinez；　who　was　the　first　that　discovered
Manoa；　his　success；　and　end；　is　to　be　seen　in　the　Chancery　of　St。　Juan
de　Puerto　Rico；　whereof　Berreo　had　a　copy；　which　appeared　to　be　the
greatest　encouragement　as　well　to　Berreo　as　to　others　that　formerly
attempted　the　discovery　and　conquest。　Orellana；　after　he　failed　of　the
discovery　of　Guiana　by　the　said　river　of　Amazons；　passed　into　Spain；
and　there　obtained　a　patent　of　the　king　for　the　invasion　and　conquest；
but　died　by　sea　about　the　islands；　and　his　fleet　being　severed　by
tempest；　the　action　for　that　time　proceeded　not。　Diego　Ordas　followed
the　enterprise；　and　departed　Spain　with　600　soldiers　and　thirty　horse。
Who；　arriving　on　the　coast　of　Guiana；　was　slain　in　a　mutiny；　with　the
most　part　of　such　as　favoured　him；　as　also　of　the　rebellious　part；
insomuch　as　his　ships　perished　and　few　or　none　returned；　neither　was
it　certainly　known　what　became　of　the　said　Ordas　until　Berreo　found
the　anchor　of　his　ship　in　the　river　of　Orenoque；　but　it　was　supposed；
and　so　it　is　written　by　Lopez；　that　he　perished　on　the　seas；　and　of
other　writers　diversely　conceived　and　reported。　And　hereof　it　came
that　Martinez　entered　so　far　within　the　land；　and　arrived　at　that　city
of　Inga　the　emperor；　for　it　chanced　that　while　Ordas　with　his　army
rested　at　the　port　of　Morequito　（who　was　either　the　first　or　second
that　attempted　Guiana）；　by　some　negligence　the　whole　store　of　powder
provided　for　the　service　was　set　on　fire；　and　Martinez；　having　the
chief　charge；　was　condemned　by　the　General　Ordas　to　be　executed
forthwith。　Martinez；　being　much　favoured　by　the　soldiers；　had　all　the
means　possible　procured　for　his　life；　but　it　could　not　be　obtained　in
other　sort　than　this；　that　he　should　be　set　into　a　canoa　alone；
without　any　victual；　only　with　his　arms；　and　so　turned　loose　into　the
great　river。　But　it　pleased　God　that　the　canoa　was　carried　down　the
stream；　and　certain　of　the　Guianians　met　it　the　same　evening；　and；
having　not　at　any　time　seen　any　Christian　nor　any　man　of　that　colour；
they　carried　Martinez　into　the　land　to　be　wondered　at；　and　so　from
town　to　town；　until　he　came　to　the　great　city　of　Manoa；　the　seat　and
residence　of　Inga　the　emperor。　The　emperor；　after　he　had　beheld　him；
knew　him　to　be　a　Christian；　for　it　was　not　long　before　that　his
brethren　Guascar　and　Atabalipa　were　vanquished　by　the　Spaniards　in
Peru：　and　caused　him　to　be　lodged　in　his　palace；　and　well　entertained。
He　lived　seven　months　in　Manoa；　but　was　not　suffered　to　wander　into
the　country　anywhere。　He　was　also　brought　thither　all　the　way
blindfold；　led　by　the　Indians；　until　he　came　to　the　entrance　of　Manoa
itself；　and　was　fourteen　or　fifteen　days　in　the　passage。　He　avowed　at
his　death　that　he　entered　the　city　at　noon；　and　then　they　uncovered
his　face；　and　that　he　travelled　all　that　day　till　night　through　the
city；　and　the　next　day　from　sun　rising　to　sun　setting；　ere　he　came　to
the　palace　of　Inga。　After　that　Martinez　had　lived　seven　months　in
Manoa；　and　began　to　understand　the　language　of　the　country；　Inga　asked
him　whether　he　desired　to　return　into　his　own　country；　or　would
willingly　abide　with　him。　But　Martinez；　not　desirous　to　stay；　obtained
the　favour　of　Inga　to　depart；　with　whom　he　sent　divers　Guianians　to
conduct　him　to　the　river　of　Orenoque；　all　loaden　with　as　much　gold　as
they　could　carry；　which　he　gave　to　Martinez　at　his　departure。　But　when
he　was　arrived　near　the　river's　side；　the　borderers　which　are　called
Orenoqueponi　（poni　is　a　Carib　postposition　meaning　〃on〃）　robbed　him
and　his　Guianians　of　all　the　treasure　（the　borderers　being　at　that
time　at　wars；　which　Inga　had　not　conquered）　save　only　of　two　great
bottles　of　gourds；　which　were　filled　with　beads　of　gold　curiously
wrought；　which　those　Orenoqueponi　thought　had　been　no　other　thing　than
his　drink　or　meat；　or　grain　for　food；　with　which　Martinez　had　liberty
to　pass。　And　so　in　canoas　he　fell　down　from　the　river　of　Orenoque　to
Trinidad；　and　from　thence　to　Margarita；　and　so　to　St。　Juan　del　Puerto
Rico；　where；　remaining　a　long　time　for　passage　into　Spain；　he　died。　In
the　time　of　his　extreme　sickness；　and　when　he　was　without　hope　of
life；　receiving　the　sacrament　at　the　hands　of　his　confessor；　he
delivered　these　things；　with　the　relation　of　his　travels；　and　also
called　for　his　calabazas　or　gourds　of　the　gold　beads；　which　he　gave　to
the　church　and　friars；　to　be　prayed　for。

This　Martinez　was　he　that　christened　the　city　of　Manoa　by　the　name　of
El　Dorado；　and；　as　Berreo　informed　me；　upon　this　occasion；　those
Guianians；　and　also　the　borderers；　and　all　other　in　that　tract　which　I
have　seen；　are　marvellous　great　drunkards；　in　which　vice　I　think　no
nation　can　compare　with　them；　and　at　the　times　of　their　solemn　feasts；
when　the　emperor　carouseth　with　his　captains；　tributaries；　and
governors；　the　manner　is　thus。　All　those　that　pledge　him　are　first
stripped　naked　and　their　bodies　anointed　all　over　with　a　kind　of　white
balsamum　（by　them　called　curca）；　of　which　there　is　great　plenty；　and
yet　very　dear　amongst　them；　and　it　is　of　all　other　the　most　precious；
whereof　we　have　had　good　experience。　When　they　are　anointed　all　over；
certain　servants　of　the　emperor；　having　prepared　gold　made　into　fine
powder；　blow　it　through　hollow　canes　upon　their　naked　bodies；　until
they　be　all　shining　from　the　foot　to　the　head；　and　in　this　sort　they
sit　drinking　by　twenties　and　hundreds；　and　continue　in　drunkenness
sometimes　six　or　seven　days　together。　The　same　is　also　confirmed　by　a
letter　written　into　Spain　which　was　intercepted；　which　Master　Robert
Dudley　told　me　he　had　seen。　Upon　this　sight；　and　for　the　abundance　of
gold　which　he　saw　in　the　city；　the　images　of　gold　in　their　temples；
the　plates；　armours；　and　shields　of　gold　which　they　use　in　the　wars；
he　called　it　El　Dorado。

After　the　death　of　Ordas　and　Martinez；　and　after　Orellana；　who　was
employed　by　Gonzalo　Pizarro；　one　Pedro　de　Orsua；　a　knight　of　Navarre；
attempted　Guiana；　taking　his　way　into　Peru；　and　built　his　brigandines
upon　a　river　called　Oia；　which　riseth　to　the　southward　of　Quito；　and
is　very　great。　This　river　falleth　into　Amazons；　by　which　Orsua　with
his　companies　descended；　and　came　out　of　that　province　which　is　called
Motilones　（〃friars〃Indians　so　named　from　their　cropped　heads）；　and
it　seemeth　to　me　that　this　empire　is　reserved　for　her　Majesty　and　the
English　nation；　by　reason　of　the　hard　success　which　all　these　and
other　Spaniards　found　in　attempting　the　same；　whereof　I　will　speak
briefly；　though　impertinent　in　some　sort　to　my　purpose。　This　Pedro　de
Orsua　had　among　his　troops　a　Biscayan　called　Aguirre；　a　man　meanly
born；　who　bare　no　other　office　than　a　sergeant　or　alferez　（al…faris；
Arab。horseman；　mounted　officer）：　but　after　certain　months；　when　the
soldiers　were　grieved　with　travels　and　consumed　with　famine；　and　that
no　entrance　could　be　found　by　the　branches　or　body　of　Amazons；　this
Aguirre　raised　a　mutiny；　of　which　he　made　himself　the　head；　and　so
prevailed　as　he　put　Orsua　to　the　sword　and　all　his　followers；　taking
on　him　the　whole　charge　and　commandment；　with　a　purpose　not　only　to
make　himself　emperor　of　Guiana；　but　also　of　Peru　and　of　all　that　side
of　the　West　Indies。　He　had　of　his　party　700　soldiers；　and　of　those
many　promised　to　draw　in　other　captains　and　companies；　to　deliver　up
towns　and　forts　in　Peru；　but　neither　finding　by　the　said　river　any
passage　into　Guiana；　nor　any　possibility　to　return　towards　Peru　by　the
same　Amazons；　by　reason　that　the　descent　of　the　river　made　so　great　a
current；　he　was　enforced　to　disemboque　at　the　mouth　of　the　said
Amazons；　which　cannot　be　less　than　1；000　leagues　from　the　place　where
they　embarked。　From　thence　he　coasted　the　land　till　he　arrived　at
Margarita　to　the　north　of　Mompatar；　which　is　at　this　day　called　Puerto
de　Tyranno；　for　that　he　there　slew　Don　Juan　de　Villa　Andreda；　Governor
of　Margarita；　who　was　father　to　Don　Juan　Sarmiento；　Governor　of
Margarita　when　Sir　John　Burgh　landed　there　and　attempted　the　island。
Aguirre　put　to　the　sword　all　other　in　the　island　that　refused　to　be　of
his　party；　and　took　with　him　certain　cimarrones　（fugitive　slaves）　and
other　desperate　companions。　From　thence　he　went　to　Cumana　and　there
slew　the　governor；　and　dealt　in　all　as　at　Margarita。　He　spoiled　all
the　coast　of　Caracas　and　the　province　of　Venezuela　and　of　Rio　de　la
Hacha；　and；　as　I　remember；　it　was　the　same　year　that　Sir　John　Hawkins
sailed　to　St。　Juan　de　Ullua　in　the　Jesus　of　Lubeck；　for　himself　told
me　that　he　met　with　such　a　one　upon　the　coast；　that　rebelled；　and　had
sailed　down　all　the　river　of　Amazons。　Aguirre　from　thence　landed　about
Santa　Marta　and　sacked　it　also；　putting　to　death　so　many　as　refused　to
be　his　followers；　purposing　to　invade　Nuevo　Reyno　de　Granada　and　to
sack　Pamplona；　Merida；　Lagrita；　Tunja；　and　the　rest　of　the　cities　of
Nuevo　Reyno；　and　from　thence　again　to　enter　Peru；　but　in　a　fight　in
the　said　Nuevo　Reyno　he　was　overthrown；　and；　finding　no　way　to　escape；
he　first　put　to　the　sword　his　own　children；　foretelling　them　that　they
should　not　live　to　be　defamed　or　upbraided　by　the　Spaniards　after　his
death；　who　would　have　termed　them　the　children　of　a　traitor　or　tyrant；
and　that；　sithence　he　could　not　make　them　princes；　he　would　yet
deliver　them　from　shame　and　reproach。　These　were　the　ends　and
tragedies　of　Ordas；　Martinez；　Orellana；　Orsua；　and　Aguirre。　Also　soon
after　Ordas　followed　Jeronimo　Ortal　de　Saragosa；　with　130　soldiers；
who　failing　his　entrance　by　sea；　was　cast　with　the　current　on　the
coast　of　Paria；　and　peopled　about　S。　Miguel　de　Neveri。　It　was　then
attempted　by　Don　Pedro　de　Silva；　a　Portuguese　of　the　family　of　Ruy
Gomez　de　Silva；　and　by　the　favour　which　Ruy　Gomez　had　with　the　king　he
was　set　out。　But　he　also　shot　wide　of　the　mark；　for　being　departed
from　Spain　with　his　fleet；　he　entered　by　Maranon　or　Amazons；　where　by
the　nations　of　the　river　and　by　the　Amazons；　he　was　utterly
overthrown；　and　himself　and　all　his　army　defeated；　only　seven　escaped；
and　of　those　but　two　returned。

After　him　came　Pedro　Hernandez　de　Serpa；　and　landed　at　Cumana；　in　the
West　Indies；　taking　his　journey　by　land　towards　Orenoque；　which　may　be
some　120　leagues；　but　ere　he　came　to　the　borders　of　the　said　river；　he
was　set　upon　by　a　nation　of　the　Indians；　called　Wikiri；　and　overthrown
in　such　sort；　that　of　300　soldiers；　horsemen；　many　Indians；　and
negroes；　there　return