the discovery of guiana-第7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！


branches　through　the　fenny　and　boggy　ground；　there　breed　divers
poisonful　worms　and　serpents。　And　the　Spaniards　not　suspecting；　nor　in
any　sort　foreknowing　the　danger；　were　infected　with　a　grievous　kind　of
flux　by　drinking　thereof；　and　even　the　very　horses　poisoned　therewith；
insomuch　as　at　the　end　of　the　six　months　that　they　abode　there；　of　all
their　troops　there　were　not　left　above　120　soldiers；　and　neither　horse
nor　cattle。　For　Berreo　hoped　to　have　found　Guiana　be　1；000　miles
nearer　than　it　fell　out　to　be　in　the　end；　by　means　whereof　they
sustained　much　want；　and　much　hunger；　oppressed　with　grievous
diseases；　and　all　the　miseries　that　could　be　imagined。　I　demanded　of
those　in　Guiana　that　had　travelled　Amapaia；　how　they　lived　with　that
tawny　or　red　water　when　they　travelled　thither；　and　they　told　me　that
after　the　sun　was　near　the　middle　of　the　sky；　they　used　to　fill　their
pots　and　pitchers　with　that　water；　but　either　before　that　time　or
towards　the　setting　of　the　sun　it　was　dangerous　to　drink　of；　and　in
the　night　strong　poison。　I　learned　also　of　divers　other　rivers　of　that
nature　among　them；　which　were　also；　while　the　sun　was　in　the　meridian；
very　safe　to　drink；　and　in　the　morning；　evening；　and　night；　wonderful
dangerous　and　infective。　From　this　province　Berreo　hasted　away　as　soon
as　the　spring　and　beginning　of　summer　appeared；　and　sought　his
entrance　on　the　borders　of　Orenoque　on　the　south　side；　but　there　ran　a
ledge　of　so　high　and　impassable　mountains；　as　he　was　not　able　by　any
means　to　march　over　them；　continuing　from　the　east　sea　into　which
Orenoque　falleth；　even　to　Quito　in　Peru。　Neither　had　he　means　to　carry
victual　or　munition　over　those　craggy；　high；　and　fast　hills；　being　all
woody；　and　those　so　thick　and　spiny；　and　so　full　or　prickles；　thorns；
and　briars；　as　it　is　impossible　to　creep　through　them。　He　had　also
neither　friendship　among　the　people；　nor　any　interpreter　to　persuade
or　treat　with　them；　and　more；　to　his　disadvantage；　the　caciques　and
kings　of　Amapaia　had　given　knowledge　of　his　purpose　to　the　Guianians；
and　that　he　sought　to　sack　and　conquer　the　empire；　for　the　hope　of
their　so　great　abundance　and　quantities　of　gold。　He　passed　by　the
mouths　of　many　great　rivers　which　fell　into　Orenoque　both　from　the
north　and　south；　which　I　forbear　to　name；　for　tediousness；　and　because
they　are　more　pleasing　in　describing　than　reading。

Berreo　affirmed　that　there　fell　an　hundred　rivers　into　Orenoque　from
the　north　and　south：　whereof　the　least　was　as　big　as　Rio　Grande　（the
Magdalena）；　that　passed　between　Popayan　and　Nuevo　Reyno　de　Granada；
Rio　Grande　being　esteemed　one　of　the　renowned　rivers　in　all　the　West
Indies；　and　numbered　among　the　great　rivers　of　the　world。　But　he　knew
not　the　names　of　any　of　these；　but　Caroli　only；　neither　from　what
nations　they　descended；　neither　to　what　provinces　they　led；　for　he　had
no　means　to　discourse　with　the　inhabitants　at　any　time；　neither　was　he
curious　in　these　things；　being　utterly　unlearned；　and　not　knowing　the
east　from　the　west。　But　of　all　these　I　got　some　knowledge；　and　of　many
more；　partly　by　mine　own　travel；　and　the　rest　by　conference；　of　some
one　I　learned　one；　of　others　the　rest；　having　with　me　an　Indian　that
spake　many　languages；　and　that　of　Guiana　（the　Carib）　naturally。　I
sought　out　all　the　aged　men；　and　such　as　were　greatest　travellers。　And
by　the　one　and　the　other　I　came　to　understand　the　situations；　the
rivers；　the　kingdoms　from　the　east　sea　to　the　borders　of　Peru；　and
from　Orenoque　southward　as　far　as　Amazons　or　Maranon；　and　the　regions
of　Marinatambal　（north　coasts　of　Brazil）；　and　of　all　the　kings　of
provinces；　and　captains　of　towns　and　villages；　how　they　stood　in　terms
of　peace　or　war；　and　which　were　friends　or　enemies　the　one　with　the
other；　without　which　there　can　be　neither　entrance　nor　conquest　in
those　parts；　nor　elsewhere。　For　by　the　dissension　between　Guascar　and
Atabalipa；　Pizarro　conquered　Peru；　and　by　the　hatred　that　the
Tlaxcallians　bare　to　Mutezuma；　Cortes　was　victorious　over　Mexico；
without　which　both　the　one　and　the　other　had　failed　of　their
enterprise；　and　of　the　great　honour　and　riches　which　they　attained
unto。

Now　Berreo　began　to　grow　into　despair；　and　looked　for　no　other　success
than　his　predecessor　in　this　enterprise；　until　such　time　as　he　arrived
at　the　province　of　Emeria　towards　the　east　sea　and　mouth　of　the　river；
where　he　found　a　nation　of　people　very　favourable；　and　the　country
full　of　all　manner　of　victual。　The　king　of　this　land　is　called
Carapana；　a　man　very　wise；　subtle；　and　of　great　experience；　being
little　less　than　an　hundred　years　old。　In　his　youth　he　was　sent　by　his
father　into　the　island　of　Trinidad；　by　reason　of　civil　war　among
themselves；　and　was　bred　at　a　village　in　that　island；　called　Parico。
At　that　place　in　his　youth　he　had　seen　many　Christians；　both　French
and　Spanish；　and　went　divers　times　with　the　Indians　of　Trinidad　to
Margarita　and　Cumana；　in　the　West　Indies；　for　both　those　places　have
ever　been　relieved　with　victual　from　Trinidad：　by　reason　whereof　he
grew　of　more　understanding；　and　noted　the　difference　of　the　nations；
comparing　the　strength　and　arms　of　his　country　with　those　of　the
Christians；　and　ever　after　temporised　so　as　whosoever　else　did　amiss；
or　was　wasted　by　contention；　Carapana　kept　himself　and　his　country　in
quiet　and　plenty。　He　also　held　peace　with　the　Caribs　or　cannibals；　his
neighbours；　and　had　free　trade　with　all　nations；　whosoever　else　had
war。

Berreo　sojourned　and　rested　his　weak　troop　in　the　town　of　Carapana　six
weeks；　and　from　him　learned　the　way　and　passage　to　Guiana；　and　the
riches　and　magnificence　thereof。　But　being　then　utterly　unable　to
proceed；　he　determined　to　try　his　fortune　another　year；　when　he　had
renewed　his　provisions；　and　regathered　more　force；　which　he　hoped　for
as　well　out　of　Spain　as　from　Nuevo　Reyno；　where　he　had　left　his　son
Don　Antonio　Ximenes　to　second　him　upon　the　first　notice　given　of　his
entrance；　and　so　for　the　present　embarked　himself　in　canoas；　and　by
the　branches　of　Orenoque　arrived　at　Trinidad；　having　from　Carapana
sufficient　pilots　to　conduct　him。　From　Trinidad　he　coasted　Paria；　and
so　recovered　Margarita；　and　having　made　relation　to　Don　Juan
Sarmiento；　the　Governor；　of　his　proceeding；　and　persuaded　him　of　the
riches　of　Guiana；　he　obtained　from　thence　fifty　soldiers；　promising
presently　to　return　to　Carapana；　and　so　into　Guiana。　But　Berreo　meant
nothing　less　at　that　time；　for　he　wanted　many　provisions　necessary　for
such　an　enterprise；　and　therefore　departed　from　Margarita；　seated
himself　in　Trinidad；　and　from　thence　sent　his　camp…master　and　his
sergeant…major　back　to　the　borders　to　discover　the　nearest　passage
into　the　empire；　as　also　to　treat　with　the　borderers；　and　to　draw　them
to　his　party　and　love；　without　which；　he　knew　he　could　neither　pass
safely；　nor　in　any　sort　be　relieved　with　victual　or　aught　else。
Carapana　directed　his　company　to　a　king　called　Morequito；　assuring
them　that　no　man　could　deliver　so　much　Guiana　as　Morequito　could；　and
that　his　dwelling　was　but　five　days'　journey　from　Macureguarai；　the
first　civil　town　of　Guiana。

Now　your　lordship　shall　understand　that　this　Morequito；　one　of　the
greatest　lords　or　kings　of　the　borders　of　Guiana；　had　two　or　three
years　before　been　at　Cumana　and　at　Margarita；　in　the　West　Indies；　with
great　store　of　plates　of　gold；　which　he　carried　to　exchange　for　such
other　things　as　he　wanted　in　his　own　country；　and　was　daily　feasted；
and　presented　by　the　governors　of　those　places；　and　held　amongst　them
some　two　months。　In　which　time　one　Vides；　Governor　of　Cumana；　won　him
to　be　his　conductor　into　Guiana；　being　allured　by　those　croissants　and
images　of　gold　which　he　brought　with　him　to　trade；　as　also　by　the
ancient　fame　and　magnificence　of　El　Dorado；　whereupon　Vides　sent　into
Spain　for　a　patent　to　discover　and　conquer　Guiana；　not　knowing　of　the
precedence　of　Berreo's　patent；　which；　as　Berreo　affirmeth；　was　signed
before　that　of　Vidas。　So　as　when　Vides　understood　of　Berreo　and　that
he　had　made　entrance　into　that　territory；　and　foregone　his　desire　and
hope；　it　was　verily　thought　that　Vides　practised　with　Morequito　to
hinder　and　disturb　Berreo　in　all　he　could；　and　not　to　suffer　him　to
enter　through　his　seignory；　nor　any　of　his　companies；　neither　to
victual；　nor　guide　them　in　any　sort。　For　Vides；　Governor　of　Cumana；
and　Berreo；　were　become　mortal　enemies；　as　well　for　that　Berreo　had
gotten　Trinidad　into　his　patent　with　Guiana；　as　also　in　that　he　was　by
Berreo　prevented　in　the　journey　of　Guiana　itself。　Howsoever　it　was；　I
know　not；　but　Morequito　for　a　time　dissembled　his　disposition；
suffered　ten　Spaniards　and　a　friar；　which　Berreo　had　sent　to　discover
Manoa；　to　travel　through　his　country；　gave　them　a　guide　for
Macureguarai；　the　first　town　of　civil　and　apparelled　people；　from
whence　they　had　other　guides　to　bring　them　to　Manoa；　the　great　city　of
Inga；　and　being　furnished　with　those　things　which　they　had　learned　of
Carapana　were　of　most　price　in　Guiana；　went　onward；　and　in　eleven　days
arrived　at　Manoa；　as　Berreo　affirmeth　for　certain；　although　I　could
not　be　assured　thereof　by　the　lord　which　now　governeth　the　province　of
Morequito；　for　he　told　me　that　they　got　all　the　gold　they　had　in　other
towns　on　this　side　Manoa；　there　being　many　very　great　and　rich；　and
（as　he　said）　built　like　the　towns　of　Christians；　with　many　rooms。

When　these　ten　Spaniards　were　returned；　and　ready　to　put　out　of　the
border　of　Aromaia　（the　district　below　the　Caroni　river）；　the　people　of
Morequito　set　upon　them；　and　slew　them　all　but　one　that　swam　the
river；　and　took　from　them　to　the　value　of　40；000　pesos　of　gold；　and
one　of　them　only　lived　to　bring　the　news　to　Berreo；　that　both　his　nine
soldiers　and　holy　father　were　benighted　in　the　said　province。　I　myself
spake　with　the　captains　of　Morequito　that　slew　them；　and　was　at　the
place　where　it　was　executed。　Berreo；　enraged　herewithal；　sent　all　the
strength　he　could　make　into　Aromaia；　to　be　revenged　of　him；　his
people；　and　country。　But　Morequito；　suspecting　the　same；　fled　over
Orenoque；　and　through　the　territories　of　the　Saima　and　Wikiri
recovered　Cumana；　where　he　thought　himself　very　safe；　with　Vides　the
governor。　But　Berreo　sending　for　him　in　the　king's　name；　and　his
messengers　finding　him　in　the　house　of　one　Fajardo；　on　the　sudden；　ere
he　was　suspected；　so　as　he　could　not　then　be　conveyed　away；　Vides
durst　not　deny　him；　as　well　to　avoid　the　suspicion　of　the　practice；　as
also　for　that　an　holy　father　was　slain　by　him　and　his　people。
Morequito　offered　Fajardo　the　weight　of　three　quintals　in　gold；　to　let
him　escape；　but　the　poor　Guianian；　betrayed　on　all　sides；　was
delivered　to　the　camp…master　of　Berreo；　and　was　presently　executed。

After　the　death　of　this　Morequito；　the　soldiers　of　Berreo　spoiled　his
territory　and　took　divers　prisoners。　Among　others　they　took　the　uncle
of　Morequito；　called　Topiawari；　who　is　now　king　of　Aromaia；　whose　son
I　brought　with　me　into　England；　and　is　a　man　of　great　understanding
and　policy；　he　is　above　an　hundred　years　old；　and　yet　is　of　a　very
able　body。　The　Spaniards　led　him　in　a　chain　seventeen　days；　and　made
him　their　guide　from　place　to　place　betwe