the discovery of guiana-第4部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


in　my　return；　if　extremity　of　weather　had　not　forced　me　from　the　said
coast。

I　found　occasions　of　staying　in　this　place　for　two　causes。　The　one　was
to　be　revenged　of　Berreo；　who　the　year　before；　1594；　had　betrayed
eight　of　Captain　Whiddon's　men；　and　took　them　while　he　departed　from
them　to　seek　the　Edward　Bonaventure；　which　arrived　at　Trinidad　the　day
before　from　the　East　Indies：　in　whose　absence　Berreo　sent　a　canoa
aboard　the　pinnace　only　with　Indians　and　dogs　inviting　the　company　to
go　with　them　into　the　woods　to　kill　a　deer。　Who　like　wise　men；　in　the
absence　of　their　captain　followed　the　Indians；　but　were　no　sooner　one
arquebus　shot　from　the　shore；　but　Berreo's　soldiers　lying　in　ambush
had　them　all；　notwithstanding　that　he　had　given　his　word　to　Captain
Whiddon　that　they　should　take　water　and　wood　safely。　The　other　cause
of　my　stay　was；　for　that　by　discourse　with　the　Spaniards　I　daily
learned　more　and　more　of　Guiana；　of　the　rivers　and　passages；　and　of
the　enterprise　of　Berreo；　by　what　means　or　fault　he　failed；　and　how　he
meant　to　prosecute　the　same。

While　we　thus　spent　the　time　I　was　assured　by　another　cacique　of　the
north　side　of　the　island；　that　Berreo　had　sent　to　Margarita　and　Cumana
for　soldiers；　meaning　to　have　given　me　a　cassado　（blow）　at　parting；　if
it　had　been　possible。　For　although　he　had　given　order　through　all　the
island　that　no　Indian　should　come　aboard　to　trade　with　me　upon　pain　of
hanging　and　quartering　（having　executed　two　of　them　for　the　same；
which　I　afterwards　found）；　yet　every　night　there　came　some　with　most
lamentable　complaints　of　his　cruelty：　how　he　had　divided　the　island
and　given　to　every　soldier　a　part；　that　he　made　the　ancient　caciques；
which　were　lords　of　the　country；　to　be　their　slaves；　that　he　kept　them
in　chains；　and　dropped　their　naked　bodies　with　burning　bacon；　and　such
other　torments；　which　I　found　afterwards　to　be　true。　For　in　the　city；
after　I　entered　the　same；　there　were　five　of　the　lords　or　little
kings；　which　they　call　caciques　in　the　West　Indies；　in　one　chain；
almost　dead　of　famine；　and　wasted　with　torments。　These　are　called　in
their　own　language　acarewana；　and　now　of　late　since　English；　French；
and　Spanish；　are　come　among　them；　they　call　themselves　captains；
because　they　perceive　that　the　chiefest　of　every　ship　is　called　by
that　name。　Those　five　captains　in　the　chain　were　called　Wannawanare；
Carroaori；　Maquarima；　Tarroopanama；　and　Aterima。　So　as　both　to　be
revenged　of　the　former　wrong；　as　also　considering　that　to　enter　Guiana
by　small　boats；　to　depart　400　or　500　miles　from　my　ships；　and　to　leave
a　garrison　in　my　back　interested　in　the　same　enterprise；　who　also
daily　expected　supplies　out　of　Spain；　I　should　have　savoured　very　much
of　the　ass；　and　therefore　taking　a　time　of　most　advantage；　I　set　upon
the　Corps　du　garde　in　the　evening；　and　having　put　them　to　the　sword；
sent　Captain　Caulfield　onwards　with　sixty　soldiers；　and　myself
followed　with　forty　more；　and　so　took　their　new　city；　which　they
called　St。　Joseph；　by　break　of　day。　They　abode　not　any　fight　after　a
few　shot；　and　all　being　dismissed；　but　only　Berreo　and　his　companion
（the　Portuguese　captain　Alvaro　Jorge）；　I　brought　them　with　me　aboard；
and　at　the　instance　of　the　Indians　I　set　their　new　city　of　St。　Joseph
on　fire。　The　same　day　arrived　Captain　George　Gifford　with　your
lordship's　ship；　and　Captain　Keymis；　whom　I　lost　on　the　coast　of
Spain；　with　the　galego；　and　in　them　divers　gentlemen　and　others；　which
to　our　little　army　was　a　great　comfort　and　supply。

We　then　hasted　away　towards　our　purposed　discovery；　and　first　I　called
all　the　captains　of　the　island　together　that　were　enemies　to　the
Spaniards；　for　there　were　some　which　Berreo　had　brought　out　of　other
countries；　and　planted　there　to　eat　out　and　waste　those　that　were
natural　of　the　place。　And　by　my　Indian　interpreter；　which　I　carried
out　of　England；　I　made　them　understand　that　I　was　the　servant　of　a
queen　who　was　the　great　cacique　of　the　north；　and　a　virgin；　and　had
more　caciqui　under　her　than　there　were　trees　in　that　island；　that　she
was　an　enemy　to　the　Castellani　in　respect　of　their　tyranny　and
oppression；　and　that　she　delivered　all　such　nations　about　her；　as　were
by　them　oppressed；　and　having　freed　all　the　coast　of　the　northern
world　from　their　servitude；　had　sent　me　to　free　them　also；　and　withal
to　defend　the　country　of　Guiana　from　their　invasion　and　conquest。　I
shewed　them　her　Majesty's　picture；　which　they　so　admired　and　honoured；
as　it　had　been　easy　to　have　brought　them　idolatrous　thereof。　The　like
and　a　more　large　discourse　I　made　to　the　rest　of　the　nations；　both　in
my　passing　to　Guiana　and　to　those　of　the　borders；　so　as　in　that　part
of　the　world　her　Majesty　is　very　famous　and　admirable；　whom　they　now
call　EZRABETA　CASSIPUNA　AQUEREWANA；　which　is　as　much　as　'Elizabeth；
the　Great　Princess；　or　Greatest　Commander。'　This　done；　we　left　Puerto
de　los　Espanoles；　and　returned　to　Curiapan；　and　having　Berreo　my
prisoner；　I　gathered　from　him　as　much　of　Guiana　as　he　knew。　This
Berreo　is　a　gentleman　well　descended；　and　had　long　served　the　Spanish
king　in　Milan；　Naples；　the　Low　Countries；　and　elsewhere；　very　valiant
and　liberal；　and　a　gentleman　of　great　assuredness；　and　of　a　great
heart。　I　used　him　according　to　his　estate　and　worth　in　all　things　I
could；　according　to　the　small　means　I　had。

I　sent　Captain　Whiddon　the　year　before　to　get　what　knowledge　he　could
of　Guiana：　and　the　end　of　my　journey　at　this　time　was　to　discover　and
enter　the　same。　But　my　intelligence　was　far　from　truth；　for　the
country　is　situate　about　600　English　miles　further　from　the　sea　than　I
was　made　believe　it　had　been。　Which　afterwards　understanding　to　be
true　by　Berreo；　I　kept　it　from　the　knowledge　of　my　company；　who　else
would　never　have　been　brought　to　attempt　the　same。　Of　which　600　miles
I　passed　400；　leaving　my　ships　so　far　from　me　at　anchor　in　the　sea；
which　was　more　of　desire　to　perform　that　discovery　than　of　reason；
especially　having　such　poor　and　weak　vessels　to　transport　ourselves
in。　For　in　the　bottom　of　an　old　galego　which　I　caused　to　be　fashioned
like　a　galley；　and　in　one　barge；　two　wherries；　and　a　ship…boat　of　the
Lion's　Whelp；　we　carried　100　persons　and　their　victuals　for　a　month　in
the　same；　being　all　driven　to　lie　in　the　rain　and　weather　in　the　open
air；　in　the　burning　sun；　and　upon　the　hard　boards；　and　to　dress　our
meat；　and　to　carry　all　manner　of　furniture　in　them。　Wherewith　they
were　so　pestered　and　unsavoury；　that　what　with　victuals　being　most
fish；　with　the　wet　clothes　of　so　many　men　thrust　together；　and　the
heat　of　the　sun；　I　will　undertake　there　was　never　any　prison　in
England　that　could　be　found　more　unsavoury　and　loathsome；　especially
to　myself；　who　had　for　many　years　before　been　dieted　and　cared　for　in
a　sort　far　more　differing。

If　Captain　Preston　had　not　been　persuaded　that　he　should　have　come　too
late　to　Trinidad　to　have　found　us　there　（for　the　month　was　expired
which　I　promised　to　tarry　for　him　there　ere　he　could　recover　the　coast
of　Spain）　but　that　it　had　pleased　God　he　might　have　joined　with　us；
and　that　we　had　entered　the　country　but　some　ten　days　sooner　ere　the
rivers　were　overflown；　we　had　adventured　either　to　have　gone　to　the
great　city　of　Manoa；　or　at　least　taken　so　many　of　the　other　cities　and
towns　nearer　at　hand；　as　would　have　made　a　royal　return。　But　it
pleased　not　God　so　much　to　favour　me　at　this　time。　If　it　shall　be　my
lot　to　prosecute　the　same；　I　shall　willingly　spend　my　life　therein。
And　if　any　else　shall　be　enabled　thereunto；　and　conquer　the　same；　I
assure　him　thus　much；　he　shall　perform　more　than　ever　was　done　in
Mexico　by　Cortes；　or　in　Peru　by　Pizarro；　whereof　the　one　conquered　the
empire　of　Mutezuma；　the　other　of　Guascar　and　Atabalipa。　And　whatsoever
prince　shall　possess　it；　that　prince　shall　be　lord　of　more　gold；　and
of　a　more　beautiful　empire；　and　of　more　cities　and　people；　than　either
the　king　of　Spain　or　the　Great　Turk。

But　because　there　may　arise　many　doubts；　and　how　this　empire　of　Guiana
is　become　so　populous；　and　adorned　with　so　many　great　cities；　towns；
temples；　and　treasures；　I　thought　good　to　make　it　known；　that　the
emperor　now　reigning　is　descended　from　those　magnificent　princes　of
Peru；　of　whose　large　territories；　of　whose　policies；　conquests；
edifices；　and　riches；　Pedro　de　Cieza；　Francisco　Lopez；　and　others　have
written　large　discourses。　For　when　Francisco　Pizarro；　Diego　Almagro
and　others　conquered　the　said　empire　of　Peru；　and　had　put　to　death
Atabalipa；　son　to　Guayna　Capac；　which　Atabalipa　had　formerly　caused
his　eldest　brother　Guascar　to　be　slain；　one　of　the　younger　sons　of
Guayna　Capac　fled　out　of　Peru；　and　took　with　him　many　thousands　of
those　soldiers　of　the　empire　called　orejones　（〃having　large　ears；〃　the
name　given　by　the　Spaniards　to　the　Peruvian　warriors；　who　wore　ear…
pendants）；　and　with　those　and　many　others　which　followed　him；　he
vanquished　all　that　tract　and　valley　of　America　which　is　situate
between　the　great　river　of　Amazons　and　Baraquan；　otherwise　called
Orenoque　and　Maranon　（Baraquan　is　the　alternative　name　to　Orenoque；
Maranon　to　Amazons）。

The　empire　of　Guiana　is　directly　east　from　Peru　towards　the　sea；　and
lieth　under　the　equinoctial　line；　and　it　hath　more　abundance　of　gold
than　any　part　of　Peru；　and　as　many　or　more　great　cities　than　ever　Peru
had　when　it　flourished　most。　It　is　governed　by　the　same　laws；　and　the
emperor　and　people　observe　the　same　religion；　and　the　same　form　and
policies　in　government　as　were　used　in　Peru；　not　differing　in　any
part。　And　I　have　been　assured　by　such　of　the　Spaniards　as　have　seen
Manoa；　the　imperial　city　of　Guiana；　which　the　Spaniards　call　El
Dorado；　that　for　the　greatness；　for　the　riches；　and　for　the　excellent
seat；　it　far　exceedeth　any　of　the　world；　at　least　of　so　much　of　the
world　as　is　known　to　the　Spanish　nation。　It　is　founded　upon　a　lake　of
salt　water　of　200　leagues　long；　like　unto　Mare　Caspium。　And　if　we
compare　it　to　that　of　Peru；　and　but　read　the　report　of　Francisco　Lopez
and　others；　it　will　seem　more　than　credible；　and　because　we　may　judge
of　the　one　by　the　other；　I　thought　good　to　insert　part　of　the　120。
chapter　of　Lopez　in　his　General　History　of