CHAP. I. Of the greatness of the River of the Ama­zones.

WHat the Danow is to Europe, Ganges to Asia, and Nilus to Afrique; the same is the great Amazone to America. And as America is the great­est part of the world, so is the River of the [Page 2] Amazones the greatest River in the Uni­verse. His length is of greater extent, than that of the Nile, and Negro in Afrique; his breadth larger, than that of Ganges and Kiam in Asia; his navigation and portable­ness is better, than that of the Danow and Rhine in Eurupe; his mouth, or entrance into the Sea, is more open, than that of Plata, and Saint Lawrence in America; and his depth is like unto that of the Oceane, and of the mediterrane-Sea. His inunda­tions or overflowings are yearly, and fruit­full; his aspect is every where and every way pleasant: all his branches and Rivers running out of him, are inhabited; his fields are all fertile, and all his adjoyning plaines or valleys cultivated. Chase, fish­ing, and Venison are there every where great store; woods, fruits, and Corn-fields for harvest, cover the grounds and little hills there; and the sweetness of his Air is through all alike equally temperate: and both gold and silver are found in the Rivers and mountains there. Its peoples are in­numerable; its Iles great and infinite in number, yet inhabited; all its peoples are spritely and nimble, and the riches of the Climate furnisheth them abundantly with [Page 3]all things. This River's course is almost alwayes under the equinoctiall Line; and every where his nights and days are of alike length; and the other Rivers, that pay their tribute to him, are all under the tor­ride Zone. Marvellous effects of the di­vine providence, which having distanced so many Nations from the Sea-coasts and its commodities, hath given them so great Rivers and waters in so great abundance, that this famous River of the Amazones may reasonably enough be called an Ocean-Sea of sweet waters. But all its preroga­tives, which by an universall consent, have made the title of the greatest River of the world be given unto it, shall more amply be seen, and with more particular deduction of Circumstances, in the following Chap­ters of this Book.

CHAP. II. Of the great Realm of the Amazone.

IN the Peninsule or almost-Ile of the Southerly America, and almost in the midst of so great a Continent or main-Land, [Page 4]there is a great extent of Land, covered with so many Nations, and watered with so many Rivers, that of it might be formed a Kingdome, or Empire of three thousand Leagues in compass, for one that would make the conquest of it. Its rich and opu­lent Countries (which all of them together I call the great Kingdome or Realm of the Amazone, seeing all their waters and Rivers render themselves into this great and re­nowned River of the Amazones) have for their boundaries, Brasile towards the East; the Kingdome of New-Granado, and the coast of Guiana towards the North; and towards the West, Peru, and the great Cor­delier; and Southward Tucuman, and Para­guais: all Provinces under the Crown of Castile, except Brasile, subject to the Por­tugallians, that inhabit it. I said, of three thousand Leagues in compass, not precisely, but near to that dimension; because the di­versity of Mapps, and of their opinions and reports, that have compassed it, not only cross one another, but also thwart them­selves in their relations, that they give of it; as by name Father Christopher D'Acogna a Spanish Jesuit, and a principall author, and eye-witness of these things. But of [Page 5]these doubtfull and diverse mensurations we shall speak elsewhere; let us here draw to­wards an end of this Chapter, in telling you, That all this great Realm of Amazone is inhabited only as yet of Indians and Ame­ricans, and not at all of Spaniards, whether Castilians, or Portuguais. These have in­deed discovered it, and run its length first of any, with their armed Navies; but only passed thorow, and never stayed any where to build fortresses, or plant colonies, as they have done in so great number, and with so great state and magnificence in other Countries of the same America. But if Spain happily situated for commanding over this new world, had turned her thoughts to­wards the conquest of this Empire of the great Amazone, instead of consuming un­profitably so many Armies, and so great treasures in her Warres of Europe, as she hath done now for an hundred years; she might have enjoyed by this time the glory and advantages of so great an Empire: from the conquest of which now she is further off than ever, as well for the reason of her pre­sent weakness, as her intestine division.

CHAP. III. Of the Nations of this great Realm.

THe innumerable Nations and Provin­ces of this great Empire of the Ama­zone are not all yet distinctly known by their severall names and languages, because the Spaniards, who last navigated this fa­mous River, have not marked them all, but only one hundred and fifty of them. The Provinces are all so mightily, peopled, and their habitations so thick, that from the last village of one Town, one may hear the noise of such as travail from the first vil­lage of anopher. And yet so near a neigh­bour hood not being able to keep them in peace, they are in continuall Warres one Nation against another. Yet neither am­bition of command, nor greediness of acqui­ring riches, not a desire to eat men, as Ca­nibals of the same America have, are any of the grounds of so many cruell and bloody Battels; (without which were it not, for all this, so many people could never be contain­ed in these Countries) but the cause of all these Fights, wherein are often slain an in­finitie [Page 7]of persons, is only for glory and re­nown, and to have slaves of a strange, or other Nation than their own: and that be­cause at home amongit themselves, the in­nocence of their manners, and riches of the Climate, not being, apt to bring men to a necessity of serving others of their own ac­cord, none is found there obliged to such a condition, but by force of Arms. And yet this invincible courage, that they exercise thus against one another, hath not yet ap­peared against the Spaniards, (who navi­gate and run the River of Amazones in Arms) foras much as hither to either a light fleeing, if at any time they opposed them; or a mutuall amity embraced and consented to by them, have been the only Arms, which to this present they have employed a­gainst these dominators of the new world, the Spaniards. But all America being bar­ren of Iron, we must not think it strange, if the inhabitants of this great Realm have been surprized with fear, (as all other In­dians were, and are) of the Sword, the Musquiet, and of Artillery.

CHAR. IV. Of their Arms, and Commerce.

SEing neither Steel nor Iron are found at all in the West- Indies, we must not marvell, if the Americans of this great Kingdom have no other Arms, but Ar­rows and Javelots; about which notwith­standing they are marvellously expert, not only for making them of hard wood, and sharp pointed, but also for shooting and casting them with so great force, that there­with they pierce through and through the body of their enemies, which they hit. The same necessity makes them also use stones well brought to an edge, and Tor­toise shells, for Axes, and Hatchets, and their instruments of travelling: the one for great wood, and the other for less, and houshold Utensils. But they use the horn of certain little Beasts, fastned to little hefts, for their finer works, which they make upon wood with marvellous skill. As for the Commerce of all these peoples on this great River of the Amazones, and on other Rivers that run into it, they perform [Page 9]it in Boats, which they call Canoès, that are made all of Cedar, and all of one piece, as in other places of the Indies; but with more ease, and better, than elsewhere; be­cause this great River during its overflow­ings, brings down so great a number of great Trees, that these peoples have no more to do to come by them, but every one to lay hold on, and stay as many as he desires, at his House, there to cut and hol­low them, as he thinks meet. As for Cloathes, such as use any, have them all almost of Cotton: and for such as go na­ked (which are the greatest part) neither excessive heat, nor rigour of cold forces them to cover themselves in that sort.

CHAP. V. Of their Customes and Religion.

THere were never any written Laws a­mongst those peoples; and all their customes are almost much alike. Some of them live at liberty; and some of them un­der Cacyques, or Lords, as the rest of A­merica. They have Idols of wood made [Page 10]by mans hand, which they adore as their gods, attributing to some of them the pow­er over waters, and giving them a Fish for their mark: to others the power over fruits, and seeds of the earth. They have also such as they take for gods of Armies and Battels; and they openly avouch that these deities came down from Heaven to live with them, to do them good, and procure their profit. They have neither Temples nor Ceremonies, wherewith they adore them, but leave them carelesly in some corner of their House, untill they have occasion to use them. But when they take water to go to Warre, they place on the Poup of their Vessels, their god of Armies; and so they use the others in like sort. They have also Wisemen, or Wizards among them, of great esteem; who serve them for Counsellors as well for Religion and Physick, as for Law and policy; and in the year 1639, the Portuguais found an Indian in these Coun­tries, that called himself the son of the Sun; who coming to a peaceable and loving con­ference with them, was not satisfied with the grounds of our Belief, but going away without renouncing his own imposture, said, that every night he went by the Spirit to [Page 11]consult the Sun for the government of the following day. Finally, all these peoples are of a good nature, nimble and quick of body, and of colour not so tawny and Sun­burnt as those of Brasile. They are of quick apprehension and understanding, and are very expert in their hands for all sort of works. They are naturally sweet and meek, officious and tractable; and they converse familiarly with strangers without any fear. They are every way so docile and teachable, and so little possest with malice, that from hence the easiness to sub­due them, as well to Laws and policy, as to Christian Religion, may be guessed at.

CHAP. VI. Of the great Cordeliere.

IN the Southern America, to the East of the Kingdom of Peru, and as it were from the North to the South, runs and rangeth along a garland of great Mountains more than six hundred Leagues in length, under the name of the great Cordeliere, And by a wonderfull work of nature, all [Page 12]the waters, which from thence arise in a­bundance, on that side of the great Moun­tains, that look towards the East, do all render themselves into the North-Sea by one only mouth and confluent. But these well-heads, and springs being so many, cannot be yet all discovered: it sufficeth us in this Book to remark the chief ones, and such of them as are famous, by the origine and source of the great River of the Amamazones, and of others the most famous, that he receiveth into his channell, to con­vey them together with himself into the Ocean-Sea. And amongst the longest and greatest of all these Rivers, the Great Cake­ta, the Putumaye, and the Aguarike, are on the North-side; and the Madera, the Ama­rumaya, the Maragnon, and the Curaray, are on the Southside of the River of the Ama­zones. Which being the only, and the principall object of our Discourse, we will here begin to describe its source, in this Chapter, telling you that it is the most Westward of all the sources, that are to the East of the great Cordeliere; that which is furthest off from the Ocean, or Atlantique-Sea, and the nearest of any to the Town of Kyto, one of the greatest and fairest Cities, [Page 13]not only of the Kingdom of Peru, but also of any in all America; the seat of a Sove­raign Court, and Capitall of a great Pro­vince, of three hundred degrees, and ten minutes of Longitude, (counting from the first and fixt Meridian of the Ile of Saint Michell, of the Azores) and sixteen mi­nutes only of Latitude meridionale. But for better clearing of this matter yet, we must adde, that between the Town of Kyto, & the source of the great River of the Ama­zons, these tops, or risings of the great Corde­liere, that are after mentioned, are interjected.

CHAP. VII. Of the sources of the great River of the Amazones.

Pulcan and Guanama are two Mountains of the great and high Cordeliere, di­stant one from the other little less than two Spanish Leagues, of three hundred degrees, thirty six minutes of Longitude, on the terrestriall Globe; and twenty minutes on­ly of meridionale or Southern Latitude. They are in the great Province of Kyto, of [Page 14]the rich Empire of Peru, about six Leagues to the Southside of the equinoctiall Line; and eight Leagues to the East of the Town of Kyto, the Capitall of that Pro­vince: and two Lakes, that are at the two foots of these two Mountains, are the re­nowned sources of the great and famous A­mazone. That of Pulcan is the largest, o­penest, and best discovered; and that of Guanama is the deepest and profoundest, and as it were almost covered by a great rock overturned upon it by an Earthquake. But these two spring-heads, the most won­derfull of all the world, since they give the beginning to the most memorable River of the universall world, run quickly into one, and pass along together the terrible rocks of the Cordeliere, rolling their roaring waters over its precipices and fals: from whence this great River coming forth and running alwayes strong, swift, and straight towards the East, receives presently upon his leav­ing the Cordeliere, a marvellous great in­crease from the Coca, the Payamine, and the Napo, (three considerable Rivers, whereof we shall speak else where) and in short while makes his navigableness like un­to that of the great Ocean-Sea, as well for [Page 15]the depth of his channell, as for the less ra­pidness of his currant of water. But this remarkable place, where the River of Na­po enters into that of the Amazones (which the Spaniards call the Junto of the Rivers, and we the conjunction or joyning of the Ri­vers, to the same very sense verbatim) is about sixty Leagues from the Town of Ky­to, and under the equinoctiall Line. And it was in this place that the adventurous Francis D'Areillane that Spanish Knight, made build a Vessell, in the which he first navigated, and happily discovered all this great River of the Amazones.

CHAP. VIII. Of the length and course of this River.

AFter that the great Amazone hath made his channell like unto that of the greatest Rivers of the world, by the conflux of the foresaid three Rivers, he goes on his way through the vast and fertile fields of America, alwayes towards the East, and without longer straying from under the Line, than five or six degrees at the most, [Page 16]on the Southside, or that of the antarctick Pole. Yet drawing his now-slow waters after him, by infinite turnings and windings in plains and fields of so large and great ex­tent, he casts out his arms on every side to receive the more easily the Rivers which from all parts come unto him, and that with such admirable agreement, that the least of his armes receive alway the least Rivers and Rivulets; and the greater the greater: and if Rivers come to him, that are bigge and made great by a course of more hundreths of Leagues together, he there shuts up all his waters into one channell, to receive those greater worthily, and as it were with a great­er state and magnificence. As for his length from his source to his mouth at the Atlantique-Sea, following the course of his wide channell, it is diversly reported. The fore-mentioned Areillane makes it of eigh­teen hundred, and Father D' Acogna of one thousand two hundred seventy six Spanish Leagues, according to the justest measures that we could gather from the Relations of this Author, who contradicts himself often through forgetfulness, and not taking heed. Now the sparingest reckoning of Father D' Acogna, being modester than that of [Page 17] Areillane, seems to me to have more ap­pearances of the truth in it; because the distance of the mountains of Pulcan, and Guanama (where the Sources of this great River are) in a streight line unto Zaparara, which is the Easterliest Cape, at which he ends his course, is but of six hundred four­ty leagues of the same sort, according to my Geographick Tables or Mappes, and the methods of the eighth Book of my Ge­ometricall Theorems. But because this di­stance in a streight line, appears to me to be yet too farre different from the foresaid length of one thousand two hundred seventy six leagues; I could easily perswade my self, that either the Southern longitude of America were greater; or that the leagues of this Spanish Father Jesuit should be no o­ther but Celtiberian-Spanish leagues, or Bis­cay leagues, like unto our French-sea-leagues, the which amounting but to twenty, for every degree of a great circle, would give us seven hundred thirty two leagues in a right or streight line, for the same distance be­tween the Sources of the great River of the Amazones, and the extremity of his mouth, or upshutting.

CHAP. IX. Of the Longitudes, Latitudes, and Measures observed in this great River.

IN the design we have to set down in this place, and all along, the distances, and their latitudes, which the Spaniards have observed an. one thousand six hundred thirty nine, alongst the River of the Amazones, report­ed by D' Acogna aforesaid, delegated by King Philip the fourth to this charge: we have also resolved to adde the longitudes, which we have adjusted as much as is possi­ble from confusion and uncertainty; and this as well for the curiosity of such as love Ge­ography; as for the help of these Authours, that would make new Cartes of these pla­ces. But going back to the end of the 7 ^th Chapter, we shall continue the course of this great River in this manner.

From the mouth of Napo, which is on the South of the great Amazone, to Anete, are fourty seven leagues. This place of Anete is yet under the line, and on the South-side of the great River.

From Anete to the Agarico, are eighteen [Page 19]leagues. The mouth of this River, is on the North-side of the Amazone, and under the line also.

From the Agarico to Chevela, twenty leagues. The mouth of this River is also on the North of Amazone, and begins to decline a little from the line towards the South.

From the Chevelu to the Curaray, fourty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazone, and under the second degree of Southern latitude.

From the Curaray to the Maragnon, eigh­ty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazone, having four de­grees of Southern latitude, and three hun­dred seven degrees and fifty minutes of longitude.

From the Maragnon to the beginning of the Province of Homague, sixty leagues. All this Province consists in great Ilands.

From the foresaid beginning of Homa­gue, to a certain great habitation of the same, one hundred and nineteen leagues. This place is in an Ile, on the South-side of the body of Amazone, having three degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twelve degrees, and fifty five minutes of longitude.

From this Habitation to the Putumaya, seventeen leagues. The mouth of this Ri­ver is on the North-side of the great Ama­zone.

From the Putumaya to Lyetau, fifty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South-side of Amazone, and hath three degrees thirty minutes of Southern lati­tude.

From Lyetau to the end of the Province of Homague, fourteen leagues. In this place there is a great and puissant Habitation in an Ile.

From the end of Homague to the Amaru­maya, twenty five leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South-side of Ama­zone having five degrees of Southern lati­tude, and three hundred fifteen degrees, and fifty minutes of longitude.

From the Amarumaya to the Village of the gold, twenty eight leagues. This place is on the South-bank of the Channell of the great Amazone.

From the Village of the gold to the Yopura, fourteen leagues. The mouth of this River is on the North-side of Ama­zone, and hath three degrees of Southern latitude.

From the Yopura to Tapy, four leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South­side of Amazone.

From the Tapy to the Catua, twenty five leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South side of Amazone, and towards the Green Lake, formed into that condition by the great Amazone.

From the Catua and the Green Lake to the first mouth of the Araganatuba, six leagues. This is on the North-side of the Amazone.

From the fist mouth to the second of the Araganatuba, sixteen leagues; on the North­side of Amazone also.

From the second mouth of the Aragana­tuba to the end of the Province of Corosira­re, twenty two leagues. All this Pro­vince is on the South of the great River.

From the end of Corosirare to the begin­ning of the Province of Yoriman, two leagues. On the South-side of Amazone.

From the beginning of Yoriman to a great and very long Habitation, twenty three leagues, on the South of the River to four degrees of that latitude, and three hundred nineteen degrees, and thirty minutes of longitude.

From this long Habitation to the Ile Yo­riman, thirty two leagues, on the South­bank side of the Amazone.

From this Ile to the end of the Province of Yoriman, ten leagues. On the South-side of the Amazone.

From the end of Yoriman to the Cusigu­are, two leagues. The mouth of this Ri­ver is also on the South of the Amazone.

From the Cusiguare to the Basurure, thir­ty two leagues. The mouth of this River is on the North-side of the Amazone, and hath four degrees, thirty minutes, of Southern latitude.

From the Basurure to the Rio-negro, or Black River, thirty leagues. The mouth of this River is also on the North-side of the Amazone, having four degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude. And thus the course of the great River of the Amazones into Rio-ne­gro, or the Black River, is of seven hun­dred eighty eight leagues, according to the preceding Measures.

CHAP. X. The rest of the Longitudes, Latitudes, and Measures observed unto the Atlantique Sea.

FOllowing the same design of the Chap­ter preceding, wherein we made stay, till we came to the mouth of Rio-negro, where he enters into the great River of the Amazones, we shall in this Chapter make an end thereof, pursuing the Amazones course into the great Ocean its self.

From Rio-negro then unto the Madera are four leagues; the mouth of this River being on the South of the Amazone.

From the Madera to the beginning of the Ile of Topinamba, twenty eight leagues. This great Ile is in the River of the Ama­zones, towards the South-side.

From the beginning to the end of this Ile, sixty two leagues. In this place is a great and puissant Habitation of the Topi­nambians, having three degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twenty seven degrees, thirty minutes of longitude.

From the end of Topinamba to the Coru­ris, [Page 24]thirty leagues; the mouth of which River is to the North of the Amazone.

From the Coruris to the Bosphore of the Amazone, twenty four leagues. This strange narrownesse hath two degrees and fourty minutes of Southern latitude; and three hundred twenty eight degrees, and fifty mi­nutes in longitude.

From the Bosphore to the Tapayse, fourty leagues; the mouth of which River is on the South of the great Amazone.

From the Tapayse to the Coropatube, four­ty leagues; the mouth of which River is on the North-side of the great Amazone.

From the Coropatube to the Fort of the Destierro, fifty four leagues; which Forte­resse is also on the North-side of the great River.

From the foresaid Fort to the Ginipape, six leagues; the mouth of which River is on the North-side also, having two degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred thirty one degrees and fifty minutes of lon­gitude. And about two leagues under this Ginipape towards the Sea, the great River of the Amazones begins to open himself by little and little towards his great Mouth, or place of discharge into the Sea.

From the Ginipape to the Paranaybe, ten leagues, the mouth of which River is on the South side of the Amazone.

From the Paranaybe to the Pacache, four­ty leagues, the mouth of which is also on the South of the Amazone.

From the Pacache to Commuta, fourty leagues. This place is also on the South-side of the Amazone.

From Commuta to Para, thirty leagues. This Town is also on the South-banke of the great mouth of the Amazone, having one degree and thirty minutes of South la­titude.

From Para to the Ile of the Sun, four­teen leagues. This Ile is also near to the same South-banke. And from Para to Za­parara, fourty leagues; which is a Cape on the extremity of the South-banke of the great River, having thirty five minutes of South latitude, and three hundred thirty seven degrees and ten minutes of longitude. And so the course of the great River of the Amazones is from Rio-negro to Zaparara, of four hundred eighty eight leagues; and his whole length is one thousand two hun­dred seventy six leagues, as have been set down in the preceeding Chapters. Yet to [Page 26]describe his North-banke of his great Mouth also somewhat more, we shall thus set it down.

From the Ginipape to Corupa, thirty leagues; this place being on the North-side of the River.

From Corupa to the Cape of the North, the distance is not well known: and this Cape is on the extremity of the North-banke of the great River, having fourty five minutes of North latitude, and three hundred thirty three degrees and fifty mi­nutes of longitude.

CHAP. XI. Of the bredth, and of the Iles of this great River.

IF the great Amazone is wonderfull for its length, it is no lesse admirable for its bredth, and its Ilands. The one is alwaies of two, three, or four leagues broad, but never so little as of one only: the others are innumerable, and so great, that their compasse is of five, or of ten, and sometimes of twenty; yea, and more than of an hun­dred [Page 27]leagues sometimes, as is that of the To­pinambes. There is a great number also of very little ones, in which the Natives make their Burial-places, having their Dwellings in the others, that are greater. But the greater part of these Iles, and sometimes the greatest of them, are in part at least drowned and overflowed every year by the inundations of that River, but so fatned thereafter with the mud, that he scatters o­ver them behind him, that they are there­by exceeding fertile, yielding every year without any intermissions of rest, their or­dinary crops, which are of Maze, Yoca, and Mandioca; which yeeld the common food for all America, where it is in great abun­dance all along the great River of the Ama­zone. But to help the inconveniences of overflowing, they make under-ground Cel­lers, Granaries, or Caves well cover'd, where they keep their Maze, (which is their wheat) without impairement; and the Yo­ca (which is a root) whereof they make their Casabe, which is the ordinary, and lesse finish bread of all Brasile, and of all that New-world. Returning then to the wonders of the large Channell of this great River of the Amazones, we shall end this [Page 28]Chapter, in telling you, that he keeps al­waies about the same bredth, that we have before set down, untill by an enlarging him-self, and opening into eighty four Spanish leagues of bredth, he comes to lose his name and waters in the great Atlantique Ocean, between the two Capes of the North, and of Zaparara; this being in Brasile, and the other in Guiana, Provinces of America.

CHAP. XII. Of its Depth, and Navigation.

SEeing the great and wonderfull Channell of the renowned River of the Ama­zones, as a certain long and vast Sea of sweet waters, receives so many great, broad, and deep Rivers, we must not think it strange, if the depth of his bed equall often­times the Abysses of the Ocean its self. This is for the most part, from his beginning unto Rio-negro, of eight, twelve, and of twenty fathomes; and from Rio-negro down­wards to the Ocean, of thirty, fourty, and sometimes without ground, and unfathom­able, according to the relations of all that [Page 29]have observed it. But this marvellous ad­vantage his depth hath beyond others singu­lar, that for the most part they are alike, along the bankes and sides, as they are in the midst of this large Channell of the great Amazone: whence it follows, that his Na­vigablenesse, and the fitnesse for commerce of this great River, is open and sufficient enough for the greatest Navies, of the greatest number, of the greatest burthen; which may not only sail up all along him to his first rise in order of Battell, and ready for fight; but also put to Land easily, and apply to the shore, without any fear of rocks, or sands. And Providence having purpo­sed every way to render all these wonders yet more considerable, hath led the waters of this famous River alwaies from West to East, and near unto the Aequator, to the end, that as Navale Armies might easily come down from his very source to his mouth, carryed by the sweet force and strength of his current, and streame; so they might also as easily go up from his mouth and first entrance unto his very source, against the stream of his deep wa­ters, by a favourable and continual winde, which blows there in a good gale perpetual­ly, [Page 30]and without ceasing, from East to West, either all the day long, or at lest three or four hours of it together, because of the Diurnall motion either of the Earth, or of the first moveable Heaven, or Orbe: so that on the North-sea, from the Canary I­lands, to those of the Canibal's; and on the South-sea, from New-Spain, unto the Philippine Iles; as also all along the coast of Paria and Guiana, as one goes from the North-cape, to the Cape of Sailes, the same East-wind is alwaies found to be on wing, and in his reign, without ceasing. But as in those other parts above-named, it is im­possible for Ships to take the same waies back again, for returning to the places from whence they came, that they held in coming from them, so long as their Sailes must be fill'd with those East-windes; so this great River of the Amazones hath this particular advantage beyond them, that whole Arma­does can go from East to West, and from West to East, alwaies under the line, and the same way both of going and coming, and as the same time.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Bosphore of the Amazone.

THe Thracian and Cimmerian Bosphores, or Ox-swim-bredths were never so fa­mous in ages past, as the Amazonian Bos­phore will be renowned in times to come, in all apperance. This one strange Strait of this River (richer in one day, than are at present both the Straits of Hellespont, and of Elsenore) shuts up in one channell scarcely a thousand paces broad, or an Italian mile, the whole great River of the Amazones, proud of the spoiles of so many, and great, and long Rivers; and highly puft up for his course of more than nine hundred sixty leagues, through Plaines and Valleys the fertilest in the whole world; and triumph­ing in all the waters, that rise from the East of the great Cordeliere, from the Town of Popayan to that of Plata, which is the space of five hundred leagues. This wonderfull Bosphore, or Ox-passe, which Providence hath reserved to be one day the Key of the richest Trade in the world, and of the great­est Kingdom that is in one only Continent, [Page 32]hath three hundred twenty eight degrees, and fifty minutes of longitude, and two degrees and fourty minutes of North-lati­tude, and is three hundred leagues from the North sea, following the course of turning and windings of this great River unto Za­parara; however Father D' Acogna (often enough variable in his measures) carry sometimes this distance of the Bosphore from the Sea, unto the length of three hundred sixty leagues. But untill the longitude of this great part of America be better obser­ved, I intend alwaies to follow the least mea­sures of distances. Now this one only and famous Strait of the great River of the A­mazones, is yet further considerable for this, that the flowing of the great Seas is here easily perceived, offering a marvellous advantage to the commerce of this Rivers Navigation, by the ebbing, and flowing of the Ocean. Whence it follows, that the advantages of the first Nation, that shall possesse its self by Colonies and Forts of both sides of this Amazonian Bosphore, can­not be exprest in a few words. For can a­ny doubt, but that the riches of so many Mines discovered, and not wrought, by the miserable depopulations of the rich Western [Page 33]Regions of this Peninsulare America, will be one day snatched up by the greed of those will follow us, and the multitude of men that will be born hereafter in these happy Countries; and will in end be car­ried on the currents of so many famous Ri­vers, as render themselves unto the Bosphore of the Amazone, to be afterwards brought into Europe, by the easie Navigation of the Atlantique Sea, in comparison of the trouble­some mountains of Panama, the Corsaires; and the Shipwracks of the Gulph of Mexico; and the notable dangers of the channell of Bahame?

CHAP. XIV. Of the first three Rivers, that enter into that of the Amazones.

AFter that we have thus summarily de­scribed the course of the great River of the Amazones, we will return to his be­ginning, to handle anew the things that are without, and adjacent to it. But I could wish that Father Acogna, the Authour and eye-witnesse of a part of these relations, [Page 34]were more cleanly and understandable in them. For not having been able to find either cartes, or books to help my cares that I have to unfold these ambiguities, I my self therefore rest not satisfied in this behalf with mine own work. Without staying therefore to censure a Person of his Noble­nesse and merit, by reasons which I might, and the curious may themselves perceive in his writings, I shall take me to my Subject, and tell you, that from the Town of Cofana in the Province of Kixo, to the East of the Andes of Peru, and to the North of the line, comes forth the Coca, a navigable Ri­ver, which quickly renders himself on the North-side into the beginnings of the great River of the Amazones; which as yet in these parts having his stream too rapid and violent, hath not therefore at this place so convenient a navigation himself, as other Rivers, that enter into his large bed on the side of the Antarctique or South Pole. The first whereof passing on as it were about three daies journeys from the City of A­vila of the same Province of the Kixos, renders himself in short while, and under the name of Payamino, into the great River, on the South-side thereof, and below the [Page 35]entrance of the Coca, though the distance is not known, nor set down. But about eighteen leagues from the Town of Kito, beyond the Andes of the great Cordelier, is the mount Antezame on the South-side of the line; from the foot of which the River of Napo coming forth, and running a­mongst the Rocks without being navigable untill he come to a Port, or Haven of the same name well nigh unto Archidona, he be­comes yet more easie to be navigated four leagues beneath that, as well for the great­nesse of his Channell, as for the lesse rapid­nesse and violence of his stream: and pur­suing in this condition his way to great Ri­ver, he enters thereinto about thirty leagues only from Archidona. But concerning the mouth of this River, you may look the seventh Chapter of this Book; unto which I will here adde, that the foresaid Port of Napo, where the Indians have an habitation, is the best embarquing place, for all those that from the Province of Kito, would sail or go into the great Amazone. And as to this pleasant fair, and great enough Ri­ver of Napo, it hath this prerogative be­yond others, to rolle alongst with him a­amongst the sands of his current, good [Page 36]store of Gold, which the Natives of this Countrey gathering, do therewith without much pains or trouble pay their tribute, which yearly they owe to the Spaniards of that same Province; a Province also that abounds every where else in all sorts of Fruites, necessary for intertaining of the life; the like whereunto may be said of it both for Fishing, and Hunting, or Chace.

CHAP. XV. Of the Agarique and the Putomaya.

HAving begun to shew you before, the divers Havens or embarquing places, by which the great and rich Province of Kyto may enter into the commerce of the great River of Amazone; we will now fol­low the like way, be the other Rivers that come from the North-side, and give the like advantages to the rich Regions of the Popayan, and of the Kingdom of new Gran­ado: whereof the first are the Aguarique, and the Putomaya, taking their begin­nings in the Putomaya, taking their begin­nings in the great mountaines of the Cor­delier, both of them well nigh to the Town [Page 37]of Pasto of the Government of Popayan, having three hundred and one degrees, and thirty minutes of longitude, and one de­gree only of North latitude. But though both these Rivers have their course from West to East; yet that of the Aguarique, which is the Southerliest, comes first to the great River of the Amazones in the Pro­vince of the Chevelues, or long-hair'd peo­ple; and that after a course of more than an hundred leagues (all along Navigable) through happy, fertile, and well-inhabited Regions, as all the rest of the Realm of the great Amazone is. Now the mouth of this considerable River, (the Name where­of is, The River of Gold, because he draws much of it along his bank-sides) is on the North-side of the great River of the Ama­zones, and about an hundred seventeen leagues from his own Sources and Spring-heads, and likewise under the line. But the River of Putomaya taking a course much more stragling and wandring, and water­ing a good many more Nations than the o­ther, makes also hereby his Navigation more considerable, and of greater Portati­on by a course of farre greater extent, and a greater number of Rivers, that on all sides [Page 38]arrive unto him also. And after he hath fertilized so many great champain Coun­tries by the fresh vapours of his waters, and by his ordinary overflowings, as all Rivers of America do; he opens and enlarges himself near unto a leagues bredth at his entry into the great River of the Amazones, and about four hundred fifty three leagues from his own Sources, or Well-heads. Now the mouth of this River of Putomaya, which carryes along with him gold also, as most others do; is on the North-side of the great River, and hath two degrees and thirty minutes of Southern latitude, having runne under the line a great deal more than the half of his course, and under the same measured (in his bankes and windings at least) the space and length of more than three hundred fifty leagues. Thus the commerce of the great River of the A­mazones will in time coming receive no lesse enlargement by the happy Naviga­tions of the Aguarique, and of the Puto­maya, than by other great and famous Rivers (which promise him the same encrease) as well for the richesse and fer­tile Countries of the Town of Pasto, as for the situation of the same, which is [Page 39]too farre distant from the conveniencies of the Port of Carthagena.

CHAP. XVI. Of the great Caketa, a considerable Ri­ver.

THe third and last River, which from the North, and from the mountains of the Cordelier, comes into the great Ri­ver of the Amazones, goes under the name of The great Caketa; and is acknowledged and celebrated for the greatest of all the Rivers in America, next to the great Ama­zone. The Kingdom of new Granado glo­ries in its birth, and the Valley of Nicao of the Province of Popayan, is the famous place of his Source, which hath two de­grees and thirty minutes of North-latitude, and three hundred and three degrees, and fourty minutes of longitude, on the ter­restrial Globe. This great River so much renown'd, and yet so little known to this day by Geographers, receives presently a marvellous increase of waters, which de­scend in great abundance from the great [Page 40]mountains of S ^t Faith of Bogota; and taking his way from West to East, almost every where parallell to the great Amazone, he insensibly draws near to runne under the line, continuing thus his course untill about at one degree of North-latitude, and three hundred eighteen degrees of longitude, he divides his large and magnificent Chan­nell into Rio-negro, and Rio-grand; i. e. into the Black River and the great River. But the great Caketa is so wonderfull at this place, that this division hinders him not to render himself on the one side into the great Amazone, by the first of his branches, and by an entry of more than one league and an half broad; nor to keep for a long time the colour of his own pleasant and deep waters, untill that the great River of the Amazones, all gathered up into one great bed, for re­ceiving of him, deface this appearance of the Caketaes waters, but not untill after a combate between them, for the space of twelve leagues length. As for his other branch (which I take to be the great River of the Orenoc, contrary to the opinions of Father D' Acogna, because I see no other River from the Cape of the Sailes to the Cape of the North, that can be attributed [Page 41]to him) it turns its course towards the North, and renders himself into the North-Sea by a mouth worthy of his greatness and magnificence. But because the Orenos (as other Rivers of Guyana have) hath leaps and fals that are high and steep, amongst the rocks, that he passeth through; (fol­lowing here the relations of Diego d' Ordas, of Alphonso de Herrera, and of Anthony de Berreo, who were amongst the first of such as navigated it) neither the commerce of the great Caketa, nor that of the great A­mazone, can ever be hindred on this behalf, as Father D'Acogna apprehends, ground­ing himself on the passage of Lopez D'A­guirre, which he held from the River of the Amazones to the North Sea by this track or way: but not knowing, that Lopez had not light Boats, that can pass over all, and shoot such fals, (as Oares do London-Bridge at a low water) or that he made draw them alongst with him by land (as o­ther Spaniards also did before him) from the beginning of the leap or fall of the River Orenoc, to the end of it, which is at least an hundred Leagues distant from his mouth, whereby he enters into the great Ocean. Returning therefore to the great Caketa, we [Page 42]shall have done with him, and this Chap­ter, if we tell you, that he receives an infi­nitie of other Rivers; that he waters sundry rich Provinces, and many very warlike Nations; that his overflowings makes on all sides many great Lakes, as is usuall in all other Rivers of America; that now and then he sends some arms or branches into the great Amazone, which are equall to some good Rivers in other places: that his mouth of the Orenoc hath nine degrees of North-latitude, and three hundred twenty one de­grees and twenty minutes of Longitude: and that his mouth of Rio-negro (so called from the depth of his pure-clear waters, whereby they seem black) hath four de­grees of South-latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude, on the North-side of the great River of the Amazones, about some seven hundred eighty eight Leagues from his first sources, the same distance, that the Ama­zone hath from this place to his head; as is before said towards the end of Chapter the ninth.

CHAP. XVII. Of the River of Maragnon.

ONe of the principall and most famous Rivers, that the Andes of the Cor­deliere send forth towards the South of the great Amazone, is without all doubt the Maragnon, as well for the rich and noble Province, whence he takes his beginning, as for the renown of his name, whereby he is so celebrious in the Histories of this New-world: forasmuch as Joseph Acosta, and Antony of Herrera, give this name often both to the great River of the Amazones it self, and to the River of the Orenoc; and the Portuguaise of Brasile give the same name also to another considerable enough River, which looseth himself in a great Bay, or gulph, which they call the Bay of Maragnon, in the North-most Government of the Kingdome of Maragnon, called for this same cause by that title also. But to the end that the diversity of so many Rivers, and places called by this name, may not beget confu­sion in my Geography; I shall for ever leave it to this one alone, and famous River, that [Page 44]I now speak of, the name of Maragnon; a River well known from all Antiquity in the great Empire of Peru, by this name. He hath this singular in the way of his course, that whereas he takes his beginnings to the West of the great Mountains of the Cordeliere, and not from its self, yet he ceases not to pass through them, and to draw all his deep waters towards the East of A­merica. His famous sources honour the Lake of Boubon with the prerogative of his rise. This Lake is in the Countries of Guanuco, a Colony of the Spaniards; and in the Province of Lima, the richest and first of all the Empire of Peru, the most rich place of all the world. Its longitude is of three-hundred and two degrees, and thirty minutes, on the terrestriall Globe; and his latitude of ten degrees, and four minutes, antarctick or meridionall; and his distance from the royall Town of Lima, forty Leagues. So this famous River of Marag­non coming forth of this foresaid Lake, waters the long and fertile Valley of Saussa, and cutting or crossing the Kings high way beween the Towns of Guanuco, and Gua­mangue, under Bridges made of cords and wood with a marvellous artifice, he passes [Page 45]through the whole Andes of the Cordeliere; from whence coming out again at last much more mighty than he was, by the continu­all confluence of Rivers, that on all sides arrive unto him, he passes along the Pro­vince of Mayn to the East of the Cordeliere; and after his having saluted as it were, the Town of St. James of the Mountains, still made broader, deeper, and very swift and rapid in currant, he afterwards spreads him­self abroad at pleasure and with more liber­ty in diverse fair Provinces, and amongst Nations puissant and warlike. In end fol­lowing his course, still growing bigger, and more impetuous and rapide, than one would think that he could be navigable, he powres out all his waters into the great River of the Amazones, at the Southside thereof, ha­ving four degrees of Southern latitude at that place; and three hundred and seven degrees, and fifty minutes of Longitude; and about two hundred fifty seven Leagues from the sources of the great River of the Amazones. His own length is about three hundred Leagues, reckoning by his banks; and as for his navigation which I take, ought not to be reckoned further, than after that he hath passed the Andes, it will not fail one [Page 46]day to bring the greatest riches of all Peru, to the great River of the Amazones, for the same reasons, that we have heretofore men­tioned, and in the Chapter of the Bosphore, by name.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Amarumaya, and of the Madera.

IN the same Province of Lima of the great and rich Kingdome of Peru, to the East of the great Mountains of the Cordeliere, about twenty Spanish Leagues from the roy­all Town of Cusco; about thirteen degrees and thirty minutes of South-latitude; and three hundred eight degrees, twenty six minutes of longitude; are the sundry and abundant sources, which presently cast themselves into one Channell of the great River of Amarumaya, which in the Lan­guage of the Indians, signifieth Serpents. The River (according to the testimonies of Infant Garcilassa, come of the Kings of Pe­ru, and afterwards turned Ctaholick) saith he, takes his course towards the East; he wades great Provinces, and renders himself [Page 47] at last, into the North-Sea; without saying any more. But this long and deep River, being the same that Father D'Acogna ac­knowledges under the name of Cusco, but knows it not by the name of Amarumaya; after having received an infinitie of other Rivers into his bed, and after that he hath run according to the measure of his crooked banks, the length of four hundred Leagues, he looseth his name with his waters in the great River of the Amazones, to the South­side of it, having five degrees of Southern latitude, and five hundred forty two Leagues from the sources of the great River, and three hundred fifteen degrees, and fifty minutes of Longitude. But the Madera without contradiction, is the last River, that comes from the Southside, and from the Andes of the great Cordeliere, to pay his tribute to the great Amazone. And as he is remotest in his sources, so he is the long­est, having a course of about seven hun­dred Leagues. He wades inestimable fields, and infinite Nations, and as it were jealous of the glory of his ending, he seems as it were upon design to shun rencountring with the Lake of Xaraya, the originall of the great River of Plata, leaving it upon his Eastside [Page 48]only fifty Leagues distant from him; that he might with more honour loose his name and waters in the great, and more renown­ed River of the Amazones, and that by an entry, that is worthy of his own greatness, at three degrees and forty minutes of South-latitude; and three hundred twenty four degrees of longitude; and eight hundred thirty two Leagues from the sources of the great Amazone. As to the birth of the Madera, whereof we shall speak, (and to which the Spaniards gave this name, be­cause of the trees, that he brought down in­to his mouth at that time when they disco­vered him) according to the best opinion, it is in the most rich and opulent Province of Plata in the Kingdome of Peru, to the East of the Mountains of the Andes, under the twenty first degree of South-latitude, and three hundred and thirteenth of Longi­tude. The Topinambians vaunt, that they have come down all the length of it, as we shall declare hereafter; and they tell won­ders of its greatness, as also of other Rivers, that on every side augment it. And finally his navigation being once fully discovered, the Ages to come will doubtless proclaim the great riches, that he will bring to the [Page 49]great Amazone, drawn out of the Mountain of Potosie, thirty Leagues distant only from his source.

CHAP. XIX. Of the other Rivers, and of the Province of the Kixes.

THe other great and long Rivers, not less considerable than the preceding, which come forth also from the Mountains of the Andes, to render themselves into the great River of the Amazones at his South­side, (to follow the order of the ninth Chapter of this Book) are first: the Curaray, between the Rivers of Napo, and of Maragnon. His origine is in the Coun­try of Macas, of the Province of Kixo. The second is the Yetau, (called Lyetau in the ninth Chapter) as much renowned for his greatness, as for the riches of his peo­ples (who wear Ear-pendants and Brace­lets of fine gold) which hath his course be­tween the Maragnon and the Amarumaya. And finally, the Tapy, the Catua, the Cusi­guare, between the Amarumaya and the [Page 50] Madera, to be thought the greater and the longer, by how much their entries into the Amazone are wider and broader; by means of all which, and others, that will be hereafter discovered (whether they enter into the great River themselves immediate­ly, or mediately only into others, that come at last to him, and pay their tribute) the commerce will alwayes be greater, and the navigation happy through the whole Kingdom of the Amazones. But to give a beginning to the Relation, not only of the Provinces, and of the Nations, that dwell on the length and breadth of this admirable River of the Amazones,; but also of other curiosities, the knowledge whereof will be­get him no less advantages; we will come back to the Province of Kixo, the first of them all, and the most renowned, by the glory of the Amazones rise, and of the place wherein his navigation becomes like unto that of the Ocean-Sea, as also hath been de­clared in the seventh Chapter. It is fertie in gold and all other things, being of the Kingdome of Peru, and a Government of the Province of Kyto. It was discovered by the Spaniards, that passed over the Andes on the Westside, Anno 1640, which [Page 51]was seven years after the Pizarres and the Almagres from the Panama first approached to the side of Peru, and in fine conquered so great a Kingdom. In this Government of Kixo are the Towns of Baessa the Capitall of Avila, and of Archidona, little Colonies of the Spaniards; and sundry other places, Coffane, Payamino, and Anete, sometimes the abode of Captain Joh [...]e de Falaci [...]s; who pushing further in than others, out of an ambition to make further conquest, and from his zeal for Religion, seated himself and his Souldiers in this remore habitation, on the great River of the Amazones; but in the end was killed by the Savages his ene­mies. And so this place of A [...]e was left by the Spaniards, as too far off from their Colonies, and too much exposed to the dangers of so many warlike Nations, that neighbour it. And this is enough of this Province, having also discoursed of it Chap­ter the seventh, and the fourteenth, and of Ane [...]e in the ninth.

CHAP. XX. Of the Province of the long-haired, and of that of the Homagues.

AMongst the principall Provinces, which in going down the great River of the Amazones, present themselves; that of the long-haired people is not the least considera­ble, as well for its greatness, as for the va­lour of its peoples. It is on the North-side, and begins from the River of the Aguarick, and being of a good breadth, extends it self in length more than one hundred eighty Leagues alway upon the side of the Ama­zone. Its Rivers roll gold, its fields are all fertile, and the yearly inundations make Lakes in it in great abundance. This Na­tion is one of the valiantest in all America; it hath alwayes resisted all sallyes of the Spaniards, and by the death of Johne de Palacios, it put a sudden stop to their bold­ness. As well the men as the women wear their hair long even unto their girding­place; whence they were presently called the Chevelues, or long-haired people, great and fair; as also a River was called, that [Page 53]runs through the midst of this Province, and loseth himself in the great Amazone; on the mouth of which forty Portuguais and three hundred Brasilians encamped for ele­ven moneths the year 1638, as we shall de­clare afterwards. But the greatest and the best of all the Provinces, that lie costing on the River Amazone, is that of the Homa­gues: whose length is two hundred Leagues, and his habitations so frequent, that scarce­ly one is out of sight, when another appears. But its breadth appears not to be great, be­cause it exceeds not the extent of such arms as the Amazone casts out that way. All the Towns and Villages are in great Ilands, and in great number: and the beginning of this long Province on the West side is a­bout three hundred seventeen Leagues from the sources of the great Amazone. Almost in the midst of it is the greatest and best ha­bitation of the Homagues, whereof we have spoken in the ninth Chapter; as also of a­nother mighty habitation, consisting of an infinitie of houses after their fashion, seated in an advantageous place; filled with the valiantest men and best Warriors, and fur­nished with all sorts of Arms and Munition of Warre; and that because, this, place, [Page 54]being the last of all the Province on the East side, it is Frontier to many warlike peo­ples, against whom the Homagues fight of­ten, and almost without ceasing. This Nation is the most reasonable, and the best governed of all others of this discovery; and that by the benefit of such amongst them, as have frequented the Kixes of Peru, from whence they were chased through sear of the Spaniards, that used them as slaves. They are all honestly clothed as well men as wo­men; who make not only clothing for themselves of Cotton, which they have there in abundance; but also to traffique with in other Countries, where their work­manships are sought after for their fineness and delicacy. These Stuffs are very plea­sant, woven of diverse colours, or else paint­ed with great skill. They are so subject and obedient to their Caciques, or Lords, that they presently do any thing upon a word speaking. They have all their heads flat out of a contrivance and are they use for it when they are born. They have conti­nuall Warres on both sides of the River with the Savages, who on the South side are the Curines, so numerous, that they not only defend themselves from the Homa­gues, [Page 55]but also from other Nations, that are further from them, yet fight with them daily. And on the North side are the Te­cunes, no less valiant and numerous than the Curines, seeing as they, they make al­so Warres upon other Nations, that are fur­ther off from them, than the Homagues.

CHAP. XXI. Of the condition of slaves; and of neigh­bouring Nations.

ALl the Indians of the great Realm of the Amazone (as we have said else­where) are served only with slaves: and the only penalty of the vanquished prisoner, is all brought to this sad debt towards the victorious enemy, that took him in Warre. But the Homagues are so generous towards such as have been overcome, more by an evil fortune, or over-ruling power from heaven, than by any feebleness that was in themselves, that they use them very gent­ly, make them sometimes eat with them­selves, and never suffer them to be sold to who will give most. This were highly to [Page 56]offend them, but to demand such things of them; as the Portuguais often had experi­ence, who coming down the great River Anno 1639, arrived one day amongst others at an habitation of these Homagues: who received them in peace, and with great joy, and very liberally presented them with any thing they stood in need of. They sold them Stuffes, also Canoes or Boats, that were very light: but never any slaves, not enduring so much as to hear of it. Whence it follows, that these peoples replenished with so much sweetness and modesty, would easily enough receive the rule of a moderate Prince, and the knowledge of the true Re­ligion. But that we may lightly pass over the Nations that are on the one side, and the other of the Province of Homague; we shall only say, that to the North of the great River of the Amazones, the Yorunes, and the Paryanes, and then the Atoyes, and the Cunes; and finally the Homaguazietes (that is, the true Homagues, the valiantest of these Nations, and as it were the superiours to the others) dwell alongst the vast fields of both the banks of Putumaya, all along up towards its source, So for the South side of the Province of Homague, the Tipunes, [Page 57]and the Guanares, and then the Ozoanes, and the Nahones; and after them the Ca­nomanes and the Marianes, possesse the large Regions between the Maragnon and the Amarumaya, from the mouth of the Yet as to the Source of the same. But all these Nations are so valourous, especially those that are furthest off, and that are at the be­ginning of the River Putumaya, that often­times the Spaniards of the Province of Ky­to, and of Popayan, have been repulsed by them through force of Armes.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Province of Corosirare, and of the Neighbouring Nations.

BEtween the end of the Province of Ho­mague, and the beginning of that of Corosirare, the two bankes of the great River of the Amazones are possessed for fifty three leagues space by the Cacygares and Tucuries on the South-side, and in part on the Amarumaya; and on the North­side, by the Curis, and the Guayrabes. The Habitations of all which Peoples are [Page 58]remote from the sides of the River, for fear of the Homagues. But the Nation Corosirare, that dwell to the South of the great Amazone, begins at The Village of Gold, and ends not till after eighty leagues in length down the great River. Its Grounds and Fields are higher than ordinary; and the Habitations of this Province are so fre­quent, that oftentimes for four leagues to­gether, and sometimes for six, one can see nothing else. This people, though Sa­vage, yet wants neither policy, not good conduct of their affairs; all their Houses are well ordered, and replenished with all sorts of Vivers, and Commodities. They have many Kills or Furnaces, and make all fort of Earthen Vessels, which they sell and traffique by with other Nations; but all by way of Exchange, as all other Indi­ans do. As to that Habitation of this Countrey, which the Portuguau, while they went up the great River, an. One thousand six hundred thirty eight, called The Village of Gold, (whereof we spake also in the ninth Chapter) it was by occasion of a pair of Ear-pendants of fine gold, which they took there from a woman: which were so fine, that the gold was found of [Page 59]one and twenty caracts in the Town of Ky­to, after their arrivall there. But so soon as these Natives of this Village perceived the greedinesse of the Souldiers after or­naments of gold, they presently thereafter hid all that they had, and no more was seen after that; no not at the return of the same Portuguais in an One thousand six hundred thirty nine, who could never obtaine but one pair of these Ear-pendants by ex­change with the Indians, which Father D'Acogna himself bought, to let them be seen in Spain. But the great Nation of the Suanes, which extends it self to the great Caketa, fills all the Fields that are on the other banke of the North of the great Amazone: but with this remarke, that their Plaines are a great deal lower, than the op­posite Grounds and Fields of the Corosira­res; in whose Province are the Mouthes of the great and fair Rivers of Tapy and Catua, this last forming and fashioning Lago-verde, with the great Amazone. And alongst these two Rivers, as one goes up them, dwels the great Nation of the Pacuanes.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the Gold-Mine of the Suanes, and of the Neighbouring Nations.

THe great Province of Suane heretofore mentioned, hath this singular glory amongst all the others, that are honoured by the great River of the Amazones, to carry Gold within her bowels. The fa­mous Mountain that nourisheth in his bo­some so great a treasure, hath about two degrees of South latitude, and three hun­dred seventeen degrees of longitude. It is two hundred leagues only distant from the Town of S ^t Thomas, a Colony of the Spa­niards in Orenoc, and fourty leagues from the Atlantique Sea. And the precious Ri­ver of Gold (for so the Natives of the Countrey call it) which waters its foot, draws abundance of this rich Mettall with him, in form of graines of Corn, and lit­tle bigger billetts. It presently disburdens its self into the Yopura, another consider­able River, which likewise looseth himself into the great River of the Amazones, on the North-side, at three degrees of South [Page 61]latitude, and five hundred eighty four leagues, from the Sources of the great Ri­ver. Whence it follows that the com­merce so advantageous of the great Ama­zone with this famous Mountain of Suane, is made the more commodious by the Na­vigation of this River of Yopura, by going up him into the River of Gold; and that the ages to come will one day make famous these places with rich Towns and mag­nifique Inhabitants. For the present, a­mong all the Peoples of these Countries, the Managues are those, that traffique with this Gold, the weight whereof, and its finenesse makes it so perfect, that it is the most excellent of all America. The Indi­ans that buy of it, by exchange of other things for it, make of it little long Plates, which they hang at their Noses, and Ears: and this rich Ornament is ordinary and fre­quent in all these Provinces, according to the report of the Savages. But the Nati­ons (besides the Suanes) that are nearest to the treasures of this rich Mountain, are the Aguaynes, the Mocunes, the chief of all such as dwell to the East of the Suanes, and cultivate the fertile Fields, that are watered by both the Channells of the Araganatube. [Page 62]Now all the Plaines of these fertile Regions, as well on the North as on the South-side of the great River of the Amazone, where the Province of Corosirare is; are the best and manyest, and best disposed to receive all sort of culture, of all America. But re­turning to the Gold-Mine of the Mount of Suane, I wonder that neither the Spaniards of Hordas, and of Berreo, nor the English of Kemnits, and of Ralech have never met with it, that have searched with so much ruine and calamity to the Natives, alongst the great River of Orenoc, the imaginary Treasures of the fabulous rather than fa­mous Lagad rado.

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Province of Yoriman.

NEXT after the Province of Corosirare, as you go down the great Amazone on the South-side, is the Province of Yori­man, being but of sixty leagues long, but of such repute amongst the Indians of all these Countries, by reason of the strength and valour of its Inhabitants, than the Na­vy [Page 63]of the Portuguais themselves passing a­long did perceive it. They are of a good stature, of a fair body, and well formed. They are expert in all things they take themselves to, especially in Armes; and go all naked, as well men, as women. They are also so numerous for multitude, that never any saw at one time so many Bar­barians together. It was an infallible token of their great courage, that they went and came (as they did) amidst the Armed Ves­sels and Ships of Warre of the Portuguais, to traffique with them, with extreme assu­rance of minde. For whilest the Portu­guais going up the great Amazone, sail'd along by this Province, every day there came to them above two hundred Canoes, full of Women and Children, with Fruits, Fishes, Meales, and other such like Pro­vision, which they changed with the Portu­guais for axes and knives, whereof they have great esteem, as all others Indians of the new world. The Yorimans inhabite not only the main Land of this Province, but fill also the great Iles that the great Amazone makes by sundry of his Armes stretched forth. The first Village of this Warlike Nation, is on the mouth of a [Page 64]Christalline River, which must be strong, and come very farre considering the force, wherewith he pusheth the deep waters of the great Amazone. But the notablest of their Habitations, is the greatest of any that lie on the great Amazone, containing more a good deal on the banke of that River, than a good league: and in every of its Houses, four or five Familes, and sometimes more; whereby easily may be gathered the great number of the Inhabitants of this long Town, whereof we spake also in the ninth Chapter of this Book. It was in this place, so abounding with all things, that the Fleet of the Portuguais stay'd five or six daies at its return, after it had gone up the River of the Amazones before with good suc­cesse, as shall be afterwards related. Not one of so numerous a people fled from his House for fear of their arrivall; but the whole Fleet got freely from them, all that they stood in need of; and because the Na­vy was near an end of all its Provisions, it got from their bounty five hundred Sacks of the Meale of Mandioqua, which sufficed it for the whole rest of its Voyage. The other Habitations also of this happy Pro­vince of Yoriman, are not much inferiour [Page 65]to the former, they are all along very fre­quent on the firm land; but yet both mightier and more numerous in a great I­land about thirty leagues lower; where it seemes the principall Forces are of this generous Nation; generous I say, both for its valour, liberality, and numerousnesse of men, that inhabite it.

CHAP. XXV. Of the Province of Surina, and the Neigh­bouring Nations.

BUt to go from the Province of Yori­man, to that of Surina, we must in our passage visit the Nation of the Cusigua­res, that labour the fertile Plaines situ­ated on the South-banke of the Amazone; which in this place receives the plentifull waters of that great River, that gives its own name to this pleasant Province. This renowned River of Cusiguare, both for the easinesse of its Navigation (though somewhat hindered now and then by Rocks appearing in it here and there) and for the happinesse of its Fishing, no lesse abound­ing [Page 66]here, than elsewhere, will be no lesse considerable for the high stature and the great courage of his Nation of the Motu­anes, that cover the first Plaine, that he waters, who by testimony of the Indians, that report it, use also long Plates of fine Gold, for Eare and Nose-Pendants; whence it would seem, that they are not farre from the rich Province of the Plata, and of Potosy, because even to travell up to their Countrey, it takes full two moneths time. But upon the same River, and be­tween the aforesaid two Nations, the Cu­rians, and the Catoses, enjoy likewise the happy fruitfulnesse of so many good Grounds, and so many pleasant Rivers, that on all sides enter into their principall River. Now, as the Province of Homa­gue is celebrated amongst all those of the great Amazone, for its fine works of Stufles and Cloathes of Cotton of so great varie­ty; and the Province of Corosirare for their excellent Pottery of Vessels of Earth so artificially Painted, and fashioned: so the Province of Surina is no lesse commendable for a delicate houshold-stuffe, or Utensiles of a marvellous fine artifice. It is on the South of the great River, and to the East [Page 67]of the Cusiguares: its Peoples being the Surines, and the Coripunes, Nations that are the most curious and expert of working in Wood, of any in all America. They make Seates and Formes in the fashion of Animals, yet so fine and commodious for the ease of the body, that nothing can be added to their industry. They make also Javelots and Arrows, with so much gen­tilenesse and elegancy, that all other Nati­ons seek after them. And the like Images, that they make to the life are so perfect­ly done in all points, that our best Ingravers and Carvers, could find no other occasion but to learn from them: so that by exchange of so many singular workmanships of so sundry sorts, they daily make their lives more hap­py by all necessary Commodities, which on all sides come unto them from this rich traffique.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Province of Caribane.

FOr as much as the distances of all these Rivers and Provinces, are just enough set down in the ninth Chapter of this Book; we shall say only of this Province of Caribane, that it lies between the Rio­negro and the great Amazone in extent of more than an hundred leagues on the banks of either of them. Its Fields and Plaines are higher than that they are subject to the overflowings of these Rivers, or of an e­quall height unto them; yet fertile and a­bundant in all things. The River of Ba­zurura, which enters into that of the Ama­zones on the North-side, makes here Lakes and Ilands very pleasant: and the divers Nations of this great Province, are no lesse considerable for the plenteousnesse and fer­tility of their Countrey, than for the hap­py condition of their life. Of these, the Araguananes, and the Mariguanes, are the most Westerly, and lye against the bankes of the Yoriman, already mentioned. The Pogoanes, and the Caraganes are on the [Page 69] Basurura. The Comanares possesse that point which the two Rivers for me at their meeting. The Tuynamanes, and the Co­marurianes are on the side of Rio-negro; and the others lesse renown'd possesse the Lands that are furthest off from the Ama­zone. All these Peoples are valiant, and use-skilfully the Bow and Arrow. They had from the year One thousand six hun­dred thirty eight, Knives, and Axes, and other Instruments of Iron, after the fashion of Europe; which they gave out to have bought from Indians their Neighbours, that were nearer than they to the Sea; and these again from certain persons, that were white of countenance, and cloathed like the Portuguais, and armed with Sword and Musket, that dwelt upon the Atlan­tique Sea: which have been without doubt, either Hollanders, or English, who have both sailed into the Orenoc, and dwelt for some time in the Coasts of Guyana; but were at length hostilely chased from thence, by the Savages; as also all the French were an. One thousand six hundred fifty four, from the Ile of Cayene in the main Land, and on the same side of the Sea of the North; which is not above two hundred [Page 70]leagues at the most from Rio-negro, but reckoning in a streight line, and by the shortest distance. But because nature hath not offered in all the Realm of the great Amazone, a more favourable situation, than on the point of the Comanares, for setling of a Colony of the most considerable ones of any in the world, and which cannot fail one day to be the Seat of an Empire most flourishing, and of great richesse in Trade; we shall therewith finish this Chapter, in telling you, That the Land of it is right upon the bankes of these two great Rivers; that it is also mounted above the height of ordinary inundations; that the surface of it is plain, sweet, and not shrubby: that the Neighbouring Fields abound in graines for necessary Provisions, and in good pasturage for nourishing of Cattle: that Quarries of an excellent Stone for Building, and easie to be cut and hewn, are as near it as Woods, and Trees of a marvellous greatnesse and height, for the conveniency of Buildings and Houses: that the distance of the great Amazone from the Rio-negro, is not so great, but the fortifications may conveni­ently and regularly be drawn along on the Land-side, and that the Foussies of these for­tifications, [Page 71]and this wall being well ordered, may easily be made deep enough, and themselves fill'd by the debordments of the one, or of the other River, at pleasure.

CHAP. XXVII. Of Rio-negro, and of the Province of Camsuara.

FOllowing the North-side of the great River of the Amazones, Rio-negro in­continent presents its self next after the Province of Caribane. His bredth and depth give him the prerogative to be thought the fairest and mightiest River of all that enter into the great Amazone; whose mouth being wide a great league and an half, hath four degrees of South latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude, and seven hundred eighty eight leagues of distance from the Sources of the great Amazone. The Amazones course is here towards the North-east; and that of Rio-negro right East, where he enters into the other with such grandure and majesty, that he keeps [Page 72]his waters distinct and separate from the o­thers, and keeps half of the whole channell to himself for the space of twelve leagues, before the great River (though here all u­nited into one great bed, to receive him) can overcome the distinctnesse of his wa­ters, with all the force that he hath. The Spaniards first, and after them the Portu­gall's, call'd it Rio-negro, because at his mouth, as often also in his channell, his waters appear very black, because indeed they are very clear, and without any colour, but very deep. The Natives also name it for the same reason Coriguacure, that is, the Black River. But as Rio-negro is the great Caketa of the sixteenth Chaper of our Book; we shall say no more of it here, nor stay again upon the obscurities of Father D' Acogna, which we have there briefly un­folded; but passe on to the recitall of the Nations that inhabite its bankes, and tell you, That the Province of Camsuare is the first that presents its self, having on its South Rio-negro, on its East the great A­mazone; and on its North, the great Pro­vince of Guyane. All the Plaines of these Countries are mounted like those of Cari­bana, and not subject to the ordinary over­flowings, [Page 73]covered with infinite Peoples, and aboundant in all things, especially of Trees of a prodigious height and thicknesse. But amongst the rich Nations of this fertile Province of Camsuare, those of the A­guares, of the Agaypes, of the Jamnes, and of the Carupatabes, are not the least considerable, without relating the Guarana­casanes, which make a Province on the be­ginning of the River of Orenoc, as he comes out of the great Caketa. See the sixteenth Chapter to make the knowledge of these things lesse confused and imperfect, than they are in Historians and Geographers, who treat of them either too diffusedly in great Books, or too lightly in little Tra­ctates, seeing also it becomes daily more certain by new and reiterated experiences.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Province of Cayane, and of the Na­tions Neighbouring.

BUt going now to the South-side of the great River of the Amazones again, we shall find to the East, and following that [Page 74]of Surina, the Province of Cayane, through which the great and long River of the Ma­dera passeth, and renders it self into the great Amazone. And because this River of the Madera (which was so called by the Spaniards, because of the great number of Trees, which it drew alongst with it into its mouth) is one of the principall Rivers of America, you shall find the distances and measures, and other circumstances that concern it, in the tenth and eighteenth Chapters of this Book. Now, the Nati­ons, that Province great enough, contains within its extent, whether lying alongst the great Amazone, or in going up the great River of the Madera, which the Natives call also Cayane; are no lesse happy for the fertility of their fair Fields, and pleasant Rivulets, than other Peoples of all these fertile Countries are. They are of no lesse courage for Warre, not lesse expert in Fights and handling of Armes; they have also the like industry in their handy-works, that serve to make their happinesse of life the more accomplished, by the exchange of them with such commodities as they stand in need of, and they keep likewise in their conduct and Government of affairs, Laws [Page 75]and Customes like unto those, that all o­ther Provinces of the Realm of the Ama­zone do. But of all these infinite Peoples, that cover so many considerable Plaines and Fields, the Cayanes, and the Anamares are the most renown'd; and next to these, the Curares, and the Goarinumes; and after them, the Abacares, and the Oragunagues; and lastly the Sabucares, and the Urubingues in going down the great Amazone, which yet are the most esteem'd for their curious finenesse of working and making house U­tensiles. But the remotest of all in going down the great Amazone, and amongst these the best known are the Maraques, and the Oregates, and towards the South, the Gua­ranaques, and others without number, which undoubtedly border upon the great Lake of Xaraya, out of which all Geographers, that give us the Cartes of America, make a con­siderable River to come forth, which they bring to that of the great Amazones, where­of they ought to abstain to speak too hardi­ly, untill by certain experience the truth of their first thoughts be better assured.

CHAP. XXIX. Of the Ile of the Topinambes.

SEeing the Ile of Topinambes is in this place of the River of the Ama­zones; and that it is the greatest of all its Iles, the most renowned Province of any that it waters; we shall say first, that it is of more than sixty leagues of length; and that it is so situated in the great Amazone, that it comes nearer to his South-side, than to his North, and that all the distances and measures, that concern it, are in the tenth Chapter of this Book. Secondly, we shall say that it is admirable in fertility of its Grounds, in the beauty of its bankes, in the multitude of its Habitations, whereof the most mighty is in the Eastmost point of it, and hath three degrees of South lati­tude. Finally, we shall say, that once it was inhabited by its Natives, and originall Indians, but that the Topinambes coming upon them, chased them from it after sundry Battells, and possest themselves of it with so much glory and reputation for themselves, that the terrour of their names [Page 77]did reach to the neighbouring Nations. Now these Topinambes before had inhabited the South coasts of Brasile, where not be­ing able to endure the hard entreaty of the Portugalls towards them, after that they had come upon them; they renounced their dear Countrey, and voluntarily a­bandoned with great resolution more than eighty of their great Bourgades. So they marched in infinite multitudes of men, wo­men, and children, streight towards the West, and under the same parallell. They crossed by swimming the great Rivers of Parane, and of the Plata, and leaving on their left hand the Province of Tucuman, they in end took up their lodgings on the beginnings of the great River Made­ra. But it befalling one of these Topi­nambes some while after to kill a Cow of a Spaniard on the frontier of Peru, for which he was rudely chastised; the same fear that carried them too lightly to leave their ancient abode, made them all to dislodge presently from this new one. And to the end to put themselves farre enough from all the Provinces of any neighbourhood with Peru possest by the Spaniards; and and to make their Voyage or removall [Page 78]with lesse inconvenience, and the more di­ligence and circumspection, they embar­qued themselves in Canoes, which they had ready in great number, and so suffered themselves to go at adventure down the stream of Madera; and after sundry Moneths navigation, found themselves ar­rived in the great Amazone, and so last­ly on the bankes of this Ile of Topinambe, which they possest by Armes, as hath been said. Now this Warlike and va­liant Nation entertain'd very courteously the Portugalls at their passing them, and received very pleasantly their proposalls that they made, of a mutuall Covenant and Alliance. Which alone might suf­fice for the conquest of the whole Realm of the Amazone, seeing all ply to the on­ly name of the Topinambes.

CHAP. XXX. Of the Bosphore of the Amazone, and of the Neighbouring Nations to it.

FOllowing the course of the great Ama­zone, you shall find about fifty four leagues from the Topinambes, the Bosphore of the Amazone, whereby a marvellous effect of the naturall disposition of the ground of these Countries, all the waters of the great River of the Amazones, and of all the others, that we have described, re­duce themselves by a sweet violence to the necessity of passing in one only channell so strait, that it is no more than one good quarter of a league. But of this famous Bosphore, and all that concerns it, see the tenth and thirteenth Chapters of this Book; that we may passe without hinderance, to the Province of Mataya, which lies on the South-side of the great River, from the Province of Cayane before-mentioned, un­to the Bosphore of the great Amazone. The Inhabitants whereof being often beaten by the Topinambes, have at last submitted to their yoake, and are now their Tributaries; [Page 80]being bound yearly to furnish them with Stone-axes, to fell their Woods, and great Trees; and with other usefull Instruments of the same matter for labouring and manu­ring of the Ground; wherein the Topinam­bes are marvellous expert and diligent, as appears in all their plaines and champain Grounds. But on the other North-banke of the great Amazone, the Province of A­panta presents it self, happy enough in all things. It hath for its confines on the West the Province of Camsuare; on the East it passeth the Bosphore; and on the North its frontiers on the famous Region of the A­mazones; which I pass over as well as other doubtfull reports, which the Spaniards and Portugalls have heard of it, as they passed along the great River. The Inhabitants of this Province, next Neighbours to the Topinambes, trade in Salt with them, and other Nations, that are farther from them; and Salt is not found but in this place, all alongst the whole course of the great A­mazone. As to the Apantes, and Conures, they labour their fair Fields, that are wa­tered by the Coruris, which enters present­ly into the great River, according to the tenth Chapter of this Book; as also the [Page 81] Orixamine, a River no lesse considerable, of the same North-side and near to the Bosphore. They have this singular amongst all the Peoples of that Countrey, that their language is the common language of all Brasile, though they be distant from it three hundred leagues. But it may be that the Topinambes, in keeping their own, (which was this) have also communicated it to this neighbourhood. Finally, the best counsell that one can give on this behalf to a Prince, or Republique in the progresse of this conquest, is to keep the Bosphore in his possession, and the Topinambes in amity and confederacy with him.

CHAP. XXXI. Of the Province and River of Tapayse.

PResently after that the Amazone is come forth of the famous Bosphore, he betakes himself to his accustomed broad­nesse again, and begins to mingle the boil­ings of his waters, with the floods of the high-sea. The first Province that he visits on his South-side, takes its name from the [Page 82]great and broad River of the Tapayfe [...], and is no lesse considerable for the abundance of his Fruites and Crops, than for the coura­gious Nation, that inhabits it: the which is so much the more redoubted to its Neighbours, as that it addes to its valour an art of empoysoning their Arrows. But the Source of this fair and fertile River is unknown to us as yet; and yet its great­nesse makes it appear, and perswades us, that is it very remote on the South-side, be­tween the coast of Brasile, and the great Lake of Xaraya. About the year One thousand six hundred thirty, the English went up his broad channell with one Ship, and coming down his bankes again, stayed there some time to sow, and gather Tobac­co; but being chased from thence with some losse by the Indians, they went away without returning. Amongst the Habita­tions of this Province, the Portugalls found one in it, at their return down the great River, of more than one thousand five hundred Families; wherein they were so favourably received by this Nation, how­ever otherwise both hardy and barbarous, as hath already been said, that all the day long they ceased not to go and sell them [Page 83]Meale, Poullets, Fish, Fruites, and other necessaries: and all with such confidence, that the very women and children never scar'd at their Navy. And yet not con­tent with these good Offices (as it is the nature of valiant people, to be alivaies ge­nerous too) they offered moreover to all the Portugalls there, if they would but leave their own Countrey, and come and live with them, to serve them in peace, and with a good will, and nourish them all their life time. As to the measures and distan­ces of the deep and broad mouth of the River of Tapayse, you may find them in the tenth Chapter of this Book: and its length cannot well be thought lesse, than from three towards four hundred leagues; whence will follow, that he must receive many others into his bed, to become so great and broad as he is: and that the Pro­vinces and Nations neighbouring upon him, must be very many, abundant, and fertile.

CHAP. XXXII. Of the rich and great Province of Coropa.

BUt following of the River of the A­mazones, and on the North-side, you finde after the Province of Apanta, that of Coropa, which extends its limits to the River of Genipapa, the mouth of which is an hundred fourty leagues from the Bosphore, according to the tenth Chapter of this Book, which sets down all the rest of its measure also. This Province hath the name from the River of Coropatube; be­cause the name of Tube in America lan­guage, signifies nothing else but a River. The Province is almost in the midst of the Rivers length; and a Village of the same name is upon its entry into the great Ama­zone; which is in peace, and under the o­beisance of the Portugalls of the Kingdom of Brasile. But this River is not so abun­dant in its waters, as in its richesse, if the Natives abuse not themselves in assuring us of four marvellous Mountaines, that make it considerable, by the nearnesse of the pre­cious Mines, that they contain in them­selves. [Page 85]The first is Yaguare, that contain­eth Gold; the second, Picore, that offereth Silver, the third presents Sulphure; the fourth is Paragache, which so shines by Sunne and Moon-light, that it seemes to be wrought as with enammell, with sundry sorts of precious Stones. All these rich Mountains are under the line, and about an hundred leagues only from Cayene, where the French have had Colonies. But the commerce of them will be more opened, and more commodious, by the navigation of the River of Coropa, because about six daies journeys from the same Village, that carryes its name, Coropa receives another little River coming from the Mount Yaguare, that brings with it abundance of Gold, in forme of graines and billetts. And as for assurances of the Mine of Silver of the Mountain of Picora, they may be found from the consequence of the relations of the same Savages; who give out with one voice, That they have often drawn out white Mettall of that Mountain, whereof they once made Axes, and Knives; but that because of its softnesse, they left it off, as unprofitable, and of no use. But in the same Province of Coropa, on the North­bank [Page 86]of the great River, and six leagues before you come to that of Genipape, is the Fort of the Destierro, where thirty Portu­galls are ordinarily in Garrison, under a Captain, that commands and governs all those Neighbouring Countries, without a­ny s;et bounds to their extent.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the great Mouth of the great River of the Amazones.

The great River of the Amazones, the relations whereof cannot equall the marvells of its magnificence, is no lesse ad­mirable in the greatnesse of his Mouth, than in all other things, that lift it up to so much glory. He begins to open himself below the River of Genipape, and becoming al­waies broader, he incompasseth Ilands with­out number, infinite Nations, and Peoples that speak sundry languages; though the common language of Brasile extend it self also to all these. But the most remarkeable amongst others are the Tapuya, the Aanx­aiase, the Mayanase, the Angaybe, and that [Page 87]of the valiant Pacaches, which inhabite also the bankes of River of the same name, which comes from the South-side into that of the Amazones. All these Iles, are wonderfull in the festility of their Fields, in the fruitfull plenty of their Fishes; in the beauty of their bankes, which are crowned with a continuall greenesse. But the River of Pacach, considerable enough for its broadnesse, but yet of an originall or Source unknown, to us, bounds to the East the Province of Paranayba, which comes after that of Tapayse hereafter men­tioned. The great and fair River of Paranayba gives it its name; whose Sources are farre removed towards the South, and the Nations that it waters in passing so many Fields, are not as yet well known. His Mouth is two leagues wide, and the Ha­bitations of this Neighbourhood obey the Portugalls, who govern them. And as to the distance and measures of all those re­markeable places, you shall finde them in the tenth Chapter of this Book; as al­so the greatest bredth of this wondrous Mouth of the Amazone, to wit, eighty four leagues lying from the Cape of the North, to the Province of Zaparara; [Page 88]which notwithstanding, because it is in an oblique line, is not the just measure of the true entry of the great Amazone. But to get a truer knowledge of it, follow the streight line from the foresaid Cape of the North, to the Town of Para on the coast of Brasile, you will yet finde it so of more than sixty leagues of breadth, not to stay on the mis-reckoning of the seven­teenth Book of John Laet, a late flenmish Authour, who teacheth how to finde this distance, from the East point of the Mouth of this great River, to the West-side of the same; drawing yet a more oblique line, than that of the Cape of the North, to the point of the Zaparara, was. But seeing we cite here the tenth Chapter of this Book, you must not fail to put there the distance of the Genipapa from Corupa, of thirty leagues, to mend the fault of the Printers, because of the importance of all these measures.

CHAP. XXXIV. Of the great Prevince of Guyana.

SEeing the Province of Guyana ends the great River of the Amazomes on his North-side; and Geographers have gained no great knowledge of it as yet; we shall speak of it in manner following. On the East it hath for its limit the great mouth of the Amazone, from the River of Genipapa to Cap-north; on the North, it is washed with the great Atlantique-Sea, for the space of three hundred Leagues, from Cap-north, to the Ile of the Trinity: and on the West, the great River of the Orenu serves for its coufines: but on the South it is kept in by a ridge of Mountains parallel to the Sea-coast, which separate it from the Provinces of Camsnare, of Apanta, and of Corepa, already mentioned. Now, these Mountains (though not yet known) are not imaginary, but reall and effective according to the naturall disposition of all these Countries, seeing the Rivers of Viapoco, of Cayene, of Maruy­ne, of Sequebe, and other considerable ones of Guyana, which run all from the South to [Page 90]the North, and enter into the Ocean-Sea; and those other of Genipapa, of Coropatube, of Orixamine, and of Coruris, which run all from North to South by a contrary course to the others, and enter into the great A­mazone; have necessarily their sources in those Mountains deep and fertile Valleys. But returning to that East part of Guyana, which buts on the mouth of our famous River; we will first tell you, that it begins from that of Genipapa, considerable enough both for the greatness of his bed, and for the fine gold, that he draws along with him in his waters: whence it follows by infalli­ble conjecture, that the mountains of his fource, and the plains of his neighbourhood, are no less rich, happy, and fertile, than in all the rest of America. Now the coast or this Province from Genipapa to the Cap-nord (which forms the great mouth of the Ama­zon) is very uneven in its bank, and very dangerous in its navigation, because of heights and lowes, that are here sometimes found. But these difficulties are not in coming down the great River, untill after you have passed, and necessarily taken no­tice of the place of Corupa, one of the Go­vernments of the Portugalls on these banks, [Page 91]about twenty eight Leagues from the place, where the great River begins to open his mouth. But because Cap-nord ends the North side of this great River, we shall tell you again, that it hath one degree and forty five minutes of North latitude, according to the tenth Chapter of this book; like­wise that the grounds about are very low, and covered with woods; the Sea very rageing, and not very deep; the Sands moveable, and often covered with Sea­ware, or weeds. And as to the rest of this coast, as you go from Cap-nord to Co­rupa, see the Relations of the Hollanders, reported by Johne Laet in his America, where you may finde the knowledge of it little either necessary, or delectable.

CHAP. XXXV. Of the Province of Maragnon, and of the Town of Para.

AS the Province of Guyana ends the North-bank and brink of the great Amazone; so the Kingdome of Brasile (un­der the Crown of Portugall) ends it on [Page 92]the South side, by the Province of Marag­non, the Northerliest of all its Countries. It took its name from a River and a Bay of the same name on the coast of the Atlanti­que-Sea, where the Town of St. Lewis, the residence of the Governour, and of justice, is in a very pleasant Ile. But that side of this Government of Maragnon is far longer on the great mouth of the great River, than on that side, that accosts the great Ocean; seeing at contains all the bank of the Ama­zone for the space of an hundred Leagues from the River of Pacashe, to the point of Zaparara. Yet in all this length of Lands so fertile, and abundant in all things, there is but the one only Town of Para, that is considerable. From the year 1615, the Portugalls established the Colonie there, and built the fortress of it, which is a square of Mason-work on the Land-side; and of earth or turfe on the Sea-side. It is com­manded by a Captain-major, who answers to the Governour-Generall of the Province and under this Captain-major of the Town of Para, are other three Captains of Infan­try, dispersed in diverse places of that Countrey. It is forty Leagues from the North-Sea, and from the point of Zapara­ra, [Page 93]and thirty Leagues from the great Vil­lage of Commuta, once very flourishing, but now ruinous, on the mouth of the great River of the Tocantines, a Nation very fertile, and rich. It hath also one degree and thirty minutes of South latitude, and is about sixty five Leagues from Cap-nord, in a right Line, and Geometricall measure, making twenty Leagues for every degree of a great Circle, as we have done in the rest of this work. And as to other distan­ces on this South side of the great Amazone, you shall find them at the end of the tenth Chapter of this Book; as also those of the Ile of the Sun, which is by the waterbank of the Province of Maragnon, having more than ten Leagues in Circuit, one very safe Haven, fish abundance, Crabs without number, very good fresh or sweet waters, of lesser prey or game as much as they will, and a very pleasant air. Finally a place much more convenient than that of Para, to set up a Colonie and Forts in, whereby to command the best and safest entry of all those, which lead from the Sea into the true Channell of the great River of the Ama­zones.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Entrice into the River of the A­mazones.

Such as are exercised in the navigations of the great Ocean, know nothing more dangerous, nor more difficult, than the en­tries of Ports, of Bayes, and of Rivers. But in this, as in other points, the great River of the Amazones is no less admirable, than singular. For being framed as it were to receive in times coming the greatest and richest commerce of all the world, how could it hinder, that its great mouth should not be defamed by Robbers or Pirates, as well as the Gulph of Mexico? Now the same providence that hath heaped upon it more than upon all the Rivers of the earth, so many marvellous advantages and prero­gatives; would not in this either make it less perfect; having by a certain and natu­rall disposall and ordering of its Iles, sides, and lowes, or flats, reduced its navigation into one only Channell, and rendred the other passages as it were unprofitable; and by his impetuous currants (which carry his [Page 95]waters thirty Leagues into the Sea) for­bidden all strange Ships, and hostile ene­mies to rest in these places, that they might there surprize any Navy at their going in, or coming out. But the difficulties hitherto have been great to find out the true tract, that Vessels ought to hold in going into the great Amazone. And after having consi­dered the diverse observations reported by their Authors, Spaniards, English, and Flemish, some of them too short, and others too confused and obscure; and most or all of them, uncertain, we shall tell you in few words, that first of all, one must shun the currants in coming down, going aside of them unto two degrees of South latitude; then go up again, by the coast of Brasile, at half a degree latitude of the same side of the Line, then double the point of Zaparara, and make Sail, or launch to the Southwest, after that, follow the coast of the Province of Maragnon, and pass the Channell of the Ile of the Sun at one degree and a quarter of South-latitude, and twenty six Leagnes from the full Sea: finally make Sail to the West, leave the side of Para, and keep the same latitude, to gain the bankside of Co­rupa in the Province of Guyana: and for con­clusion, [Page 96]follow still the same side, and en­ter at last into the true Channell of the great River of the Amazones, at two de­grees of South-latitude, and thirty Leagues beyond Corupa, which is but one degree and a half of the same side of the Line.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of the first discovery of this River.

FOrasmuch as historicall Relations are ea­silier understood, if they follow Geogra­phicall ones, we have changed the order of Au­thors, that went before us, & begun at the lat­ter. After that Gonsales Pizarro Gover­nour of the Province of Kito, had first of all the Spaniards (pushed on by the same ambition to find gold and silver in the vast Countries of the great Amazone) passed the high and dangerous Mountains of the Cor­deliere, and discovered the Province of Kixo, his Lieutenant Generall Francis of Areillana finding himself well far engaged (and that in Challops only) on so many un­known and great Rivers; and not knowing any sure way of going up again, and return­ing [Page 97]to his Generall, who with them that were with him, suffered an extream great want of Victuals; he would stay at the fa­mous place, where the River of Napo loseth himself in that great one of the Amazones; where causing his men to build another Bark, greater, and more convenient than his others, for a long navigation, he resol­ved by an ambitious desire to purchase glo­ry, to commit his life and fortune to the uncertain currants and waters of that great River. This admirable voyage and singu­lar for so many circumstances, was begun on the eighth of the Moneth of January in the year 1541, and continued with so much good luck and happiness, that this great and marvellous River was wholly navigated, and first discovered by this ventorious Knight, from whom also the River had the name of Areillane. In passing over the Provinces of the Cassique or Lord Aparia, this Prince received him very courteously, and adver­tised him to take heed in his way of travell, of certain Amazones and warlike women, the renown of whom, though they were very far from him, yet ceased not to give him know­ledge of them. Finally in his course he had diverse successes, sometimes good, some­times [Page 98]bad, according to the fear or fearless confidence of the Nations, that saw him with astonishment pass along upon the great River. And after having known not with­out admiration, the Rio-negro, he saw in the Moneth of June, Indians in great num­ber upon the banks thereof; and at the head of them armed women, which seemed to command and lead them to warre: where­upon the Spaniards of Francis of Areillana, and himself, were so perswaded of the truth of these Amazones, that they published the report of it with such confidence, that from thence the name did remain to this great and memorable River. Lastly, after sundry fortunes, and much wearinesse, on the 26. of the moneth of August of the same year 1541. he went out at the great mouth of this great River, and making sail towards the West along the coasts of Guy­ana and Paria, Provinces of the same A­merica, on the eleventh of the moneth of September he happily attain'd the Isle of Cu­bagua, near to that of Marguarite, both of them inhabited by Spaniards, and then rich in the fishing of Pearls.

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the second Expedition of Areillana in the same River.

AFter that Areillana was return'd to Europe, had fill'd all Spain with the admiration of his adventures, and the Court of the Emperour Charles the V. with the hopes of the great River of the Amazones; had got also from this Prince, (whose arms and ambition troubled no lesse the old, than the new-found world) the charge of ma­king conquest of it in the name of the Crown of Castile; and that he had at his own leisure made ready three Ships, and man'd them with Horsemen, and provisions necessary, he made sail the xi. day of the moneth of May in the year 1549. from the Haven of S ^t Luke of Barrameda in Andalu­sia, for the Tenariff in the Canaries, where the ships stayed three moneths, as also two moneths more under Cape-verd on the Con­tinent of Africk, loosing by those stayes an 150. souldiers by sicknesse. Passing from thence to the coast of America, the tem­pest drown'd one ship to him, which had xi. [Page 100]horse, and 70. men aboard: and coming to half a degree of South-latitude, he drew up sweet water in the full Sea, and by that conjectur'd, that infallibly he was in the Ri­ver of the Amazones, being not then above twelve Leagues from the point of Zapara­ra. But having gone in an hundred Leagues, into the great mouth of this great River, an 107. of his folks being yet wanting to him, and he perceiving that the rest would not be sufficient to furnish out these two ships; he caused of the one of them a Barke to be made, which was not compleated in three moneths; and making sail again, scarcely had he gone up twenty Leagues in the same River, but he broke his other ship, of the planks whereof he was constrain'd to make another Bark, which thirty men made an end of only in two months and an half, and that with much toile and wearinesse. Areillana in this mean while set himselfe twice with the other Bark to seek the true channel of the Amazone; and never having been able to find it amongst so many arms and Isles of that River, and so confused, he finished his life with his adventures, being surcharged with travail, grief and sadnesse: so that the two Barks retired themselves se­verally [Page 101]from the great Amazone, and fol­lowing the coasts of the firm Land of Ame­rica, betook themselves to the Isles of Cu­bagua, and the Marguarite; where the Spa­niards, that were but few now surviving this so ruinous an expedition, made an end of all the rest of their lives, dying there of sicknesse.

CHAP. XXXIX. Of Pedro D'Orsua, and of the Tyrant Lope d'Aguirre.

AS all the Authours, that have imploy­ed their watchings to describe largely unto us the things of America, were neither good enough Geographers, nor good enough Geometricians, to disintangle the difficul­ties, that grows ordinarily in such matters; so they have but too often fallen into con­trarieties, that make their Histories confu­sed; and into obscurities, that robs their Readers of possibilities to understand them. Such as would take advantage at depressing them, will somewhat strange at my censure of them: but I seeking nothing but truth, [Page 102]and not after vain-glory in my works; will passe on to my subject of this famous River; the discovery whereof was no more essayed from Spain its self, after the disgraces of Francis of Areillana; but by the Spaniards of the Kingdom of Peru it was under the conduct of Pedro d'Orsua in the year 1560. by the orders of the Viceroy there, who gave him a little Army in a fleet well enough equipped. The embarkment for this expe­dition, was on the River of Maragnon, the neerest to the Town of Lima; the chief of that Province. But a few moneths after their departure, the souldiers mutinied against their General, and put him to death; and Lope d'Aguirre, the boldest of them all, took the title of King upon him, and made himself to be obey'd of some, by threats; and of others, by promises. Fol­lowing out the navigation of Maragnon therefore, and alwayes going down that Ri­ver, he entred into the great Amazone, and suffering himself to be carried down by the currant of his ample channel, he stayed chiefly at the mouth of Rio-negro: where coming to consider of the greatnesse of his crime, and the danger he had to fall into the hands of the Spaniards of the North-sea, if [Page 103]he went once out of the great River; he so addressed his whole Fleet in Rio-negro, as having no other designe than to rove up and down so many Rivers, and passe through so many Countreys, only to sustain his tyran­ny. But fortune lesse blind than his pru­dence, thrust him in his course of sailing in­to the River of Orenoc, which coming to end in the Atlantick-sea over against the Isle of the Trinity (subject to the Crown of Castile) he was presently there made to stay, partly by his own souldiers, partly by the Catholick Kings officers, and led to the pu­nishment, which his felony deserved; his houses also in Peru, by the same sentence were razed, and so continue and show them­selves yet in our dayes. But a voyage so surprizing for Geographers, and so ill un­derstood by Authors that have gone before me, because not able to take up the strange order of all these Rivers, could not be bet­ter hitherto cleered, than by the preceding Chapters of this Book, especially the 16, and 17. And the onely difficulty which presents it self now, is onely in the leap or fall of Orenoc, discovered 1531. by Diego de Ordas; as also 1536. by Alphonse de Herrera, coming from Tinity-Isle. Her­rera [Page 104]made draw his Barks by Land, till he was above that leap of this River; the like possibly having been done by the Mutineers of Lope d' Aguirre the Tyrant: or that the descent of the same leap being uneasier to Challops, than to ascend it, because of the force of Apanta, (which is the name of a River as well as of a Province) it is possible also, that those of Aguirra have passed down the leap without disenbarking any; and that so much yet the more easily, if it was in the time of the inundation (which is ordinary in all those Rivers) which raiseth the boylings of their waters above the rocks of their fall.

CHAP. XL. Of the Unfortunate Expedition of Maldo­nado.

MEan while the designes of this re­nowned discovery, was no lesse vi­gorously embraced by the ambition and co­vetousnesse of the Spaniards of the Town of Cusco. The great and deep River of Amarumaya gave them the occasions of it; [Page 105]because the Province of Moxa, of their neighbourhood, furnisheth the abundant Sources of it. And the first amongst them, that had a thought of it, (after the Inca's, that had attempted it in vain) was Gomez de Tordoya, having got the priviledge from the Count of Niebla the Viceroy of Pe­ru. He failed not presently to make the necessary expences for it, and by consider­able advances to order all its preparations. But his power expiring by the removall of the Count of Niebla; and his Successor (that was of the House of Castro) confer­ring it upon Gaspar de Sotelle, confounded all things by this change. This last to au­thorize his own credit, had associated him­self with the Inca Topacamare, of the race of the ancient Kings, that dwelt at Bileo­bambe. And if the too great number of Souldiers, that voluntarily offered to fol­low them, had not cast some suspicion into the head of the Viceroy, and the spirits of the supream Counsell, who manage this conquest with an extream great jealousie; Gaspars enterprise had not been broken, and the same priviledge granted to Johne Alva­rez of Maldonado. Who having finally An. 1566. passed the Mountains of the [Page 106] Andes, and entered into the famous Pro­vince of Moxa, gave beginning to that un­fortunate rather than famous expedition, in going aboard his Rafts, or Float-boates, with two hundred and fifty Souldiers well armed, and an hundred Horse in good equip­page; to follow the tossed waves of the Amarumaya, and by suffering himself to be carried by his fierce stream, to go down in­to the vast Fields of the great Amazone. But fortune being envious at the glory that he promised himself from this famous dis­covery, failed not presently to overturn the successe. Gomez de Tordoya (as we have said) could not suffer with patience, neither the outrage of calling him back, nor the losse of his expences: his ressent­ment of these, followed with courage, dis­poseth him to sedition, seeing all his com­plaints were alwaies rejected; he therefore now carryes himself upon his own authori­ty, to put the same enterprise in expedi­tion, and that against the discharging of him by the Viceroy. By his own boldnesse he passeth the Mountains and the Forrests of those unknown places, and being followed by sixty Spanish Souldiers, he prevents his competitor by a precipitated march. [Page 107]When he had attain'd the River of Amaru­maya, and known that the Fleet was not yet passed, he resolved to wait on it in that place, and to fight it, as he did, soon as it arrived. The medly was sharp, and en­dured three daies; the valour in the two parties was equall; and the number of the slain and hurt was so great in this unfortu­nate rencountre, that the Chonques, (a Neighbouring People) casting themselves in Armes upon the rest, put all to death, with Tordoya, none escaping in this mise­rable conflict, but the Generall Maldonado, Father Diego Martin, a Portugall; and Simon Lope, that was excellent in artillery: who, after having stayed two years amongst these Barbarians, returned by I know not what way of accommodation, to the Pro­vince of Moxa, of the dependance of Cusco, whither they went afterwards.

CHAP. XLI. Of other Designes for the Discovery of this River.

THe sad events of the Fleet of D'Orsua, and De Maldonado did no more slacken the courage, than slaked the greed of the Spaniards in research of immense, or ra­ther imaginary Treasures of the great A­mazone. They were long enough time both in Spain, and America, quiet, and moved not for this conquest. Only in the year 1621, the King Don Philip the fourth, sent Powers to the royal Audience of Kyto, to treat of fitting conditions, for the dis­covery of this River, with those of his Nobility, that were employed in places and charges of that Province. But by that time all these Orders (in order to Propo­sitions, that the Serjeant Major Vincent de Villalobos, Governour of the Province of Kixo, had made for any that took that charge; and during the making whereof, for the longsomenesse of the goings, and comings of Posts, and of consultations or­dinarily to be used in such rencontres, the [Page 109]time of his Government coming to expire) were come to that point, that for any might take that charge, the good intentions of the Catholique King in this, were for that time made unprofitable, not only by the change of the Governour, but also by the death of his Successor Alonzo de Miranda, who car­ried himself with the same zeal, towards the same discovery. Now the rumour of these goodly and noble Propositions of the Castilians of Peru passing presently into Bra­sile, the emulation of the Portugalls made them presently make the like about the same, in the Court of the Catholique King there, who was yet in possession of their Kingdom. So that upon the warmth and zeal that Benito Maciel Governour of the Province of Maragnon witnessed that he had for the discovery of the great River of the Amazones, by that side of its mouth that bounded his Government; the Pa­tents were sent him 1626, in the ordinary conditions. But his generous designes were yet hindered by the Warres of the Hollanders against the Portugalls in the Pro­vince of Pernambouk, of the same Kingdom of Brasile, and Frontier to that of Marag­non, who feared not a little the disasters of [Page 110]it. Mean while the orders of this conquest are redoubled by the cares of the King Don Philip. They are alwaies sent to the Go­vernour of Maragnon; and Francis Coeille of Carvaille, who had then the Govern­ment of it, received them 1633, and 34: who notwithstanding coming to consider, that in parting his Forces, for to send some of them, or conduct them himself, for dis­covery of the great River of the Amazones; that the rest that stayed in the Province, would not be able to guard it against the assaults of the Hollanders, who from the year 1630, had taken the famous Town of Olynda, of the Province of Pernambouk, and possessed the neigbouring coasts; the expedition for the discovery was by him wisely delayed. Thus a necessity to defend themselves, hindered yet the Portugalls for this time, to aspire to the glory of an en­terprise so much desired, and so often be­fore checked.

CHAP. XLII. Of the Religious of S ^t Francis, that came down all the great River.

IT was in the beginning of the year 1635, that Captain Johne de Palacies (of whom we have spoken before) accompani­ed with thirty Spanish Souldiers, and six religious of the Convent of S ^t Francis of the Town of Kyto, descended from the Mountains of the Cordelier into the Plaines of Kixo, to settle his abode (as he did with­out hindrance as to the Savages) at the Village of Anete upon the great River of the Amazones. In this Post (the furthest advanced of all those that the Spaniards held in the East Countries of the Andes) the valour of Johne de Palacios, and of his, seem'd no lesse admirable, than the zeal of the religious of S ^t Francis, shew'd it self ardent for advancing the Christian Religion. Both the one and the other ex­ercised themselves in these places, either to make the neighbouring Nations obedient to the Crown of Castille, or to gain souls to God from amongst so many Peoples, no [Page 112]lesse fierce than Savage. But neither their perseverance in their travalls, nor their courage in their fights, nor finally their ho­ly and zealous exhortations, could ever pre­vail any thing, especially in the Province of the long-hair'd People, where Captain Johne de Palacios 1636, was put to death by the Barbarians. Whereby all his Souldiers were so discomforted, and the religious themselves were so far put back, that aban­doning all of them presently their abode at Anete, they retired all to their ancient Houses; under the reserve or disposall of Father Andrew of Toledo, Father Domi­nique de Brieve, and six Souldiers only that were resting; not to stay any longer in those unfortunate places; but to go all into a little Barke, and to expose themselves to the rapid current of the vast Amazone, and try better adventures in his waters, than on the firm Land, that butted on his banks. So destiny hath reserved the Names of those two religious to be inserted in Histories, that their marvellous hardinesse to have en­terprised a Voyage so extraordinary for so many circumstances, might never be wiped out of memory of Ages to come. For if Amerique and Drake have been no lesse glo­rious, [Page 113]for having been but the seconds, the one for touching on the firm Land of Ame­rica; and the other for rounding the world; these other feeble and new Argonantes shall also be no lesse renown'd, for having but made the second Navigation of all the great River of the Amazones. In end after much wearisomenesse endured, many dangers e­scaped, and alwaies upheld by Providence, these two Fathers of S ^t Francis, the six Spa­nish Souldiers, and their little Barke, the companion of their glory, arrived happily at Para a Town of Brasile, where they pre­sently fill'd the eyes and ears of all the People with admiration: but above all the noble courage of Pedro Texeira Captain Major, who commanded in that great and rich Capitanrie of the Province of Maragnon; the Governour Generall whereof, (then James Raymund of Norogna) resided at S ^t Lewis, whether the two religious went to him in like manner, to give him as much content by the pleasant relations of their singulare adventures; as emulation to this conquest by the famous examples of their memorable Voyage.

CHAP. XLIII. Of the Departure of Pedro Texeira for this Discovery.

IN end fortune being wearied, so long to crosse a design, that Spain had travelled with, with so much care; cast her favour­able eyes on the person of Pedro Texeira Captain Major of Para in Brasile, that his courage and prudence coming to second the choice that she had made of him, and pre­ferred him to so many Subjects of merit, he might arrive at the glory to have been the first, to make the whole great River of the Amazones feel the heavy and victorious Fleets of the Catholique King. Now the necessity of the Portugalls self-defence, who had the expence and diversion of a continuall Warre in the midst of Brasile to maintain, could not allow to this noble expedition, Forces more considerable, than those that parted from the Town of Para the twenty eight of the Moneth of October in the year 1637, under the conduct of Captain Major Pedro Texeira (of the same Nation) followed by fourty seven Barkes, [Page 115]both great, and well armed; by seventy Portugall Souldiers, and one thousand two hundred Indians fitted to the Warre; by eight hundred Women and Vallets; and furnished with provisions meet and necessary for so long, and doubtfull an enterprise. The dexterity of the Marriners and Row­ers, and the favourable help of the windes, broke the first difficulties, that the Fleet could have had, to gain without losse and danger the true channell of the great A­mazone. But in departing from the coasts of the Province of Maragnon, and of the Countries that are subject to it, the Portu­galls could no longer know neither the bank-sides, nor the right wayes and courses of the great River, because of so many crooked Armes of his, that he castes out, and thereby frames his many Islands. So that the Navigation becoming longer, by following waies uncertain, and not before known; and the troubles and toyles insepa­rable from a Sea-Army, that must often disembark, to camp on the firm Land, be­gan to weary the Indians, and to distaste them from further pursuing of the Voy­age. Already many of them stole away, to regain (as well as they could) the Land [Page 116]of their Nativity; and those that stayed peaceably behind in the Barkes, or in the Camp, ceased not to make their mindes known by their murmurings: in so far that the fear of a greater deserting of him, gi­ving this Generall occasion of just unquiet­nesse, he set himself to find out more sure waies to prevent this disorder, since punish­ment and severity kept out hardly to their duty the rest of the Indians, and Vallets of his Army. He was but yet half way come in his Voyage; but feign'd that he was near enough the place, where the Fleet should arrive. And the better to perswade them to this, he ordered eight Barkes well fur­nisht and well armed, to go before, and as it were to make the encampments for the body of the Army to follow, in places where it was to Land. But in truth, his intent was in this, only to find out and dis­cover the best waies, that were to be held in the great River, and by these ambiguities to keep all his men in breath.

CHAP. XLIV. Of the Arrivall of the Fleet at Peru.

MEan while the Fleet goes on, her Sails being fill'd with an East-wind, al­waies favourable, and triumphs over the rapid current of the proud Amazone. Al­ready six Moneths were past, and six hun­dred leagues had been measured, which they had runne; the half of the way was done, and sundry Nations had been disco­vered. The wildest amongst them fled to the Mountains, or lesser Hills; the lesse fearfull stood unmoved upon the Bankes; the more confident came and traffiqued with the Camp: but the valientest, no more than the others, never armed themselves a­gainst the Fleet, nor against her Avantcour­riers or Vantguard: which already very far advanced, because of its lightnesse, was tracing and following on the channells of the great River, the waies that were streightest, and least oblique, and marked forth the addresses, or directions, on the Bankes, by Trophees set up, or by Ensignes set toge­ther. The Vantguard was commanded by [Page 118] Bennet Rodrigue d'Olivera, a Portugall, who having been born in Brasile, and brought up as it were amidst the Americans, he dived presently into the secret of their thoughts, and by the least of their actions, he could guesse what they had in their minds: whence he was as well feared, as respected by all the Indians of these Countries: so that by his good qualities, he had also this pre­rogative, to contribute much to the happy finishing of so noble an enterprise. So pur­suing the Voyage with his Vantguard of eight Barkes armed, he attained with as much diligence, as good luck, the Port of Payamine in the Province of the Kixes, the 24 ^th of June in the year 1638, while the Captain Major with all the rest of the Fleet followed the traces advices, and addresses, that Olivera left at the places, where he had rested with his Vantguard: whence the Souldiers of his Army, receiving every day comfort, they thought alway, that the morrow was to be the last of the Voyage. Thus entertain'd with this hope, they ar­rived at the River of the long-hair'd Peo­ple, on the Mouth of which, Pedro Tex­cira made fourty Portugalls, and three hun­dred Indians of his Troopes, to encamp, [Page 119]and gave orders to Pedro d'Acosta Savela (who was appointed to the command of them) to stay in this place, and not to de­part thence, till he heard from him; lea­ving there moreover Pedra Bayon a Cap­tain also of infantrie. And himself con­tinuing his Navigation with some few per­sons, he came likewise to the Haven of Payamine towards the end of September, having passed one thousand two hundred leagues in a continuall going up the River of the Amazones, since the 28 ^th of Octo­ber of the year before. After that, from thence taking his way by Land, and crosse the Mountains of the Andes, he came no lesse happily, than gloriously to the Town of Kito, where he was received with such Acclamations and Triumphs, as the great­nesse and successe of his Enterprise did deserve.

CHAP. XLV. Of the Orders of the Viceroy for the Return of the Portugalls.

AFter that the Royal Audience of the Town of Kito, had received from the Portugalls all the informations that were needfull on a businesse of such impor­tance, which look't towards the discovery, or conquest of the great River of the A­mazones; it would not for all that delibe­rate upon it, nor proceed to things so weighty, without giving advertisement thereof to the Count of Chinchon Vice­roy of Peru. Who with the other Officers of the King of Spaine, having considered all the circumstances of a successe so ad­vantagious, sent the Audience his Orders from the Town of Lima, the chief of the whole Kingdom, dated the 20 ^th of Novem­ber in the year 1638, to send back with all diligence the Portugalls, by the way that they came to the Town of Para, giving them and furnishing them with all things ne­cessary and fit, for fear that Brasile suffered not inconvenience by the Hollanders, [Page 121]through so great and farre an absence of so many worthy Persons of service: and to perswade them to receive into their compa­ny two faithfull Persons, that were Depen­dants on the Crown of Castile, to give an account to his Catholique Majesty, of all that was discovered, and should be disco­vered along the great Amazone in the re­turn of a like Voyage. Presently after the Orders of the Viceroy were published through the Town of Kito, sundry Spa­niards, especially Religious, presented them­selves for the choice, to go on that Voy­age. But as Don Johne Vasquez d'Acog­na, Lieutenant Generall of the Province of the same name, and Knight of the or­der of Calatrave, was making offers much more advantagious for the Crown of Castile, proposing to make Levies, pay the Souldiers, buy Provisions, and bear all other charges in favour of this conquest, the Count of Chinchon broke presently the design, judging it no waies convenient to the service of the Catholique King, that that Personage should then leave his Charge. And Father Christopher d'Acog­na, his Brother, a Spanish Jesuite, who hath merited to live as long in the memories [Page 122]of men, as the great Amazone shall runne in the Fields of America, had the good hap of this nomination: wherein he behaved himself with so much zeal towards God, so much fidelity towards his Prince, so much affection towards the Souldiers, and so much care to remarke, and put in writ all the circumstances of the great River, that his glory is beyond all praise.

CHAP. XLVI. Of the Camp of the Portugalls in the Pro­vince of the long-hair'd Nation.

VVHile all this is in preparing by the diligence of Alonzo Perez de Salazar, President of the Royal Audience of Kito, for the return of the Portugalls; and the Rendesvows of the Fleet, and the Troops, is put upon the 20 ^th of Feburary 1639, in the Town of Archidona, and at the Haven of Napo, a great deal more con­venient in all things, than that of Payamino: let us go visit the Camp of the Portugalls on the River of the Chevelu's or long-hair'd People, untill the Army come to it again in [Page 123]its coming down. It was left in this place by the prudence of the Captain Major Tex­eira, as well to content the Provinces of the Crown of Custile, as to give the lesse jealousie to the Spaniards of Peru, in keep­ing far enough off from the limits of that Kingdom. At the first, the Camp had good correspondence with the Savages of that Countrey; it had victuals and provisions enough for buying. But this peaceable commerce could not last long, because of the late death of Captain John de Palacies, who was defait by the Savages of this Countrey and Province. Some of the Camp desired to revenge it, and chastise their boldnesse; but others feared to get hard measure and rough handling from them. Thus the least occasion coming to sow the discord, and three Indians of the Portugalls having been put to death by the Natives; these fierce people put themselves in arms, to defend their own lives, and their Countries. In so great a danger, the Portugalls lost not their courage; and as having been used to this long before, not to suffer such a licentiousnesse amongst the Na­tive Indians where they were; they set themselves presently to punish them for this. [Page 124]And after they had killed some of them, and taken alive more than seventy, they kept them as slaves, untill they all ei­ther died, or escaped by flight. But after this the Portugalls could have no provision but by the point of their Sword, and by continuall excursions of their men, sent from their Camp; both giving and receiving also a great deal of hurt, above all in their Vessels, whereof some were saccaged, or spoil'd, and the lesse strong of them quite undone by these Barbarians. But in the snares and ambushes, as many Portugalls as were taken alive, their throats were cruel­ly cut, which amounted to some considerable losse to them; though that of the enemies was far greater. Thus the prudence and valour of Pedro d'Acosta, the courage and fidelity of Pedro Bayon, and as well the dis­cipline, as obedience of the Souldiers, can never receive their just enough praises, for having maintain'd their Camp thus in the Province of the long-hair'd People, for e­leven whole Moneths, and without any o­ther News from their own, than the return of the Fleet, upon which they went all a­board again.

CHAP. XLVII. Of the Return of the Fleet of the Portu­galls.

ALl things being ready, and the em­barking at an end towards the end of February 1639, the Fleet of the Portugalls began their Return from the Haven of Na­po on the River of the same name: and after having sailed thirty leagues on the current of this River strong and swift enough, it entered into the great River of the Ama­zones, at the Junto of the Rivers, a much celebrated and famous place, whereat the adventurous Areillana gave the first begin­nings to the whole discovery. In going down, the course of the great Amazone served them for Sailes, and the Marriners or Rowers lesse troubled with work rested them often, and sleeped sweetly by reason of the murmuring noise the billows made, that pusht forward their Ships. All the Peoples also and Nations upon the bankes, are pretty favourable to it: commerce of victuals and of merchandise, being opened to it on all sides. The civility of the Ho­magues [Page 126]appeared to it very pleasant; and the generosity of the Yorimans, seemed yet more obliging. But arriving at Rio-negro the twelfth of October 1639, the undiscreet greediness of the Portugalls stays the course and happiness of these civilities, and of their own good voyage. The Portugalls could get no riches in Brasile, but by the number of their slaves; and the Souldiers being angry for having gained nothing in all this long expedition, force the Captain-major to leave the great River of the Amazone, and to enter into that of Rio-negro, to take from them there by force of Arms their slaves, which are in great multitudes among the Nations that inhabit on that River. The Sails were already spread, and the East wind blew on their poup, and the fear of an un­bridled licence made many fear a greater change; when Father Christopher d'Acogna a Spanish Jesuite, pushed on by an ardent zeal to see the accomplishment of so long and hazardous an enterprize, presents himself to the Generall Pedro Texeira, and gives him a protestation written and sealed with his own hand, as on the behalf, and for the interest of the Catholick King: and ex­horts him, to remove the Souldiers from [Page 127]their resolution by his Authority, or to command absolutely to strike Sail, for re­turning to the course of the great Amazone. This action so vigorously undertaken, and worthy of praise, deserved to see no worse success, than presently it did: the Sails struck, the Souldiers in silence, the Mari­ners obedient, the Ships carried along again by the currant of the great River.

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the arrivall of the Fleet at Brasile.

AFter the Portugalls of the Fleet of the great Amazone, had lost the sight of the higher lands of the point of the Comana­res on the great and famous mouth of Rio-negro, which seemed to themselves to run back from them; visited also in their pas­sage the warlike and valiant Nation of the Topinambes, in the fashions that we have before described; and heard in these places (as before the Spaniards of Areillana had done) the rare and pleasant tales or fables of the Amazones (which we reserve to the Chapter following, to give you an account [Page 128]of them) the deep Bosphore, (into which the waters of the great River, and of all the o­thers that augment it, shut up themselves into one strait Channell of about a good quarter of a League) gives them for the second time a free and sure passage; that so following out their navigation with the like felicity, but yet receiving from the T [...]pay­ses the testimony of a mutuall good will, they might finally arrive at the Town of Para in Brasile, the twelfth of December 1639, as they did: but with so much glo­ry and reputation not only to the Captain-major Pedro Texeira, but also the Portugall Officers and Souldiers of this famous expe­dition, that their memories ingraven on tables of brass, shall no less endure in ages to come, than the great Amazone shall in America. And forasmuch as Father Chri­stopher d'Acogna, and Father Andrew of Artieda, both Spaniards and Jesuits, were deputed by the Royall audience of Kito to assist in the name of the Catholick King, and of the Crown of Castill, to this impor­tant discovery, and no less renowned navi­gation; as also thereafter to go into Spain, to give an account of all to the Counsell of the Indies: these two religious Fathers [Page 129]heap'd with honour and praise, failed not to go there 1640, where after they had laid out in the presence of the King himself Don Philip the fourth, the greatnesses and mar­vells of the River of the Amazones; as also the glory and importance of such a conquest; Father d'Acogna presently published all the circumstances, and remarks that he had made, in a very short work; from which we drew the better part of this our Book.

CHAP. XLIX. Of the Amazones of America.

THat Asia may not vaunt her self of her reports of Amazones, whether true, or fabulous, America yeelds nothing to her in this point. Let not the fields of Themis­cyra triumph any more in the renown of her famous women; the Province of Apanta is no less famous for her heroick Dames. Nei­ther let the River of Thermodoon be puft up any more with the glory of its conqueresses; seeing the River of Coruris is as famous for her fair she-Warriors. His famous sources are honoured with their rich habitations. [Page 130]The Mountains of Guyana, fertile in mines of gold and silver are their confines on the North-side; and the Mount Yacamabe, proud above all the rest, is in the midst of their fair and fertile Valleys. The first no­tice that the Spaniards had of them, came to them from the generous Prince Aparia 1541, who told the first wonders of them to the adventurous Francis of Areillana: and the consent of all the Nations of the great River of the Amazones, in favours of this report, as true, hath from them given the name for ever to this admirable River. For all this, the guesses at this matter are not very certain; but the famous actions of the goodly Ladyes of America, during the warrs of all these conquests, do not a little confirm the appearances thereof. For these have often appeared in Arms at the head of Bat­talioes, as is to be seen in the Histories of Acosta, and of Herrera: and in fighting with their own hands, they have sustained the assaults of the enemies, and oblieged the Indians at the same time to imitate the effects of their great courage. The valour of that noble Lass which 1536, in the Pro­vince of Bogota, slew five Spaniards with arrows shot from her own hands, before [Page 131]she fell dead at their feet, will for ever be renowned. And those goodly and great women, which presented themselves armed on the head of the Americans, upon the Bank of the great Amazone, near to Coru­ris (as we have related before) gave much credit to the first opinion of these A­mazones of the new-world. This is not yet enough for us to perswade our selves of the truth of these valiant and warlick La­dies: the royall audience also of Kito, hath sometimes received considerable informati­ons of it. That audience a long time ap­plyed its cares to have sound out the know­ledge of these Amazones; and the deposi­tions that to them were made thereof at sundry times, agree all in this point: That in the vast fields of this America, there was one Region peopled with warrioresse women, which living and maintaining themselves without men, had no communication with them, but on some certain dayes of the year, to have by them children, or daugh­ters like unto themselves. And in the Town of Pasto subject to the same audience, an Indian woman gave assurance, that she her self had been in their Countrey; and by her other Relations agreed with the prece­dent [Page 132]circumstances. But the most singular testimonies of it, that have been given to the Spaniards, or Portugalls, was 1639 in descending the great River, and in the great habitation of the Topinambes, and East-point of their famous Isle. This Nation as gene­rous as valiant, was never wearied with reci­ting the wonders of these Amazones. They spoke of their policy, and of their valour, much like what the Grecians and Latines have sung of the policy and valour of the A­mazones of Asia. And not to stay longer on this discourse, be it true, or be it fabu­lous, I will conclude it with this renowned name of the Comapoyares, under which the Amazones of America are every where known only.

CHAP. L. Of the qualities of the Air and grounds of the great Amazone.

BUt can one thus put an end to this work, without doing incomparable wrong to the River of the Amazones? Can one pass with silence, and without reproach [Page 133]the rest of so many wonderfull advantages, and prerogatives; or without injustice the admirable effects, wherewith prodigall na­ture honours and glorifies it? No certainly; and contrary to my first purpose, I consent to pass lightly over again these matters, howsoever pleasant and provoking to stay more upon them; referring to the weak curiosity of an ability limited and given to such things, the vain research of Animals, Fruits, and Plants, of this unmeasurable Countrey. In which neither doth the heat ever choak; nor the cold ever seaze it; the Air is alwayes alike, because its Winter (as in the rest of America) proceeds of no other occasion, but from inundations, which hinder the productions of the earth, or retard them for some Moneths: and not from any recesse or withdrawing of the Sun, which every day there riseth, and setteth at the same hour. What marvels should not one be perswaded of, from an heaven so benign and favourable? Let none after this won­der, to know that the consecrated Hosties of the Father Jesuites for their Mass, are kept fresh and sound during so long a voy­age, on the waters (which comes not so to pass elsewhere) and let none refuse any [Page 134]longer to believe, that Flies and other such troublesome Beasts, are not met with in these places, as in others under the torride Zone, where they are so ordinary, and every where so many, that the abode in those places would be much happier, were it not for the inconveniences that these very Beasts infest them with. But what ought the land and grounds then of so noble a climate to be? Doth not this also agree to all the other prerogatives of this admirable River? And as the base and foundation of the hap­pinesses of all these Provinces, must not this also be equally goodly and rich in all its parts? All its banks are enriched and crowned with fair trees alwayes green, and of incomparable greatness. The field and champany grounds are large, and all cove­red with flowers diverse and variable. Eve­ry where its Valleys are enameled with green, and alwayes moist. Its hills and mountains are all loaded with woods and forrests pleasant to behold. Plants and Simples are every where in great abun­dance; also honey of Bees, that serves both for nourishment and for medicine: and which is yet more marvellous, a sort of oyl so excellent, that it no wayes gives place to [Page 135]the balm, and that the most precious of the ancient world, for all sorts of hurts.

CHAP. LI. Of the fertility of the earth, and of the waters, for food to men.

AS to the most ordinary aliments, that serve for nourishing innumerable Nations, and infinite peoples, that labour the unmeasurable fields of the Realm of the great Amazone; the first in order of nature are diverse and various fruits, which the happy and rich grounds of those Countries bring forth; like indeed for kind to those of all the rest of America; but more excel­lent, ingreater plenty, and of better sub­stance. After them, follow Fish, in so great abundance and multitude, not only in the great River, and others less, but also in an infinite of Lakes, which the ordinary de­bordments and overflowings of their Rivers, make in the neighbouring plains; that one needs never fail to take them with their hands only; and yet more easily, when by re­treat of the Rivers, the Lakes are dried up by [Page 136]the heat of the Sun. In the great diversity of so many Fishes, as in the rest of the new world, the Sea-Veal, or Seal, and the Tor­toise, are not the least considerable, whether for greatness, substance, or delicacy. And the fishing of them is wonderfull, and pro­digious, as also the way to keep them both, long time alive. Lastly comes the hunting of Venison, as of all other lesser prey, or game, whether with Hair, or Feather, in the same abundance, and with the same ease, that in all other parts of America. But the Partridges, and the Hens of it, came from Peru, whither the Spaniards had at first car­ried them. And for a witness infallible of all these admirable circumstances, we need but to alledge the example of the Camp of the Portugalls: which lodging every day on land, during so long a voyage, as well in go­ing up, as coming down the great Amazon, never failed to send presently the half of their men, some of them to hunt with dogs; some of them to fish with arrows (the other half remaining to set up their hutts, and draw their trenches) whence they returned in a few hours so loaded with fish, and lesser beasts of prey of all sorts, that all the Camp had sufficient, and in abundance. But as [Page 137]we have spoken enough of the bread, and of the meal made in those parts, of the Yo­ka, of Mays, and of the Mandioka, as in the rest of America; we shall adde only here, that their drinks are likewise made of them, which serve them as well ordinarily, as in the common rejoycings of all those peo­ples.

CHAP. LII. Of the richness of Trade for strangers.

FInally to shut up and make an end of this work, by recitall of the great riches, which will one day make the commerce of the great Amazone considerable to all Eu­rope; we shall begin (without speaking more of gold and silver, or of its Rivers and Mountains to the same purpose) from the abundance, and quality of its woods, and trees, the most excellent in all the world, and the best to build whole Fleets with, and Ships as great, as any have been in the O­cean; because all the Banks, as well of the great, as of other lesser Rivers, are all co­vered with Cedars so fair, and great, that [Page 138]they surprize the sight of such as consider them; Father d'Acogna having measured himself one of the greatest of them, of more than six ells in circumference. Next to them we shall mention Ebeny, and the wood of Brasile, both so precious, and so much sought after; which are so perfect there, and in so great multitude in all these fields, that they can never be spent. In the third place, we shall mention the Cocos tree, so thick along all those Banks, that the very Hutts of the Camp of the Portugalls, were made of no other than of the fair branches of these. They bear the best fruit of any in all the Indies; and with a little travail they can yeeld each of them, seven or eight crowns every year. After these comes Tobacco, which would be better, and more abundant in all those Provinces, than in all the rest of the world, if it were followed here with a happy culture. After this Canes the Sugar, whereof more excellent comes, and more abundant than elsewhere, would never fail, nor dry up, because of the inundations, which keep the fields alwayes fresh, by the number of Lakes, which are there made thereby; and whereby milles and other engines to that purpose, might [Page 139]easily be made, by the conveniency of the woods, and of the running waters of so ma­ny Rivers; whence it would come to pass, that the work about it would be less expen­sive, and the revenue by it would be great­er than ordinary. Finally comes the Cot­ton to be spoken of, which is here every where in extreme great abundance. Then the Orock, which dyes Scarlet of a prefect good colour. Lastly the Pyte, whereof Thread or Yarn most excellent is made, ex­ceeding fine and delicate, yet very common in all the Provinces of the great Amazone. And for conclusion, here are the Fistule­cane, the Salsaparilla, the Oyls like to the most precious Baumes; the Gums, and o­doriferous Rozins, and other like riches, which will be discovered in time coming, in these happy Countries, to make this re­nowned commerce alwayes greater, and more considerable.