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tragedies of Ordas； Martinez； Orellana； Orsua； and Aguirre。 Also soon
after Ordas followed Jeronimo Ortal de Saragosa； with 130 soldiers；
who failing his entrance by sea； was cast with the current on the
coast of Paria； and peopled about S。 Miguel de Neveri。 It was then
attempted by Don Pedro de Silva； a Portuguese of the family of Ruy
Gomez de Silva； and by the favour which Ruy Gomez had with the king he
was set out。 But he also shot wide of the mark； for being departed
from Spain with his fleet； he entered by Maranon or Amazons； where by
the nations of the river and by the Amazons； he was utterly
overthrown； and himself and all his army defeated； only seven escaped；
and of those but two returned。
After him came Pedro Hernandez de Serpa； and landed at Cumana； in the
West Indies； taking his journey by land towards Orenoque； which may be
some 120 leagues； but ere he came to the borders of the said river； he
was set upon by a nation of the Indians； called Wikiri； and overthrown
in such sort； that of 300 soldiers； horsemen； many Indians； and
negroes； there returned but eighteen。 Others affirm that he was
defeated in the very entrance of Guiana； at the first civil town of
the empire called Macureguarai。 Captain Preston； in taking Santiago de
Leon （which was by him and his companies very resolutely performed；
being a great town； and far within the land） held a gentleman
prisoner； who died in his ship； that was one of the company of
Hernandez de Serpa； and saved among those that escaped； who witnessed
what opinion is held among the Spaniards thereabouts of the great
riches of Guiana； and El Dorado； the city of Inga。 Another Spaniard
was brought aboard me by Captain Preston； who told me in the hearing
of himself and divers other gentlemen； that he met with Berreo's
campmaster at Caracas； when he came from the borders of Guiana； and
that he saw with him forty of most pure plates of gold； curiously
wrought； and swords of Guiana decked and inlaid with gold； feathers
garnished with gold； and divers rarities； which he carried to the
Spanish king。
After Hernandez de Serpa； it was undertaken by the Adelantado； Don
Gonzalez Ximenes de Quesada； who was one of the chiefest in the
conquest of Nuevo Reyno； whose daughter and heir Don Antonio de Berreo
married。 Gonzalez sought the passage also by the river called
Papamene； which riseth by Quito； in Peru； and runneth south…east 100
leagues； and then falleth into Amazons。 But he also； failing the
entrance； returned with the loss of much labour and cost。 I took one
Captain George； a Spaniard； that followed Gonzalez in this enterprise。
Gonzalez gave his daughter to Berreo； taking his oath and honour to
follow the enterprise to the last of his substance and life。 Who
since； as he hath sworn to me； hath spent 300；000 ducats in the same；
and yet never could enter so far into the land as myself with that
poor troop； or rather a handful of men； being in all about 100
gentlemen； soldiers； rowers； boat…keepers； boys； and of all sorts；
neither could any of the forepassed undertakers； nor Berreo himself；
discover the country； till now lately by conference with an ancient
king； called Carapana （Caribana； Carib land； was an old European name
for the Atlantic coast near the mouth of the Orinoco； and hence was
applied to one of its chiefs。 Berrio called this district 〃Emeria〃）；
he got the true light thereof。 For Berreo came about 1；500 miles ere
he understood aught； or could find any passage or entrance into any
part thereof； yet he had experience of all these fore…named； and
divers others； and was persuaded of their errors and mistakings。
Berreo sought it by the river Cassanar； which falleth into a great
river called Pato： Pato falleth into Meta； and Meta into Baraquan；
which is also called Orenoque。 He took his journey from Nuevo Reyno de
Granada； where he dwelt； having the inheritance of Gonzalez Ximenes in
those parts； he was followed with 700 horse； he drove with him 1；000
head of cattle； he had also many women； Indians； and slaves。 How all
these rivers cross and encounter； how the country lieth and is
bordered； the passage of Ximenes and Berreo； mine own discovery； and
the way that I entered； with all the rest of the nations and rivers；
your lordship shall receive in a large chart or map； which I have not
yet finished； and which I shall most humbly pray your lordship to
secrete； and not to suffer it to pass your own hands； for by a draught
thereof all may be prevented by other nations； for I know it is this
very year sought by the French； although by the way that they now
take； I fear it not much。 It was also told me ere I departed England；
that Villiers； the Admiral； was in preparation for the planting of
Amazons； to which river the French have made divers voyages； and
returned much gold and other rarities。 I spake with a captain of a
French ship that came from thence； his ship riding in Falmouth the
same year that my ships came first from Virginia； there was another
this year in Helford； that also came from thence； and had been
fourteen months at an anchor in Amazons； which were both very rich。
Although； as I am persuaded； Guiana cannot be entered that way； yet no
doubt the trade of gold from thence passeth by branches of rivers into
the river of Amazons； and so it doth on every hand far from the
country itself； for those Indians of Trinidad have plates of gold from
Guiana； and those cannibals of Dominica which dwell in the islands by
which our ships pass yearly to the West Indies； also the Indians of
Paria； those Indians called Tucaris； Chochi； Apotomios； Cumanagotos；
and all those other nations inhabiting near about the mountains that
run from Paria through the province of Venezuela； and in Maracapana；
and the cannibals of Guanipa； the Indians called Assawai； Coaca； Ajai；
and the rest （all which shall be described in my description as they
are situate） have plates of gold of Guiana。 And upon the river of
Amazons； Thevet writeth that the people wear croissants of gold； for
of that form the Guianians most commonly make them； so as from
Dominica to Amazons； which is above 250 leagues； all the chief Indians
in all parts wear of those plates of Guiana。 Undoubtedly those that
trade Amazons return much gold； which （as is aforesaid） cometh by
trade from Guiana； by some branch of a river that falleth from the
country into Amazons； and either it is by the river which passeth by
the nations called Tisnados； or by Caripuna。
I made enquiry amongst the most ancient and best travelled of the
Orenoqueponi； and I had knowledge of all the rivers between Orenoque
and Amazons； and was very desirous to understand the truth of those
warlike women； because of some it is believed； of others not。 And
though I digress from my purpose； yet I will set down that which hath
been delivered me for truth of those women； and I spake with a
cacique； or lord of people； that told me he had been in the river； and
beyond it also。 The nations of these women are on the south side of
the river in the provinces of Topago； and their chiefest strengths and
retracts are in the islands situate on the south side of the entrance；
some 60 leagues within the mouth of the said river。 The memories of
the like women are very ancient as well in Africa as in Asia。 In
Africa those that had Medusa for queen； others in Scythia； near the
rivers of Tanais and Thermodon。 We find； also； that Lampedo and
Marthesia were queens of the Amazons。 In many histories they are
verified to have been； and in divers ages and provinces； but they
which are not far from Guiana do accompany with men but once in a
year； and for the time of one month； which I gather by their relation；
to be in April； and that time all kings of the borders assemble； and
queens of the Amazons； and after the queens have chosen； the rest cast
lots for their valentines。 This one month they feast； dance； and drink
of their wines in abundance； and the moon being done they all depart
to their own provinces。 They are said to be very cruel and
bloodthirsty； especially to such as offer to invade their territories。
These Amazons have likewise great store of these plates of gold； which
they recover by exchange chiefly for a kind of green stones； which the
Spaniards call piedras hijadas； and we use for spleen…stones （stones
reduced to powder and taken internally to cure maladies of the
spleen）； and for the disease of the stone we also esteem them。 Of
these I saw divers in Guiana； and commonly every king or cacique hath
one； which their wives for the most part wear； and they esteem them as
great jewels。
But to return to the enterprise of Berreo； who； as I have said；
departed from Nuevo Reyno with 700 horse； besides the provisions above
rehearsed。 He descended by the river called Cassanar； which riseth in
Nuevo Reyno out of the mountains by the city of Tunja； from which
mountain also springeth Pato； both which fall into the great river of
Meta； and Meta riseth from a mountain joining to Pamplona； in the same
Nuevo Reyno de Granada。 These； as also Guaiare； which issueth out of
the mountains by Timana； fall all into Baraquan； and are but of his
heads； for at their coming together they