the discovery of guiana-第21章

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by　the　way　many　rocks　like　unto　gold　ore；　and　on　the　left　hand　a　round
mountain　which　consisted　of　mineral　stone。

From　hence　we　rowed　down　the　stream；　coasting　the　province　of　Parino。
As　for　the　branches　of　rivers　which　I　overpass　in　this　discourse；
those　shall　be　better　expressed　in　the　description；　with　the　mountains
of　Aio；　Ara；　and　the　rest；　which　are　situate　in　the　provinces　of
Parino　and　Carricurrina。　When　we　were　come　as　far　down　as　the　land
called　Ariacoa；　where　Orenoque　divideth　itself　into　three　great
branches；　each　of　them　being　most　goodly　rivers；　I　sent　away　Captain
Henry　Thyn；　and　Captain　Greenvile　with　the　galley；　the　nearest　way；
and　took　with　me　Captain　Gifford；　Captain　Caulfield；　Edward　Porter；
and　Captain　Eynos　with　mine　own　barge　and　the　two　wherries；　and　went
down　that　branch　of　Orenoque　which　is　called　Cararoopana；　which
leadeth　towards　Emeria；　the　province　of　Carapana；　and　towards　the　east
sea；　as　well　to　find　out　Captain　Keymis；　whom　I　had　sent　overland；　as
also　to　acquaint　myself　with　Carapana；　who　is　one　of　the　greatest　of
all　the　lords　of　the　Orenoqueponi。　And　when　I　came　to　the　river　of
Cumaca；　to　which　Putijma　promised　to　conduct　Captain　Keymis；　I　left
Captain　Eynos　and　Master　Porter　in　the　said　river　to　expect　his
coming；　and　the　rest　of　us　rowed　down　the　stream　towards　Emeria。

In　this　branch　called　Cararoopana　were　also　many　goodly　islands；　some
of　six　miles　long；　some　of　ten；　and　some　of　twenty。　When　it　grew
towards　sunset；　we　entered　a　branch　of　a　river　that　fell　into
Orenoque；　called　Winicapora；　where　I　was　informed　of　the　mountain　of
crystal；　to　which　in　truth　for　the　length　of　the　way；　and　the　evil
season　of　the　year；　I　was　not　able　to　march；　nor　abide　any　longer　upon
the　journey。　We　saw　it　afar　off；　and　it　appeared　like　a　white　church…
tower　of　an　exceeding　height。　There　falleth　over　it　a　mighty　river
which　toucheth　no　part　of　the　side　of　the　mountain；　but　rusheth　over
the　top　of　it；　and　falleth　to　the　ground　with　so　terrible　a　noise　and
clamour；　as　if　a　thousand　great　bells　were　knocked　one　against
another。　I　think　there　is　not　in　the　world　so　strange　an　overfall；　nor
so　wonderful　to　behold。　Berreo　told　me　that　there　were　diamonds　and
other　precious　stones　on　it；　and　that　they　shined　very　far　off；　but
what　it　hath　I　know　not；　neither　durst　he　or　any　of　his　men　ascend　to
the　top　of　the　said　mountain；　those　people　adjoining　being　his
enemies；　as　they　were；　and　the　way　to　it　so　impassable。

Upon　this　river　of　Winicapora　we　rested　a　while；　and　from　thence
marched　into　the　country　to　a　town　called　after　the　name　of　the　river；
whereof　the　captain　was　one　Timitwara；　who　also　offered　to　conduct　me
to　the　top　of　the　said　mountain　called　Wacarima。　But　when　we　came　in
first　to　the　house　of　the　said　Timitwara；　being　upon　one　of　their　said
feast　days；　we　found　them　all　as　drunk　as　beggars；　and　the　pots
walking　from　one　to　another　without　rest。　We　that　were　weary　and　hot
with　marching　were　glad　of　the　plenty；　though　a　small　quantity
satisfied　us；　their　drink　being　very　strong　and　heady；　and　so　rested
ourselves　awhile。　After　we　had　fed；　we　drew　ourselves　back　to　our
boats　upon　the　river；　and　there　came　to　us　all　the　lords　of　the
country；　with　all　such　kind　of　victual　as　the　place　yielded；　and　with
their　delicate　wine　of　pinas；　and　with　abundance　of　hens　and　other
provisions；　and　of　those　stones　which　we　call　spleen…stones。　We
understood　by　these　chieftains　of　Winicapora　that　their　lord；
Carapana；　was　departed　from　Emeria；　which　was　now　in　sight；　and　that
he　was　fled　to　Cairamo；　adjoining　to　the　mountains　of　Guiana；　over　the
valley　called　Amariocapana；　being　persuaded　by　those　ten　Spaniards
which　lay　at　his　house　that　we　would　destroy　him　and　his　country。　But
after　these　caciques　of　Winicapora　and　Saporatona　his　followers
perceived　our　purpose；　and　saw　that　we　came　as　enemies　to　the
Spaniards　only；　and　had　not　so　much　as　harmed　any　of　those　nations；
no；　though　we　found　them　to　be　of　the　Spaniards'　own　servants；　they
assured　us　that　Carapana　would　be　as　ready　to　serve　us　as　any　of　the
lords　of　the　provinces　which　we　had　passed；　and　that　he　durst　do　no
other　till　this　day　but　entertain　the　Spaniards；　his　country　lying　so
directly　in　their　way；　and　next　of　all　other　to　any　entrance　that
should　be　made　in　Guiana　on　that　side。　And　they　further　assured　us；
that　it　was　not　for　fear　of　our　coming　that　he　was　removed；　but　to　be
acquitted　of　the　Spaniards　or　any　other　that　should　come　hereafter。
For　the　province　of　Cairoma　is　situate　at　the　mountain　foot；　which
divideth　the　plains　of　Guiana　from　the　countries　of　the　Orenoqueponi；
by　means　whereof　if　any　should　come　in　our　absence　into　his　towns；　he
would　slip　over　the　mountains　into　the　plains　of　Guiana　among　the
Epuremei；　where　the　Spaniards　durst　not　follow　him　without　great
force。　But　in　mine　opinion；　or　rather　I　assure　myself；　that　Carapana
being　a　notable　wise　and　subtle　fellow；　a　man　of　one　hundred　years　of
age　and　therefore　of　great　experience；　is　removed　to　look　on；　and　if
he　find　that　we　return　strong　he　will　be　ours；　if　not；　he　will　excuse
his　departure　to　the　Spaniards；　and　say　it　was　for　fear　of　our　coming。

We　therefore　thought　it　bootless　to　row　so　far　down　the　stream；　or　to
seek　any　farther　of　this　old　fox；　and　therefore　from　the　river　of
Waricapana；　which　lieth　at　the　entrance　of　Emeria；　we　returned　again；
and　left　to　the　eastward　those　four　rivers　which　fall　from　the
mountains　of　Emeria　into　Orenoque；　which　are　Waracayari；　Coirama；
Akaniri；　and　Iparoma。　Below　those　four　are　also　these　branches　and
mouths　of　Orenoque；　which　fall　into　the　east　sea；　whereof　the　first　is
Araturi；　the　next　Amacura；　the　third　Barima；　the　fourth　Wana；　the
fifth　Morooca；　the　sixth　Paroma；　the　last　Wijmi。　Beyond　them　there
fall　out　of　the　land　between　Orenoque　and　Amazons　fourteen　rivers；
which　I　forbear　to　name；　inhabited　by　the　Arwacas　and　Cannibals。

It　is　now　time　to　return　towards　the　north；　and　we　found　it　a
wearisome　way　back　from　the　borders　of　Emeria；　to　recover　up　again　to
the　head　of　the　river　Carerupana；　by　which　we　descended；　and　where　we
parted　from　the　galley；　which　I　directed　to　take　the　next　way　to　the
port　of　Toparimaca；　by　which　we　entered　first。

All　the　night　it　was　stormy　and　dark；　and　full　of　thunder　and　great
showers；　so　as　we　were　driven　to　keep　close　by　the　banks　in　our　small
boats；　being　all　heartily　afraid　both　of　the　billow　and　terrible
current　of　the　river。　By　the　next　morning　we　recovered　the　mouth　of
the　river　of　Cumaca；　where　we　left　Captain　Eynos　and　Edward　Porter　to
attend　the　coming　of　Captain　Keymis　overland；　but　when　we　entered　the
same；　they　had　heard　no　news　of　his　arrival；　which　bred　in　us　a　great
doubt　what　might　become　of　him。　I　rowed　up　a　league　or　two　farther
into　the　river；　shooting　off　pieces　all　the　way；　that　he　might　know　of
our　being　there；　and　the　next　morning　we　heard　them　answer　us　also
with　a　piece。　We　took　them　aboard　us；　and　took　our　leave　of　Putijma；
their　guide；　who　of　all　others　most　lamented　our　departure；　and
offered　to　send　his　son　with　us　into　England；　if　we　could　have　stayed
till　he　had　sent　back　to　his　town。　But　our　hearts　were　cold　to　behold
the　great　rage　and　increase　of　Orenoque；　and　therefore　departed；　and
turned　toward　the　west；　till　we　had　recovered　the　parting　of　the　three
branches　aforesaid；　that　we　might　put　down　the　stream　after　the
galley。

The　next　day　we　landed　on　the　island　of　Assapano；　which　divideth　the
river　from　that　branch　by　which　we　sent　down　to　Emeria；　and　there
feasted　ourselves　with　that　beast　which　is　called　armadillo；　presented
unto　us　before　at　Winicapora。　And　the　day　following；　we　recovered　the
galley　at　anchor　at　the　port　of　Toparimaca；　and　the　same　evening
departed　with　very　foul　weather；　and　terrible　thunder　and　showers；　for
the　winter　was　come　on　very　far。　The　best　was；　we　went　no　less　than
100　miles　a　day　down　the　river；　but　by　the　way　we　entered　it　was
impossible　to　return；　for　that　the　river　of　Amana；　being　in　the　bottom
of　the　bay　of　Guanipa；　cannot　be　sailed　back　by　any　means；　both　the
breeze　and　current　of　the　sea　were　so　forcible。　And　therefore　we
fol