the discovery of guiana-第3章

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pounds　and　six　ounces　weight　of　gold　in　the　hundred。　There　was
likewise　at　the　same　time　a　trial　of　an　image　of　copper　made　in
Guiana；　which　held　a　third　part　of　gold；　besides　divers　trials　made　in
the　country；　and　by　others　in　London。　But　because　there　came　ill　with
the　good；　and　belike　the　said　alderman　was　not　presented　with　the
best；　it　hath　pleased　him　therefore　to　scandal　all　the　rest；　and　to
deface　the　enterprise　as　much　as　in　him　lieth。　It　hath　also　been
concluded　by　divers　that　if　there　had　been　any　such　ore　in　Guiana；　and
the　same　discovered；　that　I　would　have　brought　home　a　greater　quantity
thereof。　First；　I　was　not　bound　to　satisfy　any　man　of　the　quantity；
but　only　such　as　adventured；　if　any　store　had　been　returned　thereof；
but　it　is　very　true　that　had　all　their　mountains　been　of　massy　gold　it
was　impossible　for　us　to　have　made　any　longer　stay　to　have　wrought　the
same；　and　whosoever　hath　seen　with　what　strength　of　stone　the　best
gold　ore　is　environed；　he　will　not　think　it　easy　to　be　had　out　in
heaps；　and　especially　by　us；　who　had　neither　men；　instruments；　nor
time；　as　it　is　said　before；　to　perform　the　same。

There　were　on　this　discovery　no　less　than　an　hundred　persons；　who　can
all　witness　that　when　we　passed　any　branch　of　the　river　to　view　the
land　within；　and　stayed　from　our　boats　but　six　hours；　we　were　driven
to　wade　to　the　eyes　at　our　return；　and　if　we　attempted　the　same　the
day　following；　it　was　impossible　either　to　ford　it；　or　to　swim　it；
both　by　reason　of　the　swiftness；　and　also　for　that　the　borders　were　so
pestered　with　fast　woods；　as　neither　boat　nor　man　could　find　place
either　to　land　or　to　embark；　for　in　June；　July；　August；　and　September
it　is　impossible　to　navigate　any　of　those　rivers；　for　such　is　the　fury
of　the　current；　and　there　are　so　many　trees　and　woods　overflown；　as　if
any　boat　but　touch　upon　any　tree　or　stake　it　is　impossible　to　save　any
one　person　therein。　And　ere　we　departed　the　land　it　ran　with　such
swiftness　as　we　drave　down；　most　commonly　against　the　wind；　little
less　than　an　hundred　miles　a　day。　Besides；　our　vessels　were　no　other
than　wherries；　one　little　barge；　a　small　cock…boat；　and　a　bad　galiota
which　we　framed　in　haste　for　that　purpose　at　Trinidad；　and　those
little　boats　had　nine　or　ten　men　apiece；　with　all　their　victuals　and
arms。　It　is　further　true　that　we　were　about　four　hundred　miles　from
our　ships；　and　had　been　a　month　from　them；　which　also　we　left　weakly
manned　in　an　open　road；　and　had　promised　our　return　in　fifteen　days。

Others　have　devised　that　the　same　ore　was　had　from　Barbary；　and　that
we　carried　it　with　us　into　Guiana。　Surely　the　singularity　of　that
device　I　do　not　well　comprehend。　For　mine　own　part；　I　am　not　so　much
in　love　with　these　long　voyages　as　to　devise　thereby　to　cozen　myself；
to　lie　hard；　to　fare　worse；　to　be　subjected　to　perils；　to　diseases；　to
ill　savours；　to　be　parched　and　withered；　and　withal　to　sustain　the
care　and　labour　of　such　an　enterprise；　except　the　same　had　more
comfort　than　the　fetching　of　marcasite　in　Guiana；　or　buying　of　gold
ore　in　Barbary。　But　I　hope　the　better　sort　will　judge　me　by
themselves；　and　that　the　way　of　deceit　is　not　the　way　of　honour　or
good　opinion。　I　have　herein　consumed　much　time；　and　many　crowns；　and　I
had　no　other　respect　or　desire　than　to　serve　her　Majesty　and　my
country　thereby。　If　the　Spanish　nation　had　been　of　like　belief　to
these　detractors　we　should　little　have　feared　or　doubted　their
attempts；　wherewith　we　now　are　daily　threatened。　But　if　we　now
consider　of　the　actions　both　of　Charles　the　Fifth；　who　had　the
maidenhead　of　Peru　and　the　abundant　treasures　of　Atabalipa；　together
with　the　affairs　of　the　Spanish　king　now　living；　what　territories　he
hath　purchased；　what　he　hath　added　to　the　acts　of　his　predecessors；
how　many　kingdoms　he　hath　endangered；　how　many　armies；　garrisons；　and
navies　he　hath；　and　doth　maintain；　the　great　losses　which　he　hath
repaired；　as　in　Eighty…eight　above　an　hundred　sail　of　great　ships　with
their　artillery；　and　that　no　year　is　less　infortunate；　but　that　many
vessels；　treasures；　and　people　are　devoured；　and　yet　notwithstanding
he　beginneth　again　like　a　storm　to　threaten　shipwrack　to　us　all；　we
shall　find　that　these　abilities　rise　not　from　the　trades　of　sacks　and
Seville　oranges；　nor　from　aught　else　that　either　Spain；　Portugal；　or
any　of　his　other　provinces　produce；　it　is　his　Indian　gold　that
endangereth　and　disturbeth　all　the　nations　of　Europe；　it　purchaseth
intelligence；　creepeth　into　counsels；　and　setteth　bound　loyalty　at
liberty　in　the　greatest　monarchies　of　Europe。　If　the　Spanish　king　can
keep　us　from　foreign　enterprises；　and　from　the　impeachment　of　his
trades；　either　by　offer　of　invasion；　or　by　besieging　us　in　Britain；
Ireland；　or　elsewhere；　he　hath　then　brought　the　work　of　our　peril　in
great　forwardness。

Those　princes　that　abound　in　treasure　have　great　advantages　over　the
rest；　if　they　once　constrain　them　to　a　defensive　war；　where　they　are
driven　once　a　year　or　oftener　to　cast　lots　for　their　own　garments；　and
from　all　such　shall　all　trades　and　intercourse　be　taken　away；　to　the
general　loss　and　impoverishment　of　the　kingdom　and　commonweal　so
reduced。　Besides；　when　our　men　are　constrained　to　fight；　it　hath　not
the　like　hope　as　when　they　are　pressed　and　encouraged　by　the　desire　of
spoil　and　riches。　Farther；　it　is　to　be　doubted　how　those　that　in　time
of　victory　seem　to　affect　their　neighbour　nations　will　remain　after
the　first　view　of　misfortunes　or　ill　success；　to　trust；　also；　to　the
doubtfulness　of　a　battle　is　but　a　fearful　and　uncertain　adventure；
seeing　therein　fortune　is　as　likely　to　prevail　as　virtue。　It　shall　not
be　necessary　to　allege　all　that　might　be　said；　and　therefore　I　will
thus　conclude；　that　whatsoever　kingdom　shall　be　enforced　to　defend
itself　may　be　compared　to　a　body　dangerously　diseased；　which　for　a
season　may　be　preserved　with　vulgar　medicines；　but　in　a　short　time；
and　by　little　and　little；　the　same　must　needs　fall　to　the　ground　and
be　dissolved。　I　have　therefore　laboured　all　my　life；　both　according　to
my　small　power　and　persuasion；　to　advance　all　those　attempts　that
might　either　promise　return　of　profit　to　ourselves；　or　at　least　be　a
let　and　impeachment　to　the　quiet　course　and　plentiful　trades　of　the
Spanish　nation；　who；　in　my　weak　judgement；　by　such　a　war　were　as
easily　endangered　and　brought　from　his　powerfulness　as　any　prince　in
Europe；　if　it　be　considered　from　how　many　kingdoms　and　nations　his
revenues　are　gathered；　and　those　so　weak　in　their　own　beings　and　so
far　severed　from　mutual　succour。　But　because　such　a　preparation　and
resolution　is　not　to　be　hoped　for　in　haste；　and　that　the　time　which
our　enemies　embrace　cannot　be　had　again　to　advantage；　I　will　hope　that
these　provinces；　and　that　empire　now　by　me　discovered；　shall　suffice
to　enable　her　Majesty　and　the　whole　kingdom　with　no　less　quantities　of
treasure　than　the　king　of　Spain　hath　in　all　the　Indies；　East　and　West；
which　he　possesseth；　which　if　the　same　be　considered　and　followed；　ere
the　Spaniards　enforce　the　same；　and　if　her　Majesty　will　undertake　it；
I　will　be　contented　to　lose　her　Highness'　favour　and　good　opinion　for
ever；　and　my　life　withal；　if　the　same　be　not　found　rather　to　exceed
than　to　equal　whatsoever　is　in　this　discourse　promised　and　declared。　I
will　now　refer　the　reader　to　the　following　discourse；　with　the　hope
that　the　perilous　and　chargeable　labours　and　endeavours　of　such　as
thereby　seek　the　profit　and　honour　of　her　Majesty；　and　the　English
nation；　shall　by　men　of　quality　and　virtue　receive　such　construction
and　good　acceptance　as　themselves　would　like　to　be　rewarded　withal　in
the　like。



THE　DISCOVERY＇*＇　OF　GUIANA＇＋＇

＇*＇　Exploration

＇＋＇　The　name　is　derived　from　the　Guayano　Indians；　on　the　Orinoco。

On　Thursday；　the　sixth　of　February；　in　the　year　1595；　we　departed
England；　and　the　Sunday　following　had　sight　of　the　north　cape　of
Spain；　the　wind　for　the　most　part　continuing　prosperous；　we　passed　in
sight　of　the　Burlings；　and　the　Rock；　and　so　onwards　for　the　Canaries；
and　fell　with　Fuerteventura　the　17。　of　the　same　month；　where　we　spent
two　or　three　days；　and　relieved　our　companies　wit