the discovery of guiana-第4章

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and　fell　with　Fuerteventura　the　17。　of　the　same　month；　where　we　spent
two　or　three　days；　and　relieved　our　companies　with　some　fresh　meat。
From　thence　we　coasted　by　the　Grand　Canaria；　and　so　to　Teneriffe；　and
stayed　there　for　the　Lion's　Whelp；　your　Lordship's　ship；　and　for
Captain　Amyas　Preston　and　the　rest。　But　when　after　seven　or　eight　days
we　found　them　not；　we　departed　and　directed　our　course　for　Trinidad；
with　mine　own　ship；　and　a　small　barque　of　Captain　Cross's　only；　for　we
had　before　lost　sight　of　a　small　galego　on　the　coast　of　Spain；　which
came　with　us　from　Plymouth。　We　arrived　at　Trinidad　the　22。　of　March；
casting　anchor　at　Point　Curiapan；　which　the　Spaniards　call　Punta　de
Gallo；　which　is　situate　in　eight　degrees　or　thereabouts。　We　abode
there　four　or　five　days；　and　in　all　that　time　we　came　not　to　the
speech　of　any　Indian　or　Spaniard。　On　the　coast　we　saw　a　fire；　as　we
sailed　from　the　Point　Carao　towards　Curiapan；　but　for　fear　of　the
Spaniards　none　durst　come　to　speak　with　us。　I　myself　coasted　it　in　my
barge　close　aboard　the　shore　and　landed　in　every　cove；　the　better　to
know　the　island；　while　the　ships　kept　the　channel。　From　Curiapan　after
a　few　days　we　turned　up　north…east　to　recover　that　place　which　the
Spaniards　call　Puerto　de　los　Espanoles　（now　Port　of　Spain）；　and　the
inhabitants　Conquerabia；　and　as　before；　revictualling　my　barge；　I　left
the　ships　and　kept　by　the　shore；　the　better　to　come　to　speech　with
some　of　the　inhabitants；　and　also　to　understand　the　rivers；　watering…
places；　and　ports　of　the　island；　which；　as　it　is　rudely　done；　my
purpose　is　to　send　your　Lordship　after　a　few　days。　From　Curiapan　I
came　to　a　port　and　seat　of　Indians　called　Parico；　where　we　found　a
fresh　water　river；　but　saw　no　people。　From　thence　I　rowed　to　another
port；　called　by　the　naturals　Piche；　and　by　the　Spaniards　Tierra　de
Brea。　In　the　way　between　both　were　divers　little　brooks　of　fresh
water；　and　one　salt　river　that　had　store　of　oysters　upon　the　branches
of　the　trees；　and　were　very　salt　and　well　tasted。　All　their　oysters
grow　upon　those　boughs　and　sprays；　and　not　on　the　ground；　the　like　is
commonly　seen　in　other　places　of　the　West　Indies；　and　elsewhere。　This
tree　is　described　by　Andrew　Thevet；　in　his　France　Antarctique；　and　the
form　figured　in　the　book　as　a　plant　very　strange；　and　by　Pliny　in　his
twelfth　book　of　his　Natural　History。　But　in　this　island；　as　also　in
Guiana；　there　are　very　many　of　them。

At　this　point；　called　Tierra　de　Brea　or　Piche；　there　is　that　abundance
of　stone　pitch　that　all　the　ships　of　the　world　may　be　therewith　laden
from　thence；　and　we　made　trial　of　it　in　trimming　our　ships　to　be　most
excellent　good；　and　melteth　not　with　the　sun　as　the　pitch　of　Norway；
and　therefore　for　ships　trading　the　south　parts　very　profitable。　From
thence　we　went　to　the　mountain　foot　called　Annaperima；　and　so　passing
the　river　Carone；　on　which　the　Spanish　city　was　seated；　we　met　with
our　ships　at　Puerto　de　los　Espanoles　or　Conquerabia。

This　island　of　Trinidad　hath　the　form　of　a　sheephook；　and　is　but
narrow；　the　north　part　is　very　mountainous；　the　soil　is　very
excellent；　and　will　bear　sugar；　ginger；　or　any　other　commodity　that
the　Indies　yield。　It　hath　store　of　deer；　wild　porks；　fruit；　fish；　and
fowl；　it　hath　also　for　bread　sufficient　maize；　cassavi；　and　of　those
roots　and　fruits　which　are　common　everywhere　in　the　West　Indies。　It
hath　divers　beasts　which　the　Indies　have　not；　the　Spaniards　confessed
that　they　found　grains　of　gold　in　some　of　the　rivers；　but　they　having
a　purpose　to　enter　Guiana；　the　magazine　of　all　rich　metals；　cared　not
to　spend　time　in　the　search　thereof　any　further。　This　island　is　called
by　the　people　thereof　Cairi；　and　in　it　are　divers　nations。　Those　about
Parico　are　called　Jajo；　those　at　Punta　de　Carao　are　of　the　Arwacas
（Arawaks）　and　between　Carao　and　Curiapan　they　are　called　Salvajos。
Between　Carao　and　Punta　de　Galera　are　the　Nepojos；　and　those　about　the
Spanish　city　term　themselves　Carinepagotes　（Carib…people）。　Of　the　rest
of　the　nations；　and　of　other　ports　and　rivers；　I　leave　to　speak　here；
being　impertinent　to　my　purpose；　and　mean　to　describe　them　as　they　are
situate　in　the　particular　plot　and　description　of　the　island；　three
parts　whereof　I　coasted　with　my　barge；　that　I　might　the　better
describe　it。

Meeting　with　the　ships　at　Puerto　de　los　Espanoles；　we　found　at　the
landing…place　a　company　of　Spaniards　who　kept　a　guard　at　the　descent；
and　they　offering　a　sign　of　peace；　I　sent　Captain　Whiddon　to　speak
with　them；　whom　afterwards　to　my　great　grief　I　left　buried　in　the　said
island　after　my　return　from　Guiana；　being　a　man　most　honest　and
valiant。　The　Spaniards　seemed　to　be　desirous　to　trade　with　us；　and　to
enter　into　terms　of　peace；　more　for　doubt　of　their　own　strength　than
for　aught　else；　and　in　the　end；　upon　pledge；　some　of　them　came　aboard。
The　same　evening　there　stale　also　aboard　us　in　a　small　canoa　two
Indians；　the　one　of　them　being　a　cacique　or　lord　of　the　people；　called
Cantyman；　who　had　the　year　before　been　with　Captain　Whiddon；　and　was
of　his　acquaintance。　By　this　Cantyman　we　understood　what　strength　the
Spaniards　had；　how　far　it　was　to　their　city；　and　of　Don　Antonio　de
Berreo；　the　governor；　who　was　said　to　be　slain　in　his　second　attempt
of　Guiana；　but　was　not。

While　we　remained　at　Puerto　de　los　Espanoles　some　Spaniards　came
aboard　us　to　buy　linen　of　the　company；　and　such　other　things　as　they
wanted；　and　also　to　view　our　ships　and　company；　all　which　I
entertained　kindly　and　feasted　after　our　manner。　By　means　whereof　I
learned　of　one　and　another　as　much　of　the　estate　of　Guiana　as　I　could；
or　as　they　knew；　for　those　poor　soldiers　having　been　many　years
without　wine；　a　few　draughts　made　them　merry；　in　which　mood　they
vaunted　of　Guiana　and　the　riches　thereof；　and　all　what　they　knew　of
the　ways　and　passages；　myself　seeming　to　purpose　nothing　less　than　the
entrance　or　discovery　thereof；　but　bred　in　them　an　opinion　that　I　was
bound　only　for　the　relief　of　those　English　which　I　had　planted　in
Virginia；　whereof　the　bruit　was　come　among　them；　which　I　had　performed
in　my　return；　if　extremity　of　weather　had　not　forced　me　from　the　said
coast。

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

While　we　thus　spent　the　time　I　was　assured　by　another　cacique　of　the
north　side　of　the　island；　that　Berreo　had　sent　to　Margarita　and　Cumana
for　soldiers；　meaning　to　have　given　me　a　cassado　（blow）　at　parting；　if
it　had　been　possible。　For　although　he　had　given　order　through　all　the
island　that　no　Indian　should　come　aboard　to　trade　with　me　upon　pain　of
hanging　and　quartering　（having　executed　two　of　them　for　the　same；
which　I　afterwards　found）；　yet　every　night　there　came　some　with　most
lamentable　complaints　of　his　cruelty：　how　he　had　divided　the　island
and　given　to　every　soldier　a　part；　that　he　made　the　ancient　caciques；
which　were　lords　of　the　country；　to　be　their　slaves；　that　he　kept　them
in　chains；　and　dropped　their　naked　bodies　with　burning　bacon；　and　such
other　torments；　which　I　found　afterwards　to　be　true。　For　in　the　city；
after　I　entered　the　same；　there　were　five　of　the　lords　or　little
kings；　which　they　call　caciques　in　the　West　Indies；　in　one　chain；
almost　dead　of　famine；　and　wasted　with　torm