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the discovery of guiana-第6章

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of the one by the other; I thought good to insert part of the 120。
chapter of Lopez in his General History of the Indies; wherein he
describeth the court and magnificence of Guayna Capac; ancestor to the
emperor of Guiana; whose very words are these:

〃Todo el servicio de su casa; mesa; y cocina era de oro y de plata; y
cuando menos de plata y cobre; por mas recio。 Tenia en su recamara
estatuas huecas de oro; que parescian gigantes; y las figuras al
propio y tamano de cuantos animales; aves; arboles; y yerbas produce
la tierra; y de cuantos peces cria la mar y agua de sus reynos。 Tenia
asimesmo sogas; costales; cestas; y troxes de oro y plata; rimeros de
palos de oro; que pareciesen lena rajada para quemar。 En fin no habia
cosa en su tierra; que no la tuviese de oro contrahecha; y aun dizen;
que tenian los Ingas un verjel en una isla cerca de la Puna; donde se
iban a holgar; cuando querian mar; que tenia la hortaliza; las flores;
y arboles de oro y plata; invencion y grandeza hasta entonces nunca
vista。 Allende de todo esto; tenia infinitisima cantidad de plata y
oro por labrar en el Cuzco; que se perdio por la muerte de Guascar; ca
los Indios lo escondieron; viendo que los Espanoles se lo tomaban; y
enviaban a Espana。〃

That is; 〃All the vessels of his house; table; and kitchen; were of
gold and silver; and the meanest of silver and copper for strength and
hardness of metal。 He had in his wardrobe hollow statues of gold which
seemed giants; and the figures in proportion and bigness of all the
beasts; birds; trees; and herbs; that the earth bringeth forth; and of
all the fishes that the sea or waters of his kingdom breedeth。 He had
also ropes; budgets; chests; and troughs of gold and silver; heaps of
billets of gold; that seemed wood marked out (split into logs) to
burn。 Finally; there was nothing in his country whereof he had not the
counterfeit in gold。 Yea; and they say; the Ingas had a garden of
pleasure in an island near Puna; where they went to recreate
themselves; when they would take the air of the sea; which had all
kinds of garden…herbs; flowers; and trees of gold and silver; an
invention and magnificence till then never seen。 Besides all this; he
had an infinite quantity of silver and gold unwrought in Cuzco; which
was lost by the death of Guascar; for the Indians hid it; seeing that
the Spaniards took it; and sent it into Spain。〃

And in the 117。 chapter; Francisco Pizarro caused the gold and silver
of Atabalipa to be weighed after he had taken it; which Lopez setteth
down in these words following:〃Hallaron cincuenta y dos mil marcos
de buena plata; y un millon y trecientos y veinte y seis mil y
quinientos pesos de oro。〃 Which is; 〃They found 52;000 marks of good
silver; and 1;326;500 pesos of gold。〃 Now; although these reports may
seem strange; yet if we consider the many millions which are daily
brought out of Peru into Spain; we may easily believe the same。 For we
find that by the abundant treasure of that country the Spanish king
vexes all the princes of Europe; and is become; in a few years; from a
poor king of Castile; the greatest monarch of this part of the world;
and likely every day to increase if other princes forslow the good
occasions offered; and suffer him to add this empire to the rest;
which by far exceedeth all the rest。 If his gold now endanger us; he
will then be unresistible。 Such of the Spaniards as afterwards
endeavoured the conquest thereof; whereof there have been many; as
shall be declared hereafter; thought that this Inga; of whom this
emperor now living is descended; took his way by the river of Amazons;
by that branch which is called Papamene (The Papamene is a tributary
not of the Amazon river but of the Meta; one of the principal
tributaries of the Orinoco)。 For by that way followed Orellana; by the
commandment of Gonzalo Pizarro; in the year 1542; whose name the river
also beareth this day。 Which is also by others called Maranon;
although Andrew Thevet doth affirm that between Maranon and Amazons
there are 120 leagues; but sure it is that those rivers have one head
and beginning; and the Maranon; which Thevet describeth; is but a
branch of Amazons or Orellana; of which I will speak more in another
place。 It was attempted by Ordas; but it is now little less than 70
years since that Diego Ordas; a Knight of the Order of Santiago;
attempted the same; and it was in the year 1542 that Orellana
discovered the river of Amazons; but the first that ever saw Manoa was
Juan Martinez; master of the munition to Ordas。 At a port called
Morequito (probably San Miguel); in Guiana; there lieth at this day a
great anchor of Ordas his ship。 And this port is some 300 miles within
the land; upon the great river of Orenoque。 I rested at this port four
days; twenty days after I left the ships at Curiapan。

The relation of this Martinez; who was the first that discovered
Manoa; his success; and end; is to be seen in the Chancery of St。 Juan
de Puerto Rico; whereof Berreo had a copy; which appeared to be the
greatest encouragement as well to Berreo as to others that formerly
attempted the discovery and conquest。 Orellana; after he failed of the
discovery of Guiana by the said river of Amazons; passed into Spain;
and there obtained a patent of the king for the invasion and conquest;
but died by sea about the islands; and his fleet being severed by
tempest; the action for that time proceeded not。 Diego Ordas followed
the enterprise; and departed Spain with 600 soldiers and thirty horse。
Who; arriving on the coast of Guiana; was slain in a mutiny; with the
most part of such as favoured him; as also of the rebellious part;
insomuch as his ships perished and few or none returned; neither was
it certainly known what became of the said Ordas until Berreo found
the anchor of his ship in the river of Orenoque; but it was supposed;
and so it is written by Lopez; that he perished on the seas; and of
other writers diversely conceived and reported。 And hereof it came
that Martinez entered so far within the land; and arrived at that city
of Inga the emperor; for it chanced that while Ordas with his army
rested at the port of Morequito (who was either the first or second
that attempted Guiana); by some negligence the whole store of powder
provided for the service was set on fire; and Martinez; having the
chief charge; was condemned by the General Ordas to be executed
forthwith。 Martinez; being much favoured by the soldiers; had all the
means possible procured for his life; but it could not be obtained in
other sort than this; that he should be set into a canoa alone;
without any victual; only with his arms; and so turned loose into the
great river。 But it pleased God that the canoa was carried down the
stream; and certain of the Guianians met it the same evening; and;
having not at any time seen any Christian nor any man of that colour;
they carried Martinez into the land to be wondered at; and so from
town to town; until he came to the great city of Manoa; the seat and
residence of Inga the emperor。 The emperor; after he had beheld him;
knew him to be a Christian; for it was not long before that his
brethren Guascar and Atabalipa were vanquished by the Spaniards in
Peru: and caused him to be lodged in his palace; and well entertained。
He lived seven months in Manoa; but was not suffered to wander into
the country anywhere。 He was also brought thither all the way
blindfold; led by the Indians; until he came to the entrance of Manoa
itself; and was fourteen or fifteen days in the passage。 He avowed at
his death that he entered the city at noon; and then they uncovered
his face; and that he travelled all that day till night through the
city; and the next day from sun rising to sun setting; ere he came to
the palace of Inga。 After that Martinez had lived seven months in
Manoa; and began to understand the language of the country; Inga asked
him whether he desired to return into his own country; or would
willingly abide with him。 But Martinez; not desirous to stay; obtained
the favour of Inga to depart; with whom he sent divers Guianians to
conduct him to the river of Orenoque; all loaden with as much gold as
the

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