The Discovery of Guiana | Page 7

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