The Discovery of Guiana | Page 9

large
discourse I made to the rest of the nations, both in my passing to
Guiana and to those of the borders, so as in that part of the world her
Majesty is very famous and admirable; whom they now call
EZRABETA CASSIPUNA AQUEREWANA, which is as much as
'Elizabeth, the Great Princess, or Greatest Commander.' This done, we
left Puerto de los Espanoles, and returned to Curiapan, and having
Berreo my prisoner, I gathered from him as much of Guiana as he knew.
This Berreo is a gentleman well descended, and had long served the
Spanish king in Milan, Naples, the Low Countries, and elsewhere, very
valiant and liberal, and a gentleman of great assuredness, and of a great
heart. I used him according to his estate and worth in all things I could,
according to the small means I had.

I sent Captain Whiddon the year before to get what knowledge he could
of Guiana: and the end of my journey at this time was to discover and
enter the same. But my intelligence was far from truth, for the country
is situate about 600 English miles further from the sea than I was made
believe it had been. Which afterwards understanding to be true by
Berreo, I kept it from the knowledge of my company, who else would
never have been brought to attempt the same. Of which 600 miles I
passed 400, leaving my ships so far from me at anchor in the sea, which
was more of desire to perform that discovery than of reason, especially
having such poor and weak vessels to transport ourselves in. For in the
bottom of an old galego which I caused to be fashioned like a galley,
and in one barge, two wherries, and a ship-boat of the Lion's Whelp, we
carried 100 persons and their victuals for a month in the same, being all
driven to lie in the rain and weather in the open air, in the burning sun,
and upon the hard boards, and to dress our meat, and to carry all
manner of furniture in them. Wherewith they were so pestered and
unsavoury, that what with victuals being most fish, with the wet clothes
of so many men thrust together, and the heat of the sun, I will
undertake there was never any prison in England that could be found
more unsavoury and loathsome, especially to myself, who had for
many years before been dieted and cared for in a sort far more
differing.
If Captain Preston had not been persuaded that he should have come
too late to Trinidad to have found us there (for the month was expired
which I promised to tarry for him there ere he could recover the coast
of Spain) but that it had pleased God he might have joined with us, and
that we had entered the country but some ten days sooner ere the rivers
were overflown, we had adventured either to have gone to the great city
of Manoa, or at least taken so many of the other cities and towns nearer
at hand, as would have made a royal return. But it pleased not God so
much to favour me at this time. If it shall be my lot to prosecute the
same, I shall willingly spend my life therein. And if any else shall be
enabled thereunto, and conquer the same, I assure him thus much; he
shall perform more than ever was done in Mexico by Cortes, or in Peru
by Pizarro, whereof the one conquered the empire of Mutezuma, the
other of Guascar and Atabalipa. And whatsoever prince shall possess it,

that prince shall be lord of more gold, and of a more beautiful empire,
and of more cities and people, than either the king of Spain or the Great
Turk.
But because there may arise many doubts, and how this empire of
Guiana is become so populous, and adorned with so many great cities,
towns, temples, and treasures, I thought good to make it known, that
the emperor now reigning is descended from those magnificent princes
of Peru, of whose large territories, of whose policies, conquests,
edifices, and riches, Pedro de Cieza, Francisco Lopez, and others have
written large discourses. For when Francisco Pizarro, Diego Almagro
and others conquered the said empire of Peru, and had put to death
Atabalipa, son to Guayna Capac, which Atabalipa had formerly caused
his eldest brother Guascar to be slain, one of the younger sons of
Guayna Capac fled out of Peru, and took with him many thousands of
those soldiers of the empire called orejones ("having large ears," the
name given by the Spaniards to the Peruvian warriors, who wore
ear-pendants), and with those and many others which followed him, he
vanquished all that tract and