the discovery of guiana-第1节

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The　Discovery　of　Guiana

by　Walter　Raleigh





INTRODUCTORY　NOTE

　　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　may　be　taken　as　the　great　typical　figure　of　the
　　age　of　Elizabeth。　Courtier　and　statesman；　soldier　and　sailor；
　　scientist　and　man　of　letters；　he　engaged　in　almost　all　the　main
　　lines　of　public　activity　in　his　time；　and　was　distinguished　in
　　them　all。

　　His　father　was　a　Devonshire　gentleman　of　property；　connected　with
　　many　of　the　distinguished　families　of　the　south　of　England。　Walter
　　was　born　about　1552　and　was　educated　at　Oxford。　He　first　saw
　　military　service　in　the　Huguenot　army　in　France　in　1569；　and　in
　　1578　engaged；　with　his　half…brother；　Sir　Humphrey　Gilbert；　in　the
　　first　of　his　expeditions　against　the　Spaniards。　After　some　service
　　in　Ireland；　he　attracted　the　attention　of　the　Queen；　and　rapidly
　　rose　to　the　perilous　position　of　her　chief　favorite。　With　her
　　approval；　he　fitted　out　two　expeditions　for　the　colonization　of
　　Virginia；　neither　of　which　did　his　royal　mistress　permit　him　to
　　lead　in　person；　and　neither　of　which　succeeded　in　establishing　a
　　permanent　settlement。

　　After　about　six　years　of　high　favor；　Raleigh　found　his　position　at
　　court　endangered　by　the　rivalry　of　Essex；　and　in　1592；　on
　　returning　from　convoying　a　squadron　he　had　fitted　out　against　the
　　Spanish；　he　was　thrown　into　the　Tower　by　the　orders　of　the　Queen；
　　who　had　discovered　an　intrigue　between　him　and　one　of　her　ladies
　　whom　he　subsequently　married。　He　was　ultimately　released；　engaged
　　in　various　naval　exploits；　and　in　1594　sailed　for　South　America　on
　　the　voyage　described　in　the　following　narrative。

　　On　the　death　of　Elizabeth；　Raleigh's　misfortunes　increased。　He　was
　　accused　of　treason　against　James　I；　condemned；　reprieved；　and
　　imprisoned　for　twelve　years；　during　which　he　wrote　his　〃History　of
　　the　World；〃　and　engaged　in　scientific　researches。　In　1616　he　was
　　liberated；　to　make　another　attempt　to　find　the　gold　mine　in
　　Venezuela；　but　the　expedition　was　disastrous；　and；　on　his　return；
　　Raleigh　was　executed　on　the　old　charge　in　1618。　In　his　vices　as　in
　　his　virtues；　Raleigh　is　a　thorough　representative　of　the　great
　　adventurers　who　laid　the　foundations　of　the　British　Empire。





RALEIGH'S　DISCOVERY　OF　GUIANA



The　Discovery　of　the　large；　rich；　and　beautiful　EMPIRE　Of　GUIANA；　with
a　Relation　of　the　great　and　golden　CITY　of　MANOA；　which　the　Spaniards
call　EL　DORADO；　and　the　PROVINCES　of　EMERIA；　AROMAIA；　AMAPAIA；　and
other　Countries；　with　their　rivers；　adjoining。　Performed　in　the　year
1595　by　Sir　WALTER　RALEIGH；　KNIGHT；　CAPTAIN　of　her　Majesty's　GUARD；
Lord　Warden　of　the　STANNARIES；　and　her　Highness'　LIEUTENANT…GENERAL　of
the　COUNTY　of　CORNWALL。



To　the　Right　Honourable　my　singular　good　Lord　and　kinsman　CHARLES
HOWARD；　Knight　of　the　Garter；　Baron；　and　Councillor；　and　of　the
Admirals　of　England　the　most　renowned；　and　to　the　Right　Honourable　SIR
ROBERT　CECIL；　KNIGHT；　Councillor　in　her　Highness'　Privy　Councils。



For　your　Honours'　many　honourable　and　friendly　parts；　I　have　hitherto
only　returned　promises；　and　now；　for　answer　of　both　your　adventures；　I
have　sent　you　a　bundle　of　papers；　which　I　have　divided　between　your
Lordship　and　Sir　Robert　Cecil；　in　these　two　respects　chiefly；　first；
for　that　it　is　reason　that　wasteful　factors；　when　they　have　consumed
such　stocks　as　they　had　in　trust；　do　yield　some　colour　for　the　same　in
their　account；　secondly；　for　that　I　am　assured　that　whatsoever　shall
be　done；　or　written；　by　me；　shall　need　a　double　protection　and
defence。　The　trial　that　I　had　of　both　your　loves；　when　I　was　left　of
all；　but　of　malice　and　revenge；　makes　me　still　presume　that　you　will
be　pleased　（knowing　what　little　power　I　had　to　perform　aught；　and　the
great　advantage　of　forewarned　enemies）　to　answer　that　out　of
knowledge；　which　others　shall　but　object　out　of　malice。　In　my　more
happy　times　as　I　did　especially　honour　you　both；　so　I　found　that　your
loves　sought　me　out　in　the　darkest　shadow　of　adversity；　and　the　same
affection　which　accompanied　my　better　fortune　soared　not　away　from　me
in　my　many　miseries；　all　which　though　I　cannot　requite；　yet　I　shall
ever　acknowledge；　and　the　great　debt　which　I　have　no　power　to　pay；　I
can　do　no　more　for　a　time　but　confess　to　be　due。　It　is　true　that　as　my
errors　were　great；　so　they　have　yielded　very　grievous　effects；　and　if
aught　might　have　been　deserved　in　former　times；　to　have　counterpoised
any　part　of　offences；　the　fruit　thereof；　as　it　seemeth；　was　long
before　fallen　from　the　tree；　and　the　dead　stock　only　remained。　I　did
therefore；　even　in　the　winter　of　my　life；　undertake　these　travails；
fitter　for　bodies　less　blasted　with　misfortunes；　for　men　of　greater
ability；　and　for　minds　of　better　encouragement；　that　thereby；　if　it
were　possible；　I　might　recover　but　the　moderation　of　excess；　and　the
least　taste　of　the　greatest　plenty　formerly　possessed。　If　I　had　known
other　way　to　win；　if　I　had　imagined　how　greater　adventures　might　have
regained；　if　I　could　conceive　what　farther　means　I　might　yet　use　but
even　to　appease　so　powerful　displeasure；　I　would　not　doubt　but　for　one
year　more　to　hold　fast　my　soul　in　my　teeth　till　it　were　performed。　Of
that　little　remain　I　had；　I　have　wasted　in　effect　all　herein。　I　have
undergone　many　constructions；　I　have　been　accompanied　with　many
sorrows；　with　labour；　hunger；　heat；　sickness；　and　peril；　it　appeareth；
notwithstanding；　that　I　made　no　other　bravado　of　going　to　the　sea；
than　was　meant；　and　that　I　was　never　hidden　in　Cornwall；　or　elsewhere；
as　was　supposed。　They　have　grossly　belied　me　that　forejudged　that　I
would　rather　become　a　servant　to　the　Spanish　king　than　return；　and　the
rest　were　much　mistaken；　who　would　have　persuaded　that　I　was　too
easeful　and　sensual　to　undertake　a　journey　of　so　great　travail。　But　if
what　I　have　done　receive　the　gracious　construction　of　a　painful
pilgrimage；　and　purchase　the　least　remission；　I　shall　think　all　too
little；　and　that　there　were　wanting　to　the　rest　many　miseries。　But　if
both　the　times　past；　the　present；　and　what　may　be　in　the　future；　do
all　by　one　grain　of　gall　continue　in　eternal　distaste；　I　do　not　then
know　whether　I　should　bewail　myself；　either　for　my　too　much　travail
and　expense；　or　condemn　myself　for　doing　less　than　that　which　can
deserve　nothing。　From　myself　I　have　deserved　no　thanks；　for　I　am
returned　a　beggar；　and　withered；　but　that　I　might　have　bettered　my
poor　estate；　it　shall　appear　from　the　following　discourse；　if　I　had
not　only　respected　her　Majesty's　future　honour　and　riches。

It　became　not　the　former　fortune；　in　which　I　once　lived；　to　go
journeys　of　picory　（marauding）；　it　had　sorted　ill　with　the　offices　of
honour；　which　by　her　Majesty's　grace　I　hold　this　day　in　England；　to
run　from　cape　to　cape　and　from　place　to　place；　for　the　pillage　of
ordinary　prizes。　Many　years　since　I　had　knowledge；　by　relation；　of
that　mighty；　rich；　and　beautiful　empire　of　Guiana；　and　of　that　great
and　golden　city；　which　the　Spaniards　call　El　Dorado；　and　the　naturals
Manoa；　which　city　was　conquered；　re…edified；　and　enlarged　by　a　younger
son　of　Guayna…capac；　Emperor　of　Peru；　at　such　time　as　Francisco
Pizarro　and　others　conquered　the　said　empire　from　his　two　elder
brethren；　Guascar　and　Atabalipa；　both　then　contending　for　the　same；
the　one　being　favoured　by　the　orejones　of　Cuzco；　the　other　by　the
people　of　Caxamalca。　I　sent　my　servant　Jacob　Whiddon；　the　year　before；
to　get　knowledge　of　the　passages；　and　I　had　some　light　from　Captain
Parker；　sometime　my　servant；　and　now　attending　on　your　Lordship；　that
such　a　place　there　was　to　the　southward　of　the　great　bay　of　Charuas；
or　Guanipa：　but　I　found　that　it　was　600　miles　farther　off　than　they
supposed；　and　many　impediments　to　them　unknown　and　unheard。　After　I
had　displanted　Don　Antonio　de　Berreo；　who　was　upon　the　same
enterprise；　leaving　my　ships　at　Trinidad；　at　the　port　called　Curiapan；
I　wandered　400　miles　into　the　said　country　by　land　and　river；　the
particulars　I　will　leave　to　the　following　discourse。

The　country　hath　more　quantity　of　gold；　by　manifold；　than　the　best
parts　of　the　Indies；　or　Peru。　All　the　most　of　the　kings　of　the　borders
are　already　become　her　Majesty's　vassals；　and　seem　to　desire　nothing
more　than　her　Majesty's　protection　and　the　return　of　the　English
nation。　It　hath　another　ground　and　assurance　of　riches　and　glory　than
the　voyages　of　the　West　Indies；　an　easier　way　to　invade　the　best　parts
thereof　than　by　the　common　course。　The　king　of　Spain　is　not　so
impoverished　by　taking　three　or　four　port　towns　in　America　as　we
suppose；　neither　are　the　riches　of　Peru　or　Nueva　Espana　so　left　by　the
sea　side　as　it　can　be　easily　washed　away　with　a　great　flood；　or　spring
tide；　or　left　dry　upon　the　sands　on　a　low　ebb。　The　port　towns　are　few
and　poor　in　respect　of　the　rest　within　the　land；　and　are　of　little
defence；　and　are　only　rich　when　the　fleets　are　to　receive　the　treasure
for　Spain；　and　we　might　think　the　Spaniards　very　simple；　having　so
many　horses　and　slaves；　if　they　could　not　upon　two　days'　warning　carry
all　the　gold　they　have　into　the　land；　and　far　enough　from　the　reach　of
our　footmen；　especially　the　Indies　being；　as　they　are