the discovery of guiana-第17节

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overflow　very　fearfully；　and　the　rains　came　down　in　terrible　showers；
and　gusts　in　great　abundance；　and　withal　our　men　began　to　cry　out　for
want　of　shift；　for　no　man　had　place　to　bestow　any　other　apparel　than
that　which　he　ware　on　his　back；　and　that　was　throughly　washed　on　his
body　for　the　most　part　ten　times　in　one　day；　and　we　had　now　been　well…
near　a　month　every　day　passing　to　the　westward　farther　and　farther
from　our　ships。　We　therefore　turned　towards　the　east；　and　spent　the
rest　of　the　time　in　discovering　the　river　towards　the　sea；　which　we
had　not　viewed；　and　which　was　most　material。

The　next　day　following　we　left　the　mouth　of　Caroli；　and　arrived　again
at　the　port　of　Morequito　where　we　were　before；　for　passing　down　the
stream　we　went　without　labour；　and　against　the　wind；　little　less　than
a　hundred　miles　a　day。　As　soon　as　I　came　to　anchor；　I　sent　away　one
for　old　Topiawari；　with　whom　I　much　desired　to　have　further
conference；　and　also　to　deal　with　him　for　some　one　of　his　country　to
bring　with　us　into　England；　as　well　to　learn　the　language；　as　to
confer　withal　by　the　way；　the　time　being　now　spent　of　any　longer　stay
there。　Within　three　hours　after　my　messenger　came　to　him；　he　arrived
also；　and　with　him　such　a　rabble　of　all　sorts　of　people；　and　every　one
loaden　with　somewhat；　as　if　it　had　been　a　great　market　or　fair　in
England；　and　our　hungry　companies　clustered　thick　and　threefold　among
their　baskets；　every　one　laying　hand　on　what　he　liked。　After　he　had
rested　awhile　in　my　tent；　I　shut　out　all　but　ourselves　and　my
interpreter；　and　told　him　that　I　knew　that　both　the　Epuremei　and　the
Spaniards　were　enemies　to　him；　his　country　and　nations：　that　the　one
had　conquered　Guiana　already；　and　the　other　sought　to　regain　the　same
from　them　both；　and　therefore　I　desired　him　to　instruct　me　what　he
could；　both　of　the　passage　into　the　golden　parts　of　Guiana；　and　to　the
civil　towns　and　apparelled　people　of　Inga。　He　gave　me　an　answer　to
this　effect：　first；　that　he　could　not　perceive　that　I　meant　to　go
onward　towards　the　city　of　Manoa；　for　neither　the　time　of　the　year
served；　neither　could　he　perceive　any　sufficient　numbers　for　such　an
enterprise。　And　if　I　did；　I　was　sure　with　all　my　company　to　be　buried
there；　for　the　emperor　was　of　that　strength；　as　that　many　times　so
many　men　more　were　too　few。　Besides；　he　gave　me　this　good　counsel　and
advised　me　to　hold　it　in　mind　（as　for　himself；　he　knew　he　could　not
live　till　my　return）；　that　I　should　not　offer　by　any　means　hereafter
to　invade　the　strong　parts　of　Guiana　without　the　help　of　all　those
nations　which　were　also　their　enemies；　for　that　it　was　impossible
without　those；　either　to　be　conducted；　to　be　victualled；　or　to　have
aught　carried　with　us；　our　people　not　being　able　to　endure　the　march
in　so　great　heat　and　travail；　unless　the　borderers　gave　them　help；　to
cart　with　them　both　their　meat　and　furniture。　For　he　remembered　that
in　the　plains　of　Macureguarai　three　hundred　Spaniards　were　overthrown；
who　were　tired　out；　and　had　none　of　the　borderers　to　their　friends；
but　meeting　their　enemies　as　they　passed　the　frontier；　were　environed
on　all　sides；　and　the　people　setting　the　long　dry　grass　on　fire；
smothered　them；　so　as　they　had　no　breath　to　fight；　nor　could　discern
their　enemies　for　the　great　smoke。　He　told　me　further　that　four　days'
journey　from　his　town　was　Macureguarai；　and　that　those　were　the　next
and　nearest　of　the　subjects　of　Inga；　and　of　the　Epuremei；　and　the
first　town　of　apparelled　and　rich　people；　and　that　all　those　plates　of
gold　which　were　scattered　among　the　borderers　and　carried　to　other
nations　far　and　near；　came　from　the　said　Macureguarai　and　were　there
made；　but　that　those　of　the　land　within　were　far　finer；　and　were
fashioned　after　the　images　of　men；　beasts；　birds；　and　fishes。　I　asked
him　whether　he　thought　that　those　companies　that　I　had　there　with　me
were　sufficient　to　take　that　town　or　no；　he　told　me　that　he　thought
they　were。　I　then　asked　him　whether　he　would　assist　me　with　guides；
and　some　companies　of　his　people　to　join　with　us；　he　answered　that　he
would　go　himself　with　all　the　borderers；　if　the　rivers　did　remain
fordable；　upon　this　condition；　that　I　would　leave　with　him　till　my
return　again　fifty　soldiers；　which　he　undertook　to　victual。　I　answered
that　I　had　not　above　fifty　good　men　in　all　there；　the　rest　were
labourers　and　rowers；　and　that　I　had　no　provision　to　leave　with　them
of　powder；　shot；　apparel；　or　aught　else；　and　that　without　those　things
necessary　for　their　defence；　they　should　be　in　danger　of　the　Spaniards
in　my　absence；　who　I　knew　would　use　the　same　measures　towards　mine
that　I　offered　them　at　Trinidad。　And　although　upon　the　motion　Captain
Caulfield；　Captain　Greenvile；　my　nephew　John　Gilbert　and　divers　others
were　desirous　to　stay；　yet　I　was　resolved　that　they　must　needs　have
perished。　For　Berreo　expected　daily　a　supply　out　of　Spain；　and　looked
also　hourly　for　his　son　to　come　down　from　Nuevo　Reyno　de　Granada；　with
many　horse　and　foot；　and　had　also　in　Valencia；　in　the　Caracas；　two
hundred　horse　ready　to　march；　and　I　could　not　have　spared　above　forty；
and　had　not　any　store　at　all　of　powder；　lead；　or　match　to　have　left
with　them；　nor　any　other　provision；　either　spade；　pickaxe；　or　aught
else　to　have　fortified　withal。

When　I　had　given　him　reason　that　I　could　not　at　this　time　leave　him
such　a　company；　he　then　desired　me　to　forbear　him　and　his　country　for
that　time；　for　he　assured　me　that　I　should　be　no　sooner　three　days
from　the　coast　but　those　Epuremei　would　invade　him；　and　destroy　all
the　remain　of　his　people　and　friends；　if　he　should　any　way　either
guide　us　or　assist　us　against　them。　He　further　alleged　that　the
Spaniards　sought　his　death；　and　as　they　had　already　murdered　his
nephew　Morequito；　lord　of　that　province；　so　they　had　him　seventeen
days　in　a　chain　before　he　was　king　of　the　country；　and　led　him　like　a
dog　from　place　to　place　until　he　had　paid　an　hundred　plates　of　gold
and　divers　chains　of　spleen…stones　for　his　ransom。　And　now；　since　he
became　owner　of　that　province；　that　they　had　many　times　laid　wait　to
take　him；　and　that　they　would　be　now　more　vehement　when　they　should
understand　of　his　conference　with　the　English。　/And　because/；　said　he；
/they　would　the　better　displant　me；　if　they　cannot　lay　hands　on　me；
they　have　gotten　a　nephew　of　mine　called　Eparacano；　whom　they　have
christened　Don　Juan；　and　his　son　Don　Pedro；　whom　they　have　also
apparelled　and　armed；　by　whom　they　seek　to　make　a　party　against　me　in
mine　own　country。　He　also　hath　taken　to　wife　one　Louiana；　of　a　strong
family；　which　are　borderers　and　neighbours；　and　myself　now　being　old
and　in　the　hands　of　death　am　not　able　to　travel　nor　to　shift　as　when　I
was　of　younger　years。/　He　therefore　prayed　us　to　defer　it　till　the
next　year；　when　he　would　undertake　to　draw　in　all　the　borderers　to
serve　us；　and　then；　also；　it　would　be　more　seasonable　to　travel；　for
at　this　time　of　the　year　we　should　not　be　able　to　pass　any　river；　the
waters　were　and　would　be　so　grown　ere　our　return。

He　farther　told　me　that　I　could　not　desire　so　much　to　invade
Macureguarai　and　the　rest　of　Guiana　but　that　the　borderers　would　be
more　vehement　than　I。　For　he　yielded　for　a　chief　cause　that　in　the
wars　with　the　Epuremei　they　were　spoiled　of　their　women；　and　that
their　wives　and　daughters　were　taken　from　them；　so　as　for　their　own
parts　they　desired　nothing　of　the　gold　or　treasure　for　their　labours；
but　only　to　recover　women　from　the　Epuremei。　For　he　farther　complained
very　sadly；　as　it　had　been　a　matter　of　great　consequence；　that　whereas
they　were　wont　to　have　ten　or　twelve　wives；　they　were　now　enforced　to
content　themselves　with　three　or　four；　and　that　the　lords　of　the
Epuremei　had　fifty　or　a　hundred。　And　in　truth　they　war　more　for　women
than　either　for　gold　or　dominion。　For　the　lords　of　countries　desire
many　children　of　their　own　bodies　to　increase　their　races　and
kindreds；　for　in　those　consist　their　greatest　trust　and　strength。
Divers　of　his　followers　afterwards　desired　me　to　make　haste　again；
that　they　might　sack　the　Epuremei；　and　I　asked　them；　of　what？　They
answered；　Of　their　women　for　us；　and　their　gold　for　you。　For　the　hope
of　those　many　of　women　they　more　desire　the　war　than　either　for　gold
or　for　the　recovery　of　their　ancient　territories。　For　what　between　the
subjects　of　Inga　and　the　Spaniards；　those　frontiers　are　grown　thin　of
people；　and　also　great　numbers　are　fled　to　other　nations　farther　off
for　fear　of　the　Spaniards。

After　I　received　this　answer　of　the　old　man；　we　fell　into
consideration　whether　it　had　been　of　better　advice　to　have　entered
Macureguarai；　and　to　have　begun　a　war　upon　Inga　at　this　time；　yea；　or
no；　if　the　time　of　the　year　and　all　things　else　had　sorted。　For　mine
own　part；　as　we　were　not　able　to　march　it　for　the　rivers；　neither　had
any　such　strength　as　was　requisite；　and　durst　not　abide　the　coming　of
the　winter；　or　to　tarry　any　longer　from　our　ships；　I　thought　it　were
evil　counsel　to　have　attempted　it　at　that　time；　although　the　desire
for　gold　will　answer　many　objections。　But　it　would　have　been；　in　mine
opinion；　an　utter　overthrow　to　the　enterprise；　if　the　same　should　be
hereafter