AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1540. 



and on our horses, a little victuall, so that from hence- 

 forward wee carried none other needefull apparell with 

 us, that was above a pound weight : and all this not- 

 withstanding, and though wee put our selves to such a 

 small proportion of victuals which wee carried, for all 

 the order that possibly wee could take, wee were driven 

 to our shifts. And no marvayle, because the way is 

 rough and long : and with the carriage of our Harque- 

 buses downe the mountaines and hilles, and in the 

 passage of Rivers, the greater part of our corne was 

 spoyled. And because I send your Lordship our voyage 

 drawen in a Mappe, I will speake no more thereof in 

 this my letter. 

 Frier Marcus Thirtie leagues before wee arrived at the place which 

 ofNtza. ^j^g father provinciall tolde us so well of in his relation, 



I sent Melchior Diaz before with fifteene horses, giving 

 him order to make but one dayes journey of two, 

 because hee might examine all things, against mine 

 arrivall : who travailed foure dayes journey through 

 exceeding rough Mountaines where hee found neither 

 victuals, nor people, nor information of any things, 

 saving that hee found two or three poore little villages, 

 containing 20. or 30. cottages a piece, and by the in- 

 habitants thereof hee understoode that from thence 

 forward there were nothing but exceeding rough moun- 

 taines which ran very farre, utterly disinhabited and voyd 

 of people. And because it was labour lost, I would not 

 write unto your Lordship thereof. 



It grieved the whole company, that a thing so highly 

 commended, and whereof the father had made so great 

 bragges, should be found so contrary, and it made them 

 suspect that all the rest would fall out in like sort. 

 Which when I perceived I sought to encourage them the 

 best I coulde, telling them that your Lordshippe alwayes 

 was of opinion, that this voyage was a thing cast away, 

 and that wee should fixe our cogitation upon those seven 

 Cities, and other provinces, whereof wee had knowledge: 

 that there should bee the ende of our enterprise : and 



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