A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1595. 



places. In Guiana it selfe I never saw Marcasite, but al 

 the rocks, mountains, al stones in ye plaines, woods, & by 

 the rivers side are in effect throughshining, and seem 

 marvelous rich, which being tried to be no Marcasite, are 

 the true signes of rich minerals, but are no other then El 

 madre del oro (as the Spaniards terme them) which is the 

 mother of gold, or as it is said by others the scum of 

 gold : of divers sorts of these many of my company 

 brought also into England, every one taking ye fairest 

 for the best, which is not general. For mine own part 

 I did not countermand any mans desire, or opinion, & I 

 could have aforded them litle if I should have denied 

 them the pleasing of their owne fancies therein : but 1 

 was resolved that gold must be found either in graines 

 separate from the stone (as it is in most of the rivers in 

 Guiana) or els in a kind of hard stone, which we call The 

 white spar, of which I saw divers hils, & in sundry places, 

 but had neither time nor men, nor instruments fit for 

 labour. Neere unto one of the rivers I found of the said 

 White sparre or flint a very great ledge or banke, which I 

 endevoured to breake by al the meanes I could, because 

 there appeared on the outside some smal graines of 

 of gold, but finding no meane to worke the same upon 

 the upper part, seeking the sides and circuit of the said 

 rocke, I found a clift in the same from whence with 

 daggers, and with the head of an axe, we got out some 

 smal quantitie therof, of which kind of white stone 

 (wherin gold ingendred) we saw divers hils and rocks in 

 every part of Guiana, wherein we traveiled. Of this 

 there have bin many trials, and in London it was first 

 assaid by M. Westwood a refiner dwelling in Wood street, 

 and it held after the rate of 12000. or 13000. pounds a 

 tunne. Another sort was afterward tried by M. Bulmar 

 & M. Dimock Assay-master, & it held after the rate of 

 23000 li. a tunne. There was some of it againe tried by 

 M. Palmer comptroller of the Mint, and M. Dimock in 

 goldsmiths hal, & it held after 26900. li. a tun. There 

 was also at the same time, & by the same persons a trial 



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