THE DISCOVERY OF GUIANA ad 



1595- 

 made of the dust of the said mine which held 8 li. 6. 

 ounces weight of gold in the loo: there was likewise [III. 630.] 

 at the same time a triall of an image of copper made in 

 Guiana, which held a third part of gold, besides divers 

 trials made in the countrey, & by others in London. 

 But because there came ill with the good, & belike the 

 said Alderman was not presented with the best, it hath 

 pleased him therefore to scandall all the rest, and to 

 deface the enterprize as much as in him lieth. It hath 

 also bene concluded by divers, that if there had bin any 

 such oare in Guiana, and the same discovered, that I 

 would have brought home a greater quantitie thereof: 

 first I was not bound to satisfie any man of the quantitie, 

 but such onely as adventured, if any store had bin 

 returned thereof: but it is very true that had al their 

 mountaines bene of massie gold, it was impossible for us 

 to have made any longer stay to have wrought the same : 

 and whosoever hath scene with what strength of stone the 

 best gold oare is invironed, hee will not thinke it easie to 

 be had out in heapes, and especially by us, who had 

 neither men, instruments, nor time (as it is said before) to 

 performe the same. There were on this discovery no 

 lesse then 100. persons, who can all witnesse, that when 

 we past any branch of the river to view the land within, 

 and staied from our boats but 6. houres, wee were driven 

 to wade to the eyes, at our returne : and if wee attempted 

 the same, the day following it was impossible either to 

 ford it, or to swim it, both by reason of the swiftnesse, 

 and also for that the borders were so pestred with fast 

 woods, as neither boat nor man could find place, either to 

 land or to imbarke : for in June, July, August and 

 September, it is impossible to navigate any of those 

 rivers : for such is the fury of the current, and there 

 are so many trees and woods overflowne, as if any boat 

 but touch upon any tree or stake, it is impossible 

 to save any one person therein : and yer we departed 

 the land it ranne with such swiftnes, as wee drave 

 downe most commonly against the wind, little lesse 



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