THE DISCOVERY OF GUIANA ad. 



1595- 



Meeting with the ships at Puerta de los Espannoles, 



we found at the landing place a company of Spaniards 



who kept a guard at the descent, and they offering a 



signe of peace, I sent Captaine Whiddon to speake 



with them, whom afterward to my great griefe I left 



buried in the said yland after my returne from Guiana, The death of 



being a man most honest and valiant. The Spaniards ^{/1?^ 



seemed to be desirous to trade with us, and to enter 



into termes of peace, more for doubt of their owne 



strength then for ought else, and in the ende upon 



pledge, some of them came abord : the same evening 



there stale also abord us in a small Canoa two Indians, 



the one of them being a Casique or Lord of the people 



called Cantyman, who had the yeere before bene with 



Captaine Whiddon, and was of his acquaintance. By 



this Cantyman wee understood what strength the 



Spaniards had, howe farre it was to their Citie, and of 



Don Antonio de Berreo the governour, who was said 



to be slaine in his second attempt of Guiana, but was 



not. 



While we remained at Puerto de los Espannoles some 

 Spaniards came abord us to buy linnen of the company, 

 and such other things as they wanted, and also to 

 view our ships and company, all which I entertained 

 kindly and feasted after our maner : by meanes whereof 

 I learned of one and another as much of the estate of 

 Guiana as I could, or as they knew, for those poore 

 souldiers having bene many yeeres without wine, a few 

 draughts made them merrie, in which mood they 

 vaunted of Guiana and of the riches thereof, and all 

 what they knewe of the wayes and passages, my selfe 

 seeming to purpose nothing lesse then the enter- 

 ance or discoverie thereof, but bred in them an opinion 

 that 1 was bound onely for the reliefe of those English 

 which I had planted in Virginia, whereof the bruite was 

 come among them ; which I had performed in my 

 returne, if extremitie of weather had not forst me from 

 the said coast. 



351 



