A.D. 



1595' 



The holsome- 

 nesse of the 

 countrey. 



Gold, 



Brasil zvood. 

 Excellent dyes. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



or Pizarro in Peru : and the shining glory of this 

 conquest will eclipse all those so farre extended beames 

 of the Spanish nation. There is no countrey which 

 yeeldeth more pleasure to the inhabitants, either for 

 those common delights of hunting, hawking, fishing, 

 fowling, or the rest, then Guiana doth. It hath so 

 many plaines, cleere rivers, abundance of Phesants, 

 Partriges, Quailes, Railes, Cranes, Herons, and all 

 other fowle : Deere of all sorts, Porkes, Hares, Lions, 

 Tygers, Leopards, and divers other sortes of beastes, 

 either for chase, or food. It hath a kind of beast 

 called Cama, or Anta, as bigge as an English beefe, 

 and in great plentie. 



To speake of the severall sorts of every kind, I 

 feare would be troublesome to the Reader, and there- 

 fore I will omit them, and conclude that both for health, 

 good ayre, pleasure, and riches I am resolved it cannot 

 bee equalled by any region either in the East or West. 

 Moreover the countrey is so healthful!, as of an hundred 

 persons & more (which lay without shift most sluttishly, 

 and were every day almost melted with heate in rowing 

 and marching, and suddenly wet againe with great 

 showers, and did eate of all sorts of corrupt fruits, 

 and made meales of fresh fish without seasoning, of 

 Tortugas, of Lagartos or Crocodiles, and of all sorts 

 good and bad, without either order or measure, and 

 besides lodged in the open aire every night) we lost 

 not any one, nor had one ill disposed to my knowledge, 

 nor found any Calentura, or other of those pestilent 

 diseases which dwell in all hot regions, and so neere 

 the Equinoctiall line. 



Where there is store of gold, it is in effect needlesse 

 to remember other commodities for trade : but it hath 

 towards the South part of the river, great quantities of 

 Brasil-wood, and diverse berries that die a most perfect 

 crimson and carnation : And for painting, all France, 

 Italy, or the East Indies yeelde none such : For the more 

 the skin is washed, the fairer the colour appeareth, and 



426 



/ 



