REPORTS OF GUIANA ad. 



1594. 

 The fourth of May we came to a Province above five 



leagues thence, of all sides inhabited with much people, 



the principall of this people came and met us in peaceable 



maner : and he is called Revato, he brought us to a very 



large house where he entertained us well, and gave us 



much Golde, and the interpreter asking him from whence [III. 665.] 



that golde was, he answered, From a Province not passing 



a dayes journey off, where there are so many Indians as 



would shadowe the sunne, and so much Golde as all 



yonder plaine will not conteine it. In which Countrey 



(when they enter into the Borracheras or their drunken 



feasts) they take of the said Golde in dust and anoynt 



themselves all over therewith to make the braver shew; 



and to the end the Golde may cover them, they anoynt 



their bodies with stamped herbes of a glewy substance : & 



they have warre with those Indians. They promised us 



that if we would goe unto them, they would ayde us ; but 



they were such infinite numbers, as no doubt they would 



kill us. And being asked how they gat ye same Gold, 



they told us they went to a certaine Downe or playne, 



and pulled or digged up the grasse by the roote : which 



done, they tooke of the earth, putting it in great buckets, 



which they caried to wash at the river, and that which 



came in powder they kept for their Borracheras or drunken 



feasts : and that which was in peeces they wrought into 



Eagles. 



The eight of May wee went from thence, and marched 



about five leagues : at the foote of a Hill wee found a 



principall called Arataco with three thousand Indians, men 



and women all in peace with much victuall, as Hennes 



and Venison in great abundance, and many sortes of 



wine. Hee intreated us to goe to his house, and to 



rest that night in his Towne, being of five hundred 



houses. The interpreter asked whence hee had those 



Hennes : he sayde they were brought from a mountaine 



not passing a quarter of a league thence, where were 



many Indians, yea so many as grasse on the ground, 



and that these men had the points of their shoulders 



437 



