THOMAS MASHAM a.d. 



1597- 

 had intended to come to us in the night, we fitted all our 

 gunnes and muskets, and kept good watch to prevent 

 them of their purpose ; who, as it was afterwarde tolde 

 us, went along the coast to buy bread and other victuals 

 for them in Orenoque, Marowgo, and Desekebe. Upon 

 Fryday the sixth of May we weighed and made downe 

 the river, and upon Sunday the eighth we gat cleare 

 of it. 



This river is much like unto Marawynne in bredth, 

 and about fiftie leagues from the mouth to the first falles, 

 full of Islandes as the other : in which three rivers, Mano, 

 Tapuere, and Tabuebbi, otherwise Tapuellibi : with sixe 

 Townes, Warrawalle. Mawranamo, Maapuere, Maccha- 

 ribi, Yohoron, and Vaperon. And so clering our selves 

 of this coast, wee tooke our course to the Islands of the 

 West Indies. 



Now I thinke it not amisse to speak something of this 

 countrey. And first touching the climate ; though it 

 stand within the Tropick, and something neere to the 

 Equinoctial, so that the Sunne is twise a yeere over their 

 heads & never far from them, yet is it temperate ynough 

 in those partes. For besides that wee lost not a man [III. 697.] 

 upon the coast, one that was sicke before hee came there, 

 was nothing sicker for being there, but came home safe, 

 thanks be to God. And for mine owne part, I was never 

 better in body in all my life, and in like sort fared it with 

 the rest of the company: for indeed it is not so extreame 

 hote as many imagine. The people in all the lower parts 

 of the countrey goe naked, both men and women, being 

 of severall languages, very tractable, and ingenious, and 

 very loving and kinde to Englishmen generally ; as by 

 experience we found, and upon our owne knowledge doe 

 report. In the upper countreys they goe apparelled, 

 being, as it seemeth, of a more civill disposition, having 

 great store of golde, as we are certeinely informed by the Great store 

 lower Indians, of whom we had some golde, which they ^fjf^^ ^^'' 

 brought and bought in the high countrey of Wiana, being 

 able to buy no more, because they wanted the things 



13 



Wiana, 



