AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1518. 



they were kneaded with the licour of Balsamum. All 

 this coast from the Cape of S. Austine unto Marannon 

 is a cleare coast & deep, but neer to the river are 

 certaine sholds towardes the East part. And by the 

 West part the river is deepe, and it hath a good entrie. 

 From this river Marannon, unto the river which is 

 called The sea of fresh water, are 2 5 leagues : this 

 river hath 40 leagues of bredth at the mouth, and 

 carieth such abundance of water that it entreth more 

 then 20 leagues into the Sea, and mingleth not it selfe 

 with the salt water : this bredth goeth 2 5 leagues 

 within the land, and after it is devided into partes, 

 the one going towards the Southeast, and the other 

 towards the Southwest. That which goeth towards 

 the Southeast is very deepe and of much water, and 

 hath a chanel half a league of bredth, that a Carack 

 may goe up through it : & the tydes be so swift, that 

 the ships have need of good cables. The river of this 

 port is very good, and there have bene some that have 

 entred 50 leagues within it, & have scene no moun- 

 taines. The Indians of this countrey have their lips 

 made full of small holes in 4 parts, & through those 

 holes be put small rings, and likewise at their eares : 

 & if any man aske of them where they had their gold, 

 they answere, that going up by the river so many dayes 

 journey, they found certaine mountaines that had much 

 of it, and from those mountaines they brought it when 

 they would have it, but they made no great account of 

 it, for they neither buy nor sell, and amongst them is 

 nothing but change. In this countery they eate bread of 

 rootes, and Maiz, and they eate certaine rootes which 

 they call Aies and Batatas, but the Batatas bee better 

 then the other rootes, and being rawe they have a smell 

 of Chestnuts : they are to be eaten rosted. These 

 Indians doe make wine of the fruit of Date-trees, 

 which fruit is yellow in colour, and is as great as a 

 little Doves egge, and being in season is good to be 

 eaten, and of it proceedeth good wine, and is preserved 



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