LOPEZ V^AZ AD. 



1572-87. 



selves alone without the companle of men, as Orellana 



reported. There were of these women upon divers 



partes of this river, who seeing the Spaniardes fighting 



with their husbandes came in to succour them, and 



shewed themselves more valiant then their husbandes ; 



for which cause it was named. The river of Amazones. 



The Spaniardes intent was onely to passe downe the 



river, neither sought they at all to discover the Inland, 



and yet they tooke good store of golde, putting it into Good store of 



one of their Pinnesses, where Lopez de ilgira himselfe S°^^^' 



was embarked, which Pinnesse at the mouth of the river 



was cast away, but he himselfe escaped, because he had 



not as yet fulfilled his bloodie minde. And when he 



was come to the Ilande of Margarita, the Governour Lopez de 



thereof supposing he had beene one of the kings loyall ^g^ra 



captaines, received him with pinnesses, and brousfht e^ood ^p'^'^'^^h at 

 J r • ^ ^ ^1- -n^i • i^j Marmnta 



store or victuals unto him. l3ut he putting the sayd j-^g 



Governour immediatly to death, landed on the Hand, 

 and tooke it and two shippes that were there, and con- 

 strained likewise an hundred and fiftie men, which he 

 there found, to goe with him, besides others that went 

 voluntarily, carrying from thence good store of victuales, 

 and many horses also. And then he returned to the 

 maine land, saying, that with his small forces hee would 

 subdue the whole Indias : imagining belike that all the 

 olde souldiers and poore people, at the first sight of 

 him, would turne to his- side and take his part. How- 

 beit he was foulely deceived : for before he had marched 

 two dayes journey up into the land, the Governour of 

 Nueva Granada came against him with a power of men : 

 but Lopez de Agira hoping that other souldiers would 

 have joyned themselves unto him, whereby his strength 

 might have beene the more, was quite frustrate of his 

 expectation : for even his owne men left him, and tooke 

 part with the kings Captaine. Nowe seeing himselfe 

 thus left destitute of his souldiers, and voide of all 

 helpe, he committed a more unnaturall bloodie act then 

 ever Nero the tyrant did, for he murthered his owne 



-47 



