WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ UE ESl'INOSA 'J'] 



202. Six leagues farther toward the Maranon lies the large Rio 

 de Mirare, likewise home of Aruaca Indians ; 4 leagues beyond is 

 the Rio del Esequibo, a large deep river up which ships navigate over 

 20 leagues, nearly as far as the rapids, where a Carib tribe is settled, 

 hostile to the Aruacas. This river empties into the sea through three 

 mouths. 



203. The Rio de Maicaguuin, though small, is very attractive ; 

 along its banks are handsome shady glades with various kinds of 

 trees, in which, and in those of the whole region, there are countless 

 hives of excellent honey, which various sorts of bees make from 

 flowers of great medicinal virtue, and there are quantities of wax ; 

 in fact, all the hollows, trunks, and branches are loaded with honey- 

 comb, and the Indians collect a great deal, both for their sustenance 

 and for the production of the honey wine they drink, and also for 

 trade with the Spaniards. 



204. Ten leagues beyond this river, the Rio de Berbis empties into 

 the sea ; it is a large river and rich in fish, iguanas, and turtles ; it is 

 bordered by extensive forests, likewise inhabited by Aruaca Indians. 

 Eighteen leagues farther toward the Maraiion, the Rio de Corentines 

 empties into the sea, a very mighty river, larger than the others ; its 

 banks are wild, but the river is deep, and therefore ocean ships can 

 travel up it for over 50 leagues. On this river the Dutch established 

 three settlements ; they laid out extensive plantations of tobacco, 

 corn, cassava, and other cereals and vegetables, at the mouth of the 

 Amacur ; but the nearby Spaniards of the cities of Santo Tome, 

 Guiana, and of San Josef on the island of Trinidad, with great cour- 

 age and efforts, risks and dangers, came up there in their vessels, to 

 get rid of such bad neighbors before they received reinforcements, 

 and they drove them out and killed them. Their other settlement was 

 more than 40 leagues inland from the sea, on the Rio de Marataca, 

 which empties into the sea together with the Rio Corentines. These 

 rivers are the home of Carib tribes of dense population, which the 

 Dutch have infected with their perfidious heresies. 



205. Ten leagues beyond the Corentines toward the Maranon, the 

 very mighty Rio de Vara empties into the sea ; it is likewise the home 

 of these same Caribs. In this region there is another watercourse 

 running across from the Vara to the Corentines, deep and navigable ; 

 in fact, the tides pass from one river to the other, over a distance 

 of more than 20 leagues, the reason being that the land is very flat 

 and so the tides flow up these mighty rivers for more than 70 leagues 

 inland. 



