PASSAGE OF THE PONGO. 157 



the lands, which by report are very rich, especially those LlB&amp;gt; m&amp;lt; 

 they call Dorado and Paytiti. Juan de Salinas, the Adelan- 

 tado, made a memorable entrie, though of small effect. 

 There is a passage which they call Pongo, 1 one of the most 

 daungerous in all the worlde, for the river being there 

 straightened, and forced betwixt two high steepe rockes, 

 the water falles directly downe with so great a violence that, 

 comming steepe downe, it causeth such a boyling as it 

 seemeth impossible to passe it without drowning, yet the 

 courage of men durst attempt to passe it for the desire of 

 this renowned Dorado ; they slipt downe from the top to 

 the bottome, thrust on with the violence and currant of the 

 floud, holding themselves fast in their canoes or barkes ; 

 and although in falling they were turned topsie turvie, and 

 both they and their canoes plunged into the deepe, yet by 

 their care and industry they recovered themselves againe ; 

 and in this sort the whole army escaped, except some few 

 that were drowned. And that which is more admirable 

 they carried themselves so cunningly that they neyther lost 

 their powder nor munition. In their returne (having suffered 

 many troubles and daungers) they were forced in the end 

 to pass backe that same way, mounting by one of those high 

 Rockes, sticking their poinards in the rocke. 



Captain Pedro de Ursua made an other entry by the 

 same river, who being dead in the same voyage and the 

 souldiers mutinied, other Captaines followed the enter 

 prise by an arme that comes into the north sea. A 

 religious man of our company told vs that, being then 

 a secular man, he was present in a manner at all that 

 enterprise, and that the tides did flowe almost a hundred 

 leagues vp the river, and whereas it enters into the sea 

 (the which is vnder the line or very neere) ; it hath 70 

 leagues breadth at the mouth of it, a matter incredible, 

 and which exceedes the breadth of the Mediterranean 

 1 A corruption of Puncu, a door. 



