pz Tke^aturattandMorall 



thofe that live neere to Paragtte# y ( whereof wee have 

 made mention,) forefecing the rifing of the River be 

 fore it comes 3 put themfdves and their goods into Co- 

 jz0^,anafoprefervethemielves and their goods, fioa- 

 ting vp and downe, almoft for the fpace of three mo- 

 neths : and when the River is returned within her 

 boundes, then they goeto their houfo , ftill wette and 

 dropping with thefiood. And this River is fogreat^as 

 Nile, Ganges & Euphrates all together cannot equall it. 

 But what fliall we fay of the great river vtMagdalaine, 

 which falles into thefea betwixt S.c^to"^andC*r- 

 tfcfigtw , and with reafon is called the great river ? Sai 

 ling in thofe parts , I was amazed to fee her ftreame 

 (which was very cleere) runne ten leagues into the fea, 

 being in breadth above two leagues, not mingling nor 

 vanquifhed with the violent waves of the O cean. But if 

 we fliall fpeake more of rivers,that great floud called by 

 (bmCjthe river of dmazons , by others MwAnntn , and 

 by fome, the river of OreBanA, which our Spaniards fai 

 led in their difcoveries , ought to blcmifh all the reft- 

 and in truth I am in doubt whither I may tearmeita 

 river, or a lea. It flowes from the mountain es ofPer^ 

 from whence it receiues a great aboundance of water, 

 bothofraine and of rivers, which it garhereth into it- 

 then paffmg by the great plaines tfPautiti, Dorado^ and 

 the Amaz>ows,m the end it falles into the Ocean, almoft 

 right againft the Hand of Marguerite and Trinidado. It 

 hath fo large & broad a channel,fpccially in theiaft third 

 part of her length.as it contains in it many great Hands. 

 And that which feemes incredible, when you faile 

 through the midft of it., you fliall fee nothing but aire 

 and water. They fay moreover, that from the midft 

 you cannot fee nor difcover with the eye, many great 



and 



