ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



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channel of Tagipuri, as Hkewlfe of the rivers which have joined it, from the fame Gape 

 Maguari to Tigioca point, is twelve leagues. 



This river, which exceeds any one mentioned either in facred or profane hiftory, has 

 three names ; and is equally known by them all, each implying its jftupendous majefty, 

 and importing its fuperiority«.to any other in Europe, Africa, or Afia. And this feems 

 to have been intended by the fmgularity of its having three different names ; each of 

 them enigmatically comprehending thofe of the moft famous in the other three parts of 

 the world ; the Danube in Europe, the Ganges in Afia, and the Nile in Africa. 



The names which exprefs the grandeur of this river are the Maranon, the Amazons, 

 and the Orellana. But it is not known with certainty that either of them was the origi- 

 nal, before its difcovery by the Spaniards, given it by the Indians, though probably it 

 was not without many ; for as various nations inhabited its banks, it was natural for 

 every one to call it by a particular name, or at leaft to make ufe of that which had been 

 previoufly given it. But either the firft Spaniards who failed on it negleded this enquiry, 

 or the former names became confounded with others given it fince that epocha, fo that 

 now no'veftiges of them remain. 



The general opinion prefers, in point of antiquity, that of Maranon, though fome 

 authors will have it pofterior to the two others ; but we conceive they are miftaken, 

 both in their aifertion, and in the caufe of that name. They fuppofe that it was firft 

 given to this river by the Spaniards, who failed down it under the conduct of Pedro de 

 Orfua, in 1560 or 1559 ; whereas it had been known by that name many years before : 

 for Pedro Martyr in his Decades, fpeaking of the difcovery of the coaft of Brazil, in the 

 year 1500, by Vincente Yanez Pinzon, relates, among other things, that they came to 

 a river called Maranon. This book was printed in the year 1516, long before Gonzalo 

 Pizarro undertook the difcovery of the river, and conqueft of the adjacent nations who 

 inhabited its banks ; or Francifco de Orellana had failed on it. This demonftrates the 

 antiquity of the name of Maranon ; but leaves us under the fame difficulties with regard 

 to its date and etymology. Some, following Auguftine de Zarate, attribute the origin 

 of this name to a Spanifh commander called Maranan, from whom, as being the firfl 

 that difplayed the Spanifh enfign on this river, it was thence called after his own name. 

 But this opinion is rather fpecious than folid, being founded only on the fimilarity of the 

 names, a very exceptionable inference, efpecially as no mention is made of any fuch 

 officer in any hiftory publifhed of thefe difcoveries and conquefts ; whence it feems na- 

 tural to conclude, that Zarate, on hearing that the river was called Maranon, inferred 

 that the name was taken from fome perfon of eminence who had made an expedition on 

 it. For had he known any thing further, he doubtlefs would have enriched his hiftory 

 with fome of the adventures of the difcovery of it ; for if he had not thought them fuf- 

 ficiently interefting, it is fomething ftrange that all the Spanifh hiftorians fhould be in 

 the fame way of thinking, and concur to fupprefs the memory of a Spaniard whofe name 

 was thought worthy to be given to the moft diftinguifhed river in the world. But what 

 carries along with it a much greater air of probability is, that Vincente Yanez Pinzon, 

 upon his arrival in the river, heard it called by the Indians who inhabited its iflands and- ^jj^,^:^ 

 banks, Maranon, or fome name of a fimilar found ; and thence Vincente Yanez con- , 



eluded that its name was Maranon. Hence it is undeniable, that the preference in an- 

 tiquity belongs to the name of Maranon ; and that this name was not given it by Orfua 

 or his men, in allufion to fome feuds and confufions among them, called in Spanifh, 

 maranas, or from being bewildered among the great number of iflands, forming enma- 

 ranado, or an intricate labyrinth of channels, according to the opinion of fome hiftorians. 



o The 



