4 



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3 



VESSELS OF GOLD. 213 



more." Accompanied by thirty of the principal Indians, 

 with, others to carry the provisions, he entered this second 

 desert on the 9 th of May. He travelled the first day by a 

 very broad and beaten way, and came to dinner unto a water, 

 and at night nnto another water, where the Indians provided 

 him with a cottage and victuals. In this manner he travelled 

 twelve days' journey. At that point he met one of Stephen's 

 Indians, who, " in great fright and covered with sweat," 

 iaformed him that the people of Cevola had at first imprisoned 

 and afterwards killed the negro. 



Father Marco himself then became fearful of trusting his 

 life in the hands of that people. But he told his companions 

 that he " purposed to see the city of Cevola, whatever came 

 of it." So he ascended a mountain and viewed the city. 

 He describes it as " situated upon the plain at the foot of a 

 round hill,* and maketh show to be a fair city ; and is better 

 seated " than any that he has seen in these parts. The houses 

 ^'were builded in order/' according as tlie Indians had told 



* him, '' all made of stone, with divers stories and flat roofs. 

 The people t are somewhat white; they wear apparel, and 



i lie on beds ; their weapons are bows ; they have emeralds and 

 other jewels, although they esteem none so much as turquoises, 



I wherewith they adorn the walls of the porches of their 

 houses, and their apparel and vessels; and they use them 

 instead of money through all the country. Their apparel 

 is of cotton and of ox-hides, and this is their most commend- 

 able and honourable apparel." They use vessels of gold and 

 silver, for these metals are found in greater abimdance 

 here than in Peru. They buy the same for tiu-quoises in 



• This description answers quite weU to Zuiii at the present day. See 

 engraving, page 164. 



t " The foUowing he would not have seen, but probably states on the authority 

 of his informers."— ( ]Miij>j>le.) 



