Chap. VIII. U M ET^I C A. 6ip 



KtUtte very effcaual againft the Bloody-flux, the Juice of the Leaf Upee, which 

 cures the Wounds of poyfon'd Arrows, and a fort of fomniferous Apples, whereof 

 the lead bite occafions a deadly Sleep. 



There is alfo a Tree, generally growing about the Houfes of the Natives, the 

 Boughs whereof bruis'd between two Stones, and thrown into the Creeks of deep 

 Water full of F.fii, caufe them to fwim above Water upon their Backs. 



The Later-Wood, call'd Viratiminen, turnsalfo to a good account, much more 

 the excellent Stones, Jalper and Porphyr. 



Nor are there wanting Gold and Silver-Mines, which doubtlefs would yield 

 great proht, were they open'd. 



The Grain of the Countrey grows on Stalks feven Foot long,on the tops whereof 

 hang two Ears full of Kernels as big as Peafe, which ripens in four Moneths 



The Sugar-Canes, being of the bignefs of a Man's Arm, and about fix Foot 

 long, are at the years end cut off, broken and prefs'd in a Mill , after which the 

 Juice boyl'd m Copper Kettles to a certain Subftance, is put into woodden Tun. 

 nels, iquare at the top, and narrow at bottom, with a fmall Hole, which is open'd 

 as loon as the Sugar is lufficiently hardned, to let out the Syrrup . after which it 

 is put into Hogflieads, and foTranfported. 



;, The Hegro't which are brought from Angola and Gurnet, are fo cruelly us'd that 

 they oftentimes through defpair deftroy themfclves. 



The whole Countrey of Guiana is by feveral modern Writers methodically divi- 

 ded inrothele inferior or lcffer Provinces, u ^iode las Ama^ones. 2. Mapoco, or 

 Gutana, properly lo call'd. 3. Orenoque . and 4. The Jfiands of Guiana. 



^odelasAma^ones, or the Countrey of the i«« contains all that part of*w.,„ 

 Gutana which heth on both fides of the River Orellano, of a rich and good Soil gene. *"°"'' 

 rally, abounding with all forts of Fruits, and efpecially with thofe which the 

 Americans call Totok, and love it extreamly, out of an opinion, they fay, that it ex- 

 cites them to Vencry, whereunto they are of themfelves but too much inclin'd . 

 and another which they call fita, of a tafte far more delicious and plcafing and 

 not fo hurtful as the other. The Countrey was firft difcover'd by the fore-mention'd 

 Francifco OreUana, a Spaniard from Quito, but it was onely by the River Orellana - and 

 though he be credibly reported to have Sail'd no lefs than eighteen hundred 

 Leagues down the Stream, and to have difcover'd a rich and fair Countrey on both 

 fides the River, well peopled with Natives, and giving in divers places no fmall 

 Arguments of greater Wealth and Riches more within Land . yet fuch was the bad 

 fuccefs of his fecond Endeavors, and likewife of thofe that follow'd him, as is evi- 

 dent from what hath been before related, that, as yet, there feems no farther Re- 

 port to be given, at leaft not of any thing fpecial, concerning that part of the 

 Countrey. 



_ Wiapoco, or Guiana, properly fo call'd, taketh up the middle part of this Province «**», « 

 being divided, as the other, almoft into two equal parts, by the River WiapocoJ«W* 

 Which runs through the midft of it. The Countrey on both fides of the River is 

 very rich and fertile, and fo naturally apt, both for Sugar.Canes, Cotton-Wooll, 

 and Tobacco, that they are faid to grow here (all of them very good; without 

 Planting, or any art of Husbandry. In this Countrey likewife mould be the fa- 

 mous Dorada, as the Spaniards call it, or Qty of Gold (if it could be found) with the 

 reports and hopes whereof fome of our own Nation feem to have been not a little 

 jpoffefs'd as well as the Spaniards : nor can we much blame them ; for if the Stories of 

 it had prov'd true, it muft have been one of the goodlieft and faireft Cities in the 

 World (not to (peak of the Wealth.) Diego de Ordas, the Spaniard of wJiom we have 



lately 



