Mr. WAFERS Voyages, &c 287 



fpread it on Paper, and having a Load-ftone they 

 moye that over it, which draws all the Iron, &c. 

 from. it, and then leaves the Gold clean from Ore or 

 Filth ; and this they bottle up in Gourds or Cala- 

 bashes. In this Manner they work during the dry 

 Seafon, which is 3 Months for in the wet Time 

 the Gold is waflied from the Mountains by violent 

 Rains, and then commonly the Rivers are very 

 deep ; but now in the gathering Seafon, when they 

 are fallen again, they are not above a Foot deep. 

 Having fpent the dry Seafon in gathering, they im- 

 bark in fmall Veffels for Santa Maria Town and ganta 

 if they meet with good Succefs and a favourable Maria. 

 Time, they carry with them, by Report (for I 

 learnt thefe Particulars of a Spaniard whom We The Gold 

 took at Santa Maria under Captain Sharp) 1 8 or carried to 

 20000 Pound Weight of Gold : But whether they ' 

 gather more or lefs, 'tis incredible to report the 

 Store of Gold which is yearly wafh'd down out of 

 thefe Rivers. 



During thefe Progrefies I made with Lacenta, my 

 4 Companions ftaid behind at his Seat ; but I had by 

 this Time fo far ingratiated my* felf with Lacenta^ 

 that he would never go any where without me, and 

 I plainly perceiv'd he intended to keep me in this 

 Country • all the Days of my Life ; which raifed 

 fome anxious Thoughts in me, but I concealed them 

 as well as I could. 



Purfuing our Sport one Day, it hapned we ftart- 

 ed a Pecary, which held the Indians and their Dogs 

 in Play the greateft Part of the Day ; till Lacenta 

 was almoft fpent for want of Viftuals, and was fo 

 troubled at his ill Succefs that he impatiently 

 wifh'd for fome better Way of managing this Sort 

 of Game. 



I now underftood their Language pretty well, The A 



Santa Ma- 

 ria. 



and finding what troubled him, 1 took this Qppor-g^^ 



moves for 

 leave to 



tunny depart . 



