Ch. V- SOUTH AMERICA. 377 



an expedition on it. For had he known any thing 

 further, he doubtlefs would have enriched his hiHory 

 with fome of the adventures of the difcovery of it; 

 for if he had not thought them fufficiently 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 mod diftinguifhed 

 river in the world. But what carries along with it a 

 much greater air of probability, is, that Vicente Ya- 

 nez Pinzon, upon his arrival in the river, heard it call- 

 ed by the Indians who inhabited its iflands and banks^ 

 Maranon, or fome name of a fimilar found ; and thence 

 Vicente Yanez concluded 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 Spanifli maranas, or from being bewilderccf 

 among the great number of iflands, forming enma- 

 ranado, or an intricate labyrinth of channels, accord- 

 ing to the opinion of fome hiftorians. 



The fecond name is that of the river of the Ama- 

 zons, which was given it by Francifco Orellana, from 

 the troops of women who made part of the body of 

 Indians who oppofed his palTage ; and who were not 

 inferior either in courage or the dexterous ufe of the 

 bow, to the men ; fo that, inftead of landing where 'he 

 intended, he was obliged to keep at a diftance from 

 the fhore, and often in the middle of the channel, to 

 be out of their reach. However, on his return to 

 Spain, and laying before the miniftry an account of 

 his proceedings, and of the female warriors that op- 

 pofed him, he was by patent created governor of thefe 

 parts, in recompenfe, as it was expreffed, for his having 

 fubdued the Amazons : and ever fmce the river has 

 been called by that name. 



Some 



