Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA, 3S1 



the year 1500, he had fight of land; and called k 

 Cabo de Confolacion, having juft weathered a mofb 

 violent ftorm. This promontory is now called Cabo 

 de San Augnftin. Here he landed; and, after taking 

 a view of the country, coafted along it northward j 

 fometimes he loft fight of it, when on a fudden he 

 found himfelf in a frefh-water fea, out of which he 

 fupplied himfelf with what he wanted : and being 

 determined to trace it to its fource, he failed upwards, 

 and came to the mouth of the river Maranon, where 

 the iflands made a moil charming appearance. Here 

 he ftaid fome time, carrying on a friendly traffick 

 with the Indians, who were courteous and humane 

 to thefe flrangers. He continued advancing up the 

 river, new countries Hill appearing as he failed 

 farther. 



To this maritime difcovery fucceeded that by land, 

 in the year 1540, under the condudl of Gonzalo 

 Pizarro, who was commifiioned for this enterprize 

 by his brother the Marquis Don Francifco Pizarro^ 

 on the report which Gonzalo Diaz de Pineda had made 

 of the country of La Canela, in the year 1536; at 

 the fame time making him governor of Quito. 

 Gonzalo Pizarro arrvied at the country of Los Cane- 

 los ; and following the courfe of a river, either the 

 Napo or Coca, it is not certain which-, though more 

 probably the firft, met with unfurmountable difficulties 

 and hardlhips; and feeing himfelf deftitute of pro- 

 vifions of every kind, and that his people, by feeding 

 on the buds and rinds of trees, fnakes, and other crea- 

 tures, wafted away one after another, he determined 

 to build a vefTel, in order to feek provifions at the 

 place where this river joined another-, the Indians 

 having informed him that there he would meet v/ith a 

 great plenty. The command of this vefTel he gave 

 to Francifco de Orellana, his lieutenant-general and 

 confident, recommending to him all the diligence 

 and punctuality which their extremity required. Af- 

 ter 



