2,14 Disco VER IE s 
Borders were fo thickly arched and overlhadowed with 
Treesj as bounded their Sight to the Breadth of the River 
and the Length of the Avenue, while the Gloominefs of 
the Profpedt added Horror to the Loathfomnefs of the 
Places in which they were confined* 
At length, on the 2 2d of May 1595, they fell into a 
River, which, becaufe it had no Name, they called the 
Red Crofs River ^ thefe being the firft Chriflians who 
ever entered the fame : When they drew into a Creek, 
which led to a Town upon this River, their Indian Pilot, 
named Ferdinando^ landing, was fet upon by his Coun- 
trymen, who hunted him with Dogs ; whereupon Ra- 
leigh feized an old Man paffing that way, and threat- 
ened to cut off his Head, if he did not procure his Pi- 
lot’s Liberty ; but he, by his Agility, foon efcaped 
them, and fwam to Raleigh's Barge ; however, they 
kept the old Man, and ufed him kindly, affuring them- 
felves of ufeful Information from a Native, fo long con- 
verfant in thofe Parts. And indeed, but for this Acci- 
dent, they had never found their Way forward to the 
Country they fought, nor back to that where their Ships 
lay ; the old Man himfelf being often in the utmofl; 
Perplexity which River to take, fo numerous and intri- 
cate they were. The People who inhabit the Countries 
at the Mouth of this great River, are comprehended un- 
der the general Name of Fivitivas, a bold and hardy 
Race of People, who know the Value of Liberty, and 
have Courage enough to defend it : They live in Houfes 
during the Summer, or dry Seafon, but in the Wet or 
Winter Months they live in little Huts, which are built 
upon Trees, a Thing common enough on this Coaft and 
even in the Eafi Indies where the Countries are exceffively 
wet. 
After this ’Raleigh's Barge ran a-ground, and that 
with fuch force, that it did not feem very probable 
they fhould be able to get her off" ; fo that the Difcove- 
ry feemed at a ffand ; but on the fourth Day after this 
Accident happened they fet her on float, and, ftriking 
into the Amana, one of the noblefl; Branches of the Oro- 
noco, they continued their Voyage, but with incredible 
Fatigue. As they were now within five Degrees of the 
Line, Sir Walter was forced to keep up their Spi- 
rits by diredling his Pilots to give them Hopes from time 
to time that their Labours would foon have an End. 
At length the old Indian Pilot they had on board, per- 
ceiving that their Proviflons were quite exhaufted, and 
that they were in Danger of perilhing without an im- 
mediate Supply, told them, that if they would venture 
up a River on their right Hand, he would bring them 
to a Town where they might be fure of Refrelhments, 
and be able to return before Night. Sir Walter took him 
at his Word, and went immediately into his Boat with 
eight Muflceteers, followed by the Captains Gifford and 
Calfield in their Wherries, v/ith eight Men a-peice. But 
it appeared that the Indian Pilot had learned Sir Walter's 
Art, for they not only rowed all Day, but all Night, 
without feeing any Town, and a lefs prudent Captain 
than he would have been tempted to have puniflied 
the Pilot for giving them falfe Hopes. Yet about one 
the next Morning they reached this long expelled Town, 
and obtained thofe Supplies of which they flood fo much 
in need. In the mean time the Company in the Galley 
manned out a Boat in fearch of them, but next Day they 
returned and continued their Courfe. After they had 
made this hungry and hazardous Voyage for fourfcore 
Miles in that River, which, befides other ftrange Fiflies 
of marvellous Bignefs, abounded with Crocodiles, whence 
the People named it the River of Lagartis, Raleigh had 
a very proper young Negro attending upon him in his 
Galley, who, leaping out to fwim in the Mouth of this 
River, was in the Sight of them all inftantly devoured 
by one of thefe amphibious Animals. 
Not long after, being again in want of Viduals, they 
took two Canoes laden with excellent Bread, being run 
afliore by the Indians in them, called Arwaycas, who 
fled to hide themfelves in the Woods, fearing, through 
the Prepofieflions of the Spaniards^ that Raleigh and his 
Company were Cannibals. Raleigh^ purfuing them in 
Hopes of fome Intelligence, found, as he was creeping 
through the Buflies, a Refiner’s Balket ; in which were 
Quickfilver, Salt-petre, and divers other Materials for 
SeTTL EMENTS Book I. 
the Trial of Metals, and alfo the Dull of fome Ore that 
had been refined. But in two other Canoes that efcaped 
them, they heard of a good Quantity of Ore and Gold. 
Raleigh then landed more Men, and offered 500/. to 
any of his Soldiers who fhould take one of the Spani- 
ards. He found the Arwaycas hiden in the Woods, who 
had been Pilots to the Spaniards., of which Raleigh kept 
the Chief for his Pilot, and carried him to Guiana j by 
whom he underftood in what Parts the Spaniards labour- 
ed for Gold, which he divulged to two of his Company, 
knowing both the Seafon of the Year and other Conve- 
niencies would be wanting to work any Mine himfelf. 
After recruiting his People with wholefome Refrefliments, 
he continued his Voyage ; The Men feemed now quite 
as well pleafed as their Commander had been from the 
Beginning, and of their own accord offered to go as far 
as he would; fo that on the 15th Day from their leaving 
their Ships he entered the great River Oronoco, and had an 
Opportunity of fatisfying himfelf as to the Number and 
Names of the Indian^dXions that inhabited both Sides of it. 
After having paflfed the Mountain Aio, and a great 
Ifland which he mentions he reached on the fifth Day of 
his entering the great River aforefaid, as high as the 
Province of Aromaia, and anchoring at the Port of 
Morequito, which is full three hundred Miles within, 
the Land, upon the faid great River Oronoco, he fent a 
Meffenger to the old King of Araynaia, named Fopiowary^ 
who came the next Day before Noon on Foot from his 
Houfe, and returned the fame Evening, being twenty- 
eight Miles backwards and forwards, though himfelf 
was one hundred and ten Years of Age. Pie had many 
Attendants of both Sexes, who came alfo to wonder at 
the Englijh, and brought them great Plenty of Flefh and 
Filh, with divers Sort of Fruits. When the old King 
had refrefhed himfelf a while in the Tent, which Ra- 
leigh had caufed to be pitched for him, they entered 
by the Interpreter into Difcourfe about the Murder of 
Morequito his Predecefibr, and the other Barbarities of 
the Spaniards. Then Raleigh acquainted him with the 
Caufe of his coming thither, whofe Servant he was, 
and that it was his (^een’s Pleafure he fhould undertake 
this Voyage for their Defence, and to deliver them from 
the Tyranny of tht Spaniards, dilating at large (as he had 
done before at Frinidada'j on her Majeffy’s Power, her 
Juftice, and her Clemency towards all opprefled Nati- 
ons ; all which being with great Reverence and Attenti- 
on received, he began to found the old Man touching 
Guiana, as what Sort of Commonwealth it was ; how 
governed ; of what Strength and Policy ; of what Ex- 
tent ; with whom in Alliance or Enmity ; laftly, the 
Diftance and way to enter the Pleart of the Country. 
The King gave fuch an ample and perfed Account of thefe 
Particulars, that Raleigh wondered to find a Man of fuch 
Gravity, Judgment, and good Difcourfe, without the 
Help of I-earning or Breeding. 
After his Departure Raleigh failed Weftward to view 
the famous River Caroli, both becaufe it was fo wonder- 
ful in itfelf, and led to the ffrongefl: Nations of all the 
Frontiers, who were Enemies to the Epuremei, Subjedls 
to the Inca or Emperor of Guiana, and MaMoa: Even 
when he was fliort of it, or lower down than the Port 
of Morequito, he heard the roaring Falls of this Ri- 
ver ; but when he entered it v/ith his Barge and Wher- 
ries, thinking to have gone up fome forty Miles to the 
Cajiagolos, he was not able, with a Barge of eight Oars, 
to row one Stone’s-throw in an Hour, and yet the River 
is as broad as the Thames at Woolwich. Therefore 
encamping on the Banks, he fent off an Indian to ac- 
quaint the Nation upon the River of his Arrival and his 
Purpofe, and that he defired to fee the Lords of Canu- 
ri, who dwelt in that Province. ITen one of the 
Princes came down, named Wanuretona, with many of 
his People, and brought great Store of Proviflons, as 
the reft had done. By him Raleigh found the Carolians 
were not only Enemies to the Spaniards, but moft of 
all to the Epuremei, who abounded in Gold ; and that 
there were three mighty Nations at the Head of that 
River which would join them againft them ; he was 
further informed, by one Captain George whom he had 
taken with Berreo, that near the Banks of this River 
there was a great Silver Mine, but the Rivers were now 
all 
