■40 
SUPPOSED EMERALD MINES. 
¥^°"g^ originally to the Andes 
viciStv particularly to the plains in the 
lunity of their eastern side: we see it progressively ad- 
vance, as I observed above, three liundrod leagues toward 
the east-north-east from the sources of the Caqueta to 
those of the Rio Branco and the Esseqiiibo. Gdd was 
America before 15.36, 
without the won El Borado having been ever pronounced 
and without the belief of the existence of any other centre 
with furnish coiiiiueree 
V quMtities of the precious metals tlie 
coast of Paria, Terra Pirma (Casif/Z/o del Oro), the iiiouii- 
tarns of Santa Jlartha, and the isthmus of Darien then 
enjojmd the same celebrity which has been more re’cenS 
acquired by the auriferous lands of Sonora, Choco, au^ 
Diego do Ordaz (1531) and Alonzo de Herrera floss') 
“oSocf“?r''r^ discovery along the banks ^ifJhi 
^ower Ui inoco. The former is the famous Conquistador of 
Mexico, w ho boasted that lie liad taken sulphur^ out of tlio 
ChSf V 
vvnaries V. peimitted to wear a biirnnig volcano on liis 
arinorial beannp. Ordaz, named Adehrutado of aU 
S ?f Ve'f ^ conquer between Brazil and the 
coast of Venezuela, which was then called the country of 
Company of Welsers (Belzares) of Augsbm° 
began Ins expedition by the mouth of the Marahon lie 
snr • 1 pieces of that sau3. 
surite lade, or compact feldspar, which we broiudit home 
Condamine found in abund- 
„ L r Crdaz, that on going up duriuo- a certain 
umber _of suns toward the west, lie would ifnd a lar^^e 
rock (pena) ot green stone;” but before they reached^'tlns 
Fctended mountain of emerald (rocks of euph Jtide? a ^Idt 
•wreck put an end to all farther discovery.^ The Spaniard 
jsayedtheinselycs with difficulty in two siiudl veSels T1 ev 
currents, which in those parts run with violence to the 
