Pampelone1, S. Fede Bogota, Tunia and Mozo where the Esmeralds are founde, the townes and Cities of Morequito 2, velis, la villa de Leua, Palma, vnda, Angustura, the greate Citie of Timana, Tocaima, S. Aguila, Pasto, Iuago, the great city of Popaian it selfe3, Los Remedios, and the rest. If we take the ports and villages within the bay of Vraba1 in the kingdome or rivers of Dariena, and Caribana, the cities and townes of S. Iuan de Roydas, of Cassaris, of Anteocha, Carramanta,

1

Pamplona (Pampejopolis Nova), Santa Fé de Bogota, Tunja, and Muzo (Mozo of Ralegh) are situated in the republic of New Granada, of which Bogota forms the capital. Muzo, or, as it was pompously called, "La Santissima Trinidad de los Muzos," founded in 1560, was at that period much famed for its rich mines of emeralds. (Herrera, Dec. viii. lib. i. cap. 15-17. Piedrahita, lib. xii. cap. 6.)

2 Mariquita (Mariolum or Marichisia), Velez (Velis of Ralegh), Leyba or Leiva (Leua of Ralegh), la Palma, Honda (Vnda of Ralegh), Angostura, Tymana, Tocayma, Remedios, settlements and towns on the river Magdalena or Rio Grande and its tributaries, were mostly all founded between 1536 and 1570. They are situated within the "Departamento de Cundinamarca," so famed in the fable of El Dorado.

3 The foundation of San Juan de Pasto (Pastum or Fanum S. Juan ad Pastos) was laid on the 17th of July 1539, in the valley of Guacanquer, by Captain Lorenzo de Aldaña, by the command of Gonzalo Diaz de Pinedo. The town was afterwards removed into the valley of Tris, and was called Villa Viçosa de Pasto. (Herrera, Dec. vi. lib. vii. cap. 1.) Santiago or San Yago (Juago of Ralegh) is situate at the eastern foot of the Andes, on the river Casiana, a tributary of the Rio Meta. The city of Popayan (Popajanum) was founded by Sebastian de Belalcazar, in 1536, on an extensive plain, watered by the Rio del Molino. (Genealogias del Nuevo reyno de Granada, liii. p. 121.) The latitude of Popayan is 2° 26' north, the longitude 76° 40' west.

4 The Golf of Uraba, or of Darien, by which name it is much better known, was one of the first places on the shores of the Caribbean Sea where the Spaniards erected settlements. Ojeda received from the king a grant of that part of the coast which extended from Cap de la Vela to the middle of the Gulf of Uraba; and the country which extended from the other half of the gulf to Cap Gracias-à-Dios was granted to Diego de Nicuesa. The latter was named Castilla-del-Oro, the former Nueva Andalucia (Herrera, Nov. Orbis, cap. 8). The north-eastern point of the Gulf of Uraba is called Point Caribana.

5 San Juan de Rodas, Caceres (Cassaris of Ralegh), Antioquia, Cara

Cali, and Anserma haue golde enough to pay the Kinge part, and are not easily inuaded by the way of the Ocean or if Nombre de Dios and Panama1 be taken in the prouince of Castillo de oro, and the villages vpon the rivers of Cenu and Chagre2. Peru hath besides those and besides the magnificent cities of Quito and Lima so many Ilands, portes, Cities, and mines, as if I should name them with the rest, it would seeme incredible to the reader of all which because I have written a particuler treatise of the west Indies3, I will omit their repetition at this time, seing that in the saide treatise I haue anatomized the rest of the sea townes as well of Nicaragua, Iucata, Nueua Espanna1, and the Ilands, as those of the Inland, and by what meanes they may be best inuaded, as farre as any meane Iudgement can comprehend. But I hope it shall appeare that there is a

manta, Cali, Ançerma (Anserma of Ralegh), are cities and towns situate on the banks of the river Cauca and its tributaries. The Cauca falls into the river Magdalena.

1 Diego de Nicuesa erected a fort in a bay about eighteen miles to the east of Portobello, which he considered so convenient, that he called out, "Paremos à qui en el nombre de Dios,”—Let us remain here in the name of God; from which circumstance it was called Nombre de Dios. The foundation of a town was likewise laid, which was increased by Diego de Albites in 1517; the situation was however so unhealthy that Philip the Second ordered the town to be removed to Portobello. Herrera observes that during the first twenty-eight years of the occupation of Peru by the Spaniards more than forty thousand Spaniards died of its unhealthy climate, and a similar number in Nombre de Dios alone. Pedrarias Davila, governor of Darien, founded Panama (Panæmium) in 1518. The whole province of Nueva Andalucia obtained at a later period the name of Castilla-del-Oro.

2 The river Zinu falls into the Gulf of Morrosquillo opposite the island of Fuerte. Chagres lies on the isthmus of Panama. Quito, the capital of the republic of Ecuador, and Lima of Peru, are too well known to require further designation.

As previously observed, this composition was never printed, and the manuscript appears to have been lost.

4 Nicaragua, formerly a province of Mexico, forms now part of Guatemala. Yucatan, a province of Mexico. Mexico itself was formerly called Nueva España.

way found to answere euerie mans longing, a better Indies for her maiestie then the King of Spain hath any, which if it shall please her highnes to vndertake, I shall most willingly end the rest of my daies in following the same: If it be left to the spoyle and sackage of common persons, if the love and seruice of so many nations be despised, so great riches, and so mightie an Empyre refused, I hope her Maiestie will yet take my humble desire and my labour therein in gracious part, which if it had not beene in respect of her highnes future honor and riches, I could have laid hands and ransomed many of the kings and Cassiqui of the Country, and have had a reasonable proportion of gold for their redemption: But I have chosen rather to beare the burthen of poverty, then reproch, and rather to endure a second travel and the chaunces therof, then to haue defaced an enterprise of so great assurance, vntill I knew whether it pleased God to put a disposition in her princely and royall heart either to follow or foreslow the same: I wil therefore leave it to his ordinance that hath onely power in al things, and do humblie pray that your honors wil excuse such errors, as without the defence of art, ouerrun in euery part, the following discourse, in which I haue neither studied phrase, forme, nor fashion, and that you will be pleased to esteeme me as your owne (though ouer dearly bought) and I shall euer remaine ready to doe you all honour and seruice.

W: R.

B

To the Reader.

Ecause there haue been diuers opinions conceiued of the golde oare brought from Guiana, and for that an Alder

man of London and an officer of her maiesties minte, hath giuen out that the same is of no price, I haue thought good by the addition of these lines to giue aunswere as well to the said malicious slaunder, as to other obiections. It is true that while we abode at the Iland of Trinedado, I was informed by an Indian, that not farre from the Port, where we ancored, there were founde certaine minerall stones which they esteemed to be gold, and were thereunto perswaded the rather for that they had seen both English and French men gather, and imbarque some quantities thereof: vppon this liklyhoode I sent 40 men and gaue order that each one should bring a stone of that myne, to make triall of the goodnesse, which being performed, I assured them at their returne that the same was Marcasite, and of no riches or value: Notwithstanding diuers trusting more to their owne sence, then to my opinion, kept of the saide Marcasite, and haue tried thereof, since my returne, in diuers places. In Guiana it selfe I neuer sawe Marcasite, but all the rocks, mountaines, all stones in the plaines, in woodes, and by the riuers sides are in effect thorow shining, and appeare marueylous rich, which being tried to be no Marcasite, are the trew signes of rich mineralles, but are no other then El madre del oro (as the Spanyards terme them) which is the mother of golde, or as it is saide by others the scum of gold: of diuers sortes of these manie of my companie brought also into England, euerie one taking the fayrest for the best, which is not generall. For mine owne partte, I did not countermand any mans desire, or opinion, and I could haue aforded them little if I shoulde haue denied them the pleasing of their owne fancies therein: But I was resolued that

golde must be found either in graines separate from the stone (as it is in most of al the riuers in Guiana) or else in a kinde of hard stone, which we call the white Sparre, of which I saw diuers hils, and in sundrie places, but had neither tyme, nor men, nor instruments fitte to labour. Neere vnto one of the riuers I founde of the saide white Sparre or flint a very great ledge, or banke, which I endeuored to breake by al the meanes I coulde, because there appeared on the out side some small graines of gold, but finding no meane to worke the same vppon the vpper part, seeking the sides and circuite of the sayd rock, I founde a clift in the same, from whence with daggers, and with the heade of an ax, we gotte out some small quantitie thereof, of which kinde of white stone (wherein golde is engendred) we sawe diuers hils and rocks in euerie part of Guiana, wherein we trauelled. Of this there hath beene made manie trialls, and in London, it was first assaide by Master Westwood a refiner dwelling in wood-street, and it helde after the rate of 12000 or 13000 pounds a tunne. Another sort was afterward tried by Master Bulmar and Master Dimoke assay master, and it held after the rate of 23000 pounds a tunne. There was some of it againe tried by Master Palmer comptroller of the minte, and Master Dimoke in golde smiths hall, and it helde after 26900 pounds a tunne. There was also at the same time, and by the same persons a triall made of the dust of the said myne which held 8 pound 6 ounces weight of gold, in the hundred: there was likewise at the same time a triall made of an Image of Copper made in Guiana, which helde a third part gold, besides diuers trialls made in the countrey, and by others in London. But because there came of ill with the good, and belike the said Alderman was not presented with the best, it hath pleased him therefore to scandall all the rest, and to deface the enterprize as much as in him lyeth. It hath also been concluded by diuers, that if there had been anie such oare in Guiana, and the same discouered, that I woulde haue brought home a greater quantitie thereof: first I was not bounde to satisfie anie man of the quantitie, but such onely as aduentured, if any store had been returned thereof: but it is verie true that had all their mountaynes beene of massie gold, it was impossible for vs to haue made anie longer staye to haue wrought the same: and whosoeuer hath seene with what strength of stone, the best golde oare is inuironned, hee will not thinke it easie to be had