the riches that were. I do not here set it down, because there is no place for it, but it shall appear by the information that goeth to his Majesty; for if it should here be set down, four leaves of paper would not contain it.' The letter of George Burien Britton, from the said Canaries unto his cousin, a Frenchman, dwelling in St. Lucar, concerning El Dorado. Sir, and my very good Cousin, There came of late certain letters from a new discovered country not far from Trinidad, which they write hath gold in great abundance; the news seemeth to be very certain, because it passeth for good among the best of this city. Part of the information of the discovery that went to his Majesty, goeth inclosed in Alonso's letters; it is a thing worth the seeing.' The Report of Domingo Martinez of Jamaica, concerning El Dorado. • He saith, that in 1593, being at Carthagena, there was a general report of a late discovery called Nuevo Dorado, and that a little before his coming thither, there came a frigate from the said Dorado, bringing in it the portraiture of a giant, all of gold, of weight 47 quintals, which the Indians there held for their idol. But now admitting of christianity, and obedience to the king of Spain, they sent their said idol unto him, in token they were become christians, and held him for their king. The company coming in the said frigate, reported gold to be there in most abundance, diamonds of inestimable value, with great store of pearl.' The Report of a Frenchman, called Bountillier of Sherbrouke, concerning Trinidad and Dorado. He saith, that being at Trinidad in 1591, he had of Indian there a piece of gold, of a quarter of a pound, in exchange of a knife. The said Indian told him, he had it at the head of that river which cometh to Paracoa in Trinidad; and that within the river of Oronoko, it was in great abundance. Also in 1593, being taken by the Spaniards, and brought prisoner into the island of Madeira (the place for his prison) there came in this meantime a bark of 40 guns from a new discovery, with two millions of gold; the company whereof reported gold in that place to be in great abundance, and called it El Nuevo Dorado. This Frenchman passed from Spain in the bark, and having a cabin near a gentleman, one of the discoverers that came from that place in the said bark, had divers times conference with him, and, among other things, of the great abundance of gold in the said Dorado, being, as they said, within the river of Oronoko.' Reports of certain Merchants of Rio de Hacha, concerning El 6 They said (advancing the king's great treasure in the Indies) that Nuevo Reyno yielded very many gold mines, and wonderful rich; but lately was discovered a certain province so rich in gold, as the report thereof may seem incredible, it is there in such abundance, and is called El Nuevo Dorado. Antonio de Berreo made the said discovery.' The Report of a Spaniard, captain with Berreo in the discovery of El Nuevo Dorado. That the information sent to the king was in every point truly said, that the river Oronoko hath seven mouths, or out lets, into the sea, called Las Siete Bocas de Dragon; that the said river runneth far into the land, in many places very broad, and that Antonio de Berreo lay at Trinidad, making head to go and conquer and people the said Dorado.' N°. X. A RELATION OF THE SECOND VOYAGE TO GUIANA, PERFORMED AND WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1596, BY LAURENCE KEYMIS, GENT. [See HAKLUYT's Voyages, III, 666.] To the approved, right-valorous, and worthy knight, Sir Walter Ralegh, Lord-warden of the Stannaries, Captain of her Majesty's guard, and her Highness' Lieutenant-general of the county of Cornwall. I HAVE here briefly set down the effect of this your second discovery, without any enlargement of made words; for in this argument single speech best beseemeth a simple truth. Where the affinity of the matter with your person leadeth one to write of yourself unto yourself, that small liberty which I have therein used, shall, I doubt not, without offence or sinister construction, be given to the cause in hand. Which, whether it suffer not detriment, by attributing less than of right belongeth, the judgment be theirs that uprightly and indifferently shall weigh the consequence of their evil purpose, who, in seeking to detract from the author of these discoveries, do, so much as in them lieth, wound, deface, and tread under foot the thing itself. But this is no novelty, nor proper only to these our days. For long since it hath been said laudes eo usque sunt tolerabiles, donec ea dicuntur quæ auditores se quoque facere posse existimant; si majora proferantur invident non credunt. The fervent zeal and loyalty of your mind in labour with this birth of so honourable expectation, as it hath deserved a recompence far different, so needeth it not my poor suffrage to endear the toil, care, and danger, that you have willingly undergone for the good and advancement of our weal-public. The praise-worthiness thereof doth approve itself, and is better read in your living doings than in my dead unregarded papers. All that I can wish is, my life were a sufficient pledge, to justify how much more easy and more material the course for Guiana would be, than others which, requiring greater charge, yield not so large benefit, and are subject to more doubtful events. If, unto their wisdoms who sit in place and authority, it shall appear otherwise, and that in following of other attempts there is less difficulty, certainer profit, and needfuller offence unto the enemy, the cost and travail which you have bestowed shall not, I hope, be altogether lost, if unto your honour I can prove how and where the amends are to be had, maugre the force and prevention of all Spaniards. that Your Lordship's to be commanded in all service, To the Favourers of the Voyage for Guiana. In things earnestly desired, though never so likely, we are still suspicious; thinking it more credit to our common wisdom, to discredit most noble and profitable endeavours with distrust, than touch to our valours and safeties to lie wilfully idle. So that howsoever an action well and judiciously attempted, be esteemed half performed; yet is this my jealous conceit concerning Guiana, that nothing is began before all be ended. In this regard (gentle reader) I have presumed to burthen thine ears with the weak plea of a good cause, and in stead of opening it thoroughly to thy prudent consideration, to note only mine own unsatisfied affection; hoping, that because I do name Guiana unto thee, thou wilt vouchsafe boc nomine, to veil and cover all other my defects in the desert of a good meaning. In publishing this treatise, my labour principally tendeth to this end; to remove all fig-leaves from our unbelief, that either it may have cause to shake off the colourable pretences of ignorance, or if we will not be persuaded, that our self-will may rest inexcusable. They that shall apply, and construe this my doing to serve the Spaniard's turn so well as our own; insomuch as it may seem to instruct, warn, and arm him; for their satisfaction herein, they must not be ignorant, that his eyes, in seeing our shipping there, do as effectually inform him, that many of our hearts are toward that place, as if it should be credibly advertised by some corrupt hireling, that ́ we think, write, and discourse of nothing else. Neither can I imagine, that, to conceal our knowledge herein (which to conceal may perhaps prove, and be hereafter taken for worse than parricide) would be of better purpose than to hoodwink ourselves, as who would say, no man shall see us. Beside, if the action were wholly to be effected at her Majesty's charge, then might it, at her highness' pleasure, be shadowed with some other drift, and never be discovered until it were acted. But since it craveth the approbation and purses of many adventurers, who cannot be so prodigal both of their possessions and lives, as voluntarily to run themselves out of breath, in pursuing they know not what; great reason it is, that where assistance is to be asked, due causes be yielded to persuade and induce them unto it. The Spaniard is not so simple, unsettled, and uncertain, in his determinations, as to build them on our breath, or to make our papers his bulwarks; nor so slow, as to expect a precedent of our forwardness. His proceedings are sufficiently strengthened with the travels, reports, and substantial proofs of his own men, that have above sixty years beaten round about this bush. And, to say a truth, the expedition V |