AN Historical & Geographical DESCRIPTION OF THE Great Country & River OF THE AMAZONS IN AMERICA.  
Drawn out of divers Authors, and reduced into a better form; with a Map of the River, and of its Provinces, being that place which Sr Walter Raleigh intended to conquer and plant, when he made his Voyage to Guianu.  
Written in French by the Count of Pagan, and dedicated to Cardinal Mazarine, in order to a Conquest by the Cardinal's motion to be undertaken.  
And now translated into English by William Hamilton, and humbly offered to his Majesty, as worthy his Consideration.  
LONDON, Printed for John Starkey at the Mitre in Fleetstreet near Temple-bar, 1660.   

TO THE Imperial Majesty OF CHARLES TWO of Great-Brittain, France, and Ireland; Defender of the Faith of Protestants, and of Protestants themselves by his Title of signal providence; Happiness, Victories, Triumphs.  
Gracious Sir,  
NOt only freewill-offerings and gifts were acceptable to God, though they had a member, or members superfluous, or were deficient in some, and so had much imperfection, so it were not of the nature of unsincerity, in which respect they behoved to be without blemish; (Levit. 22.23.) but in trespass-offerings also, which were commanded and not left free, if the Party was poor, not only a single Turtle, or young Pigeon was accepted (for the other was for an Holocaust) but a single meat-offering, a very little Flower or Meal, and a little Salt to it, were accepted for both Holocaust and trespass-offering under one: (Leu. 5.7.) which being doubtlessly in use from Noah's time, or Adam's rather, as elsewhere I hope to make it appear, gave as undoubtedly the beginning to that practice and proverb among the Heathens (Heathenism being but an inveterate corruption of heresy and schism from the Religion delivered by God to Adam, and Noah, as shall also God willing be made appea●) molâ salsâ litant, qui non habent thura; such may acceptably sacrifice to God with meal and salt, who have not frankincense. The like debonnairety to accept of mean gifts from good minds, hath also been annumerated to the heroic endowments of the greatest Kings. Thus Artaxerxes disdained not a pitcher of water from a Peasant. And Plutarch in his Apophthegms shows by one of them, the property of a royal disposition to have been esteemed this; Non minus est regium parvula accipere, quam largiri magna, It is no less Kingly to accept of little things, than freely to bestow great matters.  
And this, Royal Sir, is my humble request to your saered Majesty at this time; That you will graciously accept a mean gift from a mean giver, and by your royal return of justice and bounty to enable me to serve God, and your Majesty with better; God himself inviting you thereto by his example, who allowed even of poor freewill-offerings, made to him of purpose, to obtain his bountiful returns of some eminent benefits or favours. And yet a mean gift, Sir, I call this of mine, not that the work itself should be so accounted, but my work about it; which is but a Translation. For the Book though in bulk but small, in its concernments is very rich; and, as highly commendable in itself, so not much less in the Author. In its natural language it made its first address to Cardinal Mazarine, in order to have set his Majesty of France on conquest of the great Kingdom of the Amazon to himself. But having these five years at least, that now it hath been abroad, not made use of it that way, it comes now by me to beg your Majesty's favourable acceptance, in hope of that large retribution to yourself, when your Majesty shall think fit to apply your thoughts to it, for which it was intended to another. It was by an old servant of your Majesty's Royal Fathers, and Gandfathers, I. L. D. brought over, and communicate to one of your Majesty's most expert Seamen, C. W. who from his youth up, and often times since, hath been in, and knows perfectly all the coasts of the Southern America. Both these are very confident, at least wish heartily, and myself with the like affection do now humbly present it also, That your Majesty would so consider of that great Empire, as if it were already your own; as it may be with much ease, if your applications be seasonable, and suitable to its worth. For it is possessed by the barbarous Natives only, except in two Skirts; Brasile on the East, where the Portuguaise pitched; and Peru upon the West, where the Spaniard is divided from the Inland by the tract of the Andes, or Cordeliere hills: but in the Peninsular great continent your Majesty may dress an Empire of near nine thousand miles in circuit, of the pleasantest, fertilest, and richest continent in the world, whether for air, waters, or soil; to which no Prince can pretend, much less lay a claim. For the discoveries of that River by the Portugaise, and Spaniards, were more to satisfy their curiosity, than that they could then hope for a conquest. And the Natives not only in their forlorn condition, but by singular junctures of providence, call for the Christian Religion from us, while others cease from that duty, as the man of Macedon did Paul to help them while he was hindered to go into Bythinia, Act. 16.7, 9, 10. and others have been hindered hitherto to go to them for such end; but they may also easily be made to receive your Majesty's Government with friendship, if wisely dealt with. For while neither Portugal, nor Spain, nor France pursued the design here offered, God in in his providence amidst, your Majesties and your good Subjects troubles, seems not obscurely to have been designing this for you, and your Britain; as may be hoped from ancient prediction, not liable to exception from the solidest and soberest wits (as at another occasion I may fullier clear, if your Majesty command it) and so much the more, as his providence hath prevented your projecting, having already made way and brought to pass for your Majesty's interest an opportune and considerable Colony, by that noble Lord Willoughbee of Parham, to his great travels, hazards, and vast expenses; both seeming to concur with the foresaid prediction, and to point out your Majesty for the layer of such a foundation both to Christ, and yourself.  
The Author of this work is a French Earl of a most ancient Nobility and descent from those famous and honourable Commanders in the holy Wars, who for their wise conduct and rare valour were employed in places of great trust, and transmitted them with the Coat of arms and name of Pagan, (which was the badge of their great exploits in mating and killing the Pagans, or Infidels) to their suecessors of the same name and family, as the Author himself shows at large in the Dedication of his rare Book of Fortifications, to another noble branch of the same family: of whose rare accomplishments for gentile and manly learning, and Soldiery, lest I should here presume too much upon your Majesty's patience, I shall leave further account of him to my Epistle to the Reader, and only present your Majesty with the sum of what he says to the Cardinal about the conquest; and that is; That it will neither be hard nor expensive, as neither needing great Armies, to give battles; nor great provision of Artillery, for carrying on of sieges. There is need only of preparations fitting for planting of five Colonies at the first aboard. The first whereof is to be in the Isle of the Sun, for guarding the best entry into the great Rivers mouth. The second on the famous Bosphore or Strait thereof, to defend, or keep this River's passage. The third on the renowned point of the Comanares, for the best seat of that whole Empire. The fourth near to the mountain of Swana, whereby to be master of the gold-mine there. And the fifth and last on the mouth of the River of Maragnon, to watch over the Frontier of that side of the Andes. And in favours of such a first establishment, there might easily be added the alliances of the Illustrious and renowned Nations of the Homagues, of the generous and noble Yorimen, of the valiant and redoubted Topinambes; and order given for a Fleet-volant of about twelve men of War, continually to be visiting, and going between these Colonies: because the distance by sailing, of the farthest of them from the others, will be at the least a thousand Spanish leagues and always upon the channel of the great Amazon itself. Thus he.  
I call my gift also, a mean gift from a mean giver; not that I was, or am so mean in myself, as made so by the late troubles, and troublers of the times. For, Royal Sir, my Father Sir Robert Hamilton of Goswick, was Gentleman of the Privy-Chamber both to your Royal Father and Grandfather; and my Mother was by King James himself preferred to his Queen, for one of her Maids of honour, and afterwards also by himself bestowed in marriage upon Sir Hadrian Dammane, Lord Bisterveldt and Fairhill; after whose decease my Father married her. My Father, and any estate I should have had by him, I lost through the troubles of the times; and have wanted them now these seventeen years; for reparation whereof, and coming hither to wait for it, I left one place of considerable value in Scotland, and spent here in three years' attendance for reparation, what I could then bring with me; and then embracing another place here in England, not much worse than the former, was not only again put from it, before I had enjoyed it full two years to an end, for keeping my fidelity to your Majesty in refusing to subscribe an engagement, or allegiance (for so it was indeed, whatever they called it) to another Sovereignty; but suffered also four or five years' banishment, to the almost irreparable detriment of my health and estate both; yea, and refused all preferments from the usurpers, and the least compliances with them, both before my banishment, and now for seven years after, though I was wooed thereto, and might have got considerable advancement with ease, could I have embraced it with compliance; but would never so much as commence suit under them; though but for recovering some debts, or defending myself from others unjust pursuits. And that these losses, Sir, wherein consisted all my estate, and that a considerable one too, when your Majesty shall know the particulars, should make me poor, is little wonder; and that poverty through its disadvantages, and my former disparity of life, should ruin my health, is as little wonder; and that all the disadvantages, that a ruined health, and poverty can bring a man to, should disable me to do such thing as otherwise I could, and would have done, to present your Majesty with, is yet as little strange, as the former: but that I should yet be alive, poor as I am, to offer this poor gift unto your Majesty, that is the wonder. And indeed it is Gods good hand towards me, whom I hope he hath reserved for doing himself, and your Majesty some greater service, before I be called hence. For, Royal Sir, God hath not made me so poor in gifts of mind, (of which as I may not brag, but by glorying in him, and in my infirmities or sufferings for him; so may I not ungratefully conceal, lessen, or undervalue to his dishonour, what they are, but with modesty confess, when just occasion flagitates and extorts it from me) through his blessing, if your Majesty will but patronise me (I shall not say Maecenas- like; for that is too little for you, though it was truly said of him, Maecenas atavis edite regibus! but Angustus like rather, beyond whom himself your Majesty is in this also, that you can number more Kings of your Progenitors, than were in all the Roman race of Kings, and Emperors both, either before, or after Augustus to this day) I hope to honour your Majesty with such gifts of mine own store, as never a King in Christendom for these sixteen hundred years, ever had Subject, that did the like, though many have attempted, absint & jactantia, & invidia verbo: but your Majesty must midwife them, and myself both into the world again, and then by God's assistance shall I renew my strength and youth, as the Eagle, & sublimi feriam sidera vertice.  
If here it be wondered, that thus I implore your Majesty's justice and favour, and made not rather a privater address, for repairing of my losses; I shall humbly and truly profess, that I have not left privater ways unattempted; but find all so obstructed with difficulties, and non-considerancies, or cold layings to heart of my case, that neither the health of my body, nor the strength of my purse would suffer me to hope for much good otherways, and from Courtiers, than thus by ushering in my Petition; and then I hope more seasonably, and successfully to reap the fruits of a privater application. I thought often of that course, that the poor Widow took with Philip of Macedon, the Father of Alexander the Great: who when she had attempted by Courtiers, and Favourites to get justice done her, but could not prevail with them to prefer her business to the King; resolved to attaque him herself, the best she could, come of it what would; though of him at worst, she hoped much better, than of any of his Courtiers, as I also do of your Majesty now. Casting herself therefore in his way, when she knew, he was to ride out, with high vociferations she cried after him, Help my Lord, O King; help O King! He commanding to stand, and see what ailed her; she desired him to read and answer her Petition with justice. He answering that it was unfit then, and that he had not leisure for it; she replied upon him boldly, That then he should not be at leisure to be King, if he could not have leisure to right his meanest Subjects, when all their patience and endeavours were otherways frustrate and wearied out. Upon which he was so far from being dissatisfied with her, that rather admiring her resolution, he most generously and heroickly gave her a present hearing, and full right of her wrong. Sir, my way is not so course, as hers was, but by a gift (which both with God, and all noblest spirits among men, finds acceptance) though but a poor once, to have the softer access to your Majesty's favour, and a cordialler consideration of my case, when it comes to your Majesty in a more particular way; and an easier grant of privacy for immediate imparting your Majesty with some things, which is more for your Majesty's good, than for my particular. Thus wise Abigail not only pacified David towards an unthankful and churlish Nabal, but made way for herself for such a surplusage of favour, as she little dreamt of, to become a King's wife, and royal bedfellow, and her issue preferred in the entail of the Crowr, before all other of David's children, except Bathshebaes'. It is reported of Alexander Severus, the Emperour, bAelius Lampridius in his life, that be quarrelledy with every virtuous person, that be knew, who either asked nothing of him, or but little. Quid est (inquit) quod nihil petis? An me vis tibi fieri debitorem? Why ask you nothing of me? Would you have me to die in your debt? Sir, lest I presume too much upon your Majesty's great affairs, in exceeding the bounds of an Epistle to so great a Prince, for the length whereof already I humbly beg pardon, my hopes and desires are that you shall not come short of any of those Worthies, or of the most heroic Princes, but surmount them all, in all royal endowments, to your becoming the Crown and rejoicing of all the reformed, in prosecuting their interest, which is Gods, and becoming their uniter and head, that you may be Carolo magno major, as undoubtedly you will, if thus you do: and which that you may do, Long may your Majesty live in all piety, plenty, and peace; or else just and happy triumphs here; and hereafter in the joys and triumphs of heaven, where there is nothing but glory, triumphs, and joy without end. So prayeth  
Your Majesty's most humble, loyal, and faithful Subject and Servant, William Hamilton.   

TO THE Courteous and Candid READER.  
Courteous Reader,  
I Must give thee some more account of the Author of this Book, and of its worth, and of myself, his Translator, and so bid thee farewell. About the Author, I shall not repeat, what hath been said of him before, in my Dedication to his Majesty for his just commendation, and of this Book of his in particular, but refer thee thither, if thou art desirous to know it. I shall here only add, That he was in great employment and favour with the late King of France, Lewis the thirteenth, for his great parts of conduct and valour in his service; wherein unfortunately he received a shot of a Pistol in the left eye, whereby it was quite lost, and the conjugation of the optic nerves so crushed, that he hath lost the use of both now above these twenty years: yet, which is wonderful, is still penning new Books, and in Mathematics especially, which indeed needs least the outward sense; amongst which is that masterpiece, The ten Books of Geometrical Theorems, wherein he completed and demonstrated so many divers, and distinct parts of Mathematical Sciences. His Book of the theory of Planets is Geometrically demonstrated, without any mixture of Physical equations, by which Reignoldus and Kepler laboured so much to perfect the Geometrical, wherein their deferents, and Epicicles could not serve their turn. But this Gentleman hath found out both the centre of the Planets, and demonstrated their motions to be ellipticall, which no man afore him could attain to. And in consequence to his theory, he published Astronomical tables two years ago, wherein with great facility and exactness, the motions of all the Planets may be supputate, the Eclipses of the two great luminaries, and the celestial configurations: and in consequence to them, a facile method of finding out the true longitudes, both by sea, and land. His more than ordinary skill in Geography, may be seen by his two Advertisements to Geographers, at the end of this Book, and by the Book itself: wherein with great judgement and brevity he hath given an excellent, and the clearcst description of a great part of America, that any where is to be had: he having collected this out of all the best relations, and discoveries, that were extant; and corrected their errors, adding a Map of his own. All which his Pieces here mentioned, and in my Dedication to his Majesty shall be by me made English Denizens, if this be well accepted, and the other required. The Books are not here to be had for money, but from such, as himself gifted them to; amongst whom is an old servant of his Majesties, my L. D. from whom this Book came, and who still keeps a correspondence with him, and is gifted with every Piece, that be publisheth. The Author is still a privy Counsellor to his now Majesty of France; and as his naturals appear to have been great, so also they have been much adorned, and elevated by his Gentlemanny learning, which he hath industriously followed; and consists in these days (the greater the fault of Pedants, that make any learning ungentile; as indeed none is where it hath a gentile client) chiefly in Politics, and History, and Mathematics with their appendants, as conducible to a Gentleman, and a Soldier: and after he was disabled from Field-action, by the loss of his sight, some theoreticaller Mathematics also. This is not rare in France, That Grandees there are well versed in such studies, as by Duke de Rohanes Interest of Princes, and Perfect Capitaine, and many other French gentlemen's Pieces of a like nature, may appear. And it were to be wished. That elsewhere also, Grandees and Gentry were both as well trained up, and had as good opportunity of such peculiar Academies, where all gentile, and Soldierly exercises, and requisites for conduct and command, are taught, as the French have; and the Prince of Orange, to his immortal praise (himself having been bred in the Academy of Benjamin in Paris, where I myself saw him at his exercises) to the Weal of his Country, and from his own estate, was going to enrich the confederate Provinces; that as they were before a School of War, for experience and practice, especially about sieges, and taking in of Towns; so they might be for breeding also to field-services, and all warlike achievements.  
Yet the French are so far from envying others, that attain to any perfection in these things, otherways, or elsewhere, that there is no where readier preferment for their merits, or more honour done to such, as I could instance of late memory; which is truly noble. For there is a money-nobility, or Gentry, that is now creep into the world, through abuse, and pesters it with many inconveniences, having nothing of the thing, but the name only, and empty titles; nor of that connexion of virtues, and with virtue, without which true Gentry, or Nobility cannot be, nor subsist, had it never so much riches, antiquity of descent, or windy titles from Prince or State. For true Gentry is virtus generis, virtue running in a blood, and either increasing, or descending in a race, or breed. It's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. generosity, or an excellency of a kindred, or family, but sustained, or increased still with virtue suitable to its beginning, or first advancement. Nobilitas sola est, atq: unica virtus. All mankind was made of one blood, and all Nations of men, that dwell upon all the face of the earth, Act. 17.26. (there were no Praeadamites, as brainsick Pierrier dreamt) to whom God determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations; so as none, either men, or Nations, can claim truly any prerogative of nobleness, but by their virtue, as the Bereans are witnessed to have been more noble, than the Jews of Thessalonica, for their unprejudicateness and candour, by Gods own unerring Spirit, because they unpartially examined, what was proposed to them, and held not the truth of God, With acception of persons, Act. 17.11. All were certainly noble at first, and had ever continued so, had it not been for sin, because all were the offspring of God, Act. 27.28, 29. And God begot, or made no ignoble children, as the Greeks and French use to phrase it. Sin only brought in ignobleness then, and degeneracy, as virtue only makes and maintains the contrary: what for virtue natural (let not Sciolists here mistake me; for virtue natural rightly expounded, is no ways contrary to sound Divinity) what for acquired; what for intellectual; what for moral; what for hereditary and transmitted by descent (which is all one with natural; there being igniculi; & semina virtutum in nature, which are called natural or hereditary virtues, as well as there is in sicknesses, and soundness of health) it is only virtue still, that makes true gentry, or generosity, and keeps it afoot. Est in equis patrum virtus, nec imbelles & degeneres procreant aquilam columbae. The ground of generosity, whence other gentry regularly proceeds, I mean that of pre-eminence in offices, or power, whether Oeconomick, or Civil; where unto I must not now enlarge myself, to speak in particular) Jacob in his testament to his sons, doth both philosophically and divinely set down, to wit, the impregnation of nature, and elevating of the fancy and spirits, to the highest and noblest thoughts, and inclinations, that one's condition, and way of breeding can suffer them to mount up to; which God himself also teaches in another place, when he says, that he would rejoice over Israel, as a bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride. For than is that special time of loves, Ezek. 16.8. (not romantic only, much sinfully such, as most romances are wicked, and have death in the pot, but common and natural, especially to common men; though wise men, that under stand nature, and can govern her, may both enhance that without sin, and make other times equal, if not go beyond it) and love is the seminary of all nobleness, and productive of all virtue, and virtuous emulation to virtuous actions, and growth therein; as hatred and envy are of the contrary; witness that example Act. 17 5, 6, 7, 11, 12. And it must needs be so, seeing conjugal love was the first measure, and fountain of all neighbourly love, and neighbourly love is the fulfilling of the Law; as the first sum of the second Table, or thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; and do to others as thou would be done to; was virtually included in that divinely inspired sentence of adam's; This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh: according to that pronounced of all poor, though never so great strangers; Hide not thyself from thy own flesh. Primogeniture then and nobleness were divinely and naturally both supposed to be conjunct, and consequent one to the other, because there the might of the parents, and beginning or flower of their strength, both as to body and mind were put forth in point of affection, and affections are the seats of virtues: and therefore also to primogeniture was given the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power, i.e. the preeminence and precedency before others, both of merit, and of office; or of nobility and high places of trust, whether in Church, or State-relation, and much more in Oeconomick: yet so, as it was always forfeitable by vice, and devolvable to others more virtuous, as by Cain, Ishmael, Esau, Reuben and many more, is manifest. But want of breeding to noble thoughts, and ends; and instruction to inure to chaste and continent love, and not to deflore so much as their fancies, before the due and lawful time; abuse also of marriage to base ends and by-respects, especially of money; and imprudent choices in sundry other respects, grown common with prodigality, luxury, and many other vices, have in these Countries and times flatted and unspirited all natural nobleness and generosity either into a soft effeminacy, or sour vinegar of pride, and vanity, embittered with the gall of many other vices, instead of the generous wine, they came of. And where natural gentry, or generosity is not, seldom is the other of moral and acquired to be found; and so we are left to empty names of civil tities entailed upon riches and descent, by creation, or patent. Certainly there is a wisdom, if we studied it as well, as some do the other, of having a noble breed of men and women, as well as there is of Horses, Cocks, and Cattle. None will think dunghill-Cockrell, fit for game; nor a jadish race for the services of a gallant Jennet: and yet we think any thing fit enough for our Progenie's, that hath but money enough. High birth and fortunes, are in themselves, both of them, the good blessings of God, and are in honour with all persons of honour, where ever they are, or have been in any, that have suitable virtues, but have parted with fortunes for virtue's sake. But for a Gentleman whose fortunes are become unsuitable to his rank, whether by his own fault, or others, or by neither, but by wrong, or misfortune, for reparation of an estate, so far to forget himself, as to make money his leading motive in a choice, is ignoble enough, and ungenerous, and can hardly expect better fruits of his way. We know, he was a wise man, that said, Blessed art thou, O land, when thy King is the son of nobles! Eccles. 10.7. And he that said, Nam genus, & proavos, & quae non fecimus ipsi, vix ea nostra voco, in opposition to too much standing on, or vaunting of descent without competent virtue and wisdom to correspond with it; said also, Et Mi genus ab Jove summo, to show his esteem of descent; and with virtue answerable; especially of such a descent, as claimed to the best, that could be reckoned to. He that would be ashamed to claim so honourable a privilege, if he can do it truly, and hath just occasion and circumstances to extort it from him, would show but himself too modest at best, and almost unworthy of it, especially if he had a better Jupiter in place to make both his address and claim to, than the other had. For as low as my fortunes are, I can claim to the best blood in England, and that by England, and neither very far off, nor in an illegitimate way. Neither need I to be ashamed of my fortunes (though hitherto, which was my weakness, I have been ashamed of them, whereas I ought not to have been ashamed, but of sin) seeing I parted from them willingly, for retaining to virtue, and a good conscience. Solomon hath told me, that all things come alike to all; and that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all, Eccles. 9.2, 11, etc. I was never lower yet, than that great and noble General, of that great Emperor Justinian, was unjustly brought, to his masters no little dispraise, Belisarius of immortal renown. And why should I be ashamed to lay open my case to so Royal a Physician, as I have done; or be diffident of the cure, since the fountain of civil honour (which he is) will do nothing contrary to true honour; and Gods Great Steward of fortunes and preferments, that are in his own gift, in his own dominions, will neither deal niggardly, ungenerously, or unjustly, where nothing but justice and right is sought? Far be any thing of this, from being taken as contrary to the first founders of a noble race; who, though they cannot claim descent, yet are beyond most of those, that can: since it is more to give, or make a noble descent, than to receive it, and most cadets, prove oftener cadents, than culminants, and seldom equal their founders, but unspirit themselves, and evaporate to a vappidness of money— or prediall-gentility. I mean not so much that, which is bought with momy (for that may be so, where it deserved to have been given) as that which hath nothing but riches to sustain it. Cicero answered Salustius his objection of an upstart, well, (if we suppose the invectives to be theirs) Ego meis majoribus virtute praeluxi; Tu tuis turpiter offudisti tenebras. And as for occupations, and offices, though some be justly accounted more fordid, and illiberal; others more honourable and gentile; yet all that are lawful, coming from God, and from his Spirit, as well as these mentioned, and employed, Exod. 31.3. etc. none joined with virtue, can justly ignobilitate any. Yea, I know none of the basest and meanest of them, but in conjunction with virtue, and piety, but especially when they come to put on something of the nature of piety itself, or immediate service to God, as some of them did under the Old Testament, God hath left place for them to be pareille to, or in conjunction with the highest. Thus David wished rather to be a doorkeeper in the house of his God (a Porter of the Temple) than to be a King in the Tents of wickedness. And to Moses his posterity, though King in Jeshurun, yea more than a King, a King, Priest and Prophet, which is more than ever we read of any other (except Christ, of whom be was therein a singular Type; ever a typical Mediator, for be consecrated Aaron to his Priesthood, which without being Priest, he could not have dine) yet there was no more allotted to them, but to be chief Porters in the house of God. What calling meaner than a Butcher? Yet the Highpriest, the second person in the Kingdom, and sometimes, and in some respects, the first, was by his calling a sacred Butcher; and if I be not mistaken, as I hope in my scriptural researches I may show, that I am not, the King himself in some cases, was such a sacred Butcher in some sort, in that he killed his own sacrifices; and it was an high, and an eminent honour to him too; and ever bade been accounted, as the privilege of the firstborn, where the excellency of dignity, and of power was by divine institution, before the Jews policy was erected. A Preacher of this City, that now bears his head high, when a Gentleman showed him, (as I have heard from the Party) a Tract by him done into Latin, and subscribed in the Title-page, Per A. B. Nobilem, etc. he very smatterer-like, and pedantickly bewryed his ignorance, that nobilis in Roman and purest Latin phrase, that we could have, signified a Gentleman; but he would not understand it otherways, but according to the Anglism that he was acquainted with, whereby Nobleman is appropriate to Barons, Viscount's, Earls, etc. Another person of quality in this City (as I have heard the Story) rising from a mean degree to great fortunes, had a distressed Gentleman (without the Gentlemans own knowledge) recommended to his company and Table: and thereupon the Citizen himself inviting him too, he well accepted of it, and was as well taken with; and upon further converse, so well, that he justly apprehended some more than ordinary favours towards him, if he would lay hold on them. To lay hold he was most willing, and did; but resolved to proceed cantiously and slowly, for many Reasons, which if they had known, or had the patience, till discreetly they might have been opened to them, they would have allowed of. But they construing this slowness for neglect, were offended, and that so far, that at length (the Gentleman not finding it best to alter his procedure) the Citizen discharged him his house, though upon a contrary pretence. He took this as an high affront, as indeed it was. And they coming to know their mistake, invited him again, but so unsufficiently, the Master of the house being excepted from being the inviter, though he had been the discharger, that the Gentleman would not thereupon come so soon, as it seems, they expected him; but he did cast himself to meet with them, where he might either have a fuller invitation from them that had the right, or opportunity to tell them, what an one their Deputy had given him. But he found them in a new discontent and mistake upon refusal of that invitation, which increased to such distance, that it could not be removed, through their too high carriage; which he disdained the more, the higher it was; until at length going about to beget a right understanding again, be received such another signal affront, as he vowed never to enter their house, until be knew he had a full and free invitation that came from him that discharged him. Matters standing thus now, the Gentleman, to whom I could not deny such a courtesy, for many reasons; requested me, That thus in a cloud to others, I would find a way as soon as I could, to uncloud his business briefly to the parties concerned, that they might make such use thereof, as they saw good. And I have chosen this way of examples subjoined to the discourse of generosity, by way of Apology for myself, and first opening my condition from that obscurity it lay under, to prevent, or repulse the currish snarls of clownish Pedants, and Schiolists. My intent in this Translation, is (beside what I have expressed to his Majesty) the propagation of Religion, and the good of England. But if Religion be not better intended, and attended, and prosecuted by undertakers, than it hath been at home, it may justly frustrate all, and cast us in as great confusions abroad, as it did at home. But because this would require more length, than this Epistle is now fit to be drawn unto, and I may have another occasion for it perhaps, ere long; I heartily recommend all to God's blessing, and thy good acceptance, and bid thee farewell.  
blackfriars this 22 of October 1660. W. H.   

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To my Lord, the most Eminent Cardinal MAZARINE.  
My Lord,  
WHat can be offered greater, in a little work, than the great River of the Amazons? It now offers itself, with all its grandures, to your Eminency, after that it hath hidden them so long time. It desires baptism from you, for all its peoples; it desires laws from you, for all its Nations; and a valiant King, for all its Provinces, that he may unite them to his Crown. If the conquest thereof be easy, neither will the expense thereof be excessive. For there will need no great Armies here, to give battles; nor no great provision of Artillery, for carrying on of sieges. There is need only of preparations fitting for planting of five Colonies at the first aboard; the first whereof is to be in the Isle of the Sun, for guarding the best entry into this great River's mouth. The second on the famous Bosphore or Strait thereof, to descend and keep this River's passage. The third on that renowned point of the Comanares, for the best seat of that whole Empire. The fourth near to the Mountain of Swana, whereby to be Master of the gold-mine there. And the fifth and last on the mouth of the River of Maragnon, to watch over the Frontier of that side of the Andes. And in favours of this first establishment, your Eminence might easily add the alliances of the Illustrious and renowned Nations of the Homagues, of the Generous and noble Yorimen, of the valiant Topinambes: and give order for a Fleet-volant of about twelve men of War, continually to be visiting, and going between these Colonies; because the distance by sailing, of the farthest of these from the other, will be at the least a thousand Spanish leagues, and this always upon the channel of the great River of the Amazons itself. But this is enough for an Epistle: and the Book itself will speak the matter more at length: and in so noble a design your Counsels will not be wanting to France: as I shall never be wanting, my Lord, to give you all sort of honour, submissions, and respects; being as I am of  
Your Eminence the most humble, most obedient, and most obliged Servant Blaise Francis de Pagan. From Paris the 12th of March 1655.   

 map of the Amazon 
MAGNI AMAZONI FLUVII IN AMERICA MERIDIONALI nova delineatio    

AN HISTORICAL AND Geographical Description OF THE Great River of the Amazons IN AMERICA.  

CHAP. I. Of the greatness of the River of the Amazons.  
WHat the Danow is to Europe, Ganges to Asia, and Nilus to Africa; the same is the great Amazon to America. And as America is the greatest part of the world, so is the River of the Amazons the greatest River in the Universe. His length is of greater extent, than that of the Nile, and Negro in Africa; his breadth larger, than that of Ganges and Kiam in Asia; his navigation and portableness is better, than that of the Danow and Rhine in Eurupe; his mouth, or entrance into the Sea, is more open, than that of Plata, and Saint Laurence in America; and his depth is like unto that of the ocean, and of the mediterrane-Sea. His inundations or overflowings are yearly, and fruitful; his aspect is every where and every way pleasant: all his branches and Rivers running out of him, are inhabited; his fields are all fertile, and all his adjoining plains or valleys cultivated. Chase, fishing, and Venison are there every where great store; woods, fruits, and Cornfields for harvest, cover the grounds and little hills there; and the sweetness of his Air is through all alike equally temperate: and both gold and silver are found in the Rivers and mountains there. Its peoples are innumerable; its Isles great and infinite in number, yet inhabited; all its peoples are sprightly and nimble, and the riches of the Climate furnisheth them abundantly with all things. This River's course is almost always under the equinoctial Line; and every where his nights and days are of alike length; and the other Rivers, that pay their tribute to him, are all under the torride Zone. Marvellous effects of the divine providence, which having distanced so many Nations from the Seacoasts and its commodities, hath given them so great Rivers and waters in so great abundance, that this famous River of the Amazons may reasonably enough be called an Ocean-Sea of sweet waters. But all its prerogatives, which by an universal consent, have made the title of the greatest River of the world be given unto it, shall more amply be seen, and with more particular deduction of Circumstances, in the following Chapters of this Book.   

CHAP. II. Of the great Realm of the Amazon.  
IN the Peninsule or almost-Ile of the Southerly America, and almost in the midst of so great a Continent or main-Land, there is a great extent of Land, covered with so many Nations, and watered with so many Rivers, that of it might be form a Kingdom, or Empire of three thousand Leagues in compass, for one that would make the conquest of it. It's rich and opulent Countries (which all of them together I call the great Kingdom or Realm of the Amazon, seeing all their waters and Rivers render themselves into this great and renowned River of the Amazons) have for their boundaries, Brasile towards the East; the Kingdom of New-Granado, and the coast of Guiana towards the North; and towards the West, Peru, and the great Cordelier; and Southward Tucuman, and Paraguais: all Provinces under the Crown of Castille, except Brasile, subject to the Portugallians, that inhabit it. I said, of three thousand Leagues in compass, not precisely, but near to that dimension; because the diversity of maps, and of their opinions and reports, that have compassed it, not only cross one another, but also thwart themselves in their relations, that they give of it; as by name Father Christopher D'Acogna a Spanish Jesuit, and a principal author, and eye-witness of these things. But of these doubtful and divers mensurations we shall speak elsewhere; let us here draw towards an end of this Chapter, in telling you, That all this great Realm of Amazon is inhabited only as yet of Indians and Americans, and not at all of Spaniards, whether Castilians, or Portuguais. These have indeed discovered it, and run its length first of any, with their armed Navies; but only passed thorough, and never stayed any where to build fortresses, or plant colonies, as they have done in so great number, and with so great state and magnificence in other Countries of the same America. But if Spain happily situated for commanding over this new world, had turned her thoughts towards the conquest of this Empire of the great Amazon, instead of consuming unprofitably so many Armies, and so great treasures in her Wars of Europe, as she hath done now for an hundred years; she might have enjoyed by this time the glory and advantages of so great an Empire: from the conquest of which now she is further off than ever, as well for the reason of her present weakness, as her intestine division.   

CHAP. III. Of the Nations of this great Realm.  
THe innumerable Nations and Provinces of this great Empire of the Amazon are not all yet distinctly known by their several names and languages, because the Spaniards, who last navigated this famous River, have not marked them all, but only one hundred and fifty of them. The Provinces are all so mightily, peopled, and their habitations so thick, that from the last village of one Town, one may hear the noise of such as travail from the first village of anopher. And yet so near a neighbour hood not being able to keep them in peace, they are in continual Wars one Nation against another. Yet neither ambition of command, nor greediness of acquiring riches, not a desire to eat men, as Cannibals of the same America have, are any of the grounds of so many cruel and bloody Battles; (without which were it not, for all this, so many people could never be contained in these Countries) but the cause of all these Fights, wherein are often slain an infinity of persons, is only for glory and renown, and to have slaves of a strange, or other Nation than their own: and that because at home amongit themselves, the innocence of their manners, and riches of the Climate, not being, apt to bring men to a necessity of serving others of their own accord, none is found there obliged to such a condition, but by force of Arms. And yet this invincible courage, that they exercise thus against one another, hath not yet appeared against the Spaniards, (who navigate and run the River of Amazons in Arms) foras much as hither to either a light fleeing, if at any time they opposed them; or a mutual amity embraced and consented to by them, have been the only Arms, which to this present they have employed against these dominators of the new world, the Spaniards. But all America being barren of Iron, we must not think it strange, if the inhabitants of this great Realm have been surprised with fear, (as all other Indians were, and are) of the Sword, the Musquiet, and of Artillery.   

CHAR. IU. Of their Arms, and Commerce.  
seeing neither Steel nor Iron are found at all in the West- Indieses, we must not marvel, if the Americans of this great Kingdom have no other Arms, but Arrows and Javelots'; about which notwithstanding they are marvellously expert, not only for making them of hard wood, and sharp pointed, but also for shooting and casting them with so great force, that therewith they pierce through and through the body of their enemies, which they hit. The same necessity makes them also use stones well brought to an edge, and Tortoise shells, for Axes, and Hatchets, and their instruments of travelling: the one for great wood, and the other for less, and household Utensils. But they use the horn of certain little Beasts, fastened to little hefts, for their finer works, which they make upon wood with marvellous skill. As for the Commerce of all these peoples on this great River of the Amazons, and on other Rivers that run into it, they perform it in Boats, which they call Canoès, that are made all of Cedar, and all of one piece, as in other places of the Indies; but with more ease, and better, than elsewhere; because this great River during its overflowings, brings down so great a number of great Trees, that these people's have no more to do to come by them, but every one to lay hold on, and stay as many as he desires, at his House, there to cut and hollow them, as he thinks meet. As for clothes, such as use any, have them all almost of Cotton: and for such as go naked (which are the greatest part) neither excessive heat, nor rigour of cold forces them to cover themselves in that sort.   

CHAP. V. Of their Customs and Religion.  
THere were never any written Laws amongst those people's; and all their customs are almost much alike. Some of them live at liberty; and some of them under Cacyques, or Lords, as the rest of America. They have Idols of wood made by man's hand, which they adore as their gods, attributing to some of them the power over waters, and giving them a Fish for their mark: to others the power over fruits, and seeds of the earth. They have also such as they take for gods of Armies and Battles; and they openly avouch that these deities came down from Heaven to live with them, to do them good, and procure their profit. They have neither Temples nor Ceremonies, wherewith they adore them, but leave them carelessly in some corner of their House, until they have occasion to use them. But when they take water to go to War, they place on the Poup of their Vessels, their god of Armies; and so they use the others in like sort. They have also Wisemen, or Wizards among them, of great esteem; who serve them for Counsellors as well for Religion and Physic, as for Law and policy; and in the year 1639, the Portuguais found an Indian in these Countries, that called himself the son of the Sun; who coming to a peaceable and loving conference with them, was not satisfied with the grounds of our Belief, but going away without renouncing his own imposture, said, that every night he went by the Spirit to consult the Sun for the government of the following day. Finally, all these people's are of a good nature, nimble and quick of body, and of colour not so tawny and Sunburnt as those of Brasile. They are of quick apprehension and understanding, and are very expert in their hands for all sort of works. They are naturally sweet and meek, officious and tractable; and they converse familiarly with strangers without any fear. They are every way so docile and teachable, and so little possessed with malice, that from hence the easiness to subdue them, as well to Laws and policy, as to Christian Religion, may be guessed at.   

CHAP. VI Of the great Cordeliere.  
IN the Southern America, to the East of the Kingdom of Peru, and as it were from the North to the South, runs and rangeth along a garland of great Mountains more than six hundred Leagues in length, under the name of the great Cordeliere, And by a wonderful work of nature, all the waters, which from thence arise in abundance, on that side of the great Mountains, that look towards the East, do all render themselves into the North-Sea by one only mouth and confluent. But these well-heads, and springs being so many, cannot be yet all discovered: it sufficeth us in this Book to remark the chief ones, and such of them as are famous, by the origine and source of the great River of the Amamazones, and of others the most famous, that he receiveth into his channel, to convey them together with himself into the Ocean-Sea. And amongst the longest and greatest of all these Rivers, the Great Caketa, the Putumaye, and the Aguarike, are on the North-side; and the Madera, the Amarumaya, the Maragnon, and the Curaray, are on the Southside of the River of the Amazons. Which being the only, and the principal object of our Discourse, we will here begin to describe its source, in this Chapter, telling you that it is the most Westward of all the sources, that are to the East of the great Cordeliere; that which is furthest off from the Ocean, or Atlantique-Sea, and the nearest of any to the Town of Kyto, one of the greatest and fairest Cities, not only of the Kingdom of Peru, but also of any in all America; the seat of a Sovereign Court, and Capital of a great Province, of three hundred degrees, and ten minutes of Longitude, (counting from the first and fixed Meridian of the I'll of Saint Michael, of the Azores) and sixteen minutes only of Latitude meridionale. But for better clearing of this matter yet, we must add, that between the Town of Kyto, & the source of the great River of the Amazons, these tops, or risings of the great Cordeliere, that are after mentioned, are interjected.   

CHAP. VII. Of the sources of the great River of the Amazons.  
Pulcan and Guanama are two Mountains of the great and high Cordeliere, distant one from the other little less than two Spanish Leagues, of three hundred degrees, thirty six minutes of Longitude, on the terrestrial Globe; and twenty minutes only of meridionale or Southern Latitude. They are in the great Province of Kyto, of the rich Empire of Peru, about six Leagues to the Southside of the equinoctial Line; and eight Leagues to the East of the Town of Kyto, the Capital of that Province: and two Lakes, that are at the two feet of these two Mountains, are the renowned sources of the great and famous Amazon. That of Pulcan is the largest, openest, and best discovered; and that of Guanama is the deepest and profoundest, and as it were almost covered by a great rock overturned upon it by an Earthquake. But these two spring-heads, the most wonderful of all the world, since they give the beginning to the most memorable River of the universal world, run quickly into one, and pass along together the terrible rocks of the Cordeliere, rolling their roaring waters over its precipices and falls: from whence this great River coming forth and running always strong, swift, and strait towards the East, receives presently upon his leaving the Cordeliere, a marvellous great increase from the Coca, the Payamine, and the Napo, (three considerable Rivers, whereof we shall speak else where) and in short while makes his navigableness like unto that of the great Ocean-Sea, as well for the depth of his channel, as for the less rapidness of his currant of water. But this remarkable place, where the River of Napo enters into that of the Amazons (which the Spaniards call the Junto of the Rivers, and we the conjunction or joining of the Rivers, to the same very sense verbatim) is about sixty Leagues from the Town of Kyto, and under the equinoctial Line. And it was in this place that the adventurous Francis D'Areillane that Spanish Knight, made build a Vessel, in the which he first navigated, and happily discovered all this great River of the Amazons.   

CHAP. VIII. Of the length and course of this River.  
AFter that the great Amazon hath made his channel like unto that of the greatest Rivers of the world, by the conflux of the foresaid three Rivers, he goes on his way through the vast and fertile fields of America, always towards the East, and without longer straying from under the Line, than five or six degrees at the most, on the Southside, or that of the antarctick Pole. Yet drawing his now-slow waters after him, by infinite turnings and windings in plains and fields of so large and great extent, he casts out his arms on every side to receive the more easily the Rivers which from all parts come unto him, and that with such admirable agreement, that the least of his arms receive always the least Rivers and Rivulets; and the greater the greater: and if Rivers come to him, that are big and made great by a course of more hundreths of Leagues together, he there shuts up all his waters into one channel, to receive those greater worthily, and as it were with a greater state and magnificence. As for his length from his source to his mouth at the Atlantique-Sea, following the course of his wide channel, it is diversely reported. The forementioned Areillane makes it of eighteen hundred, and Father D' Acogna of one thousand two hundred seventy six Spanish Leagues, according to the justest measures that we could gather from the Relations of this Author, who contradicts himself often through forgetfulness, and not taking heed. Now the sparingest reckoning of Father D' Acogna, being modester than that of Areillane, seems to me to have more appearances of the truth in it; because the distance of the mountains of Pulcan, and Guanama (where the Sources of this great River are) in a straight line unto Zaparara, which is the Easterliest Cape, at which he ends his course, is but of six hundred forty leagues of the same sort, according to my Geographick Tables or Maps, and the methods of the eighth Book of my Geometrical Theorems. But because this distance in a straight line, appears to me to be yet too far different from the foresaid length of one thousand two hundred seventy six leagues; I could easily persuade myself, that either the Southern longitude of America were greater; or that the leagues of this Spanish Father Jesuit should be no other but Celtiberian-Spanish leagues, or Biscay leagues, like unto our French-sea-leagues, the which amounting but to twenty, for every degree of a great circle, would give us seven hundred thirty two leagues in a right or straight line, for the same distance between the Sources of the great River of the Amazons, and the extremity of his mouth, or upshutting.   

CHAP. IX. Of the Longitudes, Latitudes, and Measures observed in this great River.  
IN the design we have to set down in this place, and all along, the distances, and their latitudes, which the Spaniards have observed an. one thousand six hundred thirty nine, alongst the River of the Amazons, reported by D' Acogna aforesaid, delegated by King Philip the fourth to this charge: we have also resolved to add the longitudes, which we have adjusted as much as is possible from confusion and uncertainty; and this as well for the curiosity of such as love Geography; as for the help of these Authors, that would make new Cartes of these places. But going back to the end of the 7th Chapter, we shall continue the course of this great River in this manner.  
From the mouth of Napo, which is on the South of the great Amazon, to Anete, are forty seven leagues. This place of Anete is yet under the line, and on the Southside of the great River.  
From Anete to the Agarico, are eighteen leagues. The mouth of this River, is on the North-side of the Amazon, and under the line also.  
From the Agarico to Chevela, twenty leagues. The mouth of this River is also on the North of Amazon, and begins to decline a little from the line towards the South.  
From the Chevelu to the Curaray, forty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazon, and under the second degree of Southern latitude.  
From the Curaray to the Maragnon, eighty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South of the Amazon, having four degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred seven degrees and fifty minutes of longitude.  
From the Maragnon to the beginning of the Province of Homague, sixty leagues. All this Province consists in great Lands.  
From the foresaid beginning of Homague, to a certain great habitation of the same, one hundred and nineteen leagues. This place is in an I'll, on the Southside of the body of Amazon, having three degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twelve degrees, and fifty five minutes of longitude.  
From this Habitation to the Putumaya, seventeen leagues. The mouth of this River is on the North-side of the great Amazon.  
From the Putumaya to Lyetau, fifty leagues. The mouth of this River is on the Southside of Amazon, and hath three degrees thirty minutes of Southern latitude.  
From Lyetau to the end of the Province of Homague, fourteen leagues. In this place there is a great and puissant Habitation in an I'll.  
From the end of Homague to the Amarumaya, twenty five leagues. The mouth of this River is on the Southside of Amazon having five degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred fifteen degrees, and fifty minutes of longitude.  
From the Amarumaya to the Village of the gold, twenty eight leagues. This place is on the South-bank of the Channel of the great Amazon.  
From the Village of the gold to the Yopura, fourteen leagues. The mouth of this River is on the North-side of Amazon, and hath three degrees of Southern latitude.  
From the Yopura to Tapy, four leagues. The mouth of this River is on the Southside of Amazon.  
From the Tapy to the Catua, twenty five leagues. The mouth of this River is on the South side of Amazon, and towards the Green Lake, form into that condition by the great Amazon.  
From the Catua and the Green Lake to the first mouth of the Araganatuba, six leagues. This is on the North-side of the Amazon.  
From the fist mouth to the second of the Araganatuba, sixteen leagues; on the North-side of Amazon also.  
From the second mouth of the Araganatuba to the end of the Province of Corosirare, twenty two leagues. All this Province is on the South of the great River.  
From the end of Corosirare to the beginning of the Province of Yoriman, two leagues. On the Southside of Amazon.  
From the beginning of Yoriman to a great and very long Habitation, twenty three leagues, on the South of the River to four degrees of that latitude, and three hundred nineteen degrees, and thirty minutes of longitude.  
From this long Habitation to the I'll Yoriman, thirty two leagues, on the South-bank side of the Amazon.  
From this I'll to the end of the Province of Yoriman, ten leagues. On the Southside of the Amazon.  
From the end of Yoriman to the Cusiguare, two leagues. The mouth of this River is also on the South of the Amazon.  
From the Cusiguare to the Basurure, thirty two leagues. The mouth of this River is on the North-side of the Amazon, and hath four degrees, thirty minutes, of Southern latitude.  
From the Basurure to the Rionegro, or Black River, thirty leagues. The mouth of this River is also on the North-side of the Amazon, having four degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude. And thus the course of the great River of the Amazons into Rionegro, or the Black River, is of seven hundred eighty eight leagues, according to the preceding Measures.   

CHAP. X. The rest of the Longitudes, Latitudes, and Measures observed unto the Atlantic Sea.  
FOllowing the same design of the Chapter preceding, wherein we made stay, till we came to the mouth of Rionegro, where he enters into the great River of the Amazons, we shall in this Chapter make an end thereof, pursuing the Amazons course into the great Ocean its self.  
From Rionegro then unto the Madera are four leagues; the mouth of this River being on the South of the Amazon.  
From the Madera to the beginning of the I'll of Topinamba, twenty eight leagues. This great I'll is in the River of the Amazons, towards the Southside.  
From the beginning to the end of this I'll, sixty two leagues. In this place is a great and puissant Habitation of the Topinambians, having three degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred twenty seven degrees, thirty minutes of longitude.  
From the end of Topinamba to the Coruris, thirty leagues; the mouth of which River is to the North of the Amazon.  
From the Coruris to the Bosphore of the Amazon, twenty four leagues. This strange narrowness hath two degrees and forty minutes of Southern latitude; and three hundred twenty eight degrees, and fifty minutes in longitude.  
From the Bosphore to the Tapayse, forty leagues; the mouth of which River is on the South of the great Amazon.  
From the Tapayse to the Coropatube, forty leagues; the mouth of which River is on the North-side of the great Amazon.  
From the Coropatube to the Fort of the Destierro, fifty four leagues; which fortress is also on the North-side of the great River.  
From the foresaid Fort to the Ginipape, six leagues; the mouth of which River is on the North-side also, having two degrees of Southern latitude, and three hundred thirty one degrees and fifty minutes of longitude. And about two leagues under this Ginipape towards the Sea, the great River of the Amazons begins to open himself by little and little towards his great Mouth, or place of discharge into the Sea.  
From the Ginipape to the Paranaybe, ten leagues, the mouth of which River is on the South side of the Amazon.  
From the Paranaybe to the Pacache, forty leagues, the mouth of which is also on the South of the Amazon.  
From the Pacache to Commuta, forty leagues. This place is also on the Southside of the Amazon.  
From Commuta to Para, thirty leagues. This Town is also on the South-banke of the great mouth of the Amazon, having one degree and thirty minutes of South latitude.  
From Para to the I'll of the Sun, fourteen leagues. This I'll is also near to the same South-banke. And from Para to Zaparara, forty leagues; which is a Cape on the extremity of the South-banke of the great River, having thirty five minutes of South latitude, and three hundred thirty seven degrees and ten minutes of longitude. And so the course of the great River of the Amazons is from Rionegro to Zaparara, of four hundred eighty eight leagues; and his whole length is one thousand two hundred seventy six leagues, as have been set down in the preceding Chapters. Yet to describe his North-banke of his great Mouth also somewhat more, we shall thus set it down.  
From the Ginipape to Corupa, thirty leagues; this place being on the North-side of the River.  
From Corupa to the Cape of the North, the distance is not well known: and this Cape is on the extremity of the North-banke of the great River, having forty five minutes of North latitude, and three hundred thirty three degrees and fifty minutes of longitude.   

CHAP. XI. Of the breadth, and of the Isles of this great River.  
IF the great Amazon is wonderful for its length, it is no less admirable for its breadth, and its Lands. The one is always of two, three, or four leagues broad, but never so little as of one only: the others are innumerable, and so great, that their compass is of five, or of ten, and sometimes of twenty; yea, and more than of an hundred leagues sometimes, as is that of the Topinambes. There is a great number also of very little ones, in which the Natives make their Burial-places, having their Dwellings in the others, that are greater. But the greater part of these Isles, and sometimes the greatest of them, are in part at least drowned and overflowed every year by the inundations of that River, but so fattened thereafter with the mud, that he scatters over them behind him, that they are thereby exceeding fertile, yielding every year without any intermissions of rest, their ordinary crops, which are of Maze, Yoca, and Mandioca; which yield the common food for all America, where it is in great abundance all along the great River of the Amazon. But to help the inconveniences of overflowing, they make underground Cellars, Granaries, or Caves well covered, where they keep their Maze, (which is their wheat) without impairment; and the Yoca (which is a root) whereof they make their Casabe, which is the ordinary, and less finish bread of all Brasile, and of all that New-world. Returning then to the wonders of the large Channel of this great River of the Amazons, we shall end this Chapter, in telling you, that he keeps always about the same breadth, that we have before set down, until by an enlarging himself, and opening into eighty four Spanish leagues of breadth, he comes to lose his name and waters in the great Atlantic Ocean, between the two Capes of the North, and of Zaparara; this being in Brasile, and the other in Guiana, Provinces of America.   

CHAP. XII. Of its Depth, and Navigation.  
SEeing the great and wonderful Channel of the renowned River of the Amazons, as a certain long and vast Sea of sweet waters, receives so many great, broad, and deep Rivers, we must not think it strange, if the depth of his bed equal oftentimes the Abysses of the Ocean its self. This is for the most part, from his beginning unto Rionegro, of eight, twelve, and of twenty fathoms; and from Rionegro downwards to the Ocean, of thirty, forty, and sometimes without ground, and unfathomable, according to the relations of all that have observed it. But this marvellous advantage his depth hath beyond others singular, that for the most part they are alike, along the banks and sides, as they are in the midst of this large Channel of the great Amazon: whence it follows, that his Navigablenesse, and the fitness for commerce of this great River, is open and sufficient enough for the greatest Navies, of the greatest number, of the greatest burden; which may not only sail up all along him to his first rise in order of Battle, and ready for fight; but also put to Land easily, and apply to the shore, without any fear of rocks, or sands. And Providence having purposed every way to render all these wonders yet more considerable, hath led the waters of this famous River always from West to East, and near unto the Aequator, to the end, that as Navale Armies might easily come down from his very source to his mouth, carried by the sweet force and strength of his current, and stream; so they might also as easily go up from his mouth and first entrance unto his very source, against the stream of his deep waters, by a favourable and continual wind, which blows there in a good gale perpetually, and without ceasing, from East to West, either all the day long, or at least three or four hours of it together, because of the Diurnal motion either of the Earth, or of the first movable Heaven, or Orb: so that on the North-sea, from the Canary Lands, to those of the Canibal's; and on the South-sea, from New-Spain, unto the Philippine Isles; as also all along the coast of Paria and Guiana, as one goes from the North-cape, to the Cape of Sailes, the same East-wind is always found to be on wing, and in his reign, without ceasing. But as in those other parts abovenamed, it is impossible for Ships to take the same ways back again, for returning to the places from whence they came, that they held in coming from them, so long as their Sails must be filled with those East-windes; so this great River of the Amazons hath this particular advantage beyond them, that whole Armadas can go from East to West, and from West to East, always under the line, and the same way both of going and coming, and as the same time.   

CHAP. XIII. Of the Bosphore of the Amazon.  
THe Thracian and Cimmerian Bosphores, or Ox-swim-bredths were never so famous in ages past, as the Amazonian Bosphore will be renowned in times to come, in all appearance. This one strange Straight of this River (richer in one day, than are at present both the Straits of Hellespont, and of Elsenore) shuts up in one channel scarcely a thousand paces broad, or an Italian mile, the whole great River of the Amazons, proud of the spoils of so many, and great, and long Rivers; and highly puffed up for his course of more than nine hundred sixty leagues, through Plains and Valleys the fertilest in the whole world; and triumphing in all the waters, that rise from the East of the great Cordeliere, from the Town of Popayan to that of Plata, which is the space of five hundred leagues. This wonderful Bosphore, or Ox-passe, which Providence hath reserved to be one day the Key of the richest Trade in the world, and of the greatest Kingdom that is in one only Continent, hath three hundred twenty eight degrees, and fifty minutes of longitude, and two degrees and forty minutes of North-latitude, and is three hundred leagues from the North sea, following the course of turning and windings of this great River unto Zaparara; however Father D' Acogna (often enough variable in his measures) carry sometimes this distance of the Bosphore from the Sea, unto the length of three hundred sixty leagues. But until the longitude of this great part of America be better observed, I intent always to follow the least measures of distances. Now this one only and famous Strait of the great River of the Amazons, is yet further considerable for this, that the flowing of the great Seas is here easily perceived, offering a marvellous advantage to the commerce of this River's Navigation, by the ebbing, and flowing of the Ocean. Whence it follows, that the advantages of the first Nation, that shall possess its self by Colonies and Forts of both sides of this Amazonian Bosphore, cannot be expressed in a few words. For can any doubt, but that the riches of so many Mines discovered, and not wrought, by the miserable depopulations of the rich Western Regions of this Peninsulare America, will be one day snatched up by the greed of those will follow us, and the multitude of men that will be born hereafter in these happy Countries; and will in end be carried on the currents of so many famous Rivers, as render themselves unto the Bosphore of the Amazon, to be afterwards brought into Europe, by the easy Navigation of the Atlantic Sea, in comparison of the troublesome mountains of Panama, the Corsaires; and the Shipwrecks of the Gulf of Mexico; and the notable dangers of the channel of Bahame?   

CHAP. XIV. Of the first three Rivers, that enter into that of the Amazons.  
AFter that we have thus summarily described the course of the great River of the Amazons, we will return to his beginning, to handle anew the things that are without, and adjacent to it. But I could wish that Father Acogna, the Author and eyewitness of a part of these relations, were more cleanly and understandable in them. For not having been able to find either carts, or books to help my cares that I have to unfold these ambiguities, I myself therefore rest not satisfied in this behalf with mine own work. Without staying therefore to censure a Person of his Nobleness and merit, by reasons which I might, and the curious may themselves perceive in his writings, I shall take me to my Subject, and tell you, that from the Town of Cofana in the Province of Kixo, to the East of the Andes of Peru, and to the North of the line, comes forth the Coca, a navigable River, which quickly renders himself on the North-side into the beginnings of the great River of the Amazons; which as yet in these parts having his stream too rapid and violent, hath not therefore at this place so convenient a navigation himself, as other Rivers, that enter into his large bed on the side of the Antarctique or South Pole. The first whereof passing on as it were about three day's journeys from the City of Avila of the same Province of the Kixos, renders himself in short while, and under the name of Payamino, into the great River, on the Southside thereof, and below the entrance of the Coca, though the distance is not known, nor set down. But about eighteen leagues from the Town of Kito, beyond the Andes of the great Cordelier, is the mount Antezame on the Southside of the line; from the foot of which the River of Napo coming forth, and running amongst the Rocks without being navigable until he come to a Port, or Haven of the same name well nigh unto Archidona, he becomes yet more easy to be navigated four leagues beneath that, as well for the greatness of his Channel, as for the less rapidnesse and violence of his stream: and pursuing in this condition his way to great River, he enters thereinto about thirty leagues only from Archidona. But concerning the mouth of this River, you may look the seventh Chapter of this Book; unto which I will here add, that the foresaid Port of Napo, where the Indians have an habitation, is the best embarquing place, for all those that from the Province of Kito, would sail or go into the great Amazon. And as to this pleasant fair, and great enough River of Napo, it hath this prerogative beyond others, to roll alongst with him amongst the sands of his current, good store of Gold, which the Natives of this Country gathering, do therewith without much pains or trouble pay their tribute, which yearly they owe to the Spaniards of that same Province; a Province also that abounds every where else in all sorts of Fruits, necessary for entertaining of the life; the like whereunto may be said of it both for Fishing, and Hunting, or Chase.   

CHAP. XV. Of the Agarique and the Putomaya.  
HAving begun to show you before, the divers Havens or embarquing places, by which the great and rich Province of Kyto may enter into the commerce of the great River of Amazon; we will now follow the like way, be the other Rivers that come from the North-side, and give the like advantages to the rich Regions of the Popayan, and of the Kingdom of new Granado: whereof the first are the Aguarique, and the Putomaya, taking their beginnings in the Putomaya, taking their beginnings in the great mountains of the Cordelier, both of them well nigh to the Town of Pasto of the Government of Popayan, having three hundred and one degrees, and thirty minutes of longitude, and one degree only of North latitude. But though both these Rivers have their course from West to East; yet that of the Aguarique, which is the Southerliest, comes first to the great River of the Amazons in the Province of the Chevelues, or long-haired people; and that after a course of more than an hundred leagues (all along Navigable) through happy, fertile, and well-inhabited Regions, as all the rest of the Realm of the great Amazon is. Now the mouth of this considerable River, (the Name whereof is, The River of Gold, because he draws much of it along his bank-sides) is on the North-side of the great River of the Amazons, and about an hundred seventeen leagues from his own Sources and Spring-heads, and likewise under the line. But the River of Putomaya taking a course much more straggling and wand'ring, and watering a good many more Nations than the other, makes also hereby his Navigation more considerable, and of greater Portation by a course of far greater extent, and a greater number of Rivers, that on all sides arrive unto him also. And after he hath fertilized so many great champain Countries by the fresh vapours of his waters, and by his ordinary overflowings, as all Rivers of America do; he opens and enlarges himself near unto a leagues breadth at his entry into the great River of the Amazons, and about four hundred fifty three leagues from his own Sources, or Well-heads. Now the mouth of this River of Putomaya, which carries along with him gold also, as most others do; is on the North-side of the great River, and hath two degrees and thirty minutes of Southern latitude, having run under the line a great deal more than the half of his course, and under the same measured (in his banks and windings at least) the space and length of more than three hundred fifty leagues. Thus the commerce of the great River of the Amazons will in time coming receive no less enlargement by the happy Navigations of the Aguarique, and of the Putomaya, than by other great and famous Rivers (which promise him the same increase) as well for the richesses and fertile Countries of the Town of Pasto, as for the situation of the same, which is too far distant from the conveniencies of the Port of Carthagena.   

CHAP. XVI. Of the great Caketa, a considerable River.  
THe third and last River, which from the North, and from the mountains of the Cordelier, comes into the great River of the Amazons, goes under the name of The great Caketa; and is acknowledged and celebrated for the greatest of all the Rivers in America, next to the great Amazon. The Kingdom of new Granado glories in its birth, and the Valley of Nicao of the Province of Popayan, is the famous place of his Source, which hath two degrees and thirty minutes of North-latitude, and three hundred and three degrees, and forty minutes of longitude, on the terrestrial Globe. This great River so much renowned, and yet so little known to this day by Geographers, receives presently a marvellous increase of waters, which descend in great abundance from the great mountains of St Faith of Bogota; and taking his way from West to East, almost every where parallel to the great Amazon, he insensibly draws near to run under the line, continuing thus his course until about at one degree of North-latitude, and three hundred eighteen degrees of longitude, he divides his large and magnificent Channel into Rionegro, and Riogrand; i. e. into the Black River and the great River. But the great Caketa is so wonderful at this place, that this division hinders him not to render himself on the one side into the great Amazon, by the first of his branches, and by an entry of more than one league and an half broad; nor to keep for a long time the colour of his own pleasant and deep waters, until that the great River of the Amazons, all gathered up into one great bed, for receiving of him, deface this appearance of the Caketaes' waters, but not until after a combat between them, for the space of twelve leagues length. As for his other branch (which I take to be the great River of the Orenoc, contrary to the opinions of Father D' Acogna, because I see no other River from the Cape of the Sails to the Cape of the North, that can be attributed to him) it turns its course towards the North, and renders himself into the North-Sea by a mouth worthy of his greatness and magnificence. But because the Orenos (as other Rivers of Guyana have) hath leaps and falls that are high and steep, amongst the rocks, that he passeth through; (following here the relations of Diego d' Ordas, of Alphonso de Herrera, and of Anthony de Berreo, who were amongst the first of such as navigated it) neither the commerce of the great Caketa, nor that of the great Amazon, can ever be hindered on this behalf, as Father D'Acogna apprehends, grounding himself on the passage of Lopez D'Aguirre, which he held from the River of the Amazons to the North Sea by this tract or way: but not knowing, that Lopez had not light Boats, that can pass over all, and shoot such falls, (as Oars do London-Bridge at a low water) or that he made draw them alongst with him by land (as other Spaniards also did before him) from the beginning of the leap or fall of the River Orenoc, to the end of it, which is at least an hundred Leagues distant from his mouth, whereby he enters into the great Ocean. Returning therefore to the great Caketa, we shall have done with him, and this Chapter, if we tell you, that he receives an infinity of other Rivers; that he waters sundry rich Provinces, and many very warlike Nations; that his overflowings makes on all sides many great Lakes, as is usual in all other Rivers of America; that now and then he sends some arms or branches into the great Amazon, which are equal to some good Rivers in other places: that his mouth of the Orenoc hath nine degrees of North-latitude, and three hundred twenty one degrees and twenty minutes of Longitude: and that his mouth of Rionegro (so called from the depth of his pure-clear waters, whereby they seem black) hath four degrees of South-latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude, on the North-side of the great River of the Amazons, about some seven hundred eighty eight Leagues from his first sources, the same distance, that the Amazon hath from this place to his head; as is before said towards the end of Chapter the ninth.   

CHAP. XVII. Of the River of Maragnon.  
ONe of the principal and most famous Rivers, that the Andes of the Cordeliere send forth towards the South of the great Amazon, is without all doubt the Maragnon, as well for the rich and noble Province, whence he takes his beginning, as for the renown of his name, whereby he is so celebrious in the Histories of this New-world: forasmuch as Joseph Acosta, and Antony of Herrera, give this name often both to the great River of the Amazons itself, and to the River of the Orenoc; and the Portuguaise of Brasile give the same name also to another considerable enough River, which looseth himself in a great Bay, or gulf, which they call the Bay of Maragnon, in the North-most Government of the Kingdom of Maragnon, called for this same cause by that title also. But to the end that the diversity of so many Rivers, and places called by this name, may not beget confusion in my Geography; I shall for ever leave it to this one alone, and famous River, that I now speak of, the name of Maragnon; a River well known from all Antiquity in the great Empire of Peru, by this name. He hath this singular in the way of his course, that whereas he takes his beginnings to the West of the great Mountains of the Cordeliere, and not from its self, yet he ceases not to pass through them, and to draw all his deep waters towards the East of America. His famous sources honour the Lake of Boubon with the prerogative of his rise. This Lake is in the Countries of Guanuco, a Colony of the Spaniards; and in the Province of Lima, the richest and first of all the Empire of Peru, the most rich place of all the world. It's longitude is of three-hundred and two degrees, and thirty minutes, on the terrestrial Globe; and his latitude of ten degrees, and four minutes, antarctick or meridional; and his distance from the royal Town of Lima, forty Leagues. So this famous River of Maragnon coming forth of this foresaid Lake, waters the long and fertile Valley of Saussa, and cutting or crossing the King's high way between the Towns of Guanuco, and Guamangue, under Bridges made of cords and wood with a marvellous artifice, he passes through the whole Andes of the Cordeliere; from whence coming out again at last much more mighty than he was, by the continual confluence of Rivers, that on all sides arrive unto him, he passes along the Province of Main to the East of the Cordeliere; and after his having saluted as it were, the Town of St. James of the Mountains, still made broader, deeper, and very swift and rapid in currant, he afterwards spreads himself abroad at pleasure and with more liberty in divers fair Provinces, and amongst Nations puissant and warlike. In end following his course, still growing bigger, and more impetuous and rapide, than one would think that he could be navigable, he pours out all his waters into the great River of the Amazons, at the Southside thereof, having four degrees of Southern latitude at that place; and three hundred and seven degrees, and fifty minutes of Longitude; and about two hundred fifty seven Leagues from the sources of the great River of the Amazons. His own length is about three hundred Leagues, reckoning by his banks; and as for his navigation which I take, ought not to be reckoned further, than after that he hath passed the Andes, it will not fail one day to bring the greatest riches of all Peru, to the great River of the Amazons, for the same reasons, that we have heretofore mentioned, and in the Chapter of the Bosphore, by name.   

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Amarumaya, and of the Madera.  
IN the same Province of Lima of the great and rich Kingdom of Peru, to the East of the great Mountains of the Cordeliere, about twenty Spanish Leagues from the royal Town of Cusco; about thirteen degrees and thirty minutes of South-latitude; and three hundred eight degrees, twenty six minutes of longitude; are the sundry and abundant sources, which presently cast themselves into one Channel of the great River of Amarumaya, which in the Language of the Indians, signifieth Serpents. The River (according to the testimonies of Infant Garcilassa, come of the Kings of Peru, and afterwards turned Ctaholick) saith he, takes his course towards the East; he wades great Provinces, and renders himself at last, into the North-Sea; without saying any more. But this long and deep River, being the same that Father D'Acogna acknowledges under the name of Cusco, but knows it not by the name of Amarumaya; after having received an infinity of other Rivers into his bed, and after that he hath run according to the measure of his crooked banks, the length of four hundred Leagues, he looseth his name with his waters in the great River of the Amazons, to the Southside of it, having five degrees of Southern latitude, and five hundred forty two Leagues from the sources of the great River, and three hundred fifteen degrees, and fifty minutes of Longitude. But the Madera without contradiction, is the last River, that comes from the Southside, and from the Andes of the great Cordeliere, to pay his tribute to the great Amazon. And as he is remotest in his sources, so he is the longest, having a course of about seven hundred Leagues. He wades inestimable fields, and infinite Nations, and as it were jealous of the glory of his ending, he seems as it were upon design to shun rencountring with the Lake of Xaraya, the original of the great River of Plata, leaving it upon his Eastside only fifty Leagues distant from him; that he might with more honour lose his name and waters in the great, and more renowned River of the Amazons, and that by an entry, that is worthy of his own greatness, at three degrees and forty minutes of South-latitude; and three hundred twenty four degrees of longitude; and eight hundred thirty two Leagues from the sources of the great Amazon. As to the birth of the Madera, whereof we shall speak, (and to which the Spaniards gave this name, because of the trees, that he brought down into his mouth at that time when they discovered him) according to the best opinion, it is in the most rich and opulent Province of Plata in the Kingdom of Peru, to the East of the Mountains of the Andes, under the twenty first degree of South-latitude, and three hundred and thirteenth of Longitude. The Topinambians vaunt, that they have come down all the length of it, as we shall declare hereafter; and they tell wonders of its greatness, as also of other Rivers, that on every side augment it. And finally his navigation being once fully discovered, the Ages to come will doubtless proclaim the great riches, that he will bring to the great Amazon, drawn out of the Mountain of Potosie, thirty Leagues distant only from his source.   

CHAP. XIX. Of the other Rivers, and of the Province of the Kix's.  
THe other great and long Rivers, not less considerable than the preceding, which come forth also from the Mountains of the Andes, to render themselves into the great River of the Amazons at his Southside, (to follow the order of the ninth Chapter of this Book) are first: the Curaray, between the Rivers of Napo, and of Maragnon. His origine is in the Country of Macas, of the Province of Kixo. The second is the Yetau, (called Lyetau in the ninth Chapter) as much renowned for his greatness, as for the riches of his peoples (who wear Ear-pendants and Bracelets of fine gold) which hath his course between the Maragnon and the Amarumaya. And finally, the Tapy, the Catua, the Cusiguare, between the Amarumaya and the Madera, to be thought the greater and the longer, by how much their entries into the Amazon are wider and broader; by means of all which, and others, that will be hereafter discovered (whether they enter into the great River themselves immediately, or mediately only into others, that come at last to him, and pay their tribute) the commerce will always be greater, and the navigation happy through the whole Kingdom of the Amazons. But to give a beginning to the Relation, not only of the Provinces, and of the Nations, that dwell on the length and breadth of this admirable River of the Amazons,; but also of other curiosities, the knowledge whereof will beget him no less advantages; we will come back to the Province of Kixo, the first of them all, and the most renowned, by the glory of the Amazons rise, and of the place wherein his navigation becomes like unto that of the Ocean-Sea, as also hath been declared in the seventh Chapter. It is fertie in gold and all other things, being of the Kingdom of Peru, and a Government of the Province of Kyto. It was discovered by the Spaniards, that passed over the Andes on the Westside, Anno 1640, which was seven years after the Pizarres and the Almagres from the Panama first approached to the side of Peru, and in fine conquered so great a Kingdom. In this Government of Kixo are the Towns of Baessa the Capital of Avila, and of Archidona, little Colonies of the Spaniards; and sundry other places, Coffane, Payamino, and Anete, sometimes the abode of Captain Joh●e de Falaci●s; who pushing further in than others, out of an ambition to make further conquest, and from his zeal for Religion, seated himself and his Soldiers in this remote habitation, on the great River of the Amazons; but in the end was killed by the Savages his enemies. And so this place of A●●●e was left by the Spaniards, as too far off from their Colonies, and too much exposed to the dangers of so many warlike Nations, that neighbour it. And this is enough of this Province, having also discoursed of it Chapter the seventh, and the fourteenth, and of Ane●e in the ninth.   

CHAP. XX. Of the Province of the longhaired, and of that of the Homagues.  
AMongst the principal Provinces, which in going down the great River of the Amazons, present themselves; that of the longhaired people is not the least considerable, as well for its greatness, as for the valour of its peoples. It is on the North-side, and begins from the River of the Aguarick, and being of a good breadth, extends itself in length more than one hundred eighty Leagues always upon the side of the Amazon. It's River's roll gold, its fields are all fertile, and the yearly inundations make Lakes in it in great abundance. This Nation is one of the valiantest in all America; it hath always resisted all sallies of the Spaniards, and by the death of Johne de Palacios, it put a sudden stop to their boldness. As well the men as the women wear their hair long even unto their girdingplace; whence they were presently called the Chevelues, or longhaired people, great and fair; as also a River was called, that runs through the midst of this Province, and loseth himself in the great Amazon; on the mouth of which forty Portuguaiss and three hundred Brasilians encamped for eleven months the year 1638, as we shall declare afterwards. But the greatest and the best of all the Provinces, that lie costing on the River Amazon, is that of the Homagues: whose length is two hundred Leagues, and his habitations so frequent, that scarcely one is out of sight, when another appears. But its breadth appears not to be great, because it exceeds not the extent of such arms as the Amazon casts out that way. All the Towns and Villages are in great Lands, and in great number: and the beginning of this long Province on the West side is about three hundred seventeen Leagues from the sources of the great Amazon. Almost in the midst of it is the greatest and best habitation of the Homagues, whereof we have spoken in the ninth Chapter; as also of another mighty habitation, consisting of an infinity of houses after their fashion, seated in an advantageous place; filled with the valiantest men and best Warriors, and furnished with all sorts of Arms and Munition of War; and that because, this, place, being the last of all the Province on the East side, it is Frontier to many warlike peoples, against whom the Homagues fight often, and almost without ceasing. This Nation is the most reasonable, and the best governed of all others of this discovery; and that by the benefit of such amongst them, as have frequented the Kix's of Peru, from whence they were chased through sear of the Spaniards, that used them as slaves. They are all honestly clothed as well men as women; who make not only clothing for themselves of Cotton, which they have there in abundance; but also to traffic with in other Countries, where their workmanships are sought after for their fineness and delicacy. These Stuffs are very pleasant, woven of divers colours, or else painted with great skill. They are so subject and obedient to their Caciques, or Lords, that they presently do any thing upon a word speaking. They have all their heads flat out of a contrivance and are they use for it when they are born. They have continual Wars on both sides of the River with the Savages, who on the South side are the Curines, so numerous, that they not only defend themselves from the Homagues, but also from other Nations, that are further from them, yet fight with them daily. And on the North side are the Tecunes, no less valiant and numerous than the Curines, seeing as they, they make also Wars upon other Nations, that are further off from them, than the Homagues.   

CHAP. XXI. Of the condition of slaves; and of neighbouring Nations.  
ALl the Indians of the great Realm of the Amazon (as we have said elsewhere) are served only with slaves: and the only penalty of the vanquished prisoner, is all brought to this sad debt towards the victorious enemy, that took him in War. But the Homagues are so generous towards such as have been overcome, more by an evil fortune, or overruling power from heaven, than by any feebleness that was in themselves, that they use them very gently, make them sometimes eat with themselves, and never suffer them to be sold to who will give most. This were highly to offend them, but to demand such things of them; as the Portuguais often had experience, who coming down the great River Anno 1639, arrived one day amongst others at an habitation of these Homagues: who received them in peace, and with great joy, and very liberally presented them with any thing they stood in need of. They sold them Stuffs, also Canoes or Boats, that were very light: but never any slaves, not enduring so much as to hear of it. Whence it follows, that these peoples replenished with so much sweetness and modesty, would easily enough receive the rule of a moderate Prince, and the knowledge of the true Religion. But that we may lightly pass over the Nations that are on the one side, and the other of the Province of Homague; we shall only say, that to the North of the great River of the Amazons, the Yorunes, and the Paryanes', and then the Atoyes, and the Cunes; and finally the Homaguazietes (that is, the true Homagues, the valiantest of these Nations, and as it were the superiors to the others) dwell alongst the vast fields of both the banks of Putumaya, all along up towards its source, So for the South side of the Province of Homague, the Tipunes, and the Guanares, and then the Ozoanes, and the Nahones; and after them the Canomanes and the Marianes, possess the large Regions between the Maragnon and the Amarumaya, from the mouth of the Yet as to the Source of the same. But all these Nations are so valorous, especially those that are furthest off, and that are at the beginning of the River Putumaya, that oftentimes the Spaniards of the Province of Kyto, and of Popayan, have been repulsed by them through force of Arms.   

CHAP. XXII. Of the Province of Corosirare, and of the Neighbouring Nations.  
BEtween the end of the Province of Homague, and the beginning of that of Corosirare, the two banks of the great River of the Amazons are possessed for fifty three leagues space by the Cacygares and Tucuries on the Southside, and in part on the Amarumaya; and on the North-side, by the Curis, and the Guayrabes. The Habitations of all which Peoples are remote from the sides of the River, for fear of the Homagues. But the Nation Corosirare, that dwell to the South of the great Amazon, begins at The Village of Gold, and ends not till after eighty leagues in length down the great River. Its Grounds and Fields are higher than ordinary; and the Habitations of this Province are so frequent, that oftentimes for four leagues together, and sometimes for six, one can see nothing else. This people, though Savage, yet wants neither policy, not good conduct of their affairs; all their Houses are well ordered, and replenished with all sorts of Vivers, and Commodities. They have many Kills or Furnaces, and make all fort of Earthen Vessels, which they sell and traffic by with other Nations; but all by way of Exchange, as all other Indians do. As to that Habitation of this Country, which the Portuguau, while they went up the great River, an. One thousand six hundred thirty eight, called The Village of Gold, (whereof we spoke also in the ninth Chapter) it was by occasion of a pair of Ear-pendants of fine gold, which they took there from a woman: which were so fine, that the gold was found of one and twenty caracts in the Town of Kyto, after their arrival there. But so soon as these Natives of this Village perceived the greediness of the Soldiers after ornaments of gold, they presently thereafter hid all that they had, and no more was seen after that; no not at the return of the same Portuguais in an One thousand six hundred thirty nine, who could never obtain but one pair of these Ear-pendants by exchange with the Indians, which Father D'Acogna himself bought, to let them be seen in Spain. But the great Nation of the Suanes, which extends itself to the great Caketa, fills all the Fields that are on the other bank of the North of the great Amazon: but with this remark, that their Plains are a great deal lower, than the opposite Grounds and Fields of the Corosirares; in whose Province are the Mouths of the great and fair Rivers of Tapy and Catua, this last forming and fashioning Lago-verde, with the great Amazon. And alongst these two Rivers, as one goes up them, dwells the great Nation of the Pacuanes.   

CHAP. XXIII. Of the Gold-Mine of the Suanes, and of the Neighbouring Nations.  
THe great Province of Suane heretofore mentioned, hath this singular glory amongst all the others, that are honoured by the great River of the Amazons, to carry Gold within her bowels. The famous Mountain that nourisheth in his bosom so great a treasure, hath about two degrees of South latitude, and three hundred seventeen degrees of longitude. It is two hundred leagues only distant from the Town of St Thomas, a Colony of the Spaniards in Orenoc, and forty leagues from the Atlantic Sea. And the precious River of Gold (for so the Natives of the Country call it) which waters its foot, draws abundance of this rich Mettle with him, in form of grains of Corn, and little bigger billetts. It presently disburdens its self into the Yopura, another considerable River, which likewise looseth himself into the great River of the Amazons, on the North-side, at three degrees of South latitude, and five hundred eighty four leagues, from the Sources of the great River. Whence it follows that the commerce so advantageous of the great Amazon with this famous Mountain of Suane, is made the more commodious by the Navigation of this River of Yopura, by going up him into the River of Gold; and that the ages to come will one day make famous these places with rich Towns and magnific Inhabitants. For the present, among all the People's of these Countries, the Managues are those, that traffic with this Gold, the weight whereof, and its fineness makes it so perfect, that it is the most excellent of all America. The Indians that buy of it, by exchange of other things for it, make of it little long Plates, which they hang at their Noses, and Ears: and this rich Ornament is ordinary and frequent in all these Provinces, according to the report of the Savages. But the Nations (besides the Suanes) that are nearest to the treasures of this rich Mountain, are the Aguaynes, the Mocunes, the chief of all such as dwell to the East of the Suanes, and cultivate the fertile Fields, that are watered by both the Channels of the Araganatube. Now all the Plains of these fertile Regions, as well on the North as on the Southside of the great River of the Amazon, where the Province of Corosirare is; are the best and manyest, and best disposed to receive all sort of culture, of all America. But returning to the Gold-Mine of the Mount of Suane, I wonder that neither the Spaniards of Hordas, and of Berreo, nor the English of Kemnits, and of Ralech have never met with it, that have searched with so much ruin and calamity to the Natives, alongst the great River of Orenoc, the imaginary Treasures of the fabulous rather than famous Lagad rado.   

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Province of Yoriman.  
NEXT after the Province of Corosirare, as you go down the great Amazon on the Southside, is the Province of Yoriman, being but of sixty leagues long, but of such repute amongst the Indians of all these Countries, by reason of the strength and valour of its Inhabitants, than the Navy of the Portuguais themselves passing along did perceive it. They are of a good stature, of a fair body, and well form. They are expert in all things they take themselves to, especially in Arms; and go all naked, as well men, as women. They are also so numerous for multitude, that never any saw at one time so many Barbarians together. It was an infallible token of their great courage, that they went and came (as they did) amidst the Armed Vessels and Ships of War of the Portuguais, to traffic with them, with extreme assurance of mind. For whilst the Portuguais going up the great Amazon, sailed along by this Province, every day there came to them above two hundred Canoes, full of Women and Children, with Fruits, Fishes, Meals, and other such like Provision, which they changed with the Portuguais for axes and knives, whereof they have great esteem, as all others Indians of the new world. The Yorimen inhabit not only the main Land of this Province, but fill also the great Isles that the great Amazon makes by sundry of his Arms stretched forth. The first Village of this Warlike Nation, is on the mouth of a Crystalline River, which must be strong, and come very far considering the force, wherewith he pusheth the deep waters of the great Amazon. But the notablest of their Habitations, is the greatest of any that lie on the great Amazon, containing more a good deal on the bank of that River, than a good league: and in every of its Houses, four or five Families, and sometimes more; whereby easily may be gathered the great number of the Inhabitants of this long Town, whereof we spoke also in the ninth Chapter of this Book. It was in this place, so abounding with all things, that the Fleet of the Portuguais stayed five or six days at its return, after it had gone up the River of the Amazons before with good success, as shall be afterwards related. Not one of so numerous a people fled from his House for fear of their arrival; but the whole Fleet got freely from them, all that they stood in need of; and because the Navy was near an end of all its Provisions, it got from their bounty five hundred Sacks of the Meal of Mandioqua, which sufficed it for the whole rest of its Voyage. The other Habitations also of this happy Province of Yoriman, are not much inferior to the former, they are all along very frequent on the firm land; but yet both mightier and more numerous in a great Island about thirty leagues lower; where it seems the principal Forces are of this generous Nation; generous I say, both for its valour, liberality, and numerousness of men, that inhabit it.   

CHAP. XXV. Of the Province of Surina, and the Neighbouring Nations.  
BUt to go from the Province of Yoriman, to that of Surina, we must in our passage visit the Nation of the Cusiguares, that labour the fertile Plains situated on the South-banke of the Amazon; which in this place receives the plentiful waters of that great River, that gives its own name to this pleasant Province. This renowned River of Cusiguare, both for the easiness of its Navigation (though somewhat hindered now and then by Rocks appearing in it here and there) and for the happiness of its Fishing, no less abounding here, than elsewhere, will be no less considerable for the high stature and the great courage of his Nation of the Motuanes, that cover the first Plain, that he waters, who by testimony of the Indians, that report it, use also long Plates of fine Gold, for Ear and Nose-Pendants; whence it would seem, that they are not far from the rich Province of the Plata, and of Potosy, because even to travel up to their Country, it takes full two month's time. But upon the same River, and between the aforesaid two Nations, the Curians, and the Catoses, enjoy likewise the happy fruitfulness of so many good Grounds, and so many pleasant Rivers, that on all sides enter into their principal River. Now, as the Province of Homague is celebrated amongst all those of the great Amazon, for its fine works of Stufles and clothes of Cotton of so great variety; and the Province of Corosirare for their excellent Pottery of Vessels of Earth so artificially Painted, and fashioned: so the Province of Surina is no less commendable for a delicate householdstuff, or Utensiles of a marvellous fine artifice. It is on the South of the great River, and to the East of the Cusiguares: its People's being the Surines, and the Coripunes, Nations that are the most curious and expert of working in Wood, of any in all America. They make Seats and Forms in the fashion of Animals, yet so fine and commodious for the ease of the body, that nothing can be added to their industry. They make also Javelots' and Arrows, with so much gentleness and elegancy, that all other Nations seek after them. And the like Images, that they make to the life are so perfectly done in all points, that our best Ingravers and Carvers, could find no other occasion but to learn from them: so that by exchange of so many singular workmanships of so sundry sorts, they daily make their lives more happy by all necessary Commodities, which on all sides come unto them from this rich traffic.   

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Province of Caribane.  
FOr as much as the distances of all these Rivers and Provinces, are just enough set down in the ninth Chapter of this Book; we shall say only of this Province of Caribane, that it lies between the Rionegro and the great Amazon in extent of more than an hundred leagues on the banks of either of them. Its Fields and Plains are higher than that they are subject to the overflowings of these Rivers, or of an equal height unto them; yet fertile and abundant in all things. The River of Bazurura, which enters into that of the Amazons on the North-side, makes here Lakes and Lands very pleasant: and the divers Nations of this great Province, are no less considerable for the plenteousness and fertility of their Country, than for the happy condition of their life. Of these, the Araguananes, and the Mariguanes, are the most Westerly, and lie against the banks of the Yoriman, already mentioned. The Pogoanes, and the Caraganes are on the Basurura. The Comanares possess that point which the two Rivers for me at their meeting. The Tuynamanes, and the Comarurianes are on the side of Rionegro; and the others less renowned possess the Lands that are furthest off from the Amazon. All these People's are valiant, and use-skilfully the Bow and Arrow. They had from the year One thousand six hundred thirty eight, Knives, and Axes, and other Instruments of Iron, after the fashion of Europe; which they gave out to have bought from Indians their Neighbours, that were nearer than they to the Sea; and these again from certain persons, that were white of countenance, and clothed like the Portuguais, and armed with Sword and Musket, that dwelled upon the Atlantic Sea: which have been without doubt, either Hollanders, or English, who have both sailed into the Orenoc, and dwelled for some time in the Coasts of Guyana; but were at length hostilely chased from thence, by the Savages; as also all the French were an. One thousand six hundred fifty four, from the I'll of Cayene in the main Land, and on the same side of the Sea of the North; which is not above two hundred leagues at the most from Rionegro, but reckoning in a straight line, and by the shortest distance. But because nature hath not offered in all the Realm of the great Amazon, a more favourable situation, than on the point of the Comanares, for settling of a Colony of the most considerable ones of any in the world, and which cannot fail one day to be the Seat of an Empire most flourishing, and of great richesses in Trade; we shall therewith finish this Chapter, in telling you, That the Land of it is right upon the banks of these two great Rivers; that it is also mounted above the height of ordinary inundations; that the surface of it is plain, sweet, and not shrubby: that the Neighbouring Fields abound in grains for necessary Provisions, and in good pasturage for nourishing of Cattle: that Quarries of an excellent Stone for Building, and easy to be cut and hewn, are as near it as Woods, and Trees of a marvellous greatness and height, for the conveniency of Buildings and Houses: that the distance of the great Amazon from the Rionegro, is not so great, but the fortifications may conveniently and regularly be drawn along on the Landside, and that the Foussies of these fortifications, and this wall being well ordered, may easily be made deep enough, and themselves filled by the debordments of the one, or of the other River, at pleasure.   

CHAP. XXVII. Of Rionegro, and of the Province of Camsuara.  
FOllowing the North-side of the great River of the Amazons, Rionegro incontinent presents its self next after the Province of Caribane. His breadth and depth give him the prerogative to be thought the fairest and mightiest River of all that enter into the great Amazon; whose mouth being wide a great league and an half, hath four degrees of South latitude, and three hundred twenty two degrees, and twenty minutes of longitude, and seven hundred eighty eight leagues of distance from the Sources of the great Amazon. The Amazons course is here towards the North-east; and that of Rionegro right East, where he enters into the other with such grandeur and majesty, that he keeps his waters distinct and separate from the others, and keeps half of the whole channel to himself for the space of twelve leagues, before the great River (though here all united into one great bed, to receive him) can overcome the distinctness of his waters, with all the force that he hath. The Spaniards first, and after them the Portugall's, called it Rionegro, because at his mouth, as often also in his channel, his waters appear very black, because indeed they are very clear, and without any colour, but very deep. The Natives also name it for the same reason Coriguacure, that is, the Black River. But as Rionegro is the great Caketa of the sixteenth Chaper of our Book; we shall say no more of it here, nor stay again upon the obscurities of Father D' Acogna, which we have there briefly unfolded; but pass on to the recital of the Nations that inhabit its banks, and tell you, That the Province of Camsuare is the first that presents its self, having on its South Rionegro, on its East the great Amazon; and on its North, the great Province of Guyane. All the Plains of these Countries are mounted like those of Caribana, and not subject to the ordinary overflowings, covered with infinite Peoples, and abundant in all things, especially of Trees of a prodigious height and thickness. But amongst the rich Nations of this fertile Province of Camsuare, those of the Aguares, of the Agaypes, of the Jamnes, and of the Carupatabes, are not the least considerable, without relating the Guaranacasanes, which make a Province on the beginning of the River of Orenoc, as he comes out of the great Caketa. See the sixteenth Chapter to make the knowledge of these things less confused and imperfect, than they are in Historians and Geographers, who treat of them either too diffusedly in great Books, or too lightly in little Tractates, seeing also it becomes daily more certain by new and reiterated experiences.   

CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Province of Cayane, and of the Nations Neighbouring.  
BUt going now to the Southside of the great River of the Amazons again, we shall find to the East, and following that of Surina, the Province of Cayane, through which the great and long River of the Madera passeth, and renders itself into the great Amazon. And because this River of the Madera (which was so called by the Spaniards, because of the great number of Trees, which it drew alongst with it into its mouth) is one of the principal Rivers of America, you shall find the distances and measures, and other circumstances that concern it, in the tenth and eighteenth Chapters of this Book. Now, the Nations, that Province great enough, contains within its extent, whether lying alongst the great Amazon, or in going up the great River of the Madera, which the Natives call also Cayane; are no less happy for the fertility of their fair Fields, and pleasant Rivulets, than other People's of all these fertile Countries are. They are of no less courage for War, not less expert in Fights and handling of Arms; they have also the like industry in their handiworks, that serve to make their happiness of life the more accomplished, by the exchange of them with such commodities as they stand in need of, and they keep likewise in their conduct and Government of affairs, Laws and Customs like unto those, that all other Provinces of the Realm of the Amazon do. But of all these infinite Peoples, that cover so many considerable Plains and Fields, the Cayanes', and the Anamares are the most renowned; and next to these, the Curares, and the Goarinumes; and after them, the Abacares, and the Oragunagues; and lastly the Sabucares, and the Urubingues in going down the great Amazon, which yet are the most esteemed for their curious fineness of working and making house Utensiles. But the remotest of all in going down the great Amazon, and amongst these the best known are the Maraques, and the Oregates, and towards the South, the Guaranaques, and others without number, which undoubtedly border upon the great Lake of Xaraya, out of which all Geographers, that give us the Cartes of America, make a considerable River to come forth, which they bring to that of the great Amazons, whereof they ought to abstain to speak too hardily, until by certain experience the truth of their first thoughts be better assured.   

CHAP. XXIX. Of the I'll of the Topinambes.  
SEeing the I'll of Topinambes is in this place of the River of the Amazons; and that it is the greatest of all its Isles, the most renowned Province of any that it waters; we shall say first, that it is of more than sixty leagues of length; and that it is so situated in the great Amazon, that it comes nearer to his Southside, than to his North, and that all the distances and measures, that concern it, are in the tenth Chapter of this Book. Secondly, we shall say that it is admirable in fertility of its Grounds, in the beauty of its banks, in the multitude of its Habitations, whereof the most mighty is in the Eastmost point of it, and hath three degrees of South latitude. Finally, we shall say, that once it was inhabited by its Natives, and original Indians, but that the Topinambes coming upon them, chased them from it after sundry Battles, and possessed themselves of it with so much glory and reputation for themselves, that the terror of their names did reach to the neighbouring Nations. Now these Topinambes before had inhabited the South coasts of Brasile, where not being able to endure the hard entreaty of the portugals towards them, after that they had come upon them; they renounced their dear Country, and voluntarily abandoned with great resolution more than eighty of their great Bourgades. So they marched in infinite multitudes of men, women, and children, straight towards the West, and under the same parallel. They crossed by swimming the great Rivers of Parane, and of the Plata, and leaving on their left hand the Province of Tucuman, they in end took up their lodgings on the beginnings of the great River Madera. But it befalling one of these Topinambes some while after to kill a Cow of a Spaniard on the frontier of Peru, for which he was rudely chastised; the same fear that carried them too lightly to leave their ancient abode, made them all to dislodge presently from this new one. And to the end to put themselves far enough from all the Provinces of any neighbourhood with Peru possessed by the Spaniards; and and to make their Voyage or removal with less inconvenience, and the more diligence and circumspection, they embarked themselves in Canoes, which they had ready in great number, and so suffered themselves to go at adventure down the stream of Madera; and after sundry Month's navigation, found themselves arrived in the great Amazon, and so lastly on the banks of this I'll of Topinambe, which they possessed by Arms, as hath been said. Now this Warlike and valiant Nation entertained very courteously the Portugall's at their passing them, and received very pleasantly their proposals that they made, of a mutual Covenant and Alliance. Which alone might suffice for the conquest of the whole Realm of the Amazon, seeing all ply to the only name of the Topinambes.   

CHAP. XXX. Of the Bosphore of the Amazon, and of the Neighbouring Nations to it.  
FOllowing the course of the great Amazon, you shall find about fifty four leagues from the Topinambes, the Bosphore of the Amazon, whereby a marvellous effect of the natural disposition of the ground of these Countries, all the waters of the great River of the Amazons, and of all the others, that we have described, reduce themselves by a sweet violence to the necessity of passing in one only channel so straight, that it is no more than one good quarter of a league. But of this famous Bosphore, and all that concerns it, see the tenth and thirteenth Chapters of this Book; that we may pass without hindrance, to the Province of Mataya, which lies on the Southside of the great River, from the Province of Cayane beforementioned, unto the Bosphore of the great Amazon. The Inhabitants whereof being often beaten by the Topinambes, have at last submitted to their yoke, and are now their Tributaries; being bound yearly to furnish them with Stone-axes, to fell their Woods, and great Trees; and with other useful Instruments of the same matter for labouring and manuring of the Ground; wherein the Topinambes are marvellous expert and diligent, as appears in all their plains and champain Grounds. But on the other North-banke of the great Amazon, the Province of Apanta presents itself, happy enough in all things. It hath for its confines on the West the Province of Camsuare; on the East it passeth the Bosphore; and on the North its frontiers on the famous Region of the Amazons; which I pass over as well as other doubtful reports, which the Spaniards and portugals have heard of it, as they passed along the great River. The Inhabitants of this Province, next Neighbours to the Topinambes, trade in Salt with them, and other Nations, that are farther from them; and Salt is not found but in this place, all alongst the whole course of the great Amazon. As to the Apantes, and Conures, they labour their fair Fields, that are watered by the Coruris, which enters presently into the great River, according to the tenth Chapter of this Book; as also the Orixamine, a River no less considerable, of the same North-side and near to the Bosphore. They have this singular amongst all the People's of that Country, that their language is the common language of all Brasile, though they be distant from it three hundred leagues. But it may be that the Topinambes, in keeping their own, (which was this) have also communicated it to this neighbourhood. Finally, the best counsel that one can give on this behalf to a Prince, or Republic in the progress of this conquest, is to keep the Bosphore in his possession, and the Topinambes in amity and confederacy with him.   

CHAP. XXXI. Of the Province and River of Tapayse.  
PResently after that the Amazon is come forth of the famous Bosphore, he betakes himself to his accustomed broadness again, and begins to mingle the boilings of his waters, with the floods of the high-sea. The first Province that he visits on his Southside, takes its name from the great and broad River of the Tapayfe●, and is no less considerable for the abundance of his Fruits and Crops, than for the courageous Nation, that inhabits it: the which is so much the more redoubted to its Neighbours, as that it adds to its valour an art of empoisoning their Arrows. But the Source of this fair and fertile River is unknown to us as yet; and yet its greatness makes it appear, and persuades us, that is it very remote on the Southside, between the coast of Brasile, and the great Lake of Xaraya. About the year One thousand six hundred thirty, the English went up his broad channel with one Ship, and coming down his banks again, stayed there some time to sow, and gather Tobacco; but being chased from thence with some loss by the Indians, they went away without returning. Amongst the Habitations of this Province, the portugals found one in it, at their return down the great River, of more than one thousand five hundred Families; wherein they were so favourably received by this Nation, however otherwise both hardy and barbarous, as hath already been said, that all the day long they ceased not to go and sell them Meal, Poullets, Fish, Fruits, and other necessaries: and all with such confidence, that the very women and children never scared at their Navy. And yet not content with these good Offices (as it is the nature of valiant people, to be alivaies generous too) they offered moreover to all the portugals there, if they would but leave their own Country, and come and live with them, to serve them in peace, and with a good will, and nourish them all their life time. As to the measures and distances of the deep and broad mouth of the River of Tapayse, you may find them in the tenth Chapter of this Book: and its length cannot well be thought less, than from three towards four hundred leagues; whence will follow, that he must receive many others into his bed, to become so great and broad as he is: and that the Provinces and Nations neighbouring upon him, must be very many, abundant, and fertile.   

CHAP. XXXII. Of the rich and great Province of Coropa.  
BUt following of the River of the Amazons, and on the North-side, you find after the Province of Apanta, that of Coropa, which extends its limits to the River of Genipapa, the mouth of which is an hundred forty leagues from the Bosphore, according to the tenth Chapter of this Book, which sets down all the rest of its measure also. This Province hath the name from the River of Coropatube; because the name of Tube in America language, signifies nothing else but a River. The Province is almost in the midst of the River's length; and a Village of the same name is upon its entry into the great Amazon; which is in peace, and under the obeisance of the portugals of the Kingdom of Brasile. But this River is not so abundant in its waters, as in its richesses, if the Natives abuse not themselves in assuring us of four marvellous Mountains, that make it considerable, by the nearness of the precious Mines, that they contain in themselves. The first is Yaguare, that containeth Gold; the second, Picore, that offereth Silver, the third presents Sulphur; the fourth is Paragache, which so shines by Sun and Moonlight, that it seems to be wrought as with enamel, with sundry sorts of precious Stones. All these rich Mountains are under the line, and about an hundred leagues only from Cayene, where the French have had Colonies. But the commerce of them will be more opened, and more commodious, by the navigation of the River of Coropa, because about six day's journeys from the same Village, that carries its name, Coropa receives another little River coming from the Mount Yaguare, that brings with it abundance of Gold, in form of grains and billetts. And as for assurances of the Mine of Silver of the Mountain of Picora, they may be found from the consequence of the relations of the same Savages; who give out with one voice, That they have often drawn out white Mettle of that Mountain, whereof they once made Axes, and Knives; but that because of its softness, they left it off, as unprofitable, and of no use. But in the same Province of Coropa, on the North-bank of the great River, and six leagues before you come to that of Genipape, is the Fort of the Destierro, where thirty portugals are ordinarily in Garrison, under a Captain, that commands and governs all those Neighbouring Countries, without any s; et bounds to their extent.   

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the great Mouth of the great River of the Amazons.  
The great River of the Amazons, the relations whereof cannot equal the marvels of its magnificence, is no less admirable in the greatness of his Mouth, than in all other things, that lift it up to so much glory. He begins to open himself below the River of Genipape, and becoming always broader, he incompasseth Lands without number, infinite Nations, and Peoples that speak sundry languages; though the common language of Brasile extend itself also to all these. But the most remarkable amongst others are the Tapuya, the Aanxaiase, the Mayanase, the Angaybe, and that of the valiant Pacaches, which inhabit also the banks of River of the same name, which comes from the Southside into that of the Amazons. All these Isles, are wonderful in the festility of their Fields, in the fruitful plenty of their Fishes; in the beauty of their banks, which are crowned with a continual greenness. But the River of Pacach, considerable enough for its broadness, but yet of an original or Source unknown, to us, bounds to the East the Province of Paranayba, which comes after that of Tapayse hereafter mentioned. The great and fair River of Paranayba gives it its name; whose Sources are far removed towards the South, and the Nations that it waters in passing so many Fields, are not as yet well known. His Mouth is two leagues wide, and the Habitations of this Neighbourhood obey the portugals, who govern them. And as to the distance and measures of all those remarkable places, you shall find them in the tenth Chapter of this Book; as also the greatest breadth of this wondrous Mouth of the Amazon, to wit, eighty four leagues lying from the Cape of the North, to the Province of Zaparara; which notwithstanding, because it is in an oblique line, is not the just measure of the true entry of the great Amazon. But to get a truer knowledge of it, follow the straight line from the foresaid Cape of the North, to the Town of Para on the coast of Brasile, you will yet find it so of more than sixty leagues of breadth, not to stay on the mis-reckoning of the seventeenth Book of John Laet, a late flenmish Author, who teacheth how to find this distance, from the East point of the Mouth of this great River, to the Westside of the same; drawing yet a more oblique line, than that of the Cape of the North, to the point of the Zaparara, was. But seeing we cite here the tenth Chapter of this Book, you must not fail to put there the distance of the Genipapa from Corupa, of thirty leagues, to mend the fault of the Printers, because of the importance of all these measures.   

CHAP. XXXIV. Of the great Prevince of Guyana.  
SEeing the Province of Guyana ends the great River of the Amazomes on his North-side; and Geographers have gained no great knowledge of it as yet; we shall speak of it in manner following. On the East it hath for its limit the great mouth of the Amazon, from the River of Genipapa to Cap-north; on the North, it is washed with the great Atlantique-Sea, for the space of three hundred Leagues, from Cap-north, to the I'll of the Trinity: and on the West, the great River of the Orenu serves for its coufines: but on the South it is kept in by a ridge of Mountains parallel to the Sea-coast, which separate it from the Provinces of Camsnare, of Apanta, and of Corepa, already mentioned. Now, these Mountains (though not yet known) are not imaginary, but real and effective according to the natural disposition of all these Countries, seeing the Rivers of Viapoco, of Cayene, of Maruyne, of Sequebe, and other considerable ones of Guyana, which run all from the South to the North, and enter into the Ocean-Sea; and those other of Genipapa, of Coropatube, of Orixamine, and of Coruris, which run all from North to South by a contrary course to the others, and enter into the great Amazon; have necessarily their sources in those Mountains deep and fertile Valleys. But returning to that East part of Guyana, which butts on the mouth of our famous River; we will first tell you, that it begins from that of Genipapa, considerable enough both for the greatness of his bed, and for the fine gold, that he draws along with him in his waters: whence it follows by infallible conjecture, that the mountains of his fource, and the plains of his neighbourhood, are no less rich, happy, and fertile, than in all the rest of America. Now the coast or this Province from Genipapa to the Cap-nord (which forms the great mouth of the Amazon) is very uneven in its bank, and very dangerous in its navigation, because of heights and allows, that are here sometimes found. But these difficulties are not in coming down the great River, until after you have passed, and necessarily taken notice of the place of Corupa, one of the Governments of the portugals on these banks, about twenty eight Leagues from the place, where the great River begins to open his mouth. But because Cap-nord ends the North side of this great River, we shall tell you again, that it hath one degree and forty five minutes of North latitude, according to the tenth Chapter of this book; likewise that the grounds about are very low, and covered with woods; the Sea very raging, and not very deep; the Sands movable, and often covered with Sea-ware, or weeds. And as to the rest of this coast, as you go from Cap-nord to Corupa, see the Relations of the Hollanders, reported by Johne Laet in his America, where you may find the knowledge of it little either necessary, or delectable.   

CHAP. XXXV. Of the Province of Maragnon, and of the Town of Para.  
AS the Province of Guyana ends the North-bank and brink of the great Amazon; so the Kingdom of Brasile (under the Crown of Portugal) ends it on the South side, by the Province of Maragnon, the Northerliest of all its Countries. It took its name from a River and a Bay of the same name on the coast of the Atlantique-Sea, where the Town of St. Lewis, the residence of the Governor, and of justice, is in a very pleasant I'll. But that side of this Government of Maragnon is far longer on the great mouth of the great River, than on that side, that accosts the great Ocean; seeing at contains all the bank of the Amazon for the space of an hundred Leagues from the River of Pacashe, to the point of Zaparara. Yet in all this length of Lands so fertile, and abundant in all things, there is but the one only Town of Para, that is considerable. From the year 1615, the portugals established the Colony there, and built the fortress of it, which is a square of Mason-work on the Landside; and of earth or turf on the Seaside. It is commanded by a Captain-major, who answers to the Governour-Generall of the Province and under this Captain-major of the Town of Para, are other three Captains of Infantry, dispersed in divers places of that Country. It is forty Leagues from the North-Sea, and from the point of Zaparara, and thirty Leagues from the great Village of Commuta, once very flourishing, but now ruinous, on the mouth of the great River of the Tocantines, a Nation very fertile, and rich. It hath also one degree and thirty minutes of South latitude, and is about sixty five Leagues from Cap-nord, in a right Line, and Geometrical measure, making twenty Leagues for every degree of a great Circle, as we have done in the rest of this work. And as to other distances on this South side of the great Amazon, you shall find them at the end of the tenth Chapter of this Book; as also those of the I'll of the Sun, which is by the waterbank of the Province of Maragnon, having more than ten Leagues in Circuit, one very safe Haven, fish abundance, Crabs without number, very good fresh or sweet waters, of lesser prey or game as much as they will, and a very pleasant air. Finally a place much more convenient than that of Para, to set up a Colony and Forts in, whereby to command the best and safest entry of all those, which lead from the Sea into the true Channel of the great River of the Amazons.   

CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Entrice into the River of the Amazons.  
Such as are exercised in the navigations of the great Ocean, know nothing more dangerous, nor more difficult, than the entries of Ports, of Bays, and of Rivers. But in this, as in other points, the great River of the Amazons is no less admirable, than singular. For being framed as it were to receive in times coming the greatest and richest commerce of all the world, how could it hinder, that its great mouth should not be defamed by Robbers or Pirates, as well as the Gulf of Mexico? Now the same providence that hath heaped upon it more than upon all the Rivers of the earth, so many marvellous advantages and prerogatives; would not in this either make it less perfect; having by a certain and natural disposal and ordering of its Isles, sides, and allows, or flats, reduced its navigation into one only Channel, and rendered the other passages as it were unprofitable; and by his impetuous currants (which carry his waters thirty Leagues into the Sea) forbidden all strange Ships, and hostile enemies to rest in these places, that they might there surprise any Navy at their going in, or coming out. But the difficulties hitherto have been great to find out the true tract, that Vessels ought to hold in going into the great Amazon. And after having considered the divers observations reported by their Authors, Spaniards, English, and Flemish, some of them too short, and others too confused and obscure; and most or all of them, uncertain, we shall tell you in few words, that first of all, one must shun the currants in coming down, going aside of them unto two degrees of South latitude; then go up again, by the coast of Brasile, at half a degree latitude of the same side of the Line, then double the point of Zaparara, and make Sail, or launch to the South-west, after that, follow the coast of the Province of Maragnon, and pass the Channel of the I'll of the Sun at one degree and a quarter of South-latitude, and twenty six Leagnes from the full Sea: finally make Sail to the West, leave the side of Para, and keep the same latitude, to gain the bankside of Corupa in the Province of Guyana: and for conclusion, follow still the same side, and enter at last into the true Channel of the great River of the Amazons, at two degrees of South-latitude, and thirty Leagues beyond Corupa, which is but one degree and a half of the same side of the Line.   

CHAP. XXXVII. Of the first discovery of this River.  
FOrasmuch as historical Relations are easilier understood, if they follow Geographical ones, we have changed the order of Authors, that went before us, & begun at the latter. After that Gonsales Pizarro Governor of the Province of Kito, had first of all the Spaniards (pushed on by the same ambition to find gold and silver in the vast Countries of the great Amazon) passed the high and dangerous Mountains of the Cordeliere, and discovered the Province of Kixo, his Lieutenant General Francis of Areillana finding himself well far engaged (and that in Challops only) on so many unknown and great Rivers; and not knowing any sure way of going up again, and returning to his General, who with them that were with him, suffered an extreme great want of Victuals; he would stay at the famous place, where the River of Napo loseth himself in that great one of the Amazons; where causing his men to build another Bark, greater, and more convenient than his others, for a long navigation, he resolved by an ambitious desire to purchase glory, to commit his life and fortune to the uncertain currants and waters of that great River. This admirable voyage and singular for so many circumstances, was begun on the eighth of the Month of January in the year 1541, and continued with so much good luck and happiness, that this great and marvellous River was wholly navigated, and first discovered by this ventorious Knight, from whom also the River had the name of Areillane. In passing over the Provinces of the Cassique or Lord Aparia, this Prince received him very courteously, and advertised him to take heed in his way of travel, of certain Amazons and warlike women, the renown of whom, though they were very far from him, yet ceased not to give him knowledge of them. Finally in his course he had divers successes, sometimes good, sometimes bad, according to the fear or fearless confidence of the Nations, that saw him with astonishment pass along upon the great River. And after having known not without admiration, the Rionegro, he saw in the Month of June, Indians in great number upon the banks thereof; and at the head of them armed women, which seemed to command and lead them to war: whereupon the Spaniards of Francis of Areillana, and himself, were so persuaded of the truth of these Amazons, that they published the report of it with such confidence, that from thence the name did remain to this great and memorable River. Lastly, after sundry fortunes, and much weariness, on the 26. of the month of August of the same year 1541. he went out at the great mouth of this great River, and making sail towards the West along the coasts of Guyana and Paria, Provinces of the same America, on the eleventh of the month of September he happily attained the Isle of Cubagua, near to that of Marguarite, both of them inhabited by Spaniards, and then rich in the fishing of Pearls.   

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the second Expedition of Areillana in the same River.  
AFter that Areillana was returned to Europe, had filled all Spain with the admiration of his adventures, and the Court of the Emperor Charles the V. with the hopes of the great River of the Amazons; had got also from this Prince, (whose arms and ambition troubled no less the old, than the newfound world) the charge of making conquest of it in the name of the Crown of Castille; and that he had at his own leisure made ready three Ships, and man'd them with Horsemen, and provisions necessary, he made sail the xi. day of the month of May in the year 1549. from the Haven of St Luke of Barrameda in Andalusia, for the Tenariff in the Canaries, where the ships stayed three months, as also two months more under Cape-verd on the Continent of afric, losing by those stays an 150. soldiers by sickness. Passing from thence to the coast of America, the tempest drowned one ship to him, which had xi. horse, and 70. men aboard: and coming to half a degree of South-latitude, he drew up sweet water in the full Sea, and by that conjectured, that infallibly he was in the River of the Amazons, being not then above twelve Leagues from the point of Zaparara. But having gone in an hundred Leagues, into the great mouth of this great River, an 107. of his folks being yet wanting to him, and he perceiving that the rest would not be sufficient to furnish out these two ships; he caused of the one of them a Bark to be made, which was not completed in three months; and making sail again, scarcely had he gone up twenty Leagues in the same River, but he broke his other ship, of the planks whereof he was constrained to make another Bark, which thirty men made an end of only in two months and an half, and that with much toil and weariness. Areillana in this mean while set himself twice with the other Bark to seek the true channel of the Amazon; and never having been able to find it amongst so many arms and Isles of that River, and so confused, he finished his life with his adventures, being surcharged with travail, grief and sadness: so that the two Barks retired themselves severally from the great Amazon, and following the coasts of the firm Land of America, betook themselves to the Isles of Cubagua, and the Marguarite; where the Spaniards, that were but few now surviving this so ruinous an expedition, made an end of all the rest of their lives, dying there of sickness.   

CHAP. XXXIX. Of Pedro D'Orsua, and of the Tyrant Lope d'Aguirre.  
AS all the Authors, that have employed their watchings to describe largely unto us the things of America, were neither good enough Geographers, nor good enough Geometricians, to disentangle the difficulties, that grows ordinarily in such matters; so they have but too often fallen into contrarieties, that make their Histories confused; and into obscurities, that robs their Readers of possibilities to understand them. Such as would take advantage at depressing them, will somewhat strange at my censure of them: but I seeking nothing but truth, and not after vainglory in my works; will pass on to my subject of this famous River; the discovery whereof was no more essayed from Spain its self, after the disgraces of Francis of Areillana; but by the Spaniards of the Kingdom of Peru it was under the conduct of Pedro d'Orsua in the year 1560. by the orders of the Viceroy there, who gave him a little Army in a fleet well enough equipped. The embarkment for this expedition, was on the River of Maragnon, the nearest to the Town of Lima; the chief of that Province. But a few months after their departure, the soldier's mutinied against their General, and put him to death; and Lope d'Aguirre, the boldest of them all, took the title of King upon him, and made himself to be obeyed of some, by threats; and of others, by promises. Following out the navigation of Maragnon therefore, and always going down that River, he entered into the great Amazon, and suffering himself to be carried down by the currant of his ample channel, he stayed chiefly at the mouth of Rionegro: where coming to consider of the greatness of his crime, and the danger he had to fall into the hands of the Spaniards of the North-sea, if he went once out of the great River; he so addressed his whole Fleet in Rionegro, as having no other design than to rove up and down so many Rivers, and pass through so many Countries, only to sustain his tyranny. But fortune less blind than his prudence, thrust him in his course of sailing into the River of Orenoc, which coming to end in the Atlantick-sea over against the Isle of the Trinity (subject to the Crown of Castille) he was presently there made to stay, partly by his own soldiers, partly by the Catholic Kings officers, and led to the punishment, which his felony deserved; his houses also in Peru, by the same sentence were razed, and so continue and show themselves yet in our days. But a voyage so surprising for Geographers, and so ill understood by Authors that have gone before me, because not able to take up the strange order of all these Rivers, could not be better hitherto cleared, than by the preceding Chapters of this Book, especially the 16, and 17. And the only difficulty which presents itself now, is only in the leap or fall of Orenoc, discovered 1531. by Diego de Ordas; as also 1536. by Alphonse de Herrera, coming from Tinity-Isle. Herrera made draw his Barks by Land, till he was above that leap of this River; the like possibly having been done by the Mutineers of Lope d' Aguirre the Tyrant: or that the descent of the same leap being uneasier to Challops, than to ascend it, because of the force of Apanta, (which is the name of a River as well as of a Province) it is possible also, that those of Aguirra have passed down the leap without disenbarking any; and that so much yet the more easily, if it was in the time of the inundation (which is ordinary in all those Rivers) which raiseth the boilings of their waters above the rocks of their fall.   

CHAP. XL. Of the Unfortunate Expedition of Maldonado.  
MEan while the designs of this renowned discovery, was no less vigorously embraced by the ambition and covetousness of the Spaniards of the Town of Cusco. The great and deep River of Amarumaya gave them the occasions of it; because the Province of Moxa, of their neighbourhood, furnisheth the abundant Sources of it. And the first amongst them, that had a thought of it, (after the Inca's, that had attempted it in vain) was Gomez the Tordoya, having got the privilege from the Count of Niebla the Viceroy of Peru. He failed not presently to make the necessary expenses for it, and by considerable advances to order all its preparations. But his power expiring by the removal of the Count of Niebla; and his Successor (that was of the House of Castro) conferring it upon Gaspar de Sotelle, confounded all things by this change. This last to authorise his own credit, had associated himself with the Inca Topacamare, of the race of the ancient Kings, that dwelled at Bileobambe. And if the too great number of Soldiers, that voluntarily offered to follow them, had not cast some suspicion into the head of the Viceroy, and the spirits of the supreme Counsel, who manage this conquest with an extreme great jealousy; Gaspar's enterprise had not been broken, and the same privilege granted to Johne Alvarez of Maldonado. Who having finally An. 1566. passed the Mountains of the Andes, and entered into the famous Province of Moxa, gave beginning to that unfortunate rather than famous expedition, in going aboard his Rafts, or Float-boates, with two hundred and fifty Soldiers well armed, and an hundred Horse in good equippage; to follow the tossed waves of the Amarumaya, and by suffering himself to be carried by his fierce stream, to go down into the vast Fields of the great Amazon. But fortune being envious at the glory that he promised himself from this famous discovery, failed not presently to overturn the success. Gomez de Tordoya (as we have said) could not suffer with patience, neither the outrage of calling him back, nor the loss of his expenses: his ressentment of these, followed with courage, disposeth him to sedition, seeing all his complaints were always rejected; he therefore now carries himself upon his own authority, to put the same enterprise in expedition, and that against the discharging of him by the Viceroy. By his own boldness he passeth the Mountains and the Forests of those unknown places, and being followed by sixty Spanish Soldiers, he prevents his competitor by a precipitated march. When he had attained the River of Amarumaya, and known that the Fleet was not yet passed, he resolved to wait on it in that place, and to fight it, as he did, soon as it arrived. The medley was sharp, and endured three days; the valour in the two parties was equal; and the number of the slain and hurt was so great in this unfortunate rencounter, that the Chonques, (a Neighbouring People) casting themselves in Arms upon the rest, put all to death, with Tordoya, none escaping in this miserable conflict, but the General Maldonado, Father Diego Martin, a Portugal; and Simon Lope, that was excellent in artillery: who, after having stayed two years amongst these Barbarians, returned by I know not what way of accommodation, to the Province of Moxa, of the dependence of Cusco, whither they went afterwards.   

CHAP. XLI. Of other Designs for the Discovery of this River.  
THe sad events of the Fleet of D'Orsua, and De Maldonado did no more slacken the courage, than slaked the greed of the Spaniards in research of immense, or rather imaginary Treasures of the great Amazon. They were long enough time both in Spain, and America, quiet, and moved not for this conquest. Only in the year 1621., the King Don Philip the fourth, sent Powers to the royal Audience of Kyto, to treat of fitting conditions, for the discovery of this River, with those of his Nobility, that were employed in places and charges of that Province. But by that time all these Orders (in order to Propositions, that the Sergeant Major Vincent de Villalobos, Governor of the Province of Kixo, had made for any that took that charge; and during the making whereof, for the longsomenesse of the goings, and come of Posts, and of consultations ordinarily to be used in such rencontres, the time of his Government coming to expire) were come to that point, that for any might take that charge, the good intentions of the Catholic King in this, were for that time made unprofitable, not only by the change of the Governor, but also by the death of his Successor Alonzo de Miranda, who carried himself with the same zeal, towards the same discovery. Now the rumour of these goodly and noble Propositions of the Castilians of Peru passing presently into Brasile, the emulation of the portugals made them presently make the like about the same, in the Court of the Catholic King there, who was yet in possession of their Kingdom. So that upon the warmth and zeal that Benito Maciel Governor of the Province of Maragnon witnessed that he had for the discovery of the great River of the Amazons, by that side of its mouth that bounded his Government; the Patents were sent him 1626., in the ordinary conditions. But his generous designs were yet hindered by the Wars of the Hollanders against the portugals in the Province of Pernambouk, of the same Kingdom of Brasile, and Frontier to that of Maragnon, who feared not a little the disasters of it. Mean while the orders of this conquest are redoubled by the cares of the King Don Philip. They are always sent to the Governor of Maragnon; and Francis Coeille of Carvaille, who had then the Government of it, received them 1633, and 34: who notwithstanding coming to consider, that in parting his Forces, for to send some of them, or conduct them himself, for discovery of the great River of the Amazons; that the rest that stayed in the Province, would not be able to guard it against the assaults of the Hollanders, who from the year 1630, had taken the famous Town of Olynda, of the Province of Pernambouk, and possessed the neighbouring coasts; the expedition for the discovery was by him wisely delayed. Thus a necessity to defend themselves, hindered yet the portugals for this time, to aspire to the glory of an enterprise so much desired, and so often before checked.   

CHAP. XLII. Of the Religious of St Francis, that came down all the great River.  
IT was in the beginning of the year 1635, that Captain Johne de palaces (of whom we have spoken before) accompanied with thirty Spanish Soldiers, and six religious of the Convent of St Francis of the Town of Kyto, descended from the Mountains of the Cordelier into the Plains of Kixo, to settle his abode (as he did without hindrance as to the Savages) at the Village of Anete upon the great River of the Amazons. In this Post (the furthest advanced of all those that the Spaniards held in the East Countries of the Andes) the valour of Johne de Palacios, and of his, seemed no less admirable, than the zeal of the religious of St Francis, showed itself ardent for advancing the Christian Religion. Both the one and the other exercised themselves in these places, either to make the neighbouring Nations obedient to the Crown of Castille, or to gain souls to God from amongst so many People's, no less fierce than Savage. But neither their perseverance in their travalls, nor their courage in their fights, nor finally their holy and zealous exhortations, could ever prevail any thing, especially in the Province of the long-haired People, where Captain Johne de Palacios 1636, was put to death by the Barbarians. Whereby all his Soldiers were so discomforted, and the religious themselves were so far put back, that abandoning all of them presently their abode at Anete, they retired all to their ancient Houses; under the reserve or disposal of Father Andrew of Toledo, Father Dominique de Brieve, and six Soldiers only that were resting; not to stay any longer in those unfortunate places; but to go all into a little Bark, and to expose themselves to the rapid current of the vast Amazon, and try better adventures in his waters, than on the firm Land, that butted on his banks. So destiny hath reserved the Names of those two religious to be inserted in Histories, that their marvellous hardiness to have enterprised a Voyage so extraordinary for so many circumstances, might never be wiped out of memory of Ages to come. For if Amerique and Drake have been no less glorious, for having been but the seconds, the one for touching on the firm Land of America; and the other for rounding the world; these other feeble and new Argonantes shall also be no less renowned, for having but made the second Navigation of all the great River of the Amazons. In end after much wearisomeness endured, many dangers escaped, and always upheld by Providence, these two Fathers of St Francis, the six Spanish Soldiers, and their little Bark, the companion of their glory, arrived happily at Para a Town of Brasile, where they presently filled the eyes and ears of all the People with admiration: but above all the noble courage of Pedro Texeira Captain Major, who commanded in that great and rich Capitanrie of the Province of Maragnon; the Governor General whereof, (than James Raymund of Norogna) resided at St Lewis, whether the two religious went to him in like manner, to give him as much content by the pleasant relations of their singular adventures; as emulation to this conquest by the famous examples of their memorable Voyage.   

CHAP. XLIII. Of the Departure of Pedro Texeira for this Discovery.  
IN end fortune being wearied, so long to cross a design, that Spain had traveled with, with so much care; cast her favourable eyes on the person of Pedro Texeira Captain Major of Para in Brasile, that his courage and prudence coming to second the choice that she had made of him, and preferred him to so many Subjects of merit, he might arrive at the glory to have been the first, to make the whole great River of the Amazons feel the heavy and victorious Fleets of the Catholic King. Now the necessity of the portugals self-defence, who had the expense and diversion of a continual War in the midst of Brasile to maintain, could not allow to this noble expedition, Forces more considerable, than those that parted from the Town of Para the twenty eight of the Month of October in the year 1637, under the conduct of Captain Major Pedro Texeira (of the same Nation) followed by forty seven Barks, both great, and well armed; by seventy Portugal Soldiers, and one thousand two hundred Indians fitted to the War; by eight hundred Women and Valets; and furnished with provisions meet and necessary for so long, and doubtful an enterprise. The dexterity of the Mariners and Rowers, and the favourable help of the winds, broke the first difficulties, that the Fleet could have had, to gain without loss and danger the true channel of the great Amazon. But in departing from the coasts of the Province of Maragnon, and of the Countries that are subject to it, the portugals could no longer know neither the bank-sides, nor the right ways and courses of the great River, because of so many crooked Arms of his, that he casts out, and thereby frames his many Islands. So that the Navigation becoming longer, by following ways uncertain, and not before known; and the troubles and toils inseparable from a Sea-Army, that must often disembark, to camp on the firm Land, began to weary the Indians, and to distaste them from further pursuing of the Voyage. Already many of them stole away, to regain (as well as they could) the Land of their Nativity; and those that stayed peaceably behind in the Barks, or in the Camp, ceased not to make their minds known by their murmurings: in so far that the fear of a greater deserting of him, giving this General occasion of just unquietness, he set himself to find out more sure ways to prevent this disorder, since punishment and severity kept out hardly to their duty the rest of the Indians, and Valets of his Army. He was but yet half way come in his Voyage; but feigned that he was near enough the place, where the Fleet should arrive. And the better to persuade them to this, he ordered eight Barks well furnished and well armed, to go before, and as it were to make the encampments for the body of the Army to follow, in places where it was to Land. But in truth, his intent was in this, only to find out and discover the best ways, that were to be held in the great River, and by these ambiguities to keep all his men in breath.   

CHAP. XLIV. Of the Arrival of the Fleet at Peru.  
MEan while the Fleet goes on, her Sails being filled with an East-wind, always favourable, and triumphs over the rapid current of the proud Amazon. Already six Months were passed, and six hundred leagues had been measured, which they had run; the half of the way was done, and sundry Nations had been discovered. The wildest amongst them fled to the Mountains, or lesser Hills; the less fearful stood unmoved upon the Banks; the more confident came and trafficked with the Camp: but the valientest, no more than the others, never armed themselves against the Fleet, nor against her Avantcourriers or Vanguard: which already very far advanced, because of its lightness, was tracing and following on the channels of the great River, the ways that were straightest, and least oblique, and marked forth the addresses, or directions, on the Banks, by Trophies set up, or by Ensigns set together. The Vanguard was commanded by Bennet Rodrigue d'Olivera, a Portugal, who having been born in Brasile, and brought up as it were amidst the Americans, he dived presently into the secret of their thoughts, and by the least of their actions, he could guess what they had in their minds: whence he was as well feared, as respected by all the Indians of these Countries: so that by his good qualities, he had also this prerogative, to contribute much to the happy finishing of so noble an enterprise. So pursuing the Voyage with his Vanguard of eight Barks armed, he attained with as much diligence, as good luck, the Port of Payamine in the Province of the Kix's, the 24th of June in the year 1638, while the Captain Major with all the rest of the Fleet followed the traces advices, and addresses, that Olivera left at the places, where he had rested with his Vanguard: whence the Soldiers of his Army, receiving every day comfort, they thought always, that the morrow was to be the last of the Voyage. Thus entertained with this hope, they arrived at the River of the long-haired People, on the Mouth of which, Pedro Texcira made forty portugals, and three hundred Indians of his Troops, to encamp, and gave orders to Pedro d'Acosta Savela (who was appointed to the command of them) to stay in this place, and not to depart thence, till he heard from him; leaving there moreover Pedra Bayon a Captain also of infantry. And himself continuing his Navigation with some few persons, he came likewise to the Haven of Payamine towards the end of September, having passed one thousand two hundred leagues in a continual going up the River of the Amazons, since the 28th of October of the year before. After that, from thence taking his way by Land, and cross the Mountains of the Andes, he came no less happily, than gloriously to the Town of Kito, where he was received with such Acclamations and Triumphs, as the greatness and success of his Enterprise did deserve.   

CHAP. XLV. Of the Orders of the Viceroy for the Return of the portugals.  
AFter that the Royal Audience of the Town of Kito, had received from the portugals all the informations that were needful on a business of such importance, which looked towards the discovery, or conquest of the great River of the Amazons; it would not for all that deliberate upon it, nor proceed to things so weighty, without giving advertisement thereof to the Count of Chinchon Viceroy of Peru. Who with the other Officers of the King of Spain, having considered all the circumstances of a success so advantageous, sent the Audience his Orders from the Town of Lima, the chief of the whole Kingdom, dated the 20th of November in the year 1638, to send back with all diligence the portugals, by the way that they came to the Town of Para, giving them and furnishing them with all things necessary and fit, for fear that Brasile suffered not inconvenience by the Hollanders, through so great and far an absence of so many worthy Persons of service: and to persuade them to receive into their company two faithful Persons, that were Dependants on the Crown of Castille, to give an account to his Catholic Majesty, of all that was discovered, and should be discovered along the great Amazon in the return of a like Voyage. Presently after the Orders of the Viceroy were published through the Town of Kito, sundry Spaniards, especially Religious, presented themselves for the choice, to go on that Voyage. But as Don Johne Vasquez d'Acogna, Lieutenant General of the Province of the same name, and Knight of the order of Calatrave, was making offers much more advantageous for the Crown of Castille, proposing to make Levies, pay the Soldiers, buy Provisions, and bear all other charges in favour of this conquest, the Count of Chinchon broke presently the design, judging it no ways convenient to the service of the Catholic King, that that Personage should then leave his Charge. And Father Christopher d'Acogna, his Brother, a Spanish Jesuit, who hath merited to live as long in the memories of men, as the great Amazon shall run in the Fields of America, had the good hap of this nomination: wherein he behaved himself with so much zeal towards God, so much fidelity towards his Prince, so much affection towards the Soldiers, and so much care to remark, and put in writ all the circumstances of the great River, that his glory is beyond all praise.   

CHAP. XLVI. Of the Camp of the portugals in the Province of the long-haired Nation.  
While all this is in preparing by the diligence of Alonzo Perez de Salazar, Precedent of the Royal Audience of Kito, for the return of the portugals; and the Rendesvows of the Fleet, and the Troops, is put upon the 20th of Feburary 1639, in the Town of Archidona, and at the Haven of Napo, a great deal more convenient in all things, than that of Payamino: let us go visit the Camp of the portugals on the River of the Chevelu's or long-haired People, until the Army come to it again in its coming down. It was left in this place by the prudence of the Captain Major Texeira, as well to content the Provinces of the Crown of Custile, as to give the less jealousy to the Spaniards of Peru, in keeping far enough off from the limits of that Kingdom. At the first, the Camp had good correspondence with the Savages of that Country; it had victuals and provisions enough for buying. But this peaceable commerce could not last long, because of the late death of Captain John de palaces, who was defait by the Savages of this Country and Province. Some of the Camp desired to revenge it, and chastise their boldness; but others feared to get hard measure and rough handling from them. Thus the least occasion coming to sow the discord, and three Indians of the portugals having been put to death by the Natives; these fierce people put themselves in arms, to defend their own lives, and their Countries. In so great a danger, the portugals lost not their courage; and as having been used to this long before, not to suffer such a licentiousness amongst the Native Indians where they were; they set themselves presently to punish them for this. And after they had killed some of them, and taken alive more than seventy, they kept them as slaves, until they all either died, or escaped by flight. But after this the portugals could have no provision but by the point of their Sword, and by continual excursions of their men, sent from their Camp; both giving and receiving also a great deal of hurt, above all in their Vessels, whereof some were saccaged, or spoiled, and the less strong of them quite undone by these Barbarians. But in the snares and ambushes, as many portugals as were taken alive, their throats were cruelly cut, which amounted to some considerable loss to them; though that of the enemies was far greater. Thus the prudence and valour of Pedro d'Acosta, the courage and fidelity of Pedro Bayon, and as well the discipline, as obedience of the Soldiers, can never receive their just enough praises, for having maintained their Camp thus in the Province of the long-haired People, for eleven whole Months, and without any other News from their own, than the return of the Fleet, upon which they went all aboard again.   

CHAP. XLVII. Of the Return of the Fleet of the portugals.  
ALl things being ready, and the embarking at an end towards the end of February 1639, the Fleet of the portugals began their Return from the Haven of Napo on the River of the same name: and after having sailed thirty leagues on the current of this River strong and swift enough, it entered into the great River of the Amazons, at the Junto of the Rivers, a much celebrated and famous place, whereat the adventurous Areillana gave the first beginnings to the whole discovery. In going down, the course of the great Amazon served them for Sailes, and the Mariners or Rowers less troubled with work rested them often, and sleeped sweetly by reason of the murmuring noise the billows made, that pushed forward their Ships. All the People's also and Nations upon the banks, are pretty favourable to it: commerce of victuals and of merchandise, being opened to it on all sides. The civility of the Homagues appeared to it very pleasant; and the generosity of the Yorimen, seemed yet more obliging. But arriving at Rionegro the twelfth of October 1639, the undiscreet greediness of the portugals stays the course and happiness of these civilities, and of their own good voyage. The portugals could get no riches in Brasile, but by the number of their slaves; and the Soldiers being angry for having gained nothing in all this long expedition, force the Captain-major to leave the great River of the Amazon, and to enter into that of Rionegro, to take from them there by force of Arms their slaves, which are in great multitudes among the Nations that inhabit on that River. The Sails were already spread, and the East wind blew on their poup, and the fear of an unbridled licence made many fear a greater change; when Father Christopher d'Acogna a Spanish Jesuit, pushed on by an ardent zeal to see the accomplishment of so long and hazardous an enterprise, presents himself to the General Pedro Texeira, and gives him a protestation written and sealed with his own hand, as on the behalf, and for the interest of the Catholic King: and exhorts him, to remove the Soldiers from their resolution by his Authority, or to command absolutely to strike Sail, for returning to the course of the great Amazon. This action so vigorously undertaken, and worthy of praise, deserved to see no worse success, than presently it did: the Sails struck, the Soldiers in silence, the Mariners obedient, the Ships carried along again by the currant of the great River.   

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the arrival of the Fleet at Brasile.  
AFter the portugals of the Fleet of the great Amazon, had lost the sight of the higher lands of the point of the Comanares on the great and famous mouth of Rionegro, which seemed to themselves to run back from them; visited also in their passage the warlike and valiant Nation of the Topinambes, in the fashions that we have before described; and heard in these places (as before the Spaniards of Areillana had done) the rare and pleasant tales or fables of the Amazons (which we reserve to the Chapter following, to give you an account of them) the deep Bosphore, (into which the waters of the great River, and of all the others that augment it, shut up themselves into one straight Channel of about a good quarter of a League) gives them for the second time a free and sure passage; that so following out their navigation with the like felicity, but yet receiving from the T●payses the testimony of a mutual good will, they might finally arrive at the Town of Para in Brasile, the twelfth of December 1639, as they did: but with so much glory and reputation not only to the Captain-major Pedro Texeira, but also the Portugal Officers and Soldiers of this famous expedition, that their memories engraven on tables of brass, shall no less endure in ages to come, than the great Amazon shall in America. And forasmuch as Father Christopher d'Acogna, and Father Andrew of Artieda, both Spaniards and Jesuits, were deputed by the Royal audience of Kito to assist in the name of the Catholic King, and of the Crown of Castill, to this important discovery, and no less renowned navigation; as also thereafter to go into Spain, to give an account of all to the Counsel of the Indies: these two religious Fathers heaped with honour and praise, failed not to go there 1640, where after they had laid out in the presence of the King himself Don Philip the fourth, the greatnesses and marvels of the River of the Amazons; as also the glory and importance of such a conquest; Father d'Acogna presently published all the circumstances, and remarks that he had made, in a very short work; from which we drew the better part of this our Book.   

CHAP. XLIX. Of the Amazons of America.  
THat Asia may not vaunt herself of her reports of Amazons, whether true, or fabulous, America yields nothing to her in this point. Let not the fields of Themiscyra triumph any more in the renown of her famous women; the Province of Apanta is no less famous for her heroic Dames. Neither let the River of Thermodoon be puffed up any more with the glory of its conqueresses; seeing the River of Coruris is as famous for her fair she-Warriors. His famous sources are honoured with their rich habitations. The Mountains of Guyana, fertile in mines of gold and silver are their confines on the North-side; and the Mount Yacamabe, proud above all the rest, is in the midst of their fair and fertile Valleys. The first notice that the Spaniards had of them, came to them from the generous Prince Aparia 1541, who told the first wonders of them to the adventurous Francis of Areillana: and the consent of all the Nations of the great River of the Amazons, in favours of this report, as true, hath from them given the name for ever to this admirable River. For all this, the guesses at this matter are not very certain; but the famous actions of the goodly Ladies of America, during the wars of all these conquests, do not a little confirm the appearances thereof. For these have often appeared in Arms at the head of Battalioes, as is to be seen in the Histories of Acosta, and of Herrera: and in fight with their own hands, they have sustained the assaults of the enemies, and obliged the Indians at the same time to imitate the effects of their great courage. The valour of that noble Lass which 1536, in the Province of Bogota, slew five Spaniards with arrows shot from her own hands, before she fell dead at their feet, will for ever be renowned. And those goodly and great women, which presented themselves armed on the head of the Americans, upon the Bank of the great Amazon, near to Coruris (as we have related before) gave much credit to the first opinion of these Amazons of the new-world. This is not yet enough for us to persuade ourselves of the truth of these valiant and warlike Ladies: the royal audience also of Kito, hath sometimes received considerable informations of it. That audience a long time applied its cares to have sound out the knowledge of these Amazons; and the depositions that to them were made thereof at sundry times, agree all in this point: That in the vast fields of this America, there was one Region peopled with warrioresse women, which living and maintaining themselves without men, had no communication with them, but on some certain days of the year, to have by them children, or daughters like unto themselves. And in the Town of Pasto subject to the same audience, an Indian woman gave assurance, that she herself had been in their Country; and by her other Relations agreed with the precedent circumstances. But the most singular testimonies of it, that have been given to the Spaniards, or portugals, was 1639 in descending the great River, and in the great habitation of the Topinambes, and East-point of their famous Isle. This Nation as generous as valiant, was never wearied with reciting the wonders of these Amazons. They spoke of their policy, and of their valour, much like what the Grecians and Latins have sung of the policy and valour of the Amazons of Asia. And not to stay longer on this discourse, be it true, or be it fabulous, I will conclude it with this renowned name of the Comapoyares, under which the Amazons of America are every where known only.   

CHAP. L. Of the qualities of the Air and grounds of the great Amazon.  
BUt can one thus put an end to this work, without doing incomparable wrong to the River of the Amazons? Can one pass with silence, and without reproach the rest of so many wonderful advantages, and prerogatives; or without injustice the admirable effects, wherewith prodigal nature honours and glorifies it? No certainly; and contrary to my first purpose, I consent to pass lightly over again these matters, howsoever pleasant and provoking to stay more upon them; referring to the weak curiosity of an ability limited and given to such things, the vain research of Animals, Fruits, and Plants, of this unmeasurable Country. In which neither doth the heat ever choke; nor the cold ever seize it; the Air is always alike, because its Winter (as in the rest of America) proceeds of no other occasion, but from inundations, which hinder the productions of the earth, or retard them for some Months: and not from any recess or withdrawing of the Sun, which every day there riseth, and setteth at the same hour. What marvels should not one be persuaded of, from an heaven so benign and favourable? Let none after this wonder, to know that the consecrated Hosties of the Father Jesuits for their Mass, are kept fresh and sound during so long a voyage, on the waters (which comes not so to pass elsewhere) and let none refuse any longer to believe, that Flies and other such troublesome Beasts, are not met with in these places, as in others under the torride Zone, where they are so ordinary, and every where so many, that the abode in those places would be much happier, were it not for the inconveniences that these very Beasts infest them with. But what ought the land and grounds then of so noble a climate to be? Doth not this also agree to all the other prerogatives of this admirable River? And as the base and foundation of the happinesses of all these Provinces, must not this also be equally goodly and rich in all its parts? All its banks are enriched and crowned with fair trees always green, and of incomparable greatness. The field and champany grounds are large, and all covered with flowers divers and variable. Every where its Valleys are enamelled with green, and always moist. Its hills and mountains are all loaded with woods and forests pleasant to behold. Plants and Simples are every where in great abundance; also honey of Bees, that serves both for nourishment and for medicine: and which is yet more marvellous, a sort of oil so excellent, that it no ways gives place to the balm, and that the most precious of the ancient world, for all sorts of hurts.   

CHAP. LI. Of the fertility of the earth, and of the waters, for food to men.  
AS to the most ordinary aliments, that serve for nourishing innumerable Nations, and infinite peoples, that labour the unmeasurable fields of the Realm of the great Amazon; the first in order of nature are divers and various fruits, which the happy and rich grounds of those Countries bring forth; like indeed for kind to those of all the rest of America; but more excellent, ingreater plenty, and of better substance. After them, follow Fish, in so great abundance and multitude, not only in the great River, and others less, but also in an infinite of Lakes, which the ordinary debordments and overflowings of their Rivers, make in the neighbouring plains; that one needs never fail to take them with their hands only; and yet more easily, when by retreat of the Rivers, the Lakes are dried up by the heat of the Sun. In the great diversity of so many Fishes, as in the rest of the new world, the Sea-Veal, or Seal, and the Tortoise, are not the least considerable, whether for greatness, substance, or delicacy. And the fishing of them is wonderful, and prodigious, as also the way to keep them both, long time alive. Lastly comes the hunting of Venison, as of all other lesser prey, or game, whether with Hair, or Feather, in the same abundance, and with the same ease, that in all other parts of America. But the Partridges, and the Hens of it, came from Peru, whither the Spaniards had at first carried them. And for a witness infallible of all these admirable circumstances, we need but to allege the example of the Camp of the portugals: which lodging every day on land, during so long a voyage, as well in going up, as coming down the great Amazon, never failed to send presently the half of their men, some of them to hunt with dogs; some of them to fish with arrows (the other half remaining to set up their hutts, and draw their trenches) whence they returned in a few hours so loaded with fish, and lesser beasts of prey of all sorts, that all the Camp had sufficient, and in abundance. But as we have spoken enough of the bread, and of the meal made in those parts, of the Yoka, of Mays, and of the Mandioka, as in the rest of America; we shall add only here, that their drinks are likewise made of them, which serve them as well ordinarily, as in the common rejoicings of all those peoples.   

CHAP. LII. Of the richness of Trade for strangers.  
FInally to shut up and make an end of this work, by recital of the great riches, which will one day make the commerce of the great Amazon considerable to all Europe; we shall begin (without speaking more of gold and silver, or of its Rivers and Mountains to the same purpose) from the abundance, and quality of its woods, and trees, the most excellent in all the world, and the best to build whole Fleets with, and Ships as great, as any have been in the Ocean; because all the Banks, as well of the great, as of other lesser Rivers, are all covered with Cedars so fair, and great, that they surprise the sight of such as consider them; Father d'Acogna having measured himself one of the greatest of them, of more than six els in circumference. Next to them we shall mention Ebeny, and the wood of Brasile, both so precious, and so much sought after; which are so perfect there, and in so great multitude in all these fields, that they can never be spent. In the third place, we shall mention the Cocos tree, so thick along all those Banks, that the very Huts of the Camp of the portugals, were made of no other than of the fair branches of these. They bear the best fruit of any in all the Indies; and with a little travail they can yield each of them, seven or eight crowns every year. After these comes Tobacco, which would be better, and more abundant in all those Provinces, than in all the rest of the world, if it were followed here with a happy culture. After this Canes the Sugar, whereof more excellent comes, and more abundant than elsewhere, would never fail, nor dry up, because of the inundations, which keep the fields always fresh, by the number of Lakes, which are there made thereby; and whereby mills and other engines to that purpose, might easily be made, by the conveniency of the woods, and of the running waters of so many Rivers; whence it would come to pass, that the work about it would be less expensive, and the revenue by it would be greater than ordinary. Finally comes the Cotton to be spoken of, which is here every where in extreme great abundance. Then the Orock, which dies Scarlet of a perfect good colour. Lastly the pity, whereof Thread or Yarn most excellent is made, exceeding fine and delicate, yet very common in all the Provinces of the great Amazon. And for conclusion, here are the Fistulecane, the Salsaparilla, the Oils like to the most precious Baumes; the Gums, and odoriferous Rozins, and other like riches, which will be discovered in time coming, in these happy Countries, to make this renowned commerce always greater, and more considerable.   
FINIS.   

A first Advertisement to Geographers, upon the Longitudes of America.  
FOrasmuch as the knowledge of the Longitudes of the Globe of the Earth, is as important, as necessary, in the Theory, and practice of Geography, of the Sphere, of Astronomy, of Navigation, of Astrology; it must not be thought strange, if so many excellent persons, and knowing men have ever bended themselves to establish these the most perfectly; or, to say better, the least imperfectly, that was possible to them. But as the difficulties of it have never been well overcome, at least to the Use and Application; so I cannot now consent to the last Cart, and recentest Topography of South- America, touching this Longitude: in which Cart there is but fifty eight degrees, and twenty minutes of difference between Port Vieux (or old) and Cape St. Augustine, where South- America is broadest, and longest. For as before, the Spaniards made its breadth but of fifty one degrees, and the portugals, of fifty five, (both the one, and the other being moved thereto by reasons of State and policy, because of the debate about the Moluccoes) and after them, the moderner observers of this difference of Longitudes, extend it to fifty eight, as we have said: so this change could not have been made, but by observation of Eclipses made under divers Meridian's. Whence it follows also, that this new Longitude of the West-coasts of America, is not yet exact enough, because of the differences, that are ordinarily found in such astronomical Observations; whether through the fault and littleness of the instruments, or the negligence of the Observers, who seek the hours and minutes of them, by Astrolabes, and not by the way of Spherical Triangles: to say nothing of the difficulties about Parallaxes in the Eclipses of the Sun, and of the Phenombres in the Eclipse of the Moon, which hinder the taking exactly of the time of her immersion, and emersion, under and out of the shadow of the Earth.  
But to let it be seen, that I am not the only man, that take to myself this licence, to suspect and give little trust to the exactness of these Observations, so as thereby definitively to regulate Longitudes, with neglect of itinerary distances, which (being well managed) often supply in some sort the others too great incertitude: I shall here set down the examples, which John Kepler; that famous Astronomer, thought good himself to set down at the end of the Catalogue of the Towns, of the Rodolphine Tables, that he might show the varieties of the difference of Longitudes, found out by divers Observations of the same Eclipses, between the Meridian's of Rome, and Norimberg, as followeth. Regiomontanus makes it of thirty six minutes of an hour, or of nine degrees of the equator; and with him, many more. Stafler, and Verner of eighteen minutes of an hour, or of font degrees, and an half. Shoner, Mercator, and Hondius, regulate it to twelve minutes of an hour, or to three degrees. And leaving others, Kepler himself hath reduced it to four minutes of an hour, or to one degree only. So that the varieties of the difference of these two Meridian's, in so little a distance, as they stand in, coming to eight whole degrees; with how much more reason may we doubt of the true Longitude of the West-coasts of the South and North- America? Now these diversities are no less frequent every where else, as may be verified by the difference of the Meridian's of the same Rome, and of Toledo in Spain, set down in Authors of Astronomy, and Geography. For Kepler the last and painfullest of all, reduces it to sixteen degrees; and according to others, it amounts often to thirty. Which notwithstanding we have made an essay to remedy (as much as the matter doth permit) in our Geographical Tables, by more exact cares and researches, than those of this curious Author Kepler himself; which being not yet Printed, yet Monsieur Morin the King's professor of the Mathematics, hath not thought ill to draw out of them, that which he hath set at the beginning of his Abridgement of the Rodolphine Tables, as preferable to any other Catalogue of Towns, that he could then meet with to serve his purpose.  
After these Reasons brought, I would now willingly consent, that the Longitude of the West-coast of America were made shorter by ten degrees at least, that the difference of the Longitudes of the Town of Kito, and of the Point of Zaparara were made of forty seven degrees, and so the distance from the one to the other, in a strait Line, of nine hundred forty Geometrical Leagues. And this would agree better, and not be so far different from the total number of measures observed in the navigation of the great River of the Amazons, as is to be seen in the eighth Chapter of this Book; through all which (that we might change nothing, out of our own opinion) we have set down the Longitudes, according to the ordinary and recentest Carts of South- America. But surely it ought to be made broader by Geographers, that shall go over it again, to find place there for all that we faithfully relate unto them in this work, that so the great Amazon, and so many other Rivers, that run unto him, and Provinces, that are discovered upon them, may commodiously be lodged, and in their own natural extent. In which case the East-coast of this same America to the turn of the Cape of St. Augustine, should be kept in the same degrees and minutes of its longitude; and all the rest from thence towards the West, augmented unto ten degrees, and compassed in the just and fitting Geometrical proportions, as well in regard to Meridian's, as to the Longitudes. And the same ampliation being made over North- America, you will find his East-coast drawn back by four or five degrees, conformably to the assurances that the first English gave, that sailed to Virginia; and to the report of John Laet in his third Book of America. Whereunto I offer myself willingly to contribute my cares and studies, in favours of such, as will undertake it; making use, and serving myself, in all these Geographical procedures, with the precepts of the true, and new doctrine of the eighth Book of my Geometrical Theorems, Printed 1654., as well for the Longitudes, as itenerary distances: which I there show, that they ought always to be in great Circles, and not in parallels, reduced to certain proportions. Which last is a Rule altogether contrary to the truths of Geometry, however Mathematicians, and Geographers, that preceded the impression of that Book, have generally taught the Maxim of it, without adverting, or considering so notable an error; That the shortest distance from one point to another, on the Globe of the Earth, is always described, or led by a great Circle, etc. See the eighth Book of my foresaid Theorems.   

A second Advertisement to Geographers about the restitution of Longitudes.  
BUt to get a perfecter knowledge as well of the Longitudes, that fit America, as those that concern the East- Indies; we have resolved to set down here a method to find them easily by the motion of the Moon, upon firm land, in this manner. 1. Draw on a right horizontal Plain, that is very smooth and white, a very exact meridian Line: and with the same exactness observe the height of the Pole, by a quadrant that can mark minutes, and if possible, half minutes; as it is easy now to get such an one, by the new inventions of dividing the Alhidades of it. 2. On the night of the full Moon, take the horizontal height of a fixed Star, until the shadow of a Plummet hung, made by the Moon, shall be just upon the Meridian; but with this caution, that the height of the Star observed, be at least of thirty degrees, to avoid refractions; and that the same Stars distance from the Meridian be reasonable enough for a greater exactness. 3. Seek the true distance of the foresaid Star from the Meridian of your Hemisphere by this Rule. As the Rectangle contained in the Sinuses of the compliment of the elevation of the Pole, and of the compliment of the declination of the Star, is to the quadrat-side of the whole Sinuse; so the Rectangle contained in the Sinuses of the sum or total, and of the difference of the half of the compliment of the observed height of the Star; and of the half of the difference of the compliment of the declination of the Star, and of the compliment of the elevation of the Pole, is unto the quadrat-side of the Sinuse of the half of the true distance of the Star from the Meridian. But if the declination and right ascension of the Star, which you make use of for this astronomical Observation, be not set down to your hand, in the same Table of its longitudes and latitudes; you shall find it by the Rules of my sixth Book of Geometrical Theorems aforesaid, whither I refer you. 4. Double the foregoing half of the distance found, and subtract that from the right ascension of the Star observed, if it be in the Eastern part of the heavens; but add it to its right ascension, if the Star be in the West part of the heavens: and the sum of the addition, or the residue after the substraction, will be the true right ascension of the Meridian of the Moon, in degrees, minutes, and seconds of the equator. 5. In the Ephemerids, or in the Astronomical Tables, take the Node of the Moon ascendant, or descendant, in signs, degrees, minutes, and seconds of the Ecliptic according to the hour of your observation after your best esteem: to wit, that which is nearest to that right ascension of the Moon, or of the midst of heaven, which is all one. But in the Rule of the precedent Article, if the Pole be North, the declination also of the fixed Star must be Northern; and contrarily. 6. With the same right ascension of the Moon and of the Meridian, take also in the same Tables, (or by the sixth Book of my Theorems) the midst of heaven, in signs, degrees, minutes, and seconds in the Ecliptic; and the Angle of the Meridian and of the Ecliptic only in degrees, minutes, and seconds; which we shall always hereafter call the midst of heaven, to shun a longer title, or repetition. 7. Subtract from the midst of heaven, the Node of the Moon; or from the Node of the Moon, the midst of heaven, that you may find always less residue than ninety degrees: and this distance of the Node of the Moon from the midst of heaven, will be the base of a Spherical Triangle-Obliquangle, whereof the lesser Angle will always be of five degrees, and no minutes; and the greater Angle always the Angle of the Meridian, and of the Ecliptic of the foregoing Article, according to the seventh Book of my Theorems. 8. Seek the Arch of the Meridian contained between the Orbite of the Moon and the Ecliptic Circle, by this Rule. As the total Sinuse, or Sine, is to the Sine of the distance of the Node of the Moon in the midst of heaven; so is the Sine of the Angle of five degrees, to the Sine of the perpendicular. And as the total Sine, is to the Sine of the compliment of the preceding distance; so is the tangent of the Angle of five degrees, to the tangent of the compliment of the Angle sought for. 9 Take the difference of this Angle sought for, and of the Angle of the midst of heaven, and you shall have the second Angle sought for, in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Then as the total Sine is to the Sine of the compliment of the second Angle required; so the tangent of the compliment of the precedent perpendicular, is to the tangent of the compliment of the Arch of the Meridian, contained between the midst of heaven, and the centre of the Moon. 10. Finally, as the Sine of the Angle of five degrees, is to the Sine of the precedent Arch of the Meridian; so the Sine of the Angle of the midst of heaven, is to the Sine of the argument of the latitude of the Moon: which argument, you must subtract or add to the Node of the Moon, according to the disposal of the problem, for getting in signs, degrees, minutes, and seconds, the place of the Moon in her Orbite, 11. With the precedent argument of the latitude of the Moon, take in the astronomick Tables its reduction to the Ecliptic in minutes and seconds, that you may either subtract, or add the same (according to the title of the same Tables) to the place of the Moon in her Orbite; and you shall have the true longitude, or the true place of the Moon in the Ecliptic, in signs, degrees, minutes, and seconds. As also in the same Tables, her true latitude, (if you desire it) with the same argument; seeing in all these observations, the Moon is always near her copulations. 12. Compare the two longitudes of the Moon, found out in this manner, on the same night, but in divers Meridian's, and take the difference of them: as also her hourly motion, at the time of both the observations, because the hours, minutes, and seconds of hours, that shall agree to the degrees, minutes and seconds of the Ecliptic of that difference, being turned into degrees and minutes of the Equator, will give the true difference of the Longitudes contained between the two Towns, where the two observations have been made.  
Now all the secret of this easy and new method, consists in this, that the centre of the body of the Moon is necessarily in the Circle of the Meridian, when she is full, or very near her opposition, the shadow of the Plummet-Line, coming just upon the true Meridian-Line of the place, where the observation is made: and in this; that nothing more being required to be added, but the plain height of one fixed Star, and without Parallax, the operation may be made in any Month of the year, without staying for a tedious restitution of Astronomy, and without being put to the charges of great Instruments horizontal and Vertical, which are otherwise necessary to the practice of this Science of finding out longitudes, which Nonius, Horoncius, Frisius, Kepler, and Morinus the perfectlyest of them all, have painfully traveled in. But this is enough for the Geographers, and Mathematicians, that are dispersed over the world, and aught to labour in the restitution of Geography: to whom notwithstanding I could wish an exacter knowledge of Astronomy, and of Trigonometry, that they might the more easily arrive at the glory of perfecting this goodly science, no less pleasant, than necessary.  
And for conclusion, we shall in favours of an Astronomer, that will make this observation of the Moon in his own particular, that he may compare it, with that of the Rodolphine Tables; tell him, that the longitude of the Town of Rome on the globe of the earth, is forty degrees; and that its Meridian is the same, that it hath in the Rodolphine Tables, which are the best of all other astronomick ones, if you correct but the equations of the Centre, and the intervals of the Planets, by the fifth Book of our Geometrical Theorems. As also for the choice of the equation of the time, if you use that equation, which proceeds from the difference of the two right ascensions, to wit, of the middle place, and of the true place of the Sun, in the Ecliptic; because that amongst so many divers and various equations of the time, that the most excellent Authors have yet given, or established, that alone seems to me Geometrical and exact; as we have said elsewhere; and that the errors of other ways will amount sometimes to four of five degrees, in longitudes upon the earth. But as the foundation of that doctrine depends on the equal motion of the Sun in the Ecliptic, and not at all in the equator, the opinion that we have of it, is more from the appearances of truth, than from any design we have to contradict.  
FINIS.   

A Table of the Chapters.  

CHAP. I. OF the greatness of the River of the Amazons. page 1  
CHAP. II. Of the great Kingdom of this Amazon, if reduced to one by conquest. 3  
CHAP. III. Of the Nations of this great Kingdom. 6  
CHAP. IV. Of their Arms, and of their Commerce. 8  
CHAP. V. Of their Customs and Religion. 9  
CHAP. VI Of the great Cordeliere. 11  
CHAP. VII. Of the sources of the great River of the Amazons. 13  
CHAP. VIII. Of the length, and of the course of this River. 15  
CHAP. IX. Of the longitudes, latitudes, and measures of Leagues and Distances observed in this great River. 18  
CHAP. X. Of the same, continued upon the same River, unto the Atlantique-Sea. 23  
CHAP. XI. Of the breadth, and of the Islands of this River. 26  
CHAP. XII. Of its depth, and of its portableness or navigation. 28  
CHAP. XIII. Of the Bosphore or Strait of the Amazon. 31  
CHAP. XIIII. Of the three first Rivers that enter into that of the Amazons. 33  
CHAP. XV. Of the Agaric, and of the Putomaya. 36  
CHAP. XVI. Of the great Caketa, a considerable River. 39  
CHAP. XVII. Of the River of Maragnon. 43  
CHAP. XVIII. Of the Amarumaya, and of the Madera. 46  
CHAP. XIX. Of the other Rivers; and of the ' Province of the Kix's. 49  
CHAP. XX. Of the Province of the long-hairs, and of that of the Homagues. 52  
CHAP. XXI. Of the condition of slaves, and of the neighbour-Nrtions. 55  
CHAP. XXII. Of the Province of Corosirara, and other neighbour-Nations. 57  
CHAP. XXIII. Of the Gold-mine of the Swanes, and of the neighbouring-Nations. 60  
CHAP. XXIV. Of the Province of Yoriman. 62  
CHAP. XXV. Of the Province of Surina, and of the neighbouring-Nations. 65  
CHAP. XXVI. Of the Province of Caribane. 68  
CHAP. XXVII. Of Rionegro, and of the Province of Camsware. 71  
CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Province of Cayana, and of the neighbouring-Nations. 73  
CHAP. XXIX. Of the Isle of the Topinambes. 76  
CHAP. XXX. Of the Bosphore of the Amazon, and of the neighbouring-Nations. 79  
CHAP. XXXI. Of the Province and River of Tapayse. 81  
CHAP. XXXII. Of the rich and great Province of Coropa. 84  
CHAP. XXXIII. Of the great mouth of the River of the Amazons. 86  
CHAP. XXXIV. Of the great Province of Guyana. 89  
CHAP. XXXV. Of the Province of Maragnon, and of the Town of Para. 91  
CHAP. XXXVI. Of the Entries into the River of the Amazons. 94  
CHAP. XXXVII. Of the first discovery of this River. 96  
CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the second Expedition of Areillana on the same River. 99  
CHAP. XXXIX. Of Pedro d'Orsua, and of the Tyrant Lope de Aguirre. 101  
CHAP. XL. Of the unfortunate Expedition of Maldonado. 104  
CHAP. XLI. Of other designs for discovery of this River. 108  
CHAP. XLII. Of the Friars of St. Francis, that went down all this River. 111  
CHAP. XLIII. Of the departure of Peter Texeira for the discovery of it. 114  
CHAP. XLIV. Of the aarivall of the Fleet at Peru. 117  
CHAP. XLV. Of the Orders of the Viceroy for the return of the Portugal Fleet. 120  
CHAP. XLVI. Of the Camp of the portugals in the Province of the longhaired, or Chevelues. 122  
CHAP. XLVII. Of the return of the Portugal Fleet. 125  
CHAP. XLVIII. Of the arrival of the Fleet at Brasile. 127  
CHAP XLIX. Of the Amazons of America. 129  
CHAP. L Of the qualities of the Air, and of the Land of the great Amazon. 132  
CHAP. LI. Of the fertileness of the land and the waters for nourishment of men. 135  
CHAP. LII. Of the riches of Commerce for strangers. 137.  
1. Advertisement to Geographers on the longitudes of America. 140  
2. Advertisement to Geographers on the restitution of longitudes. 146   
FINIS.