ell because it
was marvellous of itself, as also for that I understood it led to
the strongest nations of all the frontiers, that were enemies to the
Epuremei, which are subjects to Inga, emperor of Guiana and Manoa. And
that night we anchored at another island called Caiama, of some five or
six miles in length; and the next day arrived at the mouth of Caroli.
When we were short of it as low or further down as the port of
Morequito, we heard the great roar and fall of the river. But when we
came to enter with our barge and wherries, thinking to have gone up some
forty miles to the nations of the Cassipagotos, we were not able with
a barge of eight oars to row one stone's cast in an hour; and yet the
river is as broad as the Thames at Woolwich, and we tried both sides,
and the middle, and every part of the river. So as we encamped upon the
banks adjoining, and sent off our Orenoquepone which came with us from
Morequito to give knowledge to the nations upon the river of our being
there, and that we desired to see the lords of Canuria, which dwelt
within the province upon that river, making them know that we were
enemies to the Spaniards; for it was on this river side that Morequito
slew the friar, and those nine Spaniards which came from Manoa, the city
of Inga, and took from them 14,000 pesos of gold. So as the next day
there came down a lord or cacique, called Wanuretona, with many people
with him, and brought all store of provisions to entertain us, as the
rest had done. And as I had before made my coming known to Topiawari, so
did I acquaint this cacique therewith, and how I was sent by her
Majesty for the purpose aforesaid, and gathered also what I could of
him touching the estate of Guiana. And I found that those also of Caroli
were not only enemies to the Spaniards, but most of all to the Epuremei,
which abound in gold. And by this Wanuretona I had knowledge that on
the head of this river were three mighty nations, which were seated on
a great lake, from whence this river descended, and were called
Cassipagotos, Eparegotos, and Arawagotos (the Purigotos and Arinagotos
are still settled on the upper tributaries of the Caroni river, no such
lake as that mentioned is known to exist); and that all those either
against the Spaniards or the Epuremei would join with us, and that if we
entered the land over the mountains of Curaa we should satisfy ourselves
with gold and all other good things. He told us farther of a nation