of the
Orenoqueponi, and I had knowledge of all the rivers between Orenoque and
Amazons, and was very desirous to understand the truth of those warlike
women, because of some it is believed, of others not. And though I
digress from my purpose, yet I will set down that which hath been
delivered me for truth of those women, and I spake with a cacique, or
lord of people, that told me he had been in the river, and beyond it
also. The nations of these women are on the south side of the river in
the provinces of Topago, and their chiefest strengths and retracts
are in the islands situate on the south side of the entrance, some 60
leagues within the mouth of the said river. The memories of the like
women are very ancient as well in Africa as in Asia. In Africa those
that had Medusa for queen; others in Scythia, near the rivers of Tanais
and Thermodon. We find, also, that Lampedo and Marthesia were queens of
the Amazons. In many histories they are verified to have been, and in
divers ages and provinces; but they which are not far from Guiana do
accompany with men but once in a year, and for the time of one month,
which I gather by their relation, to be in April; and that time all
kings of the borders assemble, and queens of the Amazons; and after the
queens have chosen, the rest cast lots for their valentines. This one
month they feast, dance, and drink of their wines in abundance; and the
moon being done they all depart to their own provinces. They are said
to be very cruel and bloodthirsty, especially to such as offer to invade
their territories. These Amazons have likewise great store of these
plates of gold, which they recover by exchange chiefly for a kind of
green stones, which the Spaniards call piedras hijadas, and we use for
spleen-stones (stones reduced to powder and taken internally to cure
maladies of the spleen); and for the disease of the stone we also
esteem them. Of these I saw divers in Guiana; and commonly every king
or cacique hath one, which their wives for the most part wear, and they
esteem them as great jewels.

But to return to the enterprise of Berreo, who, as I have said, departed
from Nuevo Reyno with 700 horse, besides the provisions above rehearsed.
He descended by the river called Cassanar, which riseth in Nuevo Reyno
out of the mountains by the city of Tunja, from which mountain also
springeth Pato; both which fall into the great river of Meta, and Meta
riseth from a mountain joining to Pamplona,