hake it, and finde that there are many small graines of
copper and siluer among this sand: which giueth them to vnderstand, that
some rich mine must needs be in the mountaine. And because the mountaine
was not past fiue or sixe dayes iourney from our fort, lying toward the
Northwest, I determined assoone as our supply should come out of France,
to remooue our habitation vnto some riuer more toward the North, that I
might be nerer therevnto. One of my souldiers whose name was Peter Gamby,
which had remained a long space before in this countrey to learne the
languages and traffique with the Indians, at the last came to the village
of Edelano, where hauing gotten together a certaine quantitie of golde and
siluer, and purposing to returne vnto me, he prayed the king of the
village to lend him a canoa (which is a vessell made of one whole piece of
wood, which the Indians vse to fish withal, and to row vpon the riuers)
which this lord of Edelano granted him. But being greedy of the riches
which he had, he commanded two Indians, which he had charged to conduct
him in the canoa, to murder him and bring him the merchandise and the gold
which he had. Which the two traitours villanously executed: for they
knockt him on the head with an hatchet, as he was blowing of the fire in
the canoa to see the fish. (M493) The Paracoussy Vtina sent certeine dayes
afterward, to pray me to lend him a dozen or fifteene of my shot, to
inuade his enemy Potanou, and sent me word, that this enemy once
vanquished, he would make me passage, yea, and would conduct me vnto the
mountaines in such sort, that no man, should be able to hinder me. Then I
assembled my men to demand their aduice, as I was woont to do in all mine
enterprises. (M494) The greater part was of opinion, that I should do well
to send succour vnto this Paracoussy, because it would be hard for me to
discouer any further vp into the countrey without his helpe: and that the
Spanyards when they were imployed in their conquests, did alwayes enter
into alliance with some one king to ruine another. Notwithstanding,
because I did alwayes mistrust the Indians, and that the more after the
last aduertisement that the Spanyards had giuen me, I doubted lest the
small number which Vtina demanded might incurre some danger; wherefore I
sent him thirty shot vnder the charge of my Lieutenant Ottigny, which
stayed not aboue two dayes with Vtina, while he prepared victuals for his
voyage, which ordinarily an