seven months in Manoa, but was not suffered to wander into the country
anywhere. He was also brought thither all the way blindfold, led by the
Indians, until he came to the entrance of Manoa itself, and was fourteen
or fifteen days in the passage. He avowed at his death that he entered
the city at noon, and then they uncovered his face; and that he
travelled all that day till night through the city, and the next day
from sun rising to sun setting, ere he came to the palace of Inga. After
that Martinez had lived seven months in Manoa, and began to understand
the language of the country, Inga asked him whether he desired to return
into his own country, or would willingly abide with him. But Martinez,
not desirous to stay, obtained the favour of Inga to depart; with whom
he sent divers Guianians to conduct him to the river of Orenoque, all
loaden with as much gold as they could carry, which he gave to Martinez
at his departure. But when he was arrived near the river's side, the
borderers which are called Orenoqueponi (poni is a Carib postposition
meaning "on") robbed him and his Guianians of all the treasure (the
borderers being at that time at wars, which Inga had not conquered) save
only of two great bottles of gourds, which were filled with beads of
gold curiously wrought, which those Orenoqueponi thought had been
no other thing than his drink or meat, or grain for food, with which
Martinez had liberty to pass. And so in canoas he fell down from the
river of Orenoque to Trinidad, and from thence to Margarita, and so to
St. Juan del Puerto Rico; where, remaining a long time for passage into
Spain, he died. In the time of his extreme sickness, and when he was
without hope of life, receiving the sacrament at the hands of his
confessor, he delivered these things, with the relation of his travels,
and also called for his calabazas or gourds of the gold beads, which he
gave to the church and friars, to be prayed for.

This Martinez was he that christened the city of Manoa by the name of El