have been those Spaniards that were fled from Trinidad, and escaped
killing. And when we came so far down as the opening of that branch into
which they slipped, being near them with our barge and wherries, we
made after them, and ere they could land came within call, and by our
interpreter told them what we were, wherewith they came back willingly
aboard us; and of such fish and tortugas' (turtles) eggs as they had
gathered they gave us, and promised in the morning to bring the lord of
that part with them, and to do us all other services they could. That
night we came to an anchor at the parting of the three goodly rivers
(the one was the river of Amana, by which we came from the north, and
ran athwart towards the south, the other two were of Orenoque, which
crossed from the west and ran to the sea towards the east) and landed
upon a fair sand, where we found thousands of tortugas' eggs, which are
very wholesome meat, and greatly restoring; so as our men were now well
filled and highly contented both with the fare, and nearness of the land
of Guiana, which appeared in sight.

In the morning there came down, according to promise, the lord of that
border, called Toparimaca, with some thirty or forty followers, and
brought us divers sorts of fruits, and of his wine, bread, fish, and
flesh, whom we also feasted as we could; at least we drank good Spanish
wine, whereof we had a small quantity in bottles, which above all things
they love. I conferred with this Toparimaca of the next way to Guiana,
who conducted our galley and boats to his own port, and carried us from
thence some mile and a-half to his town; where some of our captains
caroused of his wine till they were reasonable pleasant, for it is very
strong with pepper, and the juice of divers herbs and fruits digested
and purged. They keep it in great earthen pots of ten or twelve gallons,
very clean and sweet, and are themselves at their meetings and feasts
the greatest carousers and drunkards of the world. When we came to his