is called Athule (cataract of Ature); beyond which ships of burden
cannot pass by reason of a most forcible overfall, and current of water;
but in the eddy all smaller vessels may be drawn even to Peru itself.
But to speak of more of these rivers without the description were but
tedious, and therefore I will leave the rest to the description. This
river of Orenoque is navigable for ships little less than 1,000 miles,
and for lesser vessels near 2,000. By it, as aforesaid, Peru, Nuevo
Reyno and Popayan may be invaded: it also leadeth to the great empire of
Inga, and to the provinces of Amapaia and Anebas, which abound in gold.
His branches of Casnero, Manta, Caura descend from the middle land and
valley which lieth between the easter province of Peru and Guiana; and
it falls into the sea between Maranon and Trinidad in two degrees and
a half. All of which your honours shall better perceive in the general
description of Guiana, Peru, Nuevo Reyno, the kingdom of Popayan, and
Rodas, with the province of Venezuela, to the bay of Uraba, behind
Cartagena, westward, and to Amazons southward. While we lay at anchor on
the coast of Canuri, and had taken knowledge of all the nations upon
the head and branches of this river, and had found out so many several
people, which were enemies to the Epuremei and the new conquerors, I
thought it time lost to linger any longer in that place, especially for
that the fury of Orenoque began daily to threaten us with dangers in our
return. For no half day passed but the river began to rage and overflow
very fearfully, and the rains came down in terrible showers, and gusts
in great abundance; and withal our men began to cry out for want of
shift, for no man had place to bestow any other apparel than that which
he ware on his back, and that was throughly washed on his body for the
most part ten times in one day; and we had now been well-near a month
every day passing to the westward farther and farther from our ships.
We therefore turned towards the east, and spent the rest of the time
in discovering the river towards the sea, which we had not viewed, and