Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/24

 in loue with that lodging, watching, care, peril, diseases, ill sauours, bad fare, and many other mischiefes that accompany these voyages, as to woo my selfe againe into any of them, were I not assured that the Sunne couereth not so much riches in any part of the earth. Captaine Whiddon, and our Chirurgion Nicholas Millechap brought mee a kinde of stones like Saphires, what they may proue I know not. I shewed them to some of the Orenoqueponi, and they promised to bring mee to a mountaine, that had of them very large pieces growing Diamond wise: whether it be Christall of the mountaine, Bristol-Diamond, or Saphire I doe not yet know, but I hope the best, sure I am that the place is as likely as those from whence all the rich stones are brought, and in the same height or very neere.

On the left hand of this riuer Caroli are seated those nations which are called Iwarawakeri before remembered, which are enemies to the Epuremei: and on the head of it adioyning to the great lake Cassipa, are situate those other nations which also resist Inga, and the Epuremei, called Cassepagotos, Eparegotos, and Arrawagotos.

I farther vnderstood that this lake of Cassipa is so large, as it is about one dayes iourney for one of their Canoas to crosse, which may bee some fourtie miles, and that thereinto fall diuers riuers, and that great store of graines of gold are found in the Summer time when the lake falleth by the banckes, in those branches.

There is also another goodly riuer beyond Caroli which is called Arui, which also runneth thorow the lake Cassipa, and falleth into Orenoque farther West, making all that land betweene Caroli and Arui an yland, which is likewise a most beautifull countrey.

Next vnto Arui there are two riuers Atoica and Caora, and on that branch which is called Caora, are a nation of people, whose heads appeare not aboue their shouldiers; which though it may be thought a meere fable, yet for mine owne part I am resolued it is true, because euery childe in the prouinces of Arromaia and Canuri affirme the same: they are called Ewaipanoma: they are reported to haue their eyes in their shoulders, and their mouthes in the middle of their breasts, and that a long traine of haire groweth backward betweene their shoulders. The sonne of Topiawari, which I brought with me into England told me that they are the most mighty men of all the land, and vse bowes, arrowes, and clubbes thrice as big as any of Guiana, or