Upon the News of this Discovery, the Count de Chinchon Viceroy of Peru sent Orders from Lima to furnish Texeira with all Necessaries for his Return down the River, and appointed Father d’Acugna, Rector of the College of Cuenca, and another Jesuit, to attend him and carry the News to Spain. They set out in February 1639. and arriv’d at Para in December following; from whence d’Acugna went to Spain, and publish’d his Account of this River in 1640.
Account of the River Amazons.
The Sum of his Discovery, besides what has been mention’d already, is as follows. There’s a Tree on the Banks of this River call’d Andirova, from whence they draw an Oil that is a Specifick for curing Wounds. There’s plenty of Iron-Wood, so nam’d because of its Hardness, Red-Wood, Log-Wood, Brazile, and Cedars so large, that Acugna says he measur’d some that were 30 span round the Trunk. They have Timber enough to build Ships, make Cordage of the Barks of Trees, and Sails of Cotton, but want Iron. They make Hatchets of Tortoise-shells, or hard Stones ground to an Edg; and Chizzels, Planes, and Wimbles of the Teeth and Horns of wild Beasts. Their chief Directors are Sorcerers, who are the Managers of their hellish Worship, and teach them how to revenge themselves on their Enemies by Poison and other barbarous methods. Some of them keep the Bones of their deceas’d Relations in their Houses; and others burn them with all their Movables, and solemnize their Funerals first by mourning, and then by excessive drinking. Yet the Father says they are in general good-natur’d and courteous, and many times left their own Hutts to accommodate him and his Company. Some of these Nations, particularly the Omaguas, whose Country is 260 Leagues long, and the most populous on the River, are decently clad in Rayment of Cotton, and trade in it with their Neighbours. Some of the other Nations wear Plates of Gold at their Ears and Nostrils; and their Joiners are so expert, that they make Chairs and other Houshold Furniture in the shapes of several Animals with great Art.
The Jesuits of Quito in Peru have engrav’d a Map of this River, in which they give the following Account, viz. That ’tis the greatest in the known World: That tho it be call’d by the name of Amazons or Orellana, its true name is Maranhon: That it rises from the Lake Lauricocha, as we have mention’d already, runs 1800 Leagues, and falls into the North Sea by 84 Mouths: That near the City Borja it is pent up by a Strait call’d El-Pongo, not above 13 Fathom wide and 3 Ls. long; where the Stream is so rapid, that Boats run it in a quarter of an hour. The Truth of this must be submitted to the Judgment of the Reader, but it seems very improbable, since none of those who sail’d up and down this River describe it thus: besides, ’twere impossible to sail up against so rapid a Stream without a Tide, which the Sansons say comes up to this Strait; but they make it a mile broad, and by consequence not so rapid. The Jesuits add, that both Banks from the City Jaen in the Province of Bracamoros, where it begins to be navigable, down to the Sea, are cover’d with Woods of very tall Trees, among which there’s Timber of all colours, abundance of Sarsaparilla, and the Bark they call Cloves, which is us’d by Dyers and Cooks. In the neighbouring Woods there are many Tygers, wild Boars, and Buffaloes, &c. The Jesuits began their Mission upon this River in 1638. have their Capital at the City of St. Francis of Borja in the Province of Manos, 300 Leagues from Quito; and their Mission extends along three other Rivers as far as the Province of the Omaguas, whither they make sometimes long and dangerous Voyages in Canoes. They give an account of eight of their number that have been murder’d by the Barbarians, the last of them in 1707. Besides Borja and its Dependencies, they have 39 Towns founded mostly by their own Labour and Charge, but we shan’t insist on their Names. Their Converts they reckon at 26000, and the Missionaries about 18. They add, that they have contracted Amity with several numerous Nations, whose Conversion they hope for.
The Portuguese have some Towns at the Mouth of this River, and a Fort on Rio Negro; so that of late years they have traded much upon it, and, as several Spaniards inform’d me, during the last Peace they extended their Commerce as far as Quito and many other Places in Peru. I have insisted the longer on this River, because it is of so great Fame, and may be of mighty Advantage for Trade.
The River of La Plata being the South Boundary of Brazile, within the Limits of the South-Sea Company, and lying conveniently for opening a great Trade from the North-Sea with Peru, Chili, and other vast Countries; I shall give a Description of it here, from the best Authors.
The first European who discover’d it, seems to have been Juan Dias de Solis, who sailing from Spain in 1512. some say 1515. run along the Coast of Brazile till he came to this River, says Ovalle. With him agree the Manuscripts taken on some Spanish Priests in this River by Capt. Withrington, publish’d in Harris’s Collections[108]; where we are told, De Solis obtain’d the Government of this River, but was murder’d by the Natives with most of his Men in 1515. The next who came hither was Sebastian Cabot in 1526. but his Men being mutinous, he had not the desir’d Success, tho he sail’d 150, some say 200 Leagues up this River; and purchasing many Pieces of Gold and Silver Plate from the Natives, who call’d this River Parama, he call’d it the River of Plate, because he thought it to be the Product of the Country, which was afterwards found to be a Mistake. Yet upon his Report, in 1530. when he return’d, the Emperor Charles V. sent Don Peter Mendoza, one of his chief Grandees, with 2200 Men besides Mariners, to plant a Colony here in
Account of the River La Plata.
1535. and they had so great hopes of finding Mines of Gold and Silver, that above thirty Heirs of noble Families went on the Expedition; and sailing 50 Leagues up the River, where the Air was good, he founded a Town, which from thence was call’d Buenos-Ayres. They built a Fort, and enlarg’d the Town; but as they were carrying on their Work, the Natives attack’d them, and overpowering them with Numbers, kill’d 250, among whom were several of the chief Men. This oblig’d the Spaniards to keep within their Fort, where they suffer’d much by Famine. Mendoza return’d towards Spain, but died miserably, with many of his Companions, for want of Provisions by the way. His Deputy-Governour Oyola sail’d up into Paraguay, in quest of a Country said to abound with Gold and Silver; but was treacherously slain by the Natives, with all his Followers.