The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

Chap. 4.

Of N••guachato and other chiefe men of those Indians they receiue great store of victuals, they cause them to set vp a crosse in their countreys, and hee teacheth them to worship it•• They haue newes of many people, of their diuers languages, and customes in matrimo∣ny, how they punish adultery, of their opinions concerning the dead, and of the sicknes∣ses which they are subiect vnto.

THe next day betimes in the morning came the chiefe man among them called Naguachato, and wished me to come on land because he had great store of victuals to giue me. And because I saw my selfe in securitie I did so without doubting; and incontinently an olde man came with rols of that Maiz, and certaine litle gourds, and calling me with a loud voyce and vsing many ges∣tures with his body and armes, came neere vnto me, and causing me to turne me vnto that people, and hee himselfe also turning vnto them sayd vnto them, Sagueyca, and all the people answered with a great voyce, Hu, and hee offred to the Sunne a little of euery thing that he had there, and likewise a little more vnto me (although afterward he gaue me all the rest) and did the like to all that were with me: & calling out mine interpreter, by meanes of him I gaue them thanks, telling them that because my boats were litle I had not brought many things to giue them in exchange, but that I would come againe another time and bring them, and that if they would go with me in my boates vnto my ships which I had beneath at the riuers mouth, I would giue them many things. They answered that they would do so, being very glad in countenance. Here by the helpe of mine interpreter I sought to instruct them what the signe of the crosse meane, and willed them to bring me a piece of timber, wherof I caused a great crosse to be made, and commanded al those that were with mee that when it was made they should worship it, and beseech the Lord to grant his grace that that so great a people might come to the knowledge of his holy Catholike faith: and this done I told them by mine interpreter that I left them that signe, in token that I tooke them for my brethren, and that they should keepe it for me carefully vntill I returned, and that euery morning at the Sunne rising they should kneele before it. And they tooke it in continently, & wi••th∣out suffring it to touch the ground they carried it to set it vp in the middest of their houses, where all of them might beholde it; and I willed them alwayes to worshippe it because it would pre∣serue them from euill. They asked me how deep they should set it in the ground, & I shewed them.

Great store of people followed the same,* 1.1 and they that stayed behinde inquired of mee, how they should ioyne their hands, and how they should kneele to worship the same; and they seemed to haue great desire to learne it. This done, I tooke that chiefe man of the Countrey, and going to our boates with him, I followed my iourney vp the Riuer, and all the company on both sides of the shoare accompanied me with great good will, and serued me in drawing of our boates, and in hal∣ling vs off the sands, whereupon we often fel: for in many places we found the riuer so shoald,* 1.2 that we had no water for our boats. As wee thus went on our way, some of the Indians which I had left behind me, came after vs to pray mee that I would throughly instruct them, how they should ioyne their hands in the worshipping of the crosse: others shewed me whether they were well se•• in such & such sort, so that they would not let me be quiet. Neere vnto the other side of the riuer was greater store of people, which called vnto me very often, that I would receiue the victuals which they had brought me. And because I perceiued that one enuied the other, because I would not leaue them discontended, I did so. And here came before me another old man like vnto the for∣mer with the like ceremonyes & offrings:* 1.3 and I sought to learne something of him as I had done of the other. This man said likewise to the rest of the people, This is our lord. Now you see how long ago our ancesters told vs, that there were bearded & white people in the world,* 1.4 and we laugh∣ed them to scorne. I which am old and the rest which are here, haue neuer seene any such people as these. And if you wil not beleeue me, behold these people which be in this riuer: let vs giue them therefore meate, seeing they giue vs of their victuals: let vs willingly serue this lord•• which wish∣eth vs so well, and forbiddeth vs to make warre, and imbraceth all of vs: and they haue mouth, handes and eyes as we haue, and speake as we doe. I gaue these likewise another crosse as I had done to the others beneath, and said vnto them the selfe same words; which they listened vnto with a better will, & vsed greater diligence to learne that which I said. Afterward as I passed farther vp the riuer, I found another people,* 1.5 whom mine interpreter vnderstood not a whit: wherefore I shewed them by signes the selfesame ceremonies of worshipping the crosse, which I had taught the rest. And that principal old man which I tooke with me, told me that farther vp the riuer I should find people which would vnderstand mine interpreter: and being now late, some of those men cal∣led me to giue me victuals, and did in all poynts as the others had done, dauncing and playing to shew me pleasure. I desired to know what people liued on the banks of this riuer: and I vnder∣stood by this man that it was inhabited by 23 languages, and these were bordering vpon the riuer,* 1.6 besides others not farre off, and that there were besides these 23. languages, other people also which hee knewe not, aboue the riuer. I asked him whether euery people were liuing in one towne together: and he answered me, No: but that they had many houses standing scattered in the fieldes, and that euery people had their Countrey seuerall and distinguished, and that in euery habitation there were great store of people. He shewed me a towne which was in a mountaine,* 1.7 and told me that there was there great store of people of ••ad conditions, which made continual warre vpon them: which being without a gouernour, and dwelling in that desert place, where small store of Maiz groweth, came downe into the playne to buy it in trucke of Deeres skinnes, wherewith they were apparelled with long garments, which they did cutte with rasors, and sewed with nee∣dles made of Deeres bones: and that they had great houses of stone.* 1.8 I asked them whether there were any there of that Countrey; and I found one woman which ware a garment like a lit∣tle Mantle, which clad her from the waste downe to the ground, of a Deeres skin well dressed. Then I asked him whether the people which dwelt on the riuers side, dwelt alwayes there, or els sometime went to dwell in some other place: he answered mee, that in the summer season they a∣boade there, and sowed there; and after they had gathered in their croppe they went their way, and dwelt in other houses which they had at the foote of the mountaine farre from the riuer. And hee shewed me by signes that the houses were of wood compassed with earth without, and I vnder∣stood that they made a round house,* 1.9 wherein the men and women liued all together. I asked him whether their women were common or no•• he tolde me no, and that hee which was married, was to haue but one wife only. I desired to know what order they kept in marying: and he told me, that if any man had a daughter to marry, he went where the people kept, and said, I haue a daughter to marry: is there any man here that wil haue her? And if there were any that would haue her, he an∣swered that he would haue her: and so the mariage was made. And that the father of him which would haue her, brought some thing to giue the yong woman; and from that houre forward the mariage was taken to be finished, and that they sang & danced:* 1.10 and that when night came, the pa∣rents tooke them, and left them together in a place where no body might see them. And I learned that brethren, and sisters, and ki••sfolks married not together: and that maydes before they were married ••onuersed not with men, nor talked not with them, but kept at home at their houses and

in their possessions, and wrought: and that if by chance any one had company with men before she were maried, her husband forsooke her, and went away into other Countreyes: and that those women which fell into this fault, were accompted naughty packs. And that if after they were ma∣ried, any man were taken in adultery with another woman, they put him to death: and that no man might haue more then one wife, but very secretly. They tolde mee that they burned those which dyed••* 1.11 and such as remayned widowes, stayed halfe a yeere, or a whole yeere before they married. I desired to know what they thought of such as were dead. Hee told me that they went to another world, but that they had neither punishment nor glory. The greatest sicknesse that this people dye of, is vomiting of blood by the mouth: and they haue Physicions which cure them with tharmes and blowing which they make. The apparell of these people were like the former: they carried their pipes with them to perfume themselues, like as the people of New Spaine vse Tabacco.* 1.12 I inquired whether they had any gouernour, and found that they had none, but that euery family had their seuerall gouernour. These people haue besides their Maiz certaine gourds,* 1.13 and another corne like vnto Mill:* 1.14 they haue grindstones & earthen pots, wherein they boyle those gourds, and fish of the riuer, which are very good.* 1.15 My interpreter could goe no farther then this place: for he said that those which we should find ••arther on our way, were their enemies, and therefore I sent him backe very well contented. Not long after I espied many Indians to come crying with a loude voice, and running after me. I stayed to know what they would haue; and they told me that they had set vp the crosse which I had giuen them, in the midst of their dwellings as I had appoin∣ted, but that I was to wit, that when the riuer did ouerflow,* 1.16 it was wont to reach to that place, therefore they prayed mee to giue them leaue to remoue it, and to set it in another place where the riuer could not come at it, nor carry it away: which I granted them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  These people are greatly in∣c••ined to learne the Christian faith.
• * 1.2

  The riuer in diuers places full of shelfes.
• * 1.3

  Another olde man.
• * 1.4

  Their ance∣sters told them t••at there were bearded and white men in the world.
• * 1.5

  Another na∣tion.
• * 1.6

  People of 23. languages dwelling along this riuer.
• * 1.7

  Acuco as Go∣mara writteth is on a strong mountaine.
• * 1.8

  Great houses of stone.
• * 1.9

  Round 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.10

  Dancing and singing at ma∣riages of the Sauages.
• * 1.11

  They burne their dead.
• * 1.12

  Pipes to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Tabac∣co with.
• * 1.13

  Maiz, gourds.
• * 1.14

  Mi••l.
• * 1.15

  Grindestones, earthen pots, good fish.
• * 1.16

  This riuer o∣uerfloweth his banks at cer∣taine seasons.