at the place where the Napo
flows into it is a mile in width.

Orellana expected to find here many people and plenty of food. He found,
however, only a wilderness. It was about like the country where Pizarro
and his army were encamped.

Orellana could barely get food for himself and the men with him, much
less enough for Pizarro and his army. To return against the swift
current would be a heavy task. After thinking the matter over, he
decided to follow the great river to the sea. But he must first win
the soldiers who were with him over to his plan. This he soon succeeded
in doing, and they started down the Amazon.

It was no easy journey. He and the soldiers suffered greatly. But in
August, 1541, after seven months of hardships, they reached the ocean,
and a short time after this they sailed to Spain.

When Orellana reached Spain, he gave a glowing account of a wonderful
country, rich in precious metals, through which he had passed.
According to his story, it was far richer in gold than Peru.

The name El Dorado, "The Golden," was given to this fabled country;
and for a score or more of years after Orellana had told his story,
efforts were made to find it. Expedition after expedition set out in
search of El Dorado. An explorer named Philip von Hutten, who led a
party southward into the country from the northern part of South
America, believed he caught sight of a city whose golden walls
glistened far away in the distance. But he never reached the shining
city which he thought he saw, nor was the fabled El Dorado ever found.

VERRAZZANO.

Verrazzano was a native of Florence, Italy, and a pirate like many
other sailors of that time. Being known as a daring seaman, he was
asked by Francis I., King of France, to take command of a fleet of
four vessels and try to find a western passage to rich Cathay. For
Francis had become very jealous of the Spaniards, and felt that his
country ought to have a share in the riches of the New World.

[Illustration: Verrazzano.]

Verrazzano sailed from France full of hope and joy; but he had gone
only a short distance when a severe storm arose, and two of his vessels
were lost sight of forever. The two remaining vessels were obliged
to return to France.

After some delay Verrazzano started again, with one vessel called the
_Dauphine_. With this vessel he reached the island of Madeira, and
from this island he sailed, January 17, 1524, for the unknown world.

The voyage l