but not ingenii. Such a quantity as would have served our turns we could
not have had, but a discovery of the mines to our infinite disadvantage
we had made, and that could have been the best profit of farther search
or stay; for those mines are not easily broken, nor opened in haste, and
I could have returned a good quantity of gold ready cast if I had not
shot at another mark than present profit.

This Arwacan pilot, with the rest, feared that we would have eaten them,
or otherwise have put them to some cruel death: for the Spaniards, to
the end that none of the people in the passage towards Guiana, or in
Guiana itself, might come to speech with us, persuaded all the nations
that we were men-eaters and cannibals. But when the poor men and women
had seen us, and that we gave them meat, and to every one something or
other which was rare and strange to them, they began to conceive the
deceit and purpose of the Spaniards, who indeed, as they confessed
took from them both their wives and daughters daily . . . But I protest
before the Majesty of the living God, that I neither know nor believe,
that any of our company, one or other, did offer insult to any of their
women, and yet we saw many hundreds, and had many in our power, and of
those very young and excellently favoured, which came among us without
deceit, stark naked. Nothing got us more love amongst them than this
usage; for I suffered not any man to take from any of the nations
so much as a pina (pineapple) or a potato root without giving them
contentment, nor any man so much as to offer to touch any of their wives
or daughters; which course, so contrary to the Spaniards, who tyrannize
over them in all things, drew them to admire her Majesty, whose
commandment I told them it was, and also wonderfully to honour our
nation. But I confess it was a very impatient work to keep the meaner
sort from spoil and stealing when we came to their houses; which because
in all I could not prevent, I caused my Indian interpreter at every
place when we departed, to know of the loss or wrong done, and if aught
were stolen or taken by violence, either the same was restored, and the
party punished in their sight, or else was paid for to their uttermost
demand. They also much wondered at us, after they heard that we had
slain the Spaniards at Trinidad, for they were before resolved that no
nation of Christians durst abide their presence; and they wondered more
when I had made them know of