river
in this place to be at least thirty miles broad, reckoning the islands
which divide the branches in it, for afterwards I sought also both the
other branches.

After we reached to the head of the island called Assapana, a little to
the westward on the right hand there opened a river which came from the
north, called Europa, and fell into the great river; and beyond it on
the same side we anchored for that night by another island, six miles
long and two miles broad, which they call Ocaywita. From hence, in
the morning, we landed two Guianians, which we found in the town of
Toparimaca, that came with us; who went to give notice of our coming to
the lord of that country, called Putyma, a follower of Topiawari,
chief lord of Aromaia, who succeeded Morequito, whom (as you have heard
before) Berreo put to death. But his town being far within the land, he
came not unto us that day; so as we anchored again that night near the
banks of another land, of bigness much like the other, which they call
Putapayma, over against which island, on the main land, was a very high
mountain called Oecope. We coveted to anchor rather by these islands
in the river than by the main, because of the tortugas' eggs, which our
people found on them in great abundance; and also because the ground
served better for us to cast our nets for fish, the main banks being for
the most part stony and high and the rocks of a blue, metalline colour,
like unto the best steel ore, which I assuredly take it to be. Of the
same blue stone are also divers great mountains which border this river
in many places.

The next morning, towards nine of the clock, we weighed anchor; and
the breeze increasing, we sailed always west up the river, and, after
a while, opening the land on the right side, the country appeared to be
champaign and the banks shewed very perfect red. I therefore sent two
of the little barges with Captain Gifford, and with him Captain Thyn,
Captain Caulfield, my cousin Greenvile, my nephew John Gilbert, Captain
Eynos, Master Edward Porter, and my cousin Butshead Gorges, with some
few soldiers, to march over the banks of that red land and to discover
what manner of country it was on the other side; who at their return
found it all a plain level as far as they went or could discern from
the highest tree they could get upon. And my old pilot, a man of great
travel, brother to the cacique Toparimaca, told me that those were
called the plains of the Sa