departed to the gouernment of Popayan, which ioyneth with the citie of Quito in the coast of Peru, in companie of the gouernors lieutenant Don Diego Ordonez de Lara of Salamanca. But I was faine to forsake his companie, by reason I fell sicke in the citie of Marequita, where they haue discouered the great siluer mines: which citie is aboue 200. leagues from Cartagena: where I remained a certaine time very sicke. And because this countrey is extreme hotte, and I euery day grew worse and worse, I was faine to trauaile 30. leagues further vp into the maine land to a citie called S. Fee in the new kingdom of Granada, being on the coast of Peru: which is a cold countrey: where I am admitted a procurator, for that the Royal audience is kept in this citie. So I finde my selfe very healthy of bodie, by reason this countrey is full of all kind of victuals, very good and very plentifull, as bread, cheese, bacon, beefe, great store of hennes, and great store of comfeitures.
Great store of metal found in the newe mines of Marequita. Onely here is want of golde: so that this countrey will be vtterly vndone, if the mines of Marequita help not to restore the same again: whereof there is good hope: for here is great store of metall already found, and the workmen are in hand to refine the said metal: so that we are in good hope that great store of siluer will be found in these mines of great value and profite to his maiestie. This riuer is called the great riuer of Magdalena. There is a fish in the riuer called Cayman, which followeth after the canoas: and if it can reach any man in the canoa, it will haile him out and deuoure him. All night they lie in the sand on shore. In this riuer as we are going vp, there is at certaine seasons great store of lightning and thunder, with such abundance of raine, as though the skies would fall downe: and so it doth continue from midnight vntil morning: so that we are faine to go aboord the canoas, and with certaine broad leaues which grow in the countrey, the mariners make a couering to cast ouer the wares which are laden in the canoas: and it doth keepe both the raine and sunne from vs which are passengers. The canoas are drawen vp this riuer of Magdalena by maine force of the mariners in rowing and haling them with ropes. There are 7. or 8. Indians commonly which guide these canoas, besides the master which keepeth the helme, and the passengers. We are commonly two moneths in going vp this riuer. It is 150. leagues to the landing place. And there the marchants vnlade their marchandise, which serue for all the
