The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-10-05

orlng TO BOARD them but the OpanlTauS
had now dried some powder, and one of
them, getting a steady mark at the chief
of the Indians, shot him in the breast
His people gathered round him, and while
they were thus occupied, the brigantines
shot ahead.
Thus they proceeded with alternate
good and evil fortune, now finding the
Indians friendly, and supplies Of provis-
ions abundant, and then oncountering
hostile tribes which assailed them with
all their power, or long regions Of unpeo-
pied country, where they were reduced
to the utmost straits for want Of food
Six months had now been consumed Oh
their voyage, and as yet no appearance
of Eldorado, though, if their accounts may
be trusted, they several times came upon
populous places, which had many streets,
all opening upon the river and apparent
ly leading to some greater city in the in
terror. On the 22d Of June, Oh turning
an angle of the river they saw the coun-
try far before them, and great numbers
of people collected seemingly with hostile
intentions Orollana offered them trinkets
at which they scofed, but he persisted in
making towards the shore to get food
either by persuasion or force. \ shower
Of arrows was discharged from the shore,
which wounded FIVE of the crew. They
nevertheless landed, and after a hot con-
test repulsed the natives; killing some
seven or eight of them. The historian
of the voyage, who was one Of the adven-
turers, afirms that ten or twelve Anna
IONS fought at the head Of these people,
who were their subjects, and fought des-
perately because any one who fed in bat
tie would be beaten to death by these
female tyrants. He describes the women
as very tall and large-lim5ed, white of
complexion, the hair long, plated and
banded round the head. 1t is amusing
to observe how this story was magnifed
by later narrators, who learned it only
by tradition. 1t is stated in these late
accounts that Orellana fought on this oc-
casion with a great army Of women.
Of a prisoner whom they took, Orella-
ma asked questions about Eldorado and
the Amazons, and got as usual such an
swers as he expected This may partly
be set down to the score Of self-dcception,
&partly tothe fact that they conyerscd with
these people BY signs and by means of the
few words of their language which the
Spaniards knew, or supposed they knew,
the meaning Of He learned from the
prisoner that the country was subject to
women, who lived after the manner OF the
Amazons Of the ancients, and who pos
sessed gold and silver in abundance
There were in their dominionss fine tenn
pies of the Sun, all covered with plates Of
gold; their houses were of stone, and their
cities walled. We can hardly doubt that
the desire to tempt adventurcrs to join
him in his subsequent expedition to con-
quer and colonize those countries had its
effect in magnifying these marvels.
Shortly after this, the Spaniards tho't
they perceived the tjae After another
days voyage they came to some inhabit-
ed islands, and to their infinite Joy, saw
that they had not been mistaken, for the
marks of the tide here were certain
Here they lost another of their party in q
skirmish with the natives. From this
place the country was low, and they could
never venture to land except upon the
islands, among which they sailed as they
supposed about two hundred leagues, the
tide coming up with great force. One
day the smaller vessel struck upon snag,
which stove in one Of her planks, and she
filed They however landed to seek for
provisions; but the inhabitants attacked
them with such force that they were
forced to retire, and when they came to
their vessels they found that the tide had
left the only serviceable one dry. Orel-
lana ordered half his men to fight, and
the other half to thrust the vessel into the
water; that done, they righted the old
brigantine and fastened in new plank.
ali which was completed in three hours
by which time the Indians were weary
of fighting, and left them in peace. The
next day they found desert place, where
Orellana halted to repair both vessels
This took them eighteen days, during
which they suffered much from hunger.
As they drew near the sea they halted
again for fourteen days to prepare fol
their sea voyage; made cordage Of herbs,
and sewed the cloaks on which they slept
into sails. On the 8th of August they
proceeded again, anchoring with stones
when the tide turned, though it some
times came in such strength as to drag
these miserable anchors. Here the ma.
tives were happily Of milder mood thar
those whom they had lately dealt with
From them they procured roots and In
dian corn, and having laid in what stor
they could, they made ready to ente
upon the sen in these frail vessels, witt
their miserable tackling, and with insult
fcient food, without pilot, compass 0
any knowledge of the coast,
It was on the 26th of August chat the.
sailed out of the river, passing botwee
two islands which we're about four league
asunder. The whole length of the voy
age from the place where they had en-
barked to the sea, they computed 3
eighteen hundred leagues Thus far thei