troops a Biscayan called Aguirre, a man meanly born,
who bare no other office than a sergeant or alferez
(al-faris, Arab.—horseman, mounted officer):
but after certain months, when the soldiers were grieved
with travels and consumed with famine, and that no
entrance could be found by the branches or body of
Amazons, this Aguirre raised a mutiny, of which he
made himself the head, and so prevailed as he put
Orsua to the sword and all his followers, taking on
him the whole charge and commandment, with a purpose
not only to make himself emperor of Guiana, but also
of Peru and of all that side of the West Indies.
He had of his party 700 soldiers, and of those many
promised to draw in other captains and companies,
to deliver up towns and forts in Peru; but neither
finding by the said river any passage into Guiana,
nor any possibility to return towards Peru by the
same Amazons, by reason that the descent of the river
made so great a current, he was enforced to disemboque
at the mouth of the said Amazons, which cannot be less
than 1,000 leagues from the place where they embarked.
From thence he coasted the land till he arrived at
Margarita to the north of Mompatar, which is at this
day called Puerto de Tyranno, for that he there slew
Don Juan de Villa Andreda, Governor of Margarita,
who was father to Don Juan Sarmiento, Governor of
Margarita when Sir John Burgh landed there and attempted
the island. Aguirre put to the sword all other
in the island that refused to be of his party, and
took with him certain cimarrones (fugitive slaves)
and other desperate companions. From thence he
went to Cumana and there slew the governor, and dealt
in all as at Margarita. He spoiled all the coast
of Caracas and the province of Venezuela and of Rio
de la Hacha; and, as I remember, it was the same year
that Sir John Hawkins sailed to St. Juan de Ullua
in the Jesus of Lubeck; for himself told me that he
met with such a one upon the coast, that rebelled,
and had sailed down all the river of Amazons.
Aguirre from thence landed about Santa Marta and sacked
it also, putting to death so many as refused to be
his followers, purposing to invade Nuevo Reyno de Granada
and to sack Pamplona, Merida, Lagrita, Tunja, and the
rest of the cities of Nuevo Reyno, and from thence
again to enter Peru; but in a fight in the said Nuevo
Reyno he was overthrown, and, finding no way to escape,
he first put to the sword his own children, foretelling
them that they should not live to be defamed or upbraided
by the Spaniards after his death, who would have termed
them the children of a traitor or tyrant; and that,
sithence he could not make them princes, he would yet
deliver them from shame and reproach. These were
the ends and tragedies of Ordas, Martinez, Orellana,
Orsua, and Aguirre. Also soon after Ordas followed
Jeronimo Ortal de Saragosa, with 130 soldiers; who
failing his entrance by sea, was cast with the current
on the coast of Paria, and peopled about S. Miguel
de Neveri. It was then attempted by Don Pedro
de Silva, a Portuguese of the family of Ruy Gomez de
Silva, and by the favour which Ruy Gomez had with
the king he was set out. But he also shot wide
of the mark; for being departed from Spain with his
fleet, he entered by Maranon or Amazons, where by
the nations of the river and by the Amazons, he was
utterly overthrown, and himself and all his army defeated;
only seven escaped, and of those but two returned.