He Alleged That He Had
Discovered A Very Rich Country Inhabited By A Nation Of Warlike Females,
On Which Account
The country and river came to be called _of the Amazons_.
Having procured a commission of governor of this new
Country from his
majesty, he levied a force of five hundred men for its conquest, with
which he embarked from Seville: But having a most unprosperous voyage, in
which his people suffered much from scarcity of provisions, most of his
followers deserted from him at the Canaries, leaving him almost alone. He
died during the subsequent part of the voyage, and all his remaining
companions dispersed themselves among the islands.
Gonzalo Pizarro was reduced to prodigious straits in consequence of the
desertion of Orellana, both by the want of provisions and the difficulty
of passing the rivers in his course; besides which Orellana had carried
away with him a great quantity of gold, silver, and emeralds, which he
converted to his own use in making his solicitations at the court of Spain,
and in fitting out his expedition for the conquest and settlement of
Amazonia. On his arrival at the place where Orellana had been ordered to
leave the canoes, for the purpose of facilitating the passage of certain
rivers which fall into the great Maranon, Gonzalo and his people were
exceedingly embarrassed, and had to make other canoes with much difficulty
to enable them to cross over, that they might continue their journey. When
they came afterwards to where the two large rivers joined[8], and where
Orellana ought to have waited for them, they found a Spaniard who had been
left at this place by Orellana, because he had opposed the continuation of
the voyage, and preferred to wait in that place for his general[9]. By his
account, Orellana had renounced his dependence on Gonzalo Pizarro, meaning
to proceed to discover the river in his own name and authority, and had
prevailed on the people who accompanied him to elect him of new for their
captain.
By the loss of their vessel Gonzalo and his men were deprived of every
means of procuring provisions from the Indians, as all the mirrors, bells,
and other baubles for trading with the natives of the country had been put
on board the bark. In this hopeless and discouraging situation, above four
hundred leagues distant from Quito, they came to the immediate resolution
of returning to that city; although, from the length and difficulty of the
way, through forests and marshes, they had very little hope of ever
getting back, and could hardly expect to escape dying of famine in the
mountains and deserts over which they had to pass. In fact above forty
actually died of famine during the march. After recommending themselves to
the mercy of God, they began their march in great dejection; and as the
way in which they came from Peru was full of difficulties and destitute of
provisions, they took another road in their return, altogether at hazard,
which they did not find in any degree better than the former[10]. Before
reaching Peru, they were under the necessity of killing all their
remaining horses to keep themselves from starving, and even to eat all
their dogs.
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