Into the Orinoco Delta

But this it chanced that entring into a riuer, (which bicause it had no name we called the riuer of the Red crosse, our selues being the first Christians that euer came therein:) the 23 of May as we were rowing vp the same, we espied a smal Canoa with three Indians, which (by the swiftnes of my barge, rowing with eight oares) I ouertooke ere they could crosse the riuer, the rest of the people on the banks shadowed vnder the thicke wood gazed on with a doubtfull conceit what might befall those three which we had taken: But when they perceiued that we offred them no violence, neither entred their Canoa with any of ours, nor tooke out of the Canoa any of theirs, they then began to shew themselues on the banks side, and offred to traffique with vs for such things as they had, and as we drewe neere they all staide, and we came with our barge to the mouth of a little creeke which came from their towne into the great riuer.

But it chanced that we entered a river which, because it had no name, we called the river of the Red Cross,1 since we were the first Christians who ever came there. On May 23, as we were rowing up it, we spotted a small canoe with three Indians. By the speed of my barge, rowing with eight oars, I overtook them before they could cross the river. The rest of the people on the banks, hidden under the thick woods, looked on, anxiously wondering what might happen to the three we had taken. But when they saw that we did them no violence, and neither boarded their canoe with any of our men nor took any of theirs out of it, they began to show themselves on the riverbank. They offered to trade with us for such things as they had. As we drew near they all stayed, and we came with our barge to the mouth of a little creek which ran from their town into the great river.

1. Probably one of the western channels of the Orinoco delta. Raleigh's editor Schomburgk thought it was the Caño Manamo.

As we abode there a while, our Indian Pilot called Ferdinando would needs go ashore to their village to fetch some fruites, and to drinke of their artificiall wines, and also to see the place, and to know the Lord of it against another time, and tooke with him a brother of his which he had with him in the iourney: when they came to the village of these people, the Lord of the Iland offred to lay hands on them, purposing to haue slaine them both, yeelding for reason that this Indian of ours had brought a strange nation into their territorie to spoyle and destroy them: But the Pilot being quicke and of a disposed body slipt their fingers, and ran into the woods, and his brother being the better footman of the two, recouered the creekes mouth, where we staied in our barge, crying out that his brother was slaine, with that we set hands on one of them that was next vs, a very old man, and brought him into the barge, assuring him that if we had not our Pilot againe, we would presently cut off his head.

While we stayed there a while, our Indian pilot, called Ferdinando,2 insisted on going ashore to their village to fetch some fruit, to drink their brewed wines,3 to see the place, and to get to know its lord for another time. He took with him a brother of his whom he had brought on the journey. When they came to the village of these people, the lord of the island tried to seize them, meaning to kill them both. He gave as his reason that this Indian of ours had brought a strange nation into their territory to plunder and destroy them. But the pilot, being quick and nimble, slipped through their fingers and ran into the woods. His brother, the better runner of the two, got back to the mouth of the creek, where we waited in our barge, crying out that his brother was killed. At that we seized one of them who was nearest us, a very old man, and brought him into the barge. We assured him that if we did not get our pilot back, we would cut off his head at once.

2. An Arawak man the English had captured with his canoe on the coast. The Arawaks (Lokono) lived south of the Orinoco.
3. Drinks brewed by fermenting cassava, maize, or fruit.

This old man being resolued that he should paie the losse of the other, cried out to those in the woods to saue Ferdinando our Pilot, but they followed him notwithstanding, and hunted after him vpon the foote with their Deere dogs, and with so maine a crie that all the woods eckoed with the shoute they made, but at last this poore chased Indian recouered the riuer side, and got vpon a tree, and as we were coasting, leaped down and swam to the barge halfe dead with feare; but our good hap was, that we kept the other old Indian, which we handfasted to redeeme our Pilot withall, for being naturall of those riuers, we assured our selues he knew the way better than any stranger could.

This old man, sure that he would pay for the loss of the other, cried out to those in the woods to save Ferdinando our pilot. But they followed him all the same and hunted him on foot with their deer dogs, with such a great cry that all the woods echoed with their shouting. At last this poor hunted Indian reached the riverside and climbed a tree, and as we were moving along the bank, he leaped down and swam to the barge, half dead with fear. But it was our good luck that we kept the other, the old Indian, whom we had held to ransom our pilot. Since he was a native of those rivers, we were sure he knew the way better than any stranger could.

These Tiuitiuas are a verie goodlie people and verie valiant, and haue the most manlie speech and most deliberate that euer I heard of what nation soeuer. In the summer they haue houses on the ground as in other places: In the winter they dwell vpon the trees, where they build very artificiall townes and villages, as it is written in the Spanish storie of the West Indies, that those people do in the low lands neere the gulfe of Vraba: for betweene May and September the riuer of Orenoke riseth thirtie foote vpright, and then are those Ilands ouerflowen twentie foote high aboue the leuell of the ground, sauing some few raised grounds in the middle of them: and for this cause they are enforced to liue in this maner.

These Tiuitiuas4 are a very handsome and very brave people, and they have the most manly and most deliberate speech I ever heard, of any nation whatever. In summer they have houses on the ground, as in other places. In winter they live in the trees, where they build very skillful towns and villages, as the Spanish story of the West Indies says those people do in the lowlands near the Gulf of Urabá.5 For between May and September the river Orinoco rises thirty feet straight up, and then those islands are flooded twenty feet above the level of the ground, except for a few raised places in the middle of them. For this reason they are forced to live in this way.

4. Raleigh's name for the Warao, the people of the Orinoco delta. He says they had two groups, the Ciawani and the Waraweete.
5. The Gulf of Urabá, on the Caribbean coast of what is now Colombia. The “Spanish story” is a Spanish history of the Indies.

They neuer eate of anie thing that is set or sowen, and as at home they vse neither planting nor other manurance, so when they come abroad they refuse to feede of ought, but of that which nature without labor bringeth foorth. They vse the tops of Palmitos for bread, and kil Deere, fish and porks for the rest of their sustenance, they haue also manie sorts of fruits that grow in the woods, and great varietie of birds and foule.

They never eat anything that is planted or sown. And just as at home they use neither planting nor any other cultivation, so when they go elsewhere they refuse to eat anything but what nature brings forth without labor. They use the tops of palmitos for bread,6 and kill deer, fish, and porks for the rest of their food. They also have many kinds of fruit that grow in the woods, and a great variety of birds and fowl.

6. Palm hearts, the soft new growth at the top of a palm. “Porks” were peccaries, wild pigs of the American tropics.

Of these people those that dwell vpon the branches of Orenoque called Capuri and Macureo, are for the most part Carpenters of Canoas, for they make the most and fairest houses, and sell them into Guiana for gold, and into Trinedado for Tobacco, in the excessiue taking whereof, they exceede all nations, and notwithstanding the moistnes of the aire in which they liue, the hardnes of their diet, and the great labors they suffer to hunt, fish, and foule for their liuing, in all my life either in the Indies or in Europe did I neuer behold a more goodlie or better fauoured people, or a more manlie.

Of these people, those who live on the branches of the Orinoco called Capuri and Macureo are mostly builders of canoes. They make the most and finest houses, and sell them into Guiana for gold, and into Trinidad7 for tobacco, in the excessive use of which they outdo all nations. They live in damp air, their diet is hard, and they endure great labor to hunt, fish, and fowl for their living. And yet in all my life, either in the Indies or in Europe, I never saw a more handsome or better-looking people, or a more manly one.

7. The island of Trinidad, at the mouth of the Orinoco, where Spain had a small settlement.

They were woont to make warre vpon all nations, and especiallie on the Canibals, so as none durst without a good strength trade by those riuers, but of late they are at peace with their neighbors, all holding the Spaniards for a common enimie. When their commanders die, they vse great lamentation, and when they thinke the flesh of their bodies is putrified, and fallen from the bones, then they take vp the carcase againe, and hang it in the Casiquies house that died, and decke his skull with feathers of all colours, and hang all his gold plates about the bones of his armes, thighes, and legges.

They used to make war on all nations, and especially on the Canibals,8 so that no one dared to trade along those rivers without a strong force. But lately they have been at peace with their neighbors, all of them holding the Spaniards as a common enemy. When their leaders die, they mourn them greatly. When they think the flesh of the body has rotted and fallen from the bones, they take up the remains again and hang them in the house of the dead cacique.9 They deck his skull with feathers of all colors, and hang all his gold plates about the bones of his arms, thighs, and legs.

8. The Caribs (Kalina), whom Europeans accused of eating human flesh. The charge was often used to justify enslaving them.
9. Cacique, a word Spaniards took from the Taíno of the Caribbean, meaning a chief.