The life of Sir Walter Ralegh, knt Volume 1 - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1805 Excerpt: ...same form and policies in government as was used in Peru, not differing in any part; and as I have been assured by such of the Spaniards as have seen Manoa, the imperial city of Guiana, which the Spaniards call el Dorado, that for the greatness, the riches, and for the excellent seat, it far exceedeth any of the world, at least of so much of the world as is known to the Spanish nation. It is founded upon a lake of salt water of two hundred leagues long, like unto Mare Caspium; and if we compare it to that of Peru, and but read the report of Francisco Lopez, and others, it will seem more than credible; and because we may judge of the one by the other, I thought good to insert part of the 120th chapter of Lopez, in his general history of the Indies, wherein he describeth the court and magnificence of Guaynacapa, ancestor to the emperor of Guiana, whose very words are these. Todo el servicio de su casa, mesa,y cozina era de or a, y de plata, y quando menos de plata, y cobre por mas rezio. Tenia en su recamara estatuas huetas de oro que parecian gigantes, y lasjiguras al propio, y tamano de quantos animales, aves, arboles, y yervas produze la tierra, y de quantos peces cr'ta la mary aguas desus reynos. Tenia assimesmo sogas, costales, cestas, y troxes de oroy plata, rimeros depalos de oro, que pareciessen lenna raiada para quemar. En Jin, no avia cosa en su tierra, que no la tuvisse de oro contrahecha; y aun dizen, que tenian los Ingas un vergel en en una isla cerca de la Puna, donde seyvan a holgar, quando querian mar, que tenia laortaliza, las fores, yarboles de oro y plata, invention y grandeza hasta entonces nunca vista. Allcnde de todo esto tenia infinitissimia cantidad de plata, y oropof labrar en el Cuzco, que se perdiopor la muerte de Guascar, ca los In...