632 / 1060
Royal
Commentaries.
BooK
ill.
\i\ThiHl they
fiaid in this place,
th~y
fent fome people round
by
divers vvays
to fee
if
they could difcover any pafl.age
into
a more pleafant Land ; but they
all returned
vvith
the
fc
me Nevvs, that the Coumrey round vvas nothing but
vvild
Mountains,
full
of Bogs,
Lakes, and
Mootifh
Grounds, over
vvhich
vvas
no pailitge,
or
vvay
to
go ouc, or ford
over. Hereupon
they refolved
to build
a Brigantine,
or
Veffel, vvhich might ferry
them over
from one fide of the Ri–
ver to the
other, vvhich novv vvas become
about tvvo
Leagues
broad.
In brder
whereunto,
the
firft
thing
to
be
done,
was co
make
a Smith's
Forge,
for Nails
and
Iron-work; but
then they had need ofCharcole, which was difficult co be
made
in
thofe
Climates,
bec;aufe
the continoal Rains
excinguHhed
the Fire; to
prevent which they
made
Coverings
ofWood, and Huts
'for themfelves
co call:
off the
Rain, and
to
defend chem
from the
Sun ,
which
is
directly over their
Heads, they being then ju!l: under the
EquinoCl:ial
Line,
where
the Climate was
hot
and
moia in
excefs:
Part of their Iron-work they
made
of their
Horfes
Shoes,
which
they
had killed
in
that Extremity,
to
adminifl:er fame fubftaotial
Nourifhment
to
their
Sick, and
to
fufiain
thofe who were
in
Healch ;
and
for the refi
of
the Iron, of which they ll:ood in
very
great need, they
made
ufe
of
the fmall Score
which
they had
brought with
them, and wliich was now be–
come
more fcarce than Gold.
Gom:,alo Pif.arro,
though
Chief Commander, was
the
full:
that laid his
Hand
on the
Hatchet
to Hew down
the Timber,
and to make
the
Charcole, which
was required
to forge the Iron,
and was always
the moft forward
in
every
Of·
fice though
never fo mean
and low, that
fo
giving a good Example,
none
might
excufe
himfelf
on
privilege
of
his
Command.
The
Rofin
which elluated
from certain Trees,
ferved
them
in
the place of Pitch; their old rotten Shirts
and Rags were made ufe of in ftead of Oakam,
to
cauke
the feams
of
rheir
V
effels,
co which every one did fo freely
~ontribute.,
that they
were
ready co
give
their
Shires from their Backs,
rather
than
any
thing
fbould be
wanting ;
for they confidered,
that
the
Life
and
Safety of them all de11ended
on
this
V
ef–
fel:
Which being
now
in
this
manner finifhed, they lanched
it
i.nto the
Wa–
ter
with
great"
Joy and Triumph,
imagining,
that
herewith t?ey
ipould. quickly
efcape
out
of
all
their
Dangers , and be freed
from
all
their Difficulties;
but
it
proved
otherwife, for a few days {hewed the
contrary'
and gave
them
caufe
to repent,
that they
hacj
ever made
it,
as
We1ihall
fpeeedily
fee
by
what fol-
.lows hereafter.
'
•
i