Guiana is the only country of South America not inhabited by the Latin
race. It was acquired for Great Britain by one who acted contrary to
his instructions in attacking a power, Spain, with which his own
country was at peace.
Gonzalo Pizarro, on his journey down the Napo in 1539, heard wonderful
stories of a golden city far away on the banks of the Orinoco,
surrounded by mountains of gold. Rumors of this golden city were
carried by English navigators to Great Britain, {14} with legends of a
prince of Guiana, whose body, first smeared with turpentine, was then
powdered with gold dust, so that he strode among his people a majestic
golden statue. Adventurers started in search of this El Dorado, some
from Peru, others from Quito and from Trinidad; but the golden city
was never found. They, however, brought back reports of chiefs whose
bodies sparkled with gold dust as they danced, who had golden eagles
dangling from their breasts and great pearls from their ears; they
told of mines of diamonds and gold, and of the natives who longed to
exchange their jewels for jews-harps.
Sir Walter Raleigh determined to find this country and bring to his
queen its fabulous riches, for he believed that the silver and gold
mines of Mexico and Peru had made Spain the first state in
Christendom--"that purchaseth intelligence and creepeth into counsels
and endangereth and disturbeth all the nations of Europe."
In 1595, Sir Walter sailed from England and arrived at the Isle of
Trinidad, where he overthrew the Spaniards, then sailed up the
Orinoco, or one of its branches, four hundred miles, until hunger and
sickness compelled him to return. Although he did not reach the golden
city, he could see the mountains far in the distance which he believed
surrounded it, and he found the shining sand on the banks of the
Orinoco. In Guiana he raised the flag of England and compelled the
Indians to swear fealty to his queen.
Twenty years later, a prisoner in the Tower, he was released in order
to make a second voyage in search of this El Dorado for King James. He
sailed in 1617, accompanied by his eldest son; but disaster and
sickness met him at every step. He reached the Orinoco again, too
feeble to land. So his son and Captain Keymis went instead. Keymis
returned after a month of exploration, bringing Raleigh the news of
the death of his son in an attack on a Spanish town. He brought
reports of the golden city, of the mines of gold, diamonds and
emeralds, but neither gold, diamonds nor emeralds to confirm the truth
of these reports. Raleigh said, "I am undone;" Keymis replied, "I know
then, Sir, what course to take." He went to his cabin and killed
himself.
Raleigh returned to England, a broken down old man. The Spaniards
demanded his life of James as they had demanded it of Elizabeth after
his first expedition, on the ground that in time of {15} peace Raleigh
had attacked the Spanish forces and invaded their country. Elizabeth
had refused, but James yielded. Raleigh was executed, but Guiana
became an English colony.
The gold and silver mines of Peru have failed; little gold has been
found in Guiana, but its rich and fertile soil, watered by tropical
rains, has been a source of greater wealth than the gold mines of
Peru.