6 HISTORY OF AMERICA.

BOOK

VI.

Attendedwith littlefucccls.

was not greater than what a fkilful navigator willnow make in as many hours. He touched at fe-veral places on the coaft of Tierra Firme, butfound every where the fame uninviting countrywhich former adventurers had defcribed; the lowgrounds converted into fwamps by the overflowingof rivers; the higher, covered with imperviouswoods; few inhabitants, and thofe fierce and hof-tile. Famine , fatigue, frequent rencounters withthe natives, and above all, the diftempers of amoift, fultry climate, combined in walling his{lender band of followers. The undaunted refo-lution of their leader continued, however, for fometime, to fuftain their fpirits, although no fign hadyet appeared of difcovering thofe golden regionsto which he had promifed to conduct them. Atlength he was obliged to abandon that inhofpi-table coaft, and retire to Chuchama, oppofite tothe pearl-iflands , where he hoped to receive a fup-plv of provifions and troops from Panama .

But Almagro having failed from that port withfeventy men, flood diredly towards that part ofthe continent where lie hoped to meet with hisaffociate. Not finding him there, he landed hisfoldiers, who, in fearching for their companions,underwent the fame diftreffes , and wereexpofed tothe fame dangers, which had driven them out of thecountry. Repulfed at length by the Indians in afharp conflict, in which their leader loft one of hiseyes by the wound of an arrow, they likewife werecompelled to reimbark. Chance led them to theplace of Pizarro’s retreat, where they found fome