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APPENDIX. hath pleafed God to affign me, as well as with the King's revenues. Nor shall I wholly, or fully, discover the vast proportion of gold I discovered there, being fo much, not fit to be communicated to paper, as not knowing to whofe eyes, or The quantity through whofe hands this may come. I fhall only tell you, I was more troubled to of gold great. obfcure its abundance from my fellows, than to bring down what I got; and I am confident, that if yourself go upon this design, and follow the directions of my journal, and attain your purpose, you yourself will be of my opinion; for, as it is faid, "what will the whole world profit a man, if he lose his foul?" so I say, what will the riches of both the Indies advantage, if thereby you forfeit your fecurity, life, and freedom? And how will you be affured of any of these, if these things should come to knowledge of fuch as have power of you, and to command you in what they please: that I do truly tell you, did I not value my own peace and quiet at fo high a rate as I do, I should come willingly, and manifeft it to his Sacred Majesty; though I am not fatisfied in that neither, as not knowing whether the information may prove good or bad to the public; however, I conjure you a-new, that, whatever you attempt, you conceal me, so that directly or indirectly I be not discovered.

Directions refpecting the boat and apparatus.

652. "If you go on the business, let your boat be flat-bottomed, for mine being fome feven tons, or thereabout, and made after the common fashion, was extremely troublesome, both at fords and at falls, where we were forced to unlade her; and having unladed her, to heave her, or launch her over land: you ought also to have a little boat for common use, which you will find extreme useful. You advised me to take 20 pounds of quickfilver, for trials; if you go, take at least 100 pounds, for fome in working will be loft, as you know better than myself: your advice also, for 50 pounds of lead, is too little, take 150 pounds, much more you cannot well carry, for the peftering of your boat.

653. "The Sal Armoniac I used little of, for it I can give you no advice: the Borax I used all, wished for more, if you go, carry 50 pounds; my sand ever did me rare fervice, I used it all, better have 10 pounds too much than too little, therefore take 40 pounds. I am confident, if I had carried the philofophers bellows, I had done very well; I was fo troubled with fitting the other, though I confess them better when a-new placed. Antimonia Horn did me little service; I believe it rather from my ignorance, or wanting the perfect use and instruction you gave me. Ingots I would take two, I carried but one, I wanted another for expedition. Wedges 12, with a fledge or two, or beetle; for about 12 English miles from the first fall, or fomewhat more to the fouthward, in the fide of a barren rock, looking weftward, there is a cliff in the rock, rather moft rich be

tween the ftones, almost half a handful thick in fome places. Our pick-axes did here ftand us in no great ftead, but having with us fome iron tools, that we could hardly fpare, with much ado made a scurvy iron wedge, and presently we found the benefit of that, for fome 12 or 14 days, till improvidently one of us driving the

wedge

wedge up to the head, and not having another to relieve it, we were forced to leave APPENDIX.

it behind us, to our great lofs and grief. Wooden bowls from England, fix or eight, are very neceffary, and will do better than gourds, that I was forced to make ufe of; you may take ftore of them, it is no fore.

654. "For the crucibles I must inform, that four large melting pots, in our large work, will ftead you much, and make better dispatch than fix nefts of crucibles; though you cannot well spare thofe, I was forced to make use of a broken earthen pot, that I carried along with me; I made use of it till it broke, had I had crucibles, and pots enough, I had brought so much gold in fand or Tyber.

655." For the separating and diffolving waters, I used but little, because their use was troublesome, neither had I conveniencies to erect a still a-shore; but for the Aqua Regis I used it all, and could have done more, if I had had it; yet, in my opinion, the trials of quickfilver are better, had I had it. But I carry coals to Newcastle; you know better the operation than myself. Let your mortar be of iron, and large; I wish I had followed your directions in that, for my brass one put me to a double trouble, and I was enforced to leave the refining of much, till I came into England, for the Mercury got a spurca from thence, which is communicated to my gold, which no art, I understand, could free it from; in this particular you left me lame, or my memory much failed.

coal.

656." There is a tree much like our cornels in England, but very large, which we The writer felled, and made a fhift to make charcoal of, which we did thus; we cut off the makes charboughs, for we wanted a saw, and therefore could not meddle with the body of the tree, and cut them into short pieces; then we digged a good large pit, or hole in the ground, about a yard wide, and fo deep, or deeper; in the bottom we kindled a fire, and filled it with wood, and when it was well burned, threw earth upon it, and damped it; and when it was cold, we took out the coals: you will eafily find the place, if you obferve but the cautions; you will come to a broad gathering together of waters, not much inferior to Ronnander Meer, in the edge of Lancashire: here we spent a week

in fearching many creeks and in-falls of rivers; but we followed that which points Marks to find fouth eaft and by eaft. My miferable ignorance, in the mathematics, cannot direct the place. you, neither for longitude or latitude. Up the buffing stream, with fad labour, we wrought, and fometimes could not go above two miles in a day. You must pass. the fift fall; yet there my exceed of gold was 47 grains from 10 pounds of fand. When we, or you come to the upper fall, you will be much troubled, I believe, as well as I, to get your boat over land; but being up, proceed till you come to the infall of a small ftream to the fouth, directly thence liften, and you fhall hear a fall of waters; you cannot get your boat thither, by reason of the fmallness of the brook; you will there find our reliques on the fide of the rock, with many of our names, I mean, letters of our names, cut with our knives. Here, though the fand, by the wash, yield plentifully, yet do you ascend the top of the rock, and, pointing your

face

APPENDIX. face directly weft, you will obferve a fnug of rocks fomewhat to the left hand of you; and, under that, if the rains and force of weather have not washed away the earth and ftones, you will discover (they being unmoved) the mouth of the mine itfelf; where being provided with materials fit for that work, you will not defire to proceed any further, or with a richer vein.

Crew & cargo

657. "Take this, all along, for a constant rule, which I, in my search, obferved up the river, that in the low, and woody and fertile country, I could never find either metal or rich mine, but always among barren rocks and mountainous countries, and commonly accompanied with a reddish kind of earth. Other inftructions I shall not give you, being (as I conceive) a thing needless to you, unless I should return you your own principal, this being but only the interest of what is due, besides that obligation which tieth me unalterably to remain, &c.

658. "I began my voyage up the river, December the 4th, about two hours before the fun fet; in my company no more than seven men, besides myself, all English, and four blacks, whereof one was a Maribuck, who, being acquainted with the Portugal language, I intended for an interpreter, if I fhould ftand in need; but the main was, to help us in our labour against the stream. My provisions were chiefly of two forts: for my voyage and for accommodation, three barrels of beef, ten gammons of bacon, two barrels of white falt, befides bay falt for trade; alfo two hogfheads of bifcuit, besides rice; half a barrel of gunpowder, and shot proportionable; ftrong-water, vinegar, paper, beads, looking-glaffes, knives 18d. per dozen, fome iron, little brass chains, pewter rings, and a deal of such like stuff, as occasion permitted: the other fort of provifions were a pair of goldfmith's bellows, crucibles four nefts, fcarnelles two nefts, quickfilver, borax, fal-armoniac, aqua regis, aqua fortis, a mortar and pestle, and leather skins to ftrain, brass scoops and ladles with long handles, to take up fand, and other implements for my private design: all which had laden my boat far deeper than I defired; for thereby I drew much water, which, I was jealous, might hinder our progrefs over the flats, if we should meet with any.

659." December the 7th, we arrived near Settico, being 14 or 15 leagues above where our men ftaid; but passed one half league further up where we anchored, the river there being broad, we always chufing the middle, as being freeft from difturbance, though it oft fell out otherwife; for our ugly neighbours, I mean the feaSea-horfes and horfes and crocodiles (it feems) ill pleased, or unacquainted with any co-partners in these watery regions, did often disturb us in the night, not only with their ugly noifes, but their vicinity to our very boats, which caufed us to keep watch.

crocodiles

troublesome.

660." December the 23d, we were much troubled that day with getting over a flat, under the wash of a steep and high mountain bearing fouth, Here I first put in practice my design, and took up fome fand at the first trial of the ford, and out of

five pound weight of that fand, got three or four grains of gold. I tried alfo in APPENDIX. another place of the fame ford, but did get less. I faw neither town, nor houses, nor people, fince we left Baracunda.

661." January the 14th, at a ford between two high mountains, I tried again; and out of ten pounds weight of fand, I washed 30 grains of gold. wife with mercury, and found out of five pounds, 47 grains. creased, yet resolved to try higher.

I made a trial likeHere my hopes in- 47gr. gold from 5lb. fand

662. "January the 27th, we were much troubled with great trees that lay in the water upon the fide of a rock, on a craggy, barren mountain adjoining. I afcended, with three men with me, to make discovery; and carrying a pick-axe with me, which, as we were digging up a piece of ore, as I conceived, we were affaulted with an incredible number of monftrous great baboons; whom, no oratory, but our guns, could perfuade to let us retreat to our boats; for, having killed two or three of them, fo incenfed the reft, that had not the report of our guns terrified them, I verily believe they would have torn us to pieces: having attained our boat, I fell to try my ore; which proved but a sparre.

663." February the 6th, I made a trial of a certain glittering fand, which I took up from the fide of a rock, the river here inclining fouthward, with a fudden turning like an elbow. The wafh of this, afforded 41 grains from 10 pounds weight of fand: by other trials, from five pounds weight of fand, 57 grains. Here I thought to make a ftand; yet, upon more ferious advice, had refolved to proceed.

664. "February the 15th at night, a fea-horse ftruck our boat through with one of his teeth, which troubled us fore, being all bad carpenters; which caused us to unload her on a small pinnacle to mend her; and, to prevent the like mischief for the future, I invented this device, to hang a lanthorn at our ftern; and thereby we were freed from all after-troubles of that nature, they not daring to come within three or four boats length of light fhining in the water.

41gr. from Iolb. 57gr from b

tried.

5lb.

665. "February the 24th, I tried the use of Virga Divina, upon a high, barren and Virga Divina rocky mountain: but, whether it afforded no metal, or whether my rod, being cut in England, and being dried and carried far by fea, had loft it's virtue; or whether it hath no fuch quality (which I rather believe) I am not certain. However, my companions laughed me out of the conceit.

666. "March the 16th, between two mountainous rocks iffued a creek; and, putting up therein, discovered a fall of waters from the fouth of the river. Here, making trial by the way, I found 63 grains of gold from five pounds weight of fand. Other trials, more exact, afforded very large proportions; so that here we spent 20 days; and, plying hard our work, in that time had gotten 12 pounds Troy, five ounces, two penny-weights, 15 grains, of good gold.

667. "March the 31ft, our materials wafting apace, I was willing to try further, here beginning our greatest toil; for, often in a day, we were conftrained to ftrip ourfelves,

63gr. from 5lb.

Above 12lb.

5 oz. gold got in 20 days.

APPENDIX. felves, and leap into water, with main ftrength to force our boats and the flats. Nor was this our greatest affliction; for the river water smells so sweet and musky, River shallow, that we could not drink of it, nor dress our meat with it; and, as we conceive, by reason of the abundance of crocodiles, which have the same scent.

water bad.

Gold in an aftonishing quantity.

668. " April the 7th, we perceived the in-fall of a small river fouth, the current quick, the land all rocky and mountainous, and, in the filence of the night, could hear the noise, perfectly, of a great fall of waters; and before the mouth of it, anchored that night.

669. "In the morning, into that we put, and came as near the fall as we well could. Our water failed; but our indefatigable industry overcame all difficulties; for, what I could not by water, I did attempt by land: where arriving, I found the long expected end of our moft toilfome and long voyage; for, I believe, never any boat, nor any Christians, have been fo high in that river, as we. Here, upon the first trial I made, the exceed of gold was so much, that I was surprised with joy and admiration: however, here I was refolved to lay down my staff; and to that end, the first thing I did, was to go the boat; and, about a league and a half thence, I found wood. Here we practised to turn colliers, and laded our small boat with as much as fhe could well carry back; we went and fell to work, for which I hope (to God alone be praise) none of the company hath cause to repent, for the great pains and labour he took, though we chose the worst time of the year almost, the waters being then at the very loweft; but had we gone immediately after the rains, which is June, July and August, or before the waters were fallen fo low, we had been free from much of that trouble, at fords and falls, by having water enough to carry us over.

"At the end of the paper are these words.

"Transcribed verbatim from a paper manuscript, lent me by Mr. Fr. Lodwick, Octob. 2, 1693, by

of

R. HOOK."

"This paper (which I have here published exactly as I found it) I not long fince lent to a person great quality, for the service of the African Company (then setting out for an expedition into those parts) and I hope it hath, or will prove as much for their benefit, as my wishes are. The paper seems to have been written by one that had gotten great riches, in King Charles the IId's time, by his progrefs up the river Gambay: and his descriptions of the openings, and turnings of the Gambay, the inlets of other rivers into it, the adjacent mountains, &c. may be a good guide to undertakers, how to find out the place, where our author met with gold, even to fatiety. Who he was, can scarce be known, he conjuring his friend, Mr. Lodwick (to whom I conceive this letter was addressed) to the greatest secrecy, being, I fuppose, afraid to be known, or talked of, left he should be commanded away, by the King and government, upon another expedition, from that peaceable and satisfactory retirement he enjoyed, after his acquifition of fufficient wealth.

W. DERHAM."

The above curious paper is inferted in F. Moore's "Travels into the inland Parts of Africa." But he does not fay from whence he copied it; and has not mentioned the year, (1693) nor the names of Lodwick, Hook, or Derham. C. B. W.

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