To overcome the effect of
this story, the greatest care was taken to treat the Indians with kindness
and gentleness, and to punish in their presence any of the men who
maltreated them. This quickly had its effect, for the news spread that the
new-comers were the friends of the red men, and they were rewarded by
every attention the natives could bestow on them. Provisions were brought
them in profusion,--fish, fowl, and fruit, great roasted haunches of
venison, and other viands. Among these were sweet and delicious pineapples
of enormous size, "the prince of fruits," as Raleigh called them.
Finally, after they had gone about one hundred and fifty miles up the
Orinoco, they reached the point where another great river, the Caroni,
empties into it. The country here was more beautiful than they had yet
seen, and prosperous Indian villages were numerous on the bordering
plains. The natives had heard of the amicable character of the new-comers,
and greeted them with great friendliness, doing all they could to show how
they trusted and admired them. With one old chief, named Topiawara,
Raleigh held many interesting talks and learned from him much about the
country and the people.
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