Francisco de Orellana, with seventy men, to go on and see if what the Indians had said was true, and to return with the vessel full of provisions, for they saw the great need there was for food. He himself, with the rest of his force, would march down stream at once, to reach the populous country as soon as possible. For all the Spaniards were in want, and in truth their necessity was dire, so that Orellana must make all speed to bring them relief. He was not to do anything else; wherefore the vessel was entrusted to his care solely, and to no other person. Francisco de Orellana replied that he would use all possible diligence to carry out his orders, that he would bring back provisions as quickly as he could, and that there need be no doubt about that. So he took on board some arms and clothing belonging to Gonzalo Pizarro and others who wished to send them on, and then departed down the river, leaving Gonzalo Pizarro and the other Spaniards longing for his quick return. FOOTNOTES: [38] The Sweet Sea (_Mar Dulce_) was another name for the Marañón. The "arm" was the river Napo. [39] The Coca, principal tributary of the Napo. [40] _Mar dulce_, the Marañón. CHAPTER XXI _How Francisco de Orellana went down the river until he reached the Ocean Sea, and of the great sufferings of Gonzalo Pizarro and his followers from hunger._ Gonzalo Pizarro, having decided to send Francisco de Orellana in the vessel down the river, ordered him to start at once, and to those who were to travel with him he repeated the instructions he had given to Orellana himself. They therefore proceeded down stream, taking scarcely any provisions with them, and suffered very great hardships, making their way for days without seeing any inhabitant. At the end of that time they met with a few and began to talk of returning, but this seemed an impossible task, for they had traversed more than three hundred leagues. Orellana, after stating some excuses, continued his way and discovered the very wide river Marañón or "_Mar Dulce_" as some call it, with great provinces and settlements on its banks, so large that they affirm that in passing continuously down stream for two whole days they did not come to the end of the populated district. They had some fights with the Indians, and a few Spaniards were wounded. Father Gaspar de Caravajal lost an eye. They never found gold or silver, but some Indians they captured told them that those metals existed in great quantities in the interior. After passing through still greater hardships they at length arrived at the Ocean Sea, whence Orellana went to Spain; and his Majesty granted him that province with the title of Adelantado.[41] Publishing an account of greater things than he ever saw, he enlisted many people. With them he entered the mouth of the great river and died miserably, all his followers being lost as well.