Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 131 



into the water, with the like weapon, and bailen down 

 to their defence : but too often all their dexterity and 

 precaution is not íliííicient to protett the diver from 

 being devoured by thefe fiili, or loñng one of his legs 

 or arms by thefr bite. Several inefiedual fchemes 

 have been praitiled, to prevent fuch melancholy ac- 

 cidents. 



TtJE pearls of thele iifheries are generally of a good 

 water, aqd feme very rt-markable, both in their fhape 

 and iize : but as there «is a difference in both thefe pro- 

 perties, ib there is alto a difí'erence in their water and 

 colour ; fome being highly valuable, and others as re- 

 markably defedlive. Some of thefe pearls, 4bough in- 

 deed but few, are fent to Europe, the greater part 

 being carried to Lima ; vvhere the demand for them is 

 very great, being not only univerfally worn there 

 by all peribns of rank, but alio fent from thence into 

 the inland parts of Peru. 



Besides thefe pearls, the kingdom of Terra Firma 

 was formerly equally remarkable for the fine gold pro- 

 duced by the mines in its territories ; and which con- 

 fequently proved a very confiderable addition to its 

 riches. Part of thefe mines were in the province of 

 Veraguas, others in that of Panama ; but mofr, alfa 

 thcrichcít, and whofe metal was of the fineft quality, 

 were in the province of Daricn ; and, on that account, 

 the confiapt olíjcól of the miners. But the Indians 

 revolting, and making themfelvcs mafters of the whole 

 province, there was a neceiiity for abandoning thele 

 mines, by which means the greater part of them were 

 lofl ; a lew only remaining on the frontiers, which 

 Itill yield a fmail quantity- o'f gold. Tiieir produce 

 might indeed be increafed, did not the fear of the 

 fickle nature of the Indians, and tlie fmall confidence 

 that can be placed on their apparent friendihip, deter 

 the m«ííers of the mines from taking proper meafures 

 for improving them. 



K ^ Though í 



