The American Pearl-Fisheries. 225 



marcs de Perles de differentes sortes, et toutes d'une 

 beaute parfaite, outre trois cassettes pleines de 

 menues, c'est a dire de Perles que nous appellons 

 Perles a I'once ; et que pour les Marchands parti- 

 culiers d'Espagne et de Portugal, il y en avoit plus de 

 treize cens marcs, sans plusieurs sachets appartenans 

 a plusieurs passagers qui n'avoient point este pes^es, 

 ce qu'on prendroit a present pour une chose imagin^e 

 a plaisir." 



From a curious old work on jewels, printed in 

 London in 1671, from which a quotation has already- 

 been made in a preceding chapter, we extract the 

 following description of the Pearl-fisheries of the 

 Western world, as known two centuries ago : — 



"In the West are discovered five Pearl Fishings, 

 the first is in the island of Margarita, two-and- 

 twenty leagues from the firm land ; this isle is 

 thirty-five leagues about, and hath a good haven 

 towards the south, at the east point it is all 

 encompassed with rocks ; it is fruitful enough, but 

 there is want of water ; and the inhabitants go up 

 into the country to furnish themselves with it, yet 

 there are great store of cattle, and it beareth maize 

 and other things necessary for those who live there. 



''The second Fishing was discovered in the 

 year 1496, by the isle of Cubagua, a league from 



