

r*y* 



61% AMERICA. \ Chap. IX. 



their growth hinder'd by ofccn Fifliing for them, we know not, but however it is, 

 few Pearls arc found here of late years, which makes Margaieta to be more and 

 more defcrtcd. 

 ihc Nature Between the Main Continent of Taria lie the Iflands Cubagua and Coche 5 the firft 

 °f c«»wm. whereof hath an unfruitful and fultry Soil, without either Trees, Birds, and four- 

 footed Beads, except PocA-Wood, Sea-Fowls, or Parrots $ and Qaflilian Hogs being 

 carry 'd thither, change their Nature (Iran gely ; for in a fhort time their Claws 

 grow long and crooked. 



The King of Spain us'd formerly to receive fifteen thoufand Ducats yearly for 



his fifth part of the Pearls that were taken ; which Gain invited many thither, who 



Ja C c?j?z N( " b u ^ c l ^ c Town 2{pVa Cadi^on Cabugua in the Year i 511. but when the Arayans de- 



but'atlengi molifli'd the Monks Cloyfter on <Paria, the Spaniards, being three hundred in num. 



fer2 de " b er > fled from Nova Cadiz, to Hifpaniola, where the High Court, difpleas'd at their 



cowardly deferting the Place, gave them but cool Entertainment, and fent five 



Ships under the Command of Jacomo it Caftellan to Cubagua, to build new Storc- 



houfes in Ifyva Cadi^, which was afterwards re»inhabited ; but when the Pearl- 



Fifhing ceafed, the Ifland and Town was at once defcrted. 



Oppofite to Margarets lies the Promontory Jraya, behind which lies a fait Lake, 

 in which is found abundance of Salt, not onely above, but under the Water • with 

 which the Englijh, Spanijh, and Dutch Ships are fraighted. 

 d» *w$ Jfaac du Verm defcribesthe Salt-pans on Jraya thus : cc Round about the fame 



Dcfcription <, r 



of the salt- « (faith he) the Ground is craggy, barren, and of a brackifli tafte, and deftitute of 

 <c frefti Water, which is therefore fetch'd three Leagues farther out of a Brook, 

 u flowing from the Mountain !Bordo?tes into the Bay of Cement 5 likewife all manner 

 " of Provifionsare brought from other Parts, Weft ward from the Point Jraya there 

 " is a convenient Harbor where the Ships take in their Salt, Three hundred Paces 

 €l from the Shore lies a great Salt-pan, where the Salt being firft beat in pices, is 

 " carry'd in Wheel-barrows to the Ships. The little Salt*pan produces lefs Sale, 

 <c and lies alio out of the way, which makes few Ships take in their Lading from 

 c< thence. 



The Countrey is every where overgrown with Brambles and Bufhes, in which 

 breed Tygers and very poyfonous Serpents. There are likewife abundance of 

 Stags, Bucks, Hares, and Coneys, befides other ftrange Beafts. 



TiMMno 1 605. the Netherlander s came hither unmolefted for Salt, when eight 

 SpaniJJ? Gallions falling unawares upon them, ftrangely mifus'd their Seamen- but 



ty*i£* afterwards the United Netherlands having made an Agreement with Spain for a cer- 

 tain .time, renew'd their Trade to Jraya, till the King of Spain, having for the bet- 

 ter fecurity of the Place, built the Fort St. Jago, which Commanded the great Salt- 

 pan, forbad the Netherlander s from lading any more Salt j who thereupon Storm'd 

 the Fort, though to their coft, for fcveral of them were kill'd, and the reft retunTd 

 home empty. 



Sect.. V. 



Of the Iflands of Southern America. 



THe chiefeft Iflands of note in the Southern part of America, that is to fay, 

 thofcthat lie remote from the Continent in Mare del Zur, are Los Ladroms, 

 and the Iflands Fernandinas • for the reft being,as we may call tbem,M</iftr* 

 ranean Iflands, fall naturally under the Defcription of the Continent. 



i« Los 



,Th« Ktthtr- 

 ktnders beaten 

 out of their 

 Salt-Trade 



