8 



ISLANDS ON THE COAST 



is a llrong red clay, but in general they are extremely fertile, well watered, 

 and inhabited by Spaniards and negroes. 



All this coaft at different feafons of the year, enjoys a dry north-eaft wind ; 

 in other refpe6ls likewife it is very healthy, and has a fweet clear air. The 

 Spaniards have look-outs or fcouts on the hills, breaft-works in the val- 

 leys, and moft of their negroes are furniflied with arms alfo for the defence 

 of the bays. The Dutch have a profitable trade here almoft to themfelves: 

 Dampier fays, he has known three or four great fhips at a time on the coaft. 

 They carry thither all forts of European commodities, efpecially linen, 

 making vaft returns, chiefly in filver and cocoa. 



The cocoa tree grows here in abundance, and is their chief wealth. The 

 trunk of it is about a foot and a half thick, and from feven to eight feet high, 

 the branches large and fpreading like an oak, the nuts are enclofed in 

 cods fhaped like a large cucumber. There may be commonly 20 or 

 30 of thefe cods on a tree, the rind of them is about half an inch thick, 

 brittle, and harder than that of a lemon ; they neither ripen, nor are gathered 

 at once, but all in about the fpace of a month, fome before others ; 

 when gathered, they lay them in feveral heaps to fw eat, and then burfting 

 the fhell with their hands, they extract the nut, which is enlofed in a whitifh, 

 clammy fubftance. The nuts lie clofe flowed in rows like the grains of 

 maize j there are generally from 1 8 to 24 in a cod, which are big or fmall in 

 proportion to the fize of the latter. They are then dried in the fun, and will 

 keep fo well, that even fait water will not hurt them. There are from 

 500 to 1000 or 2000 trees in a walk or cocoa plantation. Thefe nuts are 

 paffed in change for money, and ufed as fuch in the bay of Campeachy. 



M A R A C A, I B O, 



IS a fmall, but rich town in the province of Venezuela^ fituated on 

 the weftern banks of the lake of the fame name, about eight 

 leagues from its mouth. It is extremely well built, has feveral ftately houfes, 

 very regular, and adorned with balconies which command a fine pro- 



fpedl 



