4 



ISLANDS ON THE COAST 



The chief town is in the middle of it, and not far from this the vil- 

 lage, called Macanao. The ifland is under a particular governor. When it was 

 in its greateft fplendor, a prodigious number of boats were daily employed 

 in fifhing of pearl for which purpofe the Spaniards made ufe of Negroes 

 brought hither from Cape Verde, Guinea, and Angola j but the pearl oyfters 

 being near exhaufted, this fifhery is much declined. The fifth of it belongs 

 to the King of Spain, from whom the natives of this ifland obtained their 

 liberty, becaufe they received the Spaniards without refiftance. The Dutch 

 took this ifland in the year 1620, demolifhed the caftle, plundered the town,^ 

 and carried the cannon away, fince which time the Spamards are retired 

 to the Main, and the ifland is inhabited only by the native Indians and a few. 

 Mulattoes. 



The Isle of CUBAGUA, 



IS four leagues to the fouth of La Margarita. The foil of this place is 

 very nitrous, and full of fait : there is no frefh water, nnH very few trees.^ 

 The ifland is entirely over-grown with a kind of thiflle, covered with long 

 black thorns, which renders it almoft impafTable. There are no other ani- 

 mals but rabbits, and fome fea-fowls. Oviedo fays, that near the eaflern 

 point, a great quantity of a certain aromatical rofin is found fwimming 

 upon the waters, which is of fome ufe among the druggifls. 



The ifle of Cubagua v/as very famous formerly, on account of its pearl 

 fifhery, and in thofe times the Spaniards had built there a little town, under 

 the name of New Cadiz. It remained inhabited as long as pearls were to be 

 found in the neighbouring fea ; but it is now entirely deftroyed, and not a 

 fingle inhabitant to be found in the whole ifland. 



SALT 



