OF TIERRA FIRM A. 3 



of the fwiftnefs of the current between them . The climate of la ^rinidadis faid to. 

 be infalubrious,the ifland being very often covered w^ith thick fogs. Sir Walter 

 Raleigh, who was there fometime in the year 1593, and examined it, fays, 

 that the northern part of it is high land ; but diat the foil is good, proper for 

 planting of fugar-canes, tobacco, ^c. Here are feveral forts of animals, 

 plenty of wild hogs, fifh, fowl, and fruit. It alfo produces maize, cafTava, 

 and other rootsj and, in general, all that is found in America. The Spaniards 

 owned to Sir Walter that they found gold in the rivers of this ifland, but 

 nothing in comparifon of what the main land produces. 



Notwithftanding what Sir Walter fays, in regard to its fertility, Herrera, 

 fpeaking of this ifland, looks upon it as not proper for any kind of produdlion. 

 The chief thing it abounds with is a kind of foffil pitch, or bitumen, which the 

 Spaniards call Tierra de Brea; it is found in the eafl:ern corner of this ifland, 

 where there is fuch a quantity of it, that they may carry it away by fhip 

 loads, but the Spaniards pretend that it cannot be of any ufe, on account of 

 its melting too eaffly by the heat of the fun. The chief town of the ifle is 

 St. Jofeph de Orunnay fltuated on the eafliern fhore, upon a fmall river : it 

 has a harbour for fmall veflels, a little fort, and a few men to defend it. 



Island of LA MARGARITA, 



CALLED by the Spaniards Santa Margarita de las Caracas, is feparated 

 from the Continent by a flreight eight leagues broad, and was dif- 

 covered by Chrijlopher Columbus in the year 1498, in his third voyage ; it is 

 between 35 and 40 leagues in compafs, and as it is always verdant, affords 

 a very agreeable profpedt. The native Indians were formerly very nume- 

 rous, though there is hardly any frefli water, but what they are obliged to 

 fetch from the main. The ifland is fertile, abounding v/ith pafl:ures, 

 maize, and fruit. The Pearl fifliery having rendered it very famous, the 

 Spaniards built a cafl:le called Morpadre, on the eafl: cape of the ifland. 



B 2 The 



