2 



ISLANDS ON THE COAST 



places, though there is a perpetual verdure, yet the trees produce little or no 

 fruit, and in other parts there is a vaft plenty of all things, infomuch that 

 they have two harvests, and their meadows feed prodigious multitudes of 

 cattle. The mountains abound w^ith tygeVs, and various forts of voracious 

 animals. Rivers and rivulets there are in abundance ; but fome of them are 

 fo far from being wholfome, that their waters are dangerous, and not fit to 

 be drunk. There w^ere formerly very rich mines of gold in this province, but 

 they are now in a manner exhaufted, yet fome remains there are, as well 

 as filver and iron mines, which have been fince opened. On the fea-coaft 

 there was once a very rich pearl fifliery, but it is now in a great meafure 

 difufed. 



The natives of this part of America were never thoroughly conquered, 

 and, in all human probability, never will ; for on the one hand, they are 

 a very warlike, gallant people, and on the other, they hate the Spaniards to 

 a degree which words can hardly exprefs. Our privateers have frequently 

 made ufe of them in their expeditions, and have obferved this averfion of 

 theirs to the Spaniards extend fo far as not to give or receive quarter 

 from them. It is not, however, to be expedted, that the Indians fhould do 

 much towards making an entire conqueft of thefe parts from the Spaniards; 

 firft, hecaufe they are not very numerous or powerful 3 and, fccondly, be- 

 caufe they are of a fickle, inconftant difpofition, and in reality not cordially 

 affeded to any Europeans, as may be eafily gathered from a comparifon of 

 the many relations we have of the expeditions of the buccaneers into this pro- 

 vince, which they have invaded more frequently than any other. 



The Isle OF LA TRINIDAD, 



IS much larger than any other on this coaftj the gulf of Paria divides 

 it from the continent: between the moft eaflern point of thisiflandand that 

 of Salinas on the main land are the outlets called Bocas del Drago, or the 

 mouths of the dragon, through which the gulf has a communication with 

 the fea ; thefe openings were fo called by Chrijlopher Columbus^ on account 



, R0»| of 



