348 - STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



the rest. But when after seven or eight days we found them 

 not, we departed and directed our course for Trinidado, with 

 mine own ship and a small bark of captain Cross' only. 



"We arrived at Trinidado, March 22d, casting anchor at 

 Point Curiapan, which the Spaniards call Punto de Gallo, 

 which is situate in 8°, or thereabout. We abode there four 

 or five days, and in all that time we came not to the speech 

 of any Spaniard. From Curiapan I came to a port and seat 

 of Indians called Parico, where we found a fresh-water river, 

 but saw no people. From thence I rowed to another port 

 called by the naturals Piche, and by the Spaniards Tierra 

 de Brea. In the way between both were divers little brooks 

 of fresh water, and one salt river that had store of oysters upon 

 the branches of the trees, and were very salt and well tasted. 

 All their oysters grow upon those boughs and sprays, and not 

 on the ground ; the like is commonly seen in the West Indies 

 and elsewhere. 



'* At this point called Tierra de Brea or Piche, there is that 

 abundance of stone pitch, that all the ships of the world may 

 be therewith laden from thence. We made trial of it, in 

 trimming our ships, to be most excellent good, and melteth 

 not with the sun as the pitch of Norway, and therefore for 

 ships trading to the south parts it is very profitable. Thence 

 we went to the mountain foot called Annaperima, and so pass- 



