chap, xx PEARL-FISHERIES 89
all
things, and especially water, which the inhabitants are obliged to
obtain from the mainland. This island is renowned throughout the west,
because here the most considerable pearl-fishery is situated, although
the largest pearls do not exceed 5 carats. The second fishery is in the
island of Marguerite, that is to say, the island of pearls, at 1
league from Cubagua, which it surpasses much in size. It produces all
that is necessary to life except that, like Cubagua, it lacks water,
which has to be sent for to the river Cumana, near New Cadiz.1
This fishery is not the most abundant of all the five in America ; but
it is considered the principal, because the pearls which are found
there surpass the others in perfection, both as regards water and size.
One of the latter which I possessed, of well-formed pear shape, and of
fine water, weighed 55 carats, and I sold it to Shaista Khan, uncle of
the Great Mogul.2
Many
are astonished to learn that pearls are taken from Europe to the East,
whence they come in abundance, but it should be remarked that in the
Oriental fisheries they are not found of as great weight as in those of
the West, added to which all the kings and^great nobles of Asia pay
much better than do people in Europe, not only for pearls, but for all
kinds of jewels—when they are out of the common run—excepting only the
diamond.
The third fishery is at Comogote,3 near the mainland. The fourth is at Rio de la Hacha,4
along the same coast. The fifth, and last, is at Sainte Marthe, 60
leagues from Rio de la Hacha. All these three fisheries produce pearls
of good weight ; but generally they are ill-formed and are of a
leaden-coloured water.
Finally, as for the pearls of Scotland, and those which are found in the rivers of Bavaria,6 although necklaces are
1 The positions of Marguerite and Cumana are indicated in the previous note.
2 See vol. i. (112 f.) for details of the sale, and the quarrel it gave rise to.
' Comogote is not marked in ordinary maps, but it is near Cubagua. ' Rio de la Hacha, a province and its chief town, is in Columbia. s Obtained from the Unio and Anodonta, freshwater mussels (Ency. Brit., xxi. 26 ; Notes and Queries, 2nd Ser. v. 400 f.). Pearl-fishing has
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