The American Pearl-Fisheries. 225
marcs
de Perles de différentes sortes, et toutes d'une beauté parfaite, outre
trois cassettes pleines de menues, c'est à dire de Perles que nous
appelions Perles à l'once ; et que pour les Marchands particuliers
d'Espagne et de Portugal, il y en avoit plus de treize cens marcs, sans
plusieurs sachets appartenans à plusieurs passagers qui n'avoient point
esté pesées, ce qu'on prendroit à present pour une chose imaginée à
plaisir."
From
a curious old work on jewels, printed in London in 1671, from which a
quotation has already been made in a preceding chapter, we extract the
following description of the Pearl-fisheries of the Western world, as
known two centuries ago :—
"
In the West are discovered five Pearl Fishings, the first is in the
island of Margarita, two-and-twenty leagues from the firm land ; this
isle is thirty-five leagues about, and hath a good haven towards the
south, at the east point it is all encompassed with rocks; it is
fruitful enough, but there is want of water ; and the inhabitants go up
into the country to furnish themselves with it, yet there are great
store of cattle, and it beareth maize and other things necessary for
those who live there.
"The second Fishing was discovered in the
year 1496, by the isle of Cubagua, a league from
ρ
