the former,
in the Gulph of Mexico, it is in ten degrees-and-a-half of northern
latitude, an hundred and threescore leagues from St. Domingo in
Hispaniola, and an hundred from Santa Cruz, one of the Careeby*
islands, and four leagues from the Province of Aria, which is part of
the continent; it is much less than Margarita, without cattle, or any
other thing which may serve for the sustenance of man, particularly it
wanteth water, but the inhabitants are furnished from the continent,
from a river called Comana, seven leagues from New Cadis. This island
Cubagua was discovered by that famous Genoese, Christopher Columbus,
who having perceived a small boat with some fishers in it and a woman
who had three rows of fair Pearls about her neck, said to his
companions that he thanked God he had now discovered the most rich
country in the world. He broke an earthenware plate of divers colours,
and for a piece or two of it this woman gave him very willingly a row of
these Pearls, and for another plate he received many others, and
learned of the Indians the place and manner of their fishing for Pearls.
"The third is at Comana, near the continent. "The fourth is called Comangote, twelve leagues from the former.
