Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/234

 the countrey adioyning is so mountainous, and the inhabitants so many and of so good a courage, shooting poysoned arrowes which are present death to such as are wounded with the same; therefore it lyeth as yet vnconquered, notwithstanding it hath cost many Spanish captaines their liues.

Passing along the coast of Tierra firma to the East of Santa Martha, there is an other small towne of aboue an hundred houses called Rio de Hacha. This towne is somewhat rich by reason of the pearles which they get there. Also they haue a trade with the Indians for some small quantitie of golde.

From hence they goe along the coast to Cabo de la Vela, which because it is of the same propertie with Rio de Hacha before mentioned, I omit to speake of it.

Vpon this coast there is a lake or gulfe which openeth into the sea, at the mouth whereof they gather great store of pearles. Beyond this place there is another poore towne, which hath sixe or seuen times beene spoyled by the Frenchmen. From hence there lyeth an high way to the newe kingdome of Granada, but it is aboue seuen hundred leagues in length, this way is trauelled very seldome, because the Indians will vsually set vpon the trauellers. More vp into the land the countrey lyeth plaine, and there is some golde, and a fewe townes inhabited with Spaniardes, whereof I haue had but small notice, and therefore I let them passe.

The next place of any account is the Iland of Margarita, where there are but fewe Spaniardes inhabitant. This Iland of Margarita is very small, and lyeth foure leagues from the maine land: it hath heretofore bene very rich of golde and pearles, and so would haue continued till this present day, had it not beene spoyled by men of warre, because it standeth so farre from the maine land, notwithstanding they yet gather good store of pearles.

Vpon this Island are bred better horses and mules then in any other part of the Indies, therefore they carry them from hence to Peru, albeit they haue great store of horses in Peru, but not so good.

And because we haue begunne to speake of the Iland of Margarita, you are to vnderstand, that to the North of the foresaid coast of Tierra firma lie aboue seuentie Ilands being all very little, except Cuba, Hispaniola, and Boriquen, or Sant Iuan de Puerto rico, which Ile of Boriquen, although it bee not very great, yet is it inhabited