Sect. II.
Cumana.
Bounds and Description of Cumana.
Cumana is bounded Eastward with the Gulf of Paria and the River Orinoque; on the West, with Venezuela; Northward it hath the Atlantick; and on the South, those undiscover’d Countreys above mention’d; extending along the Northern Ocean, over against Margareta two hundred Leagues or more, as some say, in length, and not much less than a hundred in breadth.
The Coast of this Countrey, as well as of the Islands Margareta and Cabagua, hath formerly been much fam’d for the rich Trade of Pearls and Pearl-fishing; which failing, its principal esteem now is for an excellent Vein of Salt, which they dig here as out of a Mine, and gather it naturally made ready to their Hands, not half a Mile from the Sea side, on the back side of the Promontory or Cape, by some call’d Punto de Araya, and by others for this reason Cape de Salinas.
Towns and Places of note.
Places of chiefest consideration here, are 1. Cumana it self, a Colony of Spaniards seated on the Banks of a little River two Miles distant from the Sea, where it hath a good Harbor.
2. St. Jago, a very strong Fortress, which the Spaniards of late years have built, for the defence and security of the Salt-works against the Dutch, who began to Trade much that way, and in the Year 1622. had a Design to have made themselves Masters of the Place.
3. St. Michael de Neveri, another Fortress of theirs, standing upon a River bearing the same Name.
4. Guaniba, a Town of the Natives.
This Countrey of Cumana, being generally infested with terrible Crocodiles, hath a large Inlet call’d Cariaco, which flows fourteen Leagues into the Countrey.