monkies, rabbits, and snakes. It is very subject to heavy rains, and the
only observable difference in the seasons here is, that the rains are
more moderate in summer. The sea around is so deep that there is no
anchorage except at the west end, where the tide flows eight feet.
Muscles and periwinkles are here in great plenty, and the monkies open
the shells at low water. There are also abundance of pearl oysters,
fixed to loose rocks by their beards, four, five, and six fathoms under
water. These resemble our oysters, but are somewhat flatter and thinner
in the shell, their flesh being slimy and not eatable, unless dried
beforehand and afterwards boiled. Some shells contain twenty or thirty
seed pearls, and others have one or two pearls of some size, lying at
the head of the oyster, between the fish and the shell; but the inside
of the shells have a brighter lustre than even the pearls.

The 13th January we pursued our voyage for _Isla del Rey_, being two men
of war, two tenders a fire-ship, and a prize vessel. With the trade-wind
at S. we sailed along the continent, having low land near the sea but
seeing high mountains up the country. On the 16th we passed Cape
_Corientes_, in lat. 5° 32' N. being a high point with four small
hillocks on the top, and at this place found a current setting to the
north. The 21st we came in sight of Point _Garachina_, in lat. 7° 20'
N.[170] The land here being high and rocky, and without trees near the
shore. Within the point there is plenty of oysters and muscles. About
twelve leagues from this point are the islands called _Islas del Rey_,
or the Pearl Islands.[171] Between these and the Point of Garachina
there is a small flat barren island, called _Galleria_, near which we
came to anchor.

[Footnote 170: Carachina Point is in lat. 8° 10' N.]