C H A P T E R X X X IX
O F F T H E V E N E Z U E L A C O A S T
OF the islands off the Venezuela coast and belonging
to the continental system of South
America, other than Tobago and Trinidad, only the
Dutch islands of Curasao, Buen Aire, and Aruba
are commonly spoken of as part of the West Indies;
but a passing notice of those which originally belonged
to Spain and passed to the Republic of Ven e zuela
when its independence was achieved, seems
necessary to make the present account complete.
Columbus discovered the island of Margarita when
he left Trinidad in 1498. It is only eight miles
from the mainland, and has an area of four hundred
square miles. It is almost divided into two by a
depression in the middle occupied by a lagoon. In
the eastern or main part Mount Copei rises to an
altitude of 4170 feet, and in the western and smaller
section Mount Macanao attains a height of 4484
feet. The name of the island is derived from the
pearl banks on the southern shore, which in recent
times have been virtually abandoned as no longer
profitable. Similar banks exist on the small islands
of Cabagua and Coche near by to the south.
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