Pearl-island, an island of South America, the middle of which is situated in W. Long. Margarita Long. 64. 2. N. Lat. 11. 30. It was discovered by Columbus, and is about 35 leagues in compass. The soil is very fertile in maize and fruits, and abounds in pasture and verdant groves; yet is totally destitute of fresh water, which the inhabitants are obliged to bring from the continent. When the Spaniards first landed here, they found the natives busy in fishing for oysters. Columbus ordered some of the savages aboard his ship, who were so far from being terrified, that they very soon became familiar with the Spaniards. The latter at first imagined that the oysters served them for food; but on opening the shells, they found they contained valuable pearls. Upon this discovery they immediately landed, and found the natives ready to part with their pearls for the merest trifles. In process of time the Spaniards built a castle, called Monpadre, and employed prodigious numbers of Guinea and Angola negroes in the pearl fishery; cruelly forcing them to tear up the oysters from the rocks to which they stuck, during which time many of them were destroyed by the sharks and other voracious fishes. The present population is about 14,000; of whom 5,500 are whites, 2,000 Indians, and 6,500 slaves and free persons of colour. It has for some time been in the hands of the party who are endeavouring to overturn the Spanish authority in Caracas.

Pearl, in Natural History. See Pearl and Mya.