ns there. This vessel they also took, without any
resistance, though mounted with eight guns. In it were 7,000 weight of
powder, a great number of muskets, and like things, with 12,000
pieces-of-eight.

These successes encouraged the pirates, they seeming very lucky
beginnings, especially finding their fleet pretty well recruited in a
little time: for the first ship arriving at Tortuga, the governor
ordered it to be instantly unladen, and soon after sent back, with fresh
provisions, and other necessaries, to Lolonois. This ship he chose for
himself, and gave that which he commanded to his comrade, Anthony du
Puis. Being thus recruited with men in lieu of them he had lost in
taking the prizes, and by sickness, he found himself in a good condition
to set sail for Maracaibo, in the province of Neuva Venezuela, in the
latitude of 12 deg. 10 min. north. This island is twenty leagues long,
and twelve broad. To this port also belong the islands of Onega and
Monges. The east side thereof is called Cape St. Roman, and the western
side Cape of Caquibacoa: the gulf is called, by some, the Gulf of
Venezuela, but the pirates usually call it the Bay of Maracaibo.

At the entrance of this gulf are two islands extending from east to
west; that towards the east is called Isla de las Vigilias, or the Watch
Isle; because in the middle is a high hill, on which stands a
watch-house. The other is called Isla de la Palomas, or the Isle of
Pigeons. Between these two islands runs a little sea, or rather lake of
fresh water, sixty leagues long, and thirty broad; which disgorging
itself into the ocean, dilates itself about the said two islands.
Between them is the best passage for ships, the channel being no broader
than the flight of a great gun, of about eight pounds. On the Isle of
Pigeons standeth a castle, to impede the entry of vessels, all being
necessitated to come very nigh the castle, by reason of two banks of
sand on the other side, with only fourteen feet water. Many other banks
of sand there are in this lake; as that called El Tablazo, or the Great
Table, no deeper than ten feet, forty leagues within the lake; others
there are, that have no more than six, seven, or eight feet in depth:
all are very dangerous, especially to mariners unacquainted with them.
West hereof is the city of Maracaibo, very pleasant to the view, its
houses being built along the shore, having delightful prospects all
round: the city may contain three or four t