3C2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 



hours. Trinidad was swept by the southern skirt of a Hur- 

 ricane, which having exerted its full force in passing over 

 Tobago, ran in a path nearly parallel with our Northern 

 shores, striking Carupano and Pampatar (Margarita.) Its 

 influence was slight to the south of the Caroni and the Oro- 

 pouche rivers, and in Naparima it was not felt at all. In 

 Trinidad, Toco suffered most, being nearer to the heart of 

 the storm than any other exposed quarter. In town, the Dry 

 river ran wild, and the bridges were carried away. In the 

 vallies running down through and from the northern range of 

 mountains, Cacao estates suffered from the fall of the Bois 

 Immortels ; fallen Bamboos choked the Carenage road where 

 it passes through the Hope estate in the mouth of the Diego- 

 Martin valley, and Plantain and Manioc fields suffered much. 

 Beyond the injuries and the wreck of the boats and droghers 

 in our harbor, no further notable harm was done. The lar- 

 ger craft held to their anchors, as they generally have done 

 here in similar cases, thanks to our excellent holding ground 

 (mud), to our enclosed position, and to the merely third or 

 fourth-class character of the few Hurricanes by which we are 

 visited. Only four Hurricanes are recorded as having touched 

 this island within the present century ; they occurred on 



18th October, 1809. 



12th August, 1810. 



23rd June, 1831. 



12th October, 1847. 

 That of 1S31 was the worst, and was felt throughout the 

 Island the wooden jetties at San Fernando and Port-of- 

 Spain were destroyed, many feluccas wrecked and several 

 si lips were driven on shore, but the bottom being mud these 

 were subsequently hauled back into deep water unhurt. On 

 this occasion also the Dry Paver overflowed its banks. 



