CHAPTER XXX 



THE VOLCANIC CARIBBEES 



Singular beauty of the islands. Flora, fauna, and geological character. 

 Saba. St. Eustatius. St. Christopher. Nevis. Montserrat. 



THE symmetrical row of true Caribbees begins with 

 Saba, on the north, and ends with Grenada, on the 

 south. It consists of eleven conspicuous members, in- 

 cluding, in order, the islands of Saba, St. Eustatius, St. 

 Christopher (St. Kitts), Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, 

 Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. 

 This group is perfectly alined in a flattened crescent, the 

 concave side of which faces westward ; its members occur 

 at remarkably regular intervals, averaging about thirty 

 miles. They are extraordinarily alike in configuration, 

 climate, and economic possibilities, and yet collectively 

 different in natural aspect from any other West Indian 

 group. 



A beautiful sight presents itself to the traveler who sails 

 down the inner side of the Caribbee Islands and views 

 from the steamer's deck these wonderful lands as they 

 pass in rapid procession, rising almost vertically from the 

 deep-blue sea, which on this side is ordinarily of glassy 

 smoothness. Each island seems to float in the atmosphere 

 between the azure waters and the wealth of misty clouds 

 which envelops its summits; the gorgeous colors on its 

 slopes present, under the various influences of the cloud- 

 tempered lights, every shade of delicate tropical vegetation. 



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