International Fisheries Rxhibition. 



LONDON, 1883. 



THE 



FISHERIES OF THE BAHAMAS. 



Her Majesty's possessions, the Bahama Islands, extend 

 from the northern coast of St. Domingo to the eastern 

 coast of Florida, United States, a distance of nearly 600 

 miles. In all there are 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 

 rocks. The area is 4,424 square miles. 



The population by the census of 1881 was 44,000. Of 

 this number about 10,000 are whites, the remainder descen- 

 dants of emancipated Africans. The population per square 

 mile is about 10. 



The principal islands are New Providence, on which is 

 the capital Nassau, Grand Bahama, Eleuthera, Andros, 

 Abaco, Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Inagua, 

 Crooked Island, and Berry Island. The formation of the 

 islands is of calcareous rocks, of coral and shell, hardened 

 into limestone, and much honeycombed. There are no 

 traces of primitive or volcanic rock. The shores generally 

 rise gradually to a hill range in the principal islands, per- 

 haps to a height of 250 ft. With the exception of the 

 island of Andros, no freshwater rivers exist. The supply 

 of water is from wells and from rain-water tanks. 



The woods are the mahogany, lignum vitae, iron, mastic, 

 ebony (green and black), braziletto, logwood, satin wood, 

 and many others. A wood called horseflesh is in great 

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