I90I-2.] The Windward Islands of the West Indies. 351 



THE WINDWARD ISLANDS OF THE WEST INDIES. 

 By J. W. Spencer, M.A., Ph.D., F.G.S. 



(Read 2nd November, igoi ). 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction, and How to Reach the Islands. 



Sombrero. 



St. Martin Archipelago : — St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Bartholomew. 



The St. Kitt's Chain, Montserrat and the Saba Banks. 



Antigua and Barbuda. 



The Guadeloupe Archipelago. 



Dominica. 



Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 



Trinidad. 



Barbados. 



General Changes of Level of Land and Sea. 



Introduction and How to Reach the Islands. 



The West Indies have had a long and thrilling history, includ- 

 ing even the small Windward Islands, that separate the Caribbean 

 Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. These lesser Antilles were formerly a 

 source of great commercial wealth. They have been the birth place of 

 many distinguished families, and the scenes of actions of world-wide 

 importance. But most of these things and their literature are more 

 than half a century old. The small amount of scattered knowledge 

 concerning their physical features scarcely amounted to more than a 

 statement that they were volcanic islands or coral rocks. It was even 

 most difficult to get information as to the facilities of travelling about 

 among the islands, especially the smaller ones. Although some 

 popular books of travel have been written, the best account of the 

 features of the islands is that of Elisee Reclus.* But the different 

 islands have varied and most interesting geological and geographical 

 phenomena. It was for the study of these that I visited the Windward 

 Chain in i896-'97 ; for previously, I had discovered in the West Indian 

 region the evidence of the great changes of level of land and sea in late 



* " The Earth and Its Inhabitants." Vol. II., pp. 431-486. (Applctons, 1893). 



