3^4 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. VII. 



basement of tiie island, are deeply eroded and also decayed. Here is 

 the best harbour among the islands, generally the only anchorage being 

 in the open roads. We also find here the only pier in the Windward 

 Islands, at which the ocean steamers can land, and this was built 

 on account of the great coaling station. There is also a fine botanical 

 garden at Port Castries, the capital. The slopes of the southern side of 

 the island are largely cultivated for sugar cane. As elsewhere, the 

 coloured population greatly predominates. The/er de lance, one of the 

 most poisonous of the snake family, is as common as in Martinique. On 

 the south-western coast, the Pitons rise on one side out of the sea (to 

 2,619 feet) as shown in figure 3, Plate VI. They are remains of a 

 crater, partly blown away, partly carried off by the waves, and 

 denuded by torrential rains. Travellers frequently mention them. 



St. Vincent (see map, Plate C, appended) repeats the features of St. 

 Lucia. The highest cone in the Soufriere mountains rises to an altitude 

 of 4,048 feet. Just south of it, the large crater is occupied by a lake at 

 an altitude of 1,930 feet, but the rim of the crater is from 3,000 to 3,600 

 feet above the sea. The volcanic eruption of 181 2 sent the ashes to 

 Barbados, more than a hundred miles away, where the dust obscured the 

 sun for three days. Some of the valleys have a mature form, as that of 

 the very beautiful Buccament, illustrated in Plate VII. This, however, 

 was desolated by a hurricane about four years ago. The valley crosses 

 the island to the sea, so that a little submergence would separate the 

 hills, to the right in the picture, from the main portion by a strait. 

 This feature is constantly appearing among the Windward Islands. 

 There was a very fine and far-famed botanical garden before the 

 hurricane, which carried every tree-top awa}', blew every insect off the 

 land and covered the island with showers of fine earth. 



The Grenadines (see map, Plate D, appended), represent the most 

 complete subaerial dissection of the ancient volcanic foundation, so that 

 a large number of islets and rock rise above the extensive banks which 

 have a length of over a hundred miles, and are submerged lOO or 150 

 feet. But Grenada, as large as St. Vincent is surmounted by the later 

 volcanic ridges with the highest point attaining an altitude of 2,749 

 feet. Grenada is the most celebrated of the islands for tropical fruits 

 of fine varieties. The Trinidad steamers from New York stop here, 

 but not the Windward Island lines, except the regular fortnightly Royal 

 Mail steamer. 



