CHACACHACAREO — WHALE-FISHING. 279 



the prisoners being employed in quarrying and breaking stones. 

 Monos belongs to the borough of Port-of- Spain, as also Huevos 

 and Pato. Monos has several wells of wholesome water ; it is 

 a place of resort for sea-bathing. The population consists chiefly 

 of fishermen. Nothing can be cultivated there except during the 

 wet season, and even then it is with the greatest difficulty that 

 one can grow provisions, on account of the ravages of the 

 parasol-ants or Bachacos. 



The ward of Chacachacareo consists of the islands of Pato 

 and Huevos — uninhabited — and Chacachacareo. The latter island 

 may be said to be formed of two smaller islets or ridges, con- 

 verging towards the north till they meet, being there connected 

 by a neck of land a few yards in breadth, and a few feet above 

 the level of the sea — a fine little cove, with deep water, being 

 formed between the two ridges. Chacachacareo is well popu- 

 lated, fertile, and once produced fine cotton ; it is now cultivated 

 in vegetables and fruits, and is noted for its fine sugar-apples 

 and melons. Guinea-grass grows in luxuriance, and is used by 

 the residents for thatching their cottages. Alum has been 

 found both there and at Huevos. On the south side of Chaca- 

 chacareo is a large pond of salt-water, which might be advan- 

 tageously made to yield a home supply of salt. A small Catholic 

 chapel had been erected by the inhabitants in a commanding 

 position, and a few houses scattered around form a kind of 

 hamlet. There was also at Chacachacareo a whaling establish- 

 ment. There were, not many years ago, four such establishments 

 on the Bocas islands. The species of whale caught in the Gulf 

 is a balaenoptera (razor-back) . Whales arrive in December, but 

 they are then so wild that they cannot be easily approached : the 

 whaling season was from February to May, at which time the 

 balaenoptera leave these shores for other climates. In taking 

 the whale, peculiar boats only are used, so that the whalers do 

 not venture beyond the placid waters of the Gulf. The method 

 followed here is the same as that pursued on the ocean ; but, no 

 large vessels being engaged in the pursuit, when the animal has 

 been killed it is towed to the establishment by the boats : this is 

 a very tedious mode of procedure, and should the wind and tide 

 be against the boatmen, it often occupies twenty-four hours. 

 The animal is brought as near the shore as possible, the blubber 

 cut into long slices and carried to the boilers ; even this, how- 



