RELATIVE POSITION. 335 



The island of Trinidad may be considered as consisting of two 

 great valleys, formed by three mountain ranges of various 

 elevation. The middle and southern ranges are accessible on all 

 sides, and might be passed over at many points by carriage 

 roads. The northern range is accessible only on the south or 

 land side, there being but a few landing-places on the sea-coast. 

 The two valleys might be easily run through from E. to W. by 

 tram-roads or railways, which would afford every facility for 

 internal communication and for the transport of goods to our 

 great sea-port, the Gulf of Paria. 



On the hills, coffee, cacao, cotton, and spices might be 

 cultivated with advantage, as exportable articles ; plantains, corn, 

 ground provisions, and the more delicate vegetables, for home 

 consumption. The hills are generally healthy and cool, and 

 might be settled and cultivated by a white population, and others, 

 with a small capital. The plain might be reserved for the 

 cultivation of the cane mainly; the cultivation of cacao and 

 tobacco should be carried on in the vegas or hollows of river valleys, 

 the low swamps and less fertile tracts might be planted or sown 

 in rice. In the case of some other cultures being introduced, 

 as indigo, sesame, the castor-oil plant, these could be tried in 

 inferior lands. 



Tramways might be laid down between the Oropuche river 

 and Port-of- Spain in the northern basin ; and between the 

 Ortoire and La Brea, or Naparima, in the southern basin. Those 

 are the local or intrinsic capabilities of Trinidad, but are not 

 its sole advantages. Its geographical position, adjacent to 

 the continent and the republic of Venezuela, almost at the mouth 

 of the Orinoco, renders it, in a commercial and political point of 

 view, as important as Cuba. Wherefore, though the fate of 

 Trinidad be intimately connected with that of the other British 

 colonies, yet her prospects may be greatly affected by extraneous 

 influences ; for they, in a great measure, depend upon the fate of 

 the neighbouring republic of Venezuela. If ever Venezuela 

 becomes tranquil and prosperous, Trinidad will share in that 

 prosperity ; for the magnificent Gulf of Paria is a vast harbour 

 common to both : in fact, it is or can easily be rendered the 

 great seaport of the rich and extensive basin of the Orinoco, as 

 may be ascertained by glancing at the map of Venezuela. 



The Andes form, southward of Popayan, and about the second 



