WEST INDIA ISLANDS. 



products are copper, in Cuba; sulphur, in 

 Guadeloupe ; and pitch, in Barbadoes and Trini- 

 dad. 



Lying almost wholly within the tropics, these 

 islands know no winter, the year being divided 

 into wet and dry seasons. During the rains, the 

 climate is unhealthy ; but throughout the dry 

 season, nothing can exceed the softness of the 

 air, the brilliancy of the heavens, and the luxuri- 

 ance and splendour of the vegetation. Between 

 August and the end of October, most of the 

 islands are subject to hurricanes, luckily not very 

 frequent, and unknown except during this short 

 period. 



' The rich and varied productions of the West 

 Indies give them an important place in the com- 

 mercial world. To their valuable native plants, 

 art and industry have added others not less 

 valuable : the sugar-cane, yielding its threefold 

 tribute of sugar, molasses, and rum ; the coffee- 

 plant ; pimento or allspice ; the plantain and 

 the banana ; the pine-apple, anana, yam, sweet- 

 potato, maize, cassava, manioc ; with cacao, 

 tobacco, and cotton ; various dye-woods and 

 stuffs, as fustic, logwood, indigo ; medicinal plants, 

 as liquorice, arrowroot, ginger, jalap, ipecacuanha ; 

 building and cabinet timber, as mahogany, 

 lignum-vitas, and cedar : to which list must be 

 added the bread-fruit, cocoa, mango, papaw, 

 guava, orange, lemon, tamarind, fig, and other 

 tropical fruits. The cattle are generally of dimin- 

 utive size ; only a few of the islands contain 

 sheep and goats ; few horses, asses, or mules are 

 reared, and consequently great numbers of these 

 are imported from the continent. Hogs are 

 more abundant than other domestic animals. 

 There are few wild animals but wild swine, 

 tajassoes, monkeys, rats, and some smaller ani- 

 mals. The manati is found in Trinidad and 

 Tobago ; the cayman, turtle, and other reptiles 

 are common ; and fish are everywhere abundant. 

 Land and sea crabs are also common; and 

 amongst the more remarkable insects are mos- 

 quitoes, cockroaches, scorpions, ants, and the valu- 

 able cochineal insect* 



POPULATION GOVERNMENTS. 



The natives have long since become extinct, 

 except a few families in Trinidad. On their dis- 

 covery by Columbus in 1492, the southern islands 

 were inhabited by the fierce and warlike Caribs, 

 and the northern by the Arrowauks, a more mild 

 and gentle race. The latter appear to have been 

 indolent and sensual in their habits, but mild 

 and forgiving in disposition, affectionate to their 

 wives, and of a domestic turn of character. They 

 were fond of dancing and other peaceable amuse- 

 ments and games. Their government was mon- 

 archical, the kings being called caciques, and their 

 power hereditary. They had likewise a priest- 

 hood ; and they believed in a Deity and in a future 

 state. At present, the great mass of the popula- 

 tion is of African origin, the remainder consisting 

 of Spaniards, French, English, Dutch, and Danes 

 who have carried with them their religion, laws, 

 manners, and industry. The following table ex- 

 hibits the names, areas, and population of the 

 principal islands, with the governing powers to 

 which they belong : 



* Ceded to France in 1878. 



BRITISH POSSESSIONS. 



The British colonies are grouped into the 

 following administrative divisions : i. Jamaica, 

 with Turk's Islands and the Caicos, which, since 

 1873, have been governed by a captain-general, 

 appointed by the crown. 2. Trinidad, which has 

 a governor and legislative council. 3. The Wind- 

 ward Islands, comprising Barbadoes, St Lucia, 

 St Vincent, Grenada, and Tobago. 4. The Lee- 

 ward Islands, including Antigua, Barbuda, Mont- 

 serrat, St Christopher, Nevis, Anguilla, the Virgin 

 Islands, and Dominica. 5. The Bahamas ; and 

 6. The Bermudas. The last four groups enjoy 

 representative institutions, having each a gov- 

 ernor, council, and legislative assembly. Justice 

 is administered according to English law. With 

 these preliminary observations, we proceed to 

 notice the principal islands : 



Jamaica. 



This is the third island in point of size in the 

 West Indies ; being inferior only to Cuba and San 

 Domingo. It is 150 miles long, and 45 broad, 

 and contains about 4,000,000 acres. It was dis- 

 covered by Columbus during his second voyage, 

 and was at that period well peopled. Although 

 opposed by the natives at first, Columbus soon 

 effected a reconciliation with them, and took pos- 

 session of the island in the name of his sovereign. 



331 



