70 TRINIDAD. 



Southward of Port of Spain are the following points or land- 

 marks: Large Point, Chaguanas, Cascajal, Cangrojos, and 

 Savanetta all very flat and muddy ; Lisas and Pointe-a-Pierres, 

 or Stony Point : south of San Fernando, Sandy Point, very low ; 

 Cape la Brea, which succeeds, is formed of hardened pitch or 

 bitumen. Between La Brea and Icacos we meet with the follow- 

 ing points : Guapo or Fortin, Ligoure, Pointe-noire or Grande- 

 ville, Pointe Rouge, Cedros, and Los Gallos, or the Cocks. Icacos, 

 the south-western angle of Trinidad, is a low, sandy peninsula, 

 intersected by several lagoons. 



The northern, southern, and eastern coasts are nearly destitute 

 of harbours. " Between the Bocas and Chupara," says Captain 

 Columbine, " there are some large bays, but so much swell sets 

 into them, and the wind is so uncertain and light, close in shore, 

 that it is dangerous to anchor a ship in them, except in those of 

 Maraccas and Las Cuevas. 



" Maqueripe is a cove at the northern extremity of the valley 

 of Cuesa; Saut-d'Eau is a very small sandy cove ; Las Cuevas is a 

 sandy bay ; the sandy shore on the eastern side of it is richly 

 wooded, almost close to the sea, interrupted by several breaks of 

 the woods filled by long winding slips of sand and varied by high 

 rocks and smaller rivulets mingling fancifully amongst them. A 

 mile to leeward of Las Cuevas, is the deep bay of Maraccas, open 

 to the north, but affording more shelter than any other on this 

 part of the coast. From Las Cuevas to Toco, the coast is chiefly 

 rocky and high, with a few sandy bays which generally contain a 

 small river ; but the surf is so heavy that these bays are scarcely 

 more accessible than the rocks ; the only places which we could 

 find were at Rio Grande, Petit Matelot, Trou Bouilli, and Paria 

 Bay. There is also a very small circular cove about half a mile 

 to the N.E. of Madamas, where a drogher might lie in smooth 

 water with the greatest security, being within the breakers; it 

 is closed round with steep rocky cliffs, and did not appear to 

 have any communication with the surrounding country. It is 

 very difficult to land at Rio Grande bay ; the early part of the 

 morning is the best time, before the sea breeze sets in. A 

 heavy sea breaks all along the shore, from Rio Grande to Toco, 

 the few landing places being only small openings amongst the 

 breakers ; and even these are not practicable at all times. The 

 bay of Toco is safe with good landing." 



