98 TRINIDAD. 







T'he culture of only a few of our indigenous vegetables has, 

 as yet, been attempted, though many more might perhaps be 

 cultivated to advantage. Those, however, which whether indi- 

 genous or exotic form the basis of our agriculture, exhibit the 

 same luxuriance of growth as characterises the spontaneous vege- 

 tation of the island. 



The sugar-cane, when cultivated in virgin and congenial soils, 

 displays a vigour such as to call forth the admiration even of the 

 casual observer, and how much more to elate the prospective 

 hopes of the interested planter. The cacao-tree reaches, in our 

 vegas, the height of thirty feet, and yields a successive produce 

 throughout the year ; the coffee, as well as the cotton and castor- 

 oil plants, attains the proportion of copse-wood ; rice grows to the 

 height of six and seven, maize to that of eighteen, and even 

 twenty feet; the farinaceous roots of the Manioc, and the 

 tubercles of the Yam, mature, in proper localities, to enormous 

 sizes ; plaintains furnish, with but little trouble, an abundance 

 of alimentary provision, whilst in rich sandy loams, pumpkins 

 and water-melons are reproduced on the same spot, for years, 

 without the slightest care. Fruit-trees, when planted, are usually 

 left to their own untended growth and development, unaided 

 even by the pruning knife ; but they fail not, in due season, to 

 pour forth the exuberance of their luscious treasures ; the nutmeg 

 and cinnamon trees also grow to the fullest perfection. Yet 

 man neglectful man satisfied with Nature's proceedings, at- 

 tempts but feebly to turn to advantage the gratuities of a boun- 

 tiful Providence. 



EARTHQUAKES. Although there exists no authentic record of 

 Trinidad having ever suffered to any great extent from earth- 

 quakes, yet the island is not unfrequently visited by those subter- 

 ranean convulsions ; and a year seldom passes away without the 

 recurrence of one or more of such visitations. They were rather, 

 numerous during the prevalence of the long and severe drought 

 of the year 1846, when as many as seven shocks were felt in the 

 month of September alone. In October, 1761, the island suffered 

 from a rather severe earthquake, and the mountain to the N.E. of 

 St. Joseph, known by the name of " Cerro de Don Pedro Indio," 

 was rent to a large extent, the fissure or chasm remaining open 

 for a long period. For many years, and until lately, a mass in 

 honour of u Nuestra Sefiora de la Guadalupe " was celebrated in 



