290 TRINIDAD. 



The Woodbrook and St. Clair possess steam-engines. The model 

 school occupies the principal dwelling-house on the Woodbrook. 

 This ward is traversed by the Maraval river and the Eastern Royal 

 road. On the right bank of the river Mucurapo, between the 

 Royal road and the entrance of the valley, are St. James's Bar- 

 racks, about two miles from Port-of- Spain. These fine barracks 

 stand on a flat, permeable soil, with underground sewerage to the 

 river, just opposite the opening of the Maraval valley, and are, 

 consequently, exposed to the direct action of the northerly winds, 

 which, as is well known by even the most ignorant, are very 

 unhealthy. To this injudicious position is mainly attributable 

 the much-talked-of unhealthiness of these barracks ; in fact, the 

 selection was a very unfortunate one, both in site, as well as 

 proximity to the town. 



Westward of Mucurapo is the ward of Cocorite mainly hilly, 

 and soil generally bad ; a few acres planted in provisions and 

 guinea-grass. A large conical-shaped hill (1,830 feet) called 

 Fort-George mountain, seems to tower over the whole ward ; on 

 a summit somewhat lower (1,120 feet) is the fort of the same 

 name, as also the signal-post, which corresponds with a similar 

 post (740 feet) on the north side of Diego Martin, and, by 

 notice from the latter, signals the arrival of vessels long 

 before they enter the gulf. At the base of Fort George 

 is the hamlet of Cocorite, which occupies a small portion 

 of this plain towards the sea-side, and is traversed by the Royal 

 road. At the back of the village, some extensive buildings, 

 formerly occupied by the Ordnance department, are now used as 

 a leper asylum. A small pier has been built at Cocorite, with a 

 crane for the use of the Ordnance department. Besides the 

 battery on Fort George, two others are stationed to the west of 

 the village, which is also flanked on that side by an extensive 

 swamp. Both Mucurapo and Cocorite are subject to intermittent 

 and remittent fevers. 



Northward of Mucurapo and Cocorite are the two wards of 

 Maraval and Diego Martin, and westward of Diego Martin, 

 Carenage and Chaguaramas. The three wards of Maraval, Diego 

 Martin and Carenage, have the same general aspect, being 

 formed respectively of the three valleys of the same name, with 

 their intervening hills ; they are therefore partly flat and partly 

 hilly highest peak 1,830 feet. The soil is light in the valleys, 



