PORT-OF-SPAIN. 291 



loamy on the hills, and, in general, fertile ; the soil of the valley 

 of Maraval, however, is not so good as that of Diego Martin and 

 Carenage. Sandstone, slate, and limestone are met with in the 

 ridges, which also grow valuable timber such as poui, cip, cedar, 

 &c., with a species of bauhinia, which probably yields better 

 hoops than any known. There are, in the Maraval ward, two 

 small sugar estates, four in Diego Martin, and three in Carenage 

 in all nine four of which employ steam-engines, whilst three 

 have been abandoned since emancipation. Diego Martin was one 

 of the first districts of the colony in which the cane was 

 cultivated. Coffee, cacao, and provisions are cultivated in the 

 hilly parts of the three wards. Maraval, Diego Martin, and 

 Carenage are catholic parishes ; there are also, in Diego Martin, 

 a church of England parish, and a small Wesleyan station. 



The Champs Elysees estate, the property of Henry Boissiere, 

 Esq., is situated at the entrance of the Maraval valley ; on it is a 

 neat and comfortable residence, with a beautiful flower garden, 

 and an orchard traversed by a rapid stream of clear water. The 

 dam and reservoir have been already mentioned. A good ward- 

 road branches off from the Circular leading up the valley to the 

 Mocha estate ; after which the ridge separating Maraval from Santa 

 Cruz becomes rather low at the point called La Silla, or the 

 Saddle : at this point the road crosses over to Santa Cruz. 

 Another road passes the ridge between Diego Martin and Maraval 

 to the north coast, near Saut d'Eau; it is used by the small 

 proprietors settled in that part, and by the fishwomen on their 

 road to town with fish. 



The Ward-road of Diego Martin is a good carriage -road. 

 At the extremity of the valley a signal-post has been established, 

 which corresponds with that of Fort George. Since emancipa- 

 tion, a free village has been formed in the ward of Diego Martin, 

 and a school, established in 1853. 



The ward of Carenage extends to the sea on the south. Be- 

 sides the small river of Cuesa, which traverses the valley from 

 one end to the other, another mountain torrent descends the hills, 

 not far from the mouth of the Diego Martin. There are coco- 

 palm plantations along the beach, and a village has been formed 

 in the neighbourhood of the catholic church, which is a neat 

 stone-building, and on which the inhabitants of that impoverished 

 district have spent in labour above 3,000 dollars. On the north 



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