294 TRINIDAD. 



At Monos, Huevos, and Chacachacareo, grows the lignum 

 vitae (G-uayacum officinale), and, what is locally called here, 

 country bark (Portlandia hexandra), an emeto-cathartic, used in 

 the cure of fevers. These islets, as well as Pato, are noted for 

 their centipedes, some of them being from eight to ten inches 

 long. 



Proceeding eastward from Port-of- Spain are the following 

 wards : Laventille ; this is immediately contiguous to the town, 

 partly hilly and partly swampy, lying between the Royal road and 

 the Caroni river; soil generally good, with a few cacao and coffee 

 plantations, provision grounds, and an abundance of fruit trees. 

 The hills are of limestone, which protrudes in several parts ; it is 

 compact, of a bluish colour, with veins of carbonate of lime. From 

 these hills are quarried stones for building purposes, and for ma- 

 cadamising the streets of the town and the roads adjoining ; ex- 

 cellent lime is also manufactured from the same. Several fresh- 

 water springs are found in this ward. Laventille has gained the well- 

 merited reputation of being the most unhealthy district of Trinidad, 

 which it owes to its situation near an immense mangrove swamp ; 

 the most elevated part of it is not, however, so unhealthy. No whites 

 can live there ; the coloured people suffer much, and Africans 

 are the only inhabitants who enjoy comparatively good health. It 

 is generally admitted, that a white man who sleeps one night on 

 the Laventille heights must necessarily get fever. This is evidently 

 caused by marsh effluvia, which, rising from the swamp, spread over 

 the hills, hanging at a certain height above them, and descending 

 at night with the dews ; hence fever is more prevalent, and of 

 a more serious type during the dry weather, when the dews are 

 heaviest. In fact, were it not for the spur which extends east- 

 ward from the northern range to the sea, Port-of- Spain itself 

 would have been uninhabitable ; but this spur, acting as a barrier, 

 is a fortunate means of protection to the town. These remarks 

 regarding the spreading of malaria, are applicable to the other 

 districts of the colony. A few yards from the toll-gate to the 

 eastward of the town, is the powder-magazine. 



Next to Laventille comes the ward of Cimaronero, very much 

 resembling the former in general position and unhealthiness ; 

 however, it is not placed so much within the reach of the malaria, 

 and its soil, near the Aricagua river, is of a better quality. 



The Cimaronero river has its source in the lower part of this 



