COUNTY OP VICTORIA. 319 



of England, and the Catholic parish of Savannah Grande. There 

 are also two chapels of the Baptist persuasion. 



Savannah Grande communicates with San Fernando by means 

 of a high-road which follows the windings of the ridge extending 

 from the Naparima mountains to the Mission. It is seven miles 

 long, without a bridge, and the same ridge continues to run nearly 

 due east for ten miles further, without a gap or ravine. A tract 

 or path, through the virgin forest, leads southward to Moruga, 

 and another one eastward from Monkeytown to Mayaro. 



The county of Victoria, though second in population to that 

 of St. George, may be regarded as the most important in an agri- 

 cultural point of view. Its surface is uniformly undulating, 

 gradually rising from the sea-shore, southward of San Fernando, 

 and from the lagoon in an E.N.E. direction for about sixteen 

 miles, with a few hillocks here and there above the general level 

 of the country. Every ridge sends its streamlets down hill to the 

 right and left, and small brooks or ravines collect the diminutive 

 tributaries from every depression or valley. On the N., the 

 water-courses bend towards the valley of the Guaracara ; on the 

 S.S.E., towards the lagoon, and contribute to the formation of 

 the Cipero in the centre. There is no morass or pond of stagnant 

 water in the county. Those parts which are not under cultiva- 

 tion abound in cedars, robles, savonettas, &c., and the carat-palm, 

 for thatching ; there is also a great abundance of cabbage -palms. 

 Many are preserved in the cane-pieces, sending forth their column- 

 like stems, surmounted by a crest of undulating foliage. 



With fortunately but few exceptions, the soil is excellent 

 throughout the whole extent of the county, and is well suited to 

 the growth of almost every product provisions, cacao, and sugar; 

 but it seems particularly well adapted to the production of the 

 latter article. If it be ever granted to Trinidad to extend its cane 

 cultivation, new sugar estates will decidedly be established in the 

 county of Victoria. It is really surprising how little care the 

 culture of the cane requires in virgin land recently cleared. A 

 plant negligently laid in the soil will grow luxuriantly, and send 

 forth from twenty to thirty offshoots ; and but two or three weedings 

 are required before it is fit for the mill. The only drawbacks 

 against this district are its proverbially bad roads, the difficulty of 

 making good ones, and of keeping such in proper repair. It 

 becomes sometimes impossible, during the rainy season, to cart 



