88 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
JAMAICA. 
Read before the Astronomical Section of the Hamilton Scentific 
Association, February 2, 1904. 
BY ADAM BROWN, ESQ. 
When I was invited by the President to contribute something 
to the winter programme I told him I could not pretend to write on 
an astronomical subject, but if he would be satisfied with an address 
on Jamaica I would be glad to accede to his request, so my theme 
to-night is ‘‘ Jamaica.” 
Jamaica is a lovely island—a tropical paradise—in the Carib- 
bean Sea. A crown colony 5,000 miles south of England, 2,000 
south of Halifax, 1,500 south of New York, and 80 miles south of 
Cuba. It is 144 miles long, and varies from 21 to 49 miles in 
width. Its area is 4,193 square miles, and the population is about 
850,000, nearly all blacks. There is a great variety of temperature, 
according to the height above the sea. The form of the coast is 
like a turtle, the mountain ridges representing the back of the turtle. 
Some of the peaks are 6,000 feet above the sea ; the famed Blue 
Mountains rise in some cases to 7,000 feet. There are 114 streams 
in the island, but none are navigable. Jamaica has 16 harbors. Its 
principal exports are sugar, rum, ginger, bananas, oranges, coffee, 
pimento, logwood, pineapples, cocoanuts, cigars. Of late years the 
banana trade has increased enormously ; it will take three or four 
years, however, to overcome the injury caused by the recent terrific 
hurricane. Canadians do not know what a first-class banana or 
orange is until they enjoy the genuine Jamaica article. I have 
heard it said that three good sized bananas contain as much nutri- 
ment as a fourteen ounce loaf of bread. 
Jamaica, the Isle of Springs, was discovered by Columbus in 
May, 1495. Who has not read of the trials of the intrepid Genoese 
mariner in his voyages of discovery? Joaquin Miller, in his marvel- 
lous way, gave the fine pen picture of the sailors in their despair— 
