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WEST INDIES. 



SusiT-Canc. 



and motionless surface. The wind rages with unrestrained fury ; its noise may be compared to 

 the distant thunder. The rain descends in torrents, shrubs and lofty trees are borne down by 

 the mountain stream, the rivers overflow their banks, and submerge the plains. Terror and 

 consternation seem to pervade the whole of animated nature ; land-birds are driven into the 

 ocean, and those whose element is the sea, seek for refuge in the woods. The frighted beasts 

 of the field herd together, or roam in vain for a place of shelter. It is not a contest of two op- 

 posite winds, or a roaring ocean, that shakes the earth ; all the elements are thrown into confu- 

 sion ; the equilibrium of the atmosphere seems as if it were destroyed, and nature appears to 

 hasten to her ancient chaos. Scenes of desolation have been disclosed in these islands by the 

 morning sun ; uprooted trees, branches shivered from their trunks, the ruins of houses, have 

 been strewed over the land. The planter is sometimes unable to distinguish the place of his for- 

 mer possessions. Fertile valleys may be changed in a few hours into dreary wastes, covered 

 with the carcasses of domestic animals, and the fowls of heaven. 



3. Vegetable Productions. The rich and varied productions of the West Indies, give the 



archipelago an important place in the commerce 

 of the world. To its valuable native plants, 

 art and industry have added others of not less 

 value. The sugar-cane, yielding its threefold 

 tribute of sugar, molasses, and rum ; the coffee 

 plant, whose delicious berry affords a grateful 

 drink to millions ; the allspice or pimento, com- 

 bining the flavor and properties of several ori- 

 ental spices ; the nutritive banana and plantain, 

 which, on the same space of ground, yield an 

 amount of nourishing substance in the ratio of 

 133 to 1, as compared with wheat, and 44 to 

 1, as compared with the potato ; the pine-apple, 

 the luscious fruit of the anana ; the useful yam, 

 sweet potato (batatas), maize, and cassava or 

 manioc, with cacao, tobacco, cotton, various 

 dye-woods and stuffs (fustic, logwood, indigo, 

 cochmeai), and medicinal plants (liquorice-root, 

 arrow-root, ginger, jalap, ipecacuanha, &c.) ; 

 the mahogany and lignumvitEe are included in 

 the list of its vegetable productions. To this 

 catalogue must be added the bread-fruit, cocoa- 

 nut, mango, papaw, guava, orange, lemon, ta- 

 marind, fig, cashew-nut, mammee, grenadilla, 

 vanilla, pandanus, &c. 



4. Inhabitants., &c. The white inhabitants 

 of the West Indies are Creoles, Spanish, Eng- 

 lish, French, Germans, &c. The mixed races 

 are numerous, and the negroes most numerous 

 of all. The Indians are extinct, except a mixed race of Carribees, blended with negroes, in 

 the eastern part of St. Vincent. The general classes are those of master and slave, though the 

 population of the free blacks is increasing. The Creoles are generally taller than the Europe- 

 ans, but less robust. They are supple and graceful in their motions. The socket of the eye 

 is in them considerably deeper than in the naUves of Europe. The ladies are pale and languid, but 

 distinguished for large, brilliant, and expressive eyes. The dress is light and loose, and adapt 

 ed rather to the climate than to European fashions. Several languages are in use in the West 

 Indies, as the English, the French, the Spanish, with other European tongues, and the creole, 

 a jargon used in Hayti, composed of French and several African dialects. The buildings are 

 generally slight and low. They are devised rather for comfort and coolness than for ostenta- 

 tion. The food is various, but a great part of it is vegetable. The bread-fruit, banana, plan- 

 tain, sweet potato, &c., are common. Salt fish is dealt out for the regular rations of the slaves. 

 The plantain is a general article of food, and it is good green or ripe, boiled, roasted, fried, or 

 baked. The slaves are well supplied with food, and few adults in Cuba, and some other islands, 

 are without a garden, swine, &c. The diseases most fatal to European constitutions are putrid 



Coffee Plant. 



