CHAPTER II. 
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Trinidad is an island belonging to tlie group of the 
Lesser Antilles. It is situated between 10° 3' and 
10° 50' latitude 1ST., and between 61° 1' and 62° 4' longi- 
tude W. of Greenwicli. It is separated from the province 
of Cumana, in the Republic of Venezuela, by the Gulf of 
Faria; together witli the Dragon’s and Serpent’s Mouths. 
In figure it is an oblong, or of a rectangular shape, with 
promontories at its four angles, viz., Galera and Galeota 
to the eastward, and Mono and Icacos to the westward — 
these two latter stretching for several miles towards the 
opposite shores of Venezuela, and thus contributing to 
the formation of the northern and southern boundaries 
of the Gulf of Paria. 
The greatest length of the island from IST. to S. is from 
Grand IMatelot to Casa Cruz, 50 miles ; average length, 
48 miles ; greatest breadth, from Galeota to Icacos, 65 
miles ; average breadth, 35 miles only. The superficial 
extent or area is about 2,012 miles, or 1,287,600 sipiare 
acres. Trinidad is bounded on the north by the Caribbean 
Sea, on the south by the channel which separates it from 
the Delta and Canos of the Orinoco ; on the east by 
the Atlantic Ocean ; and on the west by the Gidf of 
Paria. 
The island is on the northern coast mountainous and 
but little cultivated, while in the south and central 
portions, it is level, and to some extent cultivated. The 
greater portion of the island, however, is still untouched 
by tlie levelling axe of man. The soil seems to present 
