A WEST INDIA ISLAND. 
471 
78 degrees 20 minutes 50 seconds of west longitude, and from 17 degrees 
43 minutes to 18 degrees 33 minutes of north latitude. It is distant 
about 5,000 miles from England, and 310 miles south-west from the 
nearest point on the continent of America — namely, Cape Gracias a 
Dios, in the Mosquito territory. Jamaica is surrounded by the waters 
of what is called the Caribbean Sea, which at the north-eastern part of 
Jamaica is styled the Windward Passage, the waters of which mingle 
with the Atlantic Ocean. I may here mention that Jamaica is 540 
miles from Colon, the Atlantic end of the projected Panama Canal. 
The island is extremely mountainous, as are the neighbouring 
islands of Cuba and Haiti; and the hills, especially in the eastern part 
of the island, where they are called the Blue Mountains, are lofty and 
attain a height of 7,300 feet* Speaking generally, a great central 
ridge runs from the eastern coast through a large part of the island ; 
and in many places subordinate ridges run to the north and south, and 
vie in height with portions of the main ridge. A carefully prepared 
table shows that out of the 4,207 square miles comprised in the island 
1,452 are at an elevation of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet ; 400 square miles 
are from 2,060 to 3,000 feet; 74 from 3,000 to 4,000 feet; 39 square 
miles from 4,000 to 5,000 feet ; and 24 square miles are above 5,000 feet. 
The climate, therefore, is very diverse ; and from a tropical temperature 
of 80 degrees to 80 degrees at the coast, the thermometer falls to 50 
degrees or 00 degrees on the tops of the highest mountains, and the 
climate of the mountains is delightful, especially hi some of the 
subordinate ranges, on which there is often a good deal of fairly level 
and rolling ground. A good deal of the scenery is beautiful, and from 
many points there are magnificent views of the sea and of the lower 
lulls and belt of plain country, which often for several miles slope 
gradually to the sea from the base of the mountain ranges. Por 
instance, from Kingston, the capital, a general rise of about 100 feet 
in the mile for nine miles intervenes between the sea and the mountains 
where wheel traffic has to end, except on one specially constructed 
cart road which crosses to the north side, by the lowest depression in 
the range, at a height of 1,360 feet. Many portions of the mountains 
are well wooded, though there has been much unnecessary destruction 
of timber. 
The foundation or basis of the island is composed of igneous 
rocks, overlying which are several distinct formations which it would 
be impossible for me to describe at length. I may, however, say that 
the only volcanic formation is in the eastern part of the island about a 
mile from the sea, but there is no delined crater, and the volcanic 
material is the only evidence remaining. There are mineral deposits 
in various places ; and iron, copper, lead, manganese, and cobalt have 
been worked to some extent, but with no profitable result. Marble of 
good quality has also been found at the head of the Blue Mountain 
Valley. 
There are numerous rivers and springs in the island ; and some of 
the rivers, which have little water in them in ordinary times, cause much 
inconvenience and injury in times of flood. There are several mineral 
springs, some of which are of undoubted benefit in various diseases. 
Inspecting the history of Jamaica I must be brief. It was 
discovered by Columbus iu his second voyage to tho Hew World, on 
the 3rd May, 1494, and remained {Spanish territory for more than a 
