GONAVE ISLAND - W. L. ABBOT!’ - MSS. NOTES. 
February 18 - 28, 1918. 
Gonave Island (not to "be confounded with the town of Gonaives) 
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is about 32 geographical miles long. It has an avei'age width of about 
six miles (geographical), and is somewhere about 220 square English 
miles. It is hilly, the southeast end rising in a flat table land 
2500 feet high. The northwest end is much lower. 
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It is separated on the north side by St. Marc channel 11 miles 
v/ide from the mainland of Haiti, and on the southeast side by the 
Gonave channel 17 \/z sea miles across at its narrowest point. The 
island is very dry, very little rein falls d\xring most of the year, and 
fresh water is very scarce. The only good fresh v/ater is said to be 
at Anse Galet on the northeast side. At pikmi on south side is said 
to be near drinkable water. Elsewhere there are only a few scattered 
springs and holes, v/here water, white with chalky sediment, is used 
by the inhabitants and domestic animals. 
The soil is fertile, and there ere many gardens where 
plantains, yams, sweet potatoes, etc. are grown. These depend almost 
entirely upon the dew which falls very heavily upon the hills. 
The .pasturage is good and the cattle look vei'y v/ell. These 
also are almost entirely dependent upon the dew for drinking water. The 
coast belt is very arid, but as one ascends the hillsides the vegetation 
