PROCEEDINGS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
349 
number of roads. If the railway is extended down to the 
swamp, you have the opportunity afforded you of metalling all 
the roads within ten miles of the railway from the quarries on the 
Baccus River. If the railway is not extended, the roads must 
he constructed without metal, and trust to sandstone and burnt 
clay, which can be procured at certain places in the district. 
But supposing these roads are traced out properly, there will 
be very few bridges to make, they will be practically level, and 
planters can make their own roads to them, also fairly level. 
In fact, by working out a system of roads oti a scientific system, 
and not hap-hazard, you can have a first-class road within one 
mile from every man’s house, and every ten-acre planter can have 
a decent and fairly level footpath up to his own door. How, 
here I would point out how very much easier and cheaper it is 
to tun roads or railways in the direction of the physical features 
of the country rather than at right angles to them. Hills are 
not scattered at random over a country ; they run in ridges, 
mid the ravines and rivers run between them ; in fact, the 
hollows have been scooped out by the action of the rain during 
On o periods of time. To make a slight digression ; thousands 
0 ) rear s ago one of the main branches of the Orinoco 
undoubtedly flowed across the centre of Trinidad depositing 
m some places sand, in other places mud, and in the salt water 
(| utdde coral grew. After many ages the land was upheaved, 
und tlie rains began to tear away the soil — now the sandy and 
muddy tracts which were slightly upheaved, have remained such 
to this day like the Aripo Savana. The sandy tracts which 
Me,e more upheaved and stood therefore at a steeper gradient, 
" e,, e tQ rn out by the rain, and thus were formed the sandy hills 
' l ,i precipitous gorges of the country near the Talparo river, 
ke muddy tracts which were sufficiently upheaved were also 
kun out by the rain, and this is the origin of the Naparima 
Ca y Strict, Where there was coral, the mixture of coral with 
IIUj d and sand after upheaval, was also torn out by the rains, 
anc is the origin of those splendid calcareous soils which, 
.ketch not in an absolutely continuous line, but are broken up 
fingers and toes from Princes Town to the point near the 
j*" arn P w bere the main central railway was originally intended 
^anting i n >SOrne p ar ti cu hir direction. After a few months 
<Ul! ’ you travel over the same spot, you will see the whole 
jj 1 'ice of the ground cut up into minute ridges and hollows. 
toe soil is pure sand you will see tiny ridges standing sharp y 
P and the ravines deepfy scooped out. If the soil is clays 10 
S es ace elevated only slightly above the hollows. aeie 
