84 TlMEHRI. 
the shores, gradually expanding into beautiful and 
thickly wooded or well-cultivated valleys, through 
which the great torrents of the mountains gently 
roll along as shallow rivers. Although mostly shal- 
low, these rivers often form themselves into deep, dark 
pools, under the steep banks of which swim innumerable 
fish. 
The next island is Martinique. It is wild and moun- 
tainous in the interior, and exhibits traces of volcanic 
a6tion ; but its fires, if not quite extinct, are much less 
active than those of Dominica and Guadaloupe. The 
mountains descend to the coasts in low hills, and al- 
though in some places they enter the sea in bold head- 
lands, they for the most part slope towards it, leaving 
the seaboard and the adjacent country open and level. 
The scenery is very pretty, and, from the sea, resembles 
that of St. Kitts more than that of Dominica. 
The island of St. Lucia is a reproduction of Dominica, 
on a somewhat smaller scale. In actual extent it is fifty 
square miles less, and in scenic effect it is pro- 
portionately so. It is also volcanic, and a crater 
that exhibits occasional signs of activity lies amongst 
the mountains. The most beautiful sight that the is- 
land affords is two peaks, called the Pitons, which 
rise abruptly from the sea on the south-western side, and 
trend upward, with an unbroken conical taper, to the 
height of 2,700 feet. The effect to one entering the 
harbour that lies immediately at their bases, is unspeak- 
ably fine. 
In St. Vincent the great mountain chain rises into a 
volcanic ridge which traverses the island from north to 
south. At the northern extremity there is a crater 
