Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-05-03
Editorial Correspondence of the Free Press. !
From the West Indies,
No. XIII.
Topography Of ST. Croir.
ST. CRorN ANIL IN 1857


land, Of which have said little hitherto. will
ensble a stranger to understand more perfectly
the governmental, social and business relations
which prevail on it.
lts position On the globe is between IL 40,
and l. a. Of North Latitude in one direction,
and between ca . "a and 81 50 Of West Long
itude, reckoning from Greenwich observatory.
Its extreme length, nearly in an easterly and
westerly direction, is not far from nineteen sea
miles, that is about twenty-five English miles
and its greatest width six to six and half
miles. 1t Is Of rude triangular form, remind
/ ing one Of the outline Of spermaceti whale
with his blunt head towards the West, a sandy
/ point at the 5 W. corner representing his lower
jaw the fukes Of his tail at the east trimmed
Of, and his back and belly rugged with gaps
and PrOtrusions, the result Of many hard fought
battles with sea monsters of equal proves
The entire area Of the island is but
shout siXty-;wo thousand SIX hundred Danish
acre., according to the returns made under gov
ernmcnt authority. The Danish acre contains
10000 square feet, aud the English acre As. $50
square feet but as the Danish or Rhinelanl
foot is somewhat logger than the English foot,
, the English acre is but about three per cent.
anger than the Danish acre. Tie entire slr-
face Of the island Is therefore not quite equal to
that Of three Of the Vermont SIX mile squsre
townships
The northern portion Of the island. full half
ofthe whole, and extending through its entire
Lengths covered with a range of precipitous
hills, the peaks being very nun -rous. many Of
them from four hundred 20 six hundred feet
high, and perhaps fifteen CT twenty from SIX
hundred TO a thousand feet il height above the
Level OF the sea The hughes, point Of all Is that
Of Mount Eagle, llJ4 feet above the sea, and
there ale other points near by, not hundred
feet lower These heights we're determined tri
gonOmetrically, As was told by Major Andrew
Lang, an aged scientific observer, now nearly
ninety years Old, who has resided in the Island
for seventy years, and whose numerous meteoI-
ological aud Astronomical observations for nearly
hall century past were long ago recognized for
their Importance in the scientific publications Of
Europe I am indebted to him for information
on many Of these points.
Besides occasional tracts nearly level Of a few
hundred acres extent or less each, which occur
between the hills or on the border Of the sea.
there Is large area nearly third Of the sur
face Of the island as judge, and lying on the
South and Southwest side Of it, which is com
paratiyely quite fat, only moderate elevations
appearing on it here and there On this tract
the roads are laid out in long straight lines,
bounded on both sides, sometimes for miles in
extent, with rows Of cocos and mountain cab
bage palms, their tall naked trunks and tops Of
waving palm branches forming long vistas,
stiff in appearance, but very striking II their
effect to the vision Of one who has no; by long
use become familiarizei to them Among the
hills Of course the roads have to be accommoia-
ted to the surface Of the ground and picturesque
and beautiful beyond description are the drives
through the wooded gorges between these steep
hills and along their sides and crests. Though
many Of the steep hill sides are left to grow up
to bush, others are cultivated to their very tops;
and It seems to be conceded that from some
causes the cane which grows On the north and
billy side Of the island produces better sugar
tnan that grown on the broad plains Of the
south and south west side. The mountainous
region Of the north side is''also the great fruit
growing region Of the island
Ascending, few days ago, one OF the higher
peaks, nearly a thousand feet above the sea,
almost the entire island to the shore ali around
was within our view. Near to US on one hand
would be steep descents to the surf beaten shore,
through what seemed to be impenetrsble gorges,
too steep and too thickly covered with thorny
bushes for man or beast to penetrate ; and right
beside them and coming up to our very feet were
beautiful fields Of yOupg cane, the rows adapted
with scrupulous exactuess to the varying con-
tour Of the hill sides, so that the rains could |
not find channels doTnwards in the deep cane |
roots of the young plants-that too in places |
where it seemed too steep for beast to walk or |
even a man to move without extra precaution |
Near by in another part Of the scene the crop
of mature cane was in process of removal to be
ground, and along the hill sides in tracks wind
ing in zigzag paths up the ascent there were to
be seen rows Of mules with their crook loads
attended by the ''crook hands, bringing up
the cane to some place by the roadside where
carts could take it to the sugar works. At
numerous points on the island could be seen the
groups Of white buildings on the estates while
the windm.lls, usually placed on high ground
10 catch the wind, with their broal and long
yanes Whirling in the air either turning the roll
ers to crush out the Gaze juice, or pumping wa
ter for the cattle and the uses Of the sugar
works. and in other places the smoke from the
tall white chimneys showing thst steam instead
Of wind was doing the work, gave lveliness and
beauty TO the scene On many places where
steam engines have been introduced, the lofty
= hite conIcal stack OF heavy mason work which
nee supported the windmill stands alone (al
the machinery having been remoyed) to become
slowly crumblIng ruin, there being no use foI
as it is, and nothing which could be done with
Is materials If it were to be torn down. But
deserted Windmills are by no means the only
T the chief portion Of heavy masonry which
how neglect and decay in this island. 1t
Drms considerable feature in almost every
Gene Of considerable extent. OF the causes Of
bis state Of things, shall write hereafter; and
shall have more to say Of the topography of c
ne island in my next letter.
Yours, q. W b. d
The Boston HatohBdH & Reflector, the l.
idely circulated New England organ Of the Il
aptist denomination, calls attention in a p
aiding article to some of the painful = II
cts stated in the Report Of the Moral and ii
eligious Condition Of our Community, re- L
81, f1,aIn1 / ~