New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-01
THE WEST INDIES.

,bbt Iorga number Of islands lying in the Atlantic be-
tween the two great natural divisions Of the AmeTi-
oon Continent and extending from the coast of
t7lorido in North America to that of Venezuela in
South America. Adopting classification indicated
nv Nature geographers have divided these islands
into three groups: 1st, the Lucayos or Bahamas
pd the greater Antilles and 3D. the lesser Antilles.
With the exception of the more nOrtherly of the
Lucayos the West India Islands are all within the
tropics The Bahama group consists of several humid
red islands, most of which are of very insignificant
size-mere keys in fact destitute of vegetation and
unnhabted This group lies off the southeast coast
of Florida. The greater Antilles are the four large
islands of Cuba Hayti, or Saint Domingo, Jamaica,
and Porto Rico and the lesser Antilles comprise all
the small islands extending from Porto Rico to the
Gulf of Paria those lying south of given point in
the direction whence the trade winds blow being
known as the Windward Islands and those to the
north Of that point as the Leeward Islands. There
is something very striking in the geographical posi-
tion of the greater and lesser Antilles. Commencing
with Cuba, situated at tile entrance OF the Gulf OF
Mexico. and terminating with Iu.dad, of the south
eastern coast of Venezuela these islands describe an
irregular curve completely inclOSng, so to speak,
the sparkling Caribbean Sea- whose waves perpetu-
ally dance in the glowing rays of a tropical
sun, and whose bosom is rarely swept by
storms; Jamaica however, forms an exception.
Living lust within the curve, this island is
sheltered on the north by Cuba and on the east by
Hayti while to the south and west her towering
mountains look down grandly on the bright and
beautiful sea that washes her coasts. In point of
scenery and fertility these Stands taken collectively,
are not surpassed by any other part OF the world.
They present every variety of landscape - water
and rock, meadow and forest, beautifully -wOoded
n lis ana rugged mountains piercing the clouds,
luXuTiant plains enameled with brilliant flowers
of every nue., and extensive saYannahS
dotted over with clumps Of trees rich i'm foliage all
combining to form the most enchanting pictures,
upon which the behOlder never tires to gaze. With
the exception OF the teathered tn6e-remarkable,
however. more for the gaudiness of their plumage
than Tor their powers OF sOng-the fauna OF the west
Indies presents but few features of special interest;
but in the vegetable world there is glorious, bewi
deTng eXubeIance OF llte In the tropics the pIncl-
pie OF vegetation is never torpid. DeciduOus trees
are exceedingly rare and the process by which the
vegetable tribes of those sunny regions in general
dyes themselves of their eafy dress renewing their
foliage from time TO time, is gradual and so very
slow as TO be hardly perceptble. The consequence
brighter richer green of the luXuTiant pastures IS
equally unfading. All the year round, too flowers
Of every hue and description bloom in the field and
the garden, and the rose. the jasmine, the night
blooming cereus, the bonplaudia, and other we'll
known floral treasures, shed their fragrance on the
air. Whatever the season OF the year, turn where
YOU WILL the Livery of sight refreshing green" meets
your eyes, As to climate the popular notion of its
torrd ferceness and deadly inSalubrity is
in the lOwlands the heat is sometimes
very great but it is by means oppressive as Is
generally imagined and the weather IS never so ter
rbly hot as we occasionally experience IN these
Northern regions during the Summer months. This
is owing to the breezes by which the islands are per
petualy famed. During the greater part Of the
year the tTade-winds blow them by day, from 8
O'Clock in the morning until sunset, and at night
gentle wind, OF the sOttneSS OF the zephyr, comes
stealing down from the mountains and hills of the
interior, shedding a delightful GOODNESS over the
plains along the coast In the Winter months the
tTadewinds blow rregularly and feeby; but at this
period, both by day and by night, sometimes for
three or four weeks together wind bearing on its
wings sOmethingOf the keenness belonging 10 the re-
gOns of ice and snow blows steadily and with great
force from the North In the more elevated mountain
regions of the large islands the air sometimes pierre
ingly cold and IN these although snow neverfas, ice
of several lines ID thickness has been known to FORM
while such the mildneSs of the climate in general
that many OF the flowers and fruits OF the temperate
regions successfully cultivated IN those parts, at
tanning some Of them, a high degree of excellence.
In the tropics the bilious remttent fever is the great
RcOurge. lust as pulmonary consumption is in the
North; that with proper attention TO sound ny
genlc rules there is nothing TO prevent people from
living TO advanced an age in the West Indies as,
all things being equal might fall to their lot in their
native climate. So much in the way of general de-
scription. Let US now proceed to a more particular
AREA. MOUNTAINS RIVERS, &C.
The total area of the West Indies is computed at
$3.50 miles being nearly equal to that of Great Brit
ain and Belgium taken together. Of this area the
greater Antilas number 81 1913 miles and the lesser
Antilles and Bahamas Il, 197 miles. Spain the
largest part of the West Indies her possessions there
Cuba and Porto RicO-embracing 81, 143 square
miles. The Dominican and Haytian Republics di-
VIDE between Iheih %IOg mlIes., EhgldIu DSdls
sway over 1868 miles; France holds lob miles,
Holland, 0J3 miles, denmark ~ miles, anu SWeuC,
25 miles The largest Of the islands IS Cuba winch
is about 500 miles long, with breadth
varying from % miles in its narrOwest part,
to 100 miles at its widest Next comes Hayu, or st.
Domingo being about 4lOmlles IN length, and from
40 miles broad its Eastern extremity to 80 miles
at its center The third in the list IN point of size is
Jamaica, which is 100 miles long with an average
breadth of 40 miles. Porto Rico follows its breadth
being about 100 miles, with an almost uniform
breadth-the shape of the island being that OF par
allelOpram-of about IS miles. Irinidad-a splendid
island full of natural wealth, is 80 miles long and
has an average breadth OF ABOUT % mlles Inc rest
of the islands are all small, numbers Of them being
nothing better than keys, or sand banks, and others
VARYING in length from 10 to p miles, and III breadth
from to 10 miles. =,
are extremely mountainous, the mountains ia some
places rising to q hight OF several thousand feet
above the level of the sea. They form, generally;
continuous CHAIN running through the center OF the
islands in the direction Of east and west and are.
most of them. wooded TO their very SUBMITS. Inc
lower ranges Of hills branching of from the main
range are also thickly wooded. Most OF the ISLANDS
are abundantly watered, innumerabe springs guSh-
ing forth from the sides OF mountain ana NH III
every direction but there arr few large MYERS ana
of these not than four or five are naylgaDe LOT
any considerable distance from their mouths except
by small, fat-bOttOmed boats. Jamaica boasts the
lOfest and Wandest mountains It's celebrated Blue
Mountain Peak lifting its head, almost continually
envelOped in eecy clouds, more than oOOOleet above
the level of the sea Hayt the finest rivers, among
which the Vague, the Yuma and the ArtlDonlIe'
all splendid streams; and Cuba the most fertile
plains The coasts the South side OF the islands
are generally low and swampy, and on the North
side rocky and bold; but everywhere they present
numerous iRdentatiOns atfOrding many snug ravens
and several capacious and secure halgoIs, foa9 VI
IN other parts of the world there being four or I'VE
hi which the combined naves of Europe might ride
Ia safety. .......,,..
In no part of the world is there a greater variety
Of valuable vegetable productions than IS to be