Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-05-10
liFE n ANftAoE
one u ths ssraassss ~ Al ~ DAsnnge
p1aeVe 3 ~ WeFaA.

one - tha straagsst ~ All ~ easnnUe
sissls = ~ Wss'A'
The island Of Ansgada d ons d tho
strangest Of al strange places Ii thu
world. II lies near the northeastsrn
angle Of the main chain Of The West
Indies and differs from al the other
Islands near Ii Ii bsing fat hnd low
III nsishbctng islss Ill being steep
And mountainous. II 10 nlpe miles
long md two miles across. aid lies 20
low that In heavy gales the ssa makes
q clHah beach over the lowcr portions
Of f. yhsncs it, name, for an<gods, u
tbs SPANISH for .'drdvnsd island"
Ia i8st Il. hsd 40 inhabitants. Of
Whom VnlS, three were white people,
III population Y hotAd for idlepSss, and
the main occupation for many tsars
was ecbA1g--for m extensive and
very dangerous coral reef surrounds
thesisland, and once gave 1t . very
melancholy notoriety. Bus since the
establishment Of the lighthouse on the
island OF Sombrero (forty-scven miles
to the eastward), there have been few.
X any, wrecks on Anegsda. since the
main cause Of the shipwrecks was the
constant and Awift cufrant which sets
Upon tbs lsland from ths sase 40.
cordingly. the natives are now not
oftep aroused BY the cry Of - vessel
on the rcef'--ths only call In the old
days which would arouse them from
their almost perpetual inactivity. In
fact, they are about tho LATEST people
in the West Indies although that 10
saying . crest deal
Ansgads used ID be covered with
underwood notably Of the kind called
seaside grape. which here Is particu-
larry rich in the valuable gum called
Jamaica kino. Anegads Is the home
Of very numerous and singular tropical
plants. but II is perhaps rather more
noteworthy for ~ ,ipmense numbers
Of mosquitoes. gallinippers aud scor.
pions, not to speak OF venonous aud
other reptiles. The surrounding seas
nre rich In scale and shell fish Of many
kinds. Among its singular birds the
Eamingo Is one Of the most numerous
species; and most Of the ponds are the
abode OF ducks, which on the approach
Of man. rise and ill the air with their
dangerous cries. it is no easy matter
TO reach the island. A few years ago
an attempt WAS made to open mine.
upon it. but nothing came oil the effort
but disappointment and loss. Among
tho many disagreeable features q llfs
In this hot and steaming climate Ia thu
presence Of large salt ponds. which IN
the dry season give out an intolerable
stencil; and the same ponds In the
wet season ill up with singular rapidly
and food . considerable part Of thu
Island.
When Schomba:gk was on Anegada
msny years ago there was one morning
q great cutlery that all the north parl
Of The island was flooded; and 10 to all
appearance 1t was; but on examination
1t vas found that the supposed wayei
OF the sea were In reality only q low.
lying fog which was rapidly sweeping
along. Another curious thing Is thu
aerial refraction; and this brings into
visw other islands which lie below thu
hcrixpn, and which, according to thu
operations Of nature. ought TO be In
visible. A part Of tho surface Is com
pSscd Of sand dunes. but there is con
siderable proportion Of calcareous, Of
coral land. with belts OF fertile loan
and II the soil were intelligently and
faithfully cultivated, 1t would no doub
yield good returns.
1t would be hard to find anywhere ,
hotter. wetter. worse-smelling, or more
generally disagreeable place to live In
than Anegada; but singuiarly enough
1t appears 10 be for the most part 4
pretty healthy place--at least for thu
natives. Of whom nearly all are blacl
or colored. In the antecolonial day
the Indians used TO come hither Ii
their canoes, and they have Left i'm
mensc kitchen-middens or heap. o
shells, but no Indian could ever briDt
himself TO make q permanent home Ii
Anegada with its steaming fogs, it
squalls, its sea floods. its fresh watel
foundations. its strong smells. and ii
dense swarms Of insects --AmeriedH
Notes and Queries.