The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-25

lOIIu part VI TIC OOuhllSlA
lands between the three mountain
ranges are vast plains, with gentle
watersheds extending from the Gulf Of
Paria to the Atlantic ocean. Larg--
portions of these level tracts are COW
cred with thick primeval forests of val
liable woods, intersected in all direc-
tions by numerous rivers and lagOOns,
the whole presenting the aspect of a
wild and unreclaimed country.
From the southeast point of Port-of-
Spain, way down to ChaguanaS, an eX-
tersive mangroVe swamp, eleven miles
long by four or five miles broad, firing
eS the coast. At the back of this is the
Carton Savannah which, commencing
a few hundred feet south of the river
OF the same name, covers an area of
about twenty thousand acres In these
low sWampy districts alligatOrS and
aquatic birds abound. Corresponding
with these western marshy tracts of
the northern plain are the NarVla
sWamps of the southern plain, which
extend along the whole of the eastern
portion of the county of Nariva, at
short distance from the sea, and EN-
brace an area Of over fifty square
miles,"
One of the most beautiful sights in
Trinidad is the Maracas waterfall
After ascending the lovely. valley of
that name between groves Of cocoa,
lnl6ISpGISeuf Will. llNCS, 1lIN'A
with golden fruit or fragrant flowers,
the visitor becomes suddenly conscious
of an increasing GOODNESS in the air, ac-
cCmpanied by feeling similar to that
experienced in a Scotch mist, only that
there is no darkness. At turn of the
| valley the cause of this is perceived.
Right in front is seen the water leaping
over ledge of rocks $40 feet high, and
in its descent covering with transpar-
ent veil of spray the mass of Verdure
with which the face of the cliff is
clothed. Ferns of all kinds, but more
! particularly the delicate maiden hair,
mcsses, orchids, lilies and all the in
Vulnerable beauties of tropical vegeta-
ton meet the eye at every turn, whilst
the humming birds dart here and there
like flashes of light. In Diego Mar
tin the Blue Basin and the Cascade are
also lovely spots. The greatest natur-
al curiosity of Trinidad and one Of it's
most important sources of it's revenue
is the celebrated Pitch lake, which has
ali area of some ninety acres, and
yields a practically ineXhaustible sup
ply Of asphalt. On the export of this
the government levies a royalty which
gives a revenue of about FAC, 900 year.
The sea. nns in Trinidad may be
roughly divided into two wet and dry.
The latter lasts from January to May,
and is the pleaSanteSt time of the year,
the coolest and consequently the health
lest. 1t is peculiarly fortunate that the
centenary will fall in the very middle
Of this season. The wet season is both
hot and damp. Although, as has just
been stated, the dry season is naturally
the cooler of the two, the climate Of
Trinidad is not oppressively tropical, the
mean temperature throughout the year
ranging from 70 to 80 degrees Fahren-
| heit.
In former days Trinidad had gained
the unenviable sobrquet of the white
mans grave from the fact that there
was very considerable mortality among
the white troops, due partly to the then
unhealthy state Of the st. James bar
racks, and yet more to the intemperate
habits Of the soldiers Of all ranks,
which in those days, so long as they did
not interfere with the due performance
Of duty, were looked upon with a very
lenient eye. Of late years, however.
all that has changed, and whether it be
due to improved scientific means OF
sanitation. better knowledge Of the
treatment Of disease on the part Of
medical men, improvement generally in
the way of living, or all these causes
combined, Trinidad cannot now be
called an unhealthy island. The writer
| OF this paper arrived in Trinidad as an
officer in the British army, married and
settled in the colony, which, except for
two short trips of barely three months
each, the last being in the year 1864,
he has never left since. He is now
GO years Of age, and in the enjoyment
! of excellent health.
The chief town of the colony is Port
! of-Spain. 1t may be fairly said to be
! in many respects equal, and in some su-
perior, to many towns Of the same size
in either Europe or America. The
! Queens Park hotel is beautifully lOcat-
| al q LARGO M 10 nj
! surrounded by an iron fence and dot
| TED over with clumps of trees, and
which is called the Queens Park"
! This hotel belongs to a limited liability
company, and is managed by a board
of directors, composed of some Of the
leading gentlemen Of the island 1t
| has ample accommodation and is pro-
vided with every comfort in the shape
| of baths, billiard rooms, electric lights,
! telephone communication, etc. and it's
delightful situation, together with it's
freedom from the noise and hustle Of
| the town renders it peculiarly suited for
visitors seeking rest and amusement.
! There is another excellent one, the
! Family hotel, owned by Messrs. c.. l..
| Haley & Co., the proprietors of the ice
establishment, which is situated in
King street, the main business street
of the city. Here the traveller will find
excellent accommodation, and may be
! certain OF every attention being paid
to his comfort. Situated in close prox-
imity to the bank, the postoffice ana
the leading houses Of business, this
hotel is well suited to those who wish
to combine business with pleasure, Of
whom doubtless there will be many
here in February next. The firm of
c. l.. Haley & Co. has been in Trini-
dad for fifty years. There are several
ether hotels we'll situated also. but
more especially adapted to French and
Spanish visitors. There are also MANY
persons preparing to accommodate
boarders during the centenary week.
which will last from the 18th to the
2Gth of February. The roads through
out the country leading to the various
! places Of interest are excellent One
line of railway runs from Port-of-Spain
to Arima, branching off at St. 10
! seph to the south, where it ends at San
! Fernando, with a branch to Princes
| Town. A comfortable steamer con-
meets the capital with La Brea and
ether points on the coast.
A fortnight or even longer can be
spent most agreeably in this lovely
West Indian island, which only needs
to be better known to be more fire.
quented as winter resort.