one of the largest of the Bahamas, 36 miles from 3 to 7. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-The E. side being lined by a reef is inaccessible; on the S.W. side is good anchorage. HisTORY, &c.—It was the first land seen by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492. He

landed on it 12th October, and named it. 12. WATLING'S ISLAND, 18 miles by 3. 13. TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, a group of small islands; principal Grand Turk, is small, and the inhabitants are employed in the manufacture of salt, which is the sole staple. Caicos Islands. The Grand Key or Caycos, the largest of the group, is 30 miles by 3 or 4, and possesses several good harbours.

SITUATION.-One of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Sea.

AREA.-5,500 square miles; the largest of the British West Indian Islands.

POPULATION.-Whites, 16,000; Coloured, 75,000; Blacks, 350,000.

DIVISIONS.-Jamaica is divided into three counties, viz :— I. SURREY in the E. 2. MIDDLESEX in the centre. 3. CORNWALL in the W.

Chief Towns.-1. Kingston on the S. coast, with a fine harbour and 35,000 inhabitants. 2. Spanish Town is the seat of government, but otherwise is both small and unimportant.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.-The Blue mountains run through the country from E. to W. The valleys are very narrow.

There are many small streams, but the only navigable one is the Black River. The coast line is 500 miles long with at least 30 good harbours. The plains are often unhealthy, but the air in the mountains is salubrious; fever has never prevailed at an elevation of 2,500 feet.

HISTORY, &c.-Discovered by Columbus in 1494. Settled by the Spaniards in 1509. Taken from Spain by Admiral Penn and General Venables in 1655. Many Puritans flocked here at the Restoration. In 1691 and 1795 there was a great slave rebellion. In 1692 an earthquake visited the island and the town of Port Royal was overwhelmed by the sea, when 3,000 inhabitants perished. Formerly most wealthy, not so' now, but yet most important as a commercial entrepôt.

GOVERNMENT.-Under a Governor, Council, and House of Assembly.

The CAYENNE ISLANDS-N.W. of Jamaica, comprise Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brack-are small and unimportant.

INTRODUCTION.

SITUATION.-N. of Dominica.

AREA.-854 square miles.

POPULATION.-116,730.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.-The Southern portion is much more beautiful than the Northern. The mountains of Nevis are grand, but not so lovely as those of Trinidad.

GOVERNMENT.-The Governor of Antigua is GovernorGeneral of these islands, and they are also included in the Diocese of Antigua. St. Kitts and Dominica are each under a Lieutenant-Governor. The Virgin Islands, Nevis and Montserrat, being too small for such a distinction, the senior member of the Council of Government for each acts as president. Hewitt.

The principal British islands of this group are:—

1. ANTIGUA,- -so named by Columbus after a Church at Seville; lies 50 miles E. of St. Kitts. The island is divided into six parishes. The capital St. John, in the N. W., is well built and contains a handsome Cathedral. It is also the residence of the Governor-General of the Leeward Islands and the seat of Government. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-Its shores are high, rocky, and deeply indented; the interior beautifully varied by hill and dale, green field and gorgeous flowers. There are no rivers in the island, and the few springs it contains are all brackish. The climate is dry and healthy, but the island frequently suffers severely from hurricanes, and also from droughts. There are many excellent harbours, the principal being English Harbour, one of the finest in the West Indies. HISTORY, &C.-Colonized by Sir Thomas Warner in 1632. Seized by French in 1666, but restored to England at the Peace of Breda, 1667. Possession not since been disputed.

2. ANGUILLA or SNAKE ISLAND, so called from its eel-like shape, with a few rocks and islets around. It lies N. of St. Kitts, and is so low and flat that it cannot be seen at a greater distance than 10 or 12 miles. The

soil is extremely productive, and the climate healthy. There is a saline lake in the centre of the island.

3. BARBUDA, 27 miles N. of Antigua, is a low, level, oval-shaped, fertile coral island, but only in part cultivated. It is well covered with woods, and stocked with deer and various kinds of game. The climate is healthy, and the air so mild and pure that invalids often visit it. It has no harbour or town, but a roadstead on its west side. This is a private estate in possession of the Codrington family, and independent of the Crown except for protection.

4. ST. CHRISTOPHER OR ST. KITTS, which is bottle-shaped, lies due S. from Anguilla. Basterre, the capital, is at the mouth of a small river in the S. of the island, with a population of 7,000. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-Mountains run in the direction of the island's length. Interior elevated and rugged. HISTORY, &c.— Discovered by Columbus in 1493, who bestowed upon it his own Christian name. It was the first British settlement in the West Indies. Taken possession of by Sir Thomas Warner, a London merchant, in 1623, who found there French settlers. English expelled in 1617; restored in 1667. Taken and re-taken several times. Finally ceded to England at Peace of Utrecht, 1713.

5. DOMINICA (Dominus, Lord), so named by Columbus, because discovered on a Sunday, i. e., the Lord's day. The principal towns are Roseau, or Charlotte Town and Portsmouth, or Prince Rupert's Town. PHYSICAL FEATURES. It is of volcanic origin, but one of the best watered and most beautiful of the Leeward Islands, having at least 30 streams, besides rivulets and a fresh-water lake. The coast is not much indented. Prince Rupert's Bay, at N.W. is the principal. HISTORY, &C.From its discovery its possession has been disputed by England, France, and Spain. Conquered by England in 1759. Retaken by

French in 1777 and held for five years, and again in 1805, when England once more conquered. Possession not since disputed.

6. MONTSERRAT, a small oval-shaped island S.W. of Antigua. AREA.-14 square miles. POPULATION.-7,000. Capital, Plymouth. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-Half the surface mountainous or barren; the remainder produces excellent coffee and sugar. HISTORY, &c.— Discovered by Columbus in 1493. First peopled by Sir Thomas Warner in 1632. Captured by French in 1666. Restored to England at Peace of Beda, 1667.

7. NEVIS, so called by Columbus after Nieves, a mountain in Spain, at the S. E. end of St. Kitts, about a mile-and-a-half distant. AREA.-38 square miles. POPULATION.—9,800. Capital, Charlestown. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-Of circular shape, and consisting principally of a conical hill which rises to the height of 2,500 feet. HISTORY, &c.—Colonized by Sir Thomas Warner in 1628, and has ever since been recognised as a dependency of Great Britain.

8. VIRGIN ISLANDS.-These are about 50 in number. The largest being-Anegada, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Fost-vandykes, Guano, Beef, Thatch, Prickly Pear, Camanus, Cooper's, Salt and St. Peter's Islands. AREA.-130 square miles. POPULATION.-9,200. The first two only of this group are worthy of description. Anegada: Surface very flat; but rises a little Contains numerous salt ponds. On N. side are The Wells," a range of shelf holes, filled with fresh water. The inhabitants, however, depend upon wrecks, for which the island has an unhappy celebrity. The scene of these disasters is a long reef on the E.

on S.E.

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Tortola consists of a mass of rugged and precipitous mountains. The shores are much indented, and afford shelter for vessels. Roadtown, the capital of the group, is on this island.