Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

It is the see of a bish-
Leon is situated at the

Cindad Real is 36 miles E. of Chiapa. op and contains about 3,000 inhabitants. N. W. extremity of the lake of the same name, on a plain near a volcano, which has caused the town sometimes to suffer f om earthquakes. The number of houses is 1200, and the population about 8,000. Its port, Realejo, is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, at the mouth of a small river, about 20 miles distant. It is fortified, and has a good harbor.

ca.

Population. The number of inhabitants is unknown. Humboldt supposes that it is the most populous part of Spanish AmeriLarge districts, however, in the eastern half of the country are thinly inhabited by tribes of savage Indians. The whole population does not probably exceed 1,500,000, of whom two thirds are supposed to be Indians in a state of dependence on the Spaniards, like the Indians of New Spain.

Government and Religion.] Guatimala is subject to the government of a captain-general, who is appointed by the king of Spain. He is entirely independent of the viceroy of New Spain, being responsible only to his Catholic Majesty. The religion is the Roman Catholic, under one archbishop and six bishops.

WEST INDIES.

Situation] The West India islands lie between Florida and the northern coast of South America. They extend from 9° 53′ to 28° N. lat. and from 59° 30′ to 85° W. lon. Trinidad is at the southern extremity; Barbadoes at the eastern, Maranilla reef at the northern, and Cuba at the western.

Divisions. These islands are divided into four principal groupes as follows:

I. The GREATER ANTILLES, viz. Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Porto Rico.

II. The BAHAMAS, or LUCAYAS ISLANDS, consisting of all the i lands lying north of Cuba and Hispaniola.

III. The CARIBBEAN ISLANDS, consisting of Trinidad and all the islands north of it, till you come to Porto Rico.-The Caribbean, islands are subdivided into 1. The Leeward islands, consisting of Dominica and all the islands north of it. 2. The Windward islends, consisting of Martinico and all south of it. The five most western of the Leeward islands, viz. St. Thomas, St. John, Santa Cruz, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and their dependencies, are also called Virgin islands.

IV. The LESSER ANTILLES, consisting of the islands lying along the coast of South America, west of Trinidad, viz. Margarita, Tortuga Saluda, Orchilla, Buen Aire, Curacoa and Oruba.

54,000

Extent and Population.] The following table shows the ex tent and population of all the important islands.

Islands.

Cuba

Sq. Miles. Whites. Mulattoes and

Total Pop..

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

6,400

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Very few of the original inhabitants are now to be found. In Margarita there are about 2,000; in Trinidad 1200; in St. Viacent 500, and a few more are scattered over the other Caribbean islands.

Possessors.] Cuba and Porto Rico belong to Spain; St. Thomas, St. John and Santa Cruz to Denmark; St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius and Curacoa to Netherlands; St Bartholomew, to Sweden; Guadaloupe, Deseada, Mariegalante and Martinico to France; and Margarita to Caraccas. The eastern part of Hispaniola belongs to Spain, and the western part is independent. The south

western part of St. Vincent belongs to Great Britain, and the northeastern part is independent. Jamaica, the Bahamas and all the other islands belong to Great Britain.

Religion. A majority of the whites in these islands are Roman Catholics; all those in Cuba, Hispaniola and Porto Rico are of this description, and a majority in all the islands settled by the Spaniards and the French. In those settled by the Dutch, Danes, Swedes and English the Protestant religion is established. In the English islands the Wesleyan Methodists have been employed for some time with much success in instructing the slaves. In 1816 there were 36 missionaries of this denomination. The Moravians had also, in 1816, 15 missionaries in the different islands.

Climate.] Edwards divides the West Indian year into four seasons of very different length. The spring commences with the month of May. The first periodical rains set in about the middle of the month; they come from the south, commonly fall every day about noon, and break up with thunder storms towards evening, creating a bright and beautiful verdure, and a rapid and luxuriant vegetation. They continue about a fortnight. Summer commences about the first of June. The weather is now dry and settled, and not a cloud is to be seen. The heat is insupportable in the morning ill about 10, when the sea breeze sets in and blows with great force and regularity from the S. E. till late in the evening. During its prevalence the climate in the shade becomes tolerable. At this season the clearness and brilliancy of the heavens by night, and the serenity of the air produce the most calm and delightful sensations. About the middle of August the diurnal breeze begins to intermit, and the atmosphere becomes sultry and suffocating. During the remainder of the summer, which may be considered as lasting till the latter part of September, coolness and comfort are sought in vain; instead of a regular breeze from the sea, there are faint breezes and calms alternately. The rains commence in the beginning of October. The heavens pour down cataracts, and the earth is deluged. These violent rains last through the greater part of November. The hurricane season comprises the months of August, September, and October. About the first of December a considerable change is perceived in the temperature of the air, and a new season commences which lasts till the end of April. The weather is steadily serene and pleasant, and the temperature cool and delightful. This lasts till the month of May, and is to the sick and to the aged the climate of paradise. In the large islands there are some exceptions to these remarks.

Soil and Productions.] The soil is in general very fertile. Sugar is the capital object of agricultural attention. The articies next in importance are cotton, indigo and coffee, and after them cacao, ginger, allspice, arnotto, aloes, pimento, cloves and cinnamon. Maize, yams and sweet potatoes are also extensively raised in the field for home consumption.

I. GREATER ANTILLES.

1. CUBA.

Situation and Extent.] Cuba is the largest and most westerd of the West India islands. It lies between 19° 45′ and 23° N. lat. and between 74° 2' and 85 W. lon. It is 700 miles long and in the widest part 150 broad, and contains about 54.000 square miles. It is separated from the Bahama bank on the N. E. by the old Bahama Channel, and from Hispaniola on the E. by the Windward Channel.

Capes aud Bays] The most noted capes are cape San Antonio at the western extremity of the island; cape Maysi, in the east ; and cape Cruz, in the south. The largest bay is that of Bayamo on the south side of the island. Xagua bay, on the same side of the island, but further to the N. W. is one of the best in the West Indies.

Face of the country.] A chain of mountains extends from east to west through the whole length of the island from cape Maysi to cape San Antonio, dividing it into two parts. At the foot of these mountains the country opens into extensive meadows.

Soil and Productions.] The soil is of great fertility and the fields are always covered with flowers and odoriferous plants. Sugar is the principal production. Coffee began to be planted in Cuba after the destruction of the coffee plantations in St. Domingo, and the amount raised in 1803 was 18 million pounds. Tobacco grows to great perfection; it is exported to Europe in leaf, snuff and cigars, and is held superior to the tobacco of other parts of America. Numerous herds of cattle feed on the extensive meadows, and are hunted chiefly for their skins, 10 or 12,000 of which are annually exported. Honey and wax are also among the exports.

Chief towns.] Havana, the largest town, is on the N. side of the island, about 80 leagues from cape San Antonio. Its harbor is one of the best in the world, being deep enough for vessels of the largest class, sufficiently capacious to receive a thousand ships of war, and so safe that vessels ride securely without cable or anchor. The entrance is by a channel half a mile long, and so narrow that only a single vessel can euter at once. It is fortified through the whole distance with platforms, works and artillery. The mouth of this channel is secured by two strong castles. The town is situated on the west side of the entrance of the harbor, and is surrounded with ramparts, bastions and ditches. A square citadel is erected near the centre of the city, in which the treas ures of the government are deposited. The shape of the town is semicircular, the diameter being formed by the shore. It contain 11 churches all richly ornamented, several monaster es and convents, 2 hospitals and numerous other public buildings. The

commerce of the town is more extensive than that of any other in Spanish America. The population is estimated at 70,000.

St. Jago de Cuba, on the south side of the island, near the eastern extremity, has a good harbor defended by a castle. It was formerly the capital of the island, but has now fallen into decay, and the commerce and goverment have been transferred to the Havana. Population between 30 and 40,000

Bayamo or St. Salvador is on a river which falls into a large bay of the same name on the south coast. It contains 12,000 inhab!tanis. Villa del Principe, the seat of a royal audience, stands near the centre of the island. San Carlos de Matanzas, about 20 leagues E. of the Havana has a good port and 7,000 inhabitants.

Population and Religion.] The population of Cuba has greatly increased within the last 50 years In 1774 it amounted only to 171,628, including 44,328 slaves and 5 or 6,000 free negroes. In 1804 there were 234,000 whites, 90,000 free blacks, and 103,000 slaves; in all 432,000. The number of negroes imported into the island from 1789 to 1803 was more than 76.000. The religion is Roman Catholic. There are two bishoprics, one comprehending the eastern and the other the western half of the island.

Political Importance.] The Spanish goverment have laid it down as a principle that the dominion of the island of Cuba is essential to the preservation of New Spain. There being no harbor on the whole eastern coast of New Spain, that country is in a military dependence on the Havana, which is the only neighboring port capable of receiving squadrons Accordingly, enormous sums have been expended in strengthening its fortifications.

2. HISPANIOLA OR ST. DOMINGO.

Situation and Extent.] Hispaniola is situated between the isl ands of Jamaica and Cuba on the west. and Porto Rico on the east, and extends from 17° 50′ to 20° N. lat. and from 68° 35' to 74° 15′ W. lon. It is 390 miles long from E. to W. and 160 in its greatest breadth, and contains about 30,000 square miles.

Divisions.] The island was formerly divided between the French and Spaniards; the French occupying the western and much the smallest division, and the Spaniards the eastern. In 1791 an alarming insurrection broke out among the negroes in the French part of the island, which issued in the course of a few years in the complete expulsion of the French. The negroes dèclared themselves independent, and gave to their part of the is!land the name of Hayti. Hayti was recently divided into two distinct governments under two rival chiefs, president Petion and king Christophe, the former occupying the southwestern part of the island, and the latter the northwestern part. These chiefs

« AnteriorContinuar »