or cockpits meandering between these hummocks contain a rich soil, of great depth, where the succulent Guinea grass forms a perfect carpet of eververdant beauty.

From Fort Morant (conspicuous under a steep hill,) to Port Royal, there is a narrow spit of land, called the palisades, composed of sand, overgrown with mangroves; behind this is the harbour of the chief commercial town. St. Jago de la Vega, or Spanish Town, Co. Middlesex, on the S.W. side of the island, about 16 miles from the sea, and 16 from Kingston, is the seat of Government, but Kingston is in reality the capital of the island. Kingston is situated on a gentle slope of about one mile in length, which is bounded on the S. by a spacious basin, through which all vessels must advance beneath the commanding batteries of Port Royal. The extended inclined plane, on the verge of which Kingston stands, is enclosed on the N. by the loftiest ridge of the Blue Mountain chain, termed Liguana, which, forming a semi-circle, terminates in the E. at the narrow defile of Rock Fort, from thence a long neck of land stretches far away to Port Royal, forming the S. barrier of a beautiful haven; in the W. the semicircle terminates at a contracted pass upon the edge of an impracticable lagoon, from thence the main land sweeping round to Port Henderson, and the projecting saltpond hills secure an harbour, in which the navies of Europe may safely ride. The entrance is defended on the E. point of the delta of Fort Royal by the formidable ramparts of Fort Charles, thickly studded with heavy ordnance; on the W. side, by the cannon of Rock Fort, while the low raking shot from the long level lines of Fort Augusta, which face the narrow channel, would sweep a hostile navy off the ocean. For nine miles around Kingston is an alluvial plain, surrounded by a series of irregular mountains, some of which to the E. and N. E. are of considerable elevation, constantly cloud-capped, and appearing as if made up of several hills piled one upon another, with various elevations, picturesque valleys and chasms, impressing the mind with an idea of volcanic origin, or that some convulsion of nature had caused the strange irregularity displayed.

The streets in Lower Kingston are long and straight, with a mathematical regularity like the new town of Edinburgh, the houses in general two stories, with verandahs above and below. The English and Scotch churches are really elegant structures, particularly the former, which is built on a picturesque spot, commanding a splendid view of the city, the plains around it, the amphitheatre of mountains, and the noble harbour of Port Royal.

On a plain at the top of the declivity on which Kingston is built are the fine barracks, called Up Park Camp, and not far hence on a still more conspicuous spot, is the residence of the naval commander-in-chief on the station, called the Admiral's Pen. The heights of the principal places above the level of the sea, are thus computed :-Blue Mountain Peak, 7,770 feet; Ridge of ditto, 7,163; Portland Gap ridge, 6,501; Portland Gap, 5,640; Catherine's Peak, 4,970; Abbey Green House, s.D. 4,233; Clifton House, s.A. 4,228; Flamsted House, 3,800; Sheldon House, 3,417; Middleton House 2,340; Stoney Hill, Bucks, 1,360; Green Castle, 1,328; Hope Tavern, 699.

tains in this ridge exceeding a mile in height. Catherine's Peak, about seven miles and a half N. of Kingston, is stated to be 5,075 feet, and Hardwar Hill to the westward of it nearly of equal elevation, forming the summits of another grand ridge which crosses the island diagonally. The mountains to the W. in the counties of Middlesex and Cornwall do not reach to the height of a mile, rarely exceed half a mile; Leman's mountain, in the county of Middlesex, six miles N. of Spanish Town is 2,282 feet high, and the Bull's Head, in Clarendon, near the centre of the island on the meridian of Carlisle Bay, is 3,140 feet. In the W. the Dolphin's Head, S. of Lucea is 3,450 feet. On the S. E. coast Yallah's Hill, which is within the point of the same name, is only 2,706 feet. The greater proportion of the mountains are of conical form, with steep declivities, approaching very near the shore on the N. coast, and leaving plains of about 12 miles wide on the S.; the dark and deep ravines between the lofty mountains, denominated Cockpits, are closely shut in by dense woods, and offer a marked contrast to the lower mountains, which are cultivated with coffee, pimento, cotton, capsicums, &c., in all their variety, affording delightful country retreats from the coast.

The beauty of the island is further enhanced by its numerous rivers, upwards of 200 of which have been enumerated; few, however (owing to the mountainous and hill and dale nature of the country), are navigable for vessels of any burthen, although they might be made so by means of locks, &c. In St. Elizabeth parish, Black River, which flows for the most part through a flat country, is the deepest and least rapid, and is navigable for flat-bottomed boats and canoes for about 30 miles. The other chief rivers on the S. side are the Rio Cobre and Rio Minho, and on the N., Marthabræ, White, Ginger, and Great River, &c.— The precipitate current of the streams renders them the better adapted for mechanical purposes, their quick agitation over the falls preserves their zest and sprightliness for animal drink, and prevents the too great evaporation and formation of damps and mists, which would otherwise be occasioned.

Springs are extremely numerous, even in the highest mountains; about Kingston, and on the N. side, they are generally impregnated with calcareous earth, and in the latter stalactites are met with. Several are of a medicinal nature in Vere and Portland; the most celebrated is one of a sulphureous nature in the E. parish of St. Thomas, giving name to a village called Bath. There is a cold and a hot spring; the latter runs by many rills out of the side of a rocky cleft that confines the middle part of the sulphur river to the E., as it flows towards the S.; it is very hot at its source, naturally light, and plentifully charged with volatile particles of mineral acid, combined with sulphureous steam, slightly engaged in a calcareous base. The cold spring differs only in being more abundantly charged with sulphur; the use of both is exceedingly beneficial in cutaneous disorders, obstructions of the viscera, &c.

Of the harbours it may be sufficient to state, that the Jamaica shore has 16 principal secure havens, besides 30 bays, roads, or shipping stations, which afford good anchorage.

Middlesex contains St. Jago de la Vega, or Spanish Town, situate in a noble plain, and adorned with many fine buildings in the Castilian style; Surry contains Kingston and Port Royal, and likewise the villages of Port Morant and Morant Bay, the latter of considerable importance on account of its shipping; Portland parish, in this county, contains Port Antonio, one of the most commodious and secure in the island; St. George Parish contains Annotto Bay; Cornwall county has Montego Bay on the N. W. coast, on which coast Falmouth, 20 miles east of Montego Bay, is also situate. The other places worth notice are Carlisle and Bluefield Bays on the S. and Marthabræ and Lucea harbours on the N. coast. The chief headlands of the island are Port Morant, at the east end of Jamaica, and two promontories on the W. end, the coast along which is bold and high.

The roads through the island are in general narrow but good. By the old laws the width of the roads was ordered as follows:-Width in standing wood, 60 feet; width of wood in one side, 40 feet; width of open ground, 24 feet. The making of some roads in the island have cost £ 700 per mile.

It may be necessary to say a few words respecting the position of the military stations, &c. in Jamaica, especially on the south side of the island, where four out of five regiments are stationed. To begin withFORT AUGUSTA.-This strong fortress is built upon a low neck of land, or peninsula, joined to the hills at Port Henderson by a narrow isthmus of sand, having a coral formation for its base. The buildings of the fort occupy the whole area of the point of the peninsula, which is surrounded by the sea, except to the west, the south face of the port being washed by the deep water of the ship channel, while the east and north fronts are environed by the shallow waters of a lagoon. The fort is considered healthy, owing to the prevalence of the wind from the S. and S. E. The barracks are two stories high, well ventilated, and contain generally four service companies.

UP-PARK CAMP contains the only government barracks in Jamaica, and they are indeed highly creditable to the island. They are situate about two miles north of Kingston, at the extremity of the plain of Liguana, which gradually rises above the level of the sea, is well cultivated, extremely fertile, about one mile and a half south of the Long Mountain, with an elevation of 800 feet, covered with brush wood, and exceedingly steep towards Kingston. The height of the camp above the sea shore is about 200 feet, and it covers an irregular square of between 200 and 300 acres, sloping towards Kingston. The barracks consist of two long parallel lines of buildings, extending from E. to W. (that to the S., or seaward, comprising the officers' quarters), two stories high, and six-feet basement, an excellent hospital, a splendid bath of 40 feet clear and four deep, containing 70,000 gallons of running water. This fine bath is supplied with water from Papine estate, four miles and a half distant; the pipe conveying it is six inches in diameter, with a velocity of 12 inches, and discharging 4,500 gallons per hour. This plentiful supply of so indispensable an element enables the soldiers to irrigate their neat gardens, which are laid out in the camp, and which furnish the garrison with a constant supply of vegetables. The whole cantonment, at 60 feet distance, is surrounded by a wall of six feet high, surmounted by an iron palisading; 1,284 European soldiers are encamped with com

Stoney Hill garrison, capable of holding 500 men— is situate 2000 feet above the level of the sea, on the ridges of a chain of mountains (in a depression between a more elevated chain), running in a curved direction from E. to W., and enjoying a most beautiful and picturesque view of the inclined alluvial plain of Liguana, of the city of Kingston, of Port Royal, of Fort Augusta, and of the adjacent country. The barracks, hospitals, &c. are, generally speaking, situate on small detached eminences, and are nine miles north of Kingston, seven of which cross the plain of Liguana; the remainder of the road is rather an abrupt ascent to the garrison, but practicable for wheeled carriages of every description. This post commands the grand pass, which intersects the island from N. to S., and is therefore justly considered of great importance. The government ground at the station amounts to 83 acres.

Port Antonio, situate at the extremity of the island, 80 miles from Kingston, is nearly insulated;—its fort exhibiting a half-moon battery, with a magazine in the rear, 144 feet long, by 21 wide. The barracks are placed upon a kind of peninsula, forming on either side a bay, and capable of containing upwards of 50 men. The buildings are new and elevated, commodious, and commanding a fine view of the sea.

Falmouth, or Marthabræ, 15 miles E. of Montego Bay, has a small fort at Point Palmetto, with a good set of artillery barracks, and an hospital, stores and quarters, open to the sea breeze. It is a bar harbour; channel very narrow, intricate, not more than 16 or 17 feet deep, but within a regular depth of from five to ten fathoms. The town of Falmouth is built on the W. side of the harbour.

Maroon Town is situate in the interior, between the parishes of Westmoreland and St. James, on a very high mountain, affording a most desirable station, in a military as well as in a sanatory point of view. The barracks, delightfully placed in the midst of verdant mountains and springs of the most delicious water, are capable of accommodating upwards of 200 men, with an excellent hospital for 20 patients.

Montego Bay is situate at the foot of a range of mountains which nearly surround the town, except on the sea side. The barracks for 100 men, and an hospital for 40 patients, are complete and comfortable. The N. point is in Lat. 18.30 N. It is a good bay, sheltered from all winds, from the N.N.E. round to E. and W. and open to those from N. and W. It is distant 15 miles from

Lucea, or Fort Charlotte, which is built on the N. E. extremity of a peninsula, bounded on one side by the beautiful bay and secure harbour of Lucea, and on the other by the sea. The mountains of Hanover and Westmoreland rise abruptly and majestically high immediately behind the town of Lucea, about one mile from the garrison. The highest peak, termed the Dolphin's Head, serves as a good land-mark to the mariner.

Savannah Le Mar. This is a fine station, in the midst of a highly-cultivated country. From the seashore the ground springs a little towards the N. pretty level, and intersected by several fine rivers; towards the E., at the distance of 12 miles, the mountains begin to rise near the coast, running nearly northerly upwards of 16 miles, when they turn to the W. and incline, after running several miles further, towards the S., where they terminate not far from the

ocean, and embrace within their border a beautiful and highly-cultivated amphitheatre. The town of Savannah le Mar is situated on the beach, from which a low alluvial flat extends for several miles; in this plain, about one mile from the town, is an excellent range of barracks. The station is now healthy, and the harbour good; but requiring a pilot, on account of its intricate entrance.

Apostles' Battery is a small fort, erected on a high rock, on the shore opposite to Port Royal.

hills and mountains of Jamaica may be enumerated thus:-A red clay on a white marl; a ditto on a grit; a reddish brown ditto, on marl; a yellowish clay mixed with common mould; a red grit; a loose conchaceous mould; a black mould on a clay or other substrate; a loose black vegetable mould on rock; a fine sand; and the varieties of all the foregoing. The mountain land in general, when first cleared of its wood, possesses more or less a deep surface of rich black mould, mixed with shell, a soil which will grow any thing.

The brick mould soil of Jamaica (which is a compound of very fine particles of clay, sand, and black mould,) is of very great depth, and is considered by far the best for cultivation; it is always easily laboured, so inexhaustible as to require no manure, in very dry seasons it retains a moisture sufficient to preserve the cane root from perishing, and in very

Spanish Town. The capital of Jamaica is situate at the extremity of an extensive plain, extending far to the S., S E., and W., but with the mountains closely approaching the town on the N. and N. W., and distant from the sea at Port Royal Harbour six miles. The Cobre, a river of considerable depth, passes the city at the distance of about a quarter of a mile on the N. E. The barracks are good, well situate, and capable of holding 317 men; the hospital, however, will not accommodate more than 36 patients. The buildings of the capital, as before observed, are in the magnificent style of Spanish architecture, and the city has an imposing appearance. The population is about 5000. The King's House is one of the most splendid buildings in any of our colonies; it was erected and furnished by the British Colonists at a cost of £50,000. It is situated in the S. of the great square, facing an immense pile of buildings, containing under one roof the House of Assembly, the Supreme Court, and almost all the Government offices of the island.

IV. Jamaica presents every indication of volcanic origin, but there is no volcano in action; a small lake of blackish water, about 3000 feet above the sea, and entirely encircled with hills, has the appearance of an extinct crater. The precipitous cones, conical tumuli, abrupt declivities, and irregular masses of enormous rocks scattered over the island, sufficiently denote the powerful operation of fire. The soil is generally deep and fertile; on the north of a chocolate colour, in other parts a bright yellow, and everywhere remarkable for a shining surface when first turned up, and for staining the skin like paint when wetted; it appears to be a chalky marl, containing a large proportion of calcareous matter. There is a soil in the island termed "Brick Mould," which is deep and mellow, on a retentive under strata; this, next to the ash mould of St. Christophers, is considered the best soil in the W. Indies for the sugar cane. A red earth abounds most in the hilly lands, and a purple loam sometimes mixed with a sandy soil in the savannahs and low-lands; but the highest mountains are remarkable for having on their summits a deep black rich soil. The principal soils on the interior

that the roots are never in danger of being rotted. Next in fecundity is the black shell mould, previously mentioned, which owes its fertility to the mineral salts and exuviæ intermingled with it. The soil about Kingston on the alluvial plain, consists of a layer of deep mould, chiefly composed of decayed vegetable matter, with a portion of marl and some carbonate of lime, entirely free from gravel, and highly absorbent of water: the substratum varies, being sometimes of a compact aluminous earth alone, in other places mixed with gravel; in sinking a shaft, layers of aluminous earth and gravel are found, running horizontally, approaching to pure clay at the bottom, and at four feet from the surface a strata of finely divided silica. About Stony-hill garrison, the surface is similar to what is frequently met with in elevated situations in Jamaica, namely, a superstratum of rich dark mould, varying in depth from two to 20 inches, with a substratum of argillaceous and red earth, evidently containing a mixture of carbonate of iron; and in many parts the surface of the ground studded with lime stones of a very large size. Silver and gold mica is frequent, especially among the hills between St. Catherine's and Sixteen Mile-Walk, and when washed down with the floods mistaken for gold sand :-near Spanish Town it is found incorporated with Potter's clay. Mixed and purplish schistus are common in the mountains of St. John's, and about Bull Bay, and the hard lamellated amianthus is found in large detached masses, having all the appearance of petrified wood. The lower mountains E. of Kingston are principally composed of a whitish bastard marble, with a smooth even grain, taking a good polish, and frequently used in Jamaica for lime stone. Long Mountain, near Kingston, is entirely composed of carbonate of lime. White free stone, quartz of different species, and lime stone are abundant,-subcrystalline spar is found in small detached masses, and rock spar, very clear, may be seen formed into rocks of prodigious size in the mountains of St. Ann's, where it is observed to constitute whole strata. When exposed any time to the weather the surface grows opaque, and of a milky white. Friable white marl and clammy marl, or aboo earth, (of an apparently smooth, greasy, and cohesive nature,) are found, and the latter sometimes eaten by the negroes when they are diseased, to the great detriment of health.

The lead ore of Jamaica is extremely rich and heavily impregnated with silver; several varieties have been found, and indeed, worked at Liguana, where also striated antimony is obtainable; in the lower moun. tains of Liguana every variety of copper ore (14 dif

ferent species) is in profusion, in particular the green and livid, and the shining dark copper ores; in the more mellow matrices, yellow mundick (marchasites), is largely mixed. In the mountains above Bull Bay, a dark iron sand, attracted by the magnet, is found: neither gold nor silver ore has yet been discovered, though it is certain the natives possessed those metals in abundance when first visited by Columbus and the early Spanish settlers. In the river Minho in Clarendon particles of gold have been found after heavy rains. Brown states that gold and silver ores have been discovered at Liguana; and Gage speaks (in 1655) of the mines producing “some gold, though drossie."

V. The heat of Jamaica is by no means so fearful as has been represented; even on the coast it is temperate, the medium at Kingston throughout the year being 80 F. and the minimum 70. As the country is ascended the temperature of course decreases; eight miles from Kingston the maximum is 70, and at the distance of fourteen miles, where the elevation is 4,200 feet, the average range is from 55 to 65 F. the minimum in winter 44, and a fire in the evening not only agreeable but necessary. On the summits of the mountains the range in summer is from 47 at sunrise to 58 at noon, the minimum in winter 42. The heat of a tropical climate is materially mitigated by unremitted breezes from sea or land, and by vast masses of clouds, which, interposing between the sun's rays and the earth, prevent any great inconvenience therefrom. The air is remarkably light and enlivening, producing great cheerfulness even in old age, and so equal in its pressure that it rarely varies more than an inch at any time of the year. Although the temperature alternates eight or ten degrees on the south side of the mountains, and more so on the north, it is not subject to the sudden and detrimental transitions experienced in South Carolina, and other parts of the United States. From July to October is the hurricane season, but severe storms at the Windward Caribbee isles are not felt at Jamaica. The quantity of rain falling in the year is nearly 50 inches. For two or three months preceeding the May rains, lightning and thunder are prevalent, but not very mischievous; and from November to March, when the sea-breeze is irregular northerly winds blows, becoming colder as they recede towards the west; during this season the air is delicious, resembling the finest English vernal weather. The seasons are divided into four,-viz. vernal or moderate rains, in April and May, lasting six weeks; the second, hot and dry, including June, July, and August; the third, hurricane and rainy moths, embracing September, October, and November; and the fourth, serene and cool, comprising December, January, February and March.

There is, however, considerable difference of climate on either side of the island; on the south it may be said that spring ranges through the months from November to April; summer from May to August, and winter from September to October; while on the north side winter ranges from October to March; the north has a larger supply of rain than the south, but distributed in smaller and more frequent showers, and it is cooler, and with a vegetation of greater bulk and height. At Stony Hill garrison, nine miles from Kingston, and 2000 feet above the sea, the thermometer ranges during the hot months from 74° to 82o, and during the cold months from 66° to 73o. The following Meteorological Register for Up-Park Camp is from Sir J. Mc. Gregor's office.-Military Med. Dept.

On the southern side of the island, the sea breeze from the south-eastward comes on in the morning, and gradually increases till noon, when it is strongest ; at two or three in the afternoon its force diminishes, and in general it entirely ceases by five o'clock. About eight in the evening the land breeze begins; this breeze extends to the distance of four leagues to the southward of the island. It increases until midnight, and ceases about four in the morning.

The sea and land breeze are pretty regular from the latter end of January until May. In the middle of May the sea-breeze generally prevails for several days and nights, especially about the times of full and change of the moon, and thus they continue throughout June and part of July: from that time the seabreeze diminishes, and veers round to S. by W. or S. S.W., with frequent calms. August, September, and October, have generally strong gales of wind, with much rain.

In December, January, and February, when the north winds predominate, their force checks the seabreeze. The southern coast is that, which, of course, is least exposed to these winds, being sheltered in a great measure by the mountains. When combined with the land breeze they render the air very cold and unhealthy.

On the northern side of the island, during the greatest part of July, and the whole of August, the southerly or sea-breeze, generally blows hard off the land, with frequent squalls; but in October northerly winds prevail, and frequently extend over all the Bahamas and Cuba; and for some time on the north side of Jamaica, where the current of air is forced upwards by the mountains, and its strength spent in the heights; but it occasionally reaches the southern coast, particularly in the neighbourhood of Kingston, and has been known to continue for some days..