"The magnificent isolated mountain of Tamanaa, in the centre of the great eastern marsh, uncon nected with any chain of hills, and at an immense distance, on every side, from what may be called terra firma, may be supposed, till examined, to have arisen from the plain, through the means of some similar elaboratory in the works of nature. I have said, till examined, for its approaches are so barred by the thickest wood and deepest swamps, where the boa, the alligator, and all the venemous reptiles of the parent continent still retain the sove reignty of the soil, that the most determined and enterprising have never yet been able to penetrate to its base." All the rocks of Trinidad are either decidedly of primitive or alluvial origin.
Port Spain, the seat of the government, is built on a bed of gravel 30 or 40 feet deep, resting on a substratum of clay. It is one of the handsomest towns in the British colonies. The new and beau tiful protestant church, designed by Mr. Reinagle, is much admired.
Trinidad was discovered by Columbus on 31st July 1498, but the Spaniards did not occupy it till 1588, after which they had almost destroyed the In dian inhabitants. The island now belongs to Great Britain. Its population in 1807 consisted of 71,000, of which '21,000 were slaves. The Lon. of the protestant church in Port Spain is 61° 35' 00" W. and the Lat. 10° 38' 56" N. For farther inform tion respecting Trinidad, see Anderson in the Phi losophical Transactions, vol. lxxix, or .dnnual Re gister,1789. Captain Mallet's Topographical Sketch es of Trinidad. Dr. Nugent, in the Geological Trans actions, vol. i. and Dr. Ferguson in the Edinburgh Transactions, vol. ix. p. 93. See also our articles ABERCROMBIE, Sir Ralph, Vol. I. p. 15, CARACCAS, VOI. V. p. 318, BRITAIN, VOI. IV. p. 645, and SOUTH AMERICA, Vol. XVII.
In continuation of the foregoing article we may add that this island, originally named by Columbus La Santissima Trinidad, the Holy Trinity, lies of the province of Cumana, in Colombia, and between the estuary of the Orinoco river and the island of Tobago. As laid. down on Tanner's Map of Colom bia, it extends from Lat. 10° 6' to 10° 52' N., and between Lon. and 16° E. from W. C. The
form of this island is very singular. The central and main body lies nearly in the form of a square, but from each angle protrudes a salient point. These points are named Punta Galeota S.E.; Punta de la Galera N.E.; Punta de Yeacos S.W.; and Punta Coroval to the N.W. The latter pro jects westward towards Punta de la Pena, in Cumana, with the straits of Dragon's Mouth in tervening. A single glance on a map of South America and adjacent islands, almost superinduces the affirmative of the theory, that the mountainous chain sometimes called the Venezuelean Andes, and again the Sierra de Paria of Cumana, is continued over the Dragon's Mouth, in the islets Chacacha cares, lluenos, and de Menos; over the northern part of Trinidad in the chain of Castillo, and finally in the island of Tobago.
From this northern chain Trinidad spreads to the southward about 45 miles, with a mean ;breadth of 40 miles. The entire area is estimated at about 1800 square miles.
This island has experienced the vicissitudes of war and conquest, being successively invaded by the English and French. Held alternately by Great Britain and Spain, it was ultimately ceded to the former by the treaty of Amiens, 1802.
Obtained by conquest it is a crown colony, and by recently published statistical tables the White population amounts to 13,5 00 Black and coloured do. free, 16,000 Do. do. slaves, 23,000 Total, 52,500 This amount, if correct, yields a distributive population of 29 to the square mile, of which about one-fourth are whites.
Inclosed between this fine island and the conti nent of South America, extends the Gulf of Paria, spreading westward towards the mouth of the river Guarapiche of Cumana, SO miles, varying from 40 to 50 miles in width, and terminating to the S.E. opposite to the north of the Orinoco, in the straits of the Serpent's Mouth. By the latter passage, or that of the Dragon's Mouth to the north, only can access be had by sea to the western side of Trini dad, and to its capital and principal mart, Port Spain.
Port Spain is situated on the Gulf of Paria, about 20 miles inside of' the Dragon's Mouth, N. lat. 36', Lon. 15° 22' E. of W. C.