BAHAMAS, The, or THE BAHAMA ISLANDS, were formerly known as the Lucayos, from the natne of a tribe of aborigi nes inhabiting them at the time of their dis covery by Columbus in 1492. The scene of the first landing was an island on the outer or Atlantic side of this group to which Columbus gave the name San Salvador. By the natives that island was called Guanahani, and it is now known as Watling Island. The total habitable area of the islands is small, but the extent of the group, including cays and rocks rising from banks near the surface of the water, is very great —nearly six degrees of latitude, and more than six degrees of longitude. Stretch ing through a total distance of 780 miles, these islands and banks form a barrier between the Atlantic and the eastern entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. To reach the Florida Strait, a large vessel must follow one of three channels: the Old Bahama, north of Cuba; the Florida or the Providence. The last passes through the group above Nassau, the capital and only important city, an attractive place with about 12,554 inhabitants.
The researches of Professor Agassiz have shown that the Bahamas are essentially different in geological formation from the Greater and Lesser Antilles, being wind-blown piles of shell and coral sand,— once much more extensive than now,—whose areas have been restricted by a general regional subsidence of some 300 feet, so that much of their former surface now occurs as shallow banks beneath the water. Mr. Robert T. Hill says: 'The islands are merely the exposed tips of the great submerged ridge, having an outline and configuration wluch would be crudely comparable to the island of Cuba if the latter were so submerged that its highest points merely reached the sur face?' Their total area is 4,4031/, square miles.
The Indian population having been carried away to the pearl fisheries of Panama, or to labor in the fields and mines of other Spanish colonies, the Bahamas remained deserted un til, in 1629, an English settlement was begtm in the island of New Providence. Twelve years later, Spain asserted her claim, based upon discovery without occupation. The Eng lish were expelled, but again attempted col onization; and Charles II, in 1680, actually granted the islands to six English noblemen and gentlemen. Early in the 18th century New Providence was twice raided by French and Spanish forces; and again it became a desert. Buccaneers of all nations made themselves at home, and held undisputed possession, until another English settlement was planted in 1718, and British troops were assigned to its defense.
Tory emigrants from the glish colonies on the mainland at the time of the Revolution introduced slave labor and the cultivation of cotton — which did not thrive. New Prov idence was captured and held for a short time by the Americans under Commodore Hopkins in 1776; six years later it fell into the hands of the governor of Cuba, but was retaken by the loyalist Colonel Deveaux before 12 months had passed. The rights of the old lord pro prietors were purchased in 1787, the Bahamas becoming a possession of the British Crown, administered by a colonial government.
During the Civil War in the United States an enormous blockade-running trade swelled the imports of the islands from a little more than $1,000,000 to upward of $26,000,000; the exports from about $800,000 to more than $23,000,000— a period of prosperity both brief and unique. Violent storms and droughts have more than once brought ruin to the natural industries; the cultivation of small fruits, vege tables, oranges, pineapples, cocoanuts, etc., has been carried on at a disadvantage, owing to the tariff laws of the United States and the re moteness of other markets. Other forms of agriculture have been attempted, with moderate success. Sponge-fishing is carried on exten sively. At the eastern end of the group are the Turks and Caicos islands, which were sep arated politically from the Bahamas and made a dependency of Jamaica in 1848. Grand Turk is the capital and there the chief executive of ficer, or commissioner, resides. From these islands 1,500,000 bushels of salt are exported annually and a large number of sponges are also gathered and exported. The total value of imports to all the islands is about $825,000, the United States supplying nearly three fourths of that amount. Besides Turks and Caicos, the principal inhabited islands are New Providence, with about 15,000 inhabitants, Abaco, Harbor Island, Eleuthera, Inagua, May aguana, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Exuma, Long Island, Long Cay, the Biminis, Grand Baha ma, Crooked, Acklin, Cat, Wading, Berry and Andros Islands. The inhabitants of Great Abaco are chiefly descendants of the American Tories, referred to above. Harbor Island has about 2,000 inhabitants, who are descendants of the buccaneers. Largest and most densely wooded are the Andros Islands.