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“...probably occupied
by a group of islands, of which one at least—now repre-
sented by Ancon Hill, overlooking Panama City—was of
volcanic origin. It is believed that when the Isthmus
of Panama was formed the land was much higher than
it is at present, borings made by the Canal engineers
having shown the existence of old channels of the Rio
Grande and Chagres a few hundred feet below the sea
level.
The subsidence which brought about the present
physiographic condition of the Antilles was probably a
gradual one. That the first result was the formation of
a large island occupying the site of Cuba, Jamaica,
Haiti, and Porto Rico has been demonstrated by sound-
ings, and by the distribution of flora and fauna, it having
been shown, for example, that the bird known in Jamaica
as the “ Green Tody ” is found in all four islandsJmt
not elsewhere.
There are petroleum and manjak deposits in Barbados
and Trinidad, and the latter island has also a source of
wealth in its famous asphalt or Pitch Lake. Gold...”
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“...40 POCKET GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES
was established in 1662, but in 1870 a law was passed
providing for its gradual disendowment, and it is now
practically self-supporting, with capital fluids amounting
to £103,705. The Baptists and Wesleyans are the next
sects in importance in order of the size of their congre-
gations. Presbyterians -and Moravians have a large
following, while there are also Roman Catholics and
Jews in the island. In Barbados the majority of the
inhabitants belong to the Church of England, which is
endowed from the general revenue. The island is the
see of a bishop, in which is included the Windward
Islands also. Small Government grants are given to
the Wesleyans and Moravians, and also to the Roman
Catholics, who are, however, few in number. The
Leeward Islands also form the see of a bishop of the
Church of England, whose principal followers are in
Antigua and St. Kitts, while in Montserrat the in-
habitants are largely Anglicans and Wesleyans. In
Dominica the inhabitants...”
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