In the evenings, although the air is cool, yet it is not accompanied by those noxious vapours, so remarkable for their dangerous effects in some parts of the West Indies; so that it is not uncommon for people in this Island to sit whole evenings in the open air, without any detriment to their healths.
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SOIL, MOUNTAINS, AND WOODS OF VALUABLE TIMBER, AND OTHER TREES: ALSO OF THE BIRDS OF THE WOODS, PECULIAR TO THE ISLAND.
The Soil of Dominica, in some places, is a light, brown-coloured mould, that appears to have been washed down from the mountains, and mixed with decayed branches, and leaves of trees. In the level country, towards the sea coast, and in many places of the interior parts, it is a fine, deep, black mould, which is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of the sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, and all other articles of West India produce. The under stratum of the soil is a yellow, or brick clay, in some parts, in others it is a stiff tarrace; but it is in most parts very stoney.
The land is in general very productive, especially in the interior parts, but towards the sea coast, it requires to be frequently manured; because the surface of it usually opens into large chasms in dry weather, thereby exposing the soil to the excessive heat of the sun; so that its vegetative quality can only be restored by dunging. This, however, is not very easily done by the greater part of the planters; because they have not in general a sufficient number of cattle on their plantations, in proportion to the land under cultivation, of the sugar cane in particular; from whence, in a great measure, and to the want of negroes, is to be attributed the small quantity of sugar exported from this settlement to England.
Several of the mountains of this island are continually burning with sulphur, of which they emit vast quantities. From these mountains issue numbers of springs of mineral water, whose virtues are extolled for the cure of many disorders; in some places the water is so very hot, as to boil an egg, &c. in less time than boiling water, and this heat is retained at some distance from its source.