14 TUI LIN

 most important are, Porto Rico on the east, on the west,
 and St. Domingo between the two, with Jamaica the
 western extremity of the latter. Situated between the se -
 teench and twentieth degrees of north latitlude, and the Eixty-
 eighth and seventy-fifth drerees of west luugitude, St. Domingoo
 stretches from east to wgst about 390 miles, with an average
 breadth, from north to south, of Il.'u miles, and comprie-i about
 29,000 square miles, or 18,81H,,u.IJ square acrtr; Ining four
 times as large as Jamaica, and nearly equal in cxtnt to Ire-
 land. Its original name, and that by whii'h it is now generally
 known, HIayti, which, in the Caribbean tongue, ignifies a
 land of mountains, --is truly descriptive of its surface and gen-
 eral appearance. From a central point, which, near the mid-
 dle of the island, rises to the height of some 6,'ui") I:et above
 the level of the sea, branches, having parallel range on the
 north and on the south, run through the whole length of the
 island, giving it somewhat the shape and aspect of a huge tor-
 toise. The mountain ridges tIr the most part extend to the
 sea, above which they stand in lofty precipices, farming numer-
 ous headlands and promontories, or, retiring before the ocean,
 give place to ample and commodious bays. Of these bays or
 harbors, three deserve mention, not only for their extraordi-
 nary natural capabilities, but for the frequency with which two
 of them, at. least, will appear in these pages. On the north-
 west oflHayti, is the Bay of Samana, with its deep recesses and
 curving shore, terminating in Cape Samana on the north,
 and Cape Raphael on the south. At the opposite end of the
 country, is the magnificent harbor called the Bay Port-au-
 Prince, enclosing the long and rocky isle GCnave,-on the
 north of which is the Channel St. Marc, and on the south the
 Channel Gonave. Important as is the part which this harbor
 sustains in the history of the land, scar".ely, if at all, less impor-
 tant is the bay which has Capo Franqois Ifr its west-trn point,
 and Grange ir its eastern, comprising on the latter side the
 minor but well sheltered Bay of Mancenille, and in the oIrmer
 the large roadstead of Cape FrancoLi.





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