ENVIRONMENT


the best developed soil is found in the high portions of the island
and not in the bay-valleys, where native dependence on the sea
held occupation in prehistory. It might be suggested that as the
soils of St. John have altered or weathered from rocks through
hydro-thermal activity, the poorer soils will be found in low eleva-
tions and the better soils in the mature uplands above the 900
foot contour. Lack of active stream action has prevented the mass
transport of these soils to the lowlands.
 Soil location and soil quality were both variables that limited
man's adaptation to the island in prehistoric times. Likewise, the
location and quality of these soils coupled with specific climatic
features resulted in variable vegetation on the island of St. John.
Most of the land surface is sloping; much of it exceeds 35 degrees.
As soils, for the most part, are highly variable from high to low
elevations, vegetation ranges from moist forest to cactus woodland
with intermediate growths of beach vegetation, mangrove, dry
forest and croton-acacia scrub. Each of these plant cover zones
was noted during my 1959 preliminary survey and pointed out
by Mrazek.
 Borgeson in Stone (1942), referred to again by Robertson (1960)
 in his study of the birds of St. John, outlined some features re-
 lating to vegetation which are also valuable in archaeological in-
 terpretation. He pointed out that the first historical records of St.
 John indicated thick forest. Without a doubt this growth was in
 the higher elevations and along the wetter slopes. It might be
 assumed from present observations as well as early records that
 the forest and scrub now covering more than 75 per cent of
 the island approximates the original distribution pattern of wet
 and dry forest cover. However, one might well visualize thicker
 and more mature plant cover when the island was occupied by the
 Arawak.
 Findings from our archaeological tests and modern biological
 observations on St. John would indicate that Arawak peoples
 would not have been attracted to this island for the hunting po-
 tential. There have never been sizable indigenous mammals or
 reptiles, although the hunting of birds may have been attractive
 (Robertson recorded 59 species). On the other hand, mollusk
 collecting and fishing coupled with slash-and-burn agriculture
 would have provided the basic subsistence for these early peoples.