only about
one quarter of a mile ride.
Physical Aspect. The island consists
of a broken ridge or long back of mountains running from W. to E. & S. E. at an
average
height of about 1010 ft; but
Some that ridge and its
50
act as conduits for the mountain torrents; but on the North side of the Island, especially where the town of Victoria is built, the rocky ridge approaches it close
to the sea and it was
only by breaking
through this ridge that a street or road could be made to connect the
straggling town of Victoria which stretches along
the water's edge for
nearly four miles although only:
Europe
comprising about 50 European
houses and several Chinese huts
and its spurs, various
& bazaars. Here, & there,
the
granite mountains are elevated to the
height of 1300 to 2000
feet above the
very precipitous; The whole
Island indeed rises abruptly from
the Ocean, particularly
on the North face:
valleys and deep
ravines through which the
sea
occasionally bursts, or which succeed
some isolated hills.
07
along
the precipitous slopes of the mountains
some houses have been constructed;
but the rugged,
broken, and abrupt
precipices and deep rocky gorges effectively prevent the formation
at Victoria of any
concentrated Town
adapted for practical protection, cleanliness,
7
avoid