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Young's Essay on Tobago
Home|Special Collections Exhibitions|Young's Essay on Tobago|Introducing the Essay|Introducing the island of Tobago, continued, pages 6 and 7 

Introducing the island of Tobago, continued, pages 6 and 7

[page 6]

The Line of almost continuous Bays on the Southside of the
Island, affords shelter and anchorage for merchant vessels
which arrive with stores, and to load with produce from the 
Plantations; - But, this is not the Coast, which renders suitable
accommodations to ships of war;- or has the bearings the most
favorable, for the directions of a general Commerce:- it is however
and specially laying to advantage for one important branch
of Trade, by the Channel of the Oronooko.
The Northern Coast of Tobago, is on every consideration of
uses, in War or Peace, of the Greatest Import: - a sketch of its
line of Country, as seen three leagues at sea, will give a general
idea, of its range of highlands, for twenty of Thirty two miles, its
entire length on the Geographic base:- The Inequalities of the
Ground, would make the distance to the Traveller much greater.
The Plain reaching from near Courland to the western
extremity of the island is so level, that from the one side, the
feathered heads of the mountains Cabbage trees may be descried
on the opposite coast:- at the western end, four miles across
and bearing direct, on Trinidad, only six leagues distant, 
is a deep Bay, opening two miles on the chord[?] of entrance,
and shelterd from the prevalent winds by the entire length
of the Island: - It has good anchorage for ships of the line, - and
the station Commands Trinidad.

Watercolour depiction of the line of the northern coast of Tobago, 32 miles in length, page 7Line of the northern coast of Tobago, 32 miles in length and soundings of the Courland Bays, page 7Reproduced here are two separate illustrations drawn by Young and adjacent to each other on the same page. 

One is a perspective watercolour sketch, viewing the island of Tobago from the north side. The other is a detailed map of the Courland Bays, with relevant information regarding their soundings.

The perspective watercolour sketch is an attempt to capture visually key information concerning the island. Coupled with the information in the title regarding the length of the island, it attempts to create a sense of perspective for the reader of the report.

Features of note include St Giles Rocks, Man o’ war Bay, the Courland Bays and Sandy Plains.

The second sketch examines in more detail the Courland Bays, and highlights in red potential sites for a battery and, as suggested in the Essay, a post office. The soundings detailed would have provided important information to anyone with naval experience aiding assessment of the suitability of the area for the establishment of a port.

In this exhibition


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