Map/Chart > The Caribbean

The Caribbee or Leeward Islands, The Virgin Islands, and the Isle of Porto Rico.

Not a chart to navigate by, more a stylish representation of a sea chart for the arm-chair sailor who could afford the atlas.

Further Information

This handsome chart was first published in 1775 by Thomas Jeffreys, Geographer to the King. The edition presented here is a later, 1794, issue of the chart. It was included by Jefferys in 'The West-India atlas or, a compendious description of the West-Indies: illustrated with forty one correct charts and maps, taken From actual surveys. Together with an historical account of the several countries and islands which compose that part of the world.'

Jeffereys is careful to explain what the islands are called by other nations such as the France, Spain and the Netherlands, all of whom had considerable interests in the area at the time. The chart covers most of the Caribbean region eastward of Puerto Rico taking-in all of the lesser Antilles, also known as the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands down as far as Barbados. The Windward Islands include Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and Grenada. They're called the Windward Islands because they're exposed to the wind ("windward") of the northeast trade winds (north easterlies). The Leeward Islands include the Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla and are so called because away from the wind ("lee"). The chart also makes a feature of the Bank of Aves stretching between Saba and Aves Islands. What is especially appealing about the chart is Jefferys inclusion of ships to indicate the accessibility and the business of the area. He marks anchorages and safe passages through the islands whilst also delineating rocks and shallow water around some of the islands. Soundings are also included in certain areas. Jefferys makes quite a point to include as many place names on the islands as he can and he finishes the chart off with loxodromic lines (taken from an initial bearing it is a line on a sphere that cuts all meridians at the same angle. It is the path taken by a ship that maintains a constant compass direction). He even finishes the chart of with a stylish fleur-de-lis to indicate North.