Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VII.djvu/156

 148 FERN cathedral, several Protestant churches, two colleges (Fermoy college, and St. Colman's Roman Catholic college), two convents, and three branch banks. FERN, Male. See MALE FERN. FERNANDINA, a port of entry and the capi- tal of Nassau co., Florida, situated on the W. shore of Amelia island, at the entrance of Amelia river, which separates it from the mainland, into Cumberland sound, 160 m. E. by N. of Tallahassee ; pop. in 1870, 1,722, of whom 959 were colored. The harbor is land- locked and capacious, and is unsurpassed on the Atlantic coast S. of Chesapeake bay. Ves- sels drawing 19 or 20 feet of water can cross the bar at high tide, and the largest ships can unload at the wharves.- The climate, mild in winter and tempered in summer by the sea breezes, is very healthful. In the vicinity are numerous sugar, cotton, and orange planta- tions. The town, which is the seat of the Protestant Episcopal bishopric of Florida, con- tains seven churches, a young ladies' seminary under the charge of the bishop, and a weekly newspaper. It has an important trade in lum- ber, and possesses a large cotton-ginning es- tablishment and a man- ufactory of cotton-seed oil. Lines of steamers to Savannah, Charles- ton, and New York touch here. The value of the foreign commerce for the year ending June 30, 1873, was $327,859; 52 vessels of 14,789 tons entered from, and 63 of 22,217 tons cleared for foreign ports; entered in the coastwise trade, 112 steamers of 77,708 tons, and 105 sailing vessels of 28,493 tons ; cleared, 110 steamers of 76,292 tons, and 106 sailing vessels of 26,021 tons. Fernandina was built by the Spaniards in the early part of this century, but was of little importance until the completion of the Florida railroad, extending from this point to Cedar Keys. FERNANDO DE NORONHA, a group of small islands in the Atlantic ocean, belonging to Brazil, situated about 210 m. N. E. of Cape St. Roque ; lat. of S. E. extremity of the principal island, 3 50' S., Ion. 32 28' W. The shores are rocky, and difficult of access on account of the violence of the surf. The largest island, which gives the name to the group, is about 20 m. in circumference. In it is a conical mountain about 1,000 ft. high, the upper part of which is very steep, and on one side over- hangs its base. It is composed of phonolitic rock, which has been severed into irregular FERNANDO PO columns. The island is covered with wood, but such is the aridity of its climate, there being sometimes no rain for two years, that vegetable production is very limited. It con- tains two harbors, and the coasts abound with fish. It is used as a place of banishment by Brazil, whose government maintains a garrison there to prevent the escape of criminals. No woman is permitted to land on it. Another of these islands is about 1 m. square, and the rest are mere rocky islets, separated from the main islands by very narrow channels. FERNANDO PO (Port. Fernao do Po an island in the bight of Biafra, W. coast of Africa, about 25 m. from the mainland, lying between lat. 3 12' and 3 47' N., and Ion. 8 26' and 8 57' E. ; pop. variously estimated at from 5,000 to 20,000. It is about 44 m. long and 20 m. broad. Rising in bold precipitous cliffs from the sea, its surface gradually be- comes more and more elevated, until in Clar- ence peak, near the N. extremity, it attains an Clarence Peak, Fernando Po. altitude of 10,650 ft. The rocks are wholly of volcanic formation. The soil, which is mostly covered with wood, is everywhere well watered and fertile. The scenery is pictu- resque and beautiful, the highest summits and the deepest vales being alike adorned with luxuriant vegetation. The principal vegetable products are palms, the bombax or silk cotton tree, the goora (sterculia), a species of ebony, the sugar cane, here growing wild, and yams, which form the staple food of the inhabitants. The most numerous quadrupeds are antelopes, monkeys, squirrels, and rats. The rivers abound in fish and alligators. The coast is in- dented with several creeks and bays, the most capacious of which is Maidstone bay, at the N. E. extremity, where is situated the capital, Clarencetown. The aborigines of Fernando Po, called Edeeyahs, are widely different in appearance and language from the natives of