St. EUSTATIUS and SABA

QUIET AND TINY, with an area of merely 11.8 square miles (31 sq km), St. Eustatius (also called Statia) consists of two dormant volcanoes linked by a central plain. While the northern volcano has been eroded to a cluster of hills, the southern one, known as the Quill, rises precipitously to nearly 2,000 feet. Climatic conditions vary strikingly for such a small island: The Atlantic side has strong winds and low vegetation; the Caribbean side is calm with tall palms and breadfruit and banana trees. Even smaller is Saba, only 5 square miles and located just north of Statia. Along with St. Maarten, Statia and Saba form the Windward Islands of the Dutch Caribbean.

Christopher Columbus first sighted St. Eustatius on his second voyage in 1493. Never settled by Spain, the island was first colonized by France in 1629, then by Holland in 1636. Like Saba and St. Maarten, St. Eustatius changed hands many times before Dutch possession finally became permanent in 1816.

During its early years St. Eustatius developed into a prosperous center for the slave trade and mercantile exchange of the eastern Caribbean, earning the nickname "The Golden Rock." It also was a vital depot for supplies shipped from Europe to the American Revolutionaries. In 1776, St. Eustatius became the first foreign government to officially recognize the United States by firing a salute from Fort Oranje to the American brig Andrew Doria. But the Dutch settlers' pro-American sympathies ultimately led to the sacking of St. Eustatius by the British in 1781. an event that marked the end of the tiny island's prosperity.

SHOPPING
Saba's local specialties are Saba lace, including handcrafted blouses, handkerchiefs and linens, and Saba Spice, an aromatic blend of 150 proof cask rum, brown sugar, fennel seed, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.