The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1859-03-25
The Island Of Cuba "a.

IN America is so fiercely courted, by q
large portion of our countymcn we sus-
poet there are very few of them who
know much about its extent, or its capa-
bilities. For the benefit of such of orr
readers as come under this category, we
suhjoin the following description, hoping
that itmay not prove uninteresting at a
period like this.
Cuba is the largest, and most westerly
of the Antilles. 1t lies approximately
between latitude 10 and % North. and
longitude "a and So West from Green
wich.) 1t lies forty miles west of Hayti.
one hundred south of Jamaica, and about
one hundred and twenty south of Cape
Florida. 1t is more than seven hundred
miles long, by upwards of one hundred
broad; and, with the adjoining islets CON
tains 44,0O0 square miles, being as large
as the State of Pennsylvania. Its con-
figuration, extent, number of ports, fer
tility, climate, and resources, render it an
extremely interesting country. But all
of these sink into insignifcance, when
compared with its geographical position,
III IL such as to render any strong
2at may hold possession of it, alb
Aster of the Gulf of Mexico
indeed, being of circular
hugh eight hundred miles in
is closed by the island.
Y1 bptwnnu (apa Cofocba
st. Antonio, and the other to
north, between Bahia Honda and the
bast of Florida.
u Although the navigation of the coast
of Cuba is perilous, on account of the al
most uninterrupted succession of rocks
and shoals by which it is surrounded, and
which sometimes extend two or three
miles into the sea, it nevertheless affords
fifty or sixty ports and anchorages, all of
them accessible, and all easy of approach.
OF these, the most remarkable are Ha-
yana, Ma1stanzas, Nuevitas, Jihara, and
Baracoa, on the North; and OH the South,
st. Jago, Manzanilla, Trinidad Jaqua and
Batabano. Besides these, the harbors of
Bahai-lIonda, Nipe, Naranjo, and Guam
tanamo, from their depth, security, and
the facilities which they offer of procur-
ing fresh water, deserve to be especially
mentioned. A ridge of mountains ira
versing the whole island, from East to
West; dividing it into nearly three parts,
very nearly equal in area, subsidies on both
int
ed by innumerable streams that descend
from their height. These streams abound
in fish, which abound, likewise, in the nu-
merous salt-lakes or ponds with which
this island is dotted, and which are the re-
sort of game in great abundance. Min
eral springs are found in several parts of
the island, and are much frequented by
the inhabitants during the sickly season.
Although the geological and mineralogi-
cal structure of Cuba has not been ascer-
tanned, with any very great degree of
minuteness, there is no doubt that its ca
-pabilities are very large. Mines of gold,
silver, and loadstone have been worked at
different times----ron is so abundant
among the mountains, that it frequently
''crops out" to use miners phrase-and,
of late years, large bodies of coal have
been discovered and worked to advan-
tage.
In.thc hands of am energetic race, Gu
-ba might be made the most desirable spot
on the face of the globe. 1t possesses an
inexhaustible soil, and climate so mild
that two crops of corn and sometimes
three are produced in year. Sugar, COT
fee, Tobacco Wax, Cocoa, Molasses, Rum,
Maize, Rice, &C., are cultivated with
yboundless success. The vegetable king
dom is rich, beyond the imagination of
persons who have spent their lives in such
a, climate as this. The Mahogany tree,
the Cd3ar, Lignamvite, every kind of
Ebony, the Palm, the Chestnut, the Pine
Apple, the Orange, the Custard Apple,
the Medlar,-all plants useful in medi-
cine or for food-grow here, in the Wild
est profusion. The woods abound with
birds, and the streams with fish. All
these are attractions which naturally
tempt the filibuster; and the beauty of
Cuba is likely to prove as troublesome to
:. her, as that of Italy has always been to
her children.