The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1869-01-30
?he Queen of the Antilles.
INTERESTING SKETCH OF THE Is Ian,

INTERESTING 81 kErcH OF THE IS LAND
(From the " r: Commercial Jomrnalj
Recent advices leave us little
room to doubt that the days Of the
Spanish colonial government in
Cuba are numbered. The upris.
ing OF its people is becoming
quite general, and if it continues
TO extend until it reaches the ne.
gro-popled sugar plantations of
the interior, Spain may bid fare
we'll to it forever. Hitherto the
inhabitants have submitted % her
yoke, chiefly because of the dis
tracteI condition of the other
portions of Spanish America
which have been freed therefrom.
Now, however, they can find, in
annexation to the United States,
all the advantages and none of
the disadvantages of an indie pen
dent position. 1t would not,
therefore, greatly surprise lis if
they embraced the opportunity
which the revolution in Spain has
placed within their reach of be-
coming q State of our Union.
The mineral wealth OF Cuba is
very great, especially in col ,per,
iron and loadstone. 1t also pos
scsses gold and silver and coal
mines. Its marbles are rich and
varied, including serpentine, cal
eedony, quartz ETC., but our
knowledge. as to its geoIo gical
structure is neither accurate nor
extensive. Its true riches, how
ever, are to be found in the al
most incredible fertility Of its
soil, which yields two, and s. ONE
times even three crops OF In dian
corn in year, and produce 5 su-
gar, coffee, tobacco, cocoa, ETC.,
in great abundance. Its forests
OF m4 hogany, ebony, cedar, fustic,
and other useful woods, are also
exten nsive. Its trade is carried on
chiefly through Havana, the capi-
tai. Cuba is the largest and most
westerly of the group of islands
known as the Antilles; it is about
third larger than Hayti, and
nearly five times larger than ia
maica. Its geographical posi-
ton, the great number of its
ports, OF which there are more
than fifty along its seaboard, all
afford safe anchor for ships, aud
being easyof access, comb lined
with the fertility Of its teening
soil, render it just now peculiarly
interesting to American citizens.
The most remarkable of its
ports are those OF Havana, Ma
t;lnza, Nuevitas, Jibaro and Ba-
racoa, ou the north, and st. Jago,
Manzanillo, Santa Cruz, Trinidad,
Jagua and Batabano on the south.
The larbors of: Bahia Honda,
Sipe, Naranjo and Guantanamo
art also very spacious, and have
plenty of water tor such large
vessels US may he in want of a
safe port. The island is traversed
from east to west by a noun tain.
GUS ridge, which attains its high,
est elevation, about 5000 feet, at
the eastern side. At the foot g.
these highlands the country is
spread out in extensive and beau
tifnl savannas, and from the
mountain sides issue a considera.
+ bEe number OF rivulets, whereby
both coasts of the island are album
dantly irrigated These pelluciG
streams are SUI Piled with fish ir
great variety, and are said tt
~ have golden sands. There art
also many mineral springs, cele
biated for their medicinal proper
ties, and on the north Goa st O.
the island are several lagoons
! which, in dry years, prodace inn
nense quantities of marine salt
Such is o brief sketch of thu
Queen of the Antilles, now con
tending for q separation from thu
mother country, which has no
yet secured for herself the legiti
mate fruits of her own revolution
: IL would be little better thar
mawkish sentilnentality ON tn,
part of Americans to pretend tina
they were uninterestetl spectator
OF the effort which may possibly
enc long, result in the setting .
thls rich gem i'm the constellation
Of the United States. rs
LucK.--'T don't have any COED laek.'
Ridge! What do you expect, you mer'
pamhler ls the world TO tarn frDm it
aay and business to sweeten you up
pM you Oh ycur pins, and then retnfl
70 70 own afairs! Not If it knows it
sef; and the popular prejudice ID thu
aas sumo acquaintance In that line.
yoa expect '.lRck. = % il is termed. with
v srking like q goed fsllow fer il
J3a viii hA dlrannnin$,.sl and wnn kssafsh