Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-04-15
ALL EYES ON CUBITAS
CHOSEN AS GOVERNMENTAL SEAT OF
 THE CUBAN REPUBLIC.

The Gibraltar of the west-said to Be Ab-
 soiutely Impregnaole-A veritable Mil
 itary Garden-Couid Not Be Starved Out.
 How the President Transmits Orders.
 Cubitas, pronounced Koobetas, with the accent on the second syllable, al- though almost unknown to the outside world, is, for many reasons, one of the most important and most interesting localities on the island of Cuba-tirst, because it has been chosen for the seat of government of the Cuban republic; second, because nature has made 1t not only one of the most beautiful places on the face of the globe, but at the same time it is absolutely impregnable from the assault of any ordinary force which could be brought to bear against it.
 The Sierra de Cubitas is, i'll fact, an- other Gibraltar, rising almost abruptly from the beautiful rolling plains of Camaguey Although spoken of as the mountains of Cubitas, it is really an ele- vated plateau, rising to an altitude of perhaps TOO feet and forming the arc of circle, with it's concave side facing the Atlantic ocean, or rather that arm of the ocean known to navigators as the Old Bahama channel.
 This plateau or tableland has length from east to west of about 8 miles, it's width varying from one to three miles. The view in any direction is magnifi- cent. Beautiful rolling prairies, dotted with charming groves of cocoanut and royal palms, sweep away from the base of the Cubitas. Twenty miles to the north can be seen the dark blue of the sea-
 To the southward lies that interesting relic of the sixteenth century, the city of Puerto Principe, with it's Spanish garrison of 10, 900 soldiers. But they never dream of molesting the seat of the Cuban government although distant only days march. The Spanish com manders know too well that an attack on Cubitas would bring them nothing but death and disaster The place is de- tended today by less than 1000 insur- gents belonging to the department of General Carillo, but even if deprived of arms and ammunition they could suc- cessfully defend this natural fortress with loose rock picked from the ground.
 The approaches from the plain below gradually terminate in narrow defiles, which turn and twist, rise and fall, un- til riders of the nimble and surefooted Cuban ponies are compelled to dismount and in single file lead their animals to the top. A thousand points of vantage could be found where rocks, hurled down the precipitous sides, would ami hilate any enemy sent against the place.
 Nor could the defenders be starved out This beautiful and fertile plateau is now under perfect cultivation. Here are raised sweet potatoes, peas, beans, cassava from which excellent bread is made, and fruit grows in abundance. The tableland of Cubitas is veritable military garden, i'll which President Cisneros takes very pardonable pride. In fact, the majority of the insurgents who garrison the place spend most of their time tilling the soil and gathering the crops. When this duty becomes irk- some and a soldier longs for active serv- ice in the field, he is exchanged for some poor fellow who, after weeks of hard riding, is glad of little rest. Gu bitas, with it's superb climate even in summer, is an excellent place in which to recover from irritating wounds and overfatigue.
 From the top of this plateau Presi- dent Cisneros and his cabinet admins ter the laws of the new republic Cou- riers mounted on fleet Camaguey horses whose ancestors came over from Arabia come and go every hour of the day and night. In this way the government is made aware of every move anticipated or executed by the various generals in command, and orders are transmitted to them with precision and dispatch New York Herald