The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-27

contain two formations OF compact lime
stone. one Of claycy sandstone, and another
OF gypsum Caverns abound in the lime
stone formations.
The rivers flow TO the north and south
The largest is the Cauto rising In the Sierra
del Cohro and falling into the Ray of Buona
Esperanza on the southern coast. after
course of fifty leagues. for twenty Of which
it is rnvigabc by boats. though IN low
water obstructcd by bars. Northeast Of
Guantanamo. in the hill OF Moa, In the
southeastern sierra, there is formed a'huge
cavern in which the river Moa descends
from height of 100 yards forming SUI
perb cascade The principal OF the other
rivers are the Sagua 10 Chica, the North
and South latibonica. the Cuyaguateje.
Sasa .Agobama and Hapahama.
AS In other lands on the border of the
tropics, the year in Cuba Is divided be-
tween hotter and wetter season, cores
pondmg to the northern declination of the
sun, and cooler aud dryer period. The
months from the beginning of Mny TO pc-
toher are called the wet season, though rain
falls ia every month Of the year. win
May spring begins. rain and thunder are
almost OF daily occurrence and the tempcra
lure rises u4Rn. WIN lltlt IHlly
ON mean OF seven years the rainfall at
Havana IN the wet season has been chserv-
cd 10 be 27.S inches, In the dry I1onths l2.7
inches. At Havana the months OF July and
August the average temporal IS 81 dc
sreos Fahrenheit ductuating between
maximum Of 81 degrees and minimum OF
~ degrees. In tho cooler months OF pecem-
Der and January the thermometer averages
- degrees. the lowest record being OK de
greos Put 80 the Interior at elevations of
over 600 feet above the sea, the hermome-
ter occasionally falls to the freezing point
in winter aud during north winds thin ice
may form. though snow " unknown In the
island From 10 to T. o'clock are the hot
test hours of the day In the summer
months; after noon a refreshing breeze sets
i'm from the Pea. Hurricanes may occur
from August to October. but they are les~
frequent than In Jamaica or Hayti, ana
sometimes five or six years may pass Win
out a storm. Slight shocks Of earthquake
are occasionally felt
The mineral riches OF the island have
not been exposed to any considerable OK
tent. Though gold and silver have undoubt-
edly been found In the island, the quantity
has never been sufficient to repay the labor
of search. Gold was sent TO Spain from the
island by the early settlers. hut II was
more probnbly the accumulated wealth OF
The aborigines In previous centuries, wresi-
tH liblu Nb'u ~ Ngitiih1 49, -
the period Of the conquest, than the pro-
ducts of honest labor on the part OF the
oolonsts Traces of auriferous sand are
found In several OF tho rivers. Some speci-
mems OF the finest gold have been obtained
from the workings OF the river Agamba and
Sagua la Grande. but at an expense of
time and labor that could not remuncrate
the parties engaged in II.
In 1927 silver and copper were discoy-
cred. The Cobre copper mines. twelve miles
from Santiago. IN the eastern part OF the
island, are OF great extent and very rich
a village Of 1000 inhabitants formed on
their site. and II railroad united them with
the shipping port of Punta de sal before
the present war. AS much as fifty tons OF
ore was taken out daily. the richest part
OF which was sent TO Europe while the
poorer part was smelted at the works
yielding about "a per cent NJ metal These
mines were wrought with some success
during the Seventeenth century and had
been abandoned for more than hundred
years. Coal of highly bituninous nature
affording a strong heat, is abundant
A thick slate is found near Havana
Marbles. jaspers. are plentiful. IL is be-
lieyed that there is iron In the mountains
The fauna OF the island Is more limited
than the fora variety OF opozsum called
the jutia is the largest indigenous animal.
There are Wild dogs and Wild cats, descend
tl rum tdlnt hllHtHlss HEu lNtTf are lew
deer In the swamps, probably brought there
from the mainland.
The forests are vast and so dense as TO
be almost impeneirable. II Ia estimated that
there are 20.000.00D acres OF Wild land, a.
900 600 acres Of which are unciearcd forest.
Mahogany, Cuban ebony, cedar, sabacei and
other hard woods are indigenous and were
exported TO a considerable extent before the
war. The palm is the queen of the Cuban
forests. There are several valuable varle-
Ties on the island. All tropical fruits are
found wild in abundance. Sweet potatoes,
other farinaceous roots and Indian corn are
indigenous. SO Is cassava, sweet and Bit
ter. The sweet is used as a vegetable and
bread Is made Of the bitter after it's poison
Gus juice is extracted. Rice, chocolate and
cocoa are also grown.
Sugar. tobacco and coffee arc the chief
agricultural! products. The sugar trade was
hurt hy the cultivation Of beet root sugar
IN other countries. The FIRST coffee planta-
ton was established In l7ls. The coffee