The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-15

filibusters and smugglers well know, II is
4 place to be avoided. The town and castle
stand on the east shore Of tongue Of land
between two rivers. one OF which Is the
famed Yumur., which drains that oeautfui
valley called the vale of Paradise.
About thirty miles distant. still travelling
easterly. Is Cardenas situated several miles
from the open sea- There is good depth or
water In the inner harbor. but the APP
proach cannot be made except by the aid oc
q pilot. Beyond again. some 100 miles. Ii
Sagua Ia Grande, on the river OK the same
name. twenty miles from its mouth. reach
ed only by vessels of light draught- East
eriy from Sagua, for a stretch of perhaps
eo0 miles, the coast Is 80 wild and rough
that 1t has been a resort for buccaneers
and smugglers for more than 30 years A
long hne of Gays guards its approaches. be
hind which lie broad bays and tree-iringed
lagoons-a perfect paradise Tor the iaWiess
men of the sea-
The largest harbor In this wild country
is Nuevitas, the port Of and connected by
rail with that important city, Puerto Prin-
eipe, near which is the present headquar-
tiers of the provisional government OF the
insurgents. 1t is twenty-five miles from
the city to Nuevitas. which lies several
miles up a river, with channel long and
narrow. but deep enough for the largest
vessels.
1t is easterly from this harbor that we
find the favorite resorts of the smugglers,
in the obscure ports of Nuevas Grandes.
Manati and Malagueta, which are small
and shallow. but connected with extensive
lagoons, forest surrounded, and with
streams of some consequence emptyinS
into them. The largest and best In this
immediate section is Puerto Padre. the
entrance to which is long and narrow. but
what the sailors call clean, with ooid
shores.
The most frequented harbor OF this sec
ton of the province of Santiago, wnich we
have now reached. Is Gibara. connected by
rail with the town of Holqun. an impor-
tant agricultural center. Gibara is not only
locally famous, but has an Importance at
taching to its history. for II is said 10 be
the first port on the Cuban coast entered
by Columbus, In 1892 Like the mariners OF
the present day, he was attracted by three
high mountains, called, from their fantas-
tic outlines. the Sugar Loaf the SADDLE
and the Table, which lie inland from and
abreast the harbor.
Good harbors are now numerous as We
pursue our course (still to the eastward).
such as Jururu. Bariay, Vita. Port Naran-
10 (of the Oranges), Sauna. Banes and Nipe.
which last is large enough. the mariners
say. to contain all the fleets of Europe.
Conspicuous landmarks for these harbors
are the Sierra de CRYSTAL Crystal noun
tain and the Pan of Sama, the last being
500 feet high.
Beyond, again. are Tanamo. Cebollas,
Cananova, Yaguaneque and Moa, the last
named being on a river with high banks
latter the sea coast mangroves are passed.
which leads into a tangled, tropical wilder
ness. The coast Is clean beyond this point,
and the goodly Ravens are SO numerous
that there is hardly room for their names
on an ordinary map OF Cuba. Port Jara-
qua Is one of those concealed from pryins
eyes by coral reefs. but deep and well shell
tered like Taco and Cayaguanique. Navas
Is in shape a horseshoe, 100 fathoms wide
and nine fathoms deep: Maravi is small
inlet, with a well-wooded river running
into II.
At last we come to that famous port,
Baracoa, discovered by Columbus In 1892.
and the existence OF which was betrayed
by the high mountain guarding II, called
the Yunque (the AnviD from its shape. and
visible from thirty-five to forty miles at
sea Yunque is what the Spaniards call
Mesa or table-topped elevation, for
est-covered and picturesque, its summit
having fertile soil and being cultivated.
Baracoas harbor Is small. but secure and
deep. and 1t is the shipping port of mil
lions of bananas and cocoanuts. raised in
the surrounding country. II lies but TWEEN
ty-two miles distant from the extreme east
ern tip Of Cuba. Cape Maysi. between the
two being two small harbors. Bona and
Ma;a. each small. but with abundant wood
and water available for small craft These
latter may seem but small considerations
to iandsmen. but to the sailors aboard a
small craft with limited capacity for pro-
visions wood and water are the first things
thought OF in seeking port.
The Spaniards are not noted for their lib
eralry to mariners. either In providing
their coast with warning lights and bea-
cons. or in their treatment of shipwrecked
sailors after their vessels have been
stranded. but there is a light at either end
Of Cuba. and that at Cape Maysi is one
OF the notable ones OF the world. The tow
er OF Faro Concha tthe Shell lighD is but
12S feet high. but 1t stands conspicuous,
and can be seen in clear weather about
seventeen miles at seea. Behind II is a
vast stretch OF desoiate territory once
the abode of Indians, whose remains are
still found In the numerous caves In the
lime rock. IL is the best-known light on
the Cuban coast, for all the ships that go
TO Jamaica. to Hayti. to the south coast
OF Cuba, pass within a few miles of it,
Tho point on which Il stands was doubled
by Columbus on his first voyage to Amer
lea, and, like nearly all the places we
have named in this enumeration OF avail
able harbors for fi,ibusters. is still dis
tinguished by tts aboriginal appelation.
But. although the Indian names remain
the people who bestowed them have long
since passed away. victims of oppression
and cruelty. at the hands OF the Spaniards,
who have held and have misgoverned -,
fair Isle during the greater part OF four
centuries.
THE SPANISH ELECTIONS.