The times., 1898-06-27

renheit, and ii is very strongly impreg-
mated with nitrogen, carbolic acid gases.
chloride of sodium. sulphate of lime, nj
trate of lime, iron, magneSia silver, chlo-
ride of calcium and nobody knows what
other constituents. making about the
nastiest drink imaginable. Besides 1t the
SAVIOR of added eggs, common to most
mineral springs, is as amorosia, and
even the smell of it generally acts as
lively emetic on newcomers.
The regulation cure here. as prescribed
by the Cuban doctors for almost every
disease known to materia medica, is four
glasses day of the water and two baths;
bu Il is probable that the pine odors,
the v srm, pure air and simple diet and,
above all, faith. have muc- to do with it.
At any rate, a great many surprising
cures have been effected, particularly OF
bronchial, rheumatic and scrofu!ous COM
plants. Invalids have been brought from
the steamers litters apparently just
ready TO give up the ghost, who in
weeks time have been riding over the
hills on horseback and In month have
gone home good as new and well as
anybody.
II the springs were managed by some
sensible. wlde-awake. judicious Anglo
Saxon they would soon pecome the sani-
tarium of the continent, besides which
Las Vegas in New Mexico, White Sui
phur in Virginia, Saratoga and other or
our spas would hide their diminished
heads. As it u.s. life here is not unen-
durable, though lacking many of the
creature comforts" to which Northern-
ers are accustomed. Mere pleasure
seekers would better stay away but one
whose health is at stake can afford TO
/ fight abounding yermin and put UP with
short commons for a season. Fleas.
reaches. spiders, thousand wrigglias.
crawling, Stinging creatures beset you
continually on the Isle of Pines. You
! lind The pests between the sheets and in
| the food. They pre-emF- your shoes 1T
night. and the garments you are wearn,
| by day, and If they do not take bodily
! possession Of you, whole colonies of them
/ settling down comfortably in your HAIR
and ears and nostrils while you are caIch-
! ing forty winks" of troubled slumbcr in
| the intervals Of warfare, you are e1cep-
tionally fortunate. Even Eden had its
/ serpent, you know. and doubtless more
| advanced stage of civilization here Will
/ evolve some means of diminishing The
/ plague of yermin.
/ Expenses at this spa are very moderate.
| The best hotel charges S2.25 per diem,
| American money for its choicest accom-
! modations, including baths. Saddle horses
/ may be hired for $50 per day and ear
| riageS at proportionate rates There are
| iiidiIy Walks ana uTlNeS IN The
! neighboring hills, and interesting all-day
! excursions may be made 10 sugar es-
tate and pine apple plantations. The ma
| tives of Isle de los Pines are a simple
kind-hearted people whose greatest
! pleasure seem TO be chatting with strang-
ers and listening 10 their accounts of the
| outer world. To them. all beyond the no
! rtzon's rim, or at most beyond the iimi-i
| OF Cuba, is terra incognita of more thar
| Mupchausen wonder The young child.
! rem go about entirely naked, and the uni
versal innocence, combined with the iit
most dignity and punctilious courlesy. i:
charming to behold.
The soil is extremely fertile but only
a small portion of the island is under cul.
tivation. a few of the green valley:
are used as cattle ranges. Tobacco and
! sugar are cultivated TO a limited extent
( and pineapples are perhaps the stark
product. There has been some trade II
wOods-mahogany, pine and cedar. anC
might be much more Spirits OF turpen
tine. pitch. tar. sulphur, tortoise shell anC
crystals are also among the possible ex-
ports Silver. quicksilver and iron exis
in the hills, and the marble quarries
are practically inexhaustiDie. The grea
swamp, known locally as La CianRga
1 tthe crocodile) is totally uninhabited ex,
cept by a few half-savage negro Usher
men. most OF whom were run-aways dur
ing slavery days. There is no access e
its green jungles except by dangerous anS
uncertain footpaths on the land side, o
by two-days sailboat journey from Nue
yO Corona, through tortuous caannel
known only to the initiated. The whole
place is said 10 be swarming with ser
pents and crocodiles of exaggerated size