Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-11

THE CUBAN IGUANA-NoT AT L PRETTY,
U VERY P%ALATABLE.
ing. Soon after they landed on the is
land the Spaniards began the inhuman
tactics that have largely characterized
their policy aver since. The extinction
Of the native population led to the in
PRODUCTION Of negroes to work Oh the
plantations. This importation of negroes
continued for centuries, until now the
bulk Of the population is composed of
that race.
During the latter part of the six
teenth century and during most of the
seventeenth Cuba suffered greatly from
the attacks Of the buccaneers. In TIT
a revolt against the Spanish admins
traitors of the island broke out in conse-
quence of the attempt of the govern
ment to establish a tobacco monopoly.
Since then there have been a series of
revolts and Instructions against the
Spanish rulers, but all Of them proved
abortive until the last just closed,
which would probably have ended like
all the rest, but for the humane inter
ference of the United States.
Cuba, the Pearl Of the Antilles, is
the largest, the most important and the
w%ealthiest island of the West Indian
archipelago. IT lies at the entrance to
the gulf of Mexico and forms all irreg-
ular curve Of about 900 miles in length,
extending from Cape Maysi on the east
to Cape San Antonio OH the west. Its
width varies from 20 to 1876 miles, and
it's area, including dependencies,
amounts to al, 278 square miles.
The island is intersected by a range
Of mountains, more Or less broken,
which extends through it from east to
west and from which the rivers de-
scend to the sea on each side. From
Cape Maysi to Cape Cruz the range
called the Sierra Maestro skirts the
southern shore for a distance of 200
miles. At the west end of the island
the mountains also approach the coast.
Among these ranges lie fertile valleys,
some of which are 200 miles long and
80 broad. The highest peaks i'll the
Sierra Maestro range, and in fact in the
island, are Pico Turquino, rising G, 200
feet above the level of the sea, and La
Gran Piedra, which ascends to a height
of 5, 200 feet.
The mountain regions of Cuba are ex-
tremely picturesque, but very sparsely
settled, and for the most part little
known. A person might travel for
weeks in these solitudes and never see
a human habitation or any evidence
that man had ever been there. Their
slopes are usually covered by forests
and dense jungles, whose vegetation,
constantly moistened by innumerable
streams and brooks and by the rains
and dews, is rankly luxuriant. I'm
mense mineral wealth is supposed to be
hidden in the bowels of these noun
tains. but SO far copper is the only
metal that has been mined to any con-
siderable extent.
The entire coast Of Cuba, it might be
said, is protected by rocky reefs and
muddy shadows, which in many in.
stances stretch far out into the sea.
These are exceedingly dangerous and
have proved fatal to large vessels as
we'll as to smaller craft. On many parts
of the coast the sea is very deep quite
close inshore and Affords excellent har-
bors for vessels plying OH the busiest
sea road in the western hemisphere.
There are many islands lying off the
coast Of Cuba, the largest and most i'm
portant being the Isle Of Pines, a fa-
nous health rescYt. Epidemics are un-
known on this favored spot, and its in
habitants are secure from the attacks
Df yellow fever. Many wealthy Cubans
live here, and delightful villas and ele-
CANT residences are frequently seen
e~nsconced in palm and pine groves and
surrounded by gorgeous fringes Of flow.
ers. For some u%naccountable reason the
pine tree Of our northern regions -four.
ishes to perfection in this delightful
isle. Its presence there may have some
thing to do with the salubriousness of
the place.
Almost every part Of Cuba is supplied
with fresh and generally pure water.
There are many rivers, but none Of
them is Of great length, except the Ian.