The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-14

exempt from the diseases and draW-
backs (Which most subtropic countries
are subject In other words, 1t is a
habitable country for the Anglo-S Saxon,
which cannot always be said Of regions
under or near The equator This is
owing to the gact that the island is
billy and mountainous and contains
few swampy sections.
The central backbone of the island is
q mountain chain which reaches its
greatest altitude of {. 500 feet in the
peak Of the Luquillo Sierra. called III
Yunque. The chain rises near the Ca
beza de San Juan, in the extreme north
eastern point Of the island, and extends
throughout the interior, which is a
heaved up mass of moEntains, hills,
spurs and valleys, down from which
run the many streams of the island, es-.
tinated at 1900 in number
The length Of Porto Rico is yariously
given as from 95 to 105 miles, and its
breadth from 80 to 40, but probably q
safe estimate would make it about 100
miles in length and 50 in average
breadth, with a total area of about
8, 500 square miles. Though the greater
portion is hiily, even mountainous, the
elevations are generally of such CHAR
acter, with gently sloping sides ana
rounded SUBMITS, that they are suscepti-
BILE of cultivation to their very tops No
more beautiful picture can be imagined
than the aspect Of this island as it is
approached from the sea, with the
ranges Of hills rolling like pillows from
shore to mountain tops, which latter
are mostly forest clad, and tsus every
tint of vegetation is seen, from the most
delicate to the deepest shade Of green.
TO revert to the features which make
the island valuable as a naval station.
Although most of the streams descend
ing from the mountains flow north
wardly, yet very few have open or nav
igable harbors at their mouths, and
most Of the good ports are on the south
ern shore. The north coast boasts but
one really important barbor, that of San
Juan, the capital and only fortified city
of the island It is an inlet of the
northern coast, about one-thirtl the dis
tance from Cape San Juan, in She cast,
to Cape Pena Aguda, in the west. The
width of the navigable channel at its
mouth is about 400 yards, and when
the water is smooth vessels drawing five
fathoms can cross the bar in safety.
When storm is raging OF norther
blowing, the harbor mouth, Or 'sboca, I"
is a sheet of whirling, seething pillows,
! through which the most experienced
pilot can only navigate with extreme
risk. Inside, though exposed to the
northers, is deep and beautiful har-
Dor, which can doubtless be improved
by dredging and the building of break
| waters, which will make it safe even in
the hurricane season.
Arecibo, 35 miles west of San Juan,
is a place of Importance but has no
good barber, only an open roadstead, in
which vessels lie while their casgoes
are transferred by lighters to the shore
Rounding the northwest cape mag
nifcent bay is opened, that OF Aqua
dilla, with water deep enough for a
battleship, but with no good wharfs
The same may be said Of Mayaguez, to
the south, on the west coast. On the
south coast, going east, the first fine
harbcr is Guanica, where General Miles
landed his forces, with water enough
for large vessels; then the harbor CT
Ponce, with one channel carrying five
/ fathoms;. still farther east the ports Of
Salinas and Arroyo, and on the eastern
end of the island the ports Of Rumacao,
! Naguabo and Fajardo, small but safe,
with no great depth of water.
So it may be seen that there are har-
bors enough to suit all sorts of vessels
and all kinds of weather.
FREDERICK 4 OBER.