The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-06-12
A WARSH|P'S DIARY,
Porto Rico, San Juan and Gull
ebfa Visited.
THE TREASURE ISLAND"
Made Famons7by Observation-Disclosures
Account Of the Fighting Ground
of San Juan.
PUERTO RICO.

TUERIO RICO.
The Island of Puerto Rico is los miles
long, 81 broad, and has an area Of $3.50
square miles. The highest mountain,
5000 feet, can be seen from where we
anchored. 1900 rivers, some OF them
quite largerwatea- this little island,
and make tone Of the most fertile and
beautiful spots O n 1.-the earth. The is
land is smaller than Jamaica, but it's
exports amount .tothe double value of
the latter island.4s.s
Columbus discovered the island in
November, 1893, on his second voyage
from Spain. He landed within gun
shot of the present city of San Juan,
but the natives YER not friendly and
his stay was short. Don Ponce de
Leon, who accompanied him, was so
impressed by the natural beauty of the
island, that he returned in 1908, after
many adventures, and two years later
built the first town, now called Puerto
Viejo, and in 1911 founded San Juan
itself. There were then 100000 Indi-
ans on the island. but these were soon
compelled to turn against the Span
iards, and for a time it looked as if the
latter would be wiped out of existence.
Superior science and arms prevailed.
and a century later the simple Indians.
driven like oxen under the yoke of
slavery and ravaged by disease, had
become nearly extinct, as had been the
case in Hayti. All through thes17th
century and far into the 18th, the beau
ty and richness of the Island were left
to flourish in lonely d%esolation, save
for a few places feebly held by Spanish
soldiers on the coast, and here and
there languishing settlements. 1t is
recorded that in 100 there were only
three villages in the whole island. and
in 1865 the entire population numbered
only $4,000. Strange to say that while
in this weak state the enemies of Spain
did not seize the place but that country
soon after awoke to the possibilities of
her possessions, and in 1915 the popu-
lation was increased by slaves and
peasants from Spain to 5000, of which
$4,000 were negro slaves. 1t had be-
come so strong now that when Lord
Abercrombie attacked it in 1897. he
had to give it up after a short siege.
After a century of neglect and solitude
it became one of the most thrifty and
populous islands of the Antilles. In,
1888 there we're 100000 inhabitants.
two-thirds of which were Spanish, and
creoles' of European descent.
The island is nearly everywhere ex-
tremely fertile, but the methods of
cultivation before the advent of the
Americans were very primitive. Oxen
were and are still harnessed to rude
implements by the horns, and prodded
with cruel goads. No crops are raised
on a large scale. and hardly any modern
appliances or processes are used.
The Islanders made a movement in
1920 towards a declaration of indie
p%endence, but Spanish supremacy was
completely reestablished in 1923. The
island was declared a province of Spain
in 1870, and was divided into seven de-
partments, Of which San Juan is the
capital Spain ceaed the island to the
United States by the protocol signed
in August 1898, and our flag was
hoisted over the Government buildings
Of San Juan on the 18th of October,
1898.