The Madison journal., 1919-04-05
BY EDITH c. CAMERON.

w the the, "Ilr' mG 1m ~l"". IN m"m'n| ltm,'a "l
with plenty of fresh air and
sunshine" the question arose, Whcr"
10? The time was December, with all
the cold and diSa%:reablcneSS of IL
northern climate.
Someone suggested "Nhy not :" To
the Isle of Pines? There You could
rest and have all the sunshine ana
fresh air that YOU need.
So when learned that it is one Of
the most beautiful and interesting
spots To he found in the world, and
situated almost AT our very door, less
than two hundred miltS south nr Key
West and not aS far distant from New
York aS the Mississippi. | decided To
visit ii.
/ found there were many routes 10
choose from, but | selected the quick
est one, most commonly used, by way
of jacksonville. Fla. Miami. and the
delightful Sca-rail route to Key West.
From there Il sea trip of six hours
brings one To Havana. Cuba, and an
other by rail or auto. 81 miles, To Ba-
tabano, now the most important sea-
port on the south side of Cuba. The
trains run to the dock, where one can
take comfortable boat making the
trip to the Isle of Pines in Il few
hours.
ON reaching .IucarO, a port of entry,
we have our choice of number of
automobiles for Il ride over Il govern
mpnt turnpike road, called here a
calzada. To Santa Fe. distance of
| five miles. We cannot help being sur
prised at the fine road. almost equal
| ing any boulevard found in our north
| ern cities. Our Ohliging chauffeur
| tells us that there are about one hun
! dred miles of these calZada roads
| built and maintained by the govern
! ment.
All Comforts in Santa Fe.
In the picturesque little town of
Santa Fe, about five hundred feet
above sea level. is a hotel meeting
| every requirement of the most exact
| ing traveller. There are other less eX-
! penSivp establishments. Here are
| small American churches of almost
every denomination, ii bank. schools
| clubs for both men and women. {
chamber of commerce, IL large Ma
sonic temple and other institutions
found in average American communi
ties.
After resting and bathing in thu
Santa Rita thermal springs-the privi
Iege of guests of our hotel-one feel'
like new being. All the tirednes'
of the long "trip vaniShes.
The wealthy Spanish military AM
government classes came here from
Havana to spend the summer for gen
erations, as the Isle of Pines i
much cooler than Cuba. The bath
are marvellous for curing rheumatism
nervous troubles and obesity. Tn
water comes from iron and magnesi
springs.
The history of the isle is replet
with romance. How many of us know
| wonder, that Christopher Columbus
in his second trip To the new world
was lost in the keys, or small island:
surrounding the Isle of Pines for
number of days. finally landing on th
isle, upon which, after inspection an
replenishing his supply of water, h
bestowed the name of La Evangelist
(the EyangeD, later reaching the hal
Dor of Batabano, Cuba.
Pineapples and Pines.
II is questionable whether the Isl
Of Pines gets its name from the wOr
derful pineappleS, weighing frol
seven to fifteen pounds, growing ;
prOfuSely there, or to the pine tree
the udor of which. when the wind
blowing in the right direction, can /
noticed several miles from shore.
In early days the Isle of Pines. lii
many other islands of the Caribbea
was Il rendezvous for pirates, and Il
south part of the iS,and is often r