42 CUBA AND POKTO RICO 



south of Havana, commencing cast of the village of San- 

 tiago, is a range of low, timbered hills, surrounded hy 

 plains, including the Tetas de Managua, the Areas de Ca- 

 nasi, the Lomas de Camoa, the Escalera de Jaruco (which 

 is visible from a great distance), and the Pan de Matanzas. 

 Along the north coast between Havana and Matanzas there 

 are many of these hills, which, as remarked by Humboldt, 

 afford some of the most beautiful scenic prospects in the 

 world. The occurrence of these lower timbered summits 

 in a region which is generally level plain has afforded a 

 safe retreat for bands of insurgents, who made them a base 

 for frequent incursions upon the outskirts of Havana and 

 Matanzas. 



For a brief interval these hills die out in eastern Matan- 

 zas, but upon crossing into Santa Clara, and from thence 

 on into Santiago de Cuba, they reappear as long crest-lines 

 and flat-topped plateaus, following a line near and parallel 

 with the north coast, including the Sierras Zatibonico and 

 Cubitas. The last-named ridge was an impregnable in- 

 surgent stronghold during the revolution of 1895-98, and 

 was for a time the seat of the insurgent government. 



These mountains continue along the north side of the 

 island as far east as Gribara and Baracoa, where they become 

 inextricably mixed with the remarkable topographic fea- 

 tures known as the cuchillas the remnants of a dissected 

 upland plain, cut into a thousand canons and salients, 

 which are more fully discussed under the head of the 

 limestone plains. 



The third group of high mountains occupies a limited area 

 between Cienfuegos and Santo Espiritu, on the south side 

 of the central portion of the island and to the northward of 

 the city of Trinidad, and entirely south of the axial group 

 above described. These are less angular than the emi- 

 nences of the Sierra Maestra, and consist of central summits 

 with radiating slopes, the highest of which is El Potrerillo, 

 2900 feet. They are composed of semi-crystalline lime- 

 stones and shales, which have been doubtfully considered 



