262 CUBA AND PORTO RICO 



Concepcion de la Vega, on the river Camu, one of the 

 tributaries of the Yuna, a short distance from Santiago, is 



the successor to a famous old town established by Coluni- 

 bus in 1504, which was located six miles northwest. This 

 town lies in the center of a beautiful savanna completely 

 surrounded by hills, and is laid out rectangularly, with the 

 usual plaza in the center. It has a cathedral out of all 

 proportion to the population, an imposing structure of 

 stone with many arches. Six miles from the town is 

 the famous cerro of Columbus, which I have previously 

 mentioned. Upon the level top of this hill is a wooden 

 church belonging to the Brothers of Mercy and command- 

 ing a superb view of the Vega Real. 



Puerta Plata is the principal northern seaport, having 

 good anchorage and an extensive trade in tobacco. It 

 has an estimated population of fifteen thousand, and is 

 the outlet of the Vega Real district, being connected by 

 rail with Santiago. It is said that this city was planned 

 by Columbus on his first voyage. 



Azua de la Compostela, situated about fifty- five miles 

 west of San Domingo city, is the next town of importance 

 on the south coast, but has only fifteen hundred inhabi- 

 tants. It is in an arid plain, previously described, but the 

 adjacent country abounds in salt and asphaltum, and near 

 by are vast grazing-grounds as well as prosperous cane- 

 fields. 



Of the many villages, Samana, on the northern side of 

 Samana Bay, has about one thousand inhabitants ; Monte 

 Cristi, on the northern coast, thirty miles east of Cape 

 Haitien, three thousand ; and Seybo, fifty miles northeast 

 of San Domingo city, five thousand. 



