uS^O. 1.] MATTHEW — IMPRESSIONS OF CUBA. 19 



IMPRESSIONS OF CUBA. 



By Gr. F. Matthew. 



Haviag been recommended several years ago to try a sea 

 voyage for the benefit of my health, I accepted the invitation of 

 some very kind friends to visit Cienfuegos, a town on the south 

 ^ide of Cuba. My voyage was made in the winter of 1866-67, 

 and I remained two months and a half on the Island. The 

 following pages contain a short description of such of the natural 

 features of the country as still remain impressed on my memory, 

 together with a few remarks upon its people, industries and 

 vecretation. 



We sailed from New York on Christmas Day, and after being 

 buffeted about by contrary winds for a fortnight, at length 

 entered the trade-wind region and sped onward toward the West 

 Indies. On entering this zone of "N. E. Trades," the pale 

 misty sky of the North Atlantic is at once exchanged for one of" 

 the clearest blue, and the ill defined horizon for one of the 

 greatest distinctness ; so that the voyager is no longer left in 

 doubt as to the line where sky ends and sea begins. 



The azure ocean in these latitudes hag a fascination for one 

 accustomed to the dull green hues of our northern seas, while 

 the floating:: gulf-weed with its miniature world of living forms, 

 and the new kinds of fishes — reflecting from their sides in metal- 

 lie tints the color of the waters in which they find a home — are 

 sights upon which the eye dwells with ever increasing pleasure. 



With the charming weather which prevails on the southern 

 coast of Cuba during the winter months, the voyager as he creeps 

 along can thoroughly enjoy the ever-changing views presented by 

 that magnificent range of mountains — the Sierra Maestra. This 

 range extends along the coast from near Cape Maysi, the eastern 

 extremity of the Island, to Cape Cruz, a distance of tAvo hundred 

 and fifty miles, and has many sharp peaks of great height. For 

 long distances it rises boldly from the sea, presenting beetling 

 clifi's several hundred feet high. 



At the eastern and western ends of this elevated tract of land, 

 walls of rock may be seen to extend for scores of miles along the 



