PORTO RICO 



67 



pipes from the upland streams; aiui 

 everywhere measures have been taken to 

 reduce the severity of epidemics or to 

 stamp them out, sometimes at the cost 

 of buildings whose dynamited ruins show 

 how frequent in some areas were the 

 abodes of domestic animals that trans- 

 mitted disease. On the whole, Porto 

 Rico of today is a healthful island, with 



beach grape and lupine vegetation. To- 

 ward the nortliwest howe\er, bold head- 

 lands terminate in cliffs at the water's 

 edge, below which there are Ijroken 

 l)Oulders and tide pools that support 

 \aried forms of seaweeds and of animal 

 life, and constitute rich fields for the 

 collector. The peripheral portions of the 

 island and the wide outer parts of the 



The way into the cave narrows until after four hundred yards or more of walking and scrambling and creep- 

 ing, one emerges into daylight through a small hole on the other side of the hUl. Relics of the ancient tribes Colum- 

 bus found in Porto Rico have been discovered in these caves 



a warm climate well tempered by the 

 trade winds, and well cultivated almost 

 everj^where. With its splendid roads 

 a;nd natural beauties, it is and will al- 

 ways be attractive to the casual trav- 

 eler, as well as to the investigator of its 

 scientific character and resources. 



The shores for the most part are even 

 beaches of sand, with the characteristic 



valleys bear enormous fields of sugar 

 cane, which is one of the great staple 

 products. On these alluvial coastal por- 

 tions citrus fruits also are grown exten- 

 sively, as well as pineapples. Altogether, 

 the impression that is early made upon 

 the visitor is one of intense agricultural 

 industry — an impression that deepens 

 as one's acquaintance grows. 



