We went to the cave-fissure discov- 

 ered by Gonzalez and worked there, 

 aided by many of the mountain peo- 

 ple, who were greatly interested in 

 the search and who gave us the 

 hospitality of their homes — in return 

 for national lottery tickets which they 

 valued more highly than money. 

 This fissure, evidently leached out of 

 the limestone by the action of water, 

 was about fifteen feet deep by three 

 hundred feet in length and opened 

 into a short cave. After cutting away 

 the brush and orchids that partly 

 filled the opening, we were soon at 

 work turning over the mud. Bones 

 showed here and there but were not 

 plentiful. In a week we had com- 

 pleted [this work and secured much 

 material but nothing new to Dr. La 

 Torre's collection. 



I doubt not that this fissure was 

 long ago, as it is to-day, a cistern to 

 which the animals whose bones are 

 preserved there came to drink. Dur- 

 ing the dry season one ma}* go a long- 

 distance in parts of Cuba without find- 

 ing water. [A fact that was taken 

 advantage of by the Spanish soldiers, 

 who poisoned the wells and water 

 holes. Nature had provided for the 

 patriots however, for all through the 

 islands there is a vine in the forests 

 that resembles the grape and is called 

 bejuco de parra from which a section 

 three feet long will yield a drink of 

 pure cool water.] 

 After other localities nearby had been examined for fossils without not- 

 able results, we determined to visit Ciego Montero on the south coast whence 

 came the type specimen of Megalocnus. The Banos de Ciego Montero, 

 meaning the " bath of the blind field man," is about thirty miles northwest 

 of Cienfuegos near a small river, the Analla. Here are three thermal springs 

 close together having temperatures respectively of 93, 96 and 98 degrees 

 fahrenheit. Around the one of 96 degrees, the best known thermal spring 

 on the island, a hotel with swimming pools has been built. The spring of 98- 



224 



A drink on the trail. The bejuco de 

 parra, resembling a grape vine, grows in 

 forested regions. A section two inches 

 in diameter and three feet long will fur- 

 nish a drink of pure cool water 



