94 Naturai> History Bulletin. 



I decided to visit •• El Capitan *' at once. Landing at an old 

 dock leading to an abandoned sugar-house, we passed on to 

 an inhabited house and inquired for horses. There were none 

 to be had. \Ve glanced at the road and knew that we were 

 in for an experience with such roads as only Cuba can furnish. 

 The mud \vas knee-deep in places, but we plunged in and 

 started on a tramp of unknown length, through sloughs and 

 puddles of unknown depth, with just enough concealed stones 

 and jagged rocks to break the monotony of the walk. The 

 mosquitoes enjoyed the excursion, however, and our counte- 

 nances were soon covered with mud splashes, and blood from 

 the slain insects. Clean collars and shirts were wilted before 

 half a mile was traversed. Our •• good clothes"' were fairl}-- 

 plastered with mud as sticky as putty, and our good temper 

 was completelv gone. 



At this juncture a turn in the road revealed a horseman in 

 uniform, who proved to be •• El Capitan " himself, who spoke 

 about as much English as we did Spanish. He was extremelv 

 affable, but the utmost persuasion, and even an official letter 

 from the authorities at Havana, could not extract his per- ' 

 mission to send a land part}- for the purpose of exploring the 

 fauna of the mountain slope before us. His hands were tied, 

 he said, by strict orders, and it had been reported that a vessel 

 from the United States with three hundred revolutionists on 

 board was expected to land somewhere on that coast, and the 

 unmistakable inference was that he was by no means certain 

 that the '• Emily E. Johnson "' was not that vessel. The fact 

 of ladies being on board failed to convince him of our inno- 

 cence. We would be permitted to work on the water or in 

 the water, but not to go more than thirtv vards from the shore 

 line. Thus our cherished plan of doing some naturalizing on 

 the Island of Cuba was blocked, and we were forced to con- 

 tent ourselves with the meagre concessions granted. During 

 the whole of our stay the party was under constant suspicion. 

 and subjected to repeated visits by the officials and soldiers, 

 who were always polite, but evidentlv under orders to scruti- 

 nize ever^-thing and every one on board the schooner. 



