167 The pearl of the antilles? 



And, on the far side of the lake, we also counted nearly 100 

 flamingos. It seemed apparent that the old nesting sites must have 

 been located in the shallows at both the east and west tips of 

 Enriquillo. The Jimini end is especially suitable, but it is doubtful 

 if they will ever nest there again. 



Back in Ciudad Trujillo I met the Director General de Fomento 

 y Turismo and discussed with him the great attraction that these 

 colorful birds might have for tourists. He was politely interested. 

 Then, after a short visit to Haiti where I was told, in effect, that 

 so long as the people were hungry, and poorly housed and clothed, 

 nothing could be done about flamingo protection I headed for 

 Cuba. It was evident that flamingos were no longer nesting any- 

 where in Hispaniola, except possibly on He de la Gonave off the 

 coast of Haiti, but I had great hopes for Cuba. I meant to find 

 out for myself if it took me the rest of the summer. 



The entire region near the delta salinas of the Rio Cauto in 

 Cuba is one of great beauty. Whether you come overland by 

 omnibus, more than 500 miles by the Central Highway from 

 Havana, or fly in by way of Camaguey, you see crowded little 

 towns, broad valleys, with their magnificent clusters of stalwart 

 royal palms, and the miles upon miles of living fence rows, the 

 posts all rooted, and branched, and green with fresh leaves. Then, 

 as you get into Oriente Province, at the eastern tip of the island, 

 you see the mountains the Sierra Maestra and Pico Turquino, 

 highest peak in Cuba. From the sea, off the coast near Manzanillo, 

 it is a sight worth stopping for, even when you have traveled that 

 far just to see flamingos. 



I had arranged, through one of my Cuban friends, for a cruise 

 into the Rio Cauto with the local members of the Navy. It 

 sounded like a very good arrangement, as these marineros, besides 

 affording the protection of their official craft and personnel in that 

 isolated district, were said to be commanded by an officer, el 

 capitdn del puerto, in fact, who was reportedly much interested in 

 flamingos. Soon I was in the humid little seaport town of Man- 

 zanillo and walking with my friend, Arturo, toward the water- 

 front building occupied by el capitdn. 



He was a slight, sharp-featured man of about sixty years, alert 



