223 THE ISLAND OF CUBA, 



CHAPTEE XXXI. 



CUBA AND THE SLAVE TRADB. 



I MIGHT enumerate among the causes of the lowering o? 

 the temperature at Cuba during the winter months, the great 

 number of shoals with which the island is surrounded, and 

 on which the heat is diminished several degrees of centesimal 

 temperature. This diminished heat may be assigned to the 

 molecules of water locally cooled, which go to the bottom ; 

 to the polar currents, which are borne toward the abyss of 

 the tropical ocean, or to the mixture of the deep waters with 

 those of the surface at the declivities of the banks. But 

 the lowering of the temperature is partly compensated by 

 the flood of hot water, the Gulf Stream, which runs along 

 the north-west coast, and the swiftness of which is often 

 diminished by the north and northeast winds. The chain of 

 shoals which encircles the island, and which appears on our 

 maps like a penumbra, is fortunately broken on several 

 points, and those interruptions afford free access to the shore. 

 In the south-east part, the proximity of the lofty primitive 

 mountains renders the coast more precipitous. In that direc- 

 tion are situated the ports of Santiago de Cuba, G-uantanaino, 

 Baitiqueri, and (in turning the Punta Maysi) Baracoa. The 

 latter is the place most early peopled by Europeans. The 

 entrance to the Old Channel, from Punta de Mulas, W.N.IV. 

 of Baracoa, as far as the new settlement which has taken the 

 name of Puerto de las Nuevitas del Principe, is alike free 

 from shoals and breakers. Navigators find excellent an- 

 chorage a little to the east of Punta de Mulas, in the three 

 Kocks of Tanamo, Cabonico, and Nipe ; and on the weat o/ 



