GEOLOGY OF PART OF CUBA. 207 
we could not fail to observe. All the isolated limestone peaks and mountains which 
range in the direction of the principal chain, are surrounded at their bases by trap, 
greenstone, or diabase, and by greatly modified rocks. 
The next limestone chain, in importance, but the third in succession, is at the distance 
of five miles south from the first. It embraces the Cerro alto, the Sierra Corolito, Cerro 
de Gibara and the Toro loco groupe. ‘This pursues the same general parallel as the first 
chain, and ranges with the great trap and greenstone ridge of Loma larga, which stretches 
five or six miles to the eastward from Cerro de Gibara. In elevation this second range 
is probably little inferior to the first. Its mountains exhibit similar precipitous faces 
and are very rarely visited; certainly not by any scientific persons. 
The fourth chain, at the distance of two miles south from the third, comprises the 
Loma verde, the conical Serra pilon, Las Palmas, Melones, and three inferior limestone 
hills; occupying about ten miles in length on our map. The vicinity of these mountains 
is less changed by igneous causes, than those we first described. The intermediate area 
of two miles, between the third and fourth limestone ranges, comprehends what may be 
more especially termed the mineral region of the savanas. 
Far to the south-east, at the distance of seven miles from Sabana Vieja, rises the single 
lofty, conical Tivistal mountain, whose outline, as seen from that position, has a remark- 
ably volcanic character. 
THE SAVANA REGION. 
It is scarcely necessary to premise that the term savana implies a sterile elevated 
range; for the most part clear of wood, except some detached Palmettos, Mahogany trees, 
Corojo Palms, Aloes, and patches of thorny shrubs, loaded with flowers. The surface is 
every where strewed with detritus from the adjacent rocks; and is overrun by a coarse, 
wiry grass, rejected by cattle. 
Innumerable small streams, whose beds are nearly dry, for a great part of the year, 
wind amidst the savanas; and descend towards the sea. ‘The humid places are distin- 
guishable afar by the characteristic luxuriance of their vegetation. The streams are 
fringed with rich woodland; and flats of alluvial soil, the most prolific, perhaps, in the 
world, stretch along their margins. 
We are constrained to advert to these natural features; for they are not wholly unim- 
portant to the miner. In the first place, he perceives that the extraordinary undulations 
of the surface, and the interlocking of the ravines, offer great facilities to his operations 
of mining and draining the mineral lodes. In an economical point of view, he sees that 
although the mines are seated within areas of absolute barrenness, they are in close 
proximity to others of surprising fertility; capable of sustaining a dense population con- 
nected with his operations. Nothing can be more favourable to him than this happy 
combination of circumstances. 
Whilst taking a rapid sketch of the geology of this district, we enumerated the rocks 
which occur there. With the exception of the igneous rocks, whose position is, of course 
generally obscure and uneonformable, the whole series is stratified, or at least it bears 
