96 
who was to sail around to Guantanamo, to take my luggage to 
that place and to stop at the town of Imias on the south coast 
and pick me up, I having intended to cross over on foot con- 
suming several days to collect along the route, but when the time 
came for doing this, the boat-man insisted on postponing the 
trip for a week; to this I could not agree, so this scheme was also 
abandoned. As there was a coast-wise steamer for Guantanamo 
in three or four days, I concluded to make the trip, at least 
as far as Bermejal, well across the divide near which there is 
said to be a grove of Juniperus, specimens of which it is very 
desirous to obtain, as the relationship of this Cuban tree is not 
well understood. This was attempted on January 30, going on 
horseback to Sabanilla, after experiencing considerable difficulty 
in crossing the swollen waters of Rio Miel. From here I pro- 
ceeded into the hills afoot, up a very muddy and difficult trail 
until after dark before coming to the shack of a friend of the 
Cubano I had with me. Here’ I swung my hammock for the 
night. Next morning the weather conditions were by no means 
encouraging, and it was with difficulty that I secured an addi- 
tional man to accompany me. The weather turned out to be 
worse than predicted, heavy rains and cold winds continuing 
all day, so that progress was slow and collecting difficult. It 
was after three o'clock before the next shack was seen. This we 
‘entered for shelter and as we had taken no rations with us, we 
were glad to partake of the meager food that the occupants 
‘provided. In lieu of coffee they served a concoction of the 
leaves of some zinziberaceous plant, well sweetened and very hot. 
‘This the woman assured me was very good for colds and to 
prevent fever, which (as said by these people) is sure to follow 
such exposure as we had passed through unless some precaution 
is taken. No further attempt was made to proceed. We re- 
mained here until the next day, building a fire in the open room, 
in which we swung our hammock, to keep warm during the night. 
Realizing that it would be impossible to proceed further and 
hoping to return to Baracoa in time to catch the steamer which 
was due the next day, we started back in the morning, progress 
being impeded by the illness of one of the men; and it was with 
