THE CUBA REVIEW 



PICTURESQUE EASTERN CUBA 



EXPLORATION INTO A COMPARATIVELY UNKNOWN PART OF 

 THE ISLAND, IN QUEST OF RUBBER TREES 



I should make it plain that I had heard of certain sheltered valleys at this end of 

 the island of Cuba, where rubber was already flourishing, having been planted by some 

 of the wealthy cocoanut growers. What the rubber was no one seemed to know. Indeed, 

 as I looked at the barren hills surrounding Santiago I could think of no rubber tree 

 that would be likely to flourish, there unless it were the Maiiihot. I knew little of 

 Baracoa beyond the fact that it was the first capital and the oldest town on the island. 

 It was out of the track of the tourist and few Americans or even Cubans seemed to 

 have been there. I finally engaged passage on a Cuban steamboat that ran from 

 Santiago to Havana stopping at many ports en route including that which I sought. 

 Awful tales of dirt, garlic and discomfort were passed out to me by a couple of 

 x\merican drummers who had travelled on the same boat. As usual, the tales were 

 fictitious. I found the "Habana," although very small and incredibly slow, clean, well- 

 found, and handled by Spanish-speaking officers, who were most dignified and courteous. 



We sailed at nine in the morning, out through the beautiful land-locked bay and the 

 narrow channel, by Alorro Castle and then followed the coast. At four that afternoon we 

 ran into Guantanamo Bay, where three American battleships lay at anchor. After 

 discharging a little cargo and taking on a little more, we steamed out again and con- 

 tinued along the coast. It was very calm and clear and warm, and so bright a moon- 

 light night that we stayed on deck very late, watching the dim shores slip slowly by. 

 When we awoke the next morning we were off the rugged and very picturesque shores 

 of Baracoa. A little later we entered a narrow passage in a reef and dropped anchor 

 in a tiny oval harbor on the steep encircling slopes of which lies the city. Back of it 



Plaza and Old Cathedral m tlu- * it 



