]73 



made up of a series of mangrove islets, which in dry seasons are 

 separated only by salinas. The higher northern portion is of a 

 flat limestone formation, the inner portion covered by a forest of 

 small trees, largely pigeon plum, Coccolobis laufifolia Jacq. Poison 

 wood [MctopiujH Metopiuni) is also very abundant. Interior sal- 

 inas, which are irregular in outline and of various extent, are 

 usually fringed with Conocarpus, much of which is arborescent. 

 Other openings, of red soil, are largely made up of cat's-claw, 

 Pithecolobhnn, and toward the westerly end some very regularly 

 outlined openings, varying from a few feet in diameter to several 

 acres in extent and often containing a pool of fresh water, are 

 occupied almost entirely by large palmettos ; still other openings, 

 small but deeper, support pond-apple, Anona, which trees, when 

 the water has subsided sufficiently to expose their short thick 

 trunks, are very grotesque in appearance. At a place near the 

 center of the island large numbers o^ Fiiscraea were observed in 

 the dense forest; a thick columnar cactus, often twelve feet high 

 and probably a Cephalocerens, was frequently seen but never in 

 large numbers. Several species of palm occurred frequently but 

 no royal palms were seen on any of these islands. The Sabinal 

 was reached from Nuevitas, at which headquarters were made 

 for several weeks, with the aid of an open sail boat, in which 

 two- or three-day trips were taken. 



" North of Nuevitas, the railroad to Camaguey passes through 

 many miles of barren palm-covered savannas, through which an 

 occasional stream passes, whose winding course can readily be 

 made out by the fringe of green trees, overtopped by the grace- 

 ful heads of the royal palm. From Camaguey to Holguin, a 

 di.stance of about one hundred and fifty miles, one passes alter- 

 nately through stretches of dry savannas, rich dense woods, or 

 fertile pastures. 



" Holguin, of historic as well as commercial importance, is a 

 typical Cuban city of the better type. It is situated on a plateau 

 encircled by a series of irregular mountains of eruptive rock, 

 much burnt over, red and barren to look upon, but when they 

 are examined it is found that the gullies and rocky places are 

 clothed with den.se masses of low spiny shrubs, in great variety 



