EEEFS AND CAYS OF CUBA. 



363 



Jardines, so named from the verdure-clad islets strewn like "gardens" amid 

 the blue waters, springs of fresh water bubble up from the deep, flowing probabl}' 

 in subterranean galleries from the mainland. 



The Isla de Pinos (Piuos Island, or Isle of Pines), which lies off the south- 

 west coast of Cuba, is alone more extensive than all the other 1,300 isles and 

 islets strewn round the Cuban seaboard. It consists in reality of two islands 



Fig. 172. — Isle of Pines. 

 Scale 1 ; 900,000. 



West op (jreenwick 



82°30 



Depths. 



Oto3 

 Feet. 



3 to 16 



Feet. 



16 Feet 

 and upwards. 



18 Miles. 



separated by a tortuous passage, half channel half swamp, which winds at a nearly 

 uniform width for about 3 miles from west to east. This cienaga, or " marsh," 

 as the Spaniards call it, is a rivière salée (" salt river ") analogous to that of 

 Guadeloupe. Towards its eastern extremity a few rocky ledges flush with the 

 water have been utilised to make a camino de piedras ("stone causeway") between 

 the two sections of the island. 



