254 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



western Cuba, this mountain had always been a 

 hoped-for attainment, but, for one cause or another, 

 none of us had ever reached its base. Approaches 

 are difficult from every direction and tediously 

 long except from the north. Even from the north, 

 its approach is well guarded, for the Bay of Mulata, 

 its nearest coast point, is difficult of reach from 

 anywhere. 



Guajaibon has twice been visited by collecting 

 naturalists — the plodding Gundlach and the rapid 

 traveler, Morelet. Fifty years ago Gundlach 

 touched the mountain base at two points and took 

 away a wealth of booty that has made the local- 

 ity stand forth like an exclamation point in the 

 published faunal and floral lists of Cuba. In our 

 imaginations the place had assumed an especial 

 importance — a naturalist's paradise of rich abund- 

 ance. A year before, Simpson and I were scram- 

 bling about the paredones of Guira and talking of 

 Guajaibon, when our guide pointed to a hazy peak 

 of bluish purple far to the north and remarked, 

 ** that's it," and we fell silent — even on rich, 

 splendid Guira. 



Now, at last, we were upon the very thresh- 

 old and about to enter our delectable coun- 



