PORTO RICO 97 



Loiza, and the Rio Naguabo, which flows east into the Anegada 

 passage. The summit lines of the two sierras merge near Bar- 

 ranquitas, near the geographic center of the island. 



More accurately speaking, these mountains as a whole, when 

 looked down upon from the highest points, present the aspect 

 of a sea of conical peaks and beaded ridges, rather than a divid- 

 ing ridge, from which angular laterals extend between the drain- 

 agewavs. They rise abruptly from the sea, especially at the east 

 and west ends of the island, or from the narrow marginal plain 

 which separates them from it. 



The highest eminences of this billowy sea of summits nowhere 

 exceed 4,000 feet, and this altitude is reached b}^ only one peak, 

 that of El Yunque at the extreme northeast. The height of 

 this is given on the Spanish maps at 4,087 feet, but it is reported 

 much lower b} r other authorities, with a minimum estimate of 

 3,200 feet. The summits of the remainder of the island, although 

 numerous, nowhere attain much over 2,800 feet, as shown in the 

 following table : 



ALTITUDES OF TYPICAL MOUNTAIN STATIONS IN PORTO RICO 1 

 Altitudes of the. Sierra Luqidllo 



Feet 



El Yunque, 1 eastern summit 3,752 



El Yunque, 1 western summit 3,790 



Divide north of Juncos (about) 2,400 



The hill of the Guaraguo (Rio-piedras to Cagnas), military road 2 . . 685 



Las Calabazas (culminating point from Rio Pedro to Caguas) 2 . .... 866 



Altitudes of Points in the Sierra Cayey (tliat portion of the main Cordillera east 

 of the San Juan-Ponce road) 



Feet 

 Caguas, plaza, in the Caguas basin, separating the Yunque and 



Cayey sierras and draining into the Loiza 2 246 



1 louse of Vicente Pico (from Caguas to Cayey) 2 1,525 



Culminating point between Caguas and Cayey (watershed) 2 1,682 



I'll Torito, south of Cayey 4 2,735 



Torito, culmination of ftierra Cayey, south of Cayey l 2,819 



Siena ile ( layey, level of the calcareous platform of Cayey 2 2,223 



I [acienda la Julia de Loris 2 1,400 



Summit which overlooks Cayey and from which the city can be 



seen to the south-southeast 2 2,542 



'Compiled by U. S. Coasl and Geodel e Survey, as published on its map. 

 '-' * ' 1 1 :i i-i of Saint Claire-Ueville, published in Historia Civil Natural de la Is la <le Puerto 

 Rico, edition of 1866, pp. 127, 428. 



Vneroid measurements, by Mr II. M. Wilson and the author. 

 'Map of Don J, M. Lago, Mayaguez, 1898. 



