CUBA— THE SUGAR MILL OF THE ANTILLES 5 



the result of the nightmare of war eastern coast. It is said to be the third 

 through which the world so recently largest harbor in the world. The storm- 

 came, but both the number of those who tossed ships of every sea might find 

 insist on Havana cigars and the number peaceful anchorage there, with room to 

 of cigars they smoke have increased at spare; and yet the entrance is so narrow 

 such a prodigious pace that every factory that, once inside, one seems on a lake 

 in Cuba is being forced to scale its orders, rather than in a bay. 



One Havana corporation specializing Similarly, at Santiago, as one passes 



in choice brands is said to have received the frowning bastions of Morro Fortress, 



an order for fifty million cigars. It could the narrow channel seems thoroughly 



only undertake to deliver twenty million, clogged with small islands, but once past 



Practically every Cuban factory has so these the voyager enters a broad and 



many unfilled orders that each could run charming bay. 



a full year without new business. The scenery of Cuba is as varied as 



heart could wish, and as the visitor 



The geography oE Cuba journeys the length of the island, scenes 



Few people appreciate either the di- of unrivaled beauty greet the eye — the 

 mensions or the area of Cuba. If you low country is begemmed with valleys 

 were to place the eastern tip of the where innumerable avenues of royal 

 island — Cape Maisi — flush with Barne- palms wave their crowns of spreading 

 gat Beach, New Jersey, on a map of the fronds and lend enchantment to the land- 

 United States of like scale, Cape San scape. 



Antonio, the western land's end, would For one who loves mountain scenery, 



touch the eastern border of Illinois, span- there are occasional spots where the 



ning the five States of New Jersey, Dela- Andes and the Rockies may be seen in 



ware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, miniature. The Vinales Valley, for in- 



If those unfamiliar with the island are stance, in the northwestern part of the 



surprised at its length, a realization of its island, has been pronounced one of the 



width, averaging only about sixty miles, finest between Alaska and Panama. In 



likewise surprises. No place on the many places the mountains are a veritable 



island is more than forty miles from the jumble of weird and fantastic shapes, 

 open sea. In area it is a Pennsylvania, 



and it has a population numerically THE CAhh oF HIST0RY 



equivalent to that of Georgia. What stirring story of the Spanish 



Nature and history have conspired to Main — of buccaneer, pirate, and priva- 



make Cuba a land of enchantment. teer — lacks a Cuban end or a Cuban 



One approaches the island through counterpart? What terrible tale of na- 



sapphire seas. Its north shore, to the tional suffering surpasses the agonizing 



west of Florida Straits, is washed by the days when the whole rural population. 



Gulf of Mexico and that to the east by under the iron hand of Weylerism, was 



the Atlantic Ocean ; while the south huddled into reconcentrado camps and 



shore is laved by the beautiful waters of starvation stalked in every household? 



the Caribbean. Both shores are fringed Outside of Havana Harbor, in the 



with myriad islands, idyllic spots unvis- eternal calm that pervades the depths of 



ited by modern things. the ocean, lies the shivered hulk of the 



, battleship Maine, whose destruction bv 



AMONG THE WORLD S FINEST HARBORS , u U ^ u u± ±u u r 



treacherous hands brought the banner of 



No other land in the New World pos- the forty-five stars to the side of the flag 



sesses proportionately such numerous with one. 



and wonderful bays. Most of them are Along the southeastern shore are strewn 



distinguished for their bottle-necked en- the wrecks of that Spanish Armada 



trances, vast areas of water being en- whose defeat on July 4, 1898, made Cuba 



tirely surrounded by land, except for nar- Libre a reality. 



row channels to the sea, through which In Santiago one may. sit at the banquet 



ships gain access to matchless roadsteads, table where Admiral Cervera, with tears 



An example of these splendidly shel- in his eyes, declared that on the morning 



tered harbors is Nipe Bay, on the north- of the morrow his fleet would go forth 



