298 VOYAGE TO CUBA. 
CHAPTER XXI. 
Passage to Havannah, and Residence in Cuba. 
Passage from New Barcelona to Havannah—Description of the 
latter—Extent of Cuba—Geological Constitution—V egetation— 
Climate—Population—Agriculture—Exports— Preparations for 
joining Captain Baudin’s Expedition—J ourney to Batabano, and 
Voyage to Trinidad de Cuba. 
Humpo.prt and his companion sailed from the Road 
of New Barcelona on the 24th November at nine in 
the evening, and next day at noon reached the island 
of Tortuga, remarkable for its lowness and want of 
vegetation. On the 26th there was a dead calm, 
and about nine in the morning a fine halo formed 
round the sun, while the temperature of the air fell 
three degrees. The circle of this meteor, which was 
one degree in breadth, displayed the most beautiful 
colours of the rainbow, while its interior and the 
whole vault of the sky was azure without the least 
haze. The sea was covered with a bluish scum, 
which under the microscope appeared to be formed 
of filaments, that seemed to be fragments of fuci. 
On the 27th they passed near the island of Orchila, 
composed of gneiss and covered with plants, and 
toward sunset discovered the summits of the Roca 
de Afuera, over which the clouds were accumulated. 
Indications of stormy weather increased, the waves — 
rose, and waterspouts threatened. On the night of © 
the 2d December a curious optical phenomenon a qi 
