138 



hitmboldt's cuba. 



Approaching Guanabacoa, the serpentine is found 

 traversed by veins twelve or fourteen inches thick, 

 filled with fibrous quartz, amethyst, and rich mam- 

 mil ate d stalactiform chalcedony ; perhaps chryso- 

 prase will some day be found with them. Among 

 these veins some copperish pyrites appear, which 

 are said to be mixed with an argentiferous grey 

 copper ore. I found no vestiges of this grey copper 

 ore, and it is probably metallized diallage, which, 

 for ages have given the hills of Guanabacoa the 

 reputation of containing much gold and silver. 

 Petroleum exudes in some places through the 

 fissures in the serpentine. 1 Springs are frequent 



1 Are there in the bay of Havana other petroleum springs than 

 those of Guanabacoa, or should we suppose that the liquid betun, 

 used by Sebastian Ocampo, in 1508, when he careened his vessels 

 here, have become dry ? It was this that attracted the attention of 

 Ocampo to the port of Havana, when he gave it the name of 

 . " Puerto de Carenas." It is said that abundant petroleum springs 

 have been found in the eastern part of the island, between Holguin 

 and Mayari, and on the shores of St. Jago de Cuba. A small island, 

 Siguapa, has recently been found, near Point Hicacos, which 

 presents to the eye solid, terreous petroleum only ; this mass recalls 

 to the mind the asphaltum of Valorbe, in the limestone of the Jura. 

 Does the serpentine formation of the Guanabacoa recur in the Ruby 

 hill, near Bahia Honda? The hills of Regla and Guanabacoa 

 present to the botanist, at the feet of royal palms, Xatrofa 

 panduraefolia ; X. integerrima Jacq ; X. fragrans ; Petiveria 

 alliacia ; Pisonia loranthoides ; Lantana involucrata ; Russelia 



