192 



humboldt's cuba. 



informed persons had ascertained in 1811, as existing 

 between the eastern and western parts of the island, 

 and the country and towns. The slaves have 

 increased largely in the eastern districts, but the 

 fearful certainty that, notwithstanding the importa- 

 tion of 185,000 new negroes, the mass of free colored 

 and slaves, mulattoes and blacks, had increased only 

 64,000, or one-fifth, between 1811 and 1825, exhibits 

 clearly that the changes experienced by the relations 

 of partial distribution, are reduced to much narrower 

 limits than might have been supposed. 



Supposing the population, as already stated, to be 

 715,000 (which I believe to be within the minimum 

 number), the ratio of population in Cuba, in 1825, 

 is 197 individuals to the square league, and, conse- 

 quently, nearly twice less than that of St. Domingo, 

 and four times smaller than that of Jamaica. If 

 Cuba were as well cultivated as the latter island, or, 

 more properly speaking, if the density of population 

 were the same, it would contain 3515 x 874 or 

 3,159,000 inhabitants ; 1 that is to say, more than are 



1 Supposing the population of Haiti to be 820,000, it is 334 persons 

 to the square league, and if we estimate it at 936,000, it is 382. 

 Native writers suppose the island of Cuba to be capable of maintain- 

 ing seven and two-sevenths millions of inhabitants. (See Remon- 

 strance of the Cuban Deputies, against the tariff of 1821, p. 9.) 



