A TRIP TO TRINIDAD. 



385 



East of Jagua the hills of San Juan approach the 

 coast, and present a very majestic appearance, not 

 so much from their height, which does not exceed 

 1,900 feet, 1 as from their steep declivities and gene- 

 ral form. I was told that the shore, as far as the 

 mouth of the Guaurabo river, is so bold and steep 

 that a ship may lie alongside it at any point. In the 

 evening, when the temperature of the sea fell to 

 23° 0. (73°.4: F.), and the breeze came from the land, 

 we perceived that delightful fragrance of flowers and 

 honey, so characteristic of the shores of Cuba. 2 

 We sailed along the coast, at a distance of two or 

 three miles, and just before sunset, on the 13th of 

 March, we found ourselves off the mouth of the 

 river San Juan, so much feared by mariners because 



1 Estimated distance three marine leagues. Angle of altitude, 

 not corrected for the curve of the earth and refraction, 1° 47 f 10". 

 Height, 1745 feet. — H. 



2 I have already observed that the wax of Cuba, which is an 

 important article in its commerce, is due to the bees of Europe (of 

 the genus Apis, Latr.). Columbus expressly says, that in his time 

 the natives of Cuba did not gather wax. The great cake of this 

 substance, which he found in the island on his first voyage, and 

 which was presented to King Ferdinand, in the celebrated audience 

 at Barcelona, was found afterwards, to have been brought by Mexican 

 pirogues from Yucatan. It is curious to observe that the wax of 

 the Melipones was the first Mexican production that fell into the 

 "hands of the Spaniards, in the month of November, 1492. — H. 



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