CUBA. - ' 73 



of the Wefi-Indies, and is by far the moft temperate and pleafant of all the An- 

 tilles. The Europeans, who are generally troubled with the heat of thefe parts, 

 confefs themfelves agreeably refrefhed by the cooling winds, which blow in 

 the morning and evening throughout this ifland. As to the foil, it differs 

 pretty much : the weftern portion of the country is moftly plain, and if 

 it were properly cultivated, might be fruitful. The eaflern part is exceedingly 

 mountainous, and from thence there runs a chain of hills almoft through the 

 whole illandj but the farther you go the lefs rough and barren they are. From 

 thefe hills there run down to the north and fouth many rivers, which, befides, 

 their beftowing verdure and coolnefs as they pafs, are full of fifh, and thofe 

 very large and good. The greateil: inconveniency in Cuba is its being over- 

 i grown with woods, which, whatever the Spaniards may pretend, mufi: be 

 chiefly owing to their own lazinefs ; for as they admit the country was well 

 peopled when firft difcovered, it mull: neceffarily have been lefs thick with 

 trees. Amongfl: thefe, however, there are fome very valuable, particularly 

 ' cedars of an enormous fize, and other forts of odoriferous wood. Birds there 

 ^ are of all kinds, more than in any other of the illands : and the Spaniards at 

 \ their firfl: landing having fufiFered fome black cattle to ftray into the woods, 

 { they by degrees turned wild, and have furniflied the illand with that breed, 

 ' which, together vv'ith tobacco, fugar and copper, make now the principal riches 

 of its inhabitants. Many fine fat hearts are leftto rot on the ground, greatnumbers 

 being killed purely for the hides which are' fent into Spain, and in the daugh- 

 ter of them the negroes are employed. The fleih cut into pieces is dried in 

 the fun, and ufed as provifion for fhipping. There are many alligators here. 

 Moft writers confound this creature with the crocodile, and indeed the Spa- 

 niards have but one name, viz. cayrnanes, to exprefs both j yet it is certain, 

 that there is a difference, and amongfi: other particulars in thefe, the legs of a 

 crocodile are longer than thofe of an alligator j his flefh is not mufky as the 

 other is ; the knots on the back are thicker, higher and firmer, but the 

 j plaineft and moft difcernable difference, and which indeed difcovers itfelf at 

 ■ firft fight, is this, that the crocodile carries his tail cocked and crooked, with 

 the tip turning back like a bow, whereas the alligator drags his on the 

 , ground. . . 



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