Part 8 (2/2)

It is a mountainous island, and contains forty seven navigable streams.

The roads are merely paths beaten down by cattle.

Exports in 1887 were valued at $10,181,291; imports, $10,198,006.

Gold, copper, salt, coal and iron abound.

The poorer cla.s.ses live almost entirely on a variety of highland rice, which is easily cultivated, as it requires no flooding.

One of the princ.i.p.al industries is grazing. St. Thomas is the market for fresh meat.

Corn, tobacco, sugar, coffee, cotton and potatoes const.i.tute the princ.i.p.al crops.

There are no snakes, no beasts of prey, no noxious birds nor insects in the island.

The trees and gra.s.s are always green.

Rats are the great foe of the crops.

The natives often live to be one hundred years old.

The most beautiful flower on the island is the ortegon, which has purple blossoms a yard long.

Hurricanes are frequent on the north coast and very destructive.

Mosquitoes art the pest of the island.

Spanish is the language spoken, and education is but little esteemed.

Every man, no matter how poor, owns a horse and three or four gamec.o.c.ks.

The small planter is called ”Xivaro.” He is the proud possessor of a sweet-heart, a gamec.o.c.k, a horse, a hammock, a guitar and a large supply of tobacco. He is quick tempered but not revengeful, and he is proverbially lazy.

Hospitality is the rule of the island. The peasants are astonished and hurt when offered money by travellers. San Juan Harbor is one of the best in the West Indies, and is said to be the third most strongly fortified town in the world, Halifax being the strongest and Cartagena, Spain, the second.

Ponce de Leon, between 1509 and 1518 killed off the natives.

The De Leon palace, built in 1511, is of great interest to tourists.

The climate is warm but pleasant. At night thick clothing is found comfortable.

All visiting and shopping are done after sundown.

Slavery was abolished in 1873.

The women are rather small and delicately formed. Many of them are pretty and they are all given to flirtation.

Men and women ride horseback alike. Wicker baskets to carry clothes or provisions, are hung on either side of the horse's shoulders. Back of these baskets the rider sits.

It is the custom of travellers on horseback to carry a basket handled sword a yard and a quarter long, more as an ornament than as a means of defense.

The observance of birthdays is an island fas.h.i.+on that is followed by every one.

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