Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom

te-Grand Scenic Su

of the Yumuri-Under

e Groves-The Home of

diacal

a more perfect combination of mountains and rivers, forests and plains. Situated within and near the border of the northern tropical zone, the temperature of the low coast lands is that of the torrid zon

corresponding to the northern declination of the sun, and a cool and dry period. The months from the be

ly occurrence, and the temperature rises high, with little daily variatio

the wet season has been observed to be 27.8 inches,

between a maximum of 88 and a minimum of 76. In the cooler months of December and January the thermometer averages 7

rmometer occasionally falls to the freezing point in winter. Frost is not uncommon, and

than forty-eight hours, are experienced in the western part of the island, to which they add a third seasonal change. H

CENIC S

appreciate the fact that nowhere under the sun can be found a more perfect climate, grander mountain sc

tions of the cities of Cuba, and brief mention here o

versed by the native horses, up a steep hill, until, after a continuous climb of an hour and a half, the road turns around the edge of a grassy precipice, and the beautiful valley, with its patches of green and gold, spreads away in the distance.

se and gain an idea of the sugar-making process, though on a very small scal

writing of th

jabbered and muttered, out of which could be distinguished, 'Master, master, give us thy blessing,' which we interpreted to mean 'tin;' whereupon we scattered sundry 'medios' among them! Hey! presto! what a change! The little black devils fell over one another, fought, tugged, and scramble

ES OF B

to the "Caves of Bellamar," which may be found about t

ave house" is reached, a large frame structure built over the entrance, and containing, among

d. The only light comes from a few scattered lanterns, and is consequently very obscure, but one can see the millions of crystals, the thousand weird forms, and realize that it is surpassingly beautiful. The temple is about two hundred feet in l

ry land. From the gloomy corners come gnomes and demons, and in the crystal shadows he sees sprites

iful objects in the c

to one of the great

the Virgin." Others

tar," and "The G

he Caves of Bellama

NATURE

writing, referring to the beauties of Cuban

and a hundred intensely beautiful dyes more splendid than the tints of the rainbow. During the cooler months, the mornings are delightful till about ten o'clock, the air soon after dawn becoming agreeably elastic, and so transparent that distant objects appear as if delineated upon the bright surface of the air; the scenery everywhere, especially when viewed from an emi

ous dyes, and seeming to collect at the close of day as though to form a couch for the sun's repose. In these he sinks, flooding them with glory, touching both heavens and earth with gold and amb

winds prevail, is so unpolluted, so thin, so elastic, so dry, so serene, and so almost inconceivably transparent and brilliant, that every object is distinct and clearly defined as if cut out of the clear blue sky. All travelers agree in praising the calm depths of the intensely blue and gloriously bright skies of inter-tropical latitudes. In the temperate zone, it is estimated that about 1,000 stars are visible to the naked eye at one time; but here, from the increased elevation and

re seen divided into constellations, and the whole galaxy is of so dazzling a whiteness as to make it resemble a pure flame of silvery light thrown across the heavens, turning the atmosphere into a kind of green transparency. Besides this, there are vast masses of stellar nebulae of indefinite diversity and form, oval

he

pture, writ of

hentic, uncor

sh of strong, white light, like that of the Aurora Borealis, extends from the horizon a considerable way up the zenith, and so resembles the dawn as to prove greatly deceptive to a stranger. As he watc