the large proportion of whites, which is very
unusual for a tropical country.

The census, which was taken December 31, 1887, states that the women
outnumbered the men by about one thousand. As the immigrants from Spain
are mostly men, however, the actual ratio between the two sexes, as far
as the native population is concerned, would be greatly in favor of the
feminine.

The area of Cuba is thirteen times larger than that of Porto Rico, and
yet even before the butcher Weyler exterminated a third of the native
Cubans, it contained not quite double as many people as the smaller
island.

This will give some idea of the density of the population of Porto Rico.

Thirty per cent. of the whites and seventy-five per cent. of the negroes
were classed in the census of 1887 as laborers.

The western part of the island is far more densely populated than the
eastern. The reason for this probably lies in the fact that the east
coast is on the windward side, and offers less protection for shipping.
Consequently it is not so conveniently situated for trade. All the
larger towns of the east are situated inland, or, at least, some
distance from the coast. They are in the hilly portion of the island and
surrounded by rich coffee plantations and grazing lands of large extent.

The inhabitants of Porto Rico are scattered all over the country, and
the land is greatly subdivided. The Spanish authorities have made many
efforts to collect the people into villages, but the people themselves
have frequently resisted a change which they considered would not suit
the conditions of their lives or tend to improve their finances.

Still, in the last fifty years more than half of the population has
gravitated to and around the towns, especially those which are situated
on the seashore. Most of these people live in comfortable houses, and
have the means to provide themselves with all the necessities and many
of the luxuries of life.

The population, by the way, has been steadily increasing since the
beginning of the present century.

Ponce, named after Ponce de Leon, is the largest city and the one of
the most commercial importance upon the island. It is beautifully
situated about three miles north of the port of Ponce, in a fertile
plain, and is surrounded by plantations and gardens. It is the terminus
of one of the three short railroads which have been constructed, and
along the beach in front of the port are large warehouses, where the
pr