namented with thrifty Indian laurels. It overlooks the spacious
harbor and outer bay, but is now utterly neglected and abandoned; even
the roadway is green with vegetation and gullied with deep hollows. It
is the coolest place in the city at the evening hour, but the people
have become so poor that there are hardly a dozen private vehicles
owned in the city, and, consequently, its famous drive is deserted.
Matanzas, like all the cities of Cuba, is under the shadow of
depressed business, the evidences of which meet one on all hands.

The two objects of special interest to strangers who visit Matanzas
are, first, the valley of the Yumuri, which may be described briefly
as a narrow gorge four miles long, through which flows the river of
the same name. The view of this lovely valley will recall, to any one
who has visited Spain, the Vega of Granada. There are several
positions from which to obtain a good view of the valley, but that
enjoyed from the Chapel of Monserrate, on the hill just back of the
town, is nearest, and was most satisfactory to us. The view includes a
valley, peaceful, tropical, and verdant, embracing plantations,
groves, and farms, in the midst of which the river glides like a
silver thread through the verdure, and empties into the Bay of
Matanzas. The universal belief is that this vale was once a vast, deep
lake, walled across the present seaward opening of the valley, from
whence a fall may have existed as a natural overflow. Some fearful
convulsion of nature rent this bowl and precipitated the lake into the
ocean, leaving only the river's course.

The second object of note which the visitor will not willingly miss is
a sight of the famous caves of Bellamar, situated about two leagues
from the city proper. It is customary to make this trip in a volante,
and it is quite the thing to ride, at least once, in this unique
vehicle, the only article ever invented in Cuba. The road to the
caves is extremely rough, and this vehicle is best adapted to pass
over the irregularities. If there are only gentlemen of the party, go
on horseback. On entering the caves the visitor should throw off any
extra clothing that can conveniently be left behind, as it is very
warm within, and on coming out, unless one has an extra garment to put
on, too great a change of temperature will be realized. These singular
caves lead three hundred feet and more beneath the surface, and
present beauties to the eye incident to all such sub