its chief towns.

_Railroads._--The first railroad built in Cuba was that from Havana to
Guines, forty-five miles in length, completed and opened in 1839. In
1848, there were two hundred and eighty-five miles of railroads on the
island, and the capital invested in them has been computed at between
five and six millions of dollars.

_Climate._--The diversity of surface gives rise to considerable
variation in temperature. On the highest mountain ridges, at four
thousand feet above the level of the sea, ice is sometimes formed in mid
winter, but snow is unknown.

The mean temperature of the hottest months (July and August) is about
83 deg. Fahrenheit. The coldest months are January and December.

CHAPTER XVI.

Retrospective thoughts--The bright side and dark side of the
picture--Cuban institutions contrasted with our own--Political
sentiments of the Creoles--War footing--Loyalty of the
colony--Native men of genius--The Cubans not willing slaves--Our own
revolution--Apostles of rebellion--Moral of the Lopez
expedition--Jealousy of Spain--Honorable position of our
government--Spanish aggressions on our flag--Purchase of the
island--Distinguished conservative opinion--The end.

It is with infinite reluctance that the temporary sojourner in Cuba
leaves her delicious shores, and takes his farewell look at their
enchanting features. A brief residence in the island passes like a
midsummer night's dream, and it requires a strenuous effort of the mind
to arrive at the conviction that the memories one brings away with him
are not delusive sports of the imagination. Smiling skies and smiling
waters, groves of palm and orange, the bloom of the heliotrope, the
jessamine, and the rose, flights of strange and gaudy birds, tropic
nights at once luxurious and calm, clouds of fire-flies floating like
unsphered stars on the night breeze, graceful figures of dark-eyed
senoritas in diaphanous drapery, picturesque groups of Monteros,
relieved by the dusky faces and stalwart forms of the sons of Africa,
undulating volantes, military pageants, ecclesiastical processions,
frowning fortresses, grim batteries, white sails, fountains raining
silver,--all these images mingle together in brilliant and kaleidoscopic
combinations, changing and varying as the mind's eye seeks to fix their
features. Long after his departure from the enchanting island the
traveller beholds these visions in the still watches of