The island of Cuba

Front matter

THE

ISLAND OF CUBA,

BY

Preface

That portion of Baron Humboldt^s *' Personal Narrative ^' of his travels with Mons. Bonpland in the equinoctial regions of America, which relates to the Island of Cuba, has been published as a separate work both in the French and Spanish languages ; but I believe no complete version has ever been presented in English. The following translation is from an excellent rendering of the original work into Spanish, which modestly gives only the initials of the translator ; D. J. B. de V. Y. M.

I have been stimulated to undertake this labor by the oft-repeated request that I would state which is the best book on Cuba, and by the fact that a long continued residence in the island, and a study of its condition and resources, have convinced me that Baron Humboldt's work is the best that has been written on the subject.

In order to bring the information in this volume as nearly as possible down to the present time, I have added notes, which are placed in brackets in the body of the text, or without signature at the foot of the page, as seemed most conducive to a clear exposition of the present condition of Cuba. The notes of Baron Humboldt have the signature H. aSixed in the following pages.

J. S.T.

Nbw York, December^ 1855.

Contents

Preliminary Essay.

FAGS IS