CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| The Arrival of the Colonists in Nuevitas Harbor. | |
| PAGE | |
A New Sight for Old Nuevitas—The Yarmouth dropsAnchor in the Harbor—The Vanguard of theFirst American Colony Planted in Cuba—TheBeautiful Cuban Coast—Picturesque Appearanceof Nuevitas—"Distance Lends Enchantment tothe View"—Character of the Colonists—Gen.Paul Van der Voort—Nearly all the States Represented—"TheOnly Canuck on Board"—TheVoyage from New York | [17] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| The Journey to Port La Gloria | |
An Irritating Delay—Ashore at Nuevitas—MidnightRow at the Pier—Convivial Colonists ClashWith Cubans—Ex-Soldier Takes an InvoluntaryBath—The Cuban Police—Hon. Peter E. Park—TheStart for La Gloria—Some IntendingColonists Back Out—The Man With the Long,Red Face—The Only Woman—The Fleet Anchors—"To-morrow,Four O'clock, Wind Right,Go!"—An Uncomfortable Night—Cuban CaptainFalls Overboard—Port La Gloria Sighted | [32] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| A Tough Tramp to La Gloria City. | |
Arrival at the Port—A Discouraging Scene—Mud,Water, and Sand Flies—The Memorable Walkto La Gloria "City"—An Awful Road—BattleWith Water, Mud, Stumps, Roots, Logs, Briersand Branches—Lawyer Park Leads the StrangeProcession—La Gloria at Last—The RoyalPalm—Women in Masculine Garb—Col. Thos.H. Maginniss—First Night in La Gloria—TheSurvey Corps—Chief Engineer Kelly—Experiencesof the Lowells and Spikers | [44] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| First Days in the New Colony. | |
Isolation of La Gloria—The Camp at Night—StrangeSounds in the Forest—The Colonists Happy—TheirExcellent Health—Remarkable Cures Effectedby the Climate—The Agreeable Temperature—ProlongedRainy Season—The "Hotel"—TheLog Foundation—A Favorite Joke—TheCompany's Spring—Small Variety of Food—MyFirst Supper in La Gloria—Eating Flamingoand Aged Goat—A Commissary With Nothingto Sell—A Fluctuating Population | [59] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| The Allotment of the Land. | |
The Character of the Contracts—The Question ofSubdivision—Some of the Difficulties—MatterPlaced in the Hands of a Committee of the Colonists—Fairand Feasible Plan Adopted—Gen.Van der Voort's Arrival in La Gloria—His BoatNearly Wrecked—Delay in Getting Baggage—ColonistsGet Their Land Promptly—TheTown as Laid Out—Site Well Chosen—WoodsFull of Colonists Hunting for Their Plantations—DifferentKinds of Soil | [73] |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| The Sugar Riot. | |
Population of Colony Slowly Increases—Arrival ofSecond Yarmouth—Sensational and RidiculousReports—Consternation in Asbury Park—LaughingOver Newspaper Stories—ExcitementOver Sugar—Mass Meeting to Air the Grievance—AnUnexpected Turn of Affairs—CableFrom New York Brings Good News—Van derVoort Elected President of the Company—SugarOrators Remain Silent—A Noisy Celebration | [86] |
| [CHAPTER VII] | |
| Adventures and Misadventures. | |
The Women in the Camp—Mrs. Moller—Her Costumeand Extraordinary Adventures—How SheEntered La Gloria—Roosts in a Tree all Night—Buildsthe First House in La Gloria—HerFamous Cow and Calf—Wonderful Bloomers—UbiquitousMrs. Horn—Weighed 250, butWaded Into La Gloria—Not "Rattled" by aBrook Running Through Her Tent—A PigHunt and Its Results—Surveyors Lost in theWoods | [94] |
| [CHAPTER VIII] | |
| The Cubans. | |
Good People to "Get Along With"—Their Kindnessand Courtesy—Harmony and Good FeelingBetween the Colonists and Cubans—TheirPrimitive Style of Living—The Red Soil and ItsStains—Rural Homes—Prevalence of Children,Chickens, and Dogs—Little Girl Dresses forCompany With Only a Slipper—Food and Drinkof the Cubans—Few Amusements—An IndifferentPeople—The Country Districts of the Provinceof Puerto Principe | [104] |
| [CHAPTER IX] | |
| Steps of Progress. | |
Clearing and Planting—The Post-office—Col. JohnF. Early—The "Old Señor"—La Gloria PoliceForce—Chief Matthews' Nightly Trip "Downthe Line"—No Liquor Sold, and Practically noCrime Committed—Watchman Eugene Kezar—ReligiousServices and Ministers—La GloriaPioneer Association—Dr. W. P. Peirce—Mr.D. E. Lowell—Mr. R. G. Barner—ImportantWork of the Association | [118] |
| [CHAPTER X] | |
| Events Important and Otherwise. | |
Worth of the Colonists—Gen. Van der Voort's NewCuban House—The "Lookout Tree"—Its Partin the Cuban Wars—The General's Garden—MarvelouslyRapid Growth of Plants—FirstBirth in La Gloria—Olaf El Gloria Olson—Givena Town Lot—Temperature Figures—Perfectionof Climate—The Maginniss Corduroy Road—FirstWell Dug—Architect M. A. C. Neff | [133] |
| [CHAPTER XI] | |
| Self-reliance of the Colonists. | |
The Man With the Hoe—"Grandpa" Withee Ableto Take Care of Himself—Not Dead, but VeryMuch Alive—A Pugnacious Old Man—Mr.Withee Shoots Chickens and Defies the Authorities—BigJack McCauley and His "Influence"—"Albany"and the Mosquitoes—Arrival ofThird Yarmouth—Arnold Mollenhauer—JohnA. Connell—S. W. Storm—The First Schooland Its Teacher | [143] |
| [CHAPTER XII] | |
| The First Holiday in La Gloria. | |
Craving for Athletic Sports—Half Holiday FormallyProclaimed—A Beautiful Day—The ColonistsPhotographed—Lieut. Evans and His Soldiersof the Eighth U. S. Cavalry—Successful Sports—BaseballGame—An Event not Down on theProgram—Excited Colonists—Lawyer C. HugoDrake of Puerto Principe—His Scheme—OrderedOut of Camp—A Night in the Woods—LieutenantCienfuente | [155] |
| [CHAPTER XIII] | |
| Industry of the Colonists. | |
Pink Orchids on the Trees—Vegetables Raised andFruit Trees Set Out—The Various Employments—Workingon the Survey Corps—ChiefKelly's Facetious Formula—An Official Kicker—B.F. Seibert—Improvements at the Port—Fish,Alligators, and Flamingo—J. L. Ratekin—FirstBanquet in La Gloria—Departure ofMaginniss Party—First Death in the Colony—OnlyOne Death in Six Months—Lowell's CorduroyRoad and Kelly's Permanent Highway | [166] |
| [CHAPTER XIV] | |
| The First Ball in La Gloria. | |
A Semi-Anniversary—Town Lots and PlantationsAllotted in First Six Months—A Grand Ball—FrenchDancing Master in Charge—Dan Goodman'sPennsylvania Modesty—Organizing anOrchestra at Short Notice—The Ballroom—Rev.Dr. Gill Lends His Tent Floor—ElaborateDecorations—A Transformation Scene—SomeTaking Specialties—A Fine Supper—Music inCamp—An Aggravating Cornet Player—Singersin the Colony | [177] |
| [CHAPTER XV] | |
| A Walking Trip To Puerto Principe. | |
Five Good Walkers—A Halt at Mercedes—SparselySettled Country—Cuban Trails—A Night inthe Woods—A Cripple From Sore Feet—APretty Country Place—The Cubitas Mountains—Huntingfor the Late Cuban Capital—ABroad and Beautiful View—Seventeen MilesWithout a House—Night on the Plain—TheCity of Puerto Principe—Politeness of Its People—TheJourney Home—Sanchez' Sugar Plantation—Lostin the Forest—La Gloria OnceMore | [186] |
| [CHAPTER XVI] | |
| In and Around La Gloria. | |
Horses That May Have Committed Suicide—ColonelMaginniss "A Master Hand in Sickness"—Suddenand Surprising Rise of Water—A Delugeof Frogs—A Greedy Snake—Catching Fish inCentral Avenue—D. Siefert's Industry—MaxNeuber—Mountain View—A Facetious Signboard—TheSangjai—An Aggravating andUncertain Channel | [203] |
| [CHAPTER XVII] | |
| The Colony at the End of the First Year. | |
The Saw Mill—The Pole Tramway to the Bay—ATragedy in the Colony—Death of Mr. Bosworth—TheSummer Season—The Country AroundLa Gloria—The Cuban Colonization Company—Guanaja—TheRural Guard—Organizations inLa Gloria—The March of Improvements—Constructionof Wooden Buildings—ColonistsDelighted With Their New Home in the Tropics | [212] |