Watling’s Island. After leaving New York harbor and the adjoining coast the first land to come within range of vision is that of Watling’s Island, noted for a lighthouse of great power and value. Otherwise unimportant, it acquires interest from the fact that on this shore Columbus is believed to have made his first landing in the Western World. The island is thus entitled to the more pretentious name, San Salvador, bestowed by the great explorer upon the land where first he trod in devout thanksgiving, after many weeks of painful suspense upon the limitless ocean.
Fortunate is the traveler who towards sunset enters Windward Channel, passing before dark the desolate wooded bluffs of the eastern extremity of Cuba, Cape Maysi, and later having a look at the southeast shores where rise sombre, forest covered peaks to an imposing height, the loftiest above 8000 feet. From a Panama or United Fruit Company steamer no more will you see of Cuba; but on a boat of the Royal Mail you will already have called at Antilla, in the eastern section of the island’s northern shore, a new and growing seaport on Nipe Bay, and the north terminus of the Cuban Railway. Extensive docking facilities have been provided, large warehouses, immense tanks for molasses, a good hotel: and plans are made for building here a great commercial city.
Santiago de Cuba. By the Hamburg-American Line the first call is made on the south side of the island at the more famous and considerable city, Santiago de Cuba, which, founded in 1514, is said to be the oldest settlement of size in the Western Hemisphere. With a population of 50,000, among Cuban cities it comes next to Havana. It has also historic interest. That Hernando Cortez from this port, Nov. 18, 1518, set out for the bold conquest of the Aztec Empire is a fact less widely known than the more recent circumstance that in this sheltered harbor the fleet of Admiral Cervera lay concealed, until July 3, 1898, it sailed forth to its doom. In the narrow portal, less than 600 feet wide, rests the old Merrimac, sunk by Lt. Hobson and seven others, June 3, 1898. On the right of the entrance, crowning a bluff 200 feet high, is the old Morro Castle, an ancient fortress of picturesque appearance, begun soon after the founding of the city and possessing towers and turrets in genuine mediæval style. Six miles farther, at the head of the bay, on a sloping terrace with steep hills behind, is the bright, gay city; though at the noontide hour it may seem a trifle sleepy and dull.
If time permits, a drive on the fine roads will be enjoyed. To the San Juan battlefield three miles distant and to El Caney a little farther the fare is $1.50 for a single person, $2.00 for several. The longer drive to Morro Castle, fare $3.50, affords charming views. In the city one proceeds first to the plaza, where on one side is the great cathedral called the largest in Cuba, containing rare marbles and mahogany choir stalls. On the other sides are the Casa Grande Hotel and the Venus Restaurant. Near by is the Filarmonia Theatre where the famous diva, Adalina Patti, is said to have made her début. A few may care to visit the spot where the Captain and sailors of the Virginius were executed as filibusters in 1873, a slaughter pen near the harbor front to the east of the Cuba Railway Station. An inscribed tablet there commemorates the sad event.
Kingston, Jamaica, is visited by all of the steamers except those of the Panama Line, the Wednesday boat of the United Fruit Company having previously touched at Port Antonio on the northeast end of the same island; the port, a busy place, owing its present prosperity chiefly to our fondness for bananas. Captain Baker of Boston in 1868 began the trade which the United Fruit Company has developed to immense proportions. The splendid Hotel Titchfield which the company has erected affords every facility for a delightful summer outing during our winter season.
The older and larger city of Kingston is on the south side of the island, by the excellent and far-famed harbor of Port Royal. The town of that name, ancient rendezvous of Morgan and the buccaneers, once stood on the long sandy spit which separates the bay from the ocean. But on a day in 1692 occurred one of those memorable tragedies at which the whole world stands appalled. The earth was shaken. The city sank beneath the sea, where it is said that some of the buildings may yet be seen, when the waves are still, deep down below the smiling tranquil surface. Kingston, then founded on the main shore, recently suffered (January 14, 1907), as we well remember, a similar though less complete disaster, being merely shaken down instead of swallowed up. Like San Francisco it was promptly rebuilt with better architecture. Quite up to date with electric cars and other modern conveniences, it is an attractive place of scenic and tropical beauty, excellent too for shopping. Interesting are the markets, the old Parish Church, badly shaken, but still standing; the main streets, King and Queen, at right angles to each other; the Jamaica Institute with museum and library where among other historical curios may be seen the famous Shark papers, in 1799 thrown overboard, swallowed by a shark, but soon after rescued from his maw, to the discomfiture of the Yankee captain of the Nancy, an American privateer. In the suburbs of the city within easy reach is King’s House, the fine residence of the Governor-General. Worth visiting (electric cars) is Hope Gardens, an estate of 220 acres, with a fine collection of indigenous plants and many exotics. The splendid roads over the island, the possibilities for delightful excursions,—the most enchanting the ascent of Blue Mountain, 7423 feet,—would tempt to a longer stay. But we hasten onward to more distant and greater glories.
Western Tourists. Tourists living west of the Rocky Mountains may prefer to sail from San Francisco or Los Angeles to Balboa, the port of Panama, at a considerable saving of expense, though not of time. Express steamers twice a month make the voyage from San Francisco in 14 days with the single call at San Pedro (Los Angeles), fare $85; while three times a month there are other boats which do not stop at San Pedro, but make eleven calls in Mexico and Central America, thus affording opportunity to see some of those ports, consuming 26 days on the trip. On these steamers the fare is $120. All these boats are of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. By way of New York the journey from San Francisco to Panama may, with close connection, be made in 10 or 12 days.
European Tourists may sail from Southampton by Royal Mail steamer in 18 days to Colon, fare $125, or from Cherbourg, 17 days, fare $100.
Other companies which have steamers sailing from Europe to Colon are the Hamburg-American, four times monthly from Havre and Hamburg, the Leyland C. Harrison, three times a month from Liverpool, the Cia. Generale Transatlantica, once a month from St. Nazaire and once from Bordeaux, the Cia. Transatlantica and the Cia. La Veloce, each monthly from Barcelona and Genoa.