ind this beautiful and fertile island a most
valuable possession, every foot of which he could sell at a large
substantial price, if he chose to do so.

Until recently there has been an impression in the United States that
Porto Rico did not amount to much, that Cuba was the only island in the
West Indies which was of any especial value. But this is the most
grievous error, as we shall endeavor to show in the course of this
little book.

The island, without much exaggeration, can really be called the garden
spot of the world, and there is no doubt but that when the Stars and
Stripes wave permanently over it, and there is an influx of American
enterprise and wealth, there will be a marvelous increase in values of
all kinds.

Like all Spanish colonies, Porto Rico has been wofully mismanaged. The
Spaniards have looked upon it in the light of a more or less valuable
cow from which every drop of milk must be squeezed. But now, under more
fortuitous circumstances, under a more beneficent rule, the charming
little island will undoubtedly "blossom as a rose"; for those who have
looked into the subject have declared that more can be raised on an acre
of land in Porto Rico than in any other portion of the globe. Later on
we shall examine in detail the truth or falsehood of this statement.

Porto Rico is older than the United States, for it was discovered by
Columbus on November 16, 1493, during his second voyage to America. The
great discoverer remained there only two days in the port of Aquadilla,
but he did not come in contact with any of the ingenuous natives, for
they fled in terror when they saw his ship.

During their subsequent conquests in the West Indies, the Spaniards paid
no attention to Porto Rico until 1509. At this time Ponce de Leon, then
governor of Hispaniola, afterward known as Hayti, determined to extend
his dominion. With the idea of obtaining fresh supplies of gold, he went
to Porto Rico and made a long visit to the chief of the natives, by whom
he was received and entertained with the greatest kindness and
hospitality. The chief willingly pointed out to his Spanish guests all
the great resources of the island, and when, with the greed which has
ever distinguished the men of their country, they asked for gold, he
took them to streams where the sands were loaded with the precious
metal.

Ponce de Leon was so delighted with the beauty and fertility of the
island that he imagined he could find there the f