t.

Mayaguez Bay on the west coast admits vessels of any size and is the
best anchorage on the island. Guanica is the best on the south coast, of
which it is the most western port. It was here that the American troops
first landed. Still Guanica is not visited by much shipping. The
district immediately surrounding it is low and swampy, and the roads
leading from it are not good. Guanica has been the outlet for the
produce of San German Sabana Grande and, to some extent, of Yanco,
which is on the railroad. The western and southwestern parts of the
island have been particularly over-run by the Porto Rican rebels, and
this has undoubtedly done much to injure its commerce. But with the
advent of the Americans all this will be changed.

The eastern coast is fairly indented and washed by a sea which is
usually smooth.

On the rugged north side, where the ocean currents set to southward,
there are no good anchorages between Arecibo and San Juan. The port of
San Juan, however, affords good shelter and will be an important centre
for merchant shipping as well as an attractive rendezvous for yachts on
a pleasure cruise. The harbor is deep enough to admit large vessels, but
its channel communicating with the sea is winding and difficult, and can
be navigated safely only with the aid of a pilot.

One of the leading seaports of the island is Aquadilla on the west
coast. This has the advantage of a spacious bay, which is sheltered from
the trade winds. From this place are shipped the sugar and coffee
produced in the northwest part of the island.

There are seven or eight other ports of minor importance.

The main highway of central Porto Rico runs from Ponce to San Juan, in a
northeasterly direction, through Juana Diaz, Coamo and Abonito. From the
latter place it proceeds almost eastward to Cayey, and there it takes a
winding course to the north as far as Caquas. Thence it turns west to
Aquas Buenos, and then goes straight north through Guaynola and Rio
Piedras to San Juan. The entire length of this highway is about
eighty-five miles.

The distance from Ponce to San Juan, as the bird flies, is only
forty-five miles.

And now to take up a most important point--the climate. Of this much can
be said in favor.

On the whole, it may be stated that Porto Rico, for a tropical region,
is very healthful; in fact, by far the most so of any of the West India
islands.

There have been no climatic observations which cover the whole o