tically all of the plantations and
many of the town lots is very rich.

On February 21, the day before Washington's birthday, occurred the first
birth in La Gloria, a lusty son being born to Mr. and Mrs. Olaf Olson.
Mr. Olson was one of the most prosperous and progressive of the
colonists, and his wife was a true pioneer. At the time of the birth the
Olsons were living in a tent on their town lot on Market street, not far
from Central avenue. Dr. Peirce was the officiating physician, and the
infant developed as rapidly, in proportion, as plants in that tropical
clime. It proved to be a remarkably healthy child. It was promptly named
Olaf El Gloria Olson, and on the request of the Pioneer Association, the
company generously made it a present of a town lot. Soon after the birth
of the child, Mr. Olson moved into a house of his own construction.

The weather at this time was good and the temperature very comfortable.
Ordinarily the thermometer registered throughout the day from 70 to 84
degrees of heat. The lowest temperature for January was 55 deg.; the
highest, 91 deg.. The lowest for February was 56 deg.; the highest, 91 deg.. The
extremes of heat are nearly as great in winter as in summer, but there
is much more variation. In summer the temperature ordinarily runs from
about 78 deg. to 90 deg., but occasionally touches 94 deg., which is the highest I
have ever known it to be in La Gloria. Even at this figure the heat is
not oppressive. There is such a refreshing breeze night and day in Cuba
that one does not suffer from the heat either in summer or winter. The
climate is so fine at all seasons of the year, that to a New Englander
it seems absolutely perfect. The colonists worked hard every day under
the rays of the sun and suffered no ill effects. They came to the
conclusion that getting acclimated was a "cinch" in comparison with
enduring the changing weather of the Northern states.

During the first week in February the colonists, such of them as were
not otherwise employed, began the construction of a corduroy road over
the worst places on the trail from La Gloria to the port. The work was
under the supervision of Colonel Maginniss, and from twenty to thirty
men labored daily for some time. While not of a permanent character,
this work made the road more passable for pedestrians and animals, and
was of material aid in the hauling up of provisions and belated baggage.
By the end of February most of us had got our tr