the building of highways, the improvement of
port facilities, the establishment of sugar refineries, the spread of
foreign agricultural colonies, the improved sanitation and water supply
and the development of the island under foreign capital. It was as
foolish, Stuart realized, for Vellano to judge all Cuba from the wild
forest-land of Oriente as it is for the casual tourist to judge the
whole of Cuba from the casinos of Havana.

Cuba is not small. Averaging the width of the State of New Jersey, it
stretches as far as the distance from New York to Indianapolis. Its
eastern and western ends are entirely different. Originally they were
two islands, now joined by a low plain caused by the rising of the
sea-bottom.

Climate, soil and the character of the people vary extremely in the
several provinces. High mountains alternate with low plains, dense
tropical forests are bordered by wastes and desert palm-barrens. Eighty
per cent of the population are Cubans--which mean Spanish and negro
half-breeds with a touch of Indian blood, and of all shades of
color--fifteen per cent Spanish and less than two per cent American.

Foreign colonies are numerous, though small. They are to be found in all
the provinces, and exhibit these same extremes. About one-half have sunk
to a desolation of misery and ruin, one-half have risen to success. As
Stuart once remembered his father having said:

"I will never advise an American, with small capital, to come to Cuba.
If he will devote the same amount of work to a piece of land in the
United States that he will have to give to the land here, he will be
more prosperous, for what he may lose in the lesser fertility of the
land, he will gain by the nearness of the market. There are scores of
derelicts in this island who would have led happy and useful lives in
the United States."

Crossing the hills--by a trail which threatened to shake the cart to
pieces at every jolt--the two travelers reached Palenquito, and thence
descended by a comparatively good road to Vesa Grande and on to Rio
Seco. A mile or so out of the town, Stuart saw the gleaming lines of the
railway and realized that this was to be the end of the long drive.

"I have no money for a trip to Havana!" he remarked.

"That is a pity," answered Vellano gravely, who, since he had searched
the boy's pockets, knew that only a few dollars were to be found
therein, "but Senor Cecil said you were to go to Havana. Therefore, you
will go."