South American continent. But the location was unhealthful, the swarms
of mosquitoes particularly being intolerable, and two years later the
city was transferred almost directly across the island to the north
shore. This second site was near the mouth of the Almendares River, near
the present town of Vedado, and was found to be vastly preferable to the
former one. It was impossible, however, that the superb harbor on which
the city now fronts should be neglected. It had been discovered in 1508
by Sebastian de Ocampo, while circumnavigating the island, and had been
called Carenas. Accordingly in 1519 the young city of Havana, bearing
the Indian name of that province of the island, was transported thither.

Credible tradition has it that the first meeting of the Municipal
Council was held under a huge ceiba tree, and that Mass was first
celebrated at the same sylvan spot, the site of the tree now being
marked by the building known as the Templete, in the heart of the great
city. Two fine historical paintings by the artist Escobar, representing
the two gatherings named, hang upon the walls of that building. In De
Soto's time Havana became marked as the coming capital and metropolis of
the island, partly because of its unsurpassed situation, and partly for
a reason similar to that which caused it first to be founded on the
south coast, namely, for the sake of trade with Mexico and Florida. De
Soto during his brief sojourn there began the erection of the
fortification known as La Fuerza, which has long been noted as the
oldest inhabited building in the western hemisphere which was built by
Europeans. By the time of Governor Angulo, Havana had grown into--or
been reduced to--a community of about two hundred Europeans, and perhaps
three hundred Indians and negro slaves.

Santa Maria del Puerto Principe was originally founded in 1515 on the
north coast, but a dozen years later was removed inland for security
against the rovers of the sea, and became known by its present name of
Camaguey. For many years Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa was its chief man; a
man of wealth and great force of character, who lived like a prince upon
a vast estate with a great retinue of servants and slaves. All the rest
of Camaguey was tributary to him; with a total population of fewer than
five hundred souls.

Baracoa, originally Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, was the first
permanent settlement in Cuba. Shut off from the rest of the island by a
mountai