There Are
Such Numbers Of Storax Trees, That If Any One Goes Up To A Height In The
Morning, The
Vapours arising from the earth smell strongly of storax,
coming from the fires made by the natives in the evening,
Which are now
drawn up from the earth by the rising sun. Another kind of tree produces a
fruit called xaquas, which being laid by four or five days, though
gathered unripe, become full of a liquor like honey, and richer than the
finest pears. There are great quantities of wild vines, which climb very
high on the trees; these bear grapes, from which wine has been made, which
is somewhat sharp. Such is their universal abundance all over the island,
that the Spaniards used to say there was a vineyard in Cuba 230 leagues in
length. Some of the trunks of these vines are as thick as a mans body. The
whole island is very pleasant, more temperate and healthy than Hispaniola,
and has safer harbours for ships, made by nature, than any that have been
constructed by art in other countries. On the southern coast is that of
St Jago, which is in form of a cross, and Xaquas, which is hardly to
be matched in all the world. Its entry is not above a cross-bow shot in
breadth, and the interior part is 10 leagues in circumference, having
three little islands to which ships may be fastened by means of stakes,
where they are safe from every wind that blows, being everywhere shut in
by high mountains as in a house.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 638 of 789
Words from 177723 to 177987
of 219607
