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THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO.
The people of Puerto Rico, on a casual glance, appear to us to come from
every nation on earth. The first person you meet will be black, the next
brown, the third yellow, and the fourth white.
After a time we are able to divide them into five classes: the upper
class of white Puerto Ricans; the lower class of whites, or peasants;
the negroes; the mixed people of negro and Indian or other blood; and
the foreigners.
Among these last are Germans, Swedes, Danes, Russians, Frenchmen,
descendants of Moorish Jews and of natives of the Canary Islands.
All of these people speak Spanish, however, and have the Spanish
customs, manners, and religion.
Of the 850,000 people, less than one half are colored or of mixed blood.
The upper class of white Puerto Ricans is descended from Spanish stock,
and in this class are found the wealthy planters and stock raisers, the
merchants, and the professional men.
They are a happy, good-looking, hospitable, polite, and prosperous
people. Many of them are fairly well educated.
In appearance these people resemble the Cubans, having regular features
and dark hair and eyes.
The men are not large, but are well built, erect and graceful.
The women have clear complexions, delicate features, and small hands and
feet.
