. The Cuba review. Cuba -- Periodicals. 12 THE CUBA REVIEW. Harbor of Baracoa. Baracoa is the oldest existing settlement in Cuba, and it was in 1512, two years before the first building was erected in Santiago de Cuba, that the conquistadores laid out the plans for the present town. That Columbus visited the harbor of Baracoa when he coasted the northern shore of Cuba on his first voyage is almost certain, and the admiral undoubtedly observed the prominent table mountain, El Yunque (the an\al), which dominates the harbor and can be seen for miles. It is claimed, in fact, that it was Columbus h
. The Cuba review. Cuba -- Periodicals. 12 THE CUBA REVIEW. Harbor of Baracoa. Baracoa is the oldest existing settlement in Cuba, and it was in 1512, two years before the first building was erected in Santiago de Cuba, that the conquistadores laid out the plans for the present town. That Columbus visited the harbor of Baracoa when he coasted the northern shore of Cuba on his first voyage is almost certain, and the admiral undoubtedly observed the prominent table mountain, El Yunque (the an\al), which dominates the harbor and can be seen for miles. It is claimed, in fact, that it was Columbus himself who named this peak El Yunque from its strong resemblance to an anvil, but this is more a matter of .local legend than of accurate historical record. Rising to a height of over 1,800 feet, the "An\'il" is easily \'isible for 30 or more miles and forms an excellent landmark for mariners approaching this part of the Cuban coast. Zoologically^, El Yunque offers one of the best fields in Cuba and one which has remained practically unexplored; since the days of the noted Cuban naturalist Gundlach, who explored the summit in 1859, we do not believe that this i^eak has been inves- tigated. The town of Baracoa itself is situated on the shores of one of the most picturesque bays in Cuba. While the harbor offers a safe shelter to vessels during the greater part of the year, it is exposed to northeasterly gales and in consequence has a bad reputation with masters of sailing vessels. No tugboat being available, craft which have to depend on sails alone have consider- able difficulty in leaving the harbor, owing to its narrow mouth and wdth strong northeasterly- winds their departure becomes an impossibilitj'. Baracoa has a population of about 6,000 people and judging from the stately buildings which can still be found, must undoubtedly have lost a great deal of its former importance. A direct fine of small fruit steamers connects Baracoa and the neighboring coastal banana
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