Show a- a H I TRIP TD TJ TH THE li I IF ISLE I I C CI OF Dr PINE rl d c Cv 4 I Native Homestead In Isle of Pines By EDITH C. C CAMERON HEN a doctor pronounced WHEN the edict four months of Vv rest and change of climate with plenty of fresh air and sunshine the question arose where whereto to The time was December with nil all the cold and dIsagreeableness of ot a I northern climate Someone sug suggested ested Why not go to the Isle of Pines There you ou could rest and have ha all the sunshine and fresh air that you need So when I learned that it Is one of ot the most beautiful and Interesting I spots to be found in the world and situated almost at our very err door less than two hundred bundred miles mUes south of ot Key KeyWest KeyWest West and not as ns far distant from New NewYork York fork as the Mississippi I decided to visit it itI I found there were many routes to choose from but I r selected the quickest quick quick- est one most commonly used by way of Jacksonville Fla Miami and the delightful sea sea sea-ralL ralL route to Key West From there a sea trip of ot six hours bours brings one to Havana ana Cuba and another another another an an- other by rail or auto 35 33 miles mUes to Ba- Ba tabano now the most important seaport seaport seaport sea sea- port on the south side of Cuba The trains run to the dock where one can take a comfortable boat making the trip to the Isle of Pines In a few I hours bours On reaching a port of ot entry I f we we have e our choice of a number of ot i automobiles for tor a ride over a government government govern- govern ment meat turnpike road called here a calzada to Santa Sunta Fe a distance of ot five miles We cannot help being surprised surprised surprised sur sur- at d the fine road almost equaling equalIng equal- equal Ing any boulevard found In our northern northern north north- ern does cities Our obliging chauffeur tells us that there are about one hundred hundred hun bun dred tired miles of these calzada roads built and nd maintained by the govern go ment meat All Comforts In Santa Fe In the picturesque little town of Sunta Santa Fe F-e about five hundred feet above sea level is a hotel meeting every requirement of ot the most exactIng exactIng exacting exact exact- ing traveler eJer There are other less expensive expensive ex ex- pensive e establishments Here are American churches of ot almost every denomination a bank ank schools clubs for both men and women a chamber of commerce a large Masonic Masonic Ma Ma- sonic temple and other institutions found in average American I ties After resting and bathing in the Santa RIta Ulta thermal springs the springs the privilege privilege lege of guests of ot our hotel one hotel one feels like like a new being All AIl the tiredness of the long trip vanishes The wealthy Spanish military and government classes came ame here from Havana to spend the summer for generations generations generations gen gen- as the tile Isle of Pines Is much cooler than Cuba The baths are marvelous mar for curing rheumatism nervous troubles and obesity The water comes from rom iron and magnesia springs The history of ot the isle Is replete I with romance How many of ot us know now I wonder that Christopher Columbus In his second trip to the new world was lost in the keys or small islands surrounding the Isle of Pines for a number of days fin finally Uy landing on the isle upon which after Inspection and replenishing his supply of ot water he bestowed the name of La Lp Evangelista the Evangel later reaching the harbor harbor har bar bor boI of Cuba Pineapples and Pines It Is questionable whether the Isle of ot Pines gets Its name from the wonderful wonderful wonderful won won- pineapples weighing from seven seen to fifteen pounds growing BO so profusely there or to the pine trees the odor of which when the wind Is blowing In the right direction can be noticed several miles from shore In earl early days das the Isle of Pines Pine like many other Islands of the tile Caribbean was a n rendezvous ous for pirates and the south part vart of ot the Island Is often regarded regarded re re- as ns the Treasure Island of Sh Stevenson's tale As recently as some thirty years ago ngo a Span Spaniard ard who had lived a long longtime longtime longtime time on the Isle of Pines as ns poor as the proverbial church mouse suddenly blossomed out as a gentleman of great a affluence He moved with his family ninny to Havana ana the Paris of ot the West est Indies and to him was traced a n as the source of circulation a large amount of old Spanish doubloons pieces of eight and other gold gale coins colas of the pirate days It was generally believed he had discovered the cache of ot the hidden treasures of ot some pirate I crew who were unable to return and claim their ill gotten wealth Even en now there is more or less desultory search made from time to time by some of ot the natives for tor pirate treasures treasures treas trens- ures supposed td to be burled In the tho caves caes and along the shores of the Island In 1770 the Spanish crown made madee a agrant agrant agrant grant of the entire isle to a retired Spanish naval officer who at his death left seven sons among whom the Isle of Pines was divided dl From the original grant down to the Span Span- ish American war the isle was the home bome of ot Spanish aristocrats who had large Interests in Cuba When Cuba and Porto Rico HIco were lost to Spain the leading Inhabitants of the Isle of ot Pines being pure Spanish regarding the Cubans as s inferiors were very desirous de de- sirous as the lesser of ot two evils that the sovereignty so of ot the isle pass to the United States There was inserted Inthe in inthe inthe the treaty of ot Paris negotiated with Spain a clause which President McKinley McKinley Mc- Mc Kinley Interpreted as ceding the Isle of Pines to the United States Sent Many Men to the War The Isle of Pines Is extremely patrIotic patriotic patriotic pa pa- and has done its full tuU share toward winning the war wor While the tile American population is less than five tl thousand and the percentage of ot the themen themen themen men who are over the draft age has bas been above normal owing to the fact that that many were originally attracted by Its climatic and health advantages nevertheless It boasts a service ice flag of over two hundred stars Many bright young men have haye enlisted in various various va va- va rious branches of the tile service The women of the isle in their Red Cross work have haye raised thousands of dollars In fact more actual money to date has been raised here bere than has been secured and contributed by the AmerIcan American American Amer Amer- ican women in all nU Cuba While all aU the wealthy Spaniards originally Inhabiting the isle have bave sold their properties to the Americans Americans Ameri Amen cans and returned to Spain or Cuba the working natives as they are termed remain to the number number number num num- ber of probably twenty-five twenty hundred or three thousand These are pure Spanish They are Industrious working faithfully ail Mull ten or twelve hours a day for tor the small wage of ot 1 al to per day and boarding themselves them them- selves As workers they are regarded as superior to the Mexican peons Cubans or Jamaican negroes They are a quiet Inoffensive people fond of the Americans and cases of theft or bodily assault are rare They are of ofa a domestic temperament marrying early and rearing large families There are diversified amusements for tourists over good roads to all parts of the Isle deep- deep sea fishing tennis golf golt and horseback riding are especial favorites as well as sea bathing in the warm salt waters waters wa wa- tens of the Caribbean As to the climate cU- cU mate mat I will not attempt a description description tion as I found it perfect ct r |