The valley is now fruitful in sugar-canes, and surrounded with hills and woods; and the _coup-d'oeil,_ when seen in the quick changing lights and shadows of the setting sun, is quite, enchanting.

Continuing our ride, we crossed the valley as the moon was beginning to throw her dubious and silvery light upon the cane fields.

A light breeze springing up, their flowery heads swayed to and fro like waving plumes, while their long leaves, striking one against the other, swept like a mournful sigh across the vale, as though Nature were offering its tribute of compassion to the fettered sons of Adam that had helped to give it birth.
There is a very important personage frequently met with in Cuba, who is called _El Casero_--in other words, the parish commissariat pedler.

He travels on horseback, seated between two huge panniers, and goes round to all the cottages collecting what they wish to sell, and selling what they wish to buy, and every one who addresses him on business he styles, in reply, _Caserita_.

This pedlering system may be very primitive, but it doubtless is a great convenience to the rural population, especially in an island which is so deficient in roads and communication.