History of Cuba; or, Notes of a Traveller in the Tropics

In this lively travelogue the author weaves personal observations with a concise political and statistical survey of Cuba as it stood in the mid‑nineteenth century. Written from the author's brief residence in Havana, the narrative captures the immediacy of a summer visit while sketching the island’s long‑running story from its first European sighting to the present day. The tone is conversational, offering readers both vivid impressions of tropical life and useful facts about population, trade, and governance.

The first part of the book turns back to the earliest chapters of Cuban history: the arrival of Columbus, the settlement by Spaniards from Santo Domingo, and the encounter with the island’s native peoples, described as peaceful yet quickly subjugated. It follows the establishment of Spanish forts, the early role of Cuba as a military depot, and the emergence of the sugar‑driven economy fueled by the trans‑Atlantic slave trade. Brief episodes such as the British capture of Havana illustrate how the island’s strategic value sparked international rivalry long before modern politics reshaped its destiny.