The Jews in Cuba barely number 500, and are mostly of Spanish origin, and engaged in trade. A great many Jews fled to the West Indies from Spain, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but few remained in the Spanish possessions. The danger was too great. Five or six of the Cuban Jewish families are reported wealthy, and are much respected, but they keep entirely to themselves. We next come to the two last divisions of the heterogeneous population of the Pearl of the Antilles,--the coloured race, and the Coolies. The coloured folk of Cuba, who vary, as I have said, from the deepest ebony to the lightest cream, form a little over a third of the whole population. That they are not more numerous in proportion to the whites, is due to causes which I shall endeavour to explain hereafter. At a very early date, slaves were introduced into Cuba, to replace the massacred aborigines. At first the black merchandise was exceedingly dear; in fact, according to ancient authorities, slaves were "worth their weight in gold." But, in the seventeenth century, the importation from Africa began on a great scale, though very few females were at first landed, as the majority died on the way over. This fact necessitated a system of constant replenishment of the males, and it was only in the last century that negresses were brought to Cuba in any great numbers. Their appearance was followed by the inevitable result--a peaceful invasion of small niggers. And the dusky Venus found scores of worshippers, among the haughty Dons. Even worthy Brian Edwards, the pious author of the _History of the West Indies_, did not neglect to pay tribute to the charms of the "Sable Aphrodite" in an Ode from which I cannot resist culling the following lines:-- Her skin excell'd the raven plume, Her breath the fragrant orange bloom, Her eye the tropic beam. Soft was her lip as silken down, And mild her look as ev'ning sun That gilds the Cobre stream. The loveliest limbs her form compose, Such as her sister Venus chose In Florence, where she's seen, But just alike, except the white, No difference, no--none at night, The beauteous dames between. O sable Queen! thy mild domain I seek, and court thy gentle reign, So soothing, soft, and sweet, Where meeting love, sincere delight, Fond pleasure, ready joys invite, And unbought raptures meet. The prating Frank, the Spaniard proud, The double Scot, Hibernian loud, And sullen English, own The pleasing softness of thy sway, And here, transferr'd allegiance pay, For gracious is thy throne.