A Brief Sketch of the Life of Brigadier-General Schwan APPENDIX THE ILLUSTRATIONS Theodore Schwan, Brigadier-General U.S. Volunteers Statue of Columbus, Mayaguez American Cavalry entering Mayaguez on the 11th of August The Public Fountain in Aguadilla, a Favorite Rendezvous for Runaway Lovers Plaza Principal, Mayaguez.

[Illustration: The Public Fountain in Aguadilla, a Favorite Rendezvous for Runaway Lovers.]

[Illustration: Railroad from Mayaguez to Aguadilla.

The city is connected by tramway with the neighboring town of Aguadilla, and by railroad with Lares on one side and Hormigueros on the other.

Reports also came to brigade headquarters that Spanish troops in large numbers, coming from different places,including Aguadilla and Pepino,were concentrating to attack my command.

Furthermore, the road to Lares, except for the first eight miles out, was said to be all but impassable for wheeled vehicles; and this reminded me that the major-general commanding had intimated that I might have to go to Lares by way of Aguadilla.

The principal towns of this section, in addition to those already described, are Aguadilla, Maricao, Añasco, Cabo Rojo, Lares, and Las Marias; but none of these places are important enough to call for detailed notice, with the possible exception of the first-named.

This city, Aguadilla, while it has a population of only 5,500, is notable as being the most picturesque town on the entire island.

"In this settlement," says Oviedo, "there were so many mosquitoes that they alone were enough to depopulate it, and the people passed to Aguáda, which is said to be to the west-nor'-west, on the borders of the river Culebrinas, in the district now known as Aguáda and Aguadilla; to this new settlement they gave the name Sotomayor, and while they were there the Indians rose in rebellion one Friday in the beginning of the year 1511.

[Illustration: Columbus monument, near Aguadilla.]

In December, 1797, an English three-decker and a frigate menaced Aguadilla, but an attempt at landing was repulsed.

On the 20th of December, 1819, an insurgent brigantine and a sloop attempted a landing at Aguadilla.

They captured the fort by surprise and dismounted the guns, but the people of Aguadilla replaced them on their carriages the next day and offered such energetic resistance to the landing parties that they had to retreat.

They were imprisoned in Lares, Arecibo, and Aguadilla, and, while awaiting their trial, an epidemic, brought on by the unsanitary conditions of the prisons in which they were packed, speedily carried off seventy-nine of them.

On the western coast the spacious bay of Aguadilla is formed by Cape Borrigua and Cape San Francisco.

FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 74: Rafael Conty, subdelegate of the treasury of Aguadilla, sailed round the island in a sloop in 1790 and confiscated eleven vessels engaged in smuggling.]

Arecibo, Véga-Baja, Toa-Alta, Yauco, Cabo-Rojo, Aguadilla, Humacáo, and others made efforts in this direction either through their municipalities or private initiative.

The name signifies "place at which water is taken," and Aguadilla, which is to the north of the former and the head of the province, is merely the diminutive of Aguáda.

San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Aguadilla, Arecibo and Fajardo all carry on extensive trade.

To the northwest and following a direction almost parallel with the northern coast, the Sierra of Lares extends from Aguadilla to the town of Lares, where it divides into two branches, one going north nearly to the coast, near Arecibo harbor, and the other extending to the spurs of the Sierra Grande de Banos; this latter starting from Point Guaniquilla, crosses the island in its entire length, its last third forming the Sierra of Cayey.

On the northwest and west are the coves of Aguadilla, the town of this name being some 4 kilometers inland.

From Palo Seco, situated about a mile and a half from the capital, on the opposite side of the bay, a carriage road, perfectly level, has been constructed for a distance of 22 leagues to the town of Aguadilla on the west coast, passing through the towns of Vegabaja, Manati, Arecibo, Hatillo, Camuy, and Isabella.

From Aguadilla to Aguada, a distance of a league, the road is excellent and level.

One of the best roads in the island extends from the town of Papino, situated in the mountains, to the town of Aguadilla on the coast, distant 5 1/2 leagues, through the village of La Moca; in the distance of 3 leagues from the latter place, it is crossed by 10 deep mountain rivulets, formerly impassable, but over which solid bridges have now been built, with side railings.

There are good roads in all directions. (7) Aguadilla to San Sebastian, 18. (8) Arecibo to Utuado, 33.