Gibara

GIBARA, or JIBARA (once Punta del Yarey and Yarey de Gibara ), a north-coast city of Oriente Province, Cuba, 80 m. N.W. of Santiago de Cuba. It is served by railway to the S.S.W., to HolguIn and Cacocum (where it connects with the main line between Santiago and Havana), and is a port of call for the American Munson Line. It lies on a circular harbour, about I mile in diameter, which, though open to the N., affords fair shelter. At the entrance to the harbour is San Fernando, an old fort (1817), and the city is very quaint in appearance. At the back of the city are three stone-topped hills, Silla, Pan and Tabla, reputed to be those referred to by Columbus in his journal of his first voyage. Enclosing the town is a stone wall, built by the Spaniards as a defence against attack during the rebellion of 1868-1878. Gibara is the port of Holguin.