The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-01-08
HAVANA, 25th Dec, 1916.
TrfD IA The Tnfe,-tor


On the 10th inst, having grown weary and tired Of the
business hustle the constant roll Of voantes and drays
through the streets of Havana, determined to
break the monoony of the moment by short excursion
into the country and accordingly, with others took my
seat in the daily train Of at o'clock for the village
Of Gunes distant from this forty five miles, and the
south coast of Cuba only about twelve.
On clearing the outskirts Of the city we soon passed
right the foot of Principe with its grey and mas
sve walls in silent repose little further on seminary
surrounding which number Of boys were sporting on
the green turf Emerging gradually from this lovely
spot and small hills in the of fort Principe
was at once struck with unbounded admiration at the
beauty of all the scenery around here the railroad be.
gan gradually to ascend and continued for about M
teen miles Nothing can picture to the imagination or
surpass the beauty and snbmy of the scenery at
load Of tropical fruits pineapple banana yuca
&c. and in the distance the lofty and majestic palm sur
rounded by the sugar closed the distant
view. At Bejuoal, the first village assed through the
railroad strikes the plain table land OF the Island and
here and them the coffee tree may be seen but not
extensively cultivated Nothing of Importance attracts
the attention of the eye save the extraordinary fertility
Strange to with ali this bounty Of the conn
try which the railroad passes is almost one con-
ued Wild without the signs Of cultivation save now and
matched with palm leaves.
At half past eleven arrived at Guines when was
shown to a very comfortable and clean hotel kept
Mr. Lawrence and where visiting this island for
pleasure find an agreeable berth for few days On
cane had caused to the place. houses still unroo
ed, others one solid mass Of ruins
The neghborhood Of Guines is said to be one of the
most highly cultivated districts this island there be-
ing number OF large coffee and sugar estates As one
OF the objects Of visit to satisfy my curiosity in
this respect lost no time in procuring horses and with
friend set out the evening of my arrival TO visit
an estate on which, as ! was informed by the may.
sd by as Of ali ages The ride Pei om n"s
this estate is unsurpassed in beauty: the country one
unbroken level literally covered with sugarcane az far
the eye could extend. The estate belonged to
a rich family, residing in Havana, by the of Di
ago, the owner of which being moro able and perhaps
better informed than the majority of sugar
Cuba had imported from France and put into operation
expense of $40 900 train for making sugar upon
system by which no portion OF the molasses lost
On nearing the houses our attention drawn parcu
arly cluster OF some fifty small hus in straight rows
the right These were the houses ofhe slaves thach
ed with palm leaves, and in the Of each hut Of
smaller ze at first supp )sed these huts Kitchens
but riding up closer observed in each huge black
pig which favorte companion of the African slave
On dismountng at the house of the or we
kindly received by him. and informing him that
object Of visit merely to the process OF grind
ing and making sugar, which they had just conr-
menced, he directed to make the house own in
the usual Spanish custom, and politely granted the
Having satisfied our curiosity. we were about leaving
when half dozen carts arrived from the field
with sugar cane with which came the mayora or over
of the estatea tall athletic Creole, of about fifty
fve large white hat in shirt sleeves with long toledo
sword hung to his SIDE the hilt of which hung his
half long and half inch in diameter made Of the skin
the This is the instrument with which they used
punish their slaves but having been found be too
severe the government passed law prohibiting it's use
bu, the grave old declared he could not s ense
with it, and prefers paying the 6ns OF S25 per annum
ing the penalty for violating the law. The mayoral
frankly declared that every who had any thing
do with negroes should wear out manai per week
but that the in his hand had lasted him six
months In the interior of this Island every white man
permitted to his oiedana this is for the purpose
of enabling him to defend himself in the event OF an at
tack from the slaves.
TIE village of Guines contains popuat of about
1000 souls, cthird Of whom black and colored.
Although the appearance Of the people is healthy much
more SO than the Havana, they egregously lazy
and here as in other parts OF Spanish America they
pear to let every day provide for itself
Having been informed that about a league west of
Gunes, there was one OF the most nourshng coffee
tates, belonging to man by the name OF Touello set
out Tor evening" and after pleasant ride arrived
at 10 my SURPRISE here distinctly thnn at
any other place the fatal rnvsges of the late
orange trees and every shrub OF any height had been
torn up by the roots pantain trees PROSTATE the
ground in short gloomy and dismal aspect presented
itself all sides The product of coffee has been gra
dualy diminishing this Island for the last few years
and have been assured the growers long will have
| to abandon it entirely, as unproductive.
Previous to my departure for Gunes, accepted in
vation from gentleman to whom brought letter. 10
visit during the Christmas holidays his coffee and sugar
estates situated towards the west end of the Island
Bahia Honda, and to comply with which left unes
hose Of again returning to it before leave the Island