The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-25
1874


of the arena at the demand of the people, who
yociferated loudly that they did not come to
see bulls Ndughteredi One of the rejected
animals had evidently been accustomed to be
driven in the fields by man with pole, and
when the picador, lance in hand, rode at him,
he quietly turned tail, and trotted away AnO-
Their beast was so alarmed at the scene of con-
fusion that he galloped around and around the
ring, and would not 90 out, till the "direc-
ton backed an OK into the doorway; when
spying kindred tail, the bull, much relieved
made rush for his cousin, and escaped.
saw one bull killed. who made fercely at hi
foes and excited the admiration of the audi
ence to such degree, that when the awkward
or unlucky mdtddor, missing his first blow, had
to dispatch the beast with a second thrust
there arose against him q perfect storm OF
misses. and cries of Murder Dirty-hand
ed /" away with him he massacres." AND
the nticiondd0. or amateur. near me- turning
said TO me. in q pathetic voice, Ay ay 81
noble bull so foully slain A. | left the hOr
rihle place. satisfied that no Spanard OF really
refined character and cultivated mind car
take pleasure in such sights but satisfied, too
that the popularity of bnll-hghtng IN Span
proves nothing against the intrinsic character
of the Spanish race The creoles shun the
bull fight. as IA Spdl'6 amusement Dut the
creoes doat upon ccck'hghhng' when, 10 my
mind is q more cruel and degrading sport.
This morning spent in walking over the
tun craat fortresses Of Las Cabanss and the
tIor6 castle was fortunate enough to lie
furnished with a letter Of introduction to
Snapi.b officer in the fortress Of Las Cabanas,
and no politely conducted me over the I'M
,,anseIy extensive Notifications. This is rare
nriyiIe5e for strangers in general are rigidly
ir,lpded from both forts and ! have known
s.vsraI instances in which foreigners have
laan arrested for sketching merely the outer
,goIla of the bindings O1e German gentle
man in particular had a pleasant adventure
of the sort at the fort of Atares-a fort south |
east Of the city, famous as the scene OF the ex-
ecuti0n of the Americans captured In the time
or Lopez. The base Of the hill ON which that
fort stands is leased to farmer, who raises
vegetables for the Havana market. This
farmer was plOughing his ground with the
rude sapliBg plough IN use here and our Ter
man, struck with the odd shape OF the thing,
vas sketching it, when II sentinel suddenly
came down upon him, and arrested him. They
had no tongue in common, and he was carried
INTO the fort. quite bewildered, and unable to
conceive the cause Of his arrest. A German
soldier was at last found who interpreted to
forthwith produced the sketch Of the plough,
whcreupon the commander, heartily amused,
sent of the sentinel with a reprimand, and
detained his captive to very Spanish break
fast. AS had no sketch.b book, and was under
convoy of blue cap with scarlet and gold
band, | ran no such risks, and enjoyed my pro-
menade in peace.
The Moro, as you know, guards the entrance
Of the harbOr and as this entrance ID but
feet in width, and further narrowed
by a ship of the line, which the Spaniards
sunk here when the English fleet appeared In
1862, it would be simply impossible for any
hostile force to pass this fortress. The English
landing down the coast assaulted the Castle
from the land side; and in order to guard
against such proceedings in future, the Span
ish Government, after the folly of Lord Butte
once more put the island into their hands not
only enlarged and strengthened the Moro
Castle but erected a new and magnificent line
of Qualifications on the hills Of Las Cabanas,
covering an immense area and presenting an
almost impregnable series of defences on every
side. On this side the Atlantic nothing can
be seen in the class of military architecture
to rival these stupcndOus erections. The de-
fences of Qaebcc, so imposing to an unSophis-
ticated Yankee eye, are much less extensive
and less massive. The Spaniards are, and al
ways have been, famous builders, and they
built forty millions Of dollars into these trown-
ing walls and battlements.
1t is said that Charles ILL., when the accounts
were presented to him, took up his glass,
and went to his window and when one oi the |
courtiers present asked his Majesty what OBJ
iect he wished to see, he replied" That fort |
you have built for me ut Havana. II 1T has |
L .,G s,t,rlt tp hn n
to see it at any distance!'
The Cabanas seems to be well supplied with |
cannon and with ammunition but the garrison
is quite inadequate to the extent of the fort
ress. However, from the days of Numantia |
to those of Saragoza, the Spaniards have been
famous defenders and with such colossal |
works to defend as these of Havana, have no |
doubt thew could hold their own very firmly. |
The inclined plane, which, with many turns,
leads from tho quay to the gates of the fort |
ress il really n sort of ravne, for you pass be-
tween perpendicular masses of masonry, found
cd upon the solid rock and seemingly not less
solid themselves, the whole rising to the height
of more than sixty feet on each side. To ad-
vance up this long, weary ascent, in the face
of the Internal shower OF fire which could be
rained from the numerous emhrasures OF those
commanding batteries would be no HOLIDAY
sport
The interior of the fortress is very neat
and the quarters of the troops superior to those
| saw in Havana. The exercise ground has
been recently planted with trees, which al
ready yield II grateful shade from the intense
glare of the sun on thesc exposed ramparts
Conspicuous on an esplanade of the Caba-
mas stands marble ohelisk, erected in honor
of the Loyalty and Valor" Of the soldiers
who fell in the invasion Of Lopez. Two mines
lead from the Cabanas to the Moro but
passed over the distance Of about onc-eighth
Of mile, which separates them, above ground
The Moro Castle would be o formidable fort
ress of itself but the Cabanas completely com
mands it, and it may be regarded almost az an
Outwork OF that fertilization. lt is more PIC
turesque fort, however, standing directly above
the sea, which il hero of 80 singular clear
ness that on looking down with glass rom
the ramparts, one can sec the sca-pants grow
ing, thirty or forty feet below the surface. The
signal station is here, and the admirable telc-
scope of the signal-master commands the course
of the Gulf stream for more than twenty miles
each way. Many vessels were coming in and
going out while we stood there, and the scene
was brilliant and gay beyond description. The
view of the city and it's environs from this lofty
point and especially from the lantern Of the
noble lighttower, is ncomparably fine The
Moro has sad fame rs a prison'house, but
my friend the Captain assured me there were
no prisoners here now. hardly knew whether
to believe him; and it is very well known that
several State prisoners were put to death with
in those walls about month ago.
Destroyed it seems hardly possible these
works should ever he and in some future day
when "the sounds pf war grow fainter and
then cease" the immense circuit Of these walls
may be planted whip trees aud gardens, and
converted into the ,aost charming city on a
hill . ever seen--a city Of health--a refuge for
the /" sick at heart" or, Os Moratin, in his
translation of Hamlet has rendered that
IL. Il IL. Ii. - khn "a