The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-03-09
RICHMOND, WAYNE COUNTY, MARCH 8, 1856.

The stalks formed like quilts, and the long
slender leaves represen: the feather. From all
the Of the forest and the field the royal palm
can bear the palm l never ceased admiring the
beauty of its proportions, or the very striking
and picturesque effect It gave the landscape.
The mango IS also q most beautiful tree and
is now in blossom The tall bamboo springs in
punches from the ground, and the whole face
Of the country is totally unlike ours in the char
acter Of its vegetation: and many plants l have
not mentioned gives to Cuba an interesting as
pect.'
Man,anzas is city of 10000 inhabitants,
situated on a good bay, and is place of consid
erable traffic. l counted over one hundred yes
sells in the harbor. The houses are generally of
but one s:ory and OF the description as those
of Havana It's streets are also wider. and run
at right angles. It has its Plaza where the
band play twice week Mr.. Jeffries, of our
city, is lighting it with gas.
In the villages, and throughout the country.
the houses are all of story, covered with tile
and with porch before the door, of course, not
built in courts. in Havana and here. The
most Of the country people wear the sword, when
they ride, which they always do; if they go any
where you meet numbers the road, thus
coutred The privilege of wearing arms is pur
chased by license from the government, but an,
of the opinion that they are worn more as mark
of distinction and matter of pride. than for the
purpose Of either otfense or defense. Iexamined
many of their weapons which did not appear
sharp enough to be effective in combat. The
overseers carry them for the purpose of defense,
and to overawe the negroes. Citizens SO unar-
med
The horses are small. but extremely hardy,
and the easiest gated l ever rode They all
pace in and out of harness, not in fifty trot
ting. and ridden with severe bit and savage
spurs. Their plows. of but one handle. of
the rudest and most primitive construction, and
remind me Of those in Italy, and their carts and
wagons heavy and clumsy. The spirit of pro
gress has made but small headway here, and
never viii. until the Island changes owners
There is not public conveyance Except rail
roads) in Cuba, the condition Of the roads rem
derng the use of wheels impossible, except for
local purposes. Everything is transported on
pack-horses. You meet long strings Of them.
tied head TO tail, and bearing enormous loais.-
They abound in great numbers; the men no moro
think of walking than does the Camanche Indian.
Everybody is astride, and generally on the lope.
The fine, and In their mode of working
them they are undoubtedly ahead of A light
yoke without bows, rests on their necks, and sup
ports the tongue; thick pad is placed across their
foreheads, and the ropes are passed over 1t, and
fastened to the yoke behind the horns. They
pull, of course. by those ropes easier and with
more effect l have no doubt, than by the mode
used Will, We NIGH. learn this one thing
from them, which is about all we can learn.
Poultry Of every descri ption is exceedingly
abundant This is great country for cock fight
ing. At a "Poeeda'' road side and village
inn, you see dozen or two tied by one leg to a
post-the feathers plucked from their neck and
back, and their combs closely cut They are
fierce, game looking fowl, and fight until they
die. You meet many of the countrymen with
chickens under their arms. covered by orna
mental CLOTH as we do race horses. They
worth from five to over five hundred dollars
and enormous sums bet on their contests.
60 from here to Cardenas C. NEAVE.
CARDEsAs, Februry I, 1855.
Allow me, Messrs. Editors, to say to all those
who choose to read these sketches, that they
must be content with what little information they
contain. Ii is impossible to render them anus
ing or entertaining Their only value if any
they have, are the ideas they may convey of Cuba
as is. its couatry and climate is people and its
productions. Pieces like mine are easily writ
ten, easily read and easily forgotten. II the
printer sees proper 10 publish them, he has the
hardest part Of the bargain, and you and |, read
er, the easiest
happened to have the rare good fortune of
becoming the guest for three or four davs of
Senior Araneta, on his splendid sugar estate-the
Flor De Cuba And well NAV it be called
the ..Flower of Cuba" Il Is of the largest
and by far the finest and most perfect plantations
on the Island. 1t contains 1000 acres, 1000
of which are IN cane. Ii turns out 10, 900 box
es of white clarified sugar 40 lbs. to each J
and 8. 600 hhds. of brown, besides large auan-
tiv of molasses that is distilled into rum On it
are worked 500 negroes and $50 coolies or
Chinese. 600 oxen, 50 horses. 90 wagons and
carts. The sugar mill and all the works apper-
tanning TO it, is lighted with gas. and driven by
steam. The works Of the machinery are as
bright as those of watch. and the mill is kept
almost nice parlor The estate and its
proprietors are worth nearly or quite million of
dollars. Around the works is busy scene of
industry. The overseers, with sword by side
and whip IN hand and the black drivers armed
with whips, keep the gangs at work. The juice
of the cane runs in perfect torrents, and the
whole operation of sugarmakine is conducted
scale, and with regularity and system
that must be seen to be understood. Nv visits
to other mills on the island gave me the oppor-
tuntv of contrasting the perfect arrangement of
Senor's plantation with the working of the old
fashioned concerns At other places.
i Let me describe our mode Of living on this
estate. We arose about !, took cup of coffee
and cigar. and then rode down 10 the mill
We staid there until ] pas IL and returned 10
the house to breakfast at 12, the breakEa com
mencing with soup and elaret, succeeded by a
dozen dishes OF meats. and vegetables, and end
ing with coffee and cigars. We then lounged
about until /, when We again took our horses
and visited the adjacent plantations returning at
sundown, and dining between and g. | think
l never kept more fashionable hours in my life
The Senor IS a polished gentleman. a man OF