New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-20
A JOURNEY TO CUBA.
No VII.
No VII
THE CAROLINA HOUSE AND hATANzAs.

Feline the same line formerly purrueu on our uIP W
Rstsbano and Trinidad there diverging the roah io-
low. the broad level valley of Guines through thou
lands Of acres Of caneeds with the broad red roofs
and tall chmneys ofsugarworks rising among them -
every nile Arriving at the Guanabana station "ithn
dozen niles Of Matanzas, We left the tram ana "a'e'
three hours for another to carry US ten or Twelve niles
more on the Colseo Branch Railroad to our dest'na
ton. the Carolina House. The vegetation was not
widely different from what we had previously seen,
several species Of palm abundant, especially the foys
palm, which formed lines, avenues and groves every
direction Much of the land visible was overun with
,hickets or lying in rough, bushy pastures, the req
soil of which is in great part filled with projecting
points and knobs of the ragged yellow limestone Aver
leaving Gusnsbana, the road wound among rough hIs
covered with forest which thickly tangled with
vince while the larger trees bore their stout branches
multtudes Of air plants" These seemed especialyto
attach themselves to the stately csbas they gene
rally ofvery coarse growth looking ike tufts of flags or
rushes growing on the huge horizontal boughs though
some varieties quite slender and delicate in FORM
often pendent in loose, trailing masses. These para
sites form very peculiar and conspicuous feature IN
the hin regions of Cuba Their general effect is not
agreeable, suggesting the idea that the woodland
giants on which they grow deeaying, but thi. is
flourish amcaby together. 1t has, however, another
parasite of different characer-a vine or creepsr
which grapples its huge trunk with close an embrace
that in the end il stops the circulation of the sap and
destroys its supporter. believe this parasite is not
strictly vine, but shrub growing on the boughs of
the ceiba, and sending down powerful vine-ike roots
round its sides to the ground 1t is difficult, however.
for transient visitor not well acquainted with Spanish,
-, 81 al toy n
Cuba: few whom he meets know or care anything
about It. and from those who have some interest In
the subject his information is apt to be misunderstood
Reaching the Carolina station our host of the Caro-
lima House met us with saddlehorses and wagon and
ride of mile or two brought us to his establishment
The house was built by an American, and pleasant to
us after the Cuban hotels its wooden floors ana
piazzas. its clapboarded walls and glass sashed win
dows. It was originally the residence of coffee
planter bu the estate is given up to grass or pas
turage, and the house though far from what would be
considered suitable for place of summer resort In our
country makes very tolerable hotel Its proprietor
is an American, and English is the language OF the
house.
Our first excursion to adjoining estate where
coffee still cultivated Most of the Cuban coffee prop.
critics had been converted to other uses, but the high
prices of the present year render those which have
been maintained very profitable.
We were not late enough to see the coffee in flower,
far less in fruit, though a few unreasonable berries
were found TO show us how the seeds contained
in pulpy. cranbery-like fruit The bushes were
erect with one or two stems each three to six feet in
hicht planted in rows over the fields with planains
and bananas interspersed among them. Long rows
and avenues of royal palms ran across the estate from
its circumference to the house near its center, aud
magnificent avenue of clestnut-like mango trees led
from the latter to the road in front which was bordered
by other lines of palms The estate was not extensive
| | should think not more than 50 or 10 acres were
under cultivat and the general appearance oil tho
| Mace Indicated a quiet mode of rural life more like
that Of our farmers than is enjoyed by planters or
horers on the great sugar estates where the steam
engine rolls constantly requiring the utmost exertion'
Of all to keep up with its unrng power, so that the
labors of great farm and great mandatory are
united in one unceasing round.
The dwelling ON this property was picturesque
edifce, low walled, with broad piazza in 'front.' and
huge steep root of thatch three feet in thick
ness Near by were negro cabins, built of waited
canes aud poles the fronts being pastered orthe sake
of appearances, the rear walls remaining open like
basketwork for the sake of ventilation, and the roofs
Of tie universal palmleaf thach. Broad platforms OF
stone, covered with cement, provided, on which
the gathered coffee is dried in the sun, until the pulp
and skin of the berry will rub off. 1t is then placed
in peculiar mill ring.shaped trough of brick and
cement in which a wooden wheel travels round and
round like the stone of omill, grinding and rub
bling the dried berries against the sides Of the trough
until the husks are entirely detached, when being
separated by simple tanning ml, the coffee kernels
are ready for market.
We were amused watching two negroes gathering
fruit Of the royal palm, which is small hard nut as
large as bullet growing in large, grape'lke Gus
tiers below the eafy and at the summit OF the
smooth gray trunk. They assembled readily, by aid OF
two cords, one end of each forming stirup or loop
for the foot of the climber the other moose or sup
knot which embraced the trunk of the palm. By
alternately loosening the nooses slipping them upward
and tightening them by the pressure OF the foo ths
negro ascended rapidly to the clusters of nuts growing
at the elevation Of so to GO feet Cutting them OIL
with the sharp cutlass machee worn in his grde he
Sid them easily and safely 10 the ground along cord,
the other end of which held by his fellow at thirty
yards distance from the tree so that the bunch, which
was probably fifty pounds in weight reached the ground
without breaking scattering. The nuts are used a.
food for swine
The negroes employed in this ingenious process were
native Africans their scared cheeks plainly ind-
Gated. They were however, very intelligent and quick
Of comprehension, and though we could converse
only in the most imperfect way, contrived TO answer
all our questions and explain whatever we wished to
know very satisfactorily. One Of the most curious
things we have seen was a row of bee hives in the gar
den of this estate They simply sections of ho
low trees three feet long, laid their Sides with the
pd .utirev oman in which the industrious haecs ear