The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-01

| teclncO.
Twas, necessarily, as correspondent
familiar with the Spanish language
and had no difficulty in inquiring my
way to the low, dingy offices of the
firm to which I was accredited. ]
presented my credentials to Senior Her.
nandez, was politely received, and af.
ter he had read Mr.. Byles' letter, was
informed that the bark Albatross was
expected to arrive every day, and
would land her cargo in a little bay
about eight miles to the eastward ol
Matanzas, for which town 1 was to
start the same afternoon, with letter
for his agent there. 1 could not help
thinking it rather odd that the bark
should land her cargo at AN out-of-the
way bay, instead of proceeding direct
to Matanzas or Havana, and 1 was
still more mystified by SenOr Herman
dez, who, wrinkling up his yellow skin,
and screwing his eye into the Spanish
conception of a wink, remarked in an
undertone, "You know, Senor Can
field we have to be very careful in these
cases." I failed to appreciate the ne
cessity for care, but it was no business
of mine; SO, dismissing the subject
from my mind, accepted the Senor's
invitation to dine, and strolled off to
see something of Havana manners and
customs.
passed the day pleasantly; anus
ing myself watching the negroes, the
volantes, trying to catch glimpse of
the Creole beauties through the lat
ticed windows, and inspecting the mar
ket and quaint old looking Moorish
buildings, that made the city look SO
different from anything l had ever
seen before.
At the appointed hour dined with
Senior Hernandez and his family in
grand style, for he was one of the rich
est merchants in Havana.-His son, q
fine looking young Cuban-the father
was from old Spain-was to accompany
me, and in the cool of the afternoon
We started on horseback for Matanzas
intending to pass the night ON a sugar
plantation, about ten miles from Hava-
one, the. young Hernandez amusing
and interesting me with his description
of Cuban life, and the time passed SO
quickly that was not fatigued when
we arrived at our destination, just as
the sudden gloom of the tropical night
fell like curtain before us, from be-
hind which the moving lights, activity,
and noise of a large sugar plantation,
invited me to a scene, as novel as it
was interesting. Our reception was
one of true Spanish hospitality, and
after our horses had been taken away
to be cared for, and we had eaten and
drank to the satisfaction of our host,
we were taken by him to inspect the
processes of sugar manufacture, to my
great delight and infinite wonderment.
Finally, 1 retired to nv bedroom, with
my brain considerably exhilerated with
the old rum had drank, and the SUI
perb cigars I had smoked, and with
confused glamour of brilliantly flashing
lights, grim, dark, and naked figures
moving actively about, and roaring
flames and streams of molten syrup
mockinp nv last wakefuI moments, I
slept at length i'm peace.
/ was aroused at daybreak, and after
q hasty breakfast we continued our
journey, arriving at Matanzas before
the heat of the day had fairly set i'm.
Here / delivered nv letter to the agent,
Senior Vasauez, and found him making
prer arations to 20 and meet the bark,
which had been signalled, and would
be up that evening:
Two hour served for the necessary
preparations, and we rode out of the
town just at dusk, followinga a road that
led along by the seashore in an easterly
direction. Young Hernandez accom-
panied the agent and myself; and we
ambled leisurely along, chatting on va
rlous topics, until by-and-by the stars
came out, and the whole beauty OF the
Southern constellation lighted us on
our way. To the right of us thick
WOODS lined the ROAD, whlle on our
LETT the sea rolled heavily upon the
beach, or occasionally dashed upon the
rocks that in some places walled 1t in,
with a duil, monotOnOus roar, full OF
unfathomable music, but SO mournful
wlthal, that we soon ceased our conver>
satlon, and rode on IN silence.
AIter rue OF aDout elgnt mlies, uu-
ring which we had not met human
oeing, observed my companion 6e-
gan 10 move cautiously, ana nnally
hernandez SAID:
~ must nave been somewhere
ABOUT mere that ne was to meet you,
was II not" -
EYES," said Vasquez; "but the
Dutch blOckhead Is as likely as not to
60 to sleep off the side of the road. No,
BY JOve, there's his light 2"
And sure enough, saw q little way
ahead of us the faint glimering of
light, that fiickered for a moment, and
then disappeared. NV COMPANIONS
halted, and presently y saw the same
light again, and again it disappeared.
This was repeated for the third time;
and then Vasquez drew from his pOck-
ct dark lantern, and drawing the
slides, its faint rays pierced the gloom
in front. In another moment we heard
q distant shout, which Vasquez an
swered; and then closing his lantern,
we all trotted briskly forward.
l was surprised at all these precau-
tiOns, and asked Hernandez what
they meant. He laughed and said l
would soon know; and just then the
light appeared again close before us,
and we were joined by two men.
Is she in 2" said Vasquez.
EYES," was the answer. "She got
in just at sundown, and lies at anchor
on the old spot"
I caught a view of the speaker by
the light of his lantern, and was not
specially prepossessed in his favor. He
was a short, stout-built man, dressed
in ordinary seamen's clothes, and had
a large, red face, and heavy brown
beard. His speeclf was cultural and
his Spanish fluent but foreign. Ijudg-
ed him to be a HIGHLANDER, which he
was.
For some time our road had tended