New-York tribune., 1873-12-25

Cuba IL a very poor harbor and very little of town
We left few stranded fishing boats there and
seemingly took away most Of the town and ship
ping with ms in our single steamer. Our steamer,
by the way, was built in New York and is after the
pattern Of the Sound boats. She belongs mostly to
the courteous old captain with the Roman face.
She took things in the loaGng way OF everything
aud everybody in this hot climate. stopping over
night regularly to rest or take in or put out cargo
Her first lodging at Cienfuegos, neat, prosper
ous little city With the inevitable plaza and groups
of picturesque negroes and negresses, the latter
with too much trail to their dresses for cleanliness
and altogether too little back for the usual purposes
of clothing. Our next resting-place was Trinidad
or rather Casilda, which is the port of Trinidad
Here at the right of the harbor lay beached the
wreck of the steamer Salvador. Those who are
familiar with Cuban affairs will remember that
some two years ago this steamer put IN here with
arms and men for the rebels. The story, as get II
from the Spaniards like most stories of the Cuban
instruction from that source, very vagne. An
intelligent man living within 40 miles OF where
the Salvador was taken and sunk could give no ac-
count of the occurrence. How many escaped TO the
mountains, how many were captured, who they were
he didn't know. He spoke to me of the rebellion IN
whispers, as many do in the island. No Spanish
speaking person has yet dared to talk in favor OF the
insnrrection in my presence. Igsarreco is word OF
terror Ii would be difficult to give you an idea OF
how thoroughly scared the Cubans are just now
The Catolans will assure you that there is no IN
surrection-at least that it is confined to few hun
CRY bands in the mountains of whom four-hftis are
negroes and Cinnamon. STILL at Manzanillo winch
after Santa Cruz, was our next hating place. they
seem terribly afraid of nothing if there is no lnsur
a.t.z IL .nn hotrt
cade of sugar hogsheads, barrels, and stones, each
one topped by the Spanish flag. fortress, which
from the water looks like big Summer-house,
crowns the hill above Manzanio, and this fortress
has Corona inscribed upon its front 1t is presumed
TO protect that half of the town lying outside OF
the barrlcades Ii is no exaggeratiOn to say that
every second man in Manzanillo bore gun. At dark
two gunboats-- one bearing the flag Of the COM
mander of the whole gunboat heet-came stealing
in. and cast anchor little way from the wharf
where we passed the night. month ago the rebels
attacked Manzanillo, and pundered some of the
shops The Spanish report that 80 Cubans were LETT
dead upon the field of battle, and that the Spanlards
had three killed and 20 wounded. What the msnr-
reci0 say about il have not been able to learn Inc
town was evidently at their mercy at one time, and
the account of the dead and wounded has an eX-
tremely one-sided aspect. From Manzanillo TO
Santiago de Cuba the coast was very mountainous.
In fact hugging the shore closely as our steamer
did. we were in reality following the caprices
OF a mountain chain. Just this side o1
the highest peak in Cuba, Punto Tarquno, we
passed the spot where ii is supposed the Nirginlus
was intending TO land. IL was in this neighborhood
that she was discovered and gnaled at Santiago de
Cuba, by means of the little towers OF observation
which we saw perched in sight of one another
l. IL, ha nj for
which the yirginius is said to have been making
looks well suited to the purpose. torrent has
worn away the steep sides of the monntan leaving
reach of shore favorable to landing, and the dry
bed of the same torrent furnishes a good passage
into the interior 'I n. ... .n..
Although our steamer reached Santiago de Cuba
in the night, we could see that we were entering
most beautiful harbor-much more beautiful
think than that of Havana. The MORO. with IFS
lighthouse, stands high rock TO the rght
and further IN through the narrow entrance, IS the
water battery, called the Estrela, upon whose ram
parts man stands and through speaking
trumpet challenges all passing vessels. Both shores
of the winding harbor are high land, that on the
right being the higher. The water OF the bay OF
harbor was. as we saw il last night, sheet of
rhospborescent light. II it had been molten silver
II coudd not have produced finer effect, as each
wave or nipple utSAeu III 'ne hi"oi"ieN' va ~
tropics Fish darting hither and thitber looked
like submerged meteors Two or three OF the mus
keto fleet. which prowls around the coasts. the side
wheel Spanish gunboat Juan de Austria, and the
United States steamer Kansas, were dmly visible at
the wharves. and at anchor The low brick
slauebter-bonse where the yirgnius prisoners were
shot made dark mass at the head OF the harbor.
Huddled together on the east side of the water was
the city OF Santiago de Cuba holding ITS 10000 IN
habitants vi, hin remarkably small space.