New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-12
IN pINOS DEF, RIO.

Banos described only the first half OF General
Grants excursion into the interior. There Is ume
now after returning to the Cuban capital, to write
the concluding chapter. From San Diego Los BANGS
General Grant and party journeyed to Consoiaclon
del Sur one of the chief towns in the Province OF
Pnos del Rio lying West of Havana. 1t may be
explained that this Is of the provinces into
which the Island was divided after the peace OF
Martinez Campos. The road to this place from San
Diego takes the traveller into a new land. 1t is not
so tropical as the rest of Cuba, although the palm
tree in its many varieties abOunds The pine is also
found IN extensive groves and from this the prov
ince takes its name. The red soil of the sugar coun
try changes here to light straw color or ashy hue
very sandy aud not rich the other in vegetable
growths. There is an undulating plateau OF this
kind of land slOping from the mountain chain TO the
Caribbean Sea, and extending from the vicinity of
Paso Real to the Western extremity of the island,
which produces the finest tobacco in the world.
The railroad has yet penetrated the heart of this
reqOn so the journey to Consolation was by vo-
antes and coach. This coach the only draw
back to the trip its frequent disasters causing the
procession to halt frequently that the trip was
thereby considerably protracted.
At little village on the plain, called Herradura,
"the Horseshoe" the governor of the province,
General Francisco AeoSta Alvear with troop Of
a hundred horse. met General Grant and welcomed
him to his domain. Hall of his command were
regulars portion Of that great army OF striphngs
that SPAN has sent by the thousand each year to
enforce the subsection of this unruly dependence.
They are young fellows from the blond Biscayan
TO the tawny Andaluslau, are in Cuba by will of
their OWL and are worthy of better fate than to
perish in the cause of robbery aud oppression. No
country can prosper that makes such use of her
boys. General AcOsta was truly magnificent IN
tight coat and broad patent leather belt, red trow
sers and Napoleon boots. On his breast hung
decoration. He fourished a white glove in one
hand during his little speech, and was the imper-
sonation of grandeur itself.
Shortly after the journey was resumed the coach
gave out altogether, and tie unfortunate inmates
mounted horses in the places of an equal number
Of dismounted dragons The Cubans who were di-
reeting the journey had protested whenever an
American showed his head in the sun, for the heat
was intense. No fuss was made over such impru-
dence, however, when the coach passengers were
obliged to take to the hOTses although there is
warmer way OF travelling than this So much time
had been wasted in an attempt to repair the coach
that the rear guard found themselves five or six
miles behind. They fairly flew over the ground to
make mp for lost time. 1t thought necessary
that the grand entry should be made into COnso-
lacion with every possible flourish.
BANQUETING UNDER A vERANDA.
At o'clock the town was reached, and the party
halted at the residence of SenCr Ramon Hernandez
v Padron, who. with his brother LeandrO and
brother-iu-law Jose Perez lives in low castle-like
establishment consisting of adjoining houses.
around which runs one broad veranda. The family
is immensely wealthy, owning estates for miles
around. They are what wOHld be termed shrewd in
New-England, having sold ont their slaves for a
half million when the first agitation for eDancipa-
ton began. They still keep about sixty slaves and
the house was full of them, all neatly dressed, and
apparently very bright and cOntented Dinner was
served in sumptuous style. while the band, whose
instruments were chiefly flutes and kettedums,
played in the shade in front of the house. They
attempted Yankee Doodle in honor OF the United
States, aud the rendition indescribably
funny that the guests could scarcely preserve a
due decoruin. The musicians did better when they
attended strictly to the Cocuye. the Cuban national
air. and other tunes more in the line OF their ex
perience
As General Grant had made arrangements to re-
turn to Paso Real January 81. and to stop at the
sugar plantation Of Senior BarbOn near AlQuzar, it
was necessary to visit the tobacco plantation that
same afternoon. Accordingly at $50 o'clock, the
party was en- route once more for the Majagua, on
the Rio Hondo, the place where the most celebrated
OF all the Cuban tobacco IS grown. The broken
coach had not yet up and so the horses had to
be mounted again by portion Of the company. 1t
was sunset when the destination reached. after
passing through five miles of tobacco fields. The
residence is low two-story building. the walls of
which are extended back to inclose large
area in the rear. In front is broad
smooth quadrangle on two sides Of which to-
bacco dry houses and the third the quarters of
the slaves. The superintendent conducted the party
across the fields to the banks of the Rio HOnd0-
'the deep river"-that through the plantation.
Palm trees grow at short intervals to shade the
ground from the too teTvld rays of the sun. The
guide informed us that this year, owing to the
usual drouth, there would not be over one-third
of a cron throughout this section. The dry season
extends from Octobefto A pril ordinarily. with
casional showers, but there had been no rains at all
for three months and the tobacco was Ing III con-
seouence The growing of tobacco differs here from
the process in the States in but one essential par
ficuar The plant is set out the same. but instead
of single growth of the leaf new shoots come mp
from the stump after the first leaves have been cut
q second or even third time during the same sea
SON The drying and packing is the same, save that
instead of II rs put III bales wrapped IN the
spathes of the palm leaves.
A STRANGE SCENE BY ToRCHLGHT
For the third time that day the travellers were
seated ut table and required to do justice to tire
peculiar viands of Cuban dinner. After vanly
struggling with half dozen varieties OF meats pre-
pared With garlic, red pepper and spices the hospIt
able entertainer assured his guests that they must
not hurry as there were many more JnngS III tue
kitchen. The table was spread on the veranda. and
the scene was lighted by torches OF pine splinters,
held by slaves. A question being asked OF the
superintendent about the slaves, they were called
from their quarters for exhibition. First came the
men and ranged themselves silently in a
double row in front OF the porch. They
wore look OF resignation to servtude, not
unlike that of life convicts i'll pententiary. These
spiritless men were sent away and the women were
called up. Such woebegone company never
seen aud the spectators could not but wish that
they might never look upon such scene again.
The women were Of small stature, poorly clad, and
without the first ray Of intelligence beaming in
their faces. The children likewise exhibited.