Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-26
Che fteemau.
What | Saw in Cuba.


city you must notice the patient oxen and
the queer method of harnessing. The
yoke is placed before the horns, at the
roots, and so fastened to them with thongs
that they draw. or rather push by them,
without chatting. The animals always
have hole perforated in their nostrils,
through which II rope is passed. serving as
reins, and rendering them extremely tract
able. This mode of Harvesting seems to
give the animal better facility to draw his
burden than when the yoke is placed, as
is the case with us, about the neck and
shoulders.
1t is fact in natural history that the
greatest strength of horned animals lies in
the head and neck. but, in placing the
yoke on the breast, we get it out of reach
of both head and neck, and the animal
draws the load behind by the mere force
of the weight and impetus Of body, as
given by the limbs. must say. however,
in favor of our own mode, that it looks
more comfortable to see the head free
from the yoke, las the Cuban fashion is
very suggestive of headache.
The Cuban horses are smaller, rarely
weighing over six hundred pounds. They
are finely proportioned, small and delicate
of limb, yet they can carry great weights.
They will tell you strange stories of these
horses. sometimes, and will have them
descended direct from the " Kochlani.' OF
King Solomon's slpeds, a genealogy OF
which according 10 Nicbuhr has been kept
for two thousand years.
Great care is taken of the horse in Cuba,
and regularly every morning you see
them, twenty or more in long lines tieu
with their tail. each to the other, going
down to the water to be baIhed or ISL
coming fr IN their abIutions.
To prevent the biockading by vehicle
in the 81 reefs, the signs Lubtdt and Debujn
are put up (,ignlfylng to pass up and TO
60 DOWN.
Cuba, or Havana. rather, is at present
full of volunteers, mostly Spaniards with
some Cubans on the Spanish side in SYM
pathy. Your driver is volunteer; you
are waited on at table, perhaps, by vol
unteer, and the hatred \ hch exists be-
tween the two parties in the island is
implacable When once the spirit OF
revenge is aroused nothing can be too
cruel or barbarous in their summary mode
of procedure. Indeed. people so impul-
sive require intimidation fiom the hands
of their rulers to prevent acts of violence
and injustice.
A striking instance of this occurred
under the governorship of Tacon. His
Justice was mingled with oppression, and
he was an object of terror to the people
generally rather than of gratitude. He
built the new prison, rebuilt the governors
palace, constructed military road to the
neighboring forts, erected the spacious
theatre and market house, arranged new
public walk and opened vast parade
ground without the city walls. He sup
pressed the gaming houses and rendered
the streets formerlysnfested with robbers
as secure as those of Boston. Life was
counted of little value by him, and many
of the first people fell before his orders
His dominant desire was to administer
Justice impartially, and a well authentica
ted story $50 illustrative of Spanish charac
ter) which is still current in Havana,
cannot refrain from inserting if you have
the patience to read it.
During the first year of his governor
ship there was young Creole girl nameC
Miralda Estalez who kept little cigal
store in the Gale de Mucaderes. Miralds
was only seventeen, without mother o.
father, and earned an humble though sufi
cient support by her industry and by thu
sales of her little store. She was a picture
of refined tropical beauty, with II finel.
rounded form, lovely face of soft oliv
tint and teeth that Tuscarora might env.
her. At times there was dash of languo
in her dreamy eye that would have warm
ed an anchorte. Her cheerful jests ha'
unwittingly turned the heads, not to sa
hearts, of half the young merchants ii
the Gale de Mucaderes.
But she dispensed her favors impartial
lv. None of the rich and gay exquisite
could say they had ever received any par
ticular acknowledgment from the fai
young girl to their warm and constan
...anti,p For hi ona aha had a nlaa q n
smile for another IA few words of plea'iG
gossip and for a third IL snatch of IA Spar
ish song; but to none did she give he
confidence, excep to young Pedro Maj
between the Punta and Moro Castle, c
the opposite side of the hal Dor.
Pedro was courageous young fellow
rather above his class IN intelligence, al
peartnce and associations, and pulled h
oars with strong arm and light hear
and loved the beautiful Miralda with a
ardor romantic in its fidelity and truth.
Many were the noble deeds be had dor
in and about the harbor since boy, fC
he was waterman from his boyhood {
his father had been before him.
Miralda in turn ardenty loved Pedro
and. when he came at night and sat in tt
back part of her little shop she had alwa.
fragrant cigar for his lips. Now ar
then, when she could steal away from h
shop on some holiday, Pedro. would hoist
tiny sail in the prov of his boat, al
securing the little stern awning ov
Miralda's head, would steer out into d
gulf and coast along the romantic shore
There was famous roue, we'll known
this time in Havana, named Counte
monte. who had frequently visited Mira
da's shop, and conceived quite passi'
for the girl, and, indeed, he had grown
ho ona of her most liberal customer