National Republican., 1885-09-26

less fortunate thcu VIC. They, returning In
cur wake not TN hour later, were over
turned by . sudden squill, and four OF the
numbtr sank "down among the dead ncun
whose bOnes strcw the bottom of this dread
full gulf
About half century after the Splniiris
first set foot ON Aatec soil they began this
castle 10 cuulifm their power in the new
world, and from first to last thignow useless
pile Is said to have cost over so, ,DOJ,0J).
In 1908, when Vera Cruz was sacked by the
English corsair, Nicholas Agramont (iu-
cited by the condemned criminal, Don
Lorenciio, who wns 20 have been executed
at Vera Cruz, but had escaped TO Jamaica),
The fortress was entirely destroyed and
more than S7,000000 were carried OF. Moro
than hundred and fifty years later, II hay-
ing again become insecure, the Marquis de
ia CrOix, then vicerOy of Mexico, remltted
to the government couple OF millions
with which to put the castle into state of
defense, and the mighty bulwarks that still
remain bear witness to the labor then be-
slowed upon II.
In 1922, after the long struggle for indo-
pendencc was finally over, this rocky
island was the only stronghold of Spanish
power that remained In Mexico, its garrison
teing frequently REINFORCED by troops from
Havana. The hombardment of Vera Cruz
and the defense of the castle. which con-
tinued for two years, is familiar history.
Zavaln, that furious republican, says: "Thc
Spaniards had to contend with both gods
and men, having against them hunger and
sickness, the fire aud balls Of the enemy,
an angry sea covered with reefs, burning
atmosphere, and above all being entirely
ignorant as to whether they should ever re-
ceivc any assistance IL will be remem-
bered that the long-looked-for aid from the
mother country. arrived an hour after the
eapitulation but had the armada ap-
peered In time to save the brave but de-
pleted little garrison the ultimate result
must have been the same. The surrender
Of this fortress on Sept. Is, 1924, sgnaled
the joyful fact to long-sufrering Mexico
that Spain thus relinquished her last hold on
American soil.
OF the latest assault on San Juan dc Ulloa
by the French squadron, nearly fifty years
ago, the journals of France have not yet
ceased boasting; aud 1t Is the fashion among
them to speak OF the famous fort whose
capitulation they caused as the
ST. JEAN D'ARC OF THE NEW WORLD.
OF course, like all well-regulated tourists,
the first thing we did ON arriving Mt the
island Of Ulloa was to march straight to
the spot where Cortez is supposed to have
made his first landing in Mexico, and to
plant our feet as nearly as possible in the
footsteps of the great admiral.
The dungeons of San Juan, where muir
derers and political prisoners are confined,
are dark, damp, and horrible beyond de-
scription. They tell us that the lowest
cells, through which the restless tides ebb
flow at different intervals, are no longer
used, but it is, nevertheless, u fact that
wretched creatures have spent weary years
in them, every day being struggle for life,
until, too exhausted for further effort,
they drowned in total darkness like rats In
q hole. OF all the cadaverous, hungry
eyed, pitiful-looliing objects in human
guise it was ever my ill-fortune to meet, the
poor prisoners of San Juan are by far the
worst. Not only are they half starved, but
most Of them are kept in densest darkness
in foul, vermin-infested vaults, green witt
Shiny mold; dripping with dampness, and
| generating all manner Of deadly diseases
but on Lthe slightest pretext the helples:
wretches are thrust into the underground
dungeons, and forced to fight for their lives
with the tide.
On the water side Of Vera Cruz stands @
| stone image, whose bruised countenance
tells on odd tale of female credulity. From
time immemorial 1t has been believed tina
| IL manageable woman shall hit this imagi
| in the face with stone she will immedatel,
| obtain husband and an advantageous set
tlement for life. The inventor of the fabl
was evidently acquainted with the fact tina
| women are not expert tstone-throwers. Wer
1t not for this lamentable disability imposed
by nature, or were Vera Cruz more pop
ulous city, the image would have beel
totally demolished years ago. AS 1t is, tn
battered face has lost all semblance o
'features," and heaps of small stones lyin,
| all about attest the industry of the weake
sex, as well as their good sense in desirin
matrimonial settlement The tumble-dow
church behind which 1t stands has q remark
able number of female attendants, especiall
at vesper services. The homeward rout
lies directly past the image, and many
stone is shyly tossed, under the friendl
shadow Of the cleaning, by women old an
young. FANNIE b. WARD.