, 1888-02-26

upon the donkey's skinny ribs with blows
so r%esounding that the echoes rang and
rang again between the walls of the mar
row GALES. During the entire fagellation
the Gypsy emitted from between his
closed teeth a series of sharp Kissing,
IS S SIS universal with the lower
classes of Cuba as a signal of alarm, a
sound of reprOof, and the most intense
threat of direst possibilities.
/ knew the way we took, for I had
travcrscd it not long before with my old
friend, Don Miguel, who is now, | trust,
at rest beneath other than Cuban palms.
The magnificent Calzada, leading from
Havana to Guines, seemed brighter than
ever. There lay the quaint old city, like
a shining nest within its frowning battle
ments. Beyond the sea, white at the
shore, a wondrous green beyond, and a
bed of purple beneath the northern hori-
zoD. Crossing Jesu del Monte, but a
mile distant is Togo, where the Guines,
ManaGua and Santiago de Las Vegas cal
zadas concenter. Then for a league We
traversed FL Luyano way; crossed the
river OF that name and its famous bridge,
costing the Concha government a million
dollars; passed the great Coralles,
or slaughter yards of Havana, where
the petrererOs or cattle graZers, the en-
comcnderos or wholesale butchers, the
matarltcs or slaughterers, the acuchilla-
doris or lounging bullieS, with montcros
and guaiIros, or herders and peasants,
form animated groups mingling in bois-
ferrous righteousness; and had settled into
so exhlleratlng a jog that we had come to
the first genuine Cuban village or pueblo,
Luyano, two leagues from the city, before
| fairly realized We had left the beautiful
suburbs of Havana behind. But that
effect was due to the delight in riding a
Cuban pony. He is the most charming
OF riding horses in the world; and his
powers OF endurance are simply astound-
ing. He will make from seventy to ninety
miles a day IN a continuous Jog or half
rack, so easy to the rider that Il glass of
water could be carried in the hand all that
distance and not a drop spilled. For rest
he never halts TO a walk. He simply
changes from his swift gait into what is
here called a marcia, which is much more
lean horse. Like old Tatlnc's Greek
courscrs. he is absolutely proof to
fatigue, of dict spare and slight" and he
is the truest, most patient little animal in
the whole world, whether his owner is a
man or a brute.
But a little distance beyond Luyano
our animals showed signs of increasing
interest and speed, when of a sudden
without guidance they abruptly turned
into n narrow path leading to the half
mountains whose summit forms the pic
turesque eastern horizon About Il mile
from the calzada this path, scarcely more
than a well beaten trail, wound down and
around the base of a craggy hill, towards
which another precipitous crag gradually
rose. Between these shadowy sides there
was barely room for our passage in single
file, and the tumbling and splashing of a
diminutlve stream. But we SCOT emerged
from this darkened passage and were at
once in the presence of as sunny and
beautiful a scene as | ever beheld. There
lay n little mountain sheltered valley of
perhaps eighty rods in length and half
that width; the little stream %circling
around its edge on the northern side; the
crcsts of the protecting hills here and
there sentineled by the cocoa tree and
palm. A few rude %sitieros' cabins stand
ing here and there alongside the stream;
and all about, in the most picturesque
spots imaginable, a score of tents, the
homes Of lgnacio's people, the true
Gltanos, or gipsies of Spain.
Near us was a grove of tamarinds, and
Ieyond were a palm and Towering ~locusts.
The level bed of the canon was divided
In little patches of tllable ground by
hedges of Spanish bayonet. Men, wo-
men and children were lolllng about as
Gipsies always seem TO do, playing at do
minoes or idly tinkering upon pots and
kettles, gathered from the peasantry,
upon tOrgcs of their own construction.
Untethered ponies and donkeys browsed
about ut will. The women, among whom
were 4 few girls Of the matchless beauty
Of the pure Spanish Gypsy, were here
and there plating sombreros from the
liplJIpl grass, weaving grasses into dainty
ropes; or stirring the juicy mOndougo in
the pots above the fires, while happy,
halt naked, olive skinned children rolled
about with the dogs and goats at play. OF
splaShed and waded 10 the waters of the
little stream, A score of i%rregularly dis
posed TENT covered with brown wooden
stuff, kept in place by skewer like hedge
thOrns, and many fluttcring garments in
which red and yellow predominated, com
pleted what there was to be seen al first
glance Of the picturesque Gitano's camp.
But the canon was odOrous with flowers;
II was mclodious with the songs of birds,
the sounds of falling waters, the laughter
Of children, and those peculiar quickly
rising and falling, but eyer pleasing, tones
Of the Spanish Gypsy women's voices.
The whole place was a satchet of sweets
OF odor such as Araby's wales never sur
passed; and above all, shonc a skv
as pure and clear as can ever dome a
heaven.
lgnacio, who proved to be the real head
Of the band, dlsmounted and ran toward
swiftly TO his companions. These were
already showing signs of perturbed cur
losIty ut the unusual spectacle of a strange
foreigner appearing in camp on this ex-
%traordinary friendly footing. But on the
way from Havana | had lost no occasion
to impress him with my standing among
the Gipsies Of more than one land; and a
few rapid gestures and words, among which
| heard my appellation amongthe Romany
of Gor0id chai 0oyal. non-Gipsy friendly
adjusted the whole matter as thoroughly
as though / had been born of a Gipsy
mother and had returned from some Jar
country in atflucnce and honor to my own
kind. No pen can describe the marvel.
Gus swiftness in which speed the news
that Ell Americana, had come, may be
a thousand leagues, to visit them; that he
had 50 deity singled out their chief, Ip-
nacio, in the old Havana, plaza; and had