Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-03
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PrrurTY oF rHE TlwSY cEsw-A RIDE rHRouau
THE NOUNTAISs-A BtccHAxALIAs YRoIIc AT
NIGHr-USIvEEsAL FEATrREs OF THE GrrsY CAMP.
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Special Correspondence Of TEE EVENING sraa
HAVANA. CUBA, Feb. "a 1854
- ever In any land gipsies may be said to have
duties, I am sure they were wholly set aside
during my three days sojourn In the Gitanos'
camp near Luyano.
ASH was along In the afternoon whe, arrived
with Ignacio. not much time elapsed before the
evening meal was ready. Though the rule among
Gipsies Is that one must take pot-lucE as to food
with them, l could plainly see that some little
EFFORT az extra preparation was being made This
was not 80 Unexpectedly extrayagant As among
many OF the cher American Gipsies where have
eaten upon table service hammered out OF solid
silver at cost OF many hundreds Of dollars but 1t
was al least curfously striking indeed. A solid
plank Of roughlyhewn mahogany twelve feet
long. two In width, and fully three inches thick,
formed our table Upon this was spread a crimson
cloth OF rich texture. interviewer with gold and
silver threads, barring q suspicious resemblance
"a a pilfered cardinals robe At one end stood a
gorgeous spray OF peacOcs's feathers, and set
aNkwardly upon the other was one OF those
hid Gus spanish peeJos or entire wild boar SKINS,
Hlled with wine drawn at spigOt In its savage
mouth This nerce and suggestive arrangement
queer ornamentations some odd vessels and relics
were brought into reQuIsitiCn In my honor
ONE CR TWO SILVER TsSKAKDs
OF great weight ana age made their appearance. A
silver bowl that would hold gallon was set In the
tables center. For plates, polished brass and PET.
Ter dishes OF every imaginable design did service.
DirSs and little machetes were placed about for
knives. There ~ere no forks and the spoons were
their generations OF absorbed grease. To complete
the decoration OF the festive board, which / war
rant would have made due impression anywhere,
naaIwr E.aal ~
sort than their demure and pugnacious goats had
brought from sumo secret hiding-piace silver
candlestick upon which was wrought wondrous
sure proof OF Its being at least ten centuries old
IN which saerilegiously burned q lighted taper.
This Difference 10 my possible religious predelic-
lions was simply a Gypsy trick. which soon put
an end 10 here. characteristic OF the universal
.iipsy race. Tn y are goddess But they are quick
In any land TO conform 70 any faith with SUFFICIENT
dextrous seeming 10 pass Inspection In emrrgen-
ties. trait not Wholly confined 10 the Romany.
sosKR AsAI-
The meal WAS a disInalIy sober one despite my
best efforts The FIRST fiush OF CHEEKY recognition
Having passed, 1 knew the tawny crew were
mentally wondering about the real motive OF my
guest The food itself was good enough for any
hungry body, though one might nationally hope TO
never get worse. IL consisted OF ajiaco or cuban
all-sorts rice green and ripe roasted plantalns
bananas, boiled sweet potatoes, and tassa1o de
Tqerca or earescosd pork roasted ana smoked
entire family OF fourteen, including twelve daugh-
ters. ranging from a nina mite at its stout old
their early teens, 10 niaidens whose forms
ADD faces would have set artist wild
with delight, kept me good funereal company,
until the old boars akin began TO look gaunt from
repeated attentions Their spirits rose as the
bOar's back fell: and By the time the stars had
friendly footing again But knew Gipsies too
well 10 force terms Of genlality- pleaded wear1-
hess and went &c my tent Here and there the
lights began 70 peep out In the canon Now and
then caught souIds OF chatting and laughter.
The honest tuman tone OF reinsurance had come.
And 80 fell asleep. on that my first night in a
genuine spanish Gypsy camp. as sure OF a PHEASANT
morrow as though a born rom rajah, or road lord
among these pileriming sons and daughters OF the
orient
MORNING GREETINGS
was on my feet and about with the FIRST OF the
GitdnOs the next morning, and there was pleas
ant word and smile for me everywhe soon won
all the little fOS OF the band with small coin: and
there are no fathers and mothers OF any race who
Will not warm 10 one who can quickly gain the az
IectOAS OF their children. so, too by some little
deAterity among the horses. donkeys, and goats
which had Well learned in my wanderings among
the Gipses OF other lands, j appealed directly 10
The respect OF the quick wit ed young men or the
band AID II ever you are 20 GO a-GIpsylng this Is
not a bad thing 70 know These supple fellows
have Keen eyes and as quick knuckes They have
their sweethearts, too, their rockties they call
them In kOinaDy, and II one values sound pate,
there Is god fort Gne In making love 10 the youths
rather than the witching maiiens OF a Gypsy band.
bright little knives. so paid due court TO tine
young dOnS and donkeys. and was rewarded with
thousand '.mueho gracias,' some pretty keep
sake-. and a1teHbreakfast, which consisted OF but
black coffee and blacker pan negro. or black bread
and oranges. which supplemented by stealthy re-
source Ia niy own pouch OF sausage and cheese, 20
a dash ON a manufactured jacas over the low -lytng
Mountains. among the sitlos over toward JarucO
way. for donkey haa strayed away and must be
saddle. undoubtedly hiding eighty miles
without Gi-mOuntirg. On our return my
good Iortuna received happy addition by my own
Il al discovery m
had wandered into a deserted quail o's hut, and
though nall started, had resoutely determined on
disestins the entire palm thatched structure be-
lore retreating from his position.
MOUNTAIN SCENERY.
The incident was a fortunate one, but the day in
the mountains was grand one Though not four
leagues from Havana evidence OF country life was
az marked and characteristic though In the
hills SEEMED TO raGiate from points OF vision TO the
horizon a. wayelets from the falling OF pebble In
, ,'i ~atsr; ana YET the lace OF the country has
the behOli,r Unreasonable reaches OF prairie
snd savanna. Checkering all this interesting
INES Of the closely divided holdings Of the ten
antry. and among these hedges are here and there
,a me- ae way balm Sa nS and The quite as
cuutn Location Will appear tine cabins OF the
Peasaniry. Asa rule they are mere huts, and an
bDunteOUsness OF the soil. the gladness OF the
birds the spiendor OF the heavens, and the glory
~ tHc SAY, are cO1traSted with the aDlect In
slilcleney OF The cuban guajlro'ss or country
mans Surroundings
The oD0R-LADES AIR
Occasionally a magnificent quinta or villa will
D. seen, but the sharp contrast between this and
the cabin only emphasizes the painful reallza-
ton But over all hangs the delicious oter-Iaden
afr % TIL. marvellous cline IL has the palpable
quality OF a presence. You breathe n "a
tnOugn taking food You are silent In IT. yet ever
anxious 20 hold IL as part Of yourself IL Is ever
u you distinct arOnas and Jet beyond these there
J. sa all pery aiding. aeyer-endlng 0dor which has
become quality 81 the very atmosphere itself
could you group IN your Imagination at one
time all The rarest and most brilliant flowers
you ever beheld in PARK garden or conserya-
tory. you would not eyen then be able 10 realize
what tbs unkenpt fields OF Cuba forever pre-
sent 70 the travellers eye. In park, enclosure
beige and HE'LL, are found the stately star OF
Bsthehem, with ITS splendid scarlet blossoms. the
nigno7ette. here a tan tree covered with odorous
blooms; the tender vinea, with It's white and nam-
ings OF red; the golden southern jasmine the
s-triet hibiscus. The galcn de noche or garland OF
bunched ike olr old-fashioned Iiiacs and
Only fragrant II moonlight and starlight:
the heneysQekie-llke pinons, the flaming Ham
boyanI, the star cactus. the Carolina tree;
bss-Ine Tower; the heiiotrope, honey sucRie
and Wild pea; The Cherokee, Marechal Mel
AID Cape roses anu Jae9ueminot; the jonquii and
lilies VI the valley, and myrads upon myriads
delightful nora-aIl as common here as the daises
and daDdelions starring our own gresn meadows
II summer
THIRD DAY AMONG THB eIrANos
was one Of compete good fellowship and inter-
change % Gypsy gossip As well versed as are
these people In the concerns OF their kind In all
ards The spanish Gypsy, something as with the