The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-02-17

our being able 20 move towards the city
Of Granada IN our party was a Cuban
gentleman, who spoke English rs wen
as he did Spanish. Being familiar WIN
some Of the characteristics oi ihe people
especially of the proprietors Of stage
lines. he proposed that we should hirc
seats in the first wagon that came along,
irving for reasons, that in as much as Wt
should be Obliged 30 60 by diligence az
some time or other, the conductors OF
those now passing, regarding us as safe
game. would never concern Themselves
about our case. whereupOn we authorized
him go act accordingly. A few hours after.
wards. being early in the morning OF
the 23l December, we took passage m a
Spanish wagon 4 description of his
vehicle will disahusc the reader Of any
preconceiyed idea OF what 10 IS. based
upon what hc is in Che habit OF seeing boa
his own or any other country. II consists
Of a long truck, built up with hi-h sides,
covered over with leather. slcepskiu or
canvas, strongly braced and nicely bale
aDccd on "a single aXletree, and with only
two wheels Tho latter are eight or ten
feet In diameter, having a tire 0l iron
several inches I'm thickness, and with 81
tread of ten or twelve inches
This wagon il drawn by ten mules.
hiichcd two and two, those nearest the
vehicle being generally the largest, The
latter are fixed 50 the end of heavy pole
by means of saddles firmly strapped
around The b0iyo iheanimal and braced
0y breast straps and strong tug feathers
A heavy yoke Is attached 90 iis each
end 10 the middle of each saddle and
tho end OF the pole IS received and
liked into a huge iron ring IN the mid
dc of and under ihis yoke bv This
means the animals receive the weight
of the pole ON their backs tn
stead of on their uecks. The aver
age rate Of travel is about tWO on three
miles ln hour oyorthe best of roads The
amount of freigh, they are capable OF
Transporting seems Incredible ihe one
u which We took passage was loaded
with n variety of articles. from railroad
Ties 90 tin pans. and 70 appeared to have
on board almost as much as au ordinary
canal boat conference.-the When fUi-
ly laden, as In this case there j. room ion
only one person besides the driver On
This accoun We bad t0 enjoy walk by
Turns as well AS ride
We leit our friends ntfbe Ncna with
something az regret. the.t eGou, iu our
behalf having been SOD frank and sincere
When The accident t0 the diligence ol-
cured wc regarded it 70 serious d.ss-fcl
nt r. bad afforded us an opp0r-
Wnlty OF seeing Spanish life among
.he humber classes, and of MAKE
.ug observations which otherwise would
have been lost t0 us. our preconceived
ideas of The average spaniari had been
associated with al. tAat is cruel and
ireachoi0us nour childhood his chaac-
ter had been written in The bloody tales
of the nursery. where le was always rep-
resented us the pirate and ihe assassin.
The bright. brown face, ot 0lr cAeery
hosts. as wc now took our leave. ielt no
such impression 0n our minds.
With al the rec0l.ecfi0ns oi lAo disc
comforts of our novel experience
wi,h them, we had az least hcel made 90
remember that cone touch of nature
makes The whole world Kim aud fllt
there is good in every thing What
we saw hy the way, and how We got over
om Journey will he told hereafter
.r. ur fanrfffnTn