The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-17
Writes An Interesting Description of
ThIngs Seen Around santiago.


Things Seen Around santiago.
Maj T. s. Wylly, Jr., Third Regiment,
United States Volunteer Infantry, is in
command OF seven companies of the regi-
ment the other five being detached, four
of them, or one battalion, being station
ed at Guantanamo and the fifth at lit
tie place not far from Santiago.
One of his many Savannah friends is in
receipt of a letter from Maj Wylly, dated
Aug. "a, that gives an admirable account
of the regiments reaching the captured
city and fine description of it and its
surroundings He writes as follows;
eve have been here now five days, and,
as you can imagine, our time has been
fully taken up, getting into camp, and
falling into the other many duties we
have had since arrival
ITO give you any idea Of this country
and its inhabitants. would take a much
better writer than ] am. The approach
to it and the harbor of Santiago is sim
ply beautiful and grand, and If you saw
it in a picture you would say-'beauuful,
but not natural
1--WE sighted the south coast off San
tiago just after daylight, and, as we
neared it and the mist cleared, we were
under bold rock coast, with the noun
tains stretching out on both sides as far
as the eye could reach. On the highest
of the lower range Of hills, with its base
running down into the ocean Immediately
beneath, stood old Moro, battered and
SCARED, looking like a grim old castle
that had seen better days, while from its
highest point fioated proudly the Stars
and Stripes. It's picturesque winding
stairways from the outside, running from
the waters edge upward, and winding,
apparently, in every direction, just wide
enough to allow one man, or possibly two,
to occupy it at the same time, made you
almost dizzy to look at 1t. Uncle sans
soldiers, of course kept guard.
The Yale and one or two smaller vessels
were on guard at the mouth of the harbor,
and their lusty cheers and music, together
with the dipping of the colors all over the
harbor, gave us a good warm welcome,
and made a thrilling scene.
just inside, and almost under MORO
Castle, we passed the wrecks of the Reina
Mercedes and the Merrimae The harbor's
mouth is narrow, and the hills on each
side high. The bay widens as you go on,
and the picture on the inside is really beau
tiful. The bay is oblong in shape, with
the mountains running up on all sides,
and beginning almost at the waters edge.
THE city of Santiago stretches far up
into the hills at the further end of the
bay. The waters are blue, and if it were
not for the vultures that line the shores
all the way around one might think them
as pure as they look Probably a hundred
transports were tugging at their anchors
on the inside some loading troops for
home, and others unloading troops for oc-
cupation The colonel left in a small boat
for the port and sent back two smaller
transports to take us to the city. Strange
to say, when they arrived one proved to
be the Berkshire of the Baltimore line, so
for old acquaintance sake took her for
my battalion and sent the First and Third
in on the other boat
when we landed and began our march
for the camp, we passed about two thou
sand of the Spanish prisoners on their way
to the transports, to begin their home ward
Journey, many of whom could not last to
see the end Of 1t. They, poor fellows, were
absolutely regiments of boys, poor, hollow
checked spiritEess boys, some being held
up by companions on each side, some limp
ing, and others hobbling alone. They were
a sad sight, and 1t flied our whole Tegi-
ment with pity to see them. The con-
trast was certainly marked as we marched
down one side of the street, band playing,
colors flying, men fully armed and equip
ped, healthy, happy and well fed, while
those poor fellows filed along on the other
side, bare-footed in many cases, and some
with faces so SCARED that they actually
Cooked more like wild beasts than human
beings.
Passing on through the city, probably
the things that impressed the uninitiated
most quickly were the peculiar and pic
turesque houses narrow and dirty streets,
absence of any window glasses, and scanty
clothing of the people. Costumes OF both
male and female are about as thick as the
highest summer breeze, while children OF
both sexes up to 10 and IL years Of age 20
absolutely naked. In fact, they have less
to hide them from the inquisitive gaze now
than when they first came into the world,
for am told that nearly every one In this
cloud.
"Our camp Is about a mile from the city,
and presents just such a view as Santla-
go harbor. II Is a beautiful green valley,
and the tents, a perfect sea Of them, stretch
the whole way around, running far up on
the hillside ana stare at each other with
L..