The record-union., 1898-06-01

| creeks. Here are formed natural har-
| bors, as the water is very deep a short
distance out The land at these places
is usually low for some distance
around, and covered with a wiry swamp
grass.
| The entrance to the bay of Santiago
| is at once picturesque and formidable
| There is no prettier view on the island.
and it Is the most natural defensive
site on the Western Hemisphere The
opening appears suddenly in the rocky
wall, and looking through, one sees the
quiet waters of the bay, with the sIop-
| ing hills of green in the background
( On the right Of the entrance, and 200
feet or more above, MORO Castle lies
/ solidly imbedded in the rock Its ap-
/ pearance indicates great age. and it is
/ commonly supposed to have been built
before the MORO at Havana though it
! is difficult to get information concern
/ ing IL, or other Notifications, from the
natives. 1t is built of brick and coral
rock, and its old weather-stained walls
show signs of decay. Here and there
a cornice or. an arch is missing. and
crumbled fragments have lodged in the
crevices on their downward course At
several points, dilapidated lookout
houses, about the size of the vestibule
4
itary sentinel. At this point the waves
seem to have been especially active, as
dark caverns extend back beneath the
walls, and one can see the bats darting
about. Creepy tales are told of how
prisoners are led to this subterranean
well from the castle above and silent
ly dropped to the sea monsters.
AS the ship passes in q pebble could
be- easily thrown from the deck to
either wall. Just inside and one has
the sensation of having stepped before
a beautiful picture. The bay is about
eight miles in length and from one
fourth to one mile in width. The fertile
land, covered with luxuriant vegeta-
(, tion, rises from the quiet water of the
bay toward the blue sky, until IT is
lost in fleecy clouds.
| Summer homes on either bank are
| occupied by people who wish to es-
cape the intense heat of Santiago in
the summer months.
Bathhouses are built in the lower
bay and are completely boarded in, to
protect bathers from inquisitive sharks.
Small fishing boats. with their white
sails, glide lazily about, and several
islands in the bay lend an additional
4 beauty to the scene. On rounding a
|
de Cuba comes suddenly into view. It
has white, blinking appearance un-
der the strong sunlight, lying on a
slight eminence at the head of the
bay: Boats drawing more than eight
| cen feet must anchor in the channel
at least one-half mile from the pier
On landing one is met by the usual
crowd OF idlers, carriages, drivers and
! lvenders, whose greatest energy is ex-
hibited in trying to see the contents
of your trunk which the custom house
officer, with great display of au-
thority, orders you to open.
Ones first thoughts are of wonder
ment at such idleness and indifference
all about. Few seem to be encum-
bered with duties which cannot as well
be done ''manana" 0o-morrow). The
main street runs east and west and is
about two miles in length. 1t is quite
fifty feet in width from curbstone to
curbstone, or, more properly, from
ditch to ditch. Being made of soft
limestone, the dust on a windy day
is far from pleasing The city lies en-
tirely north of this street, the highest
point being at least 800 feet above
the bay. On account of the natural
drainage no doubt the sewage system
was placed on the surface. All streets,
excepting the main street, are little
more than alleys, often being too mar
row for two carts to pass. The more
important streets are provided with a
narrow ledge on the side elevated
about four inches, and sufficiently wide
for one person. The pavements are
cobble stones, placed in position loose
| ly and after hard storm are usually
found in piles.
4 The houses are built Of soft, native
limestone, less than two stories high,
and with very thick walls. The idea
is to have them withstand earthquake
| shocks and severe storms.
AS they are usually built directly on
the street where invariably is found
thick stream of refuse, pedestrianism
without interference with either be-
comes an art In place of glass VIM
| dows the houses have wooden shut
ters, and the iron bars projecting out
several inches from the window open.
ing, give them a cage1ike appearance.
| Houses of any size have interior
| courts, often containing fountain and
| flower gardens The rooms always
| have two rows of chairs in the center,
facing each other, and what remain
| ing furniture there may be is placed
| in the corners. The chairs must all
be rocking chairs, and small COM
pany presents an animated appear
ance, all rocking in their own time
and each vigorously welding a. fan.
The "plazas." or parks. are the only
| places of recreation, and there a rest
less throng promenades in the even
| ing. In the late afternoon the children
have possession and in the evening so
| ciety" is out. The principal plaza" is
scarcely $50 feet square, and facing it
| are the SWEETEST Spanish clubs and best
1 cafes. Formerly there were separate
| "plazas' for the different classes, but
social distinction appears to have been
abolished now.
For diversion the people have an oc-
casional week of comic opera. and the
! bull fight is weekly event. Always
1 on Sunday which is the great holiday.
Cock fights are also popular, and no
holiday is complete without a grand
| ball There are many social clubs
with gambling and drinking as neces-
sary adjuncts though one rarely sees
! a person under the influence of liquor.
| Tourists could find no more desirable
place to spend the winter months than
| in this most delightful of climates.
There are many objects Of interest in
j the old towns and the interior is well
supplied with natures gifts.-Edward
| Merrill in Cleveland Plain Dealer.
| The Mean Thing.