The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-10
PEACOCKs OF SANTIAGO.
Legend That They Were Introduced
by Columbus, Junior.


by Columbus, Junior.
From the Chicago Times Herald.
In Santiago de Cuba there is little to at
tract and less to love, but the pride and
alteration of alcade lieutenant, captain
and captain general OF that besieged city
are strutting peacocks behind the garden
lattces Of white Not all the game hunt
ing TO be found in the wildcats and dogs
infesting the Sierra Maestro range can
take the eyes and interest of the Spanish
soldiery from the proudest and most use
less bird of modern history. The peacock
of Santiago bird by no means as bril-
liant in hue as those of Java or the Cey-
Ion country. is an object of almost popu-
lar idolization. His shrill cry as a warn
ing of evil; the spreading of his tail to the
sweet sunlight of the southern coast an
omen of good fortune.
Perhaps it is not a faulty index to Span
ish character that the peacock should be a
constant object of wonderment and wor-
ship to not only the grizzled veterans OF
Santiago, but TO the conscripts and the
latest importations from Madrid. Little
in the literature of Cuba is to be found
explanatory of the presence of the birds
in Santiago, or why they should be IN
vested with almost a celestial character.
The explanation must be found in the ma
five SDanish love for ghttering colors, the
she'll of beauty rather than the substance.
IL history is 10 be believed, the son OF
CHRISTOPHER Columbus brought. the flrst
| peacock TO Santiago early in the sixteenth
century. Presumably, the bird came as
an offering to some native chief who might
he persuaded through its beauty and de-
sire of possession to give up of land and
gold all that was asked Legend says that
the Junior Columbus brought three females
and one male bird of this species, and that
their first home in the new land was on
the River Tarquino, not far from Santi-
ago. Subsequently. through perhaps neg
lect of the natives, who were cieanly'
quiet domestic people, not given to earth
" vanities the four birds were freed.
They propagated until their number in
creased tenfold From the Pico de Tar
uuino to the mouth of the mines of I'll
Cobre they made their homes, going 10 the
highlands during the rainy season, return
ing TO the coast when the dry season was
on. The vegetation was luXuriant and food
plentiful In time as settlements sprans
IN about the base line of Pico de Tar
ouino. the birds attacked the products of
the small gardens and plantations. Ihclr
work was exceedingly destructive. Hunt
ing oil them as IL iIlSy NSAS mus - PAS
became a fashion
An alcalde of the seventeenth century
who came from Havana to the Santiago
coast, told of the immense number OF pea
cocks to be found there. One of his sue
cessors a century later was chasing them
on horseback. using a small lasso in the
sport and finding much enjoyment from
it. Fat fathers of the church attempted a
revival of the custom of having the birds
served at the table as a delicacy, just as
the Greeks once did. But the flesh, al
though white, was tough and sinewy
Even when stewed in wine 1t did not grow
tender and the epicures sighed.
Santiago grew. From fishing port and
a harbor for storm-tossed vessels it de-
veloped into a naval station for Spain, a
retreat for crown officials anxious to be
out of sight of the government, for a time
at least; a resort for soft-voiced women
of Spain following the fortunes of hus-
band-soldier or the court of a captain gen.
eral. This population attempted an orien-
tai way of living in Santiago. Houses in
that mild climate were but mere shells
but they bred all the material comforts
that wealth could purchase.
The peacocks ceased to be objects OF
the chase. They were captured and
| brought 10 the gardens, where the rose