The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-28

!,
going to the highlands during the RAINY
season, returning to the coast when the
Dry season was on. The vegetation was
luNuriant and food plentiful In time g
settlements sprang up about the base line
OF Flco de Tarquino, the birds attacked
tne products of the small gardens and
plantations. Their work was exceedingly
uos'ruetlye Hunting of them a. IL they
were birds Of prey became a fashion
|
An alcalde of the Seventeenth century.
VINO came from Havana to The Santiago
coast told of the immense number OF pea.
cocks TO be found there one OF his sue
cessors century later was chasing them
on horseback, using a small lasso in the
sptfl, and finding much enjoyment from it,
tdt fathers OF tue cnurch uttempteu a re-
| viVal of tho custom OF having the birds
atiNed 1t the 'ab,c Is UcncAc! Just Us
| the Greeks once did. But he hesh, al
though white, was tough and slnewy. Even
| When stewed in wine 1t dla not grow ten
| der, and the epicures sighed.
| santiago grew From n5hing port and
harbor OF shelter for storm tossed ships
1T developed into naval station for Span,
n retreat Tor crown officials anxious to be
out OF sight of the government. for "a time
| AT ltast a resort for soft-yoiced women of
Spain following the fortunes of husband
soldier or the court Of captain general
| rms population attempted an oriental way
OF living at 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 and the
| dewbell were no more beautiful than the
| races OF the women who bent over them
| Little silver bells that tinkled with every
step were bound about their feet. golden
chains laid about their necks Gay ribands
were often intertwlned with their feathers
to helshten If possible the effect of natural
| hues The garden confines were marked
| by lattices painted white Behind these
the birds struttod. the male displaying all
his gorgeousness of color to his humble
| mate.
In less than twenty 1--WE years from this
Time there was not a wild peacock about
| Santiago. But the gardens were filled with
them. and at the Iattices the cringing poor
or the idle soldery might stand and watch
! their unfolding beauty. Naturally it fol-
lowed that in a land where native birds
are lew aud not Of brilliant color the popu-
lar mind centered its Interest in hiru ma
on the confined peacocks. Then. too, there
was something In the gorgeousness of that
olro mat spoke OF the Spain that Span
iard Always dreams of, speaks of. wrltes
vi out never creates. Simple folk began
10 weave tales among themselves about the
nlru, In time they consulted il DIS thew
would an oracle. '
should simple fisherman be SO for
tuhaLe IN passing the gardenway of n
s,anurc as to eaten glimpse OF pied or
White peacock his catch at the next throw
would MI u,
II mad ever been before IL IT was no,
inc rare white peacock was no, 10 blame
but some evil spirit OF the sea. Mas n
ia'hef or sweetheart toilng life away In
me cursed copper hole of Ell Cobre nm
lhere by the Maestro range. the Haunting
OF such and such peacock's tail on s,cS
anu such saints day meant his freedom
in a twelve month
Ilu n male bird with deep. lustrous hluc
UPPER wings and golden green about tho
neck savagcly attack his gravlsh white
mate on the bright dawn OF a holy day thnn
eVli oetlde him who did not immediatelv
pray II prayer We're offered at once then
harm could not come of the vixen sr,ta
work OF the proud male bird.
thousand and one things were invented
as tho years passed TO give the bird n
hlgher standing in the minds of the peonle
Idle Jest did part of II. design on The
part OF those who control by superstition
"NhNA FaSAtu the tales 10 chilli
ana enid TO his child. and so on down
through the generations until fable seemea
10 become fact. The peacocks of Santiago
became portentous powers CAPABLE Of over
throwing all the effort ot man IL no, pron-
eriV consulted and rightly decided when
SWING warning The discordant, oar-snIit-
ting cry Of these vain birds became n
song. their tell feathers nanoplv OF Al.
vine bsAn,v, All this in four centuries
while Santiago de Cuba was rising 10 tho
doom OF today
Fhe beauN OF Santiago WOO with pea.
COCKS feather in their hand so light a
thing is love there. The bellies hide glances
OF affection behind the glitter OF pea-
COCK ran so slight thing may blind warm
eyes Curious, though, the native Cuhans.
the men with Garcia at Manzanillo thirty
years ago, with Gomez today. have no love !
Tor the peacock. The affection is all 10 he
found in the Spanish blood on the island. |
The native of Cuba when the son of Colum-
nus came to the island worshlpped the an,
and the stars and believed In a supreme
being The emblem of the native Cuban
Wherever In four centuries one has been
used. has been a star sometimes increased
IN size until II resemblet- the sun. In
strange COntradisfiuetfnpt he.