The evening times., 1898-09-14
over PORTO RICAN Hills
Gen. Brooke's Journey From
Guayama to San Juan.
GREETINGS ALONG THE WAY
Macins' Chief of STAFF Meets the
American Com mandinE Ifiicer at
the Captain Generals Summer
Paiace-Inside the Spanish Lines.

New York, Sept. 4.-Gen. Brooke's en-
try into San Juan, Porto Rico, is, de-
scrlbed in letter to the Herald, dated
from that city on September Z.
From Guayama to San Juan, along the
great military road. says the writer, Is
a journey well worth the tourists atten-
ton Ordinarily it is made in single
day in coaches, by changing horses every
two or three hours. Gen. Brooke, how
ever, took three days for the trip, al
though, even encumbered by a wagon
train, he might easily have made it in
two. But the general was not in hurry.
and preferred to travel leisurely and get
more than passing glimpse in transit
of the territory he will probably govern
for a period.
Gen. Brooke and his staff, about 10
O'Clock last Saturday morning, mounted
their horses in the pretty plaza at Quay
anna, and commenced the ng-delayed
journey 10 the capital of Porto Rico. An
hour earlier the wagon train, consisting
of about twenty army schooners and half
a dozen ambulances, had started, for the
teamsters knew it was a long, hard pull
to the crest of the range OF mountains
which separate Guayama from Cayey
For a few miles the staff and the troop
of regular cavalry which served as an
escort maintained a sharp trot. In this
manner the camps of our troops were
passed and the ascent begun. When the
steep grade was met the pace was slowed
to walk, which was maintained until
the summit was reached.
Climbing Uphill TO Cuyez.
Up, up, stretched the road, mile after
mile, winding snakelike around the noun
tain sides, skirting deep ravines, or
leaping them on substantial bridges of
solid masonry. The slopes were covered
with coffee plantations, and extensive
groves of cocoanut and banana trees. On
sheer precipices perched the matched
huts of the natives, seeming 10 need only
puff of wind to send them tumbling
into the villages. AS greater altitude
was attained, IL seemed miles TO the bot
tom of the valleys. and the people work
ing in the fields looked no larger than
ants
Finally, the road made a turn which
brought into view, far into the distance,
Guayama, nesting among trees, and sur
rounded by miles and miles of sugar
cane. marked by roadways, like a vast
checker board. Above the foliage rose
the spires and dome of the church, said
to be the. finest on the island. The wag-
on train had long since been passed by
the general and his escort, and the far
thest American outpost left miles be-
hind
Up, up, still wound the road, smooth as
an asphalt street, and so perfectly grad
ed that only the painting of the horses
and mules and the taut traces told OF
the steepness of the climb. AS mountain
after mountain was scaled We thought it
must surely be the last, but there was
always another just as lofty right ahead.
At last, the easing of the grade told
we were near the summit. What was
probably the thousandth abrupt corner
was turned. and there, a quarter of
mile ahead, was a blockhouse, above
which fioated a white flag. The Spanish
lines and the summit had been reached
after a steady pull of more than three
hours.
The Guardia Civil Presents Arms.
AS Gen. Brooke. and his escort ap-
preached the Spanish lines an officer and
staff advanced to meet them. Courteous
greetings were exchanged and a short
halt was made. The. Spanish soldiers
crowded the sides of the road. eager to
see their late enemies. There was little
delay. Gen. Fred Grant who. with his
staff, had accompanied Gen. Brooke so
far turned back to Guayama and the
cavalcade moved on. The grade was now
downward and the travelling easier. al
though the scenery lost none of its pic
turesqueness. Soon the descent began in
earnest Half way down a swing around
a sharp curve brought the village of
Cayey into view, lying far below in the
midst of extensive rice plantations.
Once inside the Spanish lines. members
of the Guardia Civil were frequently en-
countered. The Guardia Civil in Puerto
Rico, as in Spain, is composed of picked
men, selected from the army for SOM act
of herosm. These men are mounted and
always travel in pairs being sort of su-
perior constabuiary and much dreaded by
the natives. AS Gen. Brooke passed they
invariably stood at attention on each side
of the road and saluted by presenting
arms
Inside the Spanish lines the natives
lined the road by hundreds, eager to catcl
a glimpse of the Americans. Cayey was
reached in the middle of the afternoon.
Half a mile from the town an officer of
the Guardia Civil, attended by an escort
of four men, met Gen. Brooke and well
coined him on behalf of the Spanish COM
mandante The Spanish officer, being of
inferior rank, met with a polite but rather
frosty reception, and was requested by
Gen. Brooke to precede him into the
town
The entire population of Cayey was out
~R-l@nu p