The times., 1898-10-09

San Juan Batista, Porto Rico, Sept. 15.-
Nobody can stay long in Southern Gu
ba, at this time of year, and hope to en-
tirely escape the climate. After several
weeks OF roughing il in Santiago, regard
less Of sun and rain and unaccustomed
food, amid disease and death on every
hand even your robust correspondent be-
gan to experience what our soldiers call
''the jim-jams."
Said the doctor. If you don't get oct
OF this we viii have TO carry you out in a
box" But 1 am a firm believer in the
efficacy. of seIf-forgetfulness in warding
of most bodily ills and had no idea of
abandoning my post The premonitory
symptoms of calentura are sudden chills,
chasing each other up and down the spi-
nal column, alternating in irregular sue
cession with fierce fever heats which
seem to scorch the flesh, and cold sweats
that drench the victim like a plunge into
ice-water; a head which appears to need
hopping, and strange giddiness, as if the
solid earth were billowing beneath the
feet, and one grasps at nearby objects as
the drowning clutch at straws.
One morning when I came to break
fast the marble floor rose up to meet me-
thetfaces of the family blended in shad-
oEy composite, and voices sounded afar
OF, as through a trumpet. The table had
become a gigantic spinning top, and
when my customary place at the head of
IL came round / sank into the chair
and attempted to serve the coffee-too
stupid TO realize that somebody had al
ready performed that dutv
There seemed TO be many cups before
me, On reality there was only one), and
In my efforts 10 brace up and hit the
first of the imaginary row, I poured the
coffee. with unusual dignity, on the
cloth. Still firm in the faith cure, l start
ed on the daily round, to office, ware
house and hospital; but at every step
encountered the same embarrassing null
tiplicity of objects. The narrow, down
hill street of San Geronimo converged a
dozen different ways, like the spokes in
a wheel and its time -wrinkled. century,
old casas danced an uncanny witches
jig.
Although so much is being done for our
sick soldiers in Santiago, there is no
place in the hospitals for women and
none Of our over-worked force have any
time to devote to one another. So I re-
luctantly consented TO a compromise
not TO leave Cuba for good" but TO try
the benefit OF sea air in a little trip
among the neighboring islands.
IT happened, by good fortune, that a
coaster was leaving that day, bound for
Porto Rico. Somebody piIoted me aboard.
kind hands packed few necessary be-
longings, and in less time than It takes
to tell it Santiago, with all its horrors
was left behind, and / was sailing the
tranquil Spanish Main. The first days
were a total blank. We touched at ia
maica, Cape Haitien, Santo Domingo,
and possibly other places, and by the
time our destination was reached rest
and quinine had wrought their perfect
work.
Next TO old-fashioned Michigan fever
and ague. Cuban calentura is perhaps the
meanest illness on the face of the earth.
However, If seized by the throat at once
and throttled with heroic doses, accom-
panied by-change ofsRir, 1t generally runs
a sharp, swift course, leaving its vic
tim weak and yellow. with the seven
devils cast out OF him.
Confessed i'm Its Glory.
How beautiful Cuba's fair sister looked
in the twilight of the morning when we
dropped anchor in the historic bay which
the early Spaniards so pompousiy named
THE rich port of Saint John the Bap-
tist." AS the sun rose and our new pos