The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-17

no yards in fact, there are no separate
houses. On each side of the very narrow
streets is long, two-story plaster house
built right up to the street, and as long
as the block. The whole town is built
like this, except for church-a large
church-to every few blocks. Inside the
walls it is just thick with paroled Spanish
soldiers; in fact, there seems TO be hardly
anybody else there. There are about 49,
600 OF them here. AS they are somewhat
afraid Of the natives, they did not come
out much at first, but are getting bolder
now.
The notifications of the old town are
very strong, and could hardly be taken by
land force alone; there being high 10
foot walls, with fort about every block,
and moats in front of all the walls. Nal
etc is the place where the fine houses are,
and here anybody at all wellto do lives.
They have large, light-coiOred houses Of
two stories, but they live all the
second story, as the first is not healthy.
The walls of the houses are only one
layer Of boards thick. You can pound a
nail through almost any part of one. The
inside is painted; or, rather, tinted, as the
color rubS off. The only plaster is on the
partitions. The ioors-just think-are all
mahogany, and are the best part of the
house. The ceiling has some light cloth
tackled on 1T, which is also cOlOred. All
the larger houses have shower baths and
tub Of stone.
The city has no sewerage, and all the
water is run off in the back yard; the
garbage carted away. During the rain 5
season there is always quite a lake In
the yard, but this soon dries up in the
dry season, which is about here now, as
| it has not rained for two weeks. The
nights here are ideal, and we sit out on
| the porch and sing; and two of the boys
have string instruments, so we have a
good time.
we 20, RI II
only trouble is there is not bit of furni-
| ture, or boards to make some of, and we
are sleeping on the floor. This makes
US pretty stiff, and the ants bite the deuce
| out OF us. That black spot on the map is
about where we are quartered. That
! broad black line is the main street.
| The natives and Cinnamon form the
| majority OF the population. There are a
few OF these who are well to do, but the
majority are poos, and awful dirty. They
have a sickening smell about them.
There are an awful lot of Chinese here,
and the Chinese coolies do all the heavy
hauling. The horses here are so small
that, instead of hiring wagon to move
from one house to another, one hires
gang of Cinnamon. They have sticks
across their shoulders, and a heavy load
on each end Of it, One may see four of
them going along on a sort of a half run
with a heavy piano, or any old thing.
They are regular beasts OF burden, and
get very little pay. They wear nothing
but shirt and Il very short pair OF pants
above their knees; sometimes no shirt.
There is money TO be made on these
islands in a number of things, but it
would take a good deal to get anybody to
stay here. A good deal could be made in
the exporting of wood. There is an album
dance OF mahogany and rosewood. They
use rosewood for frewood and to build
their houses. There is also ebony and
lignum-vitie.
The fruits, except cocoanut, are poor.
The bananas are mostly small, and so
are the oranges, though there may be
market for these in Europe and Asia.
They import some Chinese oranges here
Tobacco is the product here. You can
buy fine cigar for two and half cents,
our money, and can get a good one for
one cent. They have fine straw here,
and have the finest Panama hats for
So so, American money. If taxes go down
here it might pay to make them here in
the rough, and then finish them in the
United States. Labor is cheap here
every thing is, except food.
RALPH HAZENWINKLE.