The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-20
IN QUAINT SANTIAGO.
The Cuban City Older than Any In
North America.
New York Herald.

NOrtn America
New York Herald.
The bottling up of Cervera's fleet in the
harbor of Santiago de Cuba Is not the only
claim to distinction possessed by that GU
rous old city; for as the inhabitants never
fail to remind the traveller, 1t has long been
first at San Salvador or Santiago de Cuba.
However that may be, St. Jago, as the
in North America. The peculiar narrow
streets and the facades of the houses remind
one of some of the old towns in Italy; but
there the resemblance ceases, for the houses
of Santiago are nearly all built around a
court, or patio, as they are in most Spanish
towns: With their high. barred windows
and glaring plastered walls, on the outside
they look more like prisons than like the
American idea of dwelling houses But go
inside ms the patio and everythlng Is din n
and in some of the richer houses even
fountains. Meals are often served In the
patio in pleasant weather.
IN Santiago, as well as in other Cuban
cities, the proprietors Of most of the shops
and warehouses live in the same building
shops open about 9 o'clock in the MORN
ing and remain open till about noon, when
they close up, and everybody goes to the
midday meal. After that everybody takes
a nap in the heat of the day. The shops
open up again about o'clock in the after
noon and remain open till $50 or 6. Go to
an Office in Santiago at $3.50 in the morning
and nobody will be up: go again at 1890 and
everybody will be eating: go again at 1870
ana everybody Will De asleep.
In the evening the people sit around and
take life easy, and smoke, of course, for in
Santiago everybody smokes, men, women
and children. Even the walters in the hotels
and cafes pull out cigarette and smoke be-
tween the courses. The porters and cabmen
smoke at all times and seasons. The steve
dores on the wharves smoke at their work.
and even the clerks in the dry goods stores
roll a cigarette and take puff between two
customers The senorita blows a cloud of
smoke from under the lace of her fascinat-
O me T1fil lo ryI1f
walk along the streets putting away al huge
cigars. Children of eight and ten may often
be seen with cigarettes in their mouths,
and 1t is no uncommon sight TO see men
and women smoking in church
The country houses around Santiago are
infested with mice and lizards. The latter
the sluggish lizards seen in northern CHI
mates. There Is a curious kind of mouser
whose presence is rather encouraged about
not cats. as one might suppose, but large
black snakes AS they are quite harmless.
nobody thinks OF being afraid of them, and
Tested.
All the young bloods in Santiago wear
may be seen lounging. around the city and
the Club de San Carlos, looking cool and
comfortable, and smoking of course, for
that goes without saying in Santiago. At the
Club de san Carlos, which is the Union
League. of Santiago, the Spanish officers
from MORO Castle and the gilded youth of
the city make their idling Headquarters. It
is a pleasant place in which to loaf, drink
cooling beverages, smoke and gossip. The
clubhouse is only one story high like most
of the buildings in the city and in front is a
little garden with a fountain and flowers
Opposite the Club de San Carlos is the
Cafe Venus, where, an enthusiastic traveller
declares, as good a meal can be had as at
Delmonico'S There is less wine drunk in
Cuba than in most Latin countries; but
there IS native rum, called bacardi. which
is made from molasses, and which well
mixed with water and cooled with too
makes very smooth sort of beverage and
somewhat insidious one. quart Dott,e OF
this rum costs only fifty cents and as a
good deal of 1t is usually drunk at the mid
day meal 1t is not to be wondered at that a
nap Immediately follows it,
At all places in Santiago where drinks are
sold, as we'll as in the telegraph offices and
on sale. and men and boys peddle them
about the streets. These tickets vary in
price from 10 cents to $40. and even more.
Of all the cities of Cuba, Santiago, with
its forty thousand Inhabitants. is by far the
most picturesque and interesting. 1t is
many years older than St. Augustine, and
after walking for an hour two through
its medieval looking streets the most
matter-of-fact American is ready to believe
any romantic story about the place which
may be told to him, except, perhaps, the
story OF the Immense chain stretching from
MORO Castle to a huge staple in the wall
of rock on the opposite shore, fifty yards
away which can be hove up by a capstan
till Ii Is level with the water. so as TO form
an insurmountable obstacle to any attempt
to force an entrance in time of war
If he is familiar with the language the
Spanish proverb. ''Hablo Ell buey di 10 bu''
CHE speaks and says, too. USED in refer
ence TO people who talk very big" may
occur TO him. and he will be inclined TO
doubt the story of the chain till Schiey and
Sampson settle the matter once for all.