The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14

crastlnated. while the candle leaked on tn
: track and In the night wind gave signs Of quic
dissolution. There was no practice. and tn
captive finally laid his cheek on his palm :
signify an inclination TO sleep. and the ban
moved back along the track with a chorus c
Sis"
At Dos Bocas the visitor was n sensation
The village gathered about him, men. women
and stark children. and discussed him
Tho Colonel Of the Cubans appeared an,
wanted to know who he was. A youth VIII,
talked French as lamely as the intruder under
took to act as Interpreter, and the result wa
not wholly satisfactory to either. although tn
Colonel grunted and appeared to be satisfied
Then the Cubans brought the visitor ont
mango and a tiny cup Of very good coffee. l
was all the hospitality the poor wretches coult
show. Two buildings. mere roofs and pillars
were there. and he laid down q rubber coat ant
stretched himself for sleep. The Cubans tool
the hint and fell away. He had pressed two
silver coins into the palms of unconventional
naked children. and was regarded as ut least 0
mar OF good intentions and n lover OF his kind.
The experiences OF the night were not pleas.
ant. Cubans coming in from outpost duty felt
his form to determine his identity. and once O
thoughtless enthusiast twirled n machete above
his head in an artistic but uncalled-for fash
ion. Perhaps he was a practical joker. perhaps
q dreamer. but the effect was not desirable.
But worse than the visits OF these superfiuous
Cubans were the smells and sounds OF sickness
which turned the building, open to the night
air. into a neglected hospital. When we are
In pain that cannot be borne we eXclaim
"Ohl" The Cuban utters q mournful plant
which sounds like TIP and it Is repeated
again and again until relief comes to the
sufferer. All night long these sounds required,
and they came from many black fellows for
whom there was no physician and no prescrip-
ton. The sounds of sickness drowned the
monotones OF the tree toads. Like those Of
yellow fever were the symptoms of abject mis-
cry, but it was malaria and not the plague that
racked the systems Of the poor devils who be-
tween seizures went on guard. Not q word OF
complaint came from the women crouched on
the stone floor, and no child cried. As the GUS
tom Of tho Cubans Is, there was talk In an un-
dertone all night, punctuated by the kissing Of
troublcd slecpers to express disapproval.
Long before day broke the Cubans were STIR
ring, as IL glad that the night was coming to an
end, and the sick subsidized. BY sunrise q guide
was furnished to the visitor. They had no
breakfast for him. and they made no apologies.
To his "GraciaS!" they responded with dull
but friendly smiles. The practice, a green boy,
carried q Springfield rifle. With him wenta
lad unarmed. who was moved by the spirit OF
curiosity. They tried to carry on a running
conversation with THE Sun man. but it was
largely u waste of effort.
The party of three soon overlook a small force
OF ragged negro Cubans proceeding slowly
along the railroad track with u wary eye for
Spanish blockhouses. One was sighted a mile
out Of Dos Bocas. 1t was on a hill to the right
and a group OF Spanish soldiers were limned
against the sky. The Cubans were plainly
afraid to go on. They sent n courier ahead. He
hntlal NH4 lttAI 80, II 4
reply contemptuously. and the party proceeded.
CHANGE AGAINST A SPANISH OFFICER.
At Ell Cristo railroad station there were many
Spaniards in their cheap uniforms Of striped
blue and white. Their commander, Major
Calvo. was a pudgy Spaninrd. with q small eye.
n large nose and an unshaven, retreating chin.
The story told Of him by the Cubans may not
be true. but he looked the part, and here it is:
About a year ago he was a Captain and in COM
mand at Mariana. in Havana province. and to
celebrate the death Of a Cuban leader he gave a
banquet, at which his guests. mostly guerrillas.
drank freely. Afterward Calvo and his men. at
the suggestion OF a drunken partisan. started
for Ell Cano. an adjoining village. When they
got there the square was full Of women and
children taking an airing. TIL women became
panic-stricken at the appearance OF Calvo and
his guerrillas and ran toward their houses.
Firing began and many fell.
woman held up her child to Calvo and i'm
plored him to stop the slaughter. The machete
was used on both of them. Calvo reported the
affair as a Spanish victory. He was promoted.
but official tact transferred him to Santiago de
Cuba. Two days after his surrender Of Ell
Cristo he reported that the Cubans were seiz-
ing here and there q COW or q horse. and his
voice shook with indignation. But he swal-
lowed a proffered glass Of cognac with q smack
ing OF the lips.
THE sun man overlook Lieut.. Mlley and
Capt. Lewis a mile beyond Ell Cristo. 1t was
with reluctance that the Spaniards surrendered
the first blockhouse, just out of Dos Bocas.
The white flag. carried by a Corporal. they re-
garded with suspicion. and it was not until the
mournful Capt. Ramus climbed the height that
they submitted. At FL Cristo Calvo had thrown
up the sponge with only a faint protest. He
was ready enough to give ear to the statement
that Santiago had surrendered. Some OF his
officers were sullen and moody. The soldiers
were. as a rule. glad to know that they would
not have to fight any longer for short rations
and empty promises to pay arrears. Most OF
them were easy-going. p~leasant-eyed peasants.
well set up. 1.-the OF movement. and quickly re-
sponsive to a friendly greeting.
The country through which the American
troopers rode after breakfast was as pictur-
NHN tSANAAS - AAIia 10 tlIp 6uu oNCIS
on. 1t is q plateau. 1000 feet above the sea.
In the rear rose the precipitous coast line
peaks; to the north were other mountains. but
they We're of q conformation like those Of North
Carolina or tennessee. On every hand as the
troopers rode through the grass were open
spaces luxurious with Indian corn six feet In
height. sometimes contiguous to a first crop of
dried stalks. The area OF some Of the fields of
corn was often very large. Varying the cult
walton Of this pleasant country were crops OF
pumpkins. tomatoes. cucumbers and yams.
The working people encountered were not OF
the famished reconcentrado class. To the
botanist the woods would have furnished a de-
lightful study, for the variety OF tree and plant
life was bewildering and luxurious. Every
where in its glory rose and spread the royal
palm-that tree which affords fuel. food and
dwelling to the poems.
Some day the tourist will rave over Santiago
de Cuba. The Americans had business there
and only a side glance for beauty. 1t was evil
IDENTITY a land whose capacity had been arrested.
DilaDilntnu manhattan bniIdin0o toIl 80 A.