The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-02

more than little native picanninny
The natives are black-totally with
out morals and little knowledge of the
wonderful cleansing properties of wa
ter. 1855 ~e.. ---se.''''
When we changed our camp to a
healthy site-up in the hills, we found
the Banos de Queech right at the foot
OF the hill They were baths after the
old Roman type-about a dozen bath
houses with bath tubs set deep in tho
floor and laid with old Spanish tiles.
BY removing a wooden plug the water
would flow in. The water contained
sulphur, and was fine, SO we were for
tunate in getting bath at least once
a day. There was also cafe attached
which proved quite a salvation when
the government rations began to go
short. American money was worth
double the Spanish, so we found things
comparatively cheap, with the excep-
ton of ice and bread, ice being worth
five Spanish cents a pound and flour
"a American dollars barrel After
while the natives and merchants be-
gan to take advantage Of their god
send" and over charge, but 1t proved
much the worse for them in the long
run, as we would then take both money
and goods and leave. But so long as
they were square, the soldiers
were, and it was only when
they began to raise the prices in such
an outrageous manner that the SOL
diers began to do such things.
The men are small, just about half az
large as Americans the women are
little larger, but small, too. The chill
dren were much impressed by our size,
and would say "rnucho senior" con-
tinually. Even the horses are small,
light ponies, which the Hatives load
up in the most cruel way, and then
get on and ride themselves. Most Of
the heavy hauling is done by OK
carts.
While we were there, the rainy sea-
son set in and the most peculiar sea-
son 1t is, too. It rains at any time
without the slightest warning some
times while the sun Is out bright, and
then, obi what an atmosphere after
Ward-you can almost taste the fever
germs. One Of the queerest, most in
teresting places on the island is the
Hotel Francois. Every one went there.
You could at any time see any one from
Gen., Miles to a private, or from Minis
ter William Potter to a newspaper
correspondent. EVERY one fed at the
Hotel Francois"
There are lots of ways to travel that
are made more comfortable than with
the American army. but there can
never be a time when the atmosphere
ana the excitement Gall LG LIE StlAiSs
And 1t was a remarkable fact that
while there was any chance of getting
into action, the men in the battery were
all well, but just as soon as we heard
that peace was certainty, it seemed
as if some one had knocked the props
away from them and they began to be
sick; all except nineteen men were in
the hospital, although none very Sc
rious,-and I was one of tho fortunate
nineteen. We only lost two men out
Of the 173-one was kicked by horse
before we left America, and the other
died of jaundice and Gysentery two
days after our return Although we
did have a hard time, it was worth
it all for the day we returned. All the
time, from the moment Ada Rehans
yacht saluted us, about ten miles off
Sandy Hook, until we were in our own
homes, about II o'clock that night, was
one continual joy and excitement.
Even the hideous skyline of New York
city looked beautiful; end Philadel-
phia,-welll When we got off at Broad
and Washington avenues we all felt
like getting down and kissing the
stones in the street. But luckily our
mothers and friends supplied the gaps.
And all was one grand reception well
worth any hardships we had gone
through HI M.