The Republican journal., 1898-03-10

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gruesome fishing for bodies by the light
OF crescent moon. When we passed that
way few days ago en- route to Guanaba-
Goa, how proud we were of our gallant
war-ship and the men who swarmed her
decks. The road to Jaruco lies through
most beautiful country, rolling hills and
royal palms; or rather, how beautiful it
must have been before this dreadful war,
Nature has done her best for it in climate,
soil and scenery. Three years ago rich
plantations, prosperous villages, country
houses and sugar mills covered every mile
of it; now all the cane fields and orchards
are burned, the houses and mills in ashes.
the villages mere heaps of ruins Here
and there is small block fort, or a straw
matched camping station for portion of
the Spanish army but not a sign of other
occupation or a single trace of the former
inhabitants. The latter, who have not
been killed in battle or died in prison. are
all among the Reconcentrados, who are
starving in Havana and Jaruco or are
among the POO, 900 already dead by starva-
ton. The Insurgents have burned cane
fields and killed the cattle and DESTROYED
the villages, to prevent the Spaniards from
being benefited by them, and the Spaniards
in retaliation have destroyed the people.
| Oar train was strongly guarded by Spanish
soldiers, for every hillOck might hide a
, troop of Insurgents, and trains are fire.
quently attacked. Under pretext of ad-
lusting refractory window, a dark Wis
aged, poorly-dressed stranger-evidently
a rebel in disguise, whispered in my ear.
Don't be alarmed, the Insurgents will
not attack this train; there are Americans
on boardt' 1t is said that the movements
of all foreigners in Cuba are closely watch
ed, by Spaniards on one side and the rebels
on the other; so that notwithstanding the
extreme kindness and courtesy we are con-
Il
comfortable feeling of being 'between
two fires"
Our visit to Jaruco happened to occur
on the second anniversary of the raid Of
the late 1nsurgent chief, Maceo, when he
laid the city in ruins. Before that day it
was rather important place of u, 900 in
a MT har oh
three fourths of whom are in a state Dor
dering on starvation. Aside from the
sadness of its desolation, it is one of the
most picturesque places have ever seen.
The streets struggle hap hazard up and
down stony hills, the pink and blue and
pea green houses, mostly mere rootiess
shells, with only portions of their walls
left standing; the church is fort, sur
rounded by a hastily erected barricade of
stones, and the most important features
are now the quarters of the Spanish SOL
diers, the prison and the grave yard The
latter is an immense bare enclosure on TOP
of hill. small, high walled space
shows the cemetery of two years ago-all
the rest having been added since the Ma
GEO raid. l asked how many were killed
in the battle ''Oh, nobody was killed
then" they said: "There was no battle.
Maceo only rushed through, burning vii
lagos as he went. Afterwards the Spanish
soldiers followed in pursuit and murdered
many people; but most of those in the
cemetery have died of miseria' That is
the disease which affiicts all rural Cuba.
The name was coined by the physicians
who attended the starving Reconcentra-
dos, and now it is so recorded in the burial
certificates. 1t means misery" nothing
more-the gauht shadow that has depop-
ulated the country. 1t happened that the
first carload of food from the United
| States was attached to our train. We did
not know it when we left Havana, and
were in no way responsible for the good
| deed; but the grateful Jarucans could not
be made to understand that. In spite of
our repeated protests and explanations,
that we came merely as visitors and had
nothing to do with the food, the entire
| population turned out to welcome u.s.
| headed by the Jefe, the Alcaldi and the
Judge; we were escorted in state through
the city; followed by several thousand
people, given the best breakfast the place
afforded, loaded with gifts of flowers and
birds; and to CAP the climax your humble
correspondent was addressed by delega-
ton of ladies and presented with an Of
fetal document, signed by many names,
which made her the 'Patroness of the
PublacionH' In vain l tried to dodge the
honor, and to persuade the people to wait
for Miss Clara Barton, who would prob
ably come to Jaruco later on and make
her their 'Patroness. l was the first
American woman who had visited them,