The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-18
ASTONlSHED AT OUR SIZE.
The Proportions OF American Men,
Nfnres,nd Horses Amaze Porto Ricans

PONCE. PORTO RICO. Aug. A-The
noonle of this part OF the island look upon
Americans as a race OF giants. ana they
seem 20 have firm conviction tnat not
only are we q great nation and big peo-
pie. but that everything connected win
us IS made upon the same grand scale.
There are good reasons for their having
arrived AZ these conclusion. Tho hrS1
troops which landed at Port Ponce were
the Third Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry,
ana these were followed by the Second
Wisconsin and Sixteenth Pennsylvania
Probably nowhere in the whole army
copld one find a similar number OF men
OF equal stature. The Wisconsin men arc
nar.icularIv large and eacf one or them
,vould make lust about two OF the Porto
piconians These natives are little pco-
ole and lightly built. Many OK the WIS
consln and Pennsylvania men stand TWO
inches or more above six feet In height
II happens. also. that many or the MEM
bers OF General Wilson's stan are large
men. and some OF them. like Capt A. T.
Gardner and Lieut. Fred. 5. Titus, are
noted as athletes.
with these big men ana officers 20 FUR
plsh them their first Impressions the
coming of our horses and mules and wa
CONS clinched thu idea that we were g.
gantic without any loopholo for argument.
The Porto Rlconians have plenty OF
horses and mules but every one OF them
seems 10 come OF a race which vas stunt
ed ages ago. That they are tough anu
servlceable every one agrees, put 'n7
horses and mules also are but Uttle latser
than a gocd-sized donkey Tho horses
are thin and agile. ana the spanish
thoughtlessness. which IS equivalent 70
cruelty keeps them goaded along so 'hS'
they never have time 20 PICK up hesn
Tho mules which we brought are ps,
,icularlv nne specimens or our hatiEo
sro1,,c, ard as hundreds after hundreds
-, chem we're landed. htched TO army
Wagons and set 70 work, the natives
etarod and stared az them in wonder
THEY could be heard talking or the great
size and strength Of tho animals as one
passed along the streets, but IL was hol
until Yesterday that any or them 'ooN
means 90 show his establishment al 'he
size OF the men.
Among the big and handsome men OK
| General wilson staff IS Major hoyle' tne
ordnance officer lie IS tail, ana az
though trim I'm figure solid. He stepped
into a native shop yesterday 70 get some
| matches After he had been waited on
and was about 20 80 out, the proprietor
| bcCkOncd % him. inc gesture 4"aJ''
Hoyle says. was such as a back-country
storekeeper I'm America would use 10 In
! dicate that he wanted you 10 step into
a back room and try nip Of moonshine
whisky Major IIoyle says he has ac.
copted such invitations frequently bu'
upon this occasion it was his intention
TO refuse. and he was brushing up the
| Spanish i'm his mind 10 say so when th'
mans manners overcamc his scruple'
! and he followed him in. They Wen
through "a winding passage and presently
| emerged into back apartment. here
| however. instead OF finding bottle VIII
| whisky clear as water. such as the moon
| sinner makes there stood some platform
scales and the shopkeeper, with anxious
| look. motioncd for Mai Hoyle TO step upoi
H. Major Hovle may have been disappoint
ed. but he did not betray 1t, and beinf
good natured. he got upon the scales
| Tho native manipulated the weights unit
| tho scale balanced at 1875 pounds. Iher
with wide open eyes he looked over the
| fine PROPORTIONS of the Major and ex
claimed I'm wonder. "Mucha Mucha. -
| Now York Sun.