New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-07
THE MIDDAY REST.
FIGHTING SUSPENDED BY GENERAL
CONSENT IN THE HOTTEST HOURS
STRUGGLES OF TIE SOLDIERS AND THE CTR
WITH EACH OTHERS LANGUAGE.

STRUGGLES OF TIE SOLDIERS AND THE CTBANS
WITH EACH OTHERS LANGUAGE.
lrRo" A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE. J
Advance Guard Camp. beyond Sevilla. San
tiago de Cuba Province. June 26-By common
consent, Throughout the present revolution. no
fighting has been done in the middle Of the day
/ There has been formal agreement 10
this effect, but both sides have bowed to the
exigenc lies Of the climate. They might be hav-
Ing what Irishman would call love OF
scrap" but the approach Of the noon hour would
!mpel them all to rest. OF course. they would
eat dinner il they had 1t. but a good many en-
gagements have been fought with empty stom-
achs in both armies. Toward o'clock firing
would begin again IL either party was in the
mood for IT,
The United States Army has similarly con-
fined its activity to the early morning and late
afternoon. There has been fighting. except
the affair in which the Rough Riders took part.
and that was two hours after sunrise. The
marching has begun al go or & o'clock in the
morning or at or 30 o'clock in the afternoon.
Three or four miles have been considered sufii-
cicnt ground 10 cover at one march with ie"
stretches Of five or six. This may seem no task
Of extraordinary difficulty. even In the tropical
sun but II cannot we'll he appreciated except
after actual experience. AT tho same time.
those in command have had their wisdom vindi-
Gated by the fact that few soldiers have been
Frustrated by the heat On the way from
Raiquiri the original landing place. TO Siboney.
the present base of supplies, there was certain
number Of men overcome. hut usually the H.
ness was merely temporary. little rest in the
shade. with perhaps trihe Of brandy. would
enable the man TO march on II at slow pace.
The original impression Of the Army at Tampa
ir regard to It's sturdy health has been con
frnled here The experience on the transports
was enough to cause weakness in a good many
men Of average physique. 1t was not only the
fortnight in the holds Of the ships. but the food
This was wholesome, hut Of no variety TO SPEAK
Of and. with the exception Of coffee. nothing ho'
was served for two or three DAYS at time but
the soldiers were not only picked lot TO begin
with but have been kept in fine condition. ana
on landing were ready for the march Even on
land rations have not always been regular
Some troops were landed wiihou' thenl' ana
started on their n.arcn The tth infantry WHc"
has to-day been the advance guard, has had
only bareback since yesterday. Not all had even
bacon last night. This evening they are maTch-
ing on. II is expected that supplies vii. be DIS
tributed before bedtime. they have arrived
But it has been T. hard job to provide ten thou
sand men with food when II had 10 he trans
nor,ed nv pack train. The troops left the bases
of supplies Baiquiri and Siboney. with three or
four DAYS rations but these are becoming OK
hausted in the Of regiments that nave
been in the fore There is an abundance OF 1000
AZ Siboney and the process ~ moving IL Tor
ward is being perfected. so that from now on
there should be no trouble on the score OF
hunger.
Until this afternoon little stream ha'-"ay
between Sevilla and San Juan has been Inc
furthest point reached by United states regl-
ment The eth had an outpost OF ffty-sX men
about hundred yards beyond Four were sta
toned on the main road. and the rest were scat
tered in the underbrush to either side. Those on
the road last night took possession Of some
badIv frightened Cubans abou; o'clock. The
insurgents were a mile and a half beyond. ana
party OF four returning toward Sioohey'
In the hostile country. and after the experience
~ the Is, Volunteer Cavalry, the sen'ries were
keeping a sharp watch. The CNbans however
v.era harefooted ord thei~ c~-;s,ops could not
bc heard AT a greater distance than twenty
fee. Tho cracking Of some underbrrsh. how
ever gave warning Of their approach
They were promptly told n halt ara theF 40
4. q, once Orders 70 the senirAs We're 10 fire
a. once If the challenged men advanced a step
90 il was lust as well that the Cubans acted "a
they did They were 50 badly frightened that
they we're giving the proper countersign or not
All that thfv could distinguish vas 'Cuhanos
The men were marched back % the oihcer IN
command Of the detail. and hv that time their
excitement had quoted sufficiently ~ enable
them 70 give the count"rsien Each II them
pronounced II differently hut evidently all had
heard it .. g.
The word was Washington and WESTON
vas the nearest that any of them came 10 "
An effort was made 70 teach 'hem tht correct
pronunciation. and they went of repeating
CONSTANTLY ''Wissit0n q variation Of it The
Cubans have the most wholesome respect for
the United States troops The physique, OF me me
Swapping fellows that they are. they seem 70
weigh AZ least half as much again as the
Cuban= Not many Of these seem 20 come up
70 the minimum height prescribed by the enlist
ment regulations in force in the United states
Army prior to the war
few Of the Cubans have a smattering of
English and they are proud 10 show u as
the Americans with nm equal kn"wedge or
Spanish to patter their few words THIS
leads TO some funny conversations along the
line OF march. in which the Cuban salutauon
OF Good morn" meets the reply "Buenos dias"
Then either side puts forth the fe" words OF
the others language that Il knows. and per
haps there is n slight interchange Or informa-
ton or IDEAS but not usually.
Then there are examples Of the belief that
foreigner understands your language best when
IL is spoken he w uld utter II II he knew
It slightly. as pigeon English is hurled at in
offensive Cinnamon 1t is entertaining 10 near
great negro cavalryman try TO connect with
the mental operations OF a Cuban who knows no
English. The soldier will begin thus:
NO talkee Engee"
The poor fellow will patter away something
which is at least proof that he no talkee
Englee" but the negro. grinning and showing
his white teeth will Try again:
"Heapee Spanish soldier-woods" with
gesture
Then there will be a clatter Of words and a
succession Of gestures.
You fghtee Spaniard?"
More discursve words and more pigeon Eng
lish until the cavaryman and his comrades
boy Cd ia, hell
Then there is the American who. scorning
Spanish Without a Master. Spanish at
Glance" and such works. Is possessed OF the
idea that the Cubans cannot talk without