The Opelousas courier., 1898-11-05
Havana. Cuba, Oct. s. 1893

Dear Father.-Yours of the gath uit
was received on the 4th inst. with Rob
erts0ns and Franks letters incl0sed.
intended writing to you before leaving
port Antonio, hnt kept delaying it I'm.
til too late. Ofall the dirty crowdsevel
seen, the dirtiest vas on our vessel.
AS often As they went ashore, they go
drunk and would come aboard and speW
all over tho decks. One poor devil at.
tempted to strike the master-at-arms
and was placed in big irons for ten
days and fed on bread and water. W.
left Port Antonio at s /: 80, on Tuesday
the 4th tor Guantanamo and
reached there Il little before daylight.
Wednesday 5th inst. and by good light
were anchored.
We had q rough voyage across. AT
nine o'clock we went alongside a
schooner and coaled, got water and
started for Havana at O., O'Clock that
into a little town, where the Nashville
was lying about dusk, to receive the
mail. AT 10, p. M. we started out on
our journey.
There was rain and a heavy sea all
the way.
Friday night, at eight thirty, we came
nea running into a schooner and at 8: 30
our gearing broke down.
Our vessel rolled so all night that we
slept but little. Rain continued on Sat
urday, and at 8 o'clock a. n. fell in such
torrents that we could not see through
it.
At II o'clock we reached the entrance
to Havana and had passed the Moro.
There were hundreds Of Spanish SOL
diers on the walls and look-outs. watch
ing us.
Two Spanish gun-boat and one cruis-
er, are at anchor here.
Tho city is much larger than | expect
ed, aud better bnilt, the houses being
mostly of brick and u large size.
The place is we'll fortified, having
batteries on both sides from the en-
trence to the harbor to the outer limits
of the city.
Tho Captain left us last Monday for
Washington d. C. and an officer from
aboard the Newark, assumed command.
Munix said that when he gets to
Washington, he will try to get this
boat and her crew, North, but | doubt
his ever thinking Of it again. All of us
regretted his going.
l have a belt to carry my money in.
It will be hard to get me out of here.
ouV 4lOhA "Ho oOllOlo COY sVtCy HIM
can work it. | have not lost anything
by coming in here, but think l could do
better in Cuba, for, from what / can
learn, they are paying good wages ut
sugar mills there.
While l vas in Port Antonio, | met a
fellow from Baltimore who told me
that II person there with a store could
make money. He himself has a small
store and KEEPS "a little of every
thing for sale. He tells me he almost
trebles on every thing he sells. |
would be a nice place for Frank
to start in business. He and Dave
could go there and go in business
together.
| would like to invest but would not
like to have to stay there to see to
When W get together again,
a talk over it. and come to a con-
better than we now can. The
and newspapers came 0. X.
and were appreciated. l have no part
ner yet, and don't want any of these fell
lows for chums.
| am on deck sitting against the rail
with my paper on an ammunition box
about as high as my shoulders. None of
these steamers are allowed to drop an
III here. They have to anchor to
Duoys. l saw the wreck of the Maine.
It is only a few PAGES from where we
ire achored. All that can be seer of
her is her mast and u lump of her hull
which is SO ~confnsedIy piled up, that
you can distinguish none OF the parts.
to hear from you soon, | close,
your son
il. SHUrE.