The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-31
IN PICTURESQUE TRINIDAD.
Isolated Cuban City Where They
Hardly Know There Is a War.

Detroit journal.
Outside of Cuba one hears little about
the valley of Trinidad, yet it is the very
garden spot of the island, not only for
extraordinary beauty, fertility and perfec-
tion of climate, but as the place, par ex-
cellence, for growing coffee and sugar.
Trinidad City lies at the seward edge of
the valley of the same name, on the south
shore of Santa Clara province, about fifty
miles east of Cienfuegos. You may reach
it from Havana, going all the way around
by water, or by rail to Cienfuegos, and
thence by steamer: or as / did, by rail- to
Batabano, the southern port of Havana
province, and then on a leisurely cruise of
$50 miles among innumerable bays and
isiets. At any rate. you are certain to
approach the region of the Holy Trinity by
sea, as there is no all-land route from other
parts of the island except dangerous trails
over robber-infested mountains.
Quite appropriately, Trinidad has trim
ity OF ports, La Boca, on the southeast,
where the Tayado river empties into the
sea; the mouth of the Rio Muse, and Cas-
Ida a small village al the head of an in
let The last named port is now generally
used, although its anchorage is not of the
best, the water being so shallow that all
vessels must be loaded by means of lighters,
and put to sea as quickly as possible to
avoid sticking fast on the sandy bottom.
The landing place, however, is lined with
wharves and extensive warehouses, and
there is a handsome depot for the railway,
which runs north twenty or thirty miles,
connecting several villages and bringing the
product of rich plantations down for ship
ment.
Trinidad is one OF the Oldest tOWnS IN
Cuba founded only a year later than San
tiago. and nineteen years after Santo Do
mingo, the first of the western hemi-
sphere. Though so little is heard of 1t
nowadays, the region is not without its
stirring and romantic history. Trinidad
bay is the famous battle-ground OF three
British men-of-war against the Spaniards
under Don Louis Bassecourt, in which the
English were worsted. after three days of
hard fighting. Perhaps the most destructive
attack on Trinidad City was that of the
~ ant NIGH
two long centuries it suffered almost con-
tinually from piratical attacks and many
bloody traditions are connected with the
place..
Indeed, it is said that the wealthiest FAM
lilies hereabouts are descendants of the old
sea robbers, who turned respectable when
piracy went out of fashion. They bought
land and built casas with their ill-gotten
gains, gave a lot of money to the church
for ahsolution, and became substantially
Rambling and billy, with antique casas
and palm-shaded gardens the old town
clings to the side of Villa watch tower
mountain six hundred feet above the Carib-
bean Exposed to both mountain and ocean
breezes, with neither excessive heat nor
cold from year to year, its climate is about
the most perfect under the sun. Surely this
Is the heart of that LAND wherein II is
always afternoon" Everybody seems to
sleep through the hours of sunshine. In
long walk at midday through the town OF
5000 inhabitants. you meet only here and
there lazy donkey or a sleeping dog--not
8 human being, except at rare intervals
harefooted servant shufi1ing along the
shady side Of a all.
Tie strrcts Of Trinidad are narrow as
the narrowest in Spanish America; and
mostly unpaved, but extremely picturesque,
with their low-walled. rough-tiled houses
and high-sounding names over the doors.
AS in Havana, the business streets are a
realization Of Bellamy's dream Of q uni
versal umbrella, because OF an untnter
rupted series OF awnings stretched across,
affording complete shelter from sun and
rain.