The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-30

dores, then finds a way inland among the
hills to Santiago harbor. The railroad has
been repaired the Spaniards having been
unable to destroy the bridges or theNloco-
motives. West of where the town of ST.
honey stood is a roundhouse first. and still
farther west is the camp of the Thirty
third Michigan Volunteers.
THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO.
Back of the site of the town of Siboney
rise the heights of Altares. reached by
mule trail that climbs some three hundred
feet. Once at the summit path is reached
on which an expert bicyclist could ride all
the way to Santiago. 1t was on this road,
a few miles from Siboney, that the Rough
Riders were ambushed. If a zigzag road
had been built up the hillside at Siboney
and the trail widened in a few places II
might have been used by the army wagons
and thus the quagmires of the main road,
that follows the valley Of the Juaragua.
the main road at a point little beyond
the battle-ground. Six Rough Riders" are
buried near where the roads meet, and
close by under spreading tree, is the
grave OF an artilleryman named Ruhl, of
Elizabethport, n. j. who died of fever
while being taken from the front to a hos
pital, and was buried at once. Beside the
main road, a little to the east of the juno
ton of the roads. just mentioned. half
score of men are buried the mounds being
marked by numbered pine boards. A mile
above the railroad bridge is a reconcen-
living in matched huts, as nearly naked as
before, but now well fed.
The country between Siboney and San
tiago has been described as rugged and
mountainous, but man from the far West
would say 1t was hilly. The Country
Rock is coral limestone, which presents
steep front to the sea, its shades of red
giving it a burned and black appearance.
Between the seaside heights and the lofty
of the Guamo and Juaragua rivers and
their tributaries The hills are we'll round
ed, and a Cuban pony could go up or down
any of them: The marshy places contain
dense growth of shrubs, but the hillsides,
being not too thickly covered with soil. are
somewhat bare, beng not more heavily ~NIy
There are, however. no trees so lofty as
those of the eastern United States The
aspect of the whole country is park like.
Where there is a stretch of level ground
grass grows tall and rank.
General Skaters headquarters were
pitched on level, grassy area, through
which a crystal branch of the Rio Guamo
pursued its ripping way. Trees and bushes
gave a grateful shade. Here General Shafter
used TO sit outdoors bareheaded, stripped
to his shirt and trousers, occupying strong
camp chair under the spreading branches
blow on him. Here dispatches from the
front, describing the negotiations for the
surrender OF Santiago. were handed to him
from time to time and General Shafter die
tated messages to General Miles, at Sboney
which were telephoned from tent near by
Aside from the wagon road, the only evil
VI SSlllSIlSul OClWCCh lIlC IelO
Guamo and Siboney were the Spanish block
houses on every commanding point, and the
barbed wire fence along the roadside. This
fence was part of General Weyler's scheme
for the subjugation of Cuba. Cubans were
forbidden to travel except on the road and
were forbidden to leave it at all. The wire
was an obstacle to crossing the road or
leaving it. The Spanish blockhouses may be
seen from one end of Cuba to the other
They are small, square. wooden structures,
situated on a height and surrounded by
trench SO as to be easily defended. The
houses are all of the same size. They COM
mand the trails and are useful as signal
stations.