The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-07
The sHMIwEhKLl -MEssENGEK: FRIDAY. APRIL Z. 1888.

the roadway. Through them thread
pack mules in Cuban style, the halter
or one mule being tied TO the tail OF
his predecessor. Wineshops abound
IN them very dirty people sit
drinking claret or else the utterly
aDominable ~aguardiente, which Is
brandy made from sugar cane and
| which appears to- have been literally
treated with foul oil and vitriol. A
covered vehicle passes. It IS an ice
wagon. On its side is "Hielo," Spanish
for ice. The next wagon Is also clos
ed. Ii bears the letters IS. S. s." 1t
IS the dead wagon The road changes
20 a street, its width narrows to some
fourteen or sixteen feet, with twenty
six inch sidewalks on either hand. Here
is Havana.
Through the city TO the wharf the
heavy wagons rumble. As you look at
the people on tie streets you know
wnere last years hats are. They are
on the peoples heads. These are true
children Of the sun. The women are
hatless, and either wear the mantilla
or nothing over the head. Arrived a
the wharf neal the Gran Hotel Mas
cote We take the ferry-boat for
Rigla, across he harbor, passing quite
near the wreck of the Maine. Big
transports, getting ready TO tax the
volunteers home, lie here and there,
the sun beats down strongly, the water
~ - - AhC lille AuDdH AdTDDE
boats, or with numbering lighters, on
which all goods are transferred from
steamer TO shore or vice versa. At the
railway station at Regla we get tic
kets to MantaZas, sixty-six miles away.
Here are the three classes of cars.
Prlmera (irstJ, ~Seguendo (second) and
IIerciera Cthird). 1t would give the
North Carolina railway commission a
nightmare to see them.
The station master punches the tick
ct. and then somebody rings a hand
bell. The train rattles out of the sta
uon. The o Is a part and parcel of
the Havana railway system, and the
"Ferro-Cavil Unidos de Habana" be-
comes very familiar-"United Railways
of Havana" There are many stations,
Guanabacoa, much talked of during the
war, being one of the first. The coun-
try is all like a strange picture. M
greenness is as Of paint, the houses are
dabS Of paint. Everywhere are the
royal palms. Here and there are palm
thatched huts. But these are scarce,
for the recommendation order of Wey-
Ter crowded the people into the little
towns. Here is a sugar mill, in opera
ton. Around it is a ring Of block
houses, connected by a continuous
trench. During the war this mill and
farm were guarded by Spanish SOL
diers, Which OF course cost the owner
a pretty penny. Here are the uin of
sugar mills and grass grown railway
branches leading to them.
AT the e town, a pitiful little ham,
let, with a church Inc a dozen stone
houses, is a reconcentrado camp. There
are at least 200 reconcentrado "shacks,"
as we at once call them, and at least
half of them are yet occupied. A shack
is quickly built and at no expense, as
a Cuban's time is of curse of no
value. He cuts down three or four
royal palms, sets them in the ground
| Of Clan6ar nnloc fia6 fnOnfhor of tho
apex of the roof, this being to support
for the thatch, which is of royal palm
branches. To get the latter he climbs
the trees, and with a machete cuts the
branches off. The tree quickly renews
itself. His house is thus complete. The
sides he makes also of palms and ba-
mana leaves. A hammock is his bed.
1t is a simple n cheap outfit, and !. n
a few weeks the house becomes a dull
brown in color: -
Houses in the country are pitifully
few.N The better ones have been de-
stroyed and the shacks are, as stat
ed, huddled together. Sometimes for
a. mile or two there will not be a
shack. Very little of the country
shows any signs of cultivation. 1t is
like an u~noccupied country for wide
areas.
At each station s,,alers of various ar
ticles board the train. There is the
seller Of cocoanut milk. He has a
green ~cOcoanut, a big glass n a
sharp knife. With much dexterity he
slices off I'M end of the nut, makes a
triangular cut and the milk rushes into
the glass. 1t is as clear as dew and
very palatable and n~ourishing. Here
is a boy with cartridges. They are
alive, are smaller than the North Car
DINA bird and darker, and are very
quiet. The boy also has doves to sell
smaller, but otherwise exactly like our
[ home birds. Yet another youngsteI
: has guava jelly and guava paste, q
much priced Cuban delicacy. A mar
carries sugar can stalks.
5 AT the stations little, hollowed-eyeC
girls lift their hands with implorina
| gaze and beg for n peseta"-one
2 cent. Even at these miserable towns
/ are seen women with the coQuettisf
2 black mantilla and they wear it witt
a sLlge-like grace, poor as they are
t AT each station there is the so-calleC
guard of dirty ubanS On the train
are some of their officers, great dan
5 dies, with clothes ali of dark blue, the
f trousers having two stripes OF some
= gay color, and the shoulders a silvel
5 cabied cord or else a strap running tht
/ long way, with various and sundr!
= stars thereon. This and a swell-toppef
cap with much gold braid on the banC
!: n "A NlLLING