Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-02
SOLDIER LIFE
IN HAVANA
Interesting Story of a Cuban
Bone Pile.
THE OLD DOMINION GUARDS
Inst Hcstius Place Of the .Ininc Vie
Tins" Fircmcn'B Monument -Cu-
riouS Cnve Eound Near the Sen
Many Americans Arriving Fruit
less search for "S0idicr Jimo
Getting Tired OF Army life.
THE OLD DOMINION GUARDS
Camp Marianne.
~ 81 III
l havana, Cuba, ,JaI

| NirgnianPilot, Portsmouth Office:
Alter Il hearty repast of bread. coffee
and rice, | will. if not INTERRUPTED bv
one Bob Myers (who is trying TO mem
orlGe his General orders" backwards)
tell the home folks how time is passed
iii our camp. To-day, as usual, starts in
win all the appearance of being n
warm member" and the lads will not
Juggle the crack Jack" rifles, but
rocks instcad-poor things. Since our
stay here the boys of the Old Dominion
Guard are daily taking in the many
sights in and around camp. Sunda,;
three members and Il scribe strollel ont
| OF camp in search of the cemetery
where the Maine victims are buried
After walkin. for two hours over a
dozen almost pernend!culsr hills and
held up by thirteen provost guards we
FOUND ourselves at the main entrance or
the great cemetery, and at once began
rubber necking in every opening that
could be found.
Our guide. Sergeant Burton. formed
the acquaintance Of Cuban nttondnnt
who volunteered to show us the sight 6
within its walls. First was the morCue
where the dead bodies are prepared for
burial by sprinklinE Il thick coat of
,ine over the deceased. after which the
BODY is placed in a grave Then rent
begins. ard If the long green don't como
up regularly the bones are dug up and
consigned To the bone pit in another
part of tho cemetery.
THE. NAMES DEAD.
a visit was then made To the graves
OF the Maine sailors. Il government
square in the central part Of tho cemc-
terry, where common wood cross
marks the last resting place of the dead
heroes, win The following inscription
thereon: "Mainc Victims"
After having our pictures taken ovc,
me graves with uncovered heads. our
CuDan friend led MS 30 the great bone
mn. which is enclosed hv "a hitch STONE.
wall: but. an earer to 500 inside 1T once
we craWle6 Ia the top 10 satisfy our
curiosity. such a sigh; we had ncv,.r
Witnessed: Thousands or Skulls AMI
cross-h bones, all hlcac he'd white bv tho
tropical rains and sunshine. \ number
or soldiers carried Il few Of tho grir,,ln.,
SKULLS 10 camp - souvenirs.
FlRHMEN'S M0Nl' MENT.
Then n start was made for the nrc-
thorouchfnrc. which was erected Ia pcr-
rctuate the memories OF the ealan,
ilromen who p"ris he'd in the great la
vana fire Of u.
number of soldiers discovered n
cave ncar the scashoro last week. and
daily numbers so to got a peep in tho
dark hoie. Those who vonturcd in saw
sights. indeed. While cXnlnrinr tho in
terror they encountered thousands of
bats, owls and land crabs. Saturday
"nu Hun';lE VIII be- great days AT the
cave number from our camp will go
ana get Snap shots Ia mail home
AMERICANS ARRIVING.
Nncrichns are arriving on every mail
| S'rn mer and Havana will in short
tlnic nave tho appearance Of a metro
noiian American city Havana. in fact
lhe whole Island. is a regular I[Iondiko
Tor thrifty American mechanics. plumb
"rs. painters and carpenters. Ncwspa =
per compositors get SIS cents per thou
sand ems. nonparicl loaded.
Soldier Jim" who sends an occa-
sional letter homo. is not known here
or can't be found in camp. as tho bows
are hunting his scalp for publishing an
exaggerated letter about this camn
which has tendency 10 set the folks
Mt home "bug-house. Saturday and
sunday five passes are issued from
each company to visit Havana and
MORO Castle.
Thirteen hundred Cuhars constitute
the street gang in the city. and arc
daiiy cleaning I'm the narrow streets
and alleys. Lieutenant Epps. of the
inardS. has been detached from this
company To command n company OF
city 80 '''
! The boys arc beginning to get tired
9l me army life. and would like to ce
hack home sometime soon. There ar,
l several very bad cases of HON sickness
! mere; or ii might he that they dom
put cologne in their letters.
''uJ.11 nn<TNJD>-