The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-18
INTO THE INTERIOR OF CUBA.

Havana June s.-tSpecial Correspondence
OF The Post.)-It is easy enough for the
American traveller to get to Havana and II
is easy enough for him to live under fairly |
decent conditions while he is content to re-
main In the city. but when he attempts to so I
into the interior he finds himself confronted |
by problem OF quite different character
II is one thing to propose TO 30 and another
thing to do It.
The first thing that the stranger discovers
is that there are no railroads and no line of
stage coaches such as were once so common
in the United states, so he must either buy
horse and start out alone or wait until a
party of prospective land buyers appears
when he can make ARRANGEMENTS TO ioin their
train. l have learned from sad experience
that the man who decides upon this latter
course shows the greater wisdom. In the
first place. the Cuban roads, especially those
that go into the interior. are snare and
deluson. ON the mans they are designated
as royal highways" but the man who con-
structed these maps must have relied entirely
upon his imagination. Such roads mortal man
has never seen. They are always narrow,
often there is only trail and sometimes even
! the trail is lost. The Cuban peasant can
follow the trail. but he wends his way chiefly
by instinct and IL he attempts to tell you
which way 20 go you are certain to be lost
completely For this reason progress without
guide is almost impossible.
~
II one does succeed in reaching the interior
however. he is well repaid for the ircon.
veniences OF his journey. There is the tropical
country in all its wild. natural beauty, the
81 trtr toni
forest, fragrant with the flowers that can be
found in no other place. The branches Of
the trees overhang the roads and shield one
from the excessive heat OF the sun Beyond
the forests there are the fields that were
once cultivated but that now lie in waste.
waiting for the new owner to come and re-
deem them. for agriculture generally is re-
cuperating but slowly.
In some few places sugar is grown
and occasionally one may see a patch Of
tobacco or other cultivated vegetation.
few sugar mills are grinding but they are
; far apart and there is little to remind one
that he is not an explorer OF primitive
country where man is not. In fact everything
would be very romantic and delightful II 1t
we're not for the continual fear Of being
/ brought up with a sudden start for the priv'-
t lege of looking into the muzzle OF gun or a
r revolver. for since the Cuban has lost his
{ other means OF support he has resorted 70
Q the highway, where he levies upon the chance
traveller, much to the disgust OF the man VINO
is forced to paw tho tribute
In the sections around Havana and Other
large centers the brigand has ceased from
: troubling except upon rare occasions and he
win be driven out of the interior as soon as
P. the authorities have time to devote them
i solves TO that locality. In the meantime the
travelling in that section is not devoid OF the
fascination that danger gives It.
: Upon my trip to the interior l had no per
y sonal encounter with the bandit probably
for the reason that l was not REGARDED as
sufficiently promising prey, but met several
men at village wine shops and other loafins
> places whom have no doubt were spending
= money obtained by this means.
= ~
y From Havana, however. there are savera
, lines OF railroad that go to many Of the large
}, towns From Havana to the west there is
road that runs to the town OF Plnar del RIO
a distance of about 115 miles There Is ais
- line that runs to Guanaiay. town In IN
northeastern part of the province OF Pima
\ del Rio. and as both OF these roads pas
through the vuelta Abajo and Partd7s to
{. bacco regions the trip is one that may b
made of great interest
=, To the east from Havana the railroad sys
tenn extends for more than 25o miles and a
1, there are branch lines running both mort
and south from the main road It is impos
"A sble to reach nearly all Of the coast towns
as well as several Of the larger places In tn
is interior.
To the American tourist the railroads
~ Cuba are not particularly attractive. TT
coaches are out OF date and dirty at the oes
is This applies TO the Hrst-class coaches, for II
cars that are used for third-cass passenge
II, are absolutely filthy and they rattle a.
bang over the uneven rails until one wonde
lie how they ever manage to hold together.
It may be unnecessary to say that the ave
,is age American tourist prefe. to travel hrs
class even If the rates are excessively hig
nv ranging from to cents mile. Tine Sc
ond-class rate is about cents and the tnir
class about cents mile. which is UNIQUE
ionably an exorhitant price TO charge Tor I
accommodations provided.
OF On the Cuban railway trains everyoo
'eu smokes and no woman ever thinks OF voici
lu' an objection. II she should do such a TIM
an che would be regarded as ft subject Tor
nu insane asylum. AS the result there are
80 smoking apartments and often there are
Go baggage cars, for the reason that the pa
seneers prefer to carry their baggage WI
WI them into the regular coach rather than p
e', the excessive baggage rate that is chars
by the company
\ \ \
Now that American capital is going II
up c,ba IL is probable that there Will be soi
reform in this respect. but at the present t'l
~ NO road carries baggage free. The reSu
~. w. therefore. is sometimes ridiculous ESeh d
are ssrger enters the car laden down with
nersonal belongings and these he slows a"
axe On the door. under the seat in the corr
ing ~ anywhere that ne can find space, Tn
, il be nerches himself on top of his trunks
ter va,ises and. lighting his big cigar. tmoi
on awav at his ease AS it is also all 1waple
and Ming live stock into the hrst-class eoael
en,ckeps are frequently a part of the o
the sage Usually they are tied together and
ain ,brown under seat. but sometimes they
A Loose and spirited cock fight has often
and ,tyepea what might otherwise have beer
&C. tedious journey.
Q is cuban trains never start on time. II q