The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1899-03-15
Cuban Scenes.

pthtth hfIuyS W hlh lhlutIg ONVBc w.
Barley, Of Stephensport. The son is at
Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, and writes from
there
Dear Father
Your much appreciated letter was re-
ceived while on the transport Saratoga"
at Havana, and was indeed glad TO yet
some news from home, after being on the
water 80 long.
When we left Macon, Ga on the l4th
OF February, the Thermometer was stand
ing at FIVE below zero,
We arrived at Charleston, s @ on the
18th, at about three o'clock. and there
we had TO wait unit the 18th, about
eleven O'Clock, before boarding the trans.
port. After every thing was loaded we
raised anchor, aud set sail for the Pearl
of the Antilles"
When the vessel left sight of land, and
began to rock and reel as she owed her
way through the foamy waters, the boys
began to turn pale and get sick. But
after the first half day they began to get
over their seasickness, and after that the
trip was as pleasant as could have been
expected.
The aoldes were allowed to go almost
all over the vessel. Taking advantage Of
this, my iayOrite place was as near the
bow as possible, sometimes with one foot
banging over the rail. In this position
everything that was to be seen at all
| cOuld be seen distinctly.
The ships, as they would apr ear in the
| distance, with their masts projecting ont
Of the water, seemed 10 be- mere spots.
| AT first the tops of the masts would APP
pear, then the sails, aud fiually the hull,
One of the most interes sting things
was the fish, The porpoise, or sea hog,
was the largest and most abundant
any that We could get good look at.
| They would sometimes swim directly in
tue path of the vessel One instance l
remember very distinctly. L. was one
/ evening lust about dusk when two large
| porpoise, each about six feet in length,
made their appearance in front of the
boat. They would swim along Just in
front OF the bow, and before you had
time to think they would dive into the
water, and then out they would come,
sometimes leapiDg two or three fee t
| high. When they would strike the
water again it would sound like some
one had fallen overheard. They kept
this up for some four or FIVE minutes,
and then turned to one side and passed
out of our sight.
After striking the Gulf Stream the fly
ing-hsh, jelly-tish, sword-iish, and sew
eral other species appeared. The flying
fish were about half loot IN length, and
would sometimes fly hundred yards be-
fore striking the water The jelly.tish
| were small, but very beautiful. The
prettiest OF them all was the sword fish
| which, when in the sun, made a very
| beautiful representation of the rainbow.
| With all these gay colOrs, ard their long,
sword-lke beaks, they make delightful
sight to gaze upon. We also saw several
sharks, but did not GIT close enough to
them the form a verl good idea Of how
they look.
The next place Ct interest was Palm
Beach, ria, passing within mile of the
shore, and the sun WAS shining directly
upon the beach, which showed il up to
advantage Two buildings were all H. at
could be seen from the sea, but they
were indeed beautiful They were about
three or four stories high, with palm
trees all around the grounds.
We sighted Moro Castle about noon
of the 10Th, and after All hour or 30 we
came in front of this. one of the darkest
and gloomiest plac TO be seen around
the whole city of Havana.
The wal seemed 20 rise directly out
of the sea and show the wear and tear OF
ages Going through the narrow neck
into the harbor, were some grand sights
There were vessels from nearly all ma
tons, and schoOneTs by the hundreds,
tied up along the wharf.
Our steamer was anchored about three
o'clock, in a hundred yards of the wreck
of the battle ship Maine. All there is
1 81 H. g a, 4 70
is heap OF ruins projecting above the
water
Sunday night we laid at anchor, and
early Monday we were towed up to the
wharf and commenced to unload the
freight AS it took day or so to unload
the ship, and load on the train for Pinar
del Rio, the men had to make Their
quarters the best they could could on the
boat, and as our hammOcks were taken
away from us, it was pretty hard OLD
go.
We were issued passes to go out anC
visit the city Taking advantage of thii
one evening, l saw sights never to be
forgotten. There are very few streets
that have more than room enough il
them to pass two wagons The sidewalks
are from two to three feet wide, anC
every house stands with it's doors open
ing into the street. The houses are bull
together, as il one, 30 the side of bloch
is solid
In the interior OF their houses could
be seen some beautiful flower garden
with all kinds of tropical plants in them
II an American were to 20 in Havana
and did not know the city, he would bt
as likely to 90 into a dwelliug for hard
ware store as anything else.
One OF the grandest plac il was my
good fortune to.get 10 visit was one o
their public squares 1t was Lighted
= with electricity, and of all the beauties
they were to be seen there. As to fixinj
2 up their store and show windows, they
can't be surpassed by any one.
/ managed to get peep at the palace
OF WeyleT and Blanco, but they are ver'
: particular with it, for fear some reli
: will be removed.
I Not having but few hours, little O
the city could be seen, so will pass to ou
3 trip on the Cuban train, for one hundred
' and thirty miles, After all was LOADED
on, with two men to seat, without
, sign of cushion, with our KNAPP sacl
! and canteen to see after, we managed /,
get started about twelve o'clock at night
The moon shone brightly, and tier
we're some beautiful plantations to b
seen along the route, but as the boy
were 80 uncomfortable and tired, the
t could not take much interest in thil
+ arriving at the pepot OF our destination
] about eleven, caused us 10 have to wal
about two miles in the hot sun, an
: when We got 10 camp We were willing
, drop down anywhere.
n | ffaR oil naar frotnhlaa xua ara Vavu haRs