Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-29

how truly-that if it becomes at all
prevalent, and the southern ports close
ly closed against us, we will be sent
to Montauk Point, N. Y, there to be
quarantined and mustered out. Texas
and Louisiana already have orders
to leave for the states, 80 that they will
not be held up by the general quar-
antine which, I hear, begins the first
of May, and it is reported that we are
to leave next Saturday. At any rate
it appears that it will not be long now
until we return to the states; and al
though all are anxious to 60, they
have no doubt all enjoyed the trip and
the opportunity of seeing the country
and the people at this time.
Ihave myself made many excursions
through the surrounding country and
spent several glorious days rambling
through the dilapidated but grand old
city of Havana. But I have seen little
that favorably impressed me with the
character and customs of the people.
I have tried not to become prejudiced
against them; but I suppose l am too
much of an American and seen too
little of the world to be fair judge,
for where 1 find one thing to admire, /
find dozen to condemn.
The people though are courteous,
hospitable and seem to have the kind
liest feelings for the Americans but
they are lazy, will swindle you unmer-
cifully, and are cruel to degree that
is barbarous-that will rival the stories
we have read of the ancient Assyrians
and Romans.
Passing through Mariana one day,
for instance, I saw what I at first took
to be three deep gashes, completely
encircling an ankle of one of the little
ponies, the two outer gashes circling
toward the middle one at the front and
rear, and the space between thickly
studded with little round holes. On
looking closer, I saw that they were
indeed gashes; but that they had been
burned and that the leg was much
swollen and could bear no pressure.
Stopping to enquire what disease could
merit such heroic treatment, I found
that it was merely fancy brand.
Brands are quite common and they are
usually on this lavish style.
In blowing they use two and four
oxen, for the soil is very hard, and a
plow very primitive, and that should
imagine could be used very we'll for a
rail way snow plow. "Cal" Collier, one
of the wits of the regiment, described
it as, "De same identical plow dat
Elisha was us'en when dey called him
to de prophecy" One man attempts
to guide the plow, while another, or a
boy, with a goad, a long pole with
sharp piece of iron on the end of it,
does the driving. From the frantic
movements of the tough, lazy oxen,
when jabbed with it, imagine its
effects must be fearful.
T have often seen a little donkey
staggering along with his legs quiver-
ing beneath him, under burden OF
six fve-gallon kegs of water-24O
pounds of water alone-the big boxing
and padding to hold the heavy kegs,
and sitting on top of all this, the
driver singing and cracking a long
whip.
We see daily passing our camp, from
one to six of the little mules or ponies,
strung out in single file, tandem fash
ion, straining away upon a load twice
as large as would be put upon an
equal number of big strong mules in
America. Immense two.wheeled carts,
with tires about six inches broad and
wheels six feet high, are generally
used, and when they come to a rough
place in the road, the shaft mule is Of
ten lifted bodily and set several feet to
one side; but the lead mules soon jerk
him straight and the grind goes on.
There are plenty of big, fine oxen,
and they balance and draw the i'm.
mense, heavy loaded carts with the
yoke strapped to their horns.
Their savage treatment of the Span
iards, and vice versa, when they fell
into each others hands, is well-known.
And here is another phase of the
heartlessness of the race. Going to
Havana on the train yesterday,
struck up with an American gentle
man who said to me: 81 had con.
tract to move 600 Spanish troops from
the hospital to ship. They were gen
orally about your size, and by Cd,
I don't believe there was single one
of the privates that would have weigh.
ed go pounds, and the officers, damn
'em, were fat and sleek. They called
it fever. I called it starvation"
But the people have a better side.
They have numerous, and apparently
unconscious, nice little courtesies that
are pleasing. For instance, if you
take out cigarette or cigar, they will
instantly offer you theirs, with a polite
little bow, for you to get a light.
And several times, when on return
ing from a ramble rather late in the
afternoon, in passing through their
yards, viewing their hog tied with a
rope around his neck and other Curl
GUS customs, we have disturbed fam
lily at their supper-of sweet potatoes.
AS soon as they saw us they would
rush out in their excitable, enthusias-
tic way and by excessive gestures in
sist that we come in and share their
little all. And when we had declined,
as best we could, with bows and smiles,
they would rush back and bring us
some of the big potatoes, which are, l
am told, a kind of cross between the