Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-15

Matanzas. March II ise9.--Eariy
yesterday morning We came over from
uayana---a four hours run by the Gem
traI railway. to witness the annual
nesta OF ia Virgin negra. the negro
virgin, which Is celebrated with great
or cciat In Matanzas than anywhere
else on the island. Nobody seems able
10 account for coiored Mother OF
christ except the dusky race ON earth.
who contend that theirs IL the complex
ION natural to man and the lighter
shades but miserable authorizations.
have seen several representatives, OF her
In the churches OF Mexico. Peru aud
urasll. and doubtless they exist In 9th
or spanish Catholic countries. one Ia
prepared for saddle.hued saint Angus
tines. as that worthy was Moor but
the ralson a ctrc OF Black Virgin
remains n mystery. She does not APP
pear In the cuban capital. where Nv
ing negroes abound. but In Maianzas.
where the sons ana daughters ~ Ham
are comparatively few. there IL n
church In her honor. II stands just
beyond the outskirts Of the city. on top
of the ridge that divides the valley. II
was built nearly two centuries ago. by
a picus Catalan Erandcc. to commcm-
crate some important happening In the
history Of his family Only twice a
year are rcrylcc- held In the old sane
tuary--on March 18th and September
gard; but its doors are always open and
true believers mostly OF the colorcd
race-ocme daily To invoke the Virgins
blessing and leaving before her SHRINE
their votive offerings. OF shells. first
fruits. turtle doves and fragrant How
crs.
AZ Matanxas station We selected the
least riekcty volanic In sight and drove
out quickly to take a look at the fa-
nous Virgin In advapcc OF the crowd.
Ratiling along the narrow city streets
across tho stone bridge OF San Juan.
through the arirtocratic suburb OF
Bellninar aud thu squaled puriieuH br-
You'd. we found the heat OF early
Hpfing. Intense. like that OF midsummer
In Utah. iiut higher up on the hill
slopes breeze blew fresh and cool
frum over the Caribbean sea. and We
wondered anew why the good people
u MatanzaH did not erect their homes
above the sitting port.
quaint structure Of aforementioned
stone. nurmountcd by Kilt cross and
surrounded BY high walls OF masonry.
because of It's poHltion. commanding
wide View OF city. harbor and ada
cent country. the Spanish soldiers made
Il n rcdout Mt the now historic time
when bianco'r mule met itr dcsith from
American gums. Among other Nnndal
acts. they cut down many Of the
Enarlcd old oaks that once shaded the
A.
from the Baiieric iHlnnd-and knocked
out cmbrpHureu In the walls. Today the
Interior " bare and cherries beyond
compare. Ne found the altar heapcd
with r.a shells, and the shrine decur-
nted to represent "a submarine Erotto.
riRnlncant of some Incident In the his
tory of the Virgin, who IL believed 10
be particularly mindful Of ncl.fnring
people. The sacred Image. OF wood. IL
rather squat aud square. with face aud
hands Of inky blackncss and the incon-
sruon- features 0f blue eyes and "A
blonde wig. II was rupcrbly dressed Ia
purple satin cmbfuiderri with gold. a
jgwclled tiara above tho yellow curln
and great many rings upon the wood
en- nnErtn md strung ON n cham around
the neck--thc Kits % faithful followers.
We climbed the lettering stairs 90 tho
belfry. aud were repaid for our toll by
the glorious view unfoldcd. fitting
among the rusty bells. the LARGEST 81
which was cast IN barcelona geJ years
ago, amid hundreds Of Tiny chamsieona.
dartinr about the hot walls and regard.
ing US with bright, inquinitivc cycr--we
looked over two lovely valleys and q
broad expanne Of shining water. lie
low lay the shabby old town. asleep In
the sunshine, IL forty-eFht thousand
Inhabitants apparently an dead or gone
on on holiday; the tranquil baR In
front, and distant mountains yelled IN
mist. reminding one Of the RlrkHhlrc
hills on the Itiue Ridge 81 VIRGINIA. on
the lett Of the ridge lay the far-famcd
Vale 81. yumuri, dotted with palms.
cnrpcted with richest vegetation and
adorned with strings like rllvcry ribs
bonh. ON the right. MatanzaH valley
stretching westward until merged IN
the tropical jungle. No forests are left
In this part of cuba. The mountains
10 called. though none OF them are more
than 5000 feet hlgh-arc covered with
prickly chapparel, % thick that u can
he penetrated only by Use Of the mach.
etc. II was a perfect summer day, cx-
cept that there were few signs OF In
sect life and one misses the songs Of
birds. No cheerful note Of robin. whip
poorwili or phoebe made the air melo-
dious-not even the shril scream OF the
paronuet or the gentle voice Of THE
chlppy was 10 BE- heard. Cuba used 10
have birds snlore-cardinsls. orioles. |
tomoEuincH. quail. ployer and countless !
all, AiaH' The horde OF starving re-
concentradoca and almost equally hun |
Rry patriots ~ both armies, trapped |
and ate than, year ngo. The spanish /
soldiers being IN better position for |
gaatronomic choice, used "a stew the
tiny bodies In. grease and Earlici the |
rest We're glad enough TO get them
sofa. Occasionally n lazy buzxard float |
ed overhead with an .ye single To car |
rion; but even that IL now becoming |
scare In the Island. thanks 10 Ameri- |
can cleanliness. and the vultnres begin |
20 grow thin. A railway train. steam |
inE out OF Mntanzas for Santa clara. |
fnHun Ia ufnnde and Cienfuegos. look
ell IN the distance like ch'id'H toy; and |
the procession. already forming In the
narrow streets below, might have stood /
for citizens of t.lliput
lIurrying back To town In order 10 |
miss none of the fiesta ceremonies, our |
yolante dashed down the slopes. closely |
followed by begging gamln and lean /
ours. Every minute the sun grew hot
ter, not u breath Of air stirred below |
the hill-tops, the heat rising from the |
dry. white road ana ust-laden foliage, |
and fairly quiycrins In the atmosphere. |
Arrived NJ the outlying section OF /
pnlm-leaf huta. ench shaped like an In
verted " open at both ends and ten- |
anted with surprising number OF idle, |
hopcleHH-lOoAing men, women ana |
naked children. our bergnr-following |
Increased 20 u crowd, Sirane. Ia say |