Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-06-02

BARAooA, CUBA, May z, 1899,

BARACoA, CUBA, May z, 1899.
Editor Sentinel:
This place is situated on the north coast
Of Cuba, about five hundred miles from the
city of Havana. 1t was once the greatest
banana market in the world, exporting
more than 100000 punches annually. 1t
also exported, before the war, 10000, 900
cocoa nuts year, besides considerable CO.
Goa and coffee.
Baracoa is but few miles from the ex.
IRENE eastern end of the island, and is one
days travel by steamboat from Santiago de
Cuba, where Schley got in his fine work on
old Mr.. Cervera's warships. The town is
located on flat strip OF land almost on a
level with the ocean and Immediately on its
shore, and is hemmed in on the west by the
bay and on the south and east by noun
famous wilderness. In fact, it is surround
ed by water and mountains, which latter
stretch away for more than ten miles dis
lance. These mountains abound in cocoa
nuts, wild fruits OF many kinds, Lizards,
scorpions, malarial levers, Cuban insurgents
lin season. and possibly many other things
not yet discovered save by winged creatures
capable OF penetrating their secret recesses
and scaling their perIous heights. Some
where through these mountains there is
trail over which Couriers carry two mails
week TO and from place near the south
coast called Guantanamo. Only the little
heroic Cuban mule is able to make the trip,
and there are many places where single
msstep would cost him his life, as well as
that of his rider. We have also mails by
water, from Havana and Santiago, when
ever we can get them, usually, of late,
about once a month from the former
place and twice month from the latter.
The last steamer from Havana april 23)
brought US niue full sacks OF mail We ex
pect another about the 18th or l4th OF this
month.
When general mail comes in there is
much rejoicing among the inhabitants OF
BaraCoa. Business is not entirely suspend
ed, but men put on their Sunday hats, and
span-clean aprons are seen upon the public
highways. There is telegraph line to
Guantanamo, but The wires have been out
of order for weeks.
Baracoa has population Of something
like 5 900, more than one haliol whom wear
clothing Of some description. In the dry |
season the roofs Of the houses give general |
satisfaction and boats are not needed to nav
gate the streets. In the daytime it is posi- |
Bile to pick your way down town, and at |
night there is no occasion to go from one |
place to another. In the rainy season, which |
IS now upon US, millions Of the cOckroaches |
and other insects which iniest the houses,
are forced under ground for shelter
1t would be difficult TO picture in the i'm
lgination more romantic and picturesque
than those of BaracOa. Cocoa
nuts and bananas, inaccessible mountain
astness es, old oceans tireiess waves beating
ceaselessly against a rock bound coast, and
naked natives OF various sexes, siz3s and
,olors are natural objects beautiful to con-
template, at times Dut, with them all, il
here is on earth more dismal, desolate
place than Biracoa in the rainy season, II
subscription should be raised 10 transport
u Inhabitants, Tor awhile at least, 10 a more
cline in the Island of st. Helena
Dr. Desert OF Sahara.