Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-18

foothills of high range of mountains, eX-
tending both east and west near the coast
From Casilda We proceeded to Lunas
de LaZa. the seaport village for Sancu
Spiritus, large town about thirty miles
inland in Santa Clara province. connected
with Lunas by railroad. The switch en-
CINE on the wharf at I.unas used to convey
the freight cars to the main line consists
of yoke of oxen. and am told they can
haul five cars at time loaded with COAL
Vehicle for Inland Travel.
cat Casilda l saw for the first time, the
voIante, the best sort of vehicle for travel
in the interior. 1t Is the funniest looking
thing to ride in 1 ever saw, but is very
comfortable. 1t has only two wheels, very
large, and about five and a half feet hlSh'
which in the. rear of the covered seat
of the vehicle and distant about tweiVe
feet from the end of the shafts opposite
the horses shoulders. They can be driven
through almost any sort of country
through bushes. over holes and ruts, ana
over rocks. They do not shake you up
when doing so, and never turn over.
They are drawn by two horses, one IN the
shafts and another alongside, hitched TO
single tree on the near side of the Voiante
but a third horse can be added, Wnen nee
essary on the off side. They have no
springs, but are built on leather straps,
which reduces joltirg to a minimum
Lands at JucarO.
"Our next stop was at Jucaro my iahoihs
place, connected with Ciego de Aviila by a
government railroad. The travel on the
steamer was delightful and the meals sooo'
although l cannot accustom myseH TO
Spanish or rather Cuban cooking. The ac-
comm oda tions, &C, ought to be GOOD, Ior
the first-cass fare from Batabano 10 Ju-
caro- a two days trip. is S29.4,. Fifteen dol
lars a day is pretty steep price, but n IN
cludes meals drinks. &c. You can order
your cocktail whisky, wine. bottle OF peer
or lemonade at any time and get it free OF
charge.
"Jucaro is only a small. sleepy village OF
few houses, with nothing of interest to pc
seen. and l was glad when the train pulled
out for Ciego, which we reached at o clock
at night. warm welcome was extended
to me by the officers of the I'd Battalion,
18th Infantry, stationed here, and l was
soon made to feel quite at home.
La Trocha Described.
LA trocha, of which you read so much
during the war against the insurgents in
Cuba. is a line of Notifications, consisting
of block houses. small forts. intrenchmentS
and barbed wire entanglements, running
parallel to the railroad all the way across
the island from Jucaro to San Fernando,
via Ciego and Moron. a distance Of about
forty-five miles. Each block house is built
one kilometer (about 1909 yards) from the
other, with small fort equi-distant be-
tween the two, while between each block
house and the fort is an earthen intrench-
ment The barbed wire ENHANCEMENT is
back of these Notifications and between
them and the woods beyond.
During the war against the Cubans these
block houses were equipped with search
lights. and telephone communication
maintained throughout the entire distance
with main offices at the towns mentioned.
These block houses were continually gar
risoned by Spanish soldiers, who, owing to
poor living and unhealthy and insanitary
conditions. died off by hundreds. And yet
from all accounts, Notwithstanding the
trocha. the insurgents seemed to pass and
repass without much difficulty. 1 don't be-
heve the Spaniards were very anxious to
bring the with the Cubans to an end
for, while the men in the ranks were fight
ing, starving. dying and penniless. their
officers were well supplied with money and
having right good times In Havana and
elsewhere"