Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-05-25
CHAPTER XvI.-Continued.)

lron-barred without and barricaded
within, for the population (of which
our shipmate Antonio was striking
specimen) consists Of about thirty
thousand olive-skinned Spaniards and
double that number of slaves and free
mulattoes, all loose. reckless, fiery and
apt to use their knives on trivial oc-
casions.
There was not ship lying there
for England, or any other craft by
which Weston could have sent me
home. A Spanish steam-packet was
on the eve Of departing for Cadiz, but
being wearied by the monotony Of my
long voyage, was scarcely In mood
for the sea again. and wished to spend
little more time on shore instead OF
leaving with her.
However, l wrote to my family by
the Spanish mail. acquainting them OF
my safety. with the strange incident
which had so suddenly torn me from
them, and adding that I would return
by the first ship bound for any part of
England; II possible. with the Eu-
genie, which would probably be
freighted for London.
After the packet sailed with my let
ter in her capacious bags. ! expert
enced an embtion of greater happiness
| and contentment than had ever done
since leaving home. for the sorrow
which l knew all there must have suf-
fered, and would still be suffering.
hung heavily on my heart.
As we were returning to the brig.
which had now been warped alongside
the mole. when passing through the
street which contains the great hospi-
tai, we heard the sound OF trumpets,
and saw the glittering OF lances with
long streamers above the heads Of a
dense crowd OF people of all shades OF
color-black. yellow and brown-and
we had to doff our hats with due re-
spect as they passed, for in the midst.
sn-rounded by staff OF officers. epau-
letted and aiguletted, their breasts
sparkling with medals and crosses. and
each of them riding with cooked hat
under his left arm, came the present
Captain General OF Cuba, q marshal OF
the Spanish army. Don Francisco Ser
rano de Dominguez. attended by an
escort Of mulatto lancers, all mounted
on Spanish horses.
He was a fne-looking man, and al
though aged, had all the bearing OF
what he was. or, should say. Is
grandee of old CASTLE.
On returning to the Eugenie we
found Antonio the Cuban working
among the crew as Justify and as &C.
lively as any man on board. Weston
now offered him remuneration for the
time that he had been with us, with
a hint that he might find berth else
where; but our castsway evinced the
greatest reluctance to leave the brig.
! and begged that he might be permit
| ted to remain on board, as three OF
our best hands had been sent ashore.
sick, to the hospital.
So short-sighted is man that Cap
tain Weston. despite the dislike Of the
crew and the advice of Marc Hislop,
| ordered that the name OF Antonio be
entered on the ships books as fore
mast man.
Three weeks after our arrival the
brig was careened to starboard, when
clear of all the cargo. and had her
copper scraped and cleaned. an op-
ration which the constant rains of the
season greatly retarded.
There was much in Cuba to feed
an imaginative mind, and mine was
| full Of the voyages, the daring adven-
lures and the vast discoveries Of Co.
Iumbus, with the exploits Of the buc-
cancers, whose haunts were amid these
wild and, in those days, savage
shores.
thought of the gaily plumed and
barbarously armed caciques whom Co.
lumbus had met In their fleet pirogues.
or had encountered in the dense for
ests which clothe the Cuban noun
tains-forests, old, perhaps, as the
| days of the deluge-of the yellow
skinned women with their long, flow
ing black hair and with plates Of pol
ished gold hanging in their ears and
noses; OF the fierce warriors streaked
with sable war paint and armed with
cane arrows shod with teeth or poi
soned fish bones, that fell harmless
from the Spanish coats of mail; of the
wild Caribs, who devoured their pris-
oners-with whom battle was but
precursor of feast; and OF the ia
nous fighting women-the terrible
Amazons of Guadaloupe.
I thought of the story of Columbus
writing the narrative of his wonderful
discoveries, his perils and adventures.
on roll of parchment, which he
wrapped in oilcloth covered over with
wax, inclosed in a little cask, and then
cast into the sea, with a prayer and
the hope that if he and his crew per-
ished this record of their achieve
ments might be cast by the ocean on
the shore of some Christian land.
As I sat by the sounding sea that
rolled into the bay of Matanzas, what
would l not have. given to have seen
the waves cast that old cask, covered
with weeds and barnacles. at my