The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-22
The Desolation of Cuba.

The Desolatlon of Cuba.
From letter published 10 The State
from its staff correspondent Ivy. E.
g." now in Cuba. dated at Camp
Columbia, March 10th the following
extract is made /:
''Bus through ali the province
outside the important to~ns. there is
little pleasing to the eye that IS the
work Of man There is wealth of laod
with poverty of people. The hills aud
valleys are as frequent as the swe!ls and
troughs'' in a rolling sea, and ascending
any hill is like turning kaleidoscope;
new scene is presented, always fair
landscape. The b-eezes never die aod
;n the shade on one of these hills one
need not 60 further to fnd the garden
spot of the earth, as God made it.
Even within a few miles Of the great
city Of Habana grass grows in the
valleys, sage and myrtle bushes on the
hills. Here and there are cabins with
little patches about them, but of
prosperity, that was only one long
endless chain Of roins of grand
mansions bears witness. There does
not seem to be an intact estate in the
province.
sThe American who comes here
expecting to walk through orange
groves and play ball with lemons. Will
be disappointed. Years ago, they say,
lemons and lines used to be banked up
in stores in Habana to be had for the
taking. Now it is difficult to buy
either. Lines are brought here from
Florida. have been on the island
nearly three months and have yet to
see sweet orange tree.
"There are quite number of cattle
in the meadows, and around each cabin
one will find chickens and pigs, but
they are not for sale except at
prohibisive prices. They are the stock
from which the country is to be
supplied. Four years ago ducks we're
worth so cents a pair, now they are
So. Chickens that are on the farms in
the States would fetch 80 cents per
pair. are here held at 81. so, with no
disposition to SELL Eggs are quoted at
so cents dozen, but cannot be obtained
at that price, and milk from the milk
pail is held at 81 gallon
The few men in the country are
making some attempts at farming,
usiug the most antiquated methods, the
ooly improvemer. on the plow of the
ancieu,s, mace from the crooked limb
of tree, is that here the point
sometimes has an iron tip. The
plowman carries pole seven feet long,
one end with an iron spike fastened to
it, the other with scraper like a
miniature spade The first is used TO
prod the oxen and the other 10 scrape
the clay Of the piow.
While the United States government
is feeding thousands of Cubaus in the
towns. there are many people 10 the
country who are starving, and death
from starvation has not been checked.
Three children who were found 10 q
house near Marianao by the side Of
their dead mother, who perisbed from
starvation. are being nursed back to life
10 hospital 10 this camp. When the
troops csmped during their marches
through the province women and child
rem who existed in little filthy dess
made of palm bark, aocked to the camp
to pick up scraps that the soldiers let
fall. aod many we're living skeletons, as
awful to look upon as che recopcen
trados of 18 months ago. Doubtless
many unworthy people are living on the
charity of the United States, bat there
are thousands in misery and who have
not get tasted our bread. The counry
10 the war-riven sections of the island
is sill paralyzed. Nature seems cogni.
zant of the needs of the country. or
rather years ago looked into the future,
for almost every house is alive With
little children, and it is probable that
the fret word many Of them uttered was
"Amerioano." They ali know the for
eigner and must have bad good reports
of him, for al! smile at the aniform.
There are 90 wild animals here
about not rabbit or squirrel or q
woodchuck, the frog being the only
thing that travels the earth with four
legs. A few jackdaws, quail and doves
are practically the orly birds except
the ever present buzzerd. Look where
one will in the beavens at anytime of
day aud toe buzzard is there. some
times few and often 10 scores. a
curious fact is that the yulture is not
here-the smaller species OF buzzard
with white on the tips of the wings
that vastly predouinates 10 the states.