Daily camera., 1899-04-11
HUNTING FOR RELICS
Americans h Cuba Rummags the
Old Forts.
A ChiSa1o Soldier Writes About HI
Visit to MORO and La O.
bAAas-TrAees of SDa anish
Cruelty 20 Prtsoasss.

A letter describing the gloomy du-i
geons and blood-stained walls of the
ancient Castle La Cabanas, near Ha-
vana, and relating the incidents # u
relic-hunting trip among the Spanish
fortificaiions and to the wreck Of the
MAR was lately received by Deputy
Cor missioner of Public Works A. j.
ToJlen from hi orot her, Fred \. Too
len, of the Second Illinois infantry, now
encamped at Camp Columbia, in the
Cuban capital. The letter il as fol-
lows:
The climate in the United States
cannot at any time be compared with
the climate We are enjoying here. The
days are warm, but not oppressive. and
the ocean breezes at night cool the at
mo>phere. so that a good, sound. com
Portable and peaceful sleep can be en-
ioyed.
Havana and its vicinity are very in
teresting, and / have had but few op-
portunities to satisfy my curiosity and
Visit; some of the~. interesting place ;.
La 81 Saturday went to see Castillo del
Principe. and from the hill upon which
that strong fort il situated | had Ihv
best view that can b- obtained of the
city of Havana and it's harbor. Morrc
castle, La Ca Danas, Punta castle, IEs
Santa Clara batteries. the wreck of he
Maine. Atares castle. Colon cemct 4 ~
the town of Cerro and the beautiful
harbor. with the erryboats plying to
and fro. warships and ships of all a.
. t,as, l..
sailboats, with what the boys cal!
chicken coops' in the stern, sailing
around the harbor. made a fine pan o.
rama.
As to MORO castle and La Cabanas
! was more fortunate. for in the latter
part OF January | and three other ser
geintS and Lieut. Col. Hotchkiss eN-
plored the Inusry and bad-smelling
dungeons of these forts TO our hearts
content. We entered into the moat Of
Cabanas by long and steep covered
ascent. and, after showing our passes
several times. We were allowed TO enter
Cabanas proper. IL was more like
tomb than fort or prison. mus'y
odor greeted our nostrils. The echo of
our voices and footsteps reminded on,
OF ghost stories. The enormous locks
on the iron doors changed and rcsound-
ed along the corridors as We went from
cell to cell, investigating and search
ing for relics Blood stains on the walls
OF various cells and cells whose dark
ness the light OF matches would not
penetrate. and from which stencil
came that was beyond human endur-
Ince, suggested TO our minds terrible
and unholy deeds which a cruel race
alone could perpetrate. But there were
better parts TO this large prison The
officers quarters, with beautiful flower
gardens around them. were great
contrast to the dark and dingy cells
not more than 200 feet away. There
are very few guns in Cabnnas. and
those that are there are old-fashioned
guns, which would not count for much
against the modern guns on our war
ships. Car loads of shells OF all sizes
are lying around in both Chbanas and
MORO, getting rusty. lpicked up quite
a number Of relics in Cabanas: two old
Spanish caps, a cartridge box, hook
off one of the doors and spike cut of
one of the cells. whose walls wer, GOV
cred with blood stains
Then We went out OF CahAnas,
across the drawbridgc and over to Nor
ro. which is far more famous than Ca
banas. We explored the different rooms
and dungeons OF Moro, aud here we
also picked up quite few good relies.
| found a candlestick (Which | am now
using) in one of Morro's dark rooms. |
got a sight OF one OF her larges, guns.
and ! also carried away three-irch
shell. OF course. l got a small piece
of her walls. The lieutenant colonel
was almoa, afraid to go around with
W, for fear that We would get arrested
FOR stealing MORO castle. But, of
course, we had to have something to
remember this place, so we helped our
selves to everything in sight.
"On this same day WE all were
lucky enough to get out on the wreck
OF the Maine. We stood upon her star
board gunwale, and each OF us secured
a piece OF wood from the gunwale and
piece OF rope from the ladders which
lead TO the fighting top.'-Chicago In
ter Ocean