The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-04

Mr. Crews Tells Of His sai1 TArouxh
the Bahama Channels and ArOund
Cape Maysf-He Lands at Caimane-
rst I'm Guanfanfmo Bay.
.manera. Cuba. january u.

ranca. OF the New York and Cuba mail
line. and arrived here this morning
about 700 o'clock At the entrance to
Guantanimo bay, which is the harbor.
is a light house and a small fort in
ruins. Here a pilot was taken aboard
and the ship wound around in the large
and beautiful bav amid grand noun
tain scenery till Caimanera was reach
cd some six or seven miles in. The
ship anchored about a mile out in the
bay and a large amount Of various
kinds Of freight was unloaded into
lighters. This freight was from New
York and other parts of the States and
was intended for the city of Guantani-
mo, which is about fifteen miles inland.
This city has a population of some
5000 ! am told. There is a railroad
out there.
After the ship anchored / hired two
little Cuban boys to carry me ashore,
for so cents for the round trip. AS /
could not speak Spanish and they could
not speak English had to get some one
else to make the trade for me. / spent
near an hour on shore, taking in the
village, for there are not many people
living here.
While on shore it was difficult to find
one n could understand me. Finally
I came up with :, Cuban who seemed to
be connected with the railroad in some
way who could talk with me. He gave
me information about the town and
surrounding country. He TOLD me that
there were in that section eleven sugar
plantations, all being worked, and that
last year 1000 sacks of sugar had been
shipped from that port to the States.
While on shore the train came in from
Guantanimo. 1t was made up OF an
engine, six freight cars and one paSsen-
ger coach. On the engine was thu
word: "Guantanimo," and on the tender
the words: 'Ferro Carrie de Guantani-
mo-" The engine and cars were all up
to-date and the track standard guage
and seemingly in good condition.
While getting information from the
Cuban he wished to get information
from me in return in regard to what /
thought g would do about taking
the tax off Cuban sugar, etc. He talk
ed as though he thought that was the
all important question with Cuhans
| just now.
The run from Nassau to this place,
a distance of nearly 500 miles, was a
very roundabout one among the pretty
Bahama stands. and many of them
were in sight often. Passing out
through the northeast New Providence
| channel We were soon rounding the long
| Eluthere island. Then Cat, SanSalva-
dor, Waiting, Long,, Crooked, and other
| islands were sighted
4 Early on yesterday morning we
rounded Cape Maysi, the extreme west
/ ern point of Cuba. This was my first
| glimpse of Cuba, the Queen Of tn"
| Antilles" Then for nearly a hundred
I miles We sailed right near the coast till
| guantanamo bay was reached. 1t was
one continuous chain and not
a house, field or any sign of human life
was seen, but the scenery was beyond
my description.
At about 5 o'clock this morning when
Cape MaySi light house came to view, il
being the first time / had seen Cuban
lard. my heart beat a little faster and
my mind became stirred as it dwelt in
the past. thought of how wrongful1v
for a long time Spain had treated the
people of this beautiful island, how
they had struggled for independence,
how the congress of the United States
passed those resolutions declaring war
with Spain for humanity's sake to FIRE"
the Cubans and how in rapid succession
the Spanish fleets were destroyed and
the many other victories gained which
ended the war.
We found anchored here the gunboat
topeka with 300 landsmen on beard
training for the naval service.
The Seguranca. on which l am SAIL
ing is one of the New York and tlbar
mail steamship lines best ships. She Ia
nearly 400 feet long. has electric lights.
etc. and Captain G.. P. Leighton - her
commander. He informs rne that he has
been making voyages into this part or
the world for some thirty years. TIC
passenger list being light. 1 y a
room with six berths in X all to mVself
| and have had ever since we left NassrL,
and the weather being fine the sailing
smooth and pretty moonlight nights the
voyage so far has been very pleasant.
1t is said that Waiting island, which
we passed on our way from Nassau
here. and which is one of the Bahamas,
was the first land discovered bv Column
bus. away back in the year of 1892. 1t
is a small island from five to seven
| miles wide by twelve miles long and
| presents many features OF beauty aid
| interest and on it stands a
to commemorate the expedition of the
Chicago Herald here many years ago.
In describing Bermini, another one of
the Bahama Islands which we passed
near by on our way from Miami to the
| Bahamas. my guide to the Bahamas has
this to IA
1.-The Fountain Of Youth which the
celebrated Ponce de Leon. whose life
was lost in the delusive attempt, trtet
in vain to obtain was supposed to have
been situated here. as related IN i)r.
Robinson's history Of America. Giving
an account of the discovery of Florida
/ by Juan Ponc de Leon. DR.. Robinson
says: Tt was not merely the passion
for searching for new countries that
Ponce de Leon to undertake
this voyage he was Influenced by N
| of those visionary ideas which at tnat
| time often mingled with the spirit OF
| discovery and rendered 1t more active
A tradition prevailed among the natives
| of Porto Rico that in the Isle of Brimint
there was a fountain of such wo7derful
| virtue as to renew the youth and lecall
the vigor of every person who b'thed
in it's salutary waters. In hope OF find
| ing this grand restorative. Ponce 'e
Leon and his followers ranged through
the islands, searching with fruitless go
licitude and labor for the fountain
| which was the chief object OF their eS-
petition"
AS the entrance to this bay Is wnere
the first American roops were landed
on Cuban soil during the war Win
Spain. and the first American flag went
up to stay, and as IL was the first time
my feet had trod Cuban soil. 1t became
a scene of much interest. Six hundIsd
5000 4~1 To"n Mo