The De Soto County news., 1906-03-02
SIGHTS THAT ARE WITNESSED
Havana a City of Vast Interest
Relics of Past Wars 10 Be
Seen on All Sides Many
Important Points Are Visited.

Havana, Cuba. Jan. 1, 19O6.-Hav.
ing promised TO write the News a few
lines anent my impressions of Cuba,
l, after some delays caused by quar-
antlne barriers, reached nv destina-
tion some days ago and am now en-
deavoring to redeem my promise.
This is Christmas week, but it re-
quires quite an exercise Of the imag,
inatIon for one, who has from early
days been accustomed to icy atmos-
phere and snowy landscapes at this
festive season, to realize that this is
winter and not the rich days of an
ideal June. Smiling verdure greets
the eye on every side, odorous breezes
regale the senses, and luscious fruits
are in the greatest abundance.
Many Americans have the idea
that since the United States for
time assumed control, and still re-
CARDS the island as her protege, with
our increased travel, Intercourse and
trade relations, that American ideas,
manners and language are dominant
but this is most erroneous concep-
ton of conditions. No sooner does
one pass through the narrow cham
mel leading into beautiful, capacious
harbor, almost encircling the city in
its silvery coil, whose surface ia alive
with gondola-like quaudas and light
er tugs carrying passengers and bag
gage ashore, manned by swarthy and
multi~colored crews, than he is over
whelmed with the feeling that he is
farther from his native heath than
ls indicated by the map; he is con-
scious of being among a distinctively
foreign people. This impression is
strengthened when he places foot in
a city of narrow, crooked streets;
ancient architecture of Moorish de-
sign, constructed of massive, endur~
ing stone; hills capped by castles and
obsolete forts, the uneffaced relics of
mediaevalism in the New World.
Havana is a city rich in historic
interest. Here in the City of ColLm>
bus you stand on the Threshold of
American civilization. The ancient
forts bespeak the early struggles of
the contending nations for a foot,
hold in the Western Hemisphere.
These sanguinary contests between
jealous, warning nations, the priva-
tons experienced in the early days
of colonization, and the subdual of
rugged untamed Nature, should COM
mand the most fascinating interest
of an American. A man who has no
interest in his ancestry will be equal
ly unconcerned about his posterity,
and likewise be who has no enthusi-
asm for our past history will have no
care for our future destiny.
Soon after passing into the harbor
is an object compelling the attention
of all, but to which the eye of an
American instinctively turns as mag
net to pole-the wreck of the bat-
tleship Maine. 1t is slowly but surely
sinking; little is visible but the top
of her foremast and the twisted and
torn portions of her bulwarks and
her upper deck, demonstrating the
awful force of the explosive that was
able in a second of time to transform
powerful vessel into a worthless
hull. This pile is a ghastly monus
ment to the corpse of Spanish tyran~
ny, is faithfully symbolic of the COM
plete destruction of Spain's once mag
nificent territorial empire.
"The Niobe of nations, there she
stands.
Childless and crownless in her voice
less woe.'
In making out a list of points of
interest TO be seen while here, MORO
Castle like the name Of Abou Ben
Adhem, "leads all the rest" To
come TO Havana and not visit Morro
would be like going to Buffalo and
not seeing the Falls. This old fort
ress situated at the entrance to the
harbor, over whose hoary head more
than three hundred years rest, once
q warlike. challenging sentinel, now
peaceful guardian; her dark cells
and underground passages once veiled !
in secrecy, now open to the eager ex-
plorations Of the tourists BY 81
payment. all necessary expenses ere