The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-14

lowed by a large sailing vessel from China having thousand coolies on
 board intended for the sugar fields of Cuba. We had just anchored when she
 was lowed by a tug past us, her deck
 fairly swarming with the coolies, all of them looking alike to me- Just as we were landing a large British man. -of-war, a three-decker entered the harbor and
 was given salute by the fort, to which she replied with the usual number of guns. The Fanny and Louise was moved farther up the harbor and we never saw
 her again l have not learned whether
 she was put in commission, but conclude she was not the war being so near over
 For many years thought she must have become the Shenandoah, but have been told since that the latter vessel was on
 the sea at that time.
 The young men who accompanied me were soon settled at the different hotels in the city, about a dozen of us going to the Hotel de Cubano which was kept by @ soutern lady and seemed to be head quarters for southern sympathizers. We reported to Major Helm, the Confederate agent, who promised to send us home as soon as possible on blockade runner number of which were at Havana, all of them the property of the Confederate states. While waiting we had nothing to do but amuse ourselves, and we sue ceeded admirably. A splendid Italian troupe was giving performances at the Tacon theatre, and 1 attended three of these, La Traviata," '.Hernani" and '"Travatore." The last named opera was given on Sunday night and being told that the governor general and the beau- ties of the city would attend that per formance,I am ashamed to say that 1 not only went, but enjoyed every minute of it.
 Among the guests at our hotel were Mrs. Dreux. widow of the Colonel Dreux who was killed at Bethel. Va, in the first fight of the war, and Charles Kean, Jr., the great English tragedan, whose sympathies were with the south. An old Spanish gentleman of wealth. who made his home at our hotel, took a great fancy to us young fellows, and gave ball in our honor inviting number of his young Cuban lady friends. As none of them knew a word of English, and we could not speak Spanish, the situation was ludicrous. After being introduced all around the ball commenced with a grand promenade to allow us to become better acquainted. Our frantic efforts to make ourselves understood, mingled with the very natural giggling of the young ladies' pleased our old Spanish friend so immensely that he insisted we had placed him under obligations to us. The prome- made was immediately followed by danc- ing, and in this l was handicapped by the loss of my arm, but I had not for gotten the steps, so l sailed in and got there with the rest of them.
 The first blockade runner to leave for the south was the Owl, under Captain Maffit who had been in command of the Confederate steamer Florida. which ves- sel, as you know, was captured in a neu- tral port, contrary to international laws, and was sunk in Hampton Roads. The day before the Owl sailed some of us urged Captain Maffit to take us with him. but he stated that he already had as many passengers as the ship could accommodate, much to our disappoint- ment. Two of our number determined to go anyhow by hiding in the coal bunk CTS of the vessel, and they succeeded in getting off. One of these was Charles Hemming of Florida, a great favorite
 with all of us, who could not resist the temptation of going on ship bound for St. Marks, in his native state.
 The Cherokee. a Yankee gunboat. an- chored near the dock from which the Owl started, with steam up, prepared to follow her when the three-mile limit
 was reached, and Captain Maffit with a view of teasing the federal officers, hoist ed large Confederate flag on the little
 mast at the stern of his steamer, and making a complete circuit of the gun
 boat, sailed out of the harbor in dra- matfc style.
 I may state that the Owl could not enter St. Marks, which was too closely
 blockaded. but Hemming and few oth-
 CTS were landed by a rowboat on the Florida coast. A few years ago he erect ed a Confederate monument in Jackson vile, Fla, at his own expense, but this did not surprise me, as had sized him up forty years before in Havana.
 Major Helm stated that another steam CT would leave in few days, and on the morning of March 25 he informed us that
 the steamer Wren would leave for Gal weston that afternoon, and that some of us could take passage on her. Oul preparations being made. we took leave of the ladies at the hotel. who had beer so kind to us. Among these must men tion gentle woman of the south, Mrs Newcome. whose kindness to me I shal 1 ever hold in grateful remembrance. | left Havana late that evening after stay. l ing ten days. The cargo of the Wrer | consisted principally of Enfield rifles medicines, etc. and our voyage was with out incident, except that we encountered storm from the west, which brough l on my third attack of seasickness-ant ! not preacher on board of any denomi l nation! We reached Galveston withou l encountering any of the blockading ships