The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-03-11
IN SUNNY SOUTH
". n. IRISH WRITES OF
HIS TRIP TO ANTILLES
Finds Some Of Forman Pears Almost
i'm the Tropics-F'nds An
Old Yakiman.
Editor Herald


In response to your request I will
try and give you little account OF
my recent trip to Cuba. We sailed
from Mama, Fla, on Friday, Dec.
20, at o'clock a. m. Mrs. Irish,
preferred staying with our friends
at Miami. Mr.. and Mrs. F. L. Clark
of Minneapolis, who were spending
the winter with US, accompanied my
self and daughter, Grace, on the trip.
About 40 tourists, all bound for Ha-
vana, likewise ourselves, were on
board, as our boat steamed out across
Biscayne bay, rounding Cape Florida
10 miles away, thence out on the
broad expanse of the Atlantic ocean.
Seven miles beyond the cape light
house tower rises from out the wat
er. warning the passing ships that
here is reef covered by shallow
water from six to ten feet deep.
We reached Key West, 100 miles
distant, at o'clock p. M, where we
transferred to the steamer Halifax
which sailed at ! O'Clock a. m. for
Havana.
From Key West to Havana Is 90
miles and the Gulf stream, or Flori-
da straits, extends nearly from shore
a,aI auto tr 11xr
rough. We were due in Havana at
$50, so we were up early to catch
the first sight of Cuban SOIL About
8 O'Clock we could see very dim
outline resembling a bank of clouds,
just above the horizon, as though ris
ing from the water, which gradually
became more and more distinct, un-
til we could see with our unprac-
tised eyes that it was land; and that
we were rapidly approaching the Isle
of Cuba, the Gem of the Sea-
Two conical hills, about $50 high,
the light house tower of Moro, and
soon the dark mass of Moro castle
itself is seen at the left of the har-
boris mouth. On the right is La
Punta, a fort on the point, and be-
yond is the low lying city stretching
along the shore and extending to the
hill on the west, crowned by another
fort, FL Principe
The harbor entrance is about $50
or 400 yards wide, and our boat
passes close under the frowning
walls of Moro castle, and a little
farther are the extensive fortifica-
tons of Cabanas, rising almost
abruptly from the waters edge, 100
feet or more, and browning the
heights opposite the city on the east
side of the barber.
We are now inside the harbor,
which expands into a magnificent
bay 2 u miles wide, with sea room
capable of holding 1000 ships. To
our right is the tower of Havanas
1888 by De Soto, just before he
started on that momentous voyage
which resulted in the discovery of
the Mississippi river. Our ship does
not dock, but is anchored at a busy
right close TO the spot where. on that
fatal night of Feb. 10, 1898, the
bartleship Maine was blown up and
267 of her crew met an untimely
death, and a great war vessel. cost
ing FIVE million dollars, was destroy
ed in second of time. Remember
the Maine" becomes more deeply i'm
pressed on the memory Of every Am
erican patriot who views this scene,
where mast and a considerable por-
ton of the twisted iron bulwarks
and upper deck are still to be seen
, projecting above the waters surface.
, small boat, or tender, is seen ap-
! preaching our ship and. after passing
an examination by physician, we
are ushered onto that and carried to
the wharf, where our baggage is in
spected by the customs officers.
We selected an American hotel
located at II Prado beautiful ave-
nue. extending from Colon Park to
the Malecon. nearly tive miles. This
is Havana's fashionable parade
ground and hundreds of fine carri-
ages and automobiles are seen here
every evening and Sundays. while
the promenade is filed with gaily
dressed Spaniards. Cubans. Negroes
and an occasional American. The
color line" is not seen here as in
the states.
These unfamiliar scenes, the mar
row streets, the street life. and the
Spanish tongue. proclaims to us we
are in a foreign land. One of our
first duties was to exchange some Of