Milford chronicle., 1911-03-17

or state has been led from these dark an
{ damp dungeons, up this high steppe
/ stairway and thrown down the "Nido d
| TibburOnes, a stone chute built in th
3 wall leading down to the sea in whic
{ the waste of the fort was thrown, and g
the foot Of it was always a swarm G
: sharks, hence its name. Here too tn
Cuban prisoners who had been executor
were cast down for the sharks to eat. III
on the ramparts we have a fine view q
the city, harbor and gulf; and here j
erected monument to the brave Spanisl
J Commander NelascO, marking the spO
where he fell during the siege of the Brit
ish under Lord Albermarle in 1862. Tit
English after a long siege had carried
Cabsnas Hill and planted mine under
the seward bastion of Moro Castle anC
had it ready to set off. The English com
mander sent word TO the Spanish com
mander informing him of the fact, and i
would be useless for him to hold out any
longer. But NelascO replied that ne would
defend the castle to the last. The next
day the mine was set off. and a breach
made in the wall. The English rushed
into the works and quickly made them
selves masters. VelascO tell mOrtally
wounded He died next day, and hos
/ tiIties were suspended for his fuheral.
The salutes for the Spanish guns in Ha-
vana were answered by the salute OF those
of the British across the bay. Later the
/ forts across the bay fell into the hands of
the English, and for one year the flag of
England waved over FL Moro, and then
,, the fortress was restored to Spain in a
trade for the Floridss.
There the standard of Spain floated
above her ramparts until General Fitz-
hugh Lee sailed into Havana harbor and
the Stars and Stripes was raised, and now
the flag of Libre Cuba floats over this
ancient fortress, but the question now is
for how long? To use the expression as a
Spaniard would can only say Quien rabe.
And now a visit through Castillo de
San Carlos de Ia Cabaira as this immense
fortress is called. Under the reign of
Carlos III this fortress was begun IN 763
and completed in IVA. This fort is built
on an elevated hill which rises abruptly
100 feet from the waters edge. On enter
ing through the hall we come to Los Fosos
de los Laureles, named from the laurel
trees growing here This is the place the
political prisoners and insurgents we're
executed during the Cuban revolution.
In those days persons taking part or
suspected as being in sympathy with the
cause were arrested by order of the Span
ish Captain-General and shut up in MORO
or Cabane incomunieado. Some were
sent to the dungeons, some eXlled to
Africa and scores were made 20 kneel with
face to the wall and shot by file OF Span
ish soldiers. The lines marked by the
bullets in the wall is plain to see for a
distance of 20 feet or more. Ii is called
"the dead line" A bronze monumental
tablet has been set IN the wall to cOmem-
crate the patriots who died here in the
cause OF Cuha libTe. Cabanas is an i'm
mense affair, covering many acres of
ground and extending a mile or more
along the bay front Once within her
walls We find a vast labyrinth of ascents
and descents, through narrow high vaulted
passages and halls, officers quarters, pris-
Ons, chapels, courts, barracks, tree lined
roads and drill grounds. The more we
see the more we realize the vastness and
dreariness of Cabana. We are dazed when
we try to comprehend the work and plan
of the fort. 1t is a succession of fOrtifea-
tiOn within fortiticatiOn, great in extent
The design of symmetry is not like the
old Spanish fort San Marco, st. Augustine,
Florida. But in comparison with Cabana
the Florida fort is a mere toy. On the
ramparts one has fine view of the city |
bay and palm covered hills in the dis
tance. Here are many old Spanish guns, |
bearing each one a name of Spanish |
king of long ago, and now they are in |
keeping with Cabanas age and uselessness. !
Across the harbor on a hill south of
the city, can be seen Atares Castle, where |
met his fate.
1t cost Spain millions to build Alabama
and when completed, the King of Spain |
on being told the cost gazed intently to- |
wards the west, and said the walls must |
be high enough to be visible across the
sea. But the millions was not all that can
be charged up to Cabana.
The yellow fever scourge of Cuba and
Of North America and Europe during the
century and half that followed can be
charged to her too The laborers were
imported from Vera Cruz, who were con-
sicts, and brought the fever with them,
and as events proved to be, the cost of
Jabana was a waste OF public funds, for she
never fired a shot in defense of Havana
She was used as q barraCk for Spanish
iOldeTs, and prison for political offend
~ W. AANA hlEtoA las nCGA uAAN VI oHA-
ering and execution from the days when
700 Frenchmen were shut up here in 1896
o the recent days of General Weyler.
Another place Of Ofinterest is Colon Gene
cry, said to be the finest cemetery in the 1
world, and l guess it is for it seems i'm
possible for grounds to be laid out more {
Deautiful, with roses ever in bloom, tropi- {
al plants and trees of all varieties, the {
inc shaded drives and walks, and grass {
o green and like a carpet on the floor
md such magnificent monuments, on {
which workmanship and money has not q
een spared. On many of the tOmbs are
hese initials-"E. P. D." signiiying En-
as descana, and "E. G. F." meaning I
IN gracia esta. S
There are permanent graves and Others l
hat are only rented for a term of years, 8
'hich usually is ten years, and at the ex I
iration of that time the remains are taken g
p and thrown into the Osario, a walled s
lace IS feet square and so feet deep. In
MS pit one can see a great heap of skele- +
ms and fragments Of cOfiins all thrown g
! together. O
The hearse in Havana is a gorgeous r
fair, highly cOlOred and gilded, and o
earring the motto, Look for me to- t
borrow, you will not find me-" The P
river wears a court dress of purple scar v
It, and is attended by Iiveried fOOtmen "
/ number according to the grade of the o
neral I