The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-01-05
LIST OF SPECIFICS,
Capt. Richardson in Cuba.

AAAN AoiS
lished the following extracts from let
ter written in Cuba by Capt Ed. Rich
ardson to his wife. The letter was laid
aside in this Office for publication and
overlooked until now. AS the readers
of The journal we'll know, Capt. Richard
son is an interesting writer and they will
be glad to read what follows:
Before leaving you, no doubt | ex-
planned that there is no town at Cay
Frances; though the vessel would lie here
to discharge, on account of depth of
water, the real port of entry and of
business, where the cargo goes by light
ers, is Calbarien- twenty miles away"
After arrival had to wait some hours
for an "official visit'' from customs
officer stationed here-a little, old dried
up Spanish Cuban, not knowing a word
of English, but good-natured and very
| precise. After much stamping and sign
ing of many papers, was given pratique
and freedom to proceed to town; but it
was now late in the afternoon.
AS you know, we have a new launch
which had hardly been tried out. l might
wait until towards morning and then if
the boat run we'll reach town in the early
business hours of the day; but thought
best to start at once. The water break
er had been filled, picnic outfit gather
ed, and with the engineer for crew we
started away.
There is no chart of the bay and had
only memory of more that thirty years
for pilot. The route, courses and dis
lance are somewhat similar of those
from your home to Rockland The boat
went along fine and old memories soon
awoke to lead the way.
Just what reception one might meet
with at night was little uncertain. In
many Latin ports there is considerable
formality; strange boats sometimes not
allowed the freedom of the harbor by
night and only special landing place by
day-where fierce and harmless official
stands guard, with ''gun in each hand
and sword in the other But these
are supposed to be times of peace in
Cuba-libre and suspicion should be at
rest, except so far as the revenue may
require.
| thought of you and your sometimes
perturbation and lack of assurance when
approaching unfamiliar cities with doubt
IN mind OF meeting one you know at the
stop of your car. But mere man is not
easily damaged and may never feel dis
turbed. l doubt, however, if brave
man ever truly admires a perfectly fear
less woman; guess he would always pre-
fer that his own may be ever little
afraid of becoming lost in strange places.
Town was reached in the early even
ing and safe and suitable landing made,
without trouble or challenge.
There is one convenience quite general
ly to be met with in these ports, the
business men belong to no eight-hour
union; they are as likely to be found on
deck IN the evening hours as at any other
time-and seven days in the week. In a
few minutes the consular agent was
found and he proved to be connected
with the house of Zarraga & Co., to
which our cargo is consigned. A fine,
breezy fellow with an English voice like
a nor-west wind. He quickly handed
out letters and an armful of my news
papers. In addition to the papers sent
by you, | had subscribed for the N. Y.
Herald for month, as usual when sail
ing for d foreign port.
When other things had been attended
to, enquiry was made about hotels. He
said La Union was the best in town and
the worst on earth. Later on, l might
somewhat agree with my breezy friend.
After signing the Union Articles, l
was led up winding stair, and along a
gallery surrounding the patio, to room
IA. Raising hand to switch on the
light, my conductor said, mo, no! Passa
manana. The electric light would be
in order the day after tomorrow. He lit
a Pickering candle on the dresser-a
glimmer indeed for one who would desire
to read the greater part Of night!
| soon went below and surrounded a
table in the dining room where there
were open French windows with coiored
glass and claret-stained table cloths.
Had purposely abstained from the picnic
supplies of the boat in order to encour-
age an appetite for the first Spanish din
ner had looked upon for some length of
time. 1t is all so different from the pale
and mildly seasoned dishes of New Eng
land-everything floating in oil and gar
lie, with saffron and other high colorings.
This late dinner was fairly good. AS
you know too well, my taste was early
depraved, through association with the
stranger and the olive, and now the
world can offer almost nothing too rank
to be relished and appreciated when
healthy hunger drives.
While at table, highly groomed
young man, with the waxed ends of his
mustache on upside down, enquired if I
were the captain of the steamer Gamma
and he seemed quite unwilling to accept
plea of not guilty. Mistaken identity
may sometimes be embarrassing and at
other times amusing-but to be taken
for a Cuban is pretty close to the limit!
Later on | saw the other man and be-
lieve that neither of us looked alike
one being much the larger and of an
entirely different coloring.
When finally retiring to room IA the
varied entertainment of Cuban night
began. Like nearly all sleeping apart
ments in large buildings of the tropics,
the thin board partitions between rooms
reach but little more than half way up to
the ceiling-serving very we'll as privacy
to the eye but not at all to the ear. On
my right were two noisy, argumentative
men and on the left man, woman and
baby. The child was pleased to cry
loudly and often. The mother at first
sang to it very sweetly, but later, losing
patience, in scolding tone she made more
: noise than the child, perhaps intended as
counter irritant and it was very sue.
cessful.
A game-cock down in the patio pro.
II 4 q u