Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-02-28
The Queen of the Anti les.
Continued from Ist page.)


six and going to bed before the boat
started at p. m. slept until IL Q CLOCK
when | arose to find the ship rolling
frightfully,as we had a heavy Hortheaster
and crossing the gulf stream il made it
awful rough But | didn't mind that
so much and soon went 70 sleep and was
r,Gted out ,ust after sunrise as we were
nssrus The entrance TO Havana Hsro3r.
cannot begin 10 explain my feeling
when entering the harbof ot a ioreisn
country with Moro Castle and Cabanas
Fortress to our left, aud the Malocan on
on our right, and looking over the bow
OF the ship ahead we could see the old
"Baitleship Maine" 1t sent thrill
through my blood that shall ever be fresh
in my memory. We all stood out on
deck and not word was spoken by the
Is6 passengers. We seemed to be dumb
founded and perhaps each was thinking
as myself of the beauty of the scenery aud
vet the awful thought of the wrecked
Name getting closer and closer ano
around which so much history has been
interviewer. We anchored close by the
Name and after an hours quarantine we
were taken ashore by lighters. Then the
real sights ioomed up. We stopped at
the "Brooklyn" on the Prado. and at
80 a party of US went across the bay
TO Cabannas fortress and then to Moro
Castle. We had an excellent guide who
explained everything of interest, show
ing the dungeons and the dead line
where hundreds of Cubans were execnt-
ed and then taken to the shute the
shute" where they were thrown in the
Atlantic ocean from Moro to the sharks.
We were constantly on the move morn
ing aud evening. sight seeing in parties
with guides touring IN such places as
Mecedes Church. the finest church in
Havana and the most magnificent piece
of architecture one would wish TO see. The
Presidents palace, and we were fortunate
enough to have the president in his auto
run by US inside the grounds al gateway,
on his way to Camp Columbia to cele-
brate his end year as President. The
Cathedral. Students monument. Malcon
driveway, Orphans Asylum. Cuban CT
gar Factory. Lepers Hospital. summer
palace of General Weyler. Botanical
Gardens. Tocan Moncer. Colon Pora and
Prado. The above is part of seeing
Havana and the 40 mile country trip
was simply grand. Orange, pineapple
and banana groves, tobacco and sugar
cane plantations, and over the famous
Woods Folly Road. a piece of road
equal to our national pixies and through
the most magnificent and beautiful
scenery in the world. Our return trip
from the country brought us by Camp
Columbia where the U. S. soldiers were
quartered during the recent intervention
and is now used by the Cuban soldiers.
We saw McCurdy in flying machine
that afternoon and all aboard got olt and
watched him for s minutes. | had been
down along the Seawal at Malocon that
him to fly in but he came in on torpedo
boat and then went OFT to camp Column
bia. On our return trip from the coun-
try we passed by the home of Fitzhugh
Lee. a magnificent place and one of the
streets is named General Lee street !
could write you for hours and then not
tell you all saw and enjoyed during my
trip to Cuba Havana in my estimation
is a charming city and with her most
beautiful woman and ideal climate aud
historical and ancient land marks. |
could stay there for months. l attribute
much OF my pleasure there to your
nephew, Mr.. Harry E. swami whom yot:
gave me a letter or introduction. MI
Swan is very popular in Havana and he
and | we're in the Merimor Gardens Sun
day night and the Consel General and
party spoke to INN, but We could not get
close enough for an introduction to m,
but we had at the same table Mr.. Mon
roe and wife. she being a cousin OF the
famous Langhorne girls Of Virginia. The
Merimor garden is the swell" of Havana
and Sunday night is the swell evening
l found Mr.. Swan a true Virginian, and
as we'll acquainted as need be. He
simply could not do enough for me.
and visited his home where | met his
beautiful and attractive Cuban wife,
nj ust say he exercised exceedingly good
taste when he married that beautiful
Clban girl. The Cub an girl has an at
traction all her own, and / am free TO
admit that they are the prettiest women
I ever saw. thought St Augustine was
fascinating. but Havana. Cuba. is the
most fascinating place to me of all have
ever visited. sat on deck and watched
the Maine, then Moro Castle. then the
last glimpse of smoke over the ty of Ha-
vana far away. with regret that had
never experienced before. The sunset
was beautiful the afternoon we LETT and
the new moon was awful pretty. but be -
hind il all Havana was constantly in nv
mind, aud when we sailed over a peril CT
smooth sea INTO the American port at
Tampa, wish, d and lonqed for it to ie
Havana. We lett there at $50 Tuesday.
and after constant riding arrived in Cum
bsriand Friday al I:35 p. m.
Yours very truly.
CHAs. Z. DALEY.