Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1881 — ATP to the Flowery and TTopios gions of Cuba. [ARTICLE]

ATP to the Flowery and TTopios gions of Cuba.

Synopsis of a Nine Days Passage — Across the Atlantic Ocean—Among . the Spaniards- -Treatment of an American by the Cubans-The** Customs, etc.,—General JExperien- - ces. Brunswick, Ga., Aug. 20th, ’Bl. Dear Sentinel: Believing that the mass of your intelligent readers, whose places of abode are so far remove 1 from the seaboard, would not object to any intelligence coming from that direction, and esp miallyso from a friend, which I still claim the honor of being, I ask space in your paper for the publication of the following, which is an account of atrip I recently made to Santiago de Cuba. I will endeavor to stato it as succinctly as possible. On March Ist. 1881, I engaged passage on the Spanish brig, Balmes, comamnaod, and partly owned, by Juan Valdosora, said vessel being laden with naval stores, and bound for Santiago de Cuba. Tire morning of my departure from this place was a beautiful ohe, the exhilarating air, the brisk breeze that began to iili the sails of the brig, all seemed predictive of a safe and pleasant vovnge. We were soon out of the harbor, and as we passed the outer buoy I bade farewell to Capt. Tabbott, the pilot, who had accompanied us thus far; not, of course, until the usual formula had been gone through, i. e. shedding of copious tears, wringing of handkerchiefs, &c., after which ha stepped into his boat which had been following us, and in another

moment had vanished from our sight. We had just made our exit from the iound or channel; and were now treading the broad and majestic breast of the Atlantic. Coming on deck an hoar afterwards a vague and undistinguishahle mass stretching away in the distance, .‘ lowly forming itself info an opaque mist was all that could be seen of land: till that pertained to American soil had faded from my sight. Then it was that I awoke to a realization of my ituation —of my inter loneliness—amongst Spaniards, who could talk but little or no English; and who might—as my friends at home had kindly hinted anil prognosticated for my benefit before Heft —conclude to make me the subject of a feast. But of the latter I entertained no fears, considering the rather tough morsel I would make. But I thought about, and wondered how my experiences would be amongst a people of whose language I Knew nothing, thus making it impossible for me to either understand or In turn be understood, on my arrival.— This I determined to remedy, by studying the language. But to return to the subject in hand. Night coming on I descended into the cabin and crept into my virtuous“bunk,” previously assigned me, to sleep the sleep of the innocent and the weary. I slept as though under the influence of an opiate, until about 4:30 o’clock, when suddenly I awoke gasping, and almost suffocated. A regular stream of perspiration was oozing, it seemed to me, from every pore in my body, and the heat in the room was oppressive and positively unbearable. — Springing out of bed and hastily dressing myself, I went out on deck to ascertain if possible the cause of this great change in the temperature. The solution was near at hand; the Captain, who was then on deck, ordered a seaman to draw up a bucket of water, which when done, requested me to put my hand into it. I did so, and was much surprised to find it as warm as if just taken from the stove. I knew then that wo were in that sin gular freak of nature the Gulf stream—and this, the Captain ex plained, was the cause of the great change I experieneed in the temperature. I marveled much that our great American scientists should be in such complete ignorance of the nature and character of this stream I or currant, that takes its way thro’ :he body of the Atlantic ars independ* I eutly as if it was flowing between j two banks. As I stood on deck at I this early hour I had the extreme pleasuro of witnessing that grand and glorious sight—a run-rise at sea. The great orb of day, slowly emerging from the rift of golden clouds and casting his thousands of bright beams athwart the ruffled waters, which in turn -scint,dating, seemed as if mil lions of diamonds were lying scatter ed around, was a scene of such sublimity and grandeur as to be seldom, if ever, surpassed. During the course of the day I noticed great masses of fricus *natans or gulf weed, floating on the surface of the ocean. This sea grass, as far as I anr able to as certain, grows on deeply sunken rock?, particles of which become detatched or broken off by the commotion of the waters, and float to the top. In some places, generally along the banks of the southern extremity of South Americas-and the Antilles, this grass presents to the eyes of the beholder a strange and singular ap pearance. So thick in places as to look like extensively inundated meadows. It is thickly covered with parasitic algea and numerous adhering shell-fish. I would have liked to have sent Dr. some of this grass together with some beautiful white and red coral, which we passed, but distance rendered it impossible as it would die unless constantly kept in salt water.

I pass over the second day, as I was then beginning to feel a little sea sick, and when one has this complaint all his respect for enjoyment and earthly pleasures ceases on the spot. It is hard to describe the Bensation.— I have often had toothache, have experienced ear-ache, and a multitude of other pains, but this beat them all. I had been on the water before, and passed tho greater part of my life on or near the seaboard, and had many times laughed and sneered at those who spoke of the terrors of sea sickness, but if ever “laughing was catch ing” I caught it in this instance sure. Physicisns, I believe proscribe this for debilitated persons, but “I don’t want any more in mine.” On the fourth day we passed that historical island, San Salvador, Cat Island, or Guannihani, supposed to be the first landing place of Christopher Columbus when on one of his voyages of discovery. I pass over an interval of four days in which time nothing but the furious lashing of the sea, or the mournful sound made by tbe laughing of the wind through the rigging of the brig could be seen or heard. I failed to state that numerous flying-fish oould be seen at all times during my trip darting from one place to another. These fish serve to relieve, in a measure, the monotony f ocean lifo, as birds do the silence of the woods. But their existence both in their aqueous and aerial spheres is unenviable and held by a ra' hi r doubtful tenure. In their frantic efforts to escape the swift DolJ phin andßonito, which are always on ! the qui vive for them, they wing the r j flight-through the air only to be cau’t by the Albatross, Frigate Pelicans, Petrels aud other ocean birds hover- 1

Ou tho morning of tbe iu^.L T) about 4:30 o’clock, I was called by Cup*. Valdosera, bnt it was so early I was loth to get up; he again called and this time told me that land could be distinctly seen on the larboard side. The words acted fike magic and in less time than it takes to tell it, IWf 0 dressed and op_ deck with the tele- j scope to my eyes. Yes, it could be ; no mistake, no optical illusion, no chimerical phenomenon this time. — The land, light house, and even trees and houses on Great Iragua Island were plainly visible The effect the first sight of a d had on Columi us and his followers after their long, stormy passage, could not have been much greater thap it had on me, although an interval of only seven days had elapsed since I last gazed on terra firma. By this I knew we were near the great Coble mountains surrounding Santiago; nor was I much surprised to see them loom up iu the distance about 10 o’clock, a. m. That! evening we were not more than live miles trom the coast, and I could enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery with the ; id of the powerful glass I held in my hands, to my heart's con tent. My happiness would have been complete had we at that moment arrived at, our destination, viz; -Santiago de Cuba. Bnt, alas! for human hopes, how seldom are they realized. The wind, cut off by the huge mourtains bordering on our right, left us completely becalmed, scarcely a ripple disturbed-the naturally turbulent, bosom of the Atlantic. Gazing upon this great placid sheet of water, we would have likened it to the furious and passionate anger of a man whose rage having been spent, lay back tired and exhausted. But we did not want for excitement; for about this time a shoal of large and beautiful fish were observed following in our “wake ” and in an instant the most intense excitement prevailed on board. Lines and harpoons were thrown out and kept in readiness. Objects were fixed to attract them. They soon swarmed around us, attracted by the noise, and the smell of bait, and in the short space of about fifteen minutes we had ten large ones on board, the smallest not weighing less than twenty five pounds, and some measuring four feet in length and weighing as much as fifty pounds. The most interesting sight was the beautiful play of rapidly changing colors of golden to blue, and blue to green, when they vvexe drawn out of the water, produced as in the chameleon ani cuttle fish.— The Spanish or Portuguese name for them is Dorade. Among them we also drew up two immense sharks—■ regular man-eaters—which we quickly dispatched, severing the heads from the bodies with Spanish sabres. On the 9th day of March, at 5 o’clock- p. m., we stood at the entrance of the harbor. On our right stood the ancient mountain fortress Morelia, rising to an almost perpendicular height of 500 feet, capable, the Capt. told mo, of running out 200 cannons at a moment’s notice. Contiguous to this fort stood Morro Estrella, (Star) and Catalina, though in importance much less than the first named. Be sides these many others line the bank from the entrance to the city, a distance of nearly five miles. Fora vessel to pass these seemingly impregnablo mountain fortresses would indeed bo a miracle. We passed over the exact spot where the unfortunate Virginius was captured, which you will remember caused such a furore thro’out, the American continent, and the indemnity of $250,000 that had to be paid to the orphans and widows of those who were executed by the Cuban authoriti s, by the Spanish Government to appease the American people.

The panorama that now lay spread out before us as we ascended the stream, surpassed anything I had ever seen, heard, read or dreamt about for beauty and grandeur. I imagined myself in a veritable paradise. Allow the imagination to bring to the mind’s eye the following picture, or scene: Mountains clothed with waving palm, cocoa nut, banana, orange, lemon, mango and other trees of like character, and bearing their respective fruits. Then flowers of every hue and variety, whose sweetness excelled every known exotic, and you have a meagre conception only ot this fgarden spot of the earth. Can you blame me if I stood with “bared breath" and “extended nostrils” gazing upon and drinking in the loveliness spread out before me. I will not attempt a further description, for none but a poet natural born could find terms sufficiently adequate. Add also to this scene the strange cries and flights of birds that you have never seen nor heard before, and whose plumage dazzles the eye with their beauty. Arriving opposite the city of Santiago a curious prospect reveals itself to the eyes of the beholder. The city encompassed by a mountain chain, in some places rising to a height of over 5000 feet, give the one story cemeut houses on appearance of being the habitations of liijputians. We were soon moored, when I presented my passport to the officials, (for which voucher I had to pay the Spanish Government fuur dollars) and was permitted to go ashore, and in company with the Captain proceeded “np town.” I was certainly in a dilemma now, for although I had ap plied myself, to the study of the Spanish lingua I had made but little headway and could as yet understand but a few words, and now I was amongst a class of people who could neither speak nor understand English. But I determined to show a bold front and make the best of a bad job. The Captain was well acquainted with a number of the prominent business men of the place, and it did not take me long to gain a foot hold In society, especially so when around with that procurer of success—'"cheek.”

Sr. Dn Romon Beringuer y Toea, a handsome and portly Cuban, who was in possession of a $150,000 grocery store, instantly upon seeing me conceived such an affection that I have seldom seen manifested toward any one, and which I in time learned to reciprocate with all the ardor of an impulsive nature. Generous to a fault, there was nothing that he left undone to secure contentment for me. He took me to his house and introduced me to Isis wife and sister—a regally handsome young lady. He also introduced me to a great many of the most influential men of the Accompanied me to the grand Teatro de pias, where I had an oppor« tumty to observe the talented musioians of the place, and did many other things for me which I shall ever have great cause to remember I soon got into the best society, and was ever surrounded by a crowd of young Cubans, some of whom, fortunateiy for me, could speak a little English, and as I began to understand tbeir language, though imperfectlv of course, still sufficiently so as to enable me to catch the drift of a conver- '

IsfW just pablisfiw^———— lishinp- Co., of St.'Louis, juu. braces the lives and edventures of i WiiH itiii Ui.fr.)~ tnan a

deforeibeganto get frightened, a succession of balls, parties, theatre • going, visiting fetes and other amu3i* merits, following each other night after nght made me fear that I was dissipating too much. One night I wo’d be strolling through the Plaza de Armes, (an elegant gas-lit park) gazing upon the dark-eyed aud beautift 1 Senoritas, and listening to the sweet music discoursed by a band' consisting of seventy-five instruments— the best band on the Island, Havana not excepted. Another night we would perhaps enter the salon of some one of tbe many handsome club-rooms, and either sit down to drink wine, sirong coffee, eat iee-cream, or smoke Havana cigars. Or, if preferable, play billiards, bagatelle, pool, lotto, or cards. Still another night would be employed in visiting the young ladies, or going to a grand ball or fete. Often and often have I sat down to a sumptuous repast at two o’clock in the night, the table fairly groaning with the load of tempting viands spiead upon it. No king could have fared better than I did the time I was there.

The general aspect of the place is not calculated to inspire one with a great amount of admiration. It is the oldest city next to Baracoa on the Island, having been incorporated in 1522, and for a time was the capitolof the Island. The streets are very narrow and steep, and the houses mostly one-stovy. Catholocism is the only and prevailing religion of the place. No other belief is tolerated. An amusing incident occurred to me during niy stay there. I was in the house of Dn Beringuer one day when a piiest—Padre Siloa—heard of me. and called to see tho Americana. He began telling me, in Spanish, about tbe great benefits arising from the Catholic faith, and extolling it to tho skies, trampling upon all other beliefs in bis religious fervor. I listened to it quietly until he got through and then I told him I could not understand what he had said. Nothing daunted, he returned the next day with an interpreter, but seeing that I was inexorable, and that neither prayers nor passionate words would serve to swerve me from my adopted course, gave it up as a “bad job,” muttering to himself, I suppose, that I was a “hard case.” The finest buildings of the nlaee are the Cathedral and Governor’s mansion. They are built of solid stone masonry, and show that millions upon millions have been lavished upon them. If it were possible I would describe them, but that and a great man}' other things will have to be left out fc>r want of space. I have already written a much longer letter than perhaps my trip warranted me in writing; but with a few more general items I will close. I had an opportunity of observing with considerable minuteness the spirit of the people. The Cubans can but ill brook the restraint laid upon them by the mother country—Spain —and long for the moment to oSst aside their chafing bonds and, (ike the United States, declare themselves a free nation. They are the embodiment of all that is good, generous, and noble. They are frank with a friend, and openly admire his good traits. But woe! to him who evinc«% any signs of treachery; nothing can then save him from their wrath. I have seen the <st>ffeo plant under cultivation, also tobacco, acres and acres of it. I spent a day fifteen miles out in the country, at a friend’s houss, and observed the methyls of planting, &c. Also visited a sugar plantation where one mill covers acres of ground, the machinery of which, and forgathering cane, requires the united attention of 500 people. But if ! should go on in this way, recounting experience after experience, I would have friend McEwen forever setting type. I will say, in conclusion, that this trip formed one of the eventful epochs of my life, and that never had I before met with such a reception as from these generous hearted and wlioleso.uled Cubans. A period of three months elapsed before I readied home a ain. I forgot to state that Santiago lias a population ot over 50,000, one-half of whom, however, are negroes and coolies. I will here bid you farewell.

SAMUEL BORCHARDT.