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NOTES ON CUBA, CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF ITS DISCOVERY AND EARLY HISTORY; A DESCRIPTION OF THE FACE OF THE COUNTRY, ITS POPULA- TION, RESOURCES, AND WEALTH; ITS INSTITUTIONS, AND THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF ITS INHABITANTS. DIRECTIONS TO TRAVELLERS VISITING THE ISLAND. By A PHYSICIAN. mi,, 1 A chiel's aman£ ye takin' notes, An' faith he '11 prent it," Burnt. BOSTON: JAMES MUNROE AND COMPANY. 1844. Ghlt IV 7// i m Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, by James Munroe and Company, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. BOSTON: PRINTED BY THURSTON, TORRY, AND CO., 31 Devonshire Street. CONTENTS. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. ... 1 CHAPTER I. Voyage from Charleston — Wreckers — Key West — View of Havana from the Sea — Landing — Custom House regulations — Sunday — Conventof Santa Clara —Equality of the White and Colored Worship- pers— A Confessor — The Paseo — Ladies in Volantes — The Plaza — Music — City Guard — The Cemetery — Burial of the Poor — The Lunatic Asylum — Its Inmates—Cleanliness—The Fish Market — Beauty of the Fish —The Opera—A Benefit Night —The Fandango — Security of the Streets at Night. . . . .13 CHAPTER II. Havana — Its Streets — Shopmen — Houses — Creole Parlor-Life — Churches and Monasteries — Former Wealth of the Monks —Their Character —The Cathedral — Tomb of Columbus—Transportation of his Remains to it — Hospital of San Juan de Dios — The Prison — Convicts at work — Military Execution — The Garrot — Character and Anecdotes of Tacon —Population of Havana— Its Commerce — Rev- enue — Its Slavers. ...... 39 CHAPTER III. Trip to Guines — Scenery — Delay — Liberality of a Creole — The Town —Its Market —The Milkman —The Arriero —The Church — Its population—A Stroll into the Fields —Cupidity of an African — Cottages of Monteros — A Planter's Town House — Creole Beauty — Twelfth day in Cuba — Negro Processions — Montero Troops — Pub- lic Ball—Aviary of Game-Cocks — The Cock-pit—Honor among Gamblers — Incongruous mingling of the Betters. . . 66 Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Plain of Guines —Its Geology —Its Census —Its Agriculture — The Town — Its Schools — Boarding-Houses — Climate — The Consul — Passports for Matanzas — Suspicions against Englishmen —Journey to Matanzas —The Volante — Madruga — Its Mineral Springs — Scenery —A Norther — Carlotta Coffee Estate —Sugar Refinery- Matanzas—Its Foundation — Origin of its Name —Its Population and Commerce—Its Literary Society —Library and Schools—Its Sundays — African Dances —Its Merchants — Physicians and Law- yers — Cultivation of the Country — The Cumbre — Valley of Yumu- ri — Tales of Robbers — Departure — Bay of Matanzas — A Slaver — Creole Caballero — Ford of the Canimar — A Friend's Roof. 94 CHAPTER V. Limonar —Its Inhabitants — Recent Robberies —A Suicide —Census of the Partido Guamacaro — Its Cultivation—The Village Apotheca- ry _ The Captain — The Padre — The Ex-Sacristan — Scenery — Hill of the Santa Ysabel, and its local Natural History — Study of Maria del Occidente — The Coffee Estate — History of the Shrub — Its Cultivation — Preparation of the Berries for Market — Labor of its Cultivators — The Profits — Its Enemies — The Bibiago. . 124 CHAPTER VI. The Sugar Planter—His Wealth and Enterprise — Produce of Lands in Limonar — Altamisal and Sagua le Grande — Varieties of Cane Planted — Cost and Current Expenses of a Sugar Estate — Mortality of Slaves on it — Their Labor— The Manufacture of Sugar — A Cane Field on Fire — An Incident — Privileges of the Sugar Planter — The Montero and his Home — A Creole Orator — An Improvisatore — Character of the Creole—Observance of Religion — A Padre Dis- tributing Tracts — The Priesthood — Religious Toleration — Amount of Tithes — Salary of a Bishop — The First Cathedral — Epitaph of Velasquez — History of the Cuba Church — Mortality of Havana for Thirty-six Years. ...... 149 CHAPTER VII. Departure from Limonar — Sail down the Canimar—Novel Mode of Guarding a Ferry — A Fisherman Recluse — Trip in a Steamboat from Matanzas to Havana — Regla — Its Arena for Bull Fights — Its The- atre — Schools — Church — Guanabacoa — Its History — Population — Tales of Robbers — Departure for Dr. Finlay's Coffee Estate — Posada at Bejucal — Cock-Pit at San Antonio — The Buena Esperan- za — The Cuba Horse — Mariel — San Marcos — Artemisa — Suspi- cions against Strangers — Creole Courtesy — Religious Feeling — The Warning—Return. ..... 171 CONTENTS. IX CHAPTER VIII. Puerta de la Guira— San Marcos — Pendencias — Their Population and Agricultural Statistics—The Nobility of Cuba—How Created — Divisions of Society —Haut Ton—Creole Compliments —Creole Women —A Captain's Sub — The Rubica — Departure from Buena Esperanza — Moonlight View of the Sumidero of San Antonio — Lounge in a Tienda —Cigar Making—Best Tobacco — Safety of Country Inns — Havana Race Course — The Carnival — Early Histo- ry of the Metropolis — Its First Site — Sacked by a French Corsair — Taken by the English— Number of War Vessels built in Havana — Its First Church — Its Colleges and Seminaries — The Sociedad Economica — Public Library — Medical College—Printing Presses and Periodicals. . . . . . . 196 CHAPTER IX. Musical Societies of Havana — The Royal Lottery — Professional Men — Merchants —The Casa de Beneficencia — Its Orphans — Its Luna- tics— Its Paupers — Consumption in Cuba — Statistics of the Insti- tution — Hospital of San Lazaro — The Disease Kocubea — Military Hospital Factoria — Comparative Mortality in the Havana Hospitals for 1842 — Early History of the Charitable and Religious Institutions — Sebastian de la Cruz — The Foundling Hospital — Education in Cuba — Statistics for 1836 — Present State — Statistics of Crime — Apprentice System — Views Near Havana — The Cabanas — Sugar Crop for 1840. ...... 218 CHAPTER X. Size of Cuba — Number of its Towns — Sugar and Coffee Estates and Farms — Its Population in 1827 and 1841—Its Commerce — Its Im- ports from the United States — Number of our Vessels engaged in its Trade—Its Divisions—Its Government — Army — Political Parties — Taxes — Bond of Union to Spain — Its Probable Duration — Slavery in Cuba—Of the Indians—Africans—Number of Slaves Imported — Names and Characters of the several Tribes — Their Government — Privileges — Runaway Slaves — Comparative Mortality — General View of Slavery. ...... 244 CHAPTER XI. Trip to Cardenas—Its History—Commerce — Former Trade with Pi- rates— Bay of Cardenas — Its Petroleum and Fresh Water Springs — Insurrection of Slaves — Jucaro — Value of Molasses — Viability of Trees — A Bandit turned Policeman — The Hutia — Agricultural Sta- tistics of Lagunillas — Migration of Sea-crabs — Trip to Sagua — Mangrove Keys — Sub-marine Landscape — Sagua le Grande — The X CONTENTS. Dying Padre — The Ex-Governor of Santa Clara—A Savanna — The Captain — A Pilgrim—Cocullos — Yield of Tobacco per Acre—Pop- ulation of Sagua and Villa Clara— Departure. . . 268 CHAPTER XII. Climate of Cuba — Dry and Rainy Seasons — Northers — Summer Show- ers — Rates of the Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Barometer, and of the Rain Gauge — Salubrity of the Country — Its Ornithology—The Wild Dog and other Animals — Absence of Venomous Snakes — The Ox—The Bloodhound — His Sagacity —The Palm — Jaguey-macho and other Trees — Rapid Growth of some — The Medicinal Cala- bas. ........ 293 CHAPTER XIII. Discovery of Cuba by Columbus — Visit of Sebastian de Ocampo — Expedition of Diego de Velasquez — Pacification of the Island, and the Towns founded by him — The Aborigines as described by Las Casas — The First Introduction of the Catholic Religion—The Test of its Value by the Unconverted Indians — Number of the Aborigines — Their Reduction to Slavery — Their Rapid Decrease in Population — Their Traditions of Noah and the Flood—Their Descendants in Cobre — Mountains of Cuba — Rivers — Lagunes — Bays and Har- bors— Islands—Isle of Pines — Chief Towns — Highways—Rail- roads— Itinerary Table. . . . ... 317 CHAPTER XIV. Ushering in of the Rainy Season—John Baker—A Catalan's Know- ledge of the Decalogue —A Captain taking an Inventory — Vegetation in July — Stingless Native Bee—Mineral Wealth of Cuba — Return Homeward — Passport to leave — Missionary labor in Havana by a Layman — General View of the Creoles. . . . 340 Appendix. 355 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. To invalids suffering from affections exacerbated by the cold of winter, especially to those laboring under any of the forms of pulmonary disease, Cuba offers a clime far superior to any that the continent of Europe possesses, not excepting even that of Italy. There is a blandness in its trade-winds, that is nowhere else felt; and although, during the first months of winter, an occasional gust from the north chills the air, by the exercise of a little prudence, all bad effects from it may be avoided. The visiter must not forget that its summer and winter differ so little in temperature, that thin clothes are almost constantly worn. He should therefore supply himself chiefly with sum- mer clothing, a few spring suits for a dry norther, and one of the warmest woollen suits for a wet norther. He should also carry with him a saddle, a gun if he be fond of fowling, and a pair of pistols not to be outre; which, if they present an appearance of having been some time in use, will pass with his baggage free of duty. No objections either will be made to a dozen books, among which, if he wishes, a couple of Spanish testaments or bibles may be included, and a package of Span- ish tracts, provided the latter do not treat of slavery or sectarian views. A couple of carpet-bags will also be found very conven- ient in travelling through some parts of the island, where the baggage is chiefly conveyed on pack-horses. He should not fail to procure a passport from a Spanish Consul, for he could not otherwise land on Cuba, and while on the island, should never travel without one ; moreover, when he steps on its soil, he should lay aside all his republican self-importance, and conform strictly to the laws. By adopt- 1 2 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. ing this course, he will pass safely and easily through the island, and will receive as much courtesy, and more true hospitality, than he would meet with in any other country. It is not alone to the invalid that a visit to Cuba is desirable. He who seeks only pleasure from travelling, should not fail to visit a country within a week's journey of his own, where the tropical scenery, bringing to mind all he has read of Oriental lands, and a people preserving all the habits of their parent countries — the polished Spaniard and the rude African barba- rian> fresh from his wild forests — will amply repay him for the inconveniences of a short sea-voyage. The facilities of trav- elling also are such, that he may traverse a large portion of the country without possessing more than a limited knowledge of the language; while not a word is required to enable him to visit all the usual resorts of strangers. The danger incurred is greatly exaggerated ; the roads are generally as safe as in the United States, and the cities of Havana and Matanzas far more so than those of New York and Baltimore. While the writer has inserted all the accounts of robbers he has heard, his firm impressions, after three win- ters' residence in Cuba, are, that the danger is only nominal, or at the most, just enough to deprive travelling of all monot- ony. Foreigners are never attacked, probably from the rep- utation they bring with them for carrying concealed weapons ; and most of the murders committed, which, in proportion to the population, are not half as numerous as those perpetrated in the United States,* can be traced to private revenge. They have been more dwelt on in these pages than their importance demanded, for every visiter to Havana and Matanzas has so many horrid tales related to him, by those as ignorant of the country as he is himself, that silence on this subject might have induced the belief that a veil had purjfbsely been thrown over the danger. The passage from Charleston within the Florida reef is a *In six months, 1841, according to a calculation published in the daily papers, 251 persons met their death by violence in the United States. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. 3 very pleasant and safe one; the average duration being eight days ; it has frequently been made in four and five, the vessel sailing for nearly three hundred miles close to the shore, in smooth water. A single day sometimes brings the traveller in the latitude of St. Augustine, where the north winds lose their bleakness, and another into a temperature of 80° Fah- renheit, while everything is still frozen in Charleston. The invalid should hasten to a southern clime, before the first cold spells of winter have aggravated his affection. He who resides in the more northern States, should leave his home in September, and spend that month and the beginning of October in Aiken, a healthy village on the Charleston railroad, about 120 miles distant from that city, and situated on a high sandy ridge of pine land, as celebrated for the poorness of its soil, as for the salubrity of its climate. Indeed, for many cases of incipient consumption, its fine, dry, warm winters have been found highly beneficial, and the writer has himself watched several cases that have been permanently relieved by a resi- dence there ; it is much resorted to by invalids from Charleston. The railroad cars await the arrival of the Wilmington steam- boats, so that the traveller need not spend an hour in Charles- ton, and no risk would be incurred of fever even in the worst season. The price of boarding is from $ 15 to $ 20 a month. Several vessels and packets ply between Charleston and Havana every month, and the invalid should leave for that port in October, or at the latest, November ; the northers having before that time removed all causes of fever in Havana. But a short stay should, however, be made in that city, the climate of which is too damp to benefit one in feeble health. The best boarding-houses are that of Mrs. West, Calle Obrapia, No. 119, and that of Mr. Fulton, Calle Inquisidor, No. 67 ; they both charge $ 3 for a day, and their clerks attend to all the requisite arrangements at the Police Office and Custom House. Besides these there are other boarding-houses in Havana in which the English language is spoken, the charges of which are more moderate, while in some the accommodations are not inferior. A select private boarding-house is kept by a gentleman at the corner of the Calle Obispo and Oficios, the piazza of which 4 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. looks down on the public square in front of the mansion of the Captain-General, price $68 a month. Madam Roullet keeps also a fine airy establishment near the paseo outside the walls, where English and French are spoken, price $2 a day. Mrs. Chambers has one of the best houses in Havana ; it is in the Calle Obra Pia, price $2 a day. Mrs. Alexandre, No. 19, Calle Cuba, Mrs. Butts near Mrs. West's, and Mrs. Cutbush, Washington Hotel, Calle Obispo, opposite the Captain-General's mansion, charge each about $1.50 a day. An Italian, who speaks English and French, keeps a good hotel about two miles from the city near the race-ground, to which an omnibus runs several times in the day ; it is called El Progresso, and the price is $ 1.50 a day. The following tariff may facilitate the stranger's movements in Havana. For the carriage of a trunk by a negro porter, for a boat to a vessel in the harbor, which also conveys you back to land, for one to the steps leading to the Cabanas, each a,pesbta; if more than two persons enter the boat an additional coin may be demanded. Ferry-boat to Regla one redl; for a volante to Guanabacoa $ 1 ; for one by the hour in Havana $ 1 ; for a single ride two pesetas; for one to the railroad depot four redles fuertes. No other coins but Spanish are current in Cuba; the medio is our six cent piece, the redl sevillanos the Spanish ten cents, the redlfuerte our twelve cents, the peso our dollar, and the onza the Spanish doubloon. The peseta, which was once valued at twenty-five cents, has been reduced to its true value of twenty cents, and so many have in consequence been remitted to Spain, that the traveller will do well to supply him- self with silver charge, and the smaller Spanish gold coins, before he leaves his country, where they may be bought also at a discount. The months of October, November, and December may be spent on the south side of the island, either in Guines or on Dr. Finlay's plantation, the Buena Esperanza. Both are in a great measure protected by their position from the most unpleasant accompaniments of northers, the drifting rains, the clouds being often exhausted before they reach those places. The situation of Buena Esperanza is drier, and the atmosphere more bracing DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. 5 than that of Guines, but the house, although a very good one, is inferior to the mansion-house of the latter place. The fam- ily is not, however, excelled in kindness to those who select it as a residence, by any on the island ; and from a neighbor- ing estate the boarders have permission to cull as much fruit,— oranges, sapotes, caimitos, etc. — as they desire. Indeed, it is very probable that those who pay it a visit, will be tempted to pass the whole season there. It is somewhat more difficult of access, but no traveller should neglect paying it a visit, or he will deprive himself of a sight of the most beautiful part of the island. Let your passports be countersigned for the partido Penden- cias, and having engaged a volante the previous evening, drive to the railroad depot early in the morning, and supply yourself with a ticket for Bejucal. This village is eighteen miles from Havana, the price of the passage is $1.75, and the cars deposit you in front of a posadaat nine o'clock, where an excel- lent Spanish breakfast maybe obtained. If no previous arrange- ment have been made with Dr. Finlay, who resides in Havana, a volante may here be engaged for about a doubloon, to convey you to Buena Esperanza, or for a lesser price to San Antonio, a beautiful inland town, distant nine miles, where you may get a good dinner at the posada La Punta, and hire another volante for the rest of the journey. Before reaching this place the road for a short distance is stony, but after leaving this city, it is perfectly level to Alquizar,. near which Dr. Finlay's coffee estate is situated, fifteen miles from San Antonio. If required, good chambers and clean cots can be had at each of these vil- lages, where the invalid may pass the day, if too fatigued to proceed ; but the whole journey may be accomplished before two o'clock, by not stopping to dine at San Antonio, which, how- ever, is the better plan. The price of board at Buena Esper- anza is for a day $ 3, for a single month $ 75, and $ 60 if the visiter spend the whole season there. For Guines have your passport countersigned for los Guines; step into the railroad car early in the morning, and you will be conveyed over the forty-five miles in time to sit down to the dinner table of Mr. Woodberry, who at the Mansion-house keeps 1* 6 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. the best table in Cuba. This city, although situated on a low plain, and subject at times to great and depressing heats, and a damp atmosphere, offers many advantages to the invalid in the well-constructed boarding-house it possesses, and the facility with which horses and volantes can be obtained. It is so easy of access from Havana, that it is the chief resort of invalids, and the writer has known several benefited by a residence in it. The price of board is $ 2 a day, for a horse $ 1.50, and for a volante $3. The sulphur-springs of Madruga are situated twelve miles from this city, arid would no doubt be useful in cutaneous and rheumatic affections. The village contains one good Spanish posada, in which the price of board is $ 1.50 a day. If it be desirable to travel overland to Matanzas, the heavier portion of the baggage may be sent to Havana to be shipped by steamboat to that city, and a volante hired in Guines for $ 35, which can convey you there in a day, the distance being only forty-five miles. As ample directions are given to the postilion, no difficulty will be encountered on the journey ; and there being but one boarding-house in Matanzas resorted to by Amer- icans, the Planter's Hotel, it can be easily found. The journey by sea occupies two days ; one to Havana, and the next morn- ing the steamboat leaves for Matanzas at six o'clock, reaching it soon after one o'clock ; the whole voyage being performed close along the shore. Soon after the police officer has boarded the steamer, which is moored about a quarter of a mile from the wharf, boats approach for the purpose of conveying the pas- sengers and their luggage ashore, the price of which is two pesetas. The clerk of Mr. Bullette, who keeps the Plan- ter's Hotel, awaits your arrival, and conveys you to his house. Matanzas is better ventilated than Havana, and the traveller will linger awhile in it to visit the objects of curiosity in its neighborhood. But like all other towns situated on a low, level soil, where malaria reigns in warm weather, it is unfit as a residence for the invalid. The same objections may in a greater or less degree be made to Havana and Guines, the climates of which are warm and oppressive, while in a broken country, although the temperature may be the same, it is bracing and dry. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. 7 Near to Matanzas is the most pleasant spring residence on the island, Limonar, the climate of which the writer has tested both in winter, spring, and summer, and which, compared with the other places he has visited, is in his opinion the most desir- able for the invalid. The northers are more severely felt here than on the south side, but then the east wind in fair weather is much freer and more invigorating, than where the soil is level, like that of Guines. There are two boarding-houses in the partido, one kept by Mrs. Hudson, built especially for that purpose, and the only one on the island having a chimney in its parlor ; and another on a pretty coffee plantation owned by Mrs. Oliver, whose boarders speak in high terms of her kindness and her excellent table. Both are American ladies ; the price of boarding with the one is $60 a month, and with the other $50. The vicinity of these houses to sugar estates, affords frequent opportunities to the invalid to test, on his case, the effects of the warm cane-juice, so generally recommended for pulmonary affections; while an abundance of oranges and other fruits can be obtained from the neighboring coffee estates. Another excellent house is kept by Mrs. Aichevaria, also an American lady, about eight miles from Matanzas, the accommodations at which are not excelled by any on the island ; while the kindness of the hostess soon makes the stranger feel that he has found a home : the price is $ 40 a month. To reach Mrs. Hudson or Mrs. Oliver's house, a volante may be hired for twelve or seventeen dollars, the distance being to the first fifteen miles, and to the latter twenty. A passport must be procured for the partido Guamacaro, and the heavier baggage may be sent by a launch up the Canimar river to the Embarcadero, from which place it can be conveyed by ox-carts to the boarding-house. Although thus carried, not the least apprehension need be entertained of its being lost or stolen. A much pleasanter and far less fatiguing route, may, however, be selected by the Canimar river. Engage a boat from Andreas, whom every one knows in Matanzas, and selecting a day when the wind does not blow from the north, embark at early dawn. A few hours of pleasant sailing will carry you down the bay 8 . DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. to the mouth of a most romantic stream, up which, by the aid of oars, you will be conveyed to the Embarcadero. Here, if you have previously informed your future hostess of your intended visit, volantes and carts will be ready to carry you and your trunks to her house. It is but five miles from Mrs. Hudson's, and ten from Mrs. Oliver's estate, and the price for a boat large enough for six persons is a half doubloon. Mrs. Aichevaria's house may be easily reached by a volante, which can be hired for six or eight dollars ; it is situated about a mile from the banks of the Canimar, over which a ferry-boat plies all day. It will thus be seen that in the neighborhood of «imonar, ' there are three excellent boarding-houses within a short dis- tance of each other, so that the invalid, when tired of one, can with little trouble change his quarters to another. The country, moreover, is broken and more interesting than one consisting of a level plain, and its neighborhood contains several places to which excursions may be made. Among these is Camarioca, twelve miles distant and near the north coast, the road to which crosses one of those curious tracts of land called Savannas. The sulphur-baths of San Miguel are also about six miles from Mrs. Oliver's house, and are well attended during the months of February and March. Those who like the sea breeze can enjoy it by a ride of twelve or fifteen miles to Cardenas, where Mrs. Lawrence keeps a snug cottage-like hotel. The visiter will there meet with a most kind reception, and find his appetite increased by the scrupulous cleanliness that pervades the place. There is more- over quite a pleasant society of American planters in the neigh- borhood, and those fond of fishing can enjoy that sport in the waters of the bay of Cardenas. Mrs. Lawrence has nearly completed an additional and larger house for the reception of boarders; all who have staid at her house speak highly of the attentions they received, and the writer has known several who were benefited by a change from the interior to this pUce. The price is $ 1.50 a day, or $ 40 a month. In the town of Cardenas an hotel is kept by Mr. Lovett, where a good dinner and a tolerable bed may be obtained, but the accommodations are inferior to those at Mrs. Lawrence's. DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. 9 Steamboats are constantly plying between this place and Ma- tanzas, while another makes frequent trips to Sagua le Grande. A railroad extends from it eighteen miles into the country to Bemba, to which cars go every day, returning in the afternoon. A half hour's sail across the bay brings you to Jucaro, from which a railroad also leads to the interior about twenty miles, near the terminus of which an excellent meal may be had at Altamisal, fifteen miles from the bay ; while the cars returning the same day to Jucaro, present like that to Bemba a pleasant excursion to the stranger. Boats may also be hired at Cardenas for excursions to the Keys in the bay, where beautiful shells may be gathered, and sometimes a flamingo be shot. An excursion to Sagua may also be made ; and as the whole course of the steamer lies within the keys, the smoothness of the water obviates the chief objection with many to a sea- voyage— sea-sickness. The accommodations of the boat are good, and if the traveller have no acquaintances in Sagua, he can remain on board ; or he may hire horses and a guide, and visit Villa Clara, distant about twenty-eight miles, and San Juan de los Remedios, both interesting towns. A very exten- sive Savanna near Sagua will also furnish him with many pleasant rides, if he be a lover of flowers. The trip occupies thirty-six hours, and the price of passage is $ 10. This section of the island from Matanzas to Sagua has been more visited by Americans than most others. Many of them have settled along the lines of communication, and the roads are as safe as in any other part. The writer, from frequently trav- elling over it, has become more conversant with its history than with that of other portions of Cuba ; and notwithstanding the remarks made in these pages of its brigandage, he has been so assured of the safety of the route, that he has not unfrequently travelled on it without the customary appendage of fire-arms. Steamboats are also continually plying along the southern coast of the island, stopping sufficiently long at each city to permit a hasty glance at them. Much of the passage is made within a chain of keys in smooth water, and the accommoda- tions on board the boats, although much inferior to those of American steamers, are in general good. For those who may 10 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. feel inclined to visit the mineral waters of San Diego, the most celebrated in Cuba, 1 will subjoin a tariff of the expenses. Rail- road from Havana to Batabano $ 8 ; where a dinner can be had for $ 1. Steamer to Hernan Cortes $ 10, and dinner there $ 1 ; a volante for San Diego $ 25 for two persons, for a single person $ 17. By selecting the cheaper mode of travelling, the forward cabin of the steamer, and a horse from Hernan Cortes to San Diego, the whole will not cost more than $ 12. By the way of Batabano, Santiago de Cuba can be reached in four days from Havana, and through it, Jamaica. As a general rule, constant travelling, by the pleasant stimu- lus it gives to the mind, and the attendant exercise of the body, is the best course to be adopted by the invalid. Nor must fears be entertained of the effects of exposure to the vicis- situdes of the weather. An enfeebled frame will bear them better on a journey, than a more robust one, if confined to the comparative sedentary life of a boarding-house. In this opin. ion the writer is supported by all who have treated of the effects of change of climate on chronic diseases, and he who will try it will soon be convinced of its beneficial influence. Should the invalid, however, feel a constant improvement from a residence in any one place, it would not be judicious to change it; and for some affections which have been greatly benefited by a resi- dence in Cuba, spinal and other diseases of the nervous system, rheumatism, etc., probably it would be preferable to remain at one place. The voyage from Charleston to Cuba, and a residence for four months there, may be accomplished for about $ 300. Pas- sage from Charleston to Havana $ 40 ; thence to Cardenas via Matanzas, including boarding at the three cities, in each two days, $30; four months at Mrs. Lawrence's house $160; return to Charleston $ 80. For twice that sum a large portion of the island may be visited, if the journeys be made on horse- back ; which, from the fine action of the Cuba horse, is the most pleasant means of conveyance. A fine animal may be bought in Havana for about $ 100, and can be carried by the cars to Guines, and sent thence by the postman to Matanzas, if the traveller prefer the voyage by sea. Indeed horseback exer- DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. 11 cise is the only one that can be safely indulged in on Jhe island ; and the objections to it are easily answered by the fact that the pace of a horse mayie varied from a walk, which fatigues far less than a promenade on foot, to a rapid march of six or eight miles an hour, during which the rider will not receive a single jolt Mares, which, however, are seldom rode, may be bought for $17 or $30. One of the pleasantest ways to travel is to hire guides and packhorses, and put up at the posadas on the road. If in com- pany with one or more companions, with pistols in your holsters, not the least danger will be incurred on the road, while the inns or posadas are everywhere as safe as like establishments in the United States. The government itself is probably averse to strangers visiting the island ; and although no direct impedi- ment is thrown in the way of the traveller, he is not cared for as in France. The inhabitants are, however, hospitable and kind, and a polite demeanor will everywhere insure good treat- ment ; while any attempt to disturb the peace, by what with us is familiarly termed a frolic, will most assuredly subject the actors to heavy fines, and if in the country villages to the stocks, the only means of confining delinquents they possess. Havana being the city in which most visitors first land, it may not be unacceptable to them to learn something of its shops, etc. J. M. Cabezas, Farmaceutico, Calle del Obispo, No. 25, sell the best medicines; dry goods are sold chiefly in the Calle Mercaderes, while wax-works, some very beautiful, are found in streets near the walls. Don F. Reyling in the Calle de O'Reilly, next to the famous confectionary by the Captain-General's mansion, is one of the best tailors, speaks English, and, unlike his Spanish brethren, sells also cloths. One of the best baths is in the Calle San Ignacio, near the Calle Em- pedrado, close to the Cathedral, and another in the Calle Lam- parilla, No. 4. Salt-water baths are kept outside the gates near the Punta; and are much resorted to. The writer in the preceding pages has expressed his honest opinion of the several boarding-houses, from the condition in which he found them; that some improved and some deteri- orated, and that their charges may have varied since his visit, 12 DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAVELLER. is very possible : his sole motive has been to facilitate the move- ments of invalids in Cuba, who are often, from interested motives, induced to remain in places where it was evident their health de- clined rapidly. Although the planters are hospitable to a fault, strangers, who go to the island without letters of introduction, will not meet with much attention. Like our own Southern planters, they have not unfrequently had their gratuitous kindness repaid by an expose of their domestic government in Northern prints, with ignorant and prejudiced comments on their treat- ment of the slaves, and they have thus been taught to be wary in receiving into their domestic circles unknown foreigners. The invalid should return to Charleston in April, or the com- mencement of May, and resort to Aiken until the warm June weather permits him to seek his northern clime. For cases of pulmonary affections, attended by hectic fever, the climate of Cuba must be sought; but for those, in which only the pre- monitory symptoms have presented themselves, it is questiona- ble if its hot weather is not injurious, and if the dry, bracing winters of Aiken would not be preferable. One thing must ever be borne in mind by the consumptive, that his disease is one of debility; and how much soever its complications of bronchitis, dyspepsia, affections of the liver, heart, or other organs, may at times call for a modification of the treatment, his main object must be to improve his general health, by active exercise in the open air, and a complete abstinence from all drugs and nostrums. Nor should any despair of recovery from the unfavorable aspect of their symptoms, which often is eaused by a transient increase of the bronchitis attendant on almost every case, and which is under the control of medicine. The disease is no longer considered necessarily fatal, and the researches of modern pathologists have proved, that even the predisposition to it has been eradicated by time and regimen. But the invalid must not relax his efforts on the first abatement of his symptoms, he must persevere to the end; — let the restoration of health be the chief object of his care, and his labor will, not improbably, be crowned by success. NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER I. Voyage from Charleston —Wreckers—Key West —View of Havana from the Sea — Landing — Custom House regulations — Sunday — Convent of Santa Clara — Equality of the White and Colored Worship- pers — A Confessor—The Paseo—Ladies in Volantes —The Plaza — Music —City Guard—The Cemetery— Burial of the Poor—The Lunatic Asylum — Its Inmates—Cleanliness—The Fish Market — Beauty of the Fish —The Opera —A Benefit Night —The Fandango — Security of the Streets at Night. My first voyage to Cuba was made in five days. We had an old wrecker for mate, and he safely guided us through the tortuous channels of the Florida reefs. My second was one day longer; but the old mate had left, and the vessel, while under full sail, one fine morning, ran hard and fast on a coral reef. But what cared the passengers for the accident? Three wrecking sloops lay within two miles of us ; and, before an anchor could be sent astern, their swift boats, with more than fifty sturdy, athletic men, were alongside our craft, proffering their services. There they sat on their low thwarts, with bronzed arms and faces, and beards of every hue and size, a hardy set, gazing on our few sea- men as they heaved on our cable, and slowly drew the vessel into deep water. We had been in no danger; but we could not look without interest on those who, no doubt, had often saved from death 2 14 NOTES ON CUBA. the shipwrecked mariner ; and who, whatever may be the character of a few of them, had often been distinguished for noble deeds of daring in behalf of their fellow-men. But no such thoughts were passing through the mind of our captain, who, now that his vessel was again afloat, ordered her sails to be filled, and loosed the painters of the boats from her sides, without a word of thanks, or a farewell to the wreckers. Without even a look of reproach for their cold reception, they rowed quickly back to their respec- tive sloops; their boats were in a trice drawn on their decks, and the now idle seamen could be seen by the glass lounging about their bows, or preparing their fishing-lines for their daily sport. Our vessel was soon under weigh, and, stopping awhile at Indian Key to leave a mail, we proceeded on our route toward Key West. As night set in, the passengers gathered around the table, some with books, others with cards, but each one listening meanwhile to the leadsman's song. We were going at the rate of seven knots, but the water was so smooth, that a tumbler filled to the brim would hardly have spilled its contents. It was never deeper than four fathoms ; but as the cry rose slowly from the quarter, " By—the—deep—two ;" and after a short interval, "A—quar—ter—less— two," each head was raised to listen to the next warning, and even the whist-player for a moment forgot his card. But still it came, "A—quar—ter— less—two," and then it deepened to two, and then to three fathoms; and we were silently congratulat- ing ourselves, when it again suddenly and rapidly shoaled, and with a lengthened crash and slight shock we again stuck fast. We were not a little vexed at the mishap, and each thump of the vessel, as waves raised her hull NOTiJS ON CUBA. 15 and again let it fall on the coral rock, served to irritate our feelings still more. " This is too bad," cried one, who with a desperate effort tried to resume his reading. " We shall not get off to-night," said the whist-players, and they commenced a new game. " There's a squall rising on our weather- beam," muttered the Croaker of our party, who was looking with a dismal countenance through the door at the sky ; but as nothing less than a tornado could harm us within the reef, he was not heeded. As for myself, I went on deck, which was now deserted by half the crew, who with the captain were in the quarter-boat searching with a lead for the channel. Presently, that officer's voice was heard far off in the dark, hailing the helmsman, and directing him how to steer ; for between the rising of the tide and the backing of the sails we had slipped back into deep water. The boat was soon reached and hoisted on the quarter, and we all retired to our berths expecting to be the next morning at Key West—or on another reef. There is but a single light between St. Augustine and Key West, a distance of nearly 300 miles of shoals and reefs, while the English side of the gulf is strung with beacons. No blame can therefore be attached to any but our government for the frequent accidents to vessels on this coast, which are, however, scarcely ever attended with danger to the lives of the seamen, thanks to the much abused wreckers. The twelve first days of my third voyage pre- sented nothing interesting, being composed of alternate calms and headwinds, although in the month of December. But at length a gusty northern burst on us, and we scudded before it at a rapid rate, within the reef, in water as smooth as that of a river ; and hurrying past key and cape, reef and rock, made half our passage to Key West in two days. 16 NOTES ON CUBA. Whoever supposes Key West to be a collection of rude huts, inhabited by a roistering, drunken set of sailors, would be as much surprised at its neatly painted, comfortable houses, and groups of stalwarth, orderly men, as many of my fellow passengers were, who for the first time had set foot on its soil. The scenes about the wharves betokened the occupation of the islanders. There were ships, and brigs, and schooners in dilapidated conditions. Some hove down with their keels out of water, with men clambering on their sides, and repairing the injuries caused by the rocks on which they had stranded ; others were stripped of all their rigging and spars, having been condemned as unseaworthy. About these, lay the beautiful wrecking sloops, with their towering masts, spacious decks, and handsome cabins, like so many pleasure-yachts, while their well-dressed crews were lounging about the wharf. A reformation had just been made among these hardy sons of the reef by some Cape Cod captains, who as lay-missionaries had held nightly meetings on board their vessels. The spirit of temperance had also reached here and diffused its blessings, and not a few had forsworn the treacherous cup. In the town we saw many tropical trees, some of the gardens were tastefully arranged, and the whole presented a lively, pleasant appearance. The board- ing-houses for invalids are comfortable, and the charge $1.50 a day, but the visiter must be content with a fish diet. The Spanish name of the island is Cayo Hueso, bone keg; it is about a mile long, and half a mile wide. We deferred our departure for Havana until the afternoon ; for the wind still blew freshly from the north, and we expected to make the distance, 80 miles, in about ten hours ; so that we might reach that port at early dawn, no vessel being permited to NOTES ON CUBA. 17 enter it during the night. The sea became very rough as soon as we left the soundings, and passed from its milky water into the clear blue of the gulf-stream. We were merrily rocked all night in the taut little brig that bore us, and right glad were we, at break of day, to see our destined port. Whatever may be said or sung, in praise of "the glad waters of the dark blue sea," not one of us, but would have gladly exchanged them that night for the muddiest stream of a placid river. The prospect of soon entering the harbor, however, dispelled from our minds all thoughts of past and present sufferings ; even those who still confessed the power of the Sea-god, in their faltering steps and dizzy brains, climbed with some alacrity to the quarter-deck, to view the panorama we were fast approaching before the still fresh breeze. The sight of land to the old seaman is ever beautiful, and every town appears from thelbcean to advantage in his eyes, who for some time previous has seen nothing but a wide expanse of waters around him. Havana, and its harbor,' however, viewed from our quarter-deck, presented a picture not surpassed by even that of Naples and its celebrated bay. The eye could not cease to dwell on it, surrounded, as it was, on nearly all sides, by hills covered with luxuriant verdure—its grey towers and massive buildings in strong contrast with the brilliant garb that nature wears under the tropics, and which was glistening in the bright sun's rays. While the immense fortifications of the Cabanas, covering every summit of the hills on the opposite side of its miniature bay, and the Morro at its narrow entrance, raising its high perched tower, like a sentinel on his post, se,emed to frown from their heights on the peaceful scene below. The gulf-stream lashes the very cliffs that form 2* 18 NOTES ON CUBA. the portals of the harbor, and the sudden transition from its rough waves to the still waters of the latter was like the work of magic. We were soon at anchor amid a large fleet of vessels from every nation ; and the hum of mingled voices from the busy city, the merry ringing of its numerous bells, the braying of trumpets and"the rattling of drums from the battle- ments above us, burst on our ears in pleasing con- fusion. Having delivered our passports to the boarding officer, a guard was placed over us, and we were left to enjoy the scene. Some of the passengers, who had never before visited the place, were looking over the sides for boats to convey them on shore; while those who had been here before, were quietly seated, or lounged about the decks, well knowing that three or four hours would elapse, before all the formalities requisite to land us could be finished. There was even a pleasure in thinking that our case might have been worse ; for had we arrived on the next day, which was Sunday, or on a double cross day, we should not have been released from our prison before the following noon.* Every one knows, that the visiter to Cuba must give a responsible security that he is an honest man and true, before he is permitted to place his foot on the soil—a regulation that would not be amiss in our own country. Our future host has, however, already offered his services, and his clerk is now engaged in obtaining permits for us to enter the town. We are learning, not very patiently, the meaning of the common Spanish phrase, poco a poco; but here he comes, and having been counted by the sentinel as we pass over the bulwarks, we are mar- shalled in order with our luggage, and headed by * Passengers, by a late arrangement, are permitted to land on their arrival. NOTES ON CUBA. 19 our guide, proceed to the custom-house. The trunks are deposited on its floor, the order to open them is given, and amid the misgivings of all, for we had heard much of his strictness, the officer proceeded to examine them. We were, however, placed soon at our ease ; in no custom-house that I have ever entered, and I have been through those of France, Switzerland, and Italy, was I treated with as much politeness. All that the stranger has to do to insure good treatment, is to smile while his tightly-packed clothes are tossed into perfect confusion, nay, even to assist in the work, anticipating the movements of the officer's hands ; and although his stock may include many articles subject to duty, a few words explaining that they are for his own use, will suffice to pass them. We were soon, therefore, on our way to our hotel, amid the carts, volantes, and motley crowds that thronged the busy streets ; and having reached it, quietly seated ourselves on its balcony, which over- looked the harbor and the opposite country, and feasted our sight on the scene. In the usual short passages from Charleston to Havana, it almost seems as if enchantment had caused the sudden change from the climate and scenery of the former, bound in the frozen embrace of winter—its cold winds, its leafless trees and bare fields—to the warm temperature of the latter, with its beautiful country dressed in all the verdure of midsummer—the trees laden with fruit, and the fields covered with flowers. One steps upon an entirely new world and among a new people, with nothing about to remind him of home; while the novelty of surrounding objects attracts his notice on every side, and mingled im- pressions crowd on his mind in pleasing confusion. Although Havana is not Cuba, in the light that Paris is said by its citizens to be France, its large 20 NOTES ON CUBA. population, varied costumes, and numerous institu- tions can only be correctly painted in detail. More- over, the first impressions, although the most vivid, and sometimes the most correct, are not always so; and from my former visits to the island, I have learned to lay aside many prejudices that were at first forced upon me, and have now stepped on its shores, familiar to me from a long acquaintance, as on those of a second home. The Sabbath broke on us the next morning, amid ** the ringing of merry peals from the numerous bells of the different convents and churches, the firing of cannon from the forts and armed vessels,.and the noise of trumpets and the rolls of drums from the barracks and fortifications : a mode of saluting the rising morn, not confined, however, to this day. On opening the shutters, for my window did not boast of a single pane of glass, the pale beams of the nearly full moon, mingled with the faint light of dawn, entered my chamber, and I saw by my watch that it was but five o'clock. Desirous of witnessing the religious ceremonies of the day, I hastily arranged my toilet, and strolled out in the direction of the neighboring convent of Santa Clara. The streets at this early hour were already alive. with pedestrians, but as I approached the chapel, I saw many pass by its door, and but few go in. As I was about to follow the latter, a churchman, who appeared belated, hurried past me, throwing away with apparent reluctance a half consumed cigar, as he entered the church. The choir was already chaunting, and priests in full robes officiating at an altar, glittering in all the brilliancy of innumerable leaves of silver and gold, that reflected a thousand rays from the lights burn- ing around them. Several persons were scattered over the floor of the church, many in a kneeling NOTES ON CUBA. 21 posture, their faces turned towards the altar, and apparently engaged in silent prayer. The men, when not thus engaged, stood, or sat on benches ranged along the walls; while the women were seated on rugs spread on the stone pavement, in different groups. To those of our country, where the syn- agogue, the cathedral, and the meeting-house are sometimes so close to each other, that the Hebrew melody, the Latin chant, and the simple, familiar hymn ascend, blended in one strain, to Him, whose ears are open to all, a description of the Catholic form of worship would be superfluous. But however little it may vary in its articles of faith in different countries, a host of extraneous observances are forced upon it by the peculiar views and feelings of its worshippers, and my observations will here be chiefly confined to the ceremonies of the Cuba Church. The interior of the building had but little to boast of, either in its architecture or its decorations. Roughly plastered walls, with the rafters and roof coarsely painted ; a few wooden and wax images badly executed ; some gilded columns, and the tinsel spread above and around the altar, were all that met the eye. Still there was more apparent devotion here than is seen in the splendid edifices of France or Italy. Here were no loueurs des chaises bustling about the worshippers, collecting their rents of sous, and making the house of God " a house of mer- chandise," nor was the service interrupted by idlers lounging from place to place. As the day progressed the congregation increased, until about one eighth of the church was moderately filled, while among them a perfect equality seemed to reign. Nearest the railing of the altar, several negroes in common clothes, some with baskets on their arms, were standing or kneeling, and behind them a group of 22 NOTES ON CUBA. well-dressed ladies were paying their devotions. Then came an intermingling of white, brown and black, in all kinds and qualities of habiliments. Next to a Senora, whose liveried footman, kneeling behind her, proclaimed her to be above the common sort, sat a decrepit old black woman, dressed in a coarse calico frock, with a shawl over her head and shoulders. While close behind the latter, two young ladies knelt on a rug spread by their gaily liveried foot-boy, who, to save his white pants, ap- propriated one corner of the same carpet to his own use. The mustached exquisite and the calesero knelt side by side ; the red cloth jacket of the latter, with its gold lace trimmings, and his heavy boots and immense silver spurs jingling at every move- ment, contrasting strangely with the simple dress of the former. But it was among the female sex, that the differ- ence of habiliments in the two races was most strongly marked. While the daughters of Japheth were almost uniformly dressed in black, (from the time of the Moors, the church dress in all the dominions of Spain,) those of Canaan were arrayed in colors of every hue, and not unfrequently in entire suits of white; their lace shawls thrown over their heads, and falling in folds over their shoulders and bosoms, giving them the appearance of so many brides. The whole congregation did not exceed one hundred, and of these one third were colored ; of the rest, about ten were gentlemen, and four or five were children, while ladies, who had passed the larger portion of their lives, chiefly composed the remainder. ' During the service, a St. Augustine monk, with a coarse blue gown, and white knotted cord girdle, took his seat in the confessional, an open stall placed against the wall, having a square grated aperture in NOTES ON CUBA. 23 each .of its two sides : a young lady rose soon after, and kneeling beside it, poured through one of the sieves, a list of her sins into the ears of the worthy confessor. It must have been a long one, for she detained him a full quarter of an hour; but they could only frave been peccadillos, for while he ap- plied his ear to the grating, my confessor's eyes were busily scanning the whole congregation. He seemed, indeed, to pay as much attention to what the fair penitent was saying, as a physician sometimes does to the recital of the unimportant symptoms doled to him by a patient, whose case he already under- stands, and for whom he has in thought already prepared a prescription. When she had finished, he mumbled a prayer or benediction, made a few crosses, took a pinch of snuff, and hurried into the sacristy, leaving the fair penitent still kneeling. There were several gentlemen standing near by during the whole conference, who, however, did not appear to overhear it. In the walls were several openings for the confessions of the nuns, who in- habit the rest, of the immense building, and at the northern extremity, a double lattice-work concealed them from the congregation ; the singing, however, from that quarter was such as to excite no curiosity to penetrate the wooden veil. The music was infe- rior, and indeed, it is only when high mass is per- formed, and the orchestra of the Opera is employed, that it is worth listening to in any of the churches of Havana. When the service was over, the peo- ple retired in groups, some lingering to finish their private devotions, or interchange civilities with each other; while new-comers in the meantime entered, and a larger number soon collected to hear the third mass, the ceremony being repeated in all the churches from 4 to 9, A. M., and in one at 12; but in none are vespers observed on ordinary occa- 24 NOTES ON CUBA. sions. On the whole, there appeared in this con- gregation, especially among the colored portion, a deep devotional feeling. Whether this be caused by external forms, and the mystery of a service in an uu.known tongue, or by the burning words of truth from the lips of the preacher, Avill not He who look- eth only to the heart of man accept the prayer of each penitent. In the absence of all show of dress among the whites, in the external marks of the deepest humility, and in the attentive observance of the service, there was much here that might be profitably imitated by sects claiming a purer form of worship. After breakfast, I strolled along the extensive quay, to which all the vessels are moored bows on. Yesterday it was so covered with bales of merchan- dise, barrels and boxes of produce, heaps of not very fragrant dried beef, of cheese, garlic, hides, lard, etc., and was so crowded with negro laborers engaged in loading or unloading the vessels, custom- house officers, and merchants' clerks, that it was almost impassable. To-day not a single object ob- structed the view from one end of it to the other, while the planks, thoroughly cleansed by water, offered a pleasant promenade to the pedestrian. An air of quiet — an absence of all labor — reigned on the hitherto busy mart, while the vessels with their gay flags fluttering in the east wind, gave an air of cheerfulness to the scene. The sailors, dressed in clean clothes, were loitering in groups on the decks, or sat reading or conversing; everything seemed to proclaim that it was a day of rest. I wandered through the streets of the city, and the scene was changed. The stores were all open, and behind the counter could be seen the ready shopkeeper, his eyes closely observing each passer- by. The various trades and occupations were pur- NOTES ON CUBA. 25 sued as on other days. The hammer of the shoe- maker was heard, as he sat by his door and com- pressed the sole of the future shoe ; the wheel of the razor-grinder whirled as swiftly as ever, while he accompanied its hum with a low song; the tailor plied his needle, the saddler his awl, and the tobac- conist was rolling the fragrant weed into the much cherished cigar, while others were cutting the wrappers. The vender of lottery tickets perambu- lated the streets as usual, with the open packages in his hand, offering the tempting bait to all; pack- horses and volantes crowded the thoroughfares, and nothing but the absence of the carts that convey merchandise to the warehouses, distinguished the Sabbath from the week-days. At the gates of the city a succession of volantes were passing, freighted with happy citizens, eager to enjoy the fresh air of the country. Several contained sable dames, dressed in white, on whose faces an assumed dignity had taken the place of the usual thoughtless expression common to negroes. It was noon, and on the paseo, a beautiful promenade outside the wails, only a few soldiers were strolling, and three or four country people were seated on the benches, resting from the fatigues of their journey. In the afternoon, however, its hitherto deserted walks were crowded with citizens promenading, and its long roads thronged with volantes, contain- ing two, but more frequently three ladies, the one in the middle sitting somewhat before the others. As the pace at which they were driven was slow, a fair oppurtunity was offered to the gentlemen, who stood in long rows each side of the road, to scrutinize the features of each one. Nor did they seem at all averse to be thus stared at, their features remaining impassive as moulded wax; and with the exception of their eyes, from which a furtive 3 26 NOTES ON CUBA. glance would tell that you also were submitted to their examination, not an expression escaped from them. When, however, they passed an acquaint- ance, a transient smile, and that prolonged waving of the hand, or of the fan, which the Spanish creole does so gracefully, would be given as a token of recognition. Most of the planters with their families had gone to spend the Christmas holi- days in the country, and there were fewer volantes, in proportion to the population of Havana, than I have seen on the paseo of Matanzas, nor were there as many beautiful women. A few gentlemen, mounted on American horses, were trotting along- side the cavalcade; the large size of their animals, and in some their curtailed manes and tails, con- trasting strongly with the small Cuba horse, with its flowing mane and tail tightly plaited. It being the very height of vulgarity for a Spanish lady to walk abroad, not one was seen on foot; although the delightful promenades would have tempted the fair sex of any other nation to enjoy that most ben- eficial of all exercises. The paseos, two in number, are very long, and have their wide walks adorned with flowers and trees. Several fountains and statues are erected on them ; among the latter was one of the infant queen of Spain in bronze, repre- senting her as a girl four years old. It was placed on a pedestal, on one side of which was inscribed " to the August Name," on the other, " this royal statue, pedestal and railing, presented by the Count de Casa Brunet." In the afternoon the streets presented the same scenes as those of the morning ; and when night set in, the citizens flock to the Plaza des Armas, to listen to the military band that plays there seve- ral nights in the week. It is situated in front of the Captain-General's mansion, and is laid out in four small parks enclosed by low iron railings, and NOTES ON CUBA. 27 is traversed by two wide walks paved with smooth stone, while another of like width surrounds the whole, with numerous benches, some extending the whole length of the sides, offering to the pedestrians an agreeable lounge. A few trees are planted in the parks, so arranged as not to intercept the view ; while fountains, pouring out constant streams into their reservoirs, serve the double purpose of water- ing the garden and cooling the air. The whole has a pleasing effect, whether seen by day, with its green sward and neatly trimmed orange trees, its prim-looking sagus, and graceful palms ; or at night, by the light of its numerous lamps, with its crowd of joyous pedestrians, and its fine military band. It is here too, that one can see the ladies promenading, but only by the light of the moon or lamps, so that the exhibition of their feet, for the beauty of which they are celebrated, is confined to their volantes and parlors. There were several whites in mean habiliments, and some sailors in shirt and trowsers, but no ne- groes among the promenaders ; the greatest number, however, consisted of well-dressed ladies and gen- tlemen, the former without hats. While the band played around the fine marble statue of Ferdinand in the centre, some would cluster as near it as the line of sentinels would permit, while others seated themselves on the benches, or continued their prom- enade, the greatest order prevailing throughout all. The drums struck up a march after 9 o'clock, and the whole band joining, left the place. This was a signal for the breaking up of the company, and most of them retired, leaving a few of them on the benches, lingering to enjoy the refreshing coolness of the evening. The nights are indeed so pleasant during the whole of winter, except when a norther occasionally blows, that it is delightful to sit in the 28 NOTES ON CUBA. open air; nor is this apparent exposure attended with any ill effects, even to the majority of«invalids. While we had been enjoying the scene, the watch- men, one hundred strong, were drawn up in a line under the porch of the Captain-General's mansion, each armed with a spear and furnished with a lighted lantern ; but I did not see the double brace of pistols which those of Matanzas carry in their belts. About 9 o'clock they were sent to their posts, and on returning homeward we passed several in the now almost deserted streets, with their spears shouldered, and their lanterns at their feet. One of the chief objects of curiosity to the stran- ger, in every town in Cuba, is the Campos Santos. He visits it impelled by the same feeling that prompts him to witness an execution, or any other sight that will chill his blood, and cause that cer- tain sense of sinking at the pit of the stomach, which those, ignorant of its position, have referred to the heart. Having hired a volante, I rode out the Puerta del Punta, through a long street of mean- looking houses built near the borders of the sea, to the common cemetery of Havana, where all the dead of the city and its large suburbs are interred. The entrance to it is through a pretty shrubbery of perpetual roses, papayas, pomegranates, and other tropical trees, irrigated by meandering rills from an aqueduct, which supplied several small reservoirs placed about the garden; while two large majaquas over the gate, and several tall palms interspersed about the garden, threw a grateful shade over all, and added to the inviting freshness of the spot. Through the centre of an oblong building, used" for a chapel and dwelling house for the sexton, an arched passage led into the cemetery ; a level square divided into four equal parts by two transverse, flagged walks. Each quarter was, moreover, en- NOTES ON CUBA. 29 closed by a low, neat, iron railing, and had in one corner a receptacle for the bones disinterred in dig- ging new graves. They were all more than filled, the pile of bleached skulls and other bones being heaped up above the top of the walls of each ; while, to soothe the friends of the deceased for the liberty thus taken with their remains, above them four obelisks raised their tall forms, having in- scribed on them the comfortable assurance, " Ex- ultabunt ossa humiliata." About forty tall pines of the country, resembling cedars, threw a partial shade over the walks, while the ground, bare of shrubbery, was covered by a luxurious growth of grass. At the extremity of the middle walk was a small, neat chapel, containing a few fresco paintings, and a chaste altar in the form of a sarcophagus, support- ing a small image of our Lord on the cross. Within and over the door and porch without, suitable in- scriptions in Latin referred to the final resurrection, and the happiness of those who died the death of the righteous. Near the chapel, the ground in the adjoining squares contained numerous slabs of mar- ble and other stones, covering the entrances to the vaults beneath, with the names of the families to which they belonged, engraved on them. On sev- eral were coats of arms in basso relievo, but only a few had individual names inscribed on them, and only one a short epitaph. They were very chaste, with no pretensions to style, and were placed close to each other, forming a large and varied pave- ment. At the other end of the same square, two negroes were busily employed in digging new graves, break- ing up the stiff clay with pickaxes, and throwing out with each spadeful of earth numerous bones, some of which were still connected by their liga- 3* 30 NOTES ON CUBA. ments, and were intermingled with portions of clothes and shoes. It was evident, from the great number of these remains about the graves, that the Campos Santos of Havana did not possess those sol- vent powers which that of Pisa does ; which filled with soil brought from Palestine by a pious priest, destroys in twenty-four hours, as every visiter to it is told, all vestiges of the bodies buried in it. This cemetery containing only four or five acres, and from ten to twelve bodies being daily interred in it, this deficiency is greatly felt, and quick-lime is often thrown into the graves to hasten their decomposi- tion, while the contents of the four charnel-houses are burnt to ashes, as soon as they become filled. There was little in the place to please the eye, and I was about to leave it, when a black covered cart drove to the gate, and a postilion with a gaily embroidered coat entered, and whistling to the two negroes beckoned to them. They methodically took up a bier, and having approached the hearse, opened a door behind, and drew out a shallow tray containing two bodies: one a dark mulatto, the other a white man, both half-dressed in ragged clothes. On passing me I followed, the only attend- ant, and having reached the grave, looked on. There seemed at first to be some consultation be- tween the two negroes, whether it was best to tumble them in together or singly. They decided on the latter, and taking them up by their hands and feet, laid them in their narrow cell on their backs, as they had been brought, their feet in op- posite directions. While I gazed on their upturned features, exposed to the bright rays of a meridian sun, and almost fancied that their open eyes and half-parted lips showed signs of life, the negroes returned with another load from the hearse, a fine-looking, young NOTES ON CUBA. 31 black woman, dressed in a clean, gay-colored calico frock, with neat slippers on her feet, She was covered with a blanket, probably her last bed, which was first thrown in, and then her body was deposited on those of the men. The sexton now approached, and measuring with his eye the depth of the grave, concluded that it was full enough, in which opinion I coincided, and the process of throwing in the earth and stamping it down com- menced. When the whole was completed, the soil was not more than two feet above the bodies. While this was enacting, two young ladies with their caballero were promenading the walk close by, totally unmoved by the scene. A negro woman also, who had been peeping through the cracks of the hearse when it arrived, gazed listlessly on; smoking her cigar in defiance of the notice placed at the entrance, which threatened excommunication to all who in this place smoked or ate. As the same placard, however, granted an indulgence of forty days to all who would offer up prayers for the dead here interred, she may, for aught I knew, have thus protected herself from the anathema.* Familiar as I had long been with the mutilated contents of the dissecting room, I confess that my feelings were somewhat shocked at the way in which these bodies were buried, and I walked slowly away, musing on the different manner in which I had seen the equally worthless remains of one of the great of the earth, consigned to its kindred dust." The whole spot had a look of desolation. Here were no flowers planted around the graves, — no garlands of immortals strewn over the tombs of departed friends, — not even the usual formal recital of the survivors' grief engraved on the mar- * This published promise of an Indulgence (Indulgencia) for forty days, for offered prayers, is seen suspended in many of the churches. 32 NOTES ON CUBA. ble. All was cold and heartless. I never saw the separating line between the living and the dead, more strongly marked than in this burial-ground; and I left its precincts with feelings far different from any I had ever before experienced in a similar place. The cessation of burials in the vaults of the Havana churches was the work of one of the bishops, Juan de Espada, who laid out this cemetery, and was a perfect Tacon in his own line. Soon after he had consecrated the ground, a nobleman died; and although the bishop was strongly urged to let him be interred with his ancestors in the church vaults, he refused, and the body was sent to the Campos Santos. With all its defects, it is the best on the island; those of country villages have, not unfrequently, broken temporary coffins lying about the gate, while over the grounds may be seen portions of the scalp with the hair still attached, and other half-decomposed remains of the buried. It is well, therefore, that they are always situated on the west of the village, which, as the east wind blows almost constantly, is to their leeward. The better classes are, as elsewhere, enclosed in coffins ; but very many have not this temporary protection from that common caterer, the grave-worm. Near to the Campos Santos is the Lunatic Asylum, and I had so often heard of the filthy state of Spanish jails, etc., that I thought it was well placed so near to the cemetery I had just visited. How- ever, determined to attempt an entrance, I informed the keeper that I was an American physician, and wished to see the interior arrangements of the es- tablishment. He politely invited me to enter, and putting on his coat, accompanied me through the different apartments. The building was of one story, about twenty- NOTES ON CUBA. 33 five feet high, with a dead wall on the outside, and separated into three different sections, each opening into a central square, and communicating with each other by large doors, while lofty porticos formed around each square cool promenades. The sleep- ing-rooms were very airy and clean, and it was apparent from the number of beds in several, that many were not subjected to solitary confinement at night. There were, however, in smaller rooms sets of stocks, in which, as a punishment, four or five of the more furious were confined, some by one, others by both legs. They appeared sensible of the cause of their punishment and were quiet. One, however, had just torn in pieces a strong shirt which the servant brought, to the keeper, who expostulated, rather than reprimanded him for hav- ing destroyed it. There was much kindness in his bearing towards the inmates, and from his benevo- lent countenance, I believe it was not put on for the moment, while under the eye of a stranger. There was one, confined in a comfortable room, busily employed in writing petitions to a friend. He asked me if I were an Englishman, and gave me one to read. It was written in pure Castilian, and no one would have thought, that the brain which had composed it, and which could so sensi- sibly comment on the acts of the insane around him, was itself deranged. It contained, however, one glaring mark of folly ; a request that his friend, on the score of his former intimacy and regard, should loan him a small sum of money. I begged him for the copy, but he brought me another, which he said was just as good, for which I paid him his charge, one rial, amid the winks and smiles of the other insane inmates who had crowded around the window, and who seemed much amused at the delusion under which he labored, themselves well 34 NOTES ON CUBA. assured that their own brains performed their func- tions faithfully. The third ward was appropriated to the colored insane, and here I found no material difference in the accommodations for Afric's sons from those for the whites. The yard was filled with clothes that had been washed, and were drying in the sun ; the keeper informing me that the work was done by the inmates every two days ; thus affording them an occupation, while it tended to preserve cleanli- ness. Next to this was a kitchen guarded by a bolted door, through a crack of which one hungry fellow was anxiously peeping at the preparing meal, but sneaked away when we approached, quite ashamed at having been thus surprised. There was a large pot of very white boiled rice, and another full of vegetables and meats, the favorite olla pod- rida of the Creole, though probably not as savory as that on private tables. Still everything appeared to be clean, and the two cooks were very enthusi- astic in showing me the contents of the pots, one of them at the end asking me for a fee, for which the keeper reproved him. Around the paved yard was an open drain, through which rushed a rapid stream of water, quickly removing the refuse from the whole establishment, into the open sea; while a bathing establishment, supplied by the same stream, offered that most necessary luxury to the inmates. Throughout the whole, an air of great cleanliness and comfort reigned ; and as I looked upon the poor negroes and saw how well they had been cared for, and recollected the scenes of misery I had seen unrelieved at the door of the wealthy in Europe, I could not refrain from execrating the blind efforts of those who would restore the im- provident slave to a freedom, for which his whole history has proved him to be unfit. NOTES ON CUBA. 35 On my return, in passing through the first ward, a fine-lookiug man with an Anglo-Saxon face, was pointed out to me, who told me that he was a Welshman, and once the captain of a vessel. I congratulated him on his good quarters. "Ah! sir," he replied, "you would not think them such if you were in my place." He, however, acknowl- edged that he was kindly treated, and, with some hesitation, asked for a rial, observing that the times were hard. On giving a couple to him, the whole crowd of maniacs clustered around me, vocifera- ting for their share ; and one stout negro, who had followed us from his own quarters, finding that his demands were unheeded, became furious, and with threats and abuse followed closely behind me. The keeper informing me that at times he was dan- gerous, and advising me to take no notice of him, which advice I found very difficult to follow, we hurried out, and closed the door in their faces. On reentering his lodge, he asked me what refreshments I wished, and begging him for a tumbler of water, for it is usual to accept something, a refusal being almost a breach of politeness, I left him with many thanks for his attentions. Whoever goes to Havana, should not fail to visit the fish-market, where his eyes will be regaled with a sight of the most beautiful of the finny tribe known to the naturalist; rivaling, in the splendor of their painted scales, and the varied combinations of colors, the brilliant hues of the feathered tribes of Guiana. If you could imagine the rays of the prism in all their harmony and softness, now drawn in stripes, now divided in spots, or checkered in various angles; now a single color in all its purity abruptly ending in one far removed from it in har- mony, as if nature had purposed, by their contrast, to exhibit more strongly the peculiar beauty of 36 NOTES ON CUBA. each, while a single narrow ray of gold or silver would traverse both, a faint idea would be formed of the beauty of the Havana fish. The best time to visit the place is early in the morning, when the marble table is covered with the products of the fisherman's labor, many of them still alive; nor will the epicure return disap- pointed, some of them being of acknowledged flavor. Among those more generally esteemed by the Creoles, is a species of sepia or cuttle fish, which, from its gelatinous appearance, would, I doubt not, make a fine stew, if its ugly form could be banished from the recollection. The building is composed of an upper story supported by pillars and arches, and sheltering from the weather one marble table 150 feet long, on which the fish are ex- posed for sale. It is open its whole length on one side to the street, and on the other to the sea, and be- ing thus ventilated, is in a great measure free from the usual unpleasant odor of such marts. A man named Marti, half fisherman and perhaps half smuggler, built it under Tacon from his private purse, on condition of being permitted to monopolize the sale of fish in Havana for twenty years, after which time the building reverts to the city. It is said to have been a source of great profit to him ; he has since built the Teatro de Tacon, which be holds on the same tenure, and which is one of the largest in the world; he is also the lessee of the Opera. After concluding the conditions with Tacon on which he was to erect the former, viz., that no other theatre should be established in the city, he induced the wealthier classes in Havana to purchase, in advance, the private boxes, and thus, it is said, accumulated a sum nearly large enough to complete the building. The Opera, the Havana Opera, of which we have NOTES ON CUBA. 37 heard so much since Fanny Elssler gleaned from it her lapful of doubloons, is a shapeless large build- ing, resembling an immense oven more than any other known object. It was a benefit night, and no tickets were sold ; but every one deposited on a table by the door, the usual price, and as much above it, as the friendship for the actor, whose ben- efit night it was, prompted him to do. Dressed in stage attire, the latter sat by the table, surrounded by the usual loungers of a theatre, and eyed his acquaintances and the coins they left; while two men watched that no one entered below price, more than one attempt of which I saw while stopping for a moment by it. The interior of the opera was neatly arranged; the seats in the pit, about two hundred, being each numbered, so that by one's ticket his place is always secured. In an audience of about three hundred, forty were ladies, and thirty children, from five years old to ten ; more of the latter than I had seen in any one church in Havana. After the first act a couple danced a fandango, which succeeded be- yond all expectation ; and indeed they excelled all the sable performers I had ever seen in the streets or on the estates in Cuba. They were greeted with thundering applause, and cries of otro ! otro! the Spanish encore, brought out a repetition. In the next scene an immense green frog, about six feet long, exhibited its dancing powers, and was well re- ceived ; but it was reserved for the third act to enwrap the senses of the spectators in delight. Eight couples came on the stage, and the fandango was renewed. Louder and quicker played the mu- sic, and more and more animated was the dance ; the witches' frolic in " Alloway's auld kirk" was quite surpassed, and its heroine excelled in every respect bv the prima donna of this night. It was 4 38 NOTES ON CUBA. received with great gusto, and encored loudly. The whole ended with an amusing pantomime, in which the dancing, as graceful and as little indecent as is generally seen on the stage, and a contra-dance by fifty soldiers, the guard stationed at the doors, were coldly received. I fear that the only last word in the motto over the drop curtain was remembered, Instruye y amonesta delietando, " instruct and ad- monish while pleasing." During the interacts, the gentlemen promenaded in the lobby, in which was a bar and side-tables for refreshments, or smoked their cigars strolling around the boxes, although the latter was strictly prohibi- ted by the regulations. All, however, seemed in- animate, the opera having fallen greatly since its best singer, Salvatori, had left; its music had de- clined in excellence, and the Ravels were exhibit- ing their wonderful feats at the Tacon theatre, attracting there all Havana. Nor must the effect produced by the fandango be taken for a fair speci- men of the public taste ; there were but few of the higher classes present, and they did not join in the applause. The Spanish creole is, however, sus- pected of having a strong penchant for exhibitions savoring of that of this night. The opera closed at half-past ten o'clock, and I walked home alone, feeling as secure as in the bright light of day. The streets were well supplied with lamps, and I passed several watchmen, wrapped in cloaks, with their spears and lanterns, so many, indeed, that I was never out of hail of one of them. NOTES ON CUBA. 39 CHAPTER II. Havana — Its Streets — Shopmen — Houses — Creole Parlor-Life — Churches and Monasteries — Former Wealth of the Monks —Their Character — The Cathedral — Tomb of Columbus — Transportation of his Remains to it —Hospital of San Juan de Dios —The Prison — Convicts at work — Military Execution — The Garrot — C haracter and Anecdotes of Tacon — Population of Havana— Its Commerce — Rev- enue — Its Slavers. Havana, in the condition and order of its streets, presents a strong contrast to the large cities of Europe. While in the latter there is every variety, from the ancient, narrow, muddy lane, in its curves exemplifying Hogarth's line of beauty, to the modern, wide, straight street, with its smoothly- flagged sidewalks, and its cleanly wooden pave- ment,—those of the metropolis of Cuba are uniform in appearance, cross each other at right angles, and extend in straight lines from one side of the city to the other. In 1584 it had only four, so that the notaries in those days commenced certain deeds with " la publico, en las cuatro calles de esta Villa" * but in consequence of their regularity, they do not now exceed fifty within the walls. They are all McAdamised, thanks to the energy of Tacon, but their want of width has prevented the formation of sidewalks; unless the narrow row of flag-stones close to the houses, and which are often below the level of the street, may be so named. These are not unfrequently used in common by the carts and pedestrians; and in wet weather, forming as they do the inner boundaries of the side gutters, are scarcely preferable to the middle of the street. It is not, therefore, surprising that the ladies of Havana * La Habana en sus primeros dias. 40 NOTES ON CUBA do not promenade in the city ; indeed, the absence of the female form in the busy crowds that pass before the eyes of the stranger, constitutes one of its most striking features. In the more frequented channels of the city, considerable skill is requisite to wend your way safely. Besides a multitude of narrow carts, which, however, are supported on iron wheels so low, that you might easily pass over one, if it obstructed the way, there is the lumbering volante, with its long shafts and ponderous wheels, rolling close by you at every moment. The horse trots leisurely on, so, that if he does strike against you, it may be accepted as a friendly warning of the approach of the vehicle, for none is ever given by the postilion, and he is so far in advance of the wheels, that you can very easily escape. Add to these the heavy ox- cart, with its team of well-broke cattle ; long trains of pack-horses, with their cumbrous loads of charcoal, green fodder or poultry; mounted horsemen, urging their steeds to their utmost speed, whenever the course is clear for but a short distance ; and innu- merable negro porters with wheelbarrows, or carry- ing huge loads on their heads—and some idea may be formed of the principal thoroughfares of the city. When the crops of sugar, molasses, and coffee are brought here for exportation, they are sometimes so blocked up by the laden carts, and the whole place becomes so filled with the accumulated produce, that it is not unusual for the Captain-General to grant permission to labor not only on the Sabbath, but during the whole of each night, which is never otherwise permitted among the warehouses and shipping. The calle des Mercaderes is the principal street for shopping, and contains many fine and extensive stores, filled with choice dry goods, jewelry, china, NOTES ON CUBA. 41 glass-ware, etc. These are designated by different names, which, however, have no reference to their contents—as " the bomb," a favorite one, " the stranger," " virtue," etc. ; but the name of the owner never appears on the sign-board. The principal commercial houses have neither sign nor name, and can only be distinguished from the larger private dwellings, by the bales of goods, or boxes of sugar and bags of coffee that are piled up in their lower stories ; the merchant and his family, and clerks, living in the upper part. Nearly all the retail shops are owned by Spaniards, and, with very few exceptions, none but men are seen behind the counters. The Parisian shop-girl, so celebrated for her skill in selling, might, however, here learn a lesson, not only in overcharging, but also in that assiduity in serving, that will scarcely permit the visitor to leave without purchasing something. Let the novice take care how he offers one-half the price asked for an article, if he does not wish it, for that, not unfrequently, is its real one; in almost every case one fourth will be de- ducted. " How much for this xippee-xappee,^.' (hippehappe) 1 inquired of a hat-merchant. "Twelve dollars." " I will give you six." "Say eight." " Only six." It is a very fine one, senor, take it for seven ; " and finding that was about its value, and longing to exchange my beaver for a Panama, more suited for the heat, I closed the bargain. " You shall have this cane for a dollar," a Catalan said to me, as 1 was examining his various articles spread out. under one of the arcades near the market; not wishing to buy it, I offered two rials, when he handed it to me. I gave him two reales sevillanas, but he insisted on fuertes, and I got my cane for one quarter the price asked. It was, however, some consolation to know that if it was not a very valua- 4# 42 NOTES ON CUBA. ble one, I should no longer appear singular in a crowd, in which every idler carried one. besides being an inseparable appendage to the exquisite, it is still used as an insignia of several professions. Thus, the doctor is here still recognised by his ebony cane with its gold head and black tassels, and some public officers are distinguished by theirs. Fine English cutlery, all linen stuffs, muslins, and many other articles of dry goods, and especially fancy goods, can be purchased cheaper here than in our Southern States. The duties on them are not high, and the quantity that is often imported over- stocks the market and lowers the prices. Although the calle des Mercaderes is the Bond- street of Havana, retail shops are scattered all over the city, which in a large part seems to be made up of them, the lower stories of many of the dwelling- houses being thus occupied. The ladies in shopping do not in general leave their volantes, but have the goods brought to them, the strictness of Spanish etiquette forbidding them to deal with a shopman ; and it is only when the seller of goods is of their own sex, that they venture into a store. The custom of appearing in public only in a volante is so general, that some of my fellow-boarders, Ameri- can ladies, who ventured to do their shopping on foot, were greeted in their progress by the half- suppressed exclamations of the astonished Haban- eros, who seemed as much surprised to see a lady walk through their streets, as a Persian would to see one unveiled in his. I have said that Spaniards are chiefly the owners of the stores, the Creoles being seldom engaged in commerce. Those containing dry goods belong generally to Asturians, while the sale of groceries and provisions is monopolized by Catalans. These latter, are an industrious, shrewd, economical class; NOTE ON CUBA. 43 and have, perhaps in consequence of these qualities, received their sobriquet of Spanish Jews, which can only be construed into a compliment to the Israelite. A large portion of the commerce of the island is in their hands, as well as a very great part of its wealth. In the interior of the island they appear to monopolize every branch of trading, from the pack of the humble pedlar to the country tienda with its varied contents ; and in the maritime towns, many a commercial house, whose ships cover the sea, is theirs. Under the arcades near the markets in Havana, may be seen a number of shops not ten feet square, with a show-case in front, before which a restless being is constantly walking ; reminding one of # caged wild animal that chafes for a wider range. At night the show-case is carried into his little cabin, which serves him for shop, dormitory and kitchen ; and where he may be often seen preparing his frugal meal over a chafing dish of live charcoals. " Five years of privations and a fortune," is his motto ; and not a few of the wealthiest Spanish residents in Cuba may date the commencement of their prosperity from as humble a source. The greater part of the trade with old Spain is in their hands, and they have latterly also extended their correspondence to other countries, and entered into active competition with the resident foreign mer- chants. The Catalan, moreover, furnishes the planter with all the necessaries for his negroes and plantation ; advances moneys for his crops, which he then sells on commission ; and often loans to him the requisite sums to erect his costly sugar works, or make his less expensive coffee estate, but all at an interest, ruinous in the present depreciated value of his crops. There is nothing which more forcibly strikes the 44 NOTES ON CUBA attention of the stranger in Havana, than the sub- stantial manner in which even the most unimportant building is constructed ; every one seems made to last forever. The walls of a single story house are seldom less than two feet in thickness; and to witness the erection of those of the larger ones, the masonry might readily be mistaken for that of some embryo fortification, destined to be cannon-proof. Many of the private dwellings are immense struc- tures. I was shown one belonging to one of the Gomez, that cost five hundred thousand dollars ; and without the walls, facing the military parade-ground, another was nearly built, which with its pillars and arches occupied a front as large as some of the minor palaces in Europe. The value of real estate is very high in Havana; a lot about sixty feet square, on which a store was afterwards built, sold a few years ago for forty thousand dollars. It is true that this was in the palmy days of the island, before the present depression of trade had lowered the value of everything. Even now, however, there are not a few houses which rent for ten or twelve thousaud dollars ; and the hotel of my host, that can accommodate from thirty boarders comfort- ably, to sixty packed away, as they often are here, commands a rent of six thousand dollars. With such a value set on the land, but little is appropriated to yards, and the whole city may be said to be divided into squares of solid blocks. The architecture of the larger houses is heavy. They are so constructed as to form open squares in their centres, their only yards, where sometimes a few shrubs planted in boxes serve to relieve the eye, and upon which the lofty arches of the corridors look down. The lower story is occupied by the store-house, reading-room, kitchen and stable; while the common entrance is often half blocked up by NOTES ON CUBA. 45 the volante, its arched passage serving for a coach- house. From the side of this latter a wide flight of stone steps leads to the corridor of the second story, into which all the rooms open, and which forms the common passage to all of them. It opens itself on the central square, and the spaces between its heavy pillars and high-sprung arches, are generally closed with Venetian blinds. An air of rude grandeur reigns throughout the whole structure, the architec- ture partaking of a mixture of the Saraeenic and Gothic styles. The chief hall or parlor is generally from forty to fifty feet long, twenty wide, and as many feet high ; while the windows and doors, reaching from the floor to the ceiling, render it cool and pleasant during warm days, but afford little protection against the damp northers. The floors are all stuccoed or tiled, and the walls and ceilings not unfrequently ornamented with fresco ; while only here and there, a few panes of glass let into the thick shutters, serve to admit the light when they are closed. But the striking peculiarity of the town-house in Cuba, is the care taken to render it safe against assaults from without. Every window that is at all accessible, either from the street or the roofs of the neighboring houses, is strongly barricaded with iron bars; while the stout folding-doors, guarding the only entrance to the whole building, would not be unfit to protect that of a fortress. They are castellated palaces ; and with their terraced roofs, their galleries and passages, their barricaded windows and ponderous doors, remind one of the olden Saxon strongholds, which Scott has so graphically described. There is no West End in Havana ; the stately mansion of the millionaire is often in juxta-position with the magazine of tasajo, jerked beef, with its sign of a large slice swinging over its door, and its 46 NOTliS ON CUBA. putrid-like odors tainting the air; or its basement occupied by the tienda, with its stock of hard, garlic and groceries, or the work-shops of the humble artisan. Many of the dwellings are, however, of only one story ; and their parlors are completely exposed to the gaze of every one, through their large win- ^ dows, which open on the street. Two rows of arm- chairs, facing each other, are placed near these, where, during the evening, the older members of the family may be seen seated with their visitors. The younger ones stand within the windows, looking through the interstices of the iron bars at the pedestrians, and occasionly enjoying the conver- sation of an acquaintance as he loiters for a moment to pay a passing compliment. To the stranger, the introduction thus afforded him to the domestic life of the Creole, is very amus- ing. I have often strolled leisurely by, enjoying the scenes I witnessed as much as if I had been a participator in them ; and scrutinizing with my Spanish companions the faces of the young ladies, whose impassive features, and vacant stare, proved that they had long been accustomed to the flattering ordeal. Nor did they seem offended at the more than half audible exclamations of admiration, which sometimes escaped from my companions on passing the more beautiful. It is, indeed, the only opportu- nity they enjoy of exhibiting their charms, especially those whose means will not permit the keeping a volante ; and the same preparations in dress are made by them, preparatory to taking their stand at the window, as by the fair sex in our own country, before promenading our more fashionable streets. In 1610, an old hospital was the only place of worship in Havana, which the inhabitants complained could not accommodate one-eighth part of those who desired to partake of the sacrament. They petitioned NOTES ON CUBA. 47 the king, through their new bishop, to aid them in the erection of a church, and to remove the cathedral of St. Jago de Cuba to their city ; as the latter place was badly fortified, and the church there had been already sacked by pirates of all its chalices, etc.* It now contains sixteen churches, nunneries and convents, and one cannot fail to see a vivid picture of the past, as he walks by the immense structures of the latter. They are generally oblong buildings, built without any attempt at architectural beauty ; enclosing a central court, and presenting to the street a high wall with a few small grated windows and doors, and terminating at one end in a chapel, the only part now used for religious purposes. The great wealth once possessed by the monks in Cuba is well known. They owned large tracts of the richest soil on the island, and their revenues from their plantations were very great. Their pos- sessions within late years have all been confiscated, and with them their power has passed away. Most of them have left the island, their number in Havana, by the census of 1842, being reduced to one hundred and six, to which may be added one hundred and eighty-eight nuns—all that now remain of those once numerous bodies. Two of their establishments, St. Augustine and St. Domingo, have been converted into store-houses by the government for its use, and severe restrictions are imposed on all who still retain the order. It must have required some glaring vices in these celibates, to encourage the government to seize on their long coveted wealth, and to have justified the measure in the eyes of a Catholic community. I have listened to many a scandalous tale, told by some of the older inhabitants of Havana, of the * La Habana en sus primeros dias. 43 NOTES ON CUBA. pranks these worthy sons of the church played in their days. The St. Augustine convent was so notorious for the joyous life its inmates led, that many young men of the first families entered it; not for the purpose of relinquishing the vanities of the world, but that they might enjoy them the more freely. The Belenites, especially, were celebrated for their great wealth, having a revenue of about a million dollars to be divided between twenty-two, of which their order consisted. One of my friends, who had dined with them, told me that they were excellent boon companions. The usual order of furnishing the table was, by the steward receiving from each monk a list of what he desired, so that the dishes were as various as their respective tastes; and as each daily invited his particular guests, and all sat down to a common table, the most fastidious could have his palate gratified. Of all these numerous churchmen, who must once have swarmed in the city, but one or two may now occasionly be seen passing through the streets; his humility unaffected, and apparently his greatest care being to prevent his large shovel-shaped hat from being knocked off by the passing throng. Although their rich cane-fields and valuable coffee estates have long been advertised for sale by the government, few purchasers have as yet been found. Much of their landed property had been bequeathed to them for the express purposes of religion ; and the fear that if bought by individuals, lawsuits might be instituted for its recovery by the heirs of the legators, has deterred persons from buying, for no faith is placed in the government substantiating the claims of the purchasers. The church of San Felipe is the resort of the fashionable, and having seen service performed in the more humble edifice of Sauta Clara, I took my NOTES ON CUBA. 49 seat the next Sunday among the worshippers of this. It was the anniversary of Santa Lucia, and the church was nearly half filled with gentlemen, among whom weie a few military officers in rich uniforms. Not more than a dozen ladies were present ; the rest of the females were colored, and there were only a few children. The central benches were occupied by the gentlemen alone, but the two races were not separated; and here, as in Santa Clara, the colored mostly were near the sacristy ; one old woman, in a shabby attire, kneeling on the very steps, and almost touching the gown of the officiating priest. During the performance of mass, two capuchins entered and sat down among the congregation, whispering and laughing with the gentlemen near them, but never failing to join in the crossing when- ever the ceremony required it. Before its close, two colored men, attended by richly-liveried footmen, bearing silver baskets filled with engravings of Santa Lucia, passed among the worshippers, presenting to each person one, to myself among the rest; while two large boquets of fresh flowers were given to two ladies near the altar, but why they were so distin- guished 1 could not learn, A preacher now left the sacristy, where he had received the benediction of the priest, and entering the pulpit, addressed his auditors in an impassioned strain on the virtues of Santa Lucia. His actions were very graceful, and it was delightful to listen to his pure Castilian, which is never used here in conversation. The audience, both whites and colored, were very atten- tive, and all retained their places until he had finished. Nearly the whole now dispersed, and I was left with a few who lingered to offer a final prayer at the foot of a side-altar. The embellishments of the interior of this church were in better taste, and the architecture more 5 50 NOTES ON CUBA. imposing than that of Santa Clara ; but it contained no fine paintings or statues, on which the eye could delight to rest. Even the massive pillars and wide- sprung arches supporting the roof, had something rude in them, and seemed like abortive attempts at architectural beauty. From their churches, one can always learn much of the past and present state of religious feeling in a people, and I resolved to visit one more, the Cathedral. It is situated near the mansion of the Captain-General, in the calle del Ignacio ; and its towers and pillared front of discolored and worn stone, on which the hand of time had strongly impressed its age, reminded me of those Gothic monuments of bygone sacerdotal power, that arrest the attention of the traveller in almost every European town. Its large doors were closed, but the clerk seeing me loiter about the porch, beckoned to me, and led me through the yard and sacristy into the interior. The tout ensemble here, was more imposing than that of any church I had seen in my own country. The ceiling and dome were ornamented by paintings in fresco, and ranged along the walls were many oil paintings, some well executed. Among these was one of St. Christophal, the patron saint of Havana, bearing on his shoulder an infant Jesus with a world in his hand. Another was a Maria Conceptionis, the patroness saint of the Cathedral, standing on the world and crushing the serpent's head with her heel. There was also one of the Virgin and her Child, offering an olive branch to several figures, who were in purgatorial flames at her feet; and in whose faces the feelings of hope, joy. and humility were severally well expressed. But the chief object to which the attention of every visitor is invited, is a tablet of stone inlaid in the wall, to the right and in front of the altar, with NOTES ON CUBA. 51 the bust of a man sculptured on it in basso-relievo. This is the image of Christopher Columbus, and closes the opening to his tomb ; the ashes of the great discoverer of the new world being there preserved in a silver urn, enclosed in a leaden chest. History informs us, that, by his will, they were conveyed from the Carthusian Convent in Seville, where they had been deposited, to St. Domingo ; and with the chains with which he had been loaded by his ungrate- ful sovereigns, were deposited in the Cathedral of that metropolis. When that island was ceded to France, at the request of the Spaniards they were delivered to them ; and in 1796, one hundred and three years after they had been placed there, they were brought to Havana, in the ship San Lorenzo, com- manded by Don Tomas Ugarte.* The Spanish account, published at the time in Havana, and which is now out of print and very rare, describes the ceremonies attendant on their reception as having been conducted with much pomp. On the arrival of the vessel, the whole popu- lation of the city came forth to receive them ; and the ecclesiastical, civil, and military bodies vied with each other in rendering honor to them. On the morning of the 19th of January, at nine o'clock, three lines of barges and boats from the vessels of war, dressed with mourning, were seen approaching the Mole. One, occupying the centre, bore a coffin, covered with black velvet, ornamented with fringes and flakes of gold, and guarded by a company of marines. It was brought on shore by the captains of the vessels, and received by the city authorities. * Columbus died in Valadolid, in 1506 ; his remains were translated to Seville in 1513, to which place those of his son, Don Diego, who died in Montalvan, in 1526, were also carried. In 1536 the remains of both father and son were sent to St. Domingo ; and both were, very probably, transported in the same chest, to their present resting-place. See Mem. de la Soc. Econom. Vol. 4th, page 362. 52 NOTES ON CUBA. Alternately borne by four of the most distinguished citizens, it was conveyed to the Plaza des Armas, in front of the column erected there by the city, in commemoration of the first mass which, according to tradition, had been celebrated on that spot.* It was here placed in an ebony sarcophagus, having the form of a throne, beautifully wrought with gilt carvings. This was supported by a bier twelve feet long and five high, covered with folds of black velvet, ornamented with golden flakes and lacings; while from the four corners of the sarcophagus as many golden cords hung, terminating in tassels of the same material, which were held by those, who in their turn had the honor to escort the remains. Around this, six long, thick wax candles continually burned ; they were supported on cornucopias, of the same wood and workmanship as the sarcophagus. The pavements were carpeted around this sombre spectacle, and beside it, was a table covered with black velvet, supporting three cushions of the same material fringed with gold, and thirty-six lighted wax tapers. The coffin having been placed on this, the gov- ernor, the Captain-General, and the commander of the royal marines approached, and by order of the first it was opened. Within was seen a gilt leaden chest, about a foot and a half square, and one high, secured by an iron lock. This was opened by a key, and disclosed a plate of the same metal, and a small piece of bone, which, with the ashes it also» contained, was evidently that of a body. These were then formally pronounced by the governor, and the other illustrious examiners, to be the remains of * The tree, under which many of the good Habaneros believed that Columbus said mass, is now removed ; and a chapel is erected on the spot in commemoration of the same ; in front of this stands the column. The tradition is false, for Columbus never visited the port de Carenas. NOTES ON CUBA. 53 the incomparable Almirante Christoval Colon. It was now closed and locked, and put into its coffin ; and the latter having been replaced in the ebony sarcophagus, the procession was formed and proceeded towards the Cathedral, from which the music and responses were occasionally heard borne on the pass- ing breeze. In front were four field-pieces, drawn by eight pair of black mules arrayed in mourning, and led, each by two footmen. These were followed by four white horses, caparisoned with fine black cloth bordered with gold, and decorated with the escutch- eon and arms of Columbus, each likewise led by two footmen. Behind rode the Colonel and Lieu- tenant-colonel, sword in hand, at the head of the grenadiers and the militia. Then came the cross of the cathedral, escorted by seven orders of monks, the clergy, and the venerable ecclesiastical chapter; the bier, carried by eight men, and followed by the Captain-General and other civil officers; the guard of honor, the military staff, and the citizens; the whole surrounded by a body of dragoons. The streets through which they passed were decorated with suitable emblems, and the walls of the houses hung with drapery ; while salvos of artillery and volleys of musketry were continually fired by the armed vessels and garrison, until the termination of the whole ceremony. Conducted with this pomp, the coffin was con- veyed to the Cathedral, the pall-bearers holding the golden cords of the sarcophagus, being frequently relieved by others; for the proud of the land eagerly sought, if but for a short time, the honor of this office. The whole church was carpeted ; numerous large wax candles placed at regular distances, by their lurid light, added to the sombre air it present- ed ; while the altar literally blazed with the flames 5* 54 NOTES ON CUBA. that burned on and around it. The massive col- umns and the doors were covered with banners, with expressive designs and verses inscribed on them, relating to the history and death of the great dis- coverer of America; and in the centre of the church, under the dome, a pantheon, forty feet high and fourteen long, erected for the temporary recep- tion of the remains, by the splendor of its decora- tions added not a little to the grandeur of the whole. The coffin having been deposited on a stand, amid twenty large wax tapers, at the door of the Cathe- dral, was there received by the diocesan, Don Felipe Joseph de Trespalacios, dressed in an ample black cloak, and was conveyed to the pantheon amid the solemn music of the church, the responses of the chapter, and the masses, which from day-break had been said for the repose of the soul of the dead. We have already adverted to the beauty of the pantheon. It was of the Ionic order; the lower part resting on a socle three feet high ; was com- posed of sixteen columns in pairs, four on each side ; their pedestals and capitals harmonizing with the friezed architecture and cornice. The columns, imitating white marble, were gilt and bronzed above ; and over the cornice on each side was a frontispiece, with passages in the life of Columbus figured in bass-relievo. Above this, on a pedestal, with a vignette of a crown of laurels and two olive branches, an obelisk was erected. At its foot, the escutcheon and arms of Columbus were figured, while it was further ornamented by three figures:— Time with his scythe and hour-glass, but having his hand tied behind him, — Death, the conqueror of all, himself prostrate, — and Fame, her right hand holding a serpent, in the shape of a circle, the emblem of eternity, and her left, a clarion, with which she proclaimed the glory of her hero, immor- NOTES ON CUBA. 55 tal in defiance of Time and Death. The arches also contained figures, —a weeping Genius in front, and on the sides, nautical trophies. On the sides of the obelisk not occupied by the figures, medallions, imitating grey jasper, were in- laid, having the following inscriptions: " Christophori de Colon cineribus ex Dominicano Insula, quam ditioni Castellae detexit ac subjugavit hue translatis in perpetuae gratitudinis signum Havana civitas hoc monumentum erexit, Anno Domini, MDCCXCVI." " Siste viator magni Christophori Colombi ex Insula Sancti Dominici translate hie cineres iacent. Mirabile Visu ! " " Havana civitas in pignus gratitudinis sterna? hoc monu- mentum extulit in translatione cinerum Christophori de Colon, ex Dofhinicani Insula, Anno Domini, 1796." On each side of the socle, a stair of four steps, in imitation of grey jasper, led into the interior of the pantheon, where the sarcophagus, already described, was placed ; while between the columns, folds and loops of black velvet, fringed with gold, hung in festoons. On the sides of the bier were placed two statues, resembling white marble, and larger than natural. One represented Spain as a beautiful matron, with the imperial crown, and dressed in a flowing robe, embroidered with castles and lions; her right hand grasping two sceptres, and her left pointing to two worlds. The other, America, with her bow and quiver, and her plumed crown; evincing by her posture, the gratification with which she acknowledged the dominion of Spain. At the head of the bier, a gilt tablet con- tained the following epitaph: " D. O. M.Claris. Heros. Ligustin. Christophorus Columbus a se, rei nautic. scient. insign. nov. orb. detect, atque Castell. et Legion, regib. subject. Vallisol occul. xii. kal jun. A. M. DVI. Cartusianor. Hispal. cadav. custod. tradit. transfer, nam ipse prescrips. in Hisponiolce Maetrop. ecc. hinc pace sancit. Gallice reipub. cess, in hanc V. mav. concept, imm. cath. ossa 56 NOTES ON CUBA trans, maxim, om. frequent, sepult. mand. xiv. Feb. A. MD.C. CX. CVI. Havan. Civit. Tant. vir. meritor. in se non immem. pretios. exuv.in optat. diem tuitur. hocce monum. erex. Presnl. JLL.D.D. Phillippo JPH. Trespalacios civic, ac militar. rei gen. praef. exmo. D. D Ludovico de las Casas." All the cornices of the frontispiece were illumi- nated, as well as the angles of the obelisk, to its summit; while below, surrounding the whole pan- theon, a hundred large wax candles on stands of a suitable size, and above, as many more, cast their lights on the golden ornaments. The union of the whole, and the exquisite appearance of each par- ticular part, presented to the eye a mass of sombre magnificence, that elicited the admiration of atl the spectators. The service of the dead was now sol- emnly chanted, and mass celebrated by the pontifi- cial and illustrious diocesan, which was followed by the funeral oration, delivered by Don Joseph Augustin. The last responses were then chanted, accompanied by solemn music.; and the coffin, borne by the Field Marshal, the Intendente, and other high officers, was conveyed to its destined resting- place in the wall of the church, as already described, and the opening to the cavity closed by the marble slab. Thus terminated the ceremonies of the day.j more remarkable for their object, than for the ex- traordinary concourse of people, of both sexes, who filled the streets, the Plaza, and the Church ; and the universal homage which the high and the low alike paid to the memory of departed worth. The resting-place of him whom five cities claimed as a son, is, moreover, by this record clearly marked; and a picture of the earlier days of Havana, although only a partial one, presented to us. It is also re- markable, that amid all the designs, inscribed on the banners, but one contained a slight allusion to the persecutions which this brave man suffered NOTES ON CUBA. 57 from his sovereigns ; as if silence could efface the stain they left on the escutcheon of his country. One of the banners bore a palm-tree loaded with chains, and the motto, "Adversus pondera surgo." A note to this states that " El creer mnchos que el Almirante rnurio preso y que fue enterrado con los grillos, nace de que jamas los perdio de vista, pves siempre los conserve en su retrete ; y asi mi a mo, pidio por clausula en su testamento, que los enter- rasen con ellos." No mention is made of any fetters having been found with his remains in the Cathe- dral of St. Domingo, and his ashes were transferred to the silver urn, that now holds them, on the adoption of the new constitution by Spain. At the same time a copy of it was placed in the leaden chest, and the old stone removed for the one that now closes the opening.in the wall, and which bears the following inscription ; "O restos e imagen del gran Colon! Mil siglos durad guardados en la Urna Yen la remembranza de nuestra nacion."* Returning homeward from the Cathedral, I passed through the calle Aguiar, in which the large con- vent San Juan de Dios is situated, now used solely for a hospital. Its gates were open, and asking permission of the porter to enter, informing him that I was a physician and a stranger, it was granted with that grace of manners that the lowest Creole knows so well to give to all his actions. It was a huge building, with high, unornamented walls with- out, offering nothing attractive to the eye ; and within, of irregular construction, with a double gal- lery open to the central square court. * What, after all, if these are not the ashes of Columbus! There was neither inscription nor sign on the leaden chest or plate, by which the enclosed remains could be certainly identified, — the account men- tions none; this, however, were heresy in Havana. 58 NOTES O.N Cl'KA. At the end of the passage leading from the gate, a small body of soldiers were lounging on benches before their quarters, and a number of convalescents promenading under the high arches supporting the second gallery. From it a wide door led into a spacious ward on the first floor, which was very cleanly, and was furnished with iron bedsteads with plank bottoms, some covered by blankets only, others by beds. Crossed at its extremity by a still larger room, the two were capable of accom- modating more than two hundred patients. Their lofty ceilings, and large windows opening high up, through the walls, rendered them cool, and afforded means of the freest ventilation. A great degree of neatness pervaded the whole place ; perhaps not as much as is seen in the Paris hopitals, but certainly more than I had witnessed in those of Italy, even of Rome itself. Many of the beds were occupied ; and an air of contentment was observable in the faces of the invalids, that told they were well treated. Indeed, the bread on their tables did not appear inferior to that used in my boarding-house; and the appear- ance of their bed-clothes, and everything around them, showed plainly that the hand of care had been there. Ascending a narrow flight of stone steps, I entered the ward appropriated to the recep- tion of free colored patients, and noticed with much pleasure that their accommodations were not a whit less comfortable than those for the whites. Here also the inmates seemed contented, and answered cheerfully my questions respecting their cases. Adjoining this was another ward for whites, con- taining about twenty patients. As I looked at the poor invalid in his clean bed, surrounded with more comforts than his home, if he had one, could afford ; and saw the convales- NOTES ON CUBA. 59 cent, whose pale features were lighted up by the first faint signs of returning health, promenading the galleries and feasting his sight with the bright sunshine, and the green shrubs that grew in the square beneath —I could not but reflect on the dif- ferent uses once made of this vast building, when perhaps it served chiefly to screen from public gaze scenes of revelry and dissipation. Nor could I refrain from rejoicing over that charity, that ex- tended its care as well to the colored as to the white man. Whatever may be said of Spanish cruelty to slaves, the accounts of which are often greatly exaggerated, they offer in their institutions for the relief of the sick free negro, an example which might well be followed by many of our Southern States. Nor is it alone when sick that he is pro- tected. Those who prate so much about the " cruel task-master of the South," cannot point out an instance, even on this island, where the free negro has been given up to mob violence, and his humble dwelling sacked under the eyes of the public au- thorities. Of their habits, privileges, etc., I will speak more fully, when I consider the probable in- fluence they will exercise on the future destinies of the island, forming, as they already do, a large and increasing class. The Prison of Havana is a noble monument, among many others, of the good effected by Tacon during kis residence on the island. It is situated without and near the gate of La Punta, not far from the sea ; the fresh breezes play freely through it, and protects its unfortunate inmates from those pestilential fevers arising from crowded and ill-ven- tilated rooms. It is quadrangular, each side being about 300 feet long and fifty high, and encloses a central square planted with shrubbery, and watered by a handsome fountain. It can contain 5000 60 NOTES ON CUBA. prisoners, and had more than 1000. The style of ftsArchitecture is simple but grand ; and although unenclosed by walls, and built with a chief care for the health of the inmates, its strongly ironed windows and doors, and large guard of soldiers, afford ample testimony of its security. It is said, its erection did not add to the expenses of the city; that it was built by the labor of the convicts, and with funds, which, before the administration of Tacon, had been dishonestly appropriated by the civil officers, and of which he deprived them. As I strolled with a friend to view it, and to enjoy the sea air from the rocks on the coast, I passed a long shed near to the prison, under which about a hundred convicts were busily employed in breaking stone. They were under a guard of sol- diers, and seemed very attentive to their work, perhaps from the dread of a heavy whip, which an overseer held in his hand. All did not have the chains generally worn by them,; but these may have been confined for lesser crimes. Continuing my walk, I passed close to the old Castillo de la Punta, the spot where the day before, a soldier had been shot by order of a court-martial, for burglary with threatening to take life. Two regiments were paraded on the occasion ; and the criminal, who was permitted to choose the manner of his death, between the garrot and the balls of his com- rades, selected the latter. The bloody turf Jiad been upturned, but many traces of the execution still remained on the blood-stained chips and other rub- bish around the spot. Military executions are not unfrequent; and when it is recollected that the soldiers are all from old Spain, often fresh from scenes of murder and rob- bery, in which perhaps not a few of them have participated, the strict discipline to which they are NOTES ON CUBA. 61 subjected in Cuba, will be felt indispensable. It was but last winter that a small guard with their officer, who had been sent from Matanzas to relieve the garrison of a fort near by, on the bay, deserted in a body, officer and men turning robbers. An unfortunate party they met were roughly handled ; a small lad belonging to it, having had his fingers wantonly cut off by one of the soldiers. Their brigand career was, however, a brief one, for they were soon all captured. Near the spot where the soldier had been shot, was the post to which the garrot is fixed when re- quired for use. This instrument consists of an iron semi-circle to fit the front of the neck, which is placed in it; while behind, a screw, on the princi- cle of those used in copying letters, presses against the first vertebra, near its junction with the skull. By a sudden turn the iron crushes the bone and spinal chord, near the point where the latter joins the brain, the medulla oblongata. Death produced in this manner, and that caused by the bursting of the heart, or rather of the arch of the aorta, as in aneu- rism of that vessel, are the only two which are sudden, and in which consequently but a moment- ary pang is felt. It is preferable to hanging, which, although intended to crush the spinal chord by meansof the dental process of the second vertebra, often from want of skill in the adjustment of the rope, destroys life by the lingering and painful process of suffocation. I have said that the prison is but one of the mon- uments of the benefits conferred by Tacon's ad- ministration on this island. On every side they meet the eye in improved streets and delightful paseos ; or are recognised in the numerous reforms he effected in the morals of the people and police. His was a noble instance of the power of mind 6 62 NOTES ON CUBA. over brute force. The disorganized state of the country is well known, when he took the reins of government. He not only put a sudden check to murder, robbery, and fraud, but he also stamped on the very people, whose corruption was a by-word to the world, and a stigma on the Spanish charac- ter, a sense of the morale which outlived his ad- ministration. Neither the noble nor the mean, the rich nor the poor, were shielded from the law. There was none of that mawkish sensibility present with him, that has become of late so fashionable with us, and of which our increasing cases of crime are in some measure the fruits. Punishment surely and quickly followed on the conviction of the ac- cused ; and the head of the murderer was often hung over the spot of the assassination, as a warn- ing to his comrades. In consequence of this even-handed justice, while he restored quiet to the country, and rendered the highway as safe as the public streets, he made many enemies among the rich, who had hitherto rode rough-shod over the poor; and they preferred charges against him for unnecessary cruelty. He referred his judges to the annals of the court; and it was found that fewer punishments had been in- flicted by him, than by the former governors, during the administration of whom, murder and robbery had stalked unchecked in open daylight, even in the streets of Havana. The means he adopted to effect this change, it is true, savored in some cases more of the camp, than of a court of law. The Captains of Partidos, county magistrates, were made answerable for the robberies committed in their districts, unless the robber was sent to Havana. Men were sometimes taken suddenly from the midst of their families where they lived in fancied security, were shown NOTES ON CUBA. 63 the indisputable proofs of their guilt, and at once exiled from the island, as inimical to its govern- ment ; and in some cases where the creditor, instead of the debtor, had been confined in the Morro from unjust accusation, Tacon paid the former out of his private purse, and informed the latter who was his present creditor. These are but a few of the anecdotes one hears continually of this wonderful man. They may be exaggerated, as well as those I have so often listened to about the worthy monks; but it is certain that his master-spirit was felt over an extent of territory as large as both England and Scotland, and that the country has never since been as free from murder and robbery, as it was under his administration. He governed Cuba four years, from 1834 to 1838. It requires but a glance at the population of Havana and its trade, to know its importance and wealth. There is no census extant of its earlier days, for all its records were burnt when it was sacked by pirates ; as early, however, as 1550, a list of its civil officers has been found. By the census of 1841, it was ascertained to contain within its walls, 48,860 inhabitants, of whom 22,118 were whites, 8973 were free colored, and 17,130 were slaves. Without the walls there were 87,519, of whom 38,666 were whites, 26,125 were free col- ored, and 22.728 were slaves. If we add to these 1119 criminals confined to hard labor, the whole will amount to 137,498. The troops in the garri- son, the seamen in the national and foreign vessels, and the transient passengers they bring, are calcu- lated to be 22,000. The villages -of Regla, Casa- Blanca, Horcon, Cerro, and Jesus del Monte con Luyano, which may well be considered as its sub- urbs, together contain 25,010; so, that its actual population is not less than 184,508 individuals. 64 NOTES ON CUBA. Of these 18,977 are resident foreigners, viz. ; 15,986 from the Peninsular and the Canary Isles ; 623 French; 327 English ; 153 Italians ; 309 from the rest of Europe; 81 from Porto Rico, and the Philli- pines ; 670 Mexicans, Colombians, and Peruvians ; 160 from St. Domingo ; and 668 North Americans ; of the Americans 255 are women, and of the Eu- ropeans 2692. Only two leagues from Havana, is the considerable town of Guanabacoa, containing 6634 inhabitants, which might also lie considered as an appendage of the metropolis. I will reserve the details of its commerce, until I speak of that of the whole island, and its impor- tance as a consumer to the United States ; and will at present merely take a general view of its im- ports and exports. In 1841, there entered its port, 1,563 vessels, measuring 252,251 tons. Of these, 702 were American ; and the port-charges on the whole, and the duties on the cargoes they brought amounted to $4,071,509. In the same year, 1653 sailed from it, of which 756 were American; the port-charges and duties on their cargoes amounted to $702,058. So, that the revenue of the city from these two sources alone, amounted in that year to $4,773,567 ; that of 1840 was still greater, $5,075,596. In the same year, 1841, its importa- tions were valued at $18,584,S77, and its exporta- tions at $14,203,292; of the latter $6,113,460 were for sugar, $1,112,854 for coffee, and $1,757,430 for tobacco. These are but uninteresting details for the gen- eral reader, but the best, and only definite way of giving a true picture of its wealth and trade. It may be almost superfluous here to remark, that Havana, besides the wealth she has drawn from her legitimate commerce, has also been indebted to the slave-trade for many a round sum of doubloons NOTES ON CUBA. 65 which have found their way into the coffers of her citizens ; and that, like Liverpool and Boston in their earlier days, her prosperity was in a measure built on that very trade. In the winters of 1840 and 1841, I saw several of those beautiful crafts, called Baltimore clippers, lying in her harbor, which were well known to be engaged in that trade ; and some of the largest commercial houses now existing in the city, owe their chief wealth to it. And now, for a season, farewell to the Havana. Little did I expect, when I first left my native shores, to find in this latitude a city of thy wealth and enterprise, and bearing on its face the impres.s of age, that thou presentest. One would almost suppose that thou hadst been transported from the old world, with all thy ancient-looking houses, narrow lanes, and outlandish people; and placed here as a memento of their fatherland for thy adopted sons. Thou knowest little of innovation, that busy demolisher of olden and builder of new things ; and a century hence, the eye may behold the same structure raising its massive walls, which now adorn thee. Thou containest yet a rich mine for investigation, in thy literature, amusements, tastes, and the scenes of thy domestic hearths ; thy early history, when thou didst succumb to the bold buccaneer ; thy present impregnable defences, and thy probable future destinies. But thy ungen- ial clime forbids a longer stay to the invalid ; and I must leave thee a while, for the untainted breezes, the fields, and the woodlands of the open country, whither the merry season of Christmas has already drawn from thee crowds of thy luxurious popula- tion. 6* 66 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER III. Trip to Guines — Scenery — Delay — Liberality of a Creole — The Town — Its Market — The Milkman — The Arriero — The Church — Its population —A Stroll into the Fields —Cupidity of an African- Cottages of Monteros — A Planter's Town House — Creole Beauty — Twelfth day in Cuba — Negro Processions — Montero Troops — Pub- lic Ball —Aviary of Game-Cocks— The Cock-pit—Honor among Gamblers — incongruous mingling of the Betters. We arrived at the railroad depot, outside the walls, just in time for the afternoon cars for Guines, a double train having been run for the accommoda- tion of passengers during the holidays. A soldier, stationed there, drove off the officious troops of black and white boys, who, when our volante stop- ped, proffered their services to carry our luggage to the receiving-room, a distance of a couple of yards, which job we left to our postilions to perform. Having procured tickets for ourselves, and brass pledges for our trunks, from an officer whose polite demeanor and fluency in our native tongue put us quite at our ease, we took our seat in one of the first-class cars, for there were three with different prices, and in a short time after were proceeding on our route. The paseos, the suburbs, and the beautiful gar- den of Tacon were all soon passed, and the open country, in all its loveliness, burst on our view. Well might the poet exclaim, " God made the country, and man the town ; " and his words come more forcibly to the heart if the former be within the tropics, and the latter a Spanish one. Our progress was not greater than twelve or fifteen miles an hour, but this only ena- NOTES ON CUBA. 67 bled us to enjoy more fully the beauties of the landscape. We were thus carried by well-stocked farms, surrounded by hedges of aloes; their dagger- pointed and stiff long leaves closely interlaced, bid- ding defiance to either ingress or egress. While from the centres of these clustered lances, erect flowering stems, with twisted branchlets and cup- like blossoms, raised their candelabra forms a score of feet high ; in their primness looking more like the work of art than of nature. Then came the square-trimmed lime hedge, with its small clusters of white flowers yielding their perfume to the air, equally impenetrable to man or beast; and next, long lines of uncemented stone fences, built of the jagged, honeycomb coral rock that abounds throughout the country. These often enclosed whole acres of luscious, fragrant pines, each sustained by a short foot-stalk above the circle of thorny leaves composing the plant, that were spread low over the ground. Some were still small, and blue with the half-withered flowrets that blossom all over the fruit ; others were ripe, large, and of a golden hue; while a few, the hardier kind, but less esteemed, were of a reddish-green tint. Now we passed by fields of plantains growing thickly together, bearing above their frail trunks heavy bunches of green fruit, with their terminating cones of unfructified flowers; their long, tender, fan-like leaves, torn in shreds by the wind, and drooping around, ragged and bruised, giving them the appearance of a crowd of slatterns in dishabille. Surrounding us on every side, many other valued treasures of our hot-houses, springing from the rich soil, arrested the attention by their foliage or flow- ers ; not wearing, moreover, the sickly look of pampered care, but fresh and vigorous, tended by nature's skilful hand. 68 NOTES ON CUBA. But the trees of the tropics alone are an inex- haustible source of admiration and wonder to the stranger. We were soon beyond the immediate neighborhood of the city, its gardens, its farms, and its hamlets; and their places were supplied by ex- tensive sugar and coffee estates, with their large portreros and woodlands. Here the royal palm, queen of the forest, met the eye on every side. Sometimes isolated, and irregularly scattered over fields of sugar-cane, with their tall, straight trunks, and their tufted crowns of long, branch-like, fringed leaves, waving and trembling in every breeze, and glistening in the rays of the sun, they stood, like so many guardian spirits of the land keeping watch over the rich verdure, stretching far in the distance beneath them. Now, in long avenues of turned Corinthian columns, their long leaves reaching across and intermingling, forming one continuous high-sprung arch, and their trunks glossed with white lichen as with paint, they led the eye to the country mansion of the planter, with its cool ve- randahs, and its back-ground of neatly thatched negro houses. While in the adjoining portreros, large clumps of them sheltered with their shade the cattle grazing peacefully at their feet. Coffee estates would occasionally be seen, with their low and evenly pruned shrubs closely planted, and divided into large squares by intersecting alleys of mangoes, or palms, or oranges; the latter laden with their golden fruit, very pictures of lavish wealth. The whole country was under high culti- vation, forming one immense garden ; and as the unwearied eye roamed over the wide expanse, and revelled in the beauties which hill and dale, wood- land and field presented, it seemed impossible that aught but peace could dwell amid such scenery; and the heart would insensibly be filled with vague NOTES ON CUBA. 69 desires after some such resting-place for the evening of life. My whole attention was not, however, engrossed by the landscape. Close by me sat two pretty brunettes, with the glossy, black locks, and soft, dreamy eyes of the creole girl, with whom I man- aged to keep up an occasional conversation in brok- en Spanish ; totally unconscious of the hundredth part of the mistakes I made, from the facility with which they guessed the meaning of my phrases, and the perfect courtesy of manners which they constantly preserved. They were under the care of a respectable, elderly-looking gentleman, with white pantaloons, a brown cloth coat, and a colored straw hat ; who betrayed in his demeanor an odd mixture of the bearing of a parent towards his young charges, and that of a young man towards those around him. Close to us, half a dozen fash- ionable beaux from the metropolis were enjoying their cigars, the smoke of which would frequently be blown by the wind into our faces, but which did not seem to annoy my pretty companions. They were evidently on their way to Guines, to storm the hearts of its rustic belles, and to lord it over the young Monteros in the balls, which at this season of festivity were there given almost nightly. With all their Spanish courtesy they resembled the exquisite wherever found, being perfectly satisfied with themselves. The rest of the passengers had that common-place look, which one meets with among people from every quarter of the globe, fa- miliar faces apt to be claimed as old acquaintances. It was, moreover, a holiday ; and at every station where we stopped to leave passengers or take in fuel, a crowd of Monteros, with their wives and children, the latter not unfrequently naked, and groups of idle, joyous negroes were waiting to greet 70 NOTES ON CTBA. n us. The women and men were often quietly en- joying their cigars, and the white, brown and black races amicably intermingled without apparent dis- tinction. At one place, where we filled our tanks, a lad brought us some cake and wine, which quick- ly brought around him my fellow travellers, the exquisites; I joined also, but when I opened my purse to pay for my portion, I learned that one of them had already settled for the whole company. Knowing it to be the custom on the island that the first of a party who finishes pays the scot, I did not mingle any expostulations with my acknow- ledgments of the compliment. Again our cars were in motion, and when one third on our route, all of us were eagerly looking out of the doors and windows at a large crowd, that was gathered about a car some distance on the road before us. Rumor had told us, that the last sum- mer the whole train had been stopped, and a large sum of money, that it was conveying to Guines, had been taken from it by robbers, who had been apprised of its removal. Although it -had no foundation, we did regard with some anxiety the crowd, but soon found that they had gathered to look on the downward train that had run off the track. Not one of the Monteros, however, lent the least assistance to the few whites and negroes at- tached to the road, who were actively engaged in replacing the cars. To our regret, we learned that it would detain us two hours ; so we willingly con- sented to be rolled back to the last posada we had passed. Having been dinnerless we made a gen- eral rush to its bar, where, amid garlicky sausages, bread, cheese, and Catalan wine, we forgot our dis- appointment. The sun had just set when we continued our journey; but the landscape was even more beauti- NOTES ON CUBA. 71 ful in the soft light of declining day than under his bright rays. The east wind had subsided into a perfect calm, as it generally does at this time, and an air of peaceful quiet hung over the whole land. Even the fringed foliage of the palms was motion- less, and drooped pendaut from the long and grace- fully arched stems ; reminding one of those bunches of ostrich feathers worn by the belles of past days, which then seemed to add so much to a stately figure and bearing. About us, surrounding objects were mellowed by the increasing shades, but in the distance all was becoming indistinct ; save the giant ceyba, whose wide-spread foliage, like a vast umbrella, raised in mid-air, was still plainly visible above the gloom below ; and the rows of tall palms on the bare ridges of distant hills, whose trunks and tufted crowns were painted in bold relief against the clear sky. Star after star now rapidly appear- ed, for here no twilight forms the imperceptible link between day and night, and the whole firma- ment was soon blazing with its thousand lamps. Now and then we passed an estate, on which the negroes were clustered around large fires of corn- husks, which they were removing from the Indian grain, preparatory to grinding it for their morning meal. The fires were sometimes close to the road, the flames shone brightly on their laughing faces, and their loud cries rang merrily on the air as they cheered us. At the stations where we stopped, there were also lights, and some fires along the road; and many curious inquiries were made about the cause of our delay. But our attention was soon engrossed by a large basket of excellent Gali- cian ham, bread, cheese, olives, cakes, sugar-plums and wine, among which several bottles of cham- pagne figured conspicuously. The whole had been furnished at our last stopping-place, by the liberality 72 NOTES ON CUBA. of a fellow passenger, one of the officers of the road, who brought us all around it to partake of its varied contents. Our pretty brunettes had left us, soon after we had passed the spot where the overturned cars had de- tained us ; and as we sat in a circle, eating and drinking, we soon became a right joyous set. Two young Creoles sang patriotic songs, the air of which sounded very much like the Marsellaise, and in which the word libertad occurred oftener than would have been agreeable to the ears of the Cap- tain-General. However, all united enthusiastically in the chorus ; while, although I could not join in their libations, I was helped bountifully from the other contents of the basket, and had my pockets filled with cakes and sugar-plums by the liberal pro- vider of the feast. All were very temperate in the use of the wine, inebriation being here the most unpardonable of vices; the greatest good-humor prevailed throughout the whole, and our party sep- arated only when we arrived, at nine o'clock, at Guines. The servant of our future host was wait- ing at the depot for us, and under his guidance, preceded by a long file of negroes with our heavy trunks on their woolly heads, we soon reached his excellent hotel, and forgot all the events of the day in a sound sleep. San Julian de los Guines, during the dry season, is one of the most pleasant inland towns on the island. It then lies on a hard, black soil, and is free from that fine dust so annoying on red lands When the rains set in, about July, from the streams that meander around and through it, and the deep ruts in the road, I suspect it rests in a perfect quag- mire. It contains 2500 inhabitants, who are re- markably civil to strangers ; and being at the ter- minus of the railroad, forty-five miles from Havana NOTES ON CUBA. 73 and only twelve miles from the south coast of the island, it has lately increased suddenly in impor- tance. This is evident from the number of spruce modern shops intermingled with its ancient rusty tiendas, and a certain lively, flourishing look, quite uncommon in a Cuba country town. The invalid will here also escape, in a great measure, from the drifting rains of the northers; the mountains on the north almost completely exhausting the water of the clouds before they reach the town. The houses are very neat for the island, having before them wide, smooth pavements, protected from the rays of the sun by contiguous sheds, un- der the shade of which one might enjoy a promenade, even at mid-day. It contains a large church, of a cru- cial form, having a square tower, painted blue, a favor- ite color throughout the island for public buildings; but the architecture was rude, and its internal em- bellishments very poor. There was also a commo- dious and cleanly-kept hospital for the destitute in the town; barracks for soldiers; a public hall, in which the new lieutenant-governor was received the day after I arrived ; a large ball-room ; and, as a thing indispensable to the happiness of the inhabi- tants, a spacious cock-pit. The morning after my arrival, I strolled out to enjoy the delightful air felt in this climate, soon after the day has broke. The sun was just rising as I passed by the market, which was filled with bunches of green plantains, that natural bread of the creole, and heaps of yams, yuca, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. The place was already throng- ed with purchasers, but the venders seemed in- different whether they bought or not, and measured out the quantity sold, with an air of nonchalance. Their customers were chiefly men, but their de- portment would have been far different, had they 74 NOTES ON CUBA. been of the gentler sex, for to them the creole is profuse in his compliments. A long shed covered the butchers' shambles, with large slices of beef and pork hung along its whole front. A portion presented a hue too closely approaching that called the game color, to be altogether acceptable to the eye of a stranger; but this I learned was jerked pork, a favorite preparation of the meat with the creole. Some, indeed, was being prepared close by; being hung on poles over the smoke of a fire ; having been first salted ; the only method by which meat can be at all preserved in this perpetual summer clime. The market would not have been perfect without a cook's shop; and near bjj the church was a small one, with a dozen parrots in cages before it, which by their screams seemed to invite all within hear- ing to partake of the savory dishes exposed on the shelves. Among them were several with a light green plumage, and yellow crowns, brought from Mexico, and highly valued for the ease with which they are taught to speak. Seeing me admiring them, the cook left his pots and pans, and entered into a long account of their good qualities, ending by offering one to me for a doubloon ; but I declined accepting it, and he quickly returned to his kitchen. Slowly promenading under the porches of the houses, I could not refrain from occasionally peep- ing into the parlors and chambers, as I passed their large iron-grated windows. But the inmates were all up, and although now and then, a fair senora might be seen in dishabille, the whole household were generally engaged in the duties of the day, for the creole is always an early riser. Several were engaged in sweeping the pavements; others were clustered around the milkman's cow, which had been brought to their doors, and were waiting their turn, to have their pitchers filled from the NOTES ON CUBA. 75 slow stream ; while a calf, tied just without tast- ing distance, looked piteously on, and at times showed signs of impatience, as he saw his morning meal borne off. When all had been supplied, he was muzzled, and his halter tied to the extremity of the cow's tail. One rush to her bag was tried, but the cruel netting frustrated all attempts to taste the bland fluid, and the poor animal quietly followed in the rear, as the man drove his cow to the houses of his other customers. At other doors, the malhokero was counting out his small bundles of green fodder, each containing a dozen stalks of Indian corn, with the leaves and tas- sels attached, the common daily food of the horse. On their pack-horses were bundles of small-sized sugar- cane, neatly trimmed and cut into short pieces; selected small, on account of their superior richness, offering to the creole a grateful refreshment during the heat of the noon. Others carried large matted panniers, slung over their clumsy straw saddles, filled with fine ripe oranges, the favorite and healthy morning repast of the native and the stranger, the well and the invalid. As the day progressed, mounted monteros were seen galloping through the streets, just arrived from their farms; each with his loose shirt worn over his pantaloons, its tail fluttering in the breeze; while his long sword, lashed to his waist by a handkerchief, dangled at his back. Then there was the heavy cart, laden with sugar for the railroad depot, drawn by eight strong oxen, the front pair some twenty feet in advance of the rest; its freight of boxes, bound down firmly with cords, and cov- ered with raw hides. By its side the driver stalked, dressed in a loose shirt and trousers, which once may have been white, but now closely resembled the soil in their hue, and a high peaked straw hat, 76 NOTES ON CUBA. with a wide rim, on his head. He held in his hand a long pole, armed with a goad, with which he urged forward his slow-moving team ; often striking the sharp nail, at its extremity, repeatedly into the flank of an ox, until the poor animal, in his endeav- ors to escape, seemed to drag the whole load by his sole strength. Other carts were returning to their distant sugar estates, laden with planks cut into proper sizes, and fastened in packages, each contain- ing all the sides to make a sugar-box; thus put up, by our ingenious northern friends, for the Cuba market. The arriero with his pack-horses, eight or a dozen in number, was also seen urging them on by his voice and the occasional crack of his whip ; while they staggered under their heavy loads of charcoal, kegs of molasses, or of aguardiente, and the halter of each being tied to the extremity of the tail of the horse before, moved in single files, carefully picking their way. Suddenly one of the hindmost ones would stop to survey the path, when there would be such a general stretching of tails, that bid fair to leave some of them in the state of Tam O'Shanter's mare, after her hard-won race. The whip of the arriero would, however, soon remove the difficulty, and the long line would again move forward. As I passed the church on my return homeward, one of the morning masses had just ended; and a number of ladies, dressed chiefly in black, with sev- eral negro women, arrayed in white suits, with lace shawls thrown over their heads, were leaving its doors. The crowd was larger than I had seen at many a like place in Havana, although it was not the Sabbath. But it must be recollected that here was only one church for the whole town of 2500 inhabitants, and its eight cuartones, containing more than 12,000 persons more. NOTES ON CUBA. 77 After breakfast I set out for a stroll into the sur- rounding country, with my gun on my shoulder, but more for a promenade than in search of game. The town was now quite alive with pedestrians and horsemen. A troop of merry school-boys were con- gregated about the doors of the seminary, and as I passed, I could not help asking one of them, who held a cigarillo in his hand, if he intended to smoke it. A look of disdain was the only answer I re- ceived, while he approached two lads of his own size, who were smoking large cigars, and ignited his own. The three puffed away as if they had done nothing else all the days of their lives, the oldest not being twelve years. The suburbs of the town was composed of thatched cottages with mud walls, out of which peered not a few pretty faces, as I passed, and I saw more than one pair of black eyes following me, and gazing on my hunting-shirt and shooting accoutrements. Beyond, farm after farm occupied the grounds; some sowed in Indian corn as closely as oats, and just springing from the soil, intended for food for horses and cattle; or planted three together, the hills not two feet apart, already in tassel, and bear- ing the nearly mature grain. Others were covered with sweet potato vines and pumpkins; there was also a plentiful show of okra and tomatoes, salad, carrots, turnips, and tall, tree-like cabbages, with yuca, yams, and other tropical vegetables, giving to the grounds a thriving appearance. Long canals, with their sides embanked, traversed the flat plains ; and their rapid streams, elevated above the level of the soil, in several places were drawn off, to irrigate the land, by breaking through their sides, or by ob- structing the course of the stream by temporary transverse dams. The rivers in this flat district, which run parallel, 7* 78 NOTES ON CUBA. are generally elevated above each other; so, that many streams run from one and empty into the river below. I was informed by an intelligent en- gineer on the Guines and Havana railroad, that in surveying its track, they found this to be the case of three considerable streams ; and that on one occa- sion, during a freshet, those most elevated poured their superabundant waters, by side streams, into the lowest, and so swelled its current, that a large and strong stone bridge was carried away by it. The soil was black, resembling marsh-mud, but without a grain of sand in it, the substratum being lime-stone. It was so tenacious, that a bank a foot thick served to confine the waters of a canal, four foot wide, which, instead of washing away the sides, left a white deposit on them. Now I passed over large portreros, with cattle browsing on the short grass, which although now only a few inches high, grows rapidly after the first rains, and affords an abundant pasturage to large herds of oxen and horses. Flocks of sheep, and herds of swine, under the care of a few negroes, were feeding in another direction, near the unen- closed, cultivated fields of the neighboring farms. These were frequently seen unprotected by either fence or hedge, for all the cattle were either tether- ed, or under the care of keepers, or were enclosed in portreros. It is chiefly along the highways, that one is necessary to keep out intruders, especially the thieving arriero. I saw but little game ; so, after wandering through a large wood of bamboos, planted in clumps, and searching the nursery of a coffee estate, where I was most uncivilly, although indirectly, taught that I was an intruder, by the mayoral, a tall, swarthy, dirty-looking Spaniard, I determined to wend my way homeward. But I had walked more than five NOTES ON CUBA. 79 miles, and I could not refrain from stopping by the hut of a negro, who was living there to guard the adjoining cane-field, and requesting the loan of a bench. On this I rested, under the shade of a palm, enjoying the refreshing juice of some choice canes, that the old man brought to me. He had evidently spent his earlier days in Africa's wild for- ests, for his face was covered with scars; and his ignorance of Spanish, proved that he was either a poor linguist, or had not been very long on the island. Hombre! questo hombre ! he exclaimed, as he surveyed, with glistening eyes, the medio I gave him for the use of his bench and the canes. I thought he was quite satisfied; but I had only awakened new desires in his heart. He showed me his cow-skin sandals, and the withes of the same material, with which they were bound to his feet; and, eyeing my knife, begged me when next I passed there, to bring him a common one, to make a new pair of shoes. As I continued to nod to his requests, the common knife was transformed gradu- ally into a first-rate one, the last words he uttered being, "recollect, uno muy fino, muy, muy fino." I returned to the village by a route which led me through the farms, and brought me very frequently by the very doors of the cottages. These were all thatched with palm-leaves, with walls of poles, and mud plastered thickly on them, to fill up the cracks; the floors being of the latter material, and often not higher than the ground without. They contained but little furniture ; a table, one or two stools, a cot, and a few plates or jugs, composed all the household articles ; while women, dressed often in a single gown, half open and half off their shoulders, and squalid, dirty children, with nought save the covering nature gave them, formed the family group. Yet there was something pictur- 80 NOTES ON CUBA. esque in the appearance of the whole. The hut, shaded by groups of cocoas, or under the wide- spread foliage of an almond-tree, with the ground blackened by the last crop of nuts, and surrounded by plantains, and orange and lemon trees, with air- plants hanging from every grove, or covering the rocks, wherever the foliage of shrubbery protected them from the rays of the sun,—gave them an inter- est in my eyes, and brought to my recollection the beautiful pictures of tropical scenery, drawn by Ber- nardin St. Pierre, in his inimitable tale of Paul et Virginie. The cocoas looked so tempting, that I asked the price ; when a lad offered to procure four for one rial, or twelve cents. He was not more than ten years old, but without a moment's hesitation he climed up the tall trunk of one of the trees, resting only for a moment mid-way in his ascent; and holding on to the long branch-like leaves, crawled into its tufted crown, and pushed off the fruit with his feet, crying out to me from his giddy height to take care of my head. The little fellow seemed quite fearless, winding his light body between the leaves, more than fifty feet in the air, and stretching out his full length to reach the best nuts. He descended with- out being at all fatigued, and procuring a knife, cut through the rind and shell of the nut, which, when green, is not hard, and offered the vegetable milk to me. In its unripe state it contains about a pint of refreshing fluid, and the pulp is then so soft, that it can, like cream, be scraped from the shell with a spoon, but neither has that rich oily flavor they possess when mature. On entering the village, I crossed a large public square, having in its centre a small monument, with a Saracenic look, which the loyal citizens of Guines had erected to the present queen of Spain. It was protected by a lightning-rod, but the lightning or NOTES ON CUBA. 81 the winds had not respected it, for the top of the column had been broken off. Facing this square was an immense private mansion of one of the rich planters in the neighborhood, who spent about three months of the year in Guines, and the remainder in Havana. The porch to it measured one hundred and fifty feet, and its wide, smooth pavement was protected by a high terraced roof, supported on eleven arches and pillars. Between the large win- dows, (which all around the house were protected by iron bars,) the walls were handsomely deco- rated with landscapes in fresco, giving to the front an airy and romantic appearance. The build- ing, which was an oblong square, the sides each two hundred feet in length, with walls twenty-eight feet in height, forming a single story, enclosed, within, a large spot of ground, converted into a beautiful garden filled with shrubbery, with a small, rapid stream of water from a neighboring rivulet traversing it. I walked into this Eastern-looking palace through the door of the stable, which was invitingly open, and where I counted seven volantes. Here I was met by the groom, who, in the absence of his master, assumed the responsibility to let me stroll through the long corridors, which formed one con- tinuous, shaded walk around the whole garden ; and peep into the numerous bedrooms and parlors. which, with their iron-grated windows, looked very much like prisons. With all its grandeur, an air of desolation hung about its silent and deserted halls ; and I thought of its possible future tenants, should the designs of England on this island be accom- plished. The houses of Guines are nearly all of one story, and like all others on the island, have their windows protected by perpendicular iron rods fixed firmly 82 NOTES ON CUBA. into the frame. Behind these the ladies of the family sit during the afternoons, like so many caged birds, and converse with their passing friends. It is a pleasant way of paying a visit, and one may thus see a great many acquaintances in a short time ; for although the invitation to enter is always given, it is not unfrequently declined. When the shades of evening set in, the ladies themselves promenade under the porches, dressed neatly and without hats. The supper table of our hotel, which could be plainly seen through the window, was, with its group of busy eaters, an object of much interest to them. Many would linger to look at the Inglesis, as they called us to our faces — when we were absent the term Judios, (hudeos) Jews, was applied to us, a generic appellation given to all for- eigners. Some of the ladies boarding at our hotel had formed an acquaintance in the church with a Spanish family, consisting of a mother and three daughters ; they had carried them to their home, and to gratify them had unloosed their luxuriant black hair, which fell in thick locks covering the whole back. In a few days they returned their visit; and although many blunders were made by our party in paying them compliments, they preserved all the self-possession of polished ladies, and were lively without being boisterous ; played on the piano with considerable execution, and one sang with much effect in a clear voice of great compass. The grateful manners of the creole girl is remark- able. Whether bred in the thatched cottage of the poor montero, or in the stately mansion of the wealthy planter, she intuitively acquires all the ease of polished life. Her beauty is distinguished by a downy skin of clear olive, without the slightest tinge of carmine ; a full developed bust; a juste NOTES ON CUBA. 83 milieu stature ; and a form, which reminds one of those fine figures, artificial or natural, that in the capital of France so frequently meet the eye, which, however, in the daughters of Cuba is unaided by art. But her most striking feature are eyes rivalling, in their jetty hue, her luxuriant hair ; and emitting ever a soft, dreamy expression, as if the soul were luxuriating in delicious thoughts—it is the Italian eye, with an additional dash of the Houri in it, and is often guarded by long silken lashes. A faint, embryo mustache sometimes completes the picture, casting a softened wreath of shade above the mouth, and with a rich lip, and rounded chin, sets off her oval features. The next day being el dia de los Reyes, twelfth- day, almost unlimited liberty was given to the negroes. Each tribe, having elected its king and queen, paraded the streets with a flag, having its name, and the words viva Isabella, with the arms of Spain, painted on it. Their majesties were dressed in the extreme of the fashion, and were very cere- moniously waited on by the ladies and gentlemen of the court, one of the ladies holding an umbrella over the head of the queen. They bore their honors with that dignity which the negro loves so much to assume, which they, moreover, preserved in the pres- ence of the whites. The whole gang was under the command of a negro marshal, who, with a drawn sword, having a small piece of sugar-cane stuck on its point, was continually on the move to preserve order in the ranks. But the chief object in the group was an athletic negro, with a fantastic straw helmet, an immensely thick girdle of strips of palm-leaves around his waist, and other uncouth articles of dress. When- ever they stopped, their banjoes struck up one of their monotonous tunes, and this frightful figure 84 NOTES ON CUBA. would commence a devil's dance, which was the signal for all his court to join in a general fandango, a description of which my pen refuseth to give. Yet when these parties stopped at the doors of houses, which they frequently did to collect money from their inmates, often intruding into the very passages, the ladies mingled freely among the spec- tators. Only three tribes paraded the streets of Guines, but Havana is on this day in a perfect hub- bub, and the confusion that seems to reign among its colored population is indescribable. On all the plantations the negroes, also, pass the day in danc- ing to the music of their rude instruments ; and the women, especially, are decked out in all the finery of tinsel and gaudy clothes. Songs are often com- bined with the dance, and in their native dialects they ridicule their owners before their faces, enjoy- ing with much glee their happy ignorance of the burthen of their songs. Their African drums are then heard far and near, and their sonorous sounds, now falling, now rising on the air, seem like the summons to a general insurrection. Tired of the scenes of the village, I rode out to the loma de Candela, a mountain near by, not re- markable for its height, but from which an exten- sive view is obtained of the plain of Guines, stretching out even to the sea six leagues off, without a single elevation to vary the appearance of its level surface ; and watered by fine rivers, form- ing one of the richest tracts of land on the island. As far as the eye could discern objects, it was in a high state of cultivation, covered with situos, por- treros, and coffee and sugar estates — the last dis- tinguishable at a great distance by the light green of the cane's foliage ; while numerous royal palms, and avenues of mangoes and orange, gave it the appearance of an immense garden. On the north it NOTES ON CUBA. 85- was bounded by a chain of mountains covered by dense forests, having many large gaps breaking through the line ; and one could not but fancy that the level below, with its black alluvial soil, had once been the bed of an extensive lake, suddenly drained by the sinking of part of its barriers into the sea. As I continued my ride over the spurs and the beautiful valleys beyond the first ridge, I met many mounted horsemen completely accoutred, riding towards the village. Some were dressed in green cloth coats, with gold lacings and short skirts ; these were the officers, the rest were in citizen's dress. They all saluted me courteously on passing; and while returning homeward, I saw the whole troop, about two hundred strong, manoeuvreing. These monteros, whatever may be their value when op- posed by regular troops, form an efficient cavalry for the protection of the country against insurrec- tions of the blacks. Many of them do not own a single slave, and all have an utter contempt for the prowess of the negro, and in former outbreaks have defeated a body of them ten times their number. The afternoon was passed by the good people of Guines in lounging about ; but I did not witness the least disorder, nor see a single drunkard, white or colored. The day was closed by a public ball, which well deserved that name, for the doors were thrown open to all who chose to enter; the ex- penses having been privately paid by gamblers from Havana, who had adopted these means to lure players to their monte tables. Accompanied by some ladies, I went to it at eight o'clock, but the large hall was already filled. Monteros, and the lower classes of villagers, freely intermingled with blacks and browns, crowded the porch, gazing in- tently on the scene within, through the large doors 8 86 NOTES ON CUBA. and windows, which they completely blocked up. A passage was, however, opened for us, and when within, the sight was very beautiful; far exceeding anything we expected to see at a creole village ball. The room was spacious and well lighted, while on a double row of chairs, more than two hundred neatly dressed ladies formed a square, in the middle of which a number were waltzing. Their dresses were of muslins, chiefly white or light-colored; some were decorated with a few artificial flowers or ribbands, but the whole was free from gaudiness ; they were, moreover, all the work of their own hands, a mantua-maker being unknown in Guines, and in style were fashionable, although the mate- rials were none of the finest. The back-ground was occupied by a crowd of genteel looking men, passed the middle term of life, the papas and guardians of the young revellers; these, by a conveniently placed door, could either enter an adjoining room and play at monte or bil- liards, or purchase dulces for their fair charges from a bar next to it. There was not an officer at the door, nor a manager in the room ; yet not one ill- mannered nor ill-dressed person was seen among the more than three hundred villagers which it con- tained. The waltz was soon relinquished for their favorite, the Spanish dance ; and to the time of its slow music, I thought I had never before seen such graceful figures move. The ease of all their atti- tudes, their erect bearing, their knowledge of all the intricacies of the dance, guided alone by the music, their fine dark tresses, and the peculiar soft expression of their black eyes, called forth the admiration of our whole company. And then the waltz — Charlotte must have had a Spanish dancing- master to have so enchanted the soul of Werther ; but I also coincided in his opinions of its insidious NOTES ON CUBA. 87 effects, while I was entranced by its swinging, float- ing circles. There was not much beauty present, but there were many pretty faces ; and a creole girl armed with her fan is irresistible. It seems almost like a part of her very body; and as she whirls it open and closes it, now concealing one half of her face, now dropping it in her lap, exposing her oval fea- tures and fine bust, and again shielding her neck and bosom with the painted and gilded screen, it looks like the wing of some beautiful tropical bird. While dancing, they were intrusted to the care of their partners, who placed them in the bosoms of their vests, returning them afterwards with many bows. During the intervals of the dances, the ladies retired to their seats; there was no promen- ading, and the gentlemen left them entirely to themselves. Indeed, there could be but little con- versation between the sexes, an introduction not being required to obtain the hand of a lady for the dance. At a former ball in the country, I had taken a peep at the ladies when some of them had retired into another open room, and had seen the whole party smoking. But whatever may have been the tastes of those of Guines, they did not this evening indulge in that luxury, for none left the hall. Nor was there served among the refreshments, that prominent one at even the most fashionable creole balls, the jigote, a soup made of turkey, minced and boiled with spices. The ball closed before twelve, and the ladies left, as they had come, bareheaded and mostly on foot. The season of Christmas is here, as elsewhere, one of general rejoicing; but the most brilliant entertainments are always given on Sundays, that day being especially set apart for amusements of all kinds, cock-fights, stage-play- ing, etc. 88 NOTES ON CUBA. Some one has said, " Let me write the songs, and I care not who makes the laws of a nation ;" and public amusements are as true an index to the sen- timents of a people, as popular ballads. One who wishes to study the creole character, should not fail to visit the cock-pit ; but before we go there, let us look into the aviary, where the feathered champions are trained for combat. You may know that this is the gate from the heap of feathers by. it, to which that negro, with a bird in his arms, is adding, by clipping closely off the plumage of his neck, breast and back. See how quietly he submits to the trimming of his wings and tail ; one would almost believe he felt a pride in the new cut of his feathered coat. Let us now enter the spacious and cleanly-kept yard. There is the house of him, whose whole occupation, day after day, is to tend on game-cocks. Here are their comfortable roosts in separate boxes three feet square, kept in the greatest cleanliness. Over the yard are scattered more than a hundred of the birds sunning them- selves ; each carefully attached by a string to a post, to prevent profitless combats with his neigh- bors. They are at present on good terms, for each is chaunting aloud his respective notes of exulta- tion, without the slightest manifestations of anger towards the others. What a spectacle for the biped brute, the public boxer, who, like these, is trained and fed for combat with his fellow man. In one corner is a small pit into which two are carried, their spurs having been first masked with cloth. How quickly their quiet demeanor changes to anger, and what coolness and skill is evinced in all their attacks and defences. One runs, but it is only his mode of combat ; and see, he turns on his adversary again and again, plucking his bill full of feathers from his neck, for neither has yet been NOTES ON CUBA. 89 under the trimmer's shears. Their heads are now in a gore of blood, and they are separated; aguar- diente is blown on their wounds, in their eyes, and down their throats, and they are replaced in their cells to await a future and mortal combat. The birds in this aviary are owned by different persons, who pay the keeper for his care and training. They are fed for three weeks previous to fighting, daily, on as much corn as they will eat at one meal, and two ounces of water : at noon they are brought out to rustle in the dust and bask in the sunshine four hours. They vary in value, from one to four doubloons, but some, of the best breed, after trial are found to be worth nothing. The English game- cock is prized here only for crossing the breed, for he cannot compete with the lighter but more active Cuba bird. A padre, one kept for that purpose, is sometimes valued at six or eight doubloons, more than one hundred dollars. The pathologist, amid the inmates of the charnel- house, seeks out the cause of corporeal suffering and death, and he, who would study the diseases of the mind, should not shrink from entering the haunts of vice. To see the cock-pit, one must devote to it the Sabbath, the chief day for the ex- hibition. As I passed along the road to it, I met many mounted monteros. Each had his long sword hanging from his side, and a palm-basket under his arm, from which the head and neck of a game-cock protruded; the sides being gently pressed to his body, kept his wings closed, and secured him from being jolted by the horse's mo- tion. It was already past twelve, the hour at which the sport commences, and as I passed through the gate, where stood a man collecting the entrance- money, I saw his table covered by the swords of 90 NOTES ON CUBA. those who had entered, the carrying any weapon into the pit being prohibited. Surrounding this, standing or seated on the am- phitheatre of benches, a crowd of whites, mulat- toes, and blacks were assembled ; all dressed in clean attire, and intermingled without distinction of color. In a box sat three judges, as dignified as if about to try one of their own species for life or death ; while on the faces of the rest, each passing emotion of the mind was freely shown. Indeed, although I had visited all the hells of Paris, —the gilded and licensed, as well as the obscure cellar in which the lowest did congregate, — I had nowhere seen the inmost workings of the gambler's soul more fully exposed, than in the features of these spectators. Here, the warm sons of the South conceal none of the excitement the game produces ; it is only modified by the temperament and educa- tion of each individual. The native of old Spain, his heart filled with the most perfect contempt of his creole neighbors, amid his dignified demeanor, shows by his gestures the interest he feels in the scene before him. The latter, with no such restraint, expresses his feelings as they rise, in varied gestic- ulations and vociferations ; while Afric's dusky son, perhaps but recently brought out of his native forests, with all his untamed passions rife within, under the terrible feelings of the gambler, enacts the perfect maniac. Two birds were brought in, and having been weighed, their owners carried them around, banter- ing the spectators for bets, and occasionally permit- ting them to peck at each other. The sight of them, with the suddenness of an electric shock, seemed to rouse the latent passion in each bosom, and the place was immediately filled with tumul- tuous voices. Cries of offered bets resounded on NOTES ON CUBA. 91 all sides; u una once on the black, una once ;" a shake of the finger from one opposite, and the bet was accepted, without a word having been ex- changed. " Tres onces por la plata ;" "no! dos onces," answers one, who had only two doubloons; " Tres onces, make it up among your friends ; " and some adding eighths, some quarters, the sum was completed, and a nod informed the better that his offer was accepted. " Cinco pesos, cinco pesos por la plata," "five dollars on the silver feathers," cries a stout black, his body bent over the railing, his eyes protruded, and arm extended, shaking his forefinger at each person, to find one to accept his offer; " cinco pesos, cinco pesos," hs.vociferates, in gestures and motion a perfect madman. Close by his side, another negro, intent on the same object, and anxious lest his rival should monopolize all the bets, with both arms extended, strives for the market by the force of his voice. Opposing ban- ters from the backers of the other bird, in loud cries, are also heard, and the mingled voices in a continued din strike on the pained ear. One is surprised how accounts are kept, for no money is ever staked, and no witnesses called. A nod, or a shake of the finger is the only pledge given, yet disputes never arise about it. The bets are now taken, the two birds are pitted, and all but their owners retire without the enclosure. They commence fighting as soon as placed on the ground, and the now silent crowd, with outstretched necks, gaze intently on them. Not a sound is heard, but the blows given by the wings of the birds ; but a lucky gash from the spur of one sets all voices again going, and odds are freely asked and taken. This was repeated several times, when- ever one seemed to gain a decided advantage, until no doubt remained of the victor. The betters then 92 NOTES ON CUBA. looked on listlessly, as the triumphant bird followed closely his defeated adversary, which, now retreat- ing, now attempting to ward off the blows, faintly and more faintly returned them, until completely exhausted he sank down, and unresistingly received the continued attacks of the other until life was extinct. The victor now exulted in loud crowings over the dead bird, but he was not permitted long to enjoy his triumph ; for the owner, with his mouth filled with aguardiente, squirted the smart- ing fluid into his eyes and throat, and on all his wounds, sucking the whole bleeding head repeated- ly. The combat lasted nearly a half hour, for gaffs are not used >*but no signs of impatience were ex- hibited, and but little interest was taken in the fate of the birds themselves, independent of that of the bets connected with theirs. To the naturalist, the exhibition of the peculiar qualities of this breed of the pheasant tribe, would have been highly interesting, as the emotions shown by the spectators would have been to the student of human nature. In the philanthropist, the whole scene could only excite feelings of pity mingled with disgust, for the injury it caused to the morals of the men, and the cruelty of the sport. There were many young lads among the crowd. One with a gentle eye sat next to me, and I asked him if he had a game-cock. " Oh yes, a very fine one," he replied. " Is he worth an ounce ? " He laughed and told me no, but that he would not sell him for four rials. My heart filled with pity for the child, at the thought that ere long his kindly feelings would be exchanged for the fiendish passions of the gamester, unchecked, nay, even nursed by the ex- ample of his parent. The bets are now paid without the slightest hes- itation, for to repudiate a gambling debt, would NOTES ON CUBA. 93 destroy the reputation of the lowest negro present. One adventurous creole paid his, of five doubloons, in quarters and eighths, with a very demure face. His generous opponent offered him one of the smallest gold pieces back, but received a dignified refusal. Order having been again restored, two new birds were brought into the pit; the same scenes were renewed, the same feelings exhibited, the same interest shown. The termination of the combat, however, was much quicker, for the spur of one entered the brain of the other soon after they were pitted, and only before a better had cried out, "an ounce on the grey legs," which was ac- cepted just in time, before " grey legs " lay pros- trate. The sun had declined ere the sport ceased, and the crowd separated without any commotion. It is after the termination of these and other gambling scenes, that a poor montero finds himself without a medio, and that the lone traveller is sometimes begged for money, as Gil Bias was by his mendicant, with a carbine pointed at him. It is the amusement of the high and the low, the rich and the poor, but it is now on the decline. Hard times, that unsparing monitor, has been the cause ; and I was informed that the present cannot be com- pared with the ancient cock-pit, where the robed priest and his whole parish joined in the sport. The establishments are licensed by government, which forbids the exhibitions on all days but the Sabbath and other religious holidays, and prohibits the attendance of boys or slaves unless accom- panied by their fathers or masters, under a fine of twelve dollars to the owner of the pit. Printed regulations by the authorities are hung up during the exhibition, and are very copious and precise. 94 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER IV. Plain of Guines — Its Geology — Its Census — Its Agriculture — The Town —Its Schools — Boarding-Houses — Climate — The Consul — Passports for Matanzas — Suspicions against Englishmen — Journey to Matanzas — The Volante — Madruga — Its Mineral Springs — Scenery —A Norther — Carlotta Coffee Estate—Sugar Refinery — Matanzas—Its Foundation — Origin of its Name—Its Population and Commerce—Its Literary Society — Library and Schools —Its Sundays — African Dances —Its Merchants — Physicians and Law- yers—Cultivation of the Country —The Cumbre —Valley of Yumu- ri — Tales of Robbers — Departure — Bay of Matanzas — A Slaver- Creole Caballero — Ford of the Canimar— A Friend's Roof. One cannot but be struck, as has already been remarked, with the appearance presented by the plain of Guines, with its large extent of perfectly level ground stretching out for many miles in one direction to the very sea, while on three other sides it is bounded by abrupt mountain walls. This position, and the black alluvial deposit covering its whole surface, impress on the beholder the picture of an extensive lake suddenly drained by the sink- ing of its barriers near the ocean, and the discharge of its waters into it. Below this soil, S. E. and N. W. from the source of the Guines river, a band of pure carbonate of lime (creta) extends more than nine miles, with a breadth of twenty-one. It is yellowish, and some- times of a pure white, brittle, but hardens on expo- sure to the air. In various parts kidney-shaped, siliceous pyrites are found in veins, which are hard enough to ignite the particles of steel struck off by them ; they are not mingled with any fossils. The inferior calcareous formation of this bank sis more rough to the touch, and encloses petrifactions, of which the equinitas are the most peculiar and NOTES ON CUBA. 95 abundant; and bulbous-shaped flints conglomerated in horizontal beds. In the transverse scissures of this bed, kidney-shaped iron is sometimes seen, of a grey color, ochrous, with bands or streaks of flesh- color or violet; arising probably from the presence of cobalt, corresponding to the quadersandstein of the Germans. Around the sugar estate la Ninfa, S. S. W. of the town, there is a bank of tertiary formation, supra cretacea, lying upon another of reddish yellow sand of little thickness, but containing numerous fossils. Twelve curious and varied species have been col- lected, two of which have disappeared from the neighboring seas, or have ceased to exist; the Pecten podopsis truncata, and the Ammonites varians. The beds of chalk are traversed by veins of marble of various qualities, specimens of which have been collected by Sr. Zancajo, to whose ob- servations I am indebted for the above. One of these, of the class Stalactite, chaux carbonatee con- cretionnee, is snow-white, and in parts of a pearly lustre, with fluted fibres and portions of testacea, translucent, brittle and semi-dura ; from this species is extracted the oriental white alabaster, used in the finest sculpture and relievo. Other marbles belong- ing to the species Lumachelli having an ash grey, a yellow or blackish tint, have also been found in this neighborhood, some of them containing conchs and other petrifactions. No mention is made of Guines in the divisions of the island by the first settlers from Spain, although near the mouth of the river, which runs close to it, the town of Havana was first built in 1515. It is probable, therefore, that its origin is comparatively of recent date ; one of those places which have gradually grown with the increased wants of a thriving country, passing through the different 96 NOTES ON CUBA. stages of a tienda, a hamlet, and a village, and at length expanding into the populous city. With its eight cuartones it contains 16,213 inhabitants, of whom 7248 are whites, 7698 are slaves, and 1267 free colored. The cultivation of the cane and the manufacture of sugar employ 2954 ; coffee, 1737; and 8007 are engaged in farming and other rural employments; the whole distributed among 21 sugar, and 26 coffee estates, and 843 farms. Its schools, like those of every other part of the island, receive the unremitting attention of the more in- telligent of the population, and yearly reports are made on the state of education to the parent Sociedad Economica in Havana. That of 1843 represents them as flourishing, and promising much fruit from the increased means of instruction, the whole number of scholars amounting to 235 ; which, if we consider the many obstacles thrown in the way of education in Cuba, is highly encouraging to those patriotic men, who have devoted much of their time to the cause of public instruction in their native land. The boarding-house in Guines is the best on the island, and notwithstanding the heterogeneous, living mass it gave shelter to, a few weeks might be spent very pleasantly under its roof; it is, however, too much of a hospital, from the number of invalids resorting to it, to form a pleasant, permanent retreat for one whose nerves are not of the strongest, and cannot be compared in point of comfort to a country residence. No American, who passes a single day in this city, fails to make the acquaintance of " the Consul," a sobriquet deservedly bestowed on a creole for his unremitting attentions to every stranger. Do you want a horse or a volante —do you wish to make any purchase, or find you have been cheated in one — are you desirous to visit a ball, Missing Pages: P. 97-108 NOTES ON CUBA. 109 down by their currents in the eddy formed just before the city, rendered the water there very shoal, and prevented the near approach of vessels. In consequence of this they are anchored about a half mile from it, and are loaded and unloaded by large launches of light draft. The first lines of this city were traced on Sat- urday the 10th of October, 1693, by senor Manza- neda, under whose government it was founded. Assisted by several other persons of distinction, he marked out the plaza de Armas, the street, and the site for the church. Three days after, the last place was blessed by the illustrious senor Don Diego Evelino de Compostela, who erected a cross on the spot, and there celebrated a mass ; he also blessed the first stone of the future edifice, which, assisted by the governor, he laid in its destined place. The next day they proceeded to the Punta Gorda, and there laid the foundation of a fort, which, in honor of the governor, they named San Severino, this being his first name. To the city itself was given that of San Carlos Alcazar de Matanzas : the last word, that by which it is generally designated, signifying the slaughter of a battle-field. Soon after the settlement of Havana, a number of Span- iards emigrated to this spot, where by their aggres- sions they soon excited the ill-will of its hitherto peaceful people, the Indians. These latter, while conveying them across the bay, rose on them and killed many with their oars; seven only being pre- served from this death, to be carried as prisoners to one of the Indian towns, where all but one were hanged. He escaped to another town, and was taken under the protection of the Cacique, who brought him into his own house, and took care of him until the arrival of Narvaez in Havana. Pre- ceded by three hundred men bearing presents, the 10 110 NOTES ON CUBA. Cacique then went to receive the Spaniards, leading his prisoner by the hand, and addressing Narvaez and las Casas, informed them that he had treated him as his son for more than three years, during which he had resisted all the suggestions of the other Caciques to kill him. The historian adds, that so great had been the effect of his captivity on this Castilian, that he could not speak a single sentence without mingling Indian words with his Spanish, and that instead of sitting he squatted on the ground, and used his hands and mouth like his captors.* Others derive the name from the terrible slaughter of the Indians by the Spaniards when they had effected a settlement here, soon after which the whole population of the surrounding country was subjugated. The back country of Matanzas is rich in sugar and coffee estates, and after it was made a port of entry it increased rapidly in size and commerce. It now extends an arm across the San Juan river into the adjacent mangrove swamp, where an em- bryo city has sprung up, called the Pueblo Nuevo ; and over the Yumuri, at the base of the Cumbre, another arm named Versailles. Including these two suburbs, its population in 1841 amounted to 19,124, of whom 10,304 were whites, 3041 were free colored, and 5779 were slaves. The same year 480 vessels entered its port, of which 302 were American, and 558 sailed from it; paying to the government in tonnage and other duties nearly a million of dollars. Its importations amounted to $1,995,311, of which $434,599 were for lumber from the United States; and its exportations to $4,374,780, of which $3,733,879 were for sugar, $351,733 for molasses, and $163,385 for coffee. * Apuntes para la historia de la isla de Cuba. Antonio de Herrera. NOTES ON CUBA. Ill It contains one church, (the foundation of which was coeval with that of the city,) which is now nearly completed, and another recently erected in Pueblo Nuevo; a large and excellent hospital ; extensive barracks garrisoned by a regiment of Span- ish soldiers ; a theatre; and a cock-pit, like every other town in Cuba; and — for the benefit of my countrywomen I mention it—a solitary mantua- maker and milliner's establishment. Its public li- brary, which in 1835 contained 695 volumes, now possesses over one thousand, and reports made on it state the gratifying fact that it was daily more resorted to. In 1827 an adjunct society to the Sociedad Economica of Havana was established here, and now numbers nearly one hundred resident mem- bers ; it is divided into two principal sections, one on Education, the other on Industry and Commerce, the labors of which have been highly instrumental in sustaining their respective objects. The juris- diction of Matanzas in 1835 contained 4460 chil- dren of both sexes, of whom only 815 received a primary education, and of these but 360 in public free schools ; the whole number of schools amounted to 16. The recent reports of its section on education have, however, given a more favorable view of this subject; although it must be confessed, that learn- ing is here, even now, at a lower state than in almost any other civilized country. The houses of Matanzas are mostly of stone, built like those of Havana in a very durable man- ner, with their windows as strongly barricadoed with iron bars. But the number constructed of wood, the English one continually hears along the bay-street, and the general cleanliness of the town, give to it somewhat of a home-air. It wants the bustle of Havana, nor has it as many sources of amusements ; but to many its very quiet forms an 110 NOTES ON CUBA. Cacique then went to receive the Spaniards, leading his prisoner by the hand, and addressing Narvaez and las Casas, informed them that he had treated him as his son for more than three years, during which he had resisted all the suggestions of the other Caciques to kill him. The historian adds, that so great had been the effect of his captivity on this Castilian, that he could not speak a single sentence without mingling Indian words with his Spanish, and that instead of sitting he squatted on the ground, and used his hands and mouth like his captors.* Others derive the name from the terrible slaughter of the Indians by the Spaniards when they had effected a settlement here, soon after which the whole population of the surrounding country was subjugated. The back country of Matanzas is rich in sugar and coffee estates, and after it was made a port of entry it increased rapidly in size and commerce. It now extends an arm across the San Juan river into the adjacent mangrove swamp, where an em- bryo city has sprung up, called the Pueblo Nuevo ; and over the Yumuri, at the base of the Cumbre, another arm named Versailles. Including these two suburbs, its population in 1841 amounted to 19,124, of whom 10,304 were whites, 3041 were free colored, and 5779 were slaves. The same year 480 vessels entered its port, of which 302 were American, and 558 sailed from it; paying to the government in tonnage and other duties nearly a million of dollars. Its importations amounted to $1,995,311, of which $434,599 were for lumber from the United States; and its exportations to $4,374,780, of which $3,733,879 were for sugar, $351,733 for molasses, and $163,385 for coffee. * Apuntes para la historia de la isla de Cuba. Antonio de Herrera. NOTES ON CUBA. Ill It contains one church, (the foundation of which was coeval with that of the city,) which is now nearly completed, and another recently erected in Pueblo Nuevo; a large and excellent hospital; extensive barracks garrisoned by a regiment of Span- ish soldiers ; a theatre ; and a cock-pit, like every other town in Cuba ; and — for the benefit of my countrywomen I mention it—a solitary mantua- maker and milliner's establishment. Its public li- brary, which in 1835 contained 695 volumes, now possesses over one thousand, and reports made on it state the gratifying fact that it was daily more resorted to. In 1827 an adjunct society to the Sociedad Economica of Havana was established here, and now numbers nearly one hundred resident mem- bers ; it is divided into two principal sections, one on Education, the other on Industry and Commerce, the labors of which have been highly instrumental in sustaining their respective objects. The juris- diction of Matanzas in 1835 contained 4460 chil- dren of both sexes, of whom only 815 received a primary education, and of these but 360 in public free schools ; the whole number of schools amounted to 16. The recent reports of its section on education have, however, given a more favorable- view of this subject; although it must be confessed, that learn- ing is here, even now, at a lower state than in almost any other civilized country. The houses of Matanzas are mostly of stone, built like those of Havana in a very durable man- ner, with their windows as strongly barricadoed with iron bars. But the number constructed of wood, the English one continually hears along the bay-street, and the general cleanliness of the town, give to it somewhat of a home-air. It wants the bustle of Havana, nor has it as many sources of amusements; but to many its very quiet forms an 112 NOTES ON CUBA. attraction, and the proximity of its beautiful paseo, from which a fine view of its whole bay is ob- tained, its purer air, and the romantic scenery in its vicinity, induce many to prefer it as a resi- dence. The manners here are similar to those of Havana; the mornings are devoted to business, and in the evening those who have volantes and horses ride on the paseo, while the promenaders amuse themselves in gazing at the ladies. I must not omit to men- tion that at this time the merchants and sea- captains meet on the rfcy-street, the Americans in front of a store owned by one of our countrymen, which from time immemorial has formed a kind of Exchange for them. The billiard-rooms, of which there are several large ones near by, are then also crowded, chiefly by Spaniards and Creoles, who spend a large part of their idle hours at this game. There appears to be less form in Matanzas society than in that of Havana, and music-parties are com- mon ; social visitings are also kept up, and it is conceded by all who have visited the two cities, that the fair of Matanzas bear the palm for beauty. The plaza is also a favorite resort at night, especi- ally when the military band is present; but here, as in Havana, the female form is rarely seen in the streets except in a volante, or at night. The Sun- day morning is spent by but a very small proportion of the population in public worship ; shops are kept open all day, and only the closing of the custom- house, the police and other public offices, and the ces- sation of labor in loading the shipping, distinguish it from other days. The afternoon is especially devoted by the negroes to amusements, and in numerous places on the hill back of the town, and in the Pueblo Nuevo, will be seen flags raised on high staffs. These point out the spots where they con- NOTE ON CUBA. 113 gregate and indulge in their national dances, for the different tribes introduced here from Africa retain all their custom and habits. One could almost fancy himself in their native land, while gazing on their pastimes; the dance especially is quite unique. To the music of two or three rude drums, formed by stretching an un- tanned cow-hide over the extremity of a hollow trunk of a tree, the crowd of men and women, gaudily dressed, keep time with their hands. Pres- ently a woman advances, and commencing a slow dance, made up of a shuffling of the feet and vari- ous contortions of the body, thus challenges a rival from among the men. One of these, bolder than the rest, after awhile steps out, and the two then strive which shall first tire the other ; the woman performing many feats which the man attempts to rival, often excelling them, amid the shouts of the rest. A woman will sometimes drive two or three successive beaux from the ring, yielding her place at length to some impatient belle, who has been meanwhile looking on with envy at her success. Sometimes a sturdy fellow will keep the field for a long time, and one after another of the other sex will advance to the contest only to be defeated ; each one, as she retires, being greeted by the laughter of the spectators. The whole time a low song is sung by the crowd, as monotonous as the music of the drums, and composed of the repetition of four or five words uttered in a more or less ani- mated tone, as the action of the dancers increase or diminish in quickness. These balls are all under the protection of the civil authorities, who permit them to take place only on Sundays and other relig- ious holidays ; they are never frequented by even the lower classes of whites, and good order gener- ally prevails among their sable performers. Over 10* 114 NOTES ON CUBA. each tribe the king and queen presides, and so great is the influence exercised by the former over his subjects, that complaints made to him of the idle or vicious habits of any particular individual, not unfrequently, through his remonstrances, correct the evil. This is but a poor substitute for the relig- ious government of our own slaves, who are taught to seek in the worship of their Maker a purer source of enjoyment than in the dance, and who, under the discipline of the church, have their morals more effectually improved than by the fear of any supe- rior, whatever may have been their respect for him. The importations of Matanzas are chiefly con- fined to articles of food, and materials and machi- nery for sugar and coffee estates ; most of its fancy and other goods are brought from Havana. During the last piratical dominion of the Caribbean sea and of the gulf of Mexico, not a small portion of the spoils obtained by murder and robbery on the ocean, found their way, over-land from Cardenas and other places, to this city, where purchasers were readily found ; and smuggling was carried on as extensively here, as at any other Cuba port. At present, the custom-house regulations are so strict, that but a small proportion of its importations es- capes the vigilance of its officers ; and piracy, thanks to our own and British cruisers, is now unknown. The principal business mart is that portion of the long wharf projecting into the bay, that is cov- ered by a shed. It is here that the imported arti- cles of consumption are landed by the launches, and their sales are effected by a species of auction. The merchant having a lot of rice, cheese, tasajo, or flour for sale, writes down the quantity on small pieces of paper, which he distributes among the buyers. These, after annexing, each one the price NOTES ON CUBA. 115 he is willing to give, are returned to the merchant, who either sells at the highest offer, or retains the lot for a better market. The buyers, especially those dealing in rice and tasajo, are united in sepa- rate companies, monopolizing the purchase of each article, and afterwards dividing it among themselves. The same custom prevails in Havana, and as the provision-dealers are all Catalans, the trade in these articles has long ceased to yield a large profit to the foreign seller. There are forty-eight commercial houses in Ma- tanzas, among which several are American, English, German, and French. Much of the products of the country is sold in the city, but a considerable por- tion is also shipped for disposal in foreign ports. The counting-rooms are all in the dwelling-houses of the merchants, and as rhere are no banks in Cuba, each contains an iron safety-chest for specie ; attached to the same habitation are store-houses for the sugar, coffee, etc. The merchant and his clerks generally form a single family, living under the same roof and dining at the same table ; an excel- lent custom, which engenders a mutual good feeling, and habits of regularity in the latter. These re- ceive higher salaries than in the United States, but only industrious and correct men can obtain situa- tions. Matanzas has eighteen physicians and surgeons, thirteen apothecaries, and several barbers, for the preservation of the public health ; the last do all the bleeding, cupping, and leeching prescribed by physicians, and undergo examinations, before li- censes to practice this minor surgery are granted to them. There is but a single cemetery for all the dead of the city and its suburbs. The public peace is intrusted to thirty-four advocates, eleven notaries, and seventeen attorneys. An enlarged and new 116 NOTES ON CUBA. prison is nearly completed, and has already many inmates. Matanzas is twenty-two leagues east of Havana, in latitude 23° 2' 45" north, and longitude 75° 15' 42" west of Cadiz. It is the seat of a gov- ernor, and includes within its jurisdiction a radius of six leagues. Within this space are 161 sugar estates, employing 29,696 persons; 175 coffee es- tates, with 13,332 persons; and 1881 farms and other rural establishments, with 20,942 persons. The whole population amounts to 85,040, of which 27,148 are whites, 4570 free colored, and 53,322 • slaves; only 21,070 of the whole reside in cities and villages. There are several beautiful drives near Matanzas, but those which no stranger should neglect are that to the Cumbre, the ridge of the high hill rising north of the city, and that to the valley of the Yumuri, which it separates from the sea. Accom- panied by a friend, at whose house I was staying, I left the city in a volante before sunrise, and fol- lowing a road of the roughest kind, which, passing behind the handsome barracks, and the airy, large hospital situated on the slope of the hill, wound up its steep acclivity, I gained the narrow ridge of the Cumbre. Here as 1 walked along the level road, I knew not on which side to fix my gaze, so beau- tiful were the landscapes that surrounded me. Sea- ward, the widely-extended ocean, with numerous vessels on its great highway the gulf-stream, and more than thirty miles of the shores, were included in a single view. Then there was the long, broad bay of Matanzas, dwindled in size, and looking like a majestic river, with its fleet of vessels riding at anchor, and the city at its head covering the level plain, and creeping up the hill beyond it. On the other side of the ridge,«far down below our very feet, lay the lovely valley of the Yumuri, NOTES ON CUBA. 117 with its grounds now broken into sharp peaks, now gently undulating ; its cane-fields with their pea- green verdure, and the dark-green foliage of the tall palms scattered irregularly over them; its golden orange-groves, and luxuriant plantains, with broad waving leaves ; its cocoas, its almonds, and its coffee, with here and there a gigantic Ceyba spreading out its massive arms high in air. As the mist, which in different parts hung over the scene, rose in fleecy masses, or gradually dissolved in the increasing heat of day, and farm after farm, and cottage after cottage became lit by the bright sun's rays, throwing into the bold relief the illumina- ted portions, while the rest still lay in the deep shade of the Cumbre, a landscape was presented, that I had never seen rivalled even amid the pic- turesque scenery of Switzerland. The valley is very small, which indeed adds to its beauty, and is so completely hemmed in on every side by high precipices, that it seems entirely cut off from the rest of the world ; while the oriental and quiet air it presents is in strong contrast with the busy city just by it, and the long extent of moun- tainous region stretching far in the distance beyond. At the foot of the height on which I stood, a small cottage was perched on the very summit of a small conical hill, and with all the appurtenances of the farm-yard, lay like a picture below me ; the objects were much diminished in size, but the crowing of the cock, and the bleating of the kids came dis- tinctly on the ear, and heightened the interest of the scene. The whole formed a lovely, secluded nook, and one could not refrain from envy of the happy lot of the montero whose home it was. But the heart was pained on recurring to the past history of the vale ; and while fancy sketched the scenes of murder and carnage which this place had witnessed I lg NOTES ON CUBA. of its once peaceful people, it seemed well that the name of the neighboring city should be so signifi- cant of the event. It was here that, in 1511, num- bers of the aborigines were cruelly massacred by the Spaniards ; and the remnant, driven by blood- hounds to the surrounding heights, were forced in despair to throw themselves over their brinks into the river below, crying out, " lo mori," I die; whence the name of the vale and river. On the ridge were several private residences, into one of which we were invited by its owner, who gave us that scarce article on a Cuba farm, a glass of fresh milk. In our descent to the city several varied and beautiful views of it, and of the harbor and shipping, were presented ; and .when we reached the base of the hill, a short but rapid drive brought us into the gap through which the Yumuri escapes from the valley. High precipices rose on each side, their summits crowned with luxuriant growths; Avhile from the overhanging walls of the southern side immense stalactites of various hues hung in irregular and grand festoons, amid which the en- trance to a large cave was plainly visible. At its base the little river had expended into a placid, minia- ture lake, and beyond, through the cleft mountain, was seen the vale itself. Another ride up the hill behind the city, and new, but not less lovely views were enjoyed, and we returned to our morning meal after an absence of three hours, during which the heart was kept in a constant thrill of delight by the ever-changing and beautiful panorama. No traveller under the tropics neglects the daily use of the refreshing bath, and whoever stops at Matanzas becomes soon acquainted with 'Bel, the proprietress of the only bathing-house in the city. Although not a direct descendant from Japheth, she is a perfect blue, and on her table will always be NOTES ON CUBA. 119 found some exquisite morcel of French literature, or of philosophy, for she had once been a resident of Paris, and she still possesses alf the liveliness of a Parisian ; moreover, a morning's lounge in her parlor, frequented as it is by all the idlers of the city, will introduce you to all the gossip. I had been so often assured of the salubrity of Matanzas, that I was about to descant on it to 'Bel, when she exclaimed, Comment ! mon cher enfant, nous avons tous en la fievre fete passe. Some, indeed, were still suffering from fever and ague, of which the adjacent mangroves were a prolific source ; and I learned that more than half the garrison, although quartered on the high grounds of Versailles, had been attacked with it. Yellow fever is, however, not as prevalent here as in Havana, and generally appears later in the summer. Matanzas, notwithstanding the number of seamen seen along its bay, and the squalid appearance of its outskirts, is one of the quietest cities I have ever visited. Murders and robberies, of late years, have been very rare ; fisticuffs and rows are entirely unknown ; and after the citizens have retired from the Plaza at night, all the houses are closed, and only the watchman with his spear and lantern will be encountered in the streets. It has ever, however, been rife with tales of robbers, which, when traced to their sources, will generally be found to refer to years long since past. Even now I was greeted with fearful accounts of the disturbed state of the very place to which I was going, Limonar; but I had resided long enough in the island to doubt one half the truth of all similar rumors, and their recital did not protract my stay in the city a single day. My departure was in better style than when I left Guines. The volante sent by my friends was a fine one, and three strong, active horses, under 120 NOTES ON CUBA. the guidance of a young postilion, whose impatience to reach the end of his journey kept them in a continual gallop, carried it rapidly over the ground. Soon after crossing the stone bridge of the ban Juan river, connecting the city with the Pueblo Nuevo, I reached the shores of the bay, along which the road ran for more than a mile, and overtook a line of four volantes filled with ladies, bound also for the coun- try. They were escorted by a horseman, dressed in white pantaloons, with a large loose shirt over them, fluttering in the sea-breeze as he galloped by their side. He was one of those fine specimens of manhood, often seen among the Cuba monteros; tall and erect, his brawny limbs without a portion of superabundant flesh, and armed as he was with a Spanish fusil and a long sword lashed to his side, by his bold bearing he seemed able to defeat a score of poltroon robbers. I must confess that the sight of his fusil made me half suspect that there was some truth in the reports I had heard, and I looked with secret misgivings at the 'only weapon we had, the sword dangling from the back of my boy postilion. Our party moved gaily on at a quick pace by the margin of a beautiful bay, with its fleet of vessels of all sizes at anchor on its blue waters, and the heavy launches with their negro oarsmen, slowly sweeping over its surface. The wind blew freshly from the north, and the curling waves dashed high on the rocks of the southern shore, skirting its whole extent with a line of breakers ; while over the shoal water, near by, the pelicans were slowly sailing, with their cumbrous bills pointing forwards like bowsprits, and turning their heads with one eye downwards, then the other, searching their prey in the crystal waters beneath. Now one perceived a fish, and with bill extended, and closed wings, he NOTES ON CUBA. 121 darted swiftly down, plunging headlong into the waves, and quite burying himself in the foam. He soon rose, and resting for a second buoyant on the surface, resumed his flight, continuing his sail among his companions. Amid this scene of busy, cheerful life, like a foul fiend, lay a slaver, a swift brig of about three hundred tons, which had just landed on the coast, near by, eight hundred Africans. She was hove down on her beam ends, and men were hastily cleaning her planks preparatory to her return for another living cargo. On our right were mangrove swamps, covered with brackish water, exposed to the full heat of the sun ; the mangroves, the bark of which is used for tanning, having all been cut down the preceding summer, which had doubtlessly caused the late endemic. A large number of convicts were at work on its borders, cutting transverse trenches in the soft coral rock, and squaring the blocks already raised from the bed. Each had the free end of his heavy chain attached to his waist, while the other extremity was securely fastened to his ancle ; their clanking and the strokes of the pick-axe being the only sounds issuing from the crowd. They were under the guard of soldiers with loaded muskets, and worked together, both colored and whites, without any promptings from their overseers. We now galloped up the range of hills that bound the eastern shores of the bay, and soon passed the fork of the road so famous, in travellers' stories, for the murders and robberies formerly committed in its vicinity. After crossing a few elevations, the thickly-grown woods were passed, and a champagne country opened upon us. The road was alive with numerous arrieros hurrying to the city with produce for its markets ; and caballeros mounted on fine, pacing barbs, with solid silver buckles and plates 11 122 NOTES ON CUBA. profusely spread over their head-pieces and bits. They were themselves armed with long swords with silver basket-hilts, and massive spurs of the same metal; and urging their steeds rapidly along the road, their spurs jingling and their swords clat- tering, they looked not unlike so many knights- errant in search of adventures. Now and then we passed a montero with his wife or sweetheart riding in front of him on the same alberhado, his arm around her waist, while his hand held the loose reins, the slightest pressure of which against the neck of his intelligent steed sufficed to guide him. The land was cultivated in sugar and coffee, with the usual number of farms found in the vicinity of large cities; but the red soil had been exhausted by long culture, and yielded less than the black lands of Guines. Some beautiful estates were, however, passed, until we reached the beginning of a new road ; where quitting the company of my fair fellow- travellers, I was carried through deep woods, amid a wild country, to the banks of the Canimar river. The landscape here was very picturesque; high cliffs rose abruptly from the water, with their sum- mits crowned by thick woods, and their steep sides adorned by numerous vines and air-plants; while the river, silently gliding out of one gorge soon to enter another, formed a small lake, on which were two or three islets. On the opposite side was the small Caserio, to which all the produce of the neighboring country is brought for embarkation, to be transported by launches to Matanzas, its large warehouses clustered closely together at the foot of the high surrounding hills. We descended very carefully a steep declivity to enter the ford, while two pretty young girls waited on the banks with their horses, afraid to cross the swollen stream. As I was hesitating about offering them a seat in my NOTES ON CUBA. 123 volante, my postilion drove hastily into the water, which soon rushed over its floor, and in my hurry to escape from it, all my purposed gallantry was quickly forgotten. When we reached the Caserio, its street was so crowded by pack-horses and oxen, and so obstructed by carts, boxes of sugar, and the hides used in cov- ering them, by hogsheads, planks ,and pieces of ma- chinery, and large sugar-kettles, that it was nearly impassable. By dint of hallooing and whipping, we at length got through ; stopping only for a moment at a posada, where my postilion, who had been completely wet by the river, regaled himself with a glass of aguardiente. In a few minutes we gained the top of the steep hill beyond ; and after a five miles' ride over rocky roads, and through sugar estates, we passed the lime hedge of a coffee estate, and galloping up its avenue of neatly trimmed oranges, I was soon receiving the warm greeting of a kind friend. As I had lived nearly the whole of the two pre- ceding winters under his roof, I was well known to all the slaves, who, as they passed me, made each a low salaam, crossing their arms over the chest, and with a half-crouching, half-bending movement, prostra- ting themselves. On the secaderos, a troop of little, naked negroes were gambolling, shouting out my title, " el medico, el medico," not forgetting the dulces I had formerly distributed among them; while a large bloodhound, the frequent former companion of my rambles, expressed his joy at my return by whines, and rubbing his dusty coat against my clothes, until they were quite reddened with clay. I had hitherto experienced only the purchased civil- ities of landlords, and the change to the warm hos- pitalities of a friend's roof was peculiarly grateful; and as I sat in his ample arm-chair, I felt that here truly I could "take mine ease." 124 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER V. Limonar —Its Inhabitants — Recent Robberies —A Suicide —Census of the Partido Guamacaro — Its Cultivation— The Village Apotheca- ry _ The Captain — The Padre — The Ex-Sacristan — Scenery — Hill of the Santa Ysabel, and its local Natural History — Study of Maria del Occidente — The Coffee Estate — History of the Shrub — Its Cultivation —Preparation of the Berries for Market — Labor of its Cultivators — The Profits — Its Enemies — The Bibiago. The portion of Limonar where I resided was a gentle, undulating plain, twelve or eighteen miles in circumference, surrounded by an amphitheatre of high wooded hills, with its whole surface cultivated in sugar-canes and coffee. Like many other settle- ments in Cuba, it was a perfect Lacedaemon, includ- ing among its inhabitants persons from every part of Europe and America; who, when coffee sold at twenty cents a pound, formed a right jolly set, much given to dinner parties and visitings. But alas! for its present reputation, its dulness now was only relieved by tales of the past, its exhausted soil having compelled many to seek a living in other partidos. The spot has yet, however, many attrac- tions for the stranger in its landscapes of continuous fields of sugar-cane stretching out for miles, and dotted over by numerous, beautiful royal palms; and successive coffee estates, with their umbrageous alleys of mangoes, palms, and oranges. The climate also, after December, is dry and bracing; and the facility of access from Matanzas, for a long time has rendered it a favorite retreat for invalids from the United States. The past year had been one of unprecedented agricultural depression ; the low price of molasses had compelled some of the planters to throw it away, and many of the lower orders of white labor- NOTES ON CUBA. 125 ers had been deprived of employment. A few in consequence resorted to a profession, said not to be ungenial to the taste of the Creole — highway robbery. A couutry store had been broken open, two or three men had been eased of their purses on the public road, and the whole partido was roused like a hive of bees, against which a mischievous urchin has thrown a stone. The hitherto quiet inhabitants went about armed to the teeth, and great danger ensued of their killing each other through mistake. The captain of partido, meanwhile, was not idle. Visiting every dwelling in his jurisdiction, he com- pelled those who could not give good accounts of themselves, and had not domiciliary passports, to quit the partido ; others on whom suspicions rested he sent as prisoners to Matanzas, there to prove their inno- cence ; a mode of administering justice quite in vogue here, but which would depopulate many a section in other countries. By these means the robberies were promptly checked ; but even when I arrived, the inhabitants had not all recovered from their fright. One of my neighbors, meeting me riding alone by a deep wood skirting a solitary road, remonstrated with me. " Confine your promenades," he said, " to our estates ; enter now my avenues, and if attacked call the negroes to your aid." " But I see no danger," I replied. " What ! have you not heard of the Catalan doctor that was robbed near the Hermita ? They took from him all he had, and, after opening with his own lancets every vein they could see on his body, left him naked, tied hands and feet, in the woods. Believe me, it is not safe to ride alone on unfrequented roads." To satisfy him, I entered one of the shady alleys of his coffee estate, promis- ing to cry lustily for help, if I were attacked, 11* 126 NOTES ON CUBA. while I felt assured he had greatly exaggerated the danger. On asking my kind host why he had left me ig- norant of the rumors I had heard this morning, I learned, that fearing they would have prevented my paying him my promised visit, had kept him si- lent on them. His consideration was the more valued, when I learned from him, that he had as- sisted in chasing one of the robbers through his place, accompanied by the captain of partido and all his posse, and that he entertained similar doubts of the safety of the neighborhood. After a strict inves- tigation, however, I found that what had been a subject of talk, for the whole partido, all the past season, would hardly have been inserted among the " horribles," by the most murder-loving of our editors, and would scarcely have been noted by the community of New York or Philadelphia; and I therefore did not confine my rides to the prescribed limits. The ultimate fate of the Catalan doctor, in its attendant circumstances, illustrated so well one of the customs of the island, that I will relate it. Sometime after his robbery, he dined with the mayoral of an estate, where 1 was on a visit of a few weeks at the owner's house ; and, after express- ing his belief that he had no friends in the neigh- borhood, he deposited with the mayoral a sealed letter, without any address to it, with a request to keep it a few days. Soon after his departure, his horse was brought back by a neighbor, who had caught him on the road, and, to the surprise of all, the saddle was found stained with blood. It was evident that some harm had come to the rider; but so great was the dread of the law, that no one would seek for the wounded man. The horse was carried to the captain of partido, and in company NOTES ON CUBA, 127 with him, search was made, and the dead body of the doctor was found on the public road, just out- side of the long, private by-road, leading to the estate he had left. From the position of the body, he had evidently committed suicide, and the con- tents of the letter left with the mayoral confirmed this belief. This, although absolving him of all participation in his death, and stating his determi- nation to destroy himself, was carefully kept from the public officer, lest the mayoral might, by some legerdemain, be brought within the clutches of the law. He fortunately clearly proved an alibi, not having left the estate after dinner, but was so af- fected by the risk he ran of being arrested on sus- picion, that be became sleepless for many nights after. As to the body of the suicide, many whites and negroes afterwards confessed having seen it before the arrival of the captain of partido ; but not one would have touched it, even had life not been extinct, and his aid have preserved its exist- ence. Had the suicide been committed on a pri- vate estate, it would have been charged with all the investigations relating to it, amounting to several hundred dollars, which it appears the poor doctor had not lost sight of, when selecting the place of his self-murder. The laws of Spain relating to wounded persons are here strictly observed. Two men, after quarrel- ling in a country posada, left it together; on their way, one stabbed the other repeatedly, and left him for dead on the road; he was found soon after- wards, and, although life was not extinct, and he was suffering greatly from his wounds, no one touched him, before the captain of partido arrived. This did not occur until twenty-four hours after the man had been found; during which time he had been exposed to all the vicissitudes of the weather. 128 NOTES ON CUBA. Strange to relate, he recovered; and was then im- prisoned, for having been found wounded, and had to pay freely in money for the attendant investiga- tions on his case. He who fails in his attempt to commit suicide is imprisoned, and if he succeeds, his property is con- fiscated. One of our countrymen, a carpenter, who had lost all his little earnings, by the treachery of a partner, attempted to cut his throat, last year, in Cardenas. As he did not penetrate much deeper than the skin, his attempt at self-destruction failed, and he was confined, wounded, in the stocks, the only prison the town possessed. Through the in- tercession of our Consul, he was eventually released ; his empty purse may also have contributed to his enlargement. But the attendant physicians had not received their fees; and learning that the gentle- man, at whose house the man boarded, had given him a dose of oil, the evening previous to his com- mitting the deed, they indicted him for practising without a license, affirming that the oil had caused the suicidal mania. It was only by a compromise that the gentlemen escaped from an expensive law- suit. This may appear ridiculous to an American reader, but similar means of exacting money from a resident in Cuba, are frequently employed by the petty officers of the government. But to return to Limonar; the partido in which it is situated, Guamacaro, contains 13,147 inhabi- tants, of whom 11,813 are slaves, 138 free-colored, and 1196 whites. It has 30 sugar estates, employ- ing 5778 persons; 73 coffee estates, with 5906 per- sons ; and 44 situos or farms, with 1207 persons. The village of Limonar contains 184 inhabitants, and the caserio of Canimar 72. The former was composed of a few straggling palm and mud huts, with four or five other habitations, which might NOTES ON CUBA. 129 have been called houses. Two of the latter were posadas, each of which had a bakery, billiard-tables, and a cock-pit, with a shed in front of its tienda, for the shelter of travellers' horses. The owner of one was the village postmaster, but his rival had made the law his study, and all his customers were at liberty to draw on his legal knowledge without fees. Thus their merits were pretty equally bal- anced, and the villagers were as equally divided into partisans for one or the other establishment. Apart from these was the small shop of the apothecary, who in figure might well have served for the model of his predecessor, who figured in the loves of Ro- meo and Juliet. With all his famished, poverty- stricken look, he maintained a high opinion of pro- fessional etiquette, and would not receive pay for medicines, which he could learn I had purchased for my own use. The Captain's dwelling was distinguished from the rest by a set of stocks, the only means of con- fining culprits the place possessed; where prisoners, for whatever crime arrested, were fastened by one leg, and allowed to roll on the mud-floor, if they could not afford the luxury of a blanket to lie on. These petty judges are, with very few exceptions, all from Spain, a creole being scarcely ever intrust- ed with the office; and being without salaries, like so many vultures, they prey upon the unprotect- ed within their jurisdiction. Nor are the rich with- out the pale of their power, and those who have not influence with the heads of the island govern- ment, are sometimes largely fleeced by them on most frivolous pretexts. The one who had been so instrumental in ridding the partido of robbers, the last summer, was, in consequence of his services, promoted to a more lucrative office ; and another appointed in his place, whose chief boast was tho 130 NOTES ON CUBA. sums he could collect in fines from his neighbors. While riding through the country, with sword and pistols, his slouched hat, coattee that had crawled up on his shoulders, and pantaloons struggling to escape from their straps, his face unshaven, and his whole person covered with dust, he might readily have been taken for a prowling thief. In appearance strongly contrasting with him was the Padre, a tall, meagre, dark-complexioned Span- iard, with thick, black eyebrows, meeting above a pair of piercing eyes of the same hue. The severe cast they gave to his features vanished when he spoke, and although there was not much bonhom- mie in his manners, there was a great degree of courtesy. My first introduction to him was at a ball, given in honor of him by his parishioners, when he appeared among the gay throng of ladies and gentlemen, dressed in his black gown, with loose slippers, and a black silk night-cap; the dress he wore in his sick chamber, from which he had come to welcome his friends. He was one of the best table-companions 1 had met in Cuba, and was much beloved for his liberal views. Although he could not be said to have the spiritual welfare of his flock much at heart, he was foremost in the ranks of those who strove by schools to improve their mental culture. He owned a fine coffee-estate, which, with his income from his parish, yielded about five thousand dollars annually. With this he supported his family, for he joined in the custom observed by his brother priests in Cuba; but. he was not the less respected as a man, while his house was visited by all the neighboring gentry. His dwelling was the only one in the village pre- senting a neat appearance; and composed of three or four rooms on the ground floor, of a single story, covered by heavy tiles, that shaded also a long, NOTES ON CUBA. 131 wide piazza, and with neat mahogany furniture, it plainly marked the superiority of the owner over his neighbors. Close by it was the church, built by subscription ; but which, although it had cost a round sum of doubloons, was nothing more than a misshapen mass of stone and mortar, the outside resembling a barn, and the inside containing nothing but a small altar, bedecked with tinsel. In front of its large door was a gallows-like frame, suspending three small bells, having a platform beneath, for him who weekly tolled them, and a rickety ladder that served the purpose of stairs. The church was opened early in the morning of every Sabbath, and mass celebrated before the few old crones who re- sorted to it; the rest of the day being devoted to cock-fights, balls, etc., and the night to the theatre, whenever a strolling company of actors, or rope- dancers passed through the place. But the most prominent character in the village, was one who had long served as sacristan, until his cheating the padre had expelled him from that office, and as aid-de-camp to each successive Cap- tain, until his superior roguery had compelled them to dismiss him. Although reduced to abject poverty, his knowledge of the laws still gave him a degree of importance among the villagers, for whom he drew up contracts, etc.; he also helped them out of all difficulties with the Captain, from which he could not himself draw a benefit. His was one of those broad, flat heads, sloping directly back from a low forehead, impressing on the countenance a likeness to a ferocious beast, which a tyro in phrenology could not misinterpret. While attending the funeral service over the wife of the Captain, on my first visit to Limonar, this man, seated on a stage in a gloomy corner of the church, was screeching out the responses to the tune of a hand-organ which he 132 NOTES ON CUBA. played; a fit picture for that diablerie so frequently introduced in German romances. But with Don Garcia I was on terms of good fellowship; I have even dined at the same table with him, in some of my excursions in the country, and he has confided to me that he is a Catolico Apostolico, but not Romano, and cares not a medio for the Papa. Still he once joined in execrations on me, and denounced me as a judio, for not bending my knee before the sacramental host. With the country, the village had felt the depres- sing effects of the depreciated value of sugar and coffee. Its billiard-tables and cock-pits were only thinly attended ; the knots of loungers about the doors of its posadas were small, and looked despond- ent ; the little primary school had been deserted by its small class of naked, dirty children; and even the Captain's clerk, the only beau it boasted, who, dressed in a black broadcloth suit, had for several years defied the tropical sun and the warm hearts of the ladies, had sunk listlessly into the arms of a rich widow, and had become a sloven-look- ing husband. But other thoughts crowded on my mind, as I sauntered through its streets ; and as memory brought back to me the friends, who, with me, had, in past seasons, here sought renewed health, and were now no more, a feeling of desolation in- sensibly filled my heart, and I even felt a pleasure in the altered condition of all around me. But the scenery of Limonar remains unchanged, and no one who goes there should neglect a visit to the hill of Santa Ysabel, from which an extensive view is obtained of the surrounding country. Per- mission can always be had of the persons residing on the estate, and the road is so well made that a horse can easily reach the summit. I had left my habitation before the sun had risen, and as I took NOTES ON CUBA. 133 my solitary ride along the high grounds that led to it, the mists that yet hung over the plains, occasion- ally swept upwards in large masses, and condensing on every object, coated the mane of my horse with crystal drops, and wet every leaf, from which the water dripped like after a heavy shower. The birds seemed hardly aroused from their last night's repose ; even the shy Carolina dove1 scarcely flew out of my path, or at most, lit on the opposite side of the lime- hedge, close by, amid the coffee-shrubs; and the stupid-looking judios,2 their black plumage all matted with dew, and tlleir large, hooked bills weighing down their heads, uttered only faint cries of alarm as I cracked my long whip over their heads, and lazily hopped from twig to twig, without quitting the bush. The sun rose as I entered a small wood used as a coffee nursery, and the grove became alive with song from the numerous birds fluttering about every tree. There was the busy Cuba robin,3 with his red legs, scratching among the dry leaves, and picking up his morning meal of creeping insects; and the querulous bee-bird, ever and anon sweeping by him in pursuit of a frightened moth, or loudly chirping his victorious notes on some high twig over the rival he had driven from the grove ; while on the wild caimito 4 trees cat-birds were fluttering and screaming and plucking the ripe fruit. Amid these varied sounds, the frequent tapping of wood- peckers was heard far and near, above which the powerful strokes from the ivory bill of that beau- tiful species, the carpintero real,6 could be clearly distinguished. The heavy flutter of the parrot, too, was occasionally heard in the thick foliage of the 1 Columb. Caroliniensis. a Crotophagi ani. 3 Turdis rubripes. * Chrysophillum oliviforme. 5 Picus principalis. 12 134 NOTES ON CUBA. orange, and his brilliant green and red plumage would be seen amid the topmost branches, from which the scraps of young leaves and of the fruit, falling to the ground, told how he was engaged. Now and then, amid the confusion of sounds, the sharp, short "click, click " of the pedorreva,6 that most diminutive and most beautiful of the fly- catchers, would strike on the ear, and lead the eye to where he sat perched overhead, with his red throat and breast, and his pea-green head and body hardly distinguishable, from the leaves around him. ' As I left the pathway and rode through the open wood, various species of wild pigeons, disturbed in their morning meals of the caimito, were flying about the branches of the highest trees. There was the dark grey,7 with his white scull-cap, in large flocks; the slate colored,8 with bronzed neck, closely resembling our domestic one, but with a more brilliant plumage, and much larger ; and a most beautiful one,9 with neck and head of min- gled gold and red, less timid than the others, and generally found singly amid flocks of the first. The tocororo,10 or English lady-bird, was also fre- quently seen seated on many a low branch, his blue cap and scarlet belly contrasting richly with his green and white back and wings, while his quietude harmonized well with his low, plaintive cooings. Soon after entering a coffee estate, I passed by one of those giants of a tropical forest, a powerful Ceyba;" with its large, tall trunk fixed to the soil by huge braces projecting from it in different direc- tions, and rising branchless and erect sixty feet, 6 Todus multicolor. i Colomb. leucocephala. 8 C. portoricensis. 9 C. inornata. 10 Trogonida temnurus. Erivdendron anfractuosum. NOTES ON CUBA. 135 where it threw out immense, horizontal arms of massive timber. The extremities of these only were subdivided into branches and twigs, which, covered by foliage, formed an umbrella-shaped can- opy over the whole. But although themselves free from leaves, these stout arms supported on their broad surfaces a luxuriant garden of air-plants. There was the wild pines in close-set hedges, with gutter-shaped leaves and cup-like cavities filled with the condensed dews of night, serving as cis- terns for the winged tribes during the long droughts of winter. Other species in bunches of strings hung pendant, or in fan-like shapes spread close to their foster parent; while some, as the night-bloom- ing ceres, with hairy coats, like long, creeping insects, clung to the sides and under-surfaces of the branches, or wound around the trunk itself. Nor was this garden devoid of beauty. A partial glimpse could here and there be had of flowers of the brightest scarlet, of the richest brown, and of a deli- cate pink, exciting vain longings in the beholder to explore their aerial beds. Not far from this tree was another, as large, enclosed in the deadly em- braces of the Jaquey-macho.1* It was a mortal struggle for mastery between the two giants; but how powerful soever had been the Ceyba, it was evident from the size of the other, the multiplied folds of its arms around the trunk of its foster parent, and its luxuriant branches and foliage al- ready overtopping it, that the victory would soon belong to the parasite. Near by was a Jaquey- macho standing alone ; the death of its victim had long been effected, and it pompously raised its dis- torted trunk, and spread its irregular foliage, where once before its noble-looking parent had stood in all its beauty. IS Ficus indica. 136 NOTES ON CUBA. I had now gained the foot of the hill, and com- menced ascending its winding path amid irregular masses of jagged, coral rock, of which the whole range seemed composed; and which, from the sharp points it presents over its whole surface, has received the very significant name of diente de perro, dog's tooth. It was everywhere perforated by round holes of various sizes traversing it in every direction, the whole looking like some thick paste that had been suddenly petrified while in a state of violent ebullition. Here the ingenious Liebig could see his theory verified in forests of heavy timber springing from beds of barren rock, their roots penetrating into the holes and fissures, fixing the trunk firmly to the earth ; while on the soilless bed rank air-plants covered with their in- terlaced roots the petreous surface, or in clumps sus- pended in the air clung to every tree. The foliage above was so thick, that the rays of the sun penetrated only here and there through the almost twilight shade that shed a softness on all below, where the dews of night hung in pearly drops on every leaf. Nothing could exceed the air of solitude reigning throughout this primeval forest. Scarcely a bird was seen amid its foliage, or a sound heard, save the faint murmur of the east wind through the thick canopy over head, and the boring of the worm penetrating the fallen timber. Even the solitary whistle of the small day-owl,13 and the occasional and distant clacking of the arriero,14 tended only to increase the sense of lone- liness. It is in forests like this that the hutia loves to dwell, the wild-cat to hide her young, and the wild-dog to build his lair. Amid its deep recesses the runaway negro, also, seeks a home in some 13 Noctua siju. 14 Saurothera merlini. NOTES ON CUBA. 137 secret cave, spending his days in sleep, and his nights in prowling about the borders of the neigh- boring estates. Leaving the woods the road ran through a field of coffee on the top of the lower hills, and termina- ting in a winding path, through another forest, reached the summit of the highest hill. The trees for a small space around the spot had been felled, and a landscape more than thirty miles long was presented in a single view. At my feet lay the valley of Limonar, with its continuous fields of sugar-cane carpeting the soil for miles with a lively pea-green, over which hundreds of tall palms waved their dark verdure ; while coffee estates, inter- spersed amid the former, with their long alleys of orange, and mangoes, and palms, served to vary the appearance of the vast garden stretched out below me. In the distance the ocean and the bay of Matanzas were plainly visible, and the Pan, raising its oblong crest above all the other mountains ; quite unlike a loaf of bread, however, from the fan- cied resemblance to which it derived its name. To the right was the extensive savannas of Cam- arioca with their three Tetas, high conical moun- tains rising abruptly from the barren plain, and like it covered only by dwarfish shrubs. It was the middle of the dry season, and the highways could be readily traced by clouds of impalpable red dust, carried high in the air by the small whirlwinds common at this period ; while the trees along their borders could be distinguished from the autumnal hue given to their foliage by the same substance. Interspersed amid the fields were seen the large, low sheds of the sugar-houses, with their tall chim- neys emitting occasionally sudden volumes of smoke, giving to the whole the appearance of a large manufacturing district ; and amid groves, the 12* 138 NOTES ON CUBA. mansions of the planters, and the huts of the slaves. It was the middle of winter, yet everything wore the habiliments of summer; the trees were clothed in their richest verdure, the flowers were spread open about me, and numerous chamelions and lizards were sporting on the rocks, or basking in the warm rays of the sun. Dressed in a thin linen suit, I was enjoying the refreshing east wind under the shade of a trumpet-tree, while those I had left behind in my native country were seeking shelter from the cold. It is perhaps this unlooked-for sum- mer-life that gives so much interest to the landscape in Cuba, and which, combined with the genial climate, spreads a peaceful air over the whole country. But there is also so much of the history of the palm, the orange, the pomegranate, and its other trees connected with that of the East, that its legendary lore and its thousand tales of wondrous magic crowd on the mind ; and the traveller in Cuba, while tread- ing alone its lovely grounds, is often tempted to people its alleys and its groves with the children of Eastern fancy. On my return homeward by another path, I passed the bodies of two snakes of the constrictor species, that had been recently killed. They were about eight feet long, and specimens have been seen on the island three times their size, but being quite harmless, they excite no fear. Near the base of the hill my horse passed through a flock of ground pigeons,15 which flew up singly from the bushes at his very feet, and lit close by among the rocks on which a few lingered awhile, long enough for me to admire their beautiful, brown plumage, and their blue caps and medallions frineed wtth white. 15 olumb. cyancephala. NOTES ON CUBA. 139 On the San Patricio coffee estate, by one of the alleys through which I passed, stood a small stone building, smoothly plastered, with a flight of steps leading to its entrance ; but it was roofless, and shrubs were springing from its floor and portico, while the door and windows had long since been removed. This had once been the study of Maria del Occidente, where she composed that most fan- ciful of English poems, Zophiel; but deserted and ruinous as it was, in the midst of an unlettered people, it still seemed, from the recollections that hovered about it, like an oasis in the desert. An English critic has expressed his surprise that such a poem could be composed on a Cuba coffee plantation. Why! it is by a quadruple alley of palms, cocoas, and oranges, interspersed with the tamarind, the pomegranate, the mangoe, and the rose-apple, with a background of coffee and plan- tains covering every portion of the soil with their luxuriant verdure. I have often passed by it in the still hour of night, when the moon was shining brightly, and the leaves of the cocoa and palm threw fringe-like shadows on the walls and floor, and the elfin lamps of the cocullos swept through the windows and door, casting their lurid, mysteri- ous light on every object; while the air was laden with mingled perfume from the coffee, and orange, and the tube-rose, and night-blooming ceres ; and I have thought that no fitter birth-place could be found for the images she has created. A coffee estate is indeed a perfect garden, surpassing in beauty aught that the bleak climate of England can produce. Imagine more than three hundred acres of land planted in regular squares with evenly pruned shrubs, each containing about eight acres, intersec- ted by broad alleys of palms, oranges, mangoes, 140 NOTES ON CUBA. and other beautiful trees; the interstices between which are planted with lemons, pomegranates, cape-jessamines, tube-roses, lilies, and various other gaudy and fragrant flowers ; while a double strip of guinea-grass, or of luscious pines skirt the sides, presenting a pretty contrast to the smooth red soil in the centre, scrupulously kept free from all ver- dure. Then the beauty of the whole while in flower. That of the coffee, white, and so abun- dant, that the fields seem covered by flakes of snow ; the fringe-like blossoms of the rose-apple ; the red of the pomegranate and Mexican rose ; the large scarlet flowers of the pinon, which, when in bloom, covering the whole tree with a flaming coat, is the richest of Flora's realm ; the quaint lirio's trumpet- shaped flowers painted yellow and red, and bursting in bunches from the blunt extremities of each leaf- less branch ; the young pine-apples with blue flow- rets projecting from the centres of their squares; the white tube-roses, and double cape-jessamines ; the gaudy yellow flag, and a score of other flowers known to us only by the sickly tenants of the hot- house. And when some of the flowers have given place to the ripened fruit; and the golden orange, the yellow mangoe, the lime, the lemon, the luscious caimito, and sugared zapote ; the mellow alligator pear, the custard-apple, and the rose-apple, giving to the palate the flavor of otto of roses ; — when all these hang on the trees in oppressive abundance, and the ground is also covered with the over-ripe, the owner of a coffee estate might safely challenge the world for a fairer garden. Nor must this be thought the appearance it presents for only a short period. The coffee has successive crops of blossoms five or six times in the winter and spring ; and on the orange, the ripe fruit and the blossom, and the NOTES ON CUBA. 141 young green fruit, are often seen at the same time ; while several of the shrubs and plants bloom nearly all the year. The coffee-tree, however, merits a special notice. Passing from Ethiopia through Persia to Arabia, it reached the West Indies through Europe. Van Horn, in 1690, then governor of Batavia, having raised it in Java from seeds procured in Mocha, sent one plant to Nicholas Witsen, a burgomaster in Amster- dam, who placing it in the botanical garden of that city, other plants were propagated from its seeds, and were sent to the West Indies. In 1718 coffee plantations were first made in Surinam, and about 1728 by the French in Martinico, at which time it was also introdued info Jamaica.* When the French were driven from St. Domingo, they brought with them into Cuba the cultivation of this plant, and estates from that period multiplied rapidly on the island. The tree, if left to nature, attains a height of twelve or eighteen feet in the nurseries, and gives off horizontal branches knotted at every joint, which like the trunk are covered with a grey bark. The blossoms look like the white jasmine, and form thick, circular clusters around the branches; they appear from December to June, and last only two or three days. The berries at first are green, but as they increase in size and ripen become white, then yellow, and finally bright red, closely resembling the cherry in size and appearance. The trees are often loaded with them in closely-wedged circles around each joint of the branches ; I have counted as many as ninety cherries on a single one two feet long. Each cherry contains two berries applied with their flat sides together, having a sweet, soft, mucilaginous pulp between them and the pellicle. * Tropical Planter. 142 NOTES ON CUBA. The nursery is made by cleaning away the un- dergrowth of a wood, leaving the high trees to protect the young plants by their shade. The cherries are here sown, and the young plants, when from one to four years old, are transplanted to the squares about six feet apart, each square containing 10,000 trees. They are cut off about two inches from the ground, from which point a new shoot springs and forms the future tree, that bears the third year. They are then kept pruned to the height of five feet, and are yearly trimmed of all their dead branches. Amid the shrubs rows of plantains are formed eighteen feet apart, and com freely sown wherever the foliage permits the sun's rays to reach the ground ; so that a coffee square produces also a crop of these two valuable bread stuffs. The cherries ripen from August to December, and are all gathered singly by the hand ; and as three or four different crops are often ripening at the same time on each tree, as many separate pickings are re- quired. Brought in baskets from the fields, they are daily exposed to the sun on the secaderos, but are each night raked together in heaps, and covered by tents of rice straw to protect them from the heavy dews; after three weeks they become quite dried and are then fit for the mill. The secaderos often cover a large surface of the batey or yard, an estate of 400,000 trees having 25, each 60 feet long and 50 feet wide. They are made of stones plastered smoothly over with cement, with raised edges, through which openings, guarded by comb-like gates, permit the rain-water to escape and stop the berries. Sometimes, between the secaderos, plas- tered gutters are constructed to convey the water in- to a general reservoir; which is highly useful in a country, where every pailful of that necessary fluid NOTES ON CUBA. 143 has often to be raised from a well two or three hun- dred feet deep. The storehouse is generally about 100 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 20 feet high to the eaves of a high pitched roof. Within this large building is also the coffee-mill, consisting of a large circular wooden trough two feet deep, and in width tapering from two at the top to one foot at the bottom. A heavy, solid, wooden wheel plays in it, about six feet in di- ameter, and eight inches in thickness at its circum- ference, increasing to two feet at its centre. The berries are thus permitted to roll between it and the sides of the trough, which is kept well supplied to prevent their being crushed by the wheel, which cleanses them chiefly by pressing them forcibly against each other. The shaft is fixed at one ex- tremity by a ring to a central post, and to the other the horse or ox is attached. The dried cherries, conveyed through a funnel from the store-room above, fall into the central space, whence they are thrown into the trough ; from which, also, those al- ready crushed are withdrawn, and sent into the cleansing-room. Here they are put into a fanning- mill, which not only separates the husk from the berries, but divides the latter into two sizes, the largest rolling over a wire sieve into another room, while the smaller grains with the pebbles fall through it on the floor. The latter are then spread in heaps on long tables, around which the negroes are seated, and the broken and distorted grains are separated and set apart for the use of the planter. For this very quality, rejected by us and called triage, con- sists chiefly of the round small grains produced by old trees, and possesses the finest flavor. It is kept from year to year, and when old is equal to the best mocha coffee. It is now fit for market, and is packed in bags of 144 NOTES ON CUBA. Manilla hemp, the only material that can resist the force produced by the swellings of the grain from the absorption of the atmospheric moisture. Some pass the coffee a second time through the fanning-mill, which polishes it. A few, before submitting it to this process, mingle it with husks that have been parched- by fire ; thus painting each grain a dark green, but this deception is readily detected by rub- bing them on a white handkerchief. The grinding continues through December, and by the end of January the whole crop is generally sent to market. The coffee-tree has many enemies to contend with. A small worm sometimes destroys the tree by girdling it below the bark ; another bores into the trunk, traversing it in evey direction, and it falls by the first high wind. Two species of moths, one blueish-white, the other brown, prey on the edges of the leaf; but the most destructive of all is a small fly which deposites its egg on the leaf, the caterpillar from which destroys all but the veins, leaving a lace-work foliage. Young trees, by hav- ing all their leaves thus destroyed, frequently die, and the old ones are often thus stripped completely. Besides coffee, the cultivator plants his grounds largely in maize and plantains, which he sells to su- gar estates; and yams, yuca,* sweet potatoes and rice, which yields well on the uplands, for his own con- sumption. A few acres of sugar-cane and guinea- grass are also grown for the cattle during the long drought of winter, when all the portreros are void of herbage. He does not amass as large a fortune as the sugar-planter, but he witnesses no overtasked labor of his slaves. Well fed, with sufficient time allowed them for rest and the care of their own live stock of fowls and hogs, compared to the destitute * Jatropha manihot; the sweet species is cultivated, the fecula is named casave. NOTES ON CUBA. 145 of even our northern states, they are happier; and many are enabled to save enough money to purchase their freedom, which is not unfrequently done. They are generally up at four o'clock, when they feed the animals, their own included ; they then work in the fields, pruning the coffee or transplant- ing it, or opening new plantations, until 9 o'clock, when they breakfast. From half-past 9 until 12 they again work, dine at noon, and return to the fields from half-past one until dark, when the ani- mals are again fed, and they retire to their baracons. This is a large building around a central square, in- to which all the doors of their rooms open. The one on the estate where I now am is 150 feet long, and 80 feet wide ; it contains 28 apartments, each fourteen feet square, and nine high to the eaves of a high pitched roof of tiles, and has besides its door a window with iron gratings opening outwards. In the middle of the square is the general kitchen ; but each negro has at night a fire in his room, over which he smokes himself in the hottest weather, and cooks his private stores. The hospital is in a second story built over the entrance, which, by law, is guarded by a gate that is closed every night. The window near which I am seated commands a full view of it ; they have just retired from their day's labor, volumes of smoke are issuing from the crevices of the tiled roof, and no one, who listens to their cheerful voices and merry laughter, will be- lieve that they come from heavy hearts. This estate contains about 350,000 coffee-trees, which yield on an average a half pound each, many of them being old, and the soil exhausted. It has also 1700 palms in its alleys which are perfectly straight, and of which some are a mile long. The number of slaves is 123, of whom 80 are men ; but many of the latter are hired during the winter to 13 146 NOTES ON CUBA. sugar-planters. It has a fine flock of sheep, and stock of pigs and cows, which are nightly placed under the guard of two negroes, selected by rotation from the gang. To keep them awake, the task of grinding the Indian-corn meal for the negroes' breakfast is assigned to them, and the sound of the mill is frequently heard half the night, although a couple of hours would suffice to perform the task. The dwelling house is built of wood brought from Maine and Carolina, without any pretensions to style, but with every care to comfort. It is on a high basement story, under which is the well sup- plying the whole estate with water, men and ani- mals, nearly two hundred feet deep; and above, a wide, cool piazza that surrounds the whole house. But a single white man resides permanently on the estate, the mayoral, and another, the administrador, visits it occasionally. The annual produce from the sale of coffee, plantains, corn and stock is about $12,000 ; it pays for tithes to the church $102, and for meats, clothes, etc. for the slaves, salaries to the administrador and mayoral, for medical attendance, etc. about $2500 more, leaving a net balance of about $10,000. The coffee-planter, in the midst of his pleasant groves and alleys has, however, many cares. After an abundant crop so many twigs die, that two years are required to replenish the lost wood, and produce an average quantity of coffee. The arriero and the runaway slave of the sugar-planter prey on his plan- tains, cutting down the plants, which falling on the coffee-bushes injure many of them. But his most formidable and persevering enemy is the bibiago, an insect resembling somewhat a large black ant, and like it forming its habitation in the ground. These strip his fruit-trees of all their foliage, and, unless destroyed, would soon kill all vegetation around NOTES ON CUBA. 147 their abode. Miniature roads are often seen leading to some bush or tree, and a moving line of leaves aloug it, from morn till night. Their cells are from five to ten feet under ground, where the eggs are deposited by the breeders, for, like the bees, they are divided into several classes ; and at the commence- ment of the rainy season, swarms of them, much larger than the workers and winged, fly off to form new colonies. On every coffee plantation several negroes are employed all the year round to dig up their cells and destroy them with fire ; and so much labor is thus expended, that the sugar-planter will not plant oranges or other fruit-trees on his estate. In some places, as at Sierra Morena, they are driven away by the armigo bravo, another species of ant, which, however, prove so destructive to poultry that little is gained by the exchange. I have more than once seen a beautiful garden al- most entirely destroyed by the necessary excavations to find the cells of the bibiagos ; parterres were up- turned, shrubs rooted out, valuable vines and flower plants, that had cost months to rear, killed in their removal, and the tastefully arranged beds exhibit- ing an appearance as if a drove of swine had been rooting in them to their heart's content. In some cases the cells are built under the house, the en- trance to it being all that appears without, and the planter has to choose between digging up its foun- dations and the loss of all the neighboring trees. I was much struck by the instinct, or sagacity rather, of a brood of them that had thus secured their habi- tation. The opening to it was near the steps, and the insects daily fed on the white pith of the orange- peel, which I threw there every morning. A hen with her brood of chickens, however, discovered them, and each day at 11 o'clock, the hour when the poultry were let out of their house, she hastened 148 NOTES ON CUBA. to the spot, and with her young feasted on them. This continued for three or four days ; after which the bibiagos worked as busily as ever, conveying the orange-pith to their cells, until about nine o'clock, when they all retired, making their appear- ance again only after sunset, at which time the fowls had all gone to roost, and continuing their la- bor during the night. It may, however, be here observed that these industrious insects work both night and day, and, indeed, their greatest depreda- tions are often made after dark. NOTES ON CUBA. 149 CHAPTER VI. The Sugar Planter—His Wealth and Enterprise — Produce of Lands in Limonar — Altamisal and Sagua le Grande — Varieties of Cane Planted—Cost and Current Expenses of a Sugar Estate — Mortality of Slaves on it— Their Labor— The Manufacture of Sugar — A Cane Field on Fire — An Incident — Privileges of the Sugar Planter — The Montero and his Home — A Creole Orator — An Improvisatore — Character of the Creole—Observance of Religion — A Padre Dis- tributing Tracts — The Priesthood — Religious Toleration — Amount of Tithes — Salary of a Bishop — The First Cathedral — Epitaph of Velasquez — History of the Cuba Church — Mortality of Havana for Thirty-six Years. In strong contrast to the pleasant abodes last de- scribed, the sugar-estate spreads out its solitary but extensive field of cane, with nothing to vary the prospect but the isolated royal palms scattered irreg- ularly over the whole. While the coffee-planter's chief care is to unite in his estate beauty with profit, the only object of the sugar-plan ter is money, often regardless if it be attained at the expense of the welfare of his laborers. In society he holds a high- er rank than the other, as with us the sea-island cot- ton and rice-planter arrogate a higher station than one who cultivates the short staple and raises his own provisions. When, however, we recollect, that in the palmy days of sugar, the incomes of not a few of them were each more than two hundred thousand dollars, and that even now the crops of many sell for more than one hundred thousand dol- lars, they might well be considered the natural princes of the land. The capital invested in a su- gar estate is also so large, that it alone gives a cer- tain degree of importance to the planter, if he even be, as is often the case, inextricably involved in debt. 13* 150 NOTES ON CUBA. A visit to a sugar district will soon dispel from the mind of the traveller all doubts of creole enterprise. It is true that some estates still grind the cane by ox-power, and have but rude contrivances for pre- paring the sugar; but on many of them the most perfect machinery is employed, and steam, labor- saving steam, has taken the place of manual labor. There is considerable rivalry among the planters to produce the best sugar and the greatest quantity; and so great was the enterprise of one of my neigh- bors, that, in the midst of the grinding-season, he removed his steam-engine for the erection of an- other on the plan of those used in France for mak- ing beet sugar. The syrup, clarified by animal charcoal, was boiled by steam, and the sugar pre- pared in a vacuum ; the whole cost forty thousand dollars, some said more. As the cutting of the cane ceases when the rains commence, the saccha- rine matter being greatly diminished by its re- growth, he ran a risk of losing half his crop by the costly experiment. The lands of Limonar have long since been ex- hausted, many of the fields having been cultivated in coffee, and the quality of the cane itself has greatly deteriorated from bad cultivation. In some cases a field has not been replanted for fifteen years, the young canes being allowed to grow up yearly from the old roots. In one of the best managed es- tates here, two cordels* of cane yielded the following results. Raw juice 1094 gallons, of which 316 were re- fuse, and 777 clean juice and skimmings. From these 617 gallons of clean juice were produced, which when boiled gave 132 gallons of crude sugar, weighing, when warm, 10 degrees. Granulated, it * A cordel is about 24 square yards ; 18 make a cavalleria, or 33 1-3 acres. NOTES ON CUBA. 151 filled 16 pans, each weighing 81 lbs., and when purged of the molasses 59 lbs. The whole amount from the cleaned juice was 944 lbs. of sugar, and 352 lbs. of molasses. The skimmings, having been re- duced to sugar, increased this 1034 lbs. of clayed sugar, and 438 lbs. of molasses, being the quantity produced by about 3| acres of land. In this ex- periment, cane planted in the usual way, thickly to- gether, was used, while a rather larger amount was produced from the same quantity of land, on which the rows of cane were several feet apart, and the stalks, exposed to the rays of the sun, grew large and ripened fully. The saving was chiefly in the labor of cutting and carting, and the quantity of fuel used in boiling. Near Altamisal, where the lands are richer, 18£ cavallerias, about 617 acres, produced 1,080,000 lbs. of white Havana sugar, and half that quantity of molasses. In Sagua le Grande, where the most fertile cane lands are found, 8£ cavallerias, about 283 acres, produced 1,080,000 lbs. of Musca- vado sugar, and half that quantity of molasses, being at the rate of nearly 3820 lbs. of sugar to the acre. Three varieties of cane are planted. The Ota- heite, which is yellow and very rich in saccharine matter; but being easily prostrated by the wind, it is often found lying on the ground, where it con- tinues to grow, and is very difficult to gather. The ribbon cane, striped with longitudinal purple bands, is more hardy than the last, but yields less sugar. The third is the crystalline, having long joints and a blueish tint spread over the whole; the dead leaves also adhere to the stalk, requiring it to be planted widely apart and thrashed, to remove them, and expose the stalks to the sun. When planted closely it degenerates into a hard, small cane, but when properly cultivated yields as well as the others. 152 NOTES ON CUBA. The two cordels, on which the calculation was made of the quantity of sugar produced, were planted with this cane. But little science is shown in the cultivation of the cane, which is here planted too closely ; while the fields are left from tenito twenty years without being replanted. In the mean time the cane deteriorates in size and quality, and many of the roots having been destroyed by the ox-carts during the cutting season, large patches of a field are frequently found devoid of cane. The thick mass, also, being impenetrable to the rays of the sun, much is cut in an unripe state, and produces only inferior sugar. The following rough calculation of the cost and expenses of a sugar plantation may not be uninter- esting to the general reader. 53 Cavallerias (1767 acres) at $250, $13,250 Tribute, 5 per cent. $662 100 Negroes at $450 . . . 45,000 at 12 per cent. 5,400 50 Oxen, at $50 ... 2,500 " " 300 1 Steam Engine and two trains of boilers .... 15,000 " " Purging and storehouse, and others 30,000 " " 1,800 3,600 for 6 months " 12 " 12 " 12 105,750 1 Engineer foi 1 Mayordomo " 1 Mayoral " 1 Ox-driver " 1 Negro carpenter" 12 1 White carpenter" 12 I Sugar-master, $1 a hogshead for 800 hogsheads Medical attendance, $2 per ann. for each negro Clothing and food for slaves, at $10 Incidental expenses..... and 3 coopers 600 , 360 600 . 360 780 , 720 800 200 1,000 5,000 Prime cost or value $105,750. Annual expense $22,182 This plantation yielded 800 hogsheads* of Muscovado sugar, at $50 .... $40 000 And 400 hogsheads of molasses, at $5 . . 2 000 Annual proceeds, $42,000 At the former prices of molasses it was expected to pay the current expenses of the estate, but from lerlafwte'culSd"1^ aboUt I'860 P°Unds °f SU^ 8 1-2 caval- NOTES ON CUBA. 153 the price of carriage and its present low value, it is now often thrown away by the planter. A sugar-plantation, during the manufacture of sugar, presents a picture not only of active in- dustry but of unremitting labor. The oxen are reduced towards the end of the season to mere skeletons, many of them dying from over-labor ; the negroes are allowed but five hours sleep, but although subjected to this inordinate tasking of their physical powers, in general, preserve their good looks. Before the introduction of the steam-engine, and the example of a milder treatment of the negro by foreign residents in Cuba, the annual loss by death was fully ten per cent., including, however, new slaves, many of whom died from the change of climate. At present the annual loss in Limonar, I was informed by an intelligent English physician, does not exceed two and a half per cent., even in- cluding the old. On some plantations, on the south side of the island, the custom still prevails of ex- cluding all female slaves, and even on those where the two sexes are well proportioned in number they do not increase. On a sugar estate employing two hundred slaves, I have seen only three or four chil- dren. That this arises from mismanagement is proved by the rapid increase on a few estates where the negroes are well cared for. The Saratoga sugar estate, which with the Carlotta belongs to a highly intelligent merchant of Havana, is noted for the great number of children born on it; while several coffee estates, where the slaves are deprived of suffi- cient rest, are also unproductive. It cannot be denied that the slave's life, while employed in the manufacture of sugar, is a very laborious one ; from November until the end of May his physical powers are tasked to the utmost, still his peculiar frame of mind, that dwells only on the present, sustains him under it. The weight- 154 NOTES ON CUBA. iest cares cannot drive sleep from his eyelids, por deprive him of his appetite; and so well do the negroes appear even at the end of the grinding- season, that one would be tempted to doubt the amount of labor they have performed. During the rest of the year their daily tasks are comparatively light, consisting chiefly in removing the weeds from the fields, and cutting fuel for the next winter. The greater portion, during the grinding-season, are employed in cutting the cane. This is done by a short, sword-like cleaver, one stroke sufficing to cut the stalk close to the ground, and another to remove the unripe tops, which with their leaves are thrown in one long heap, while the rest, divided into two or more sticks, are thrown in another. The latter are removed in carts to the mill, and the tops are left for the cattle to feed on. In the best constructed mills a revolving platform conveys the canes to the rollers, through which they pass, and which express from them all the juice. The crushed stalks fall on another revolving way, and are carried off to a spot where a number of negroes are waiting with baskets to convey them into the yard. They are there exposed to the sun until quite dry, when they are packed under large sheds, and used as fuel for boiling the cane-juice. The juice flows from the rollers through a gutter into a large reservoir, in which it is gently heated, and where it deposites the dirt and portions of cane that have escaped with it from the rollers. From this it is drawn off into a large cauldron, where it un- dergoes a rapid boiling, and has its acidity corrected by the admixture of more or less lime. When reduced to a certain degree, it is dipped out by la- dles into another cauldron, where it is suffered to boil until it reaches the granulating point. It is now removed by large ladles into a long wooden trough, and stirred by long paddles until cold NOTES ON CUBA. 155 The mass now consists of the granulated sugar and its molasses, and when it is intended simply to remove the latter and make the quality called mus- covado, it is conveyed into wooden cisterns twelve feet square and two deep, and thence into the hogs- heads, where it undergoes its final draining, the molasses escaping through a hole into gutters, which carry it to a general reservoir. To make the white Havana quality, it is removed from the trough into earthem or tin conical pans, each capable of holding about 80 lbs. of the mass, having at their apices openings closed with a few dried cane leaves, through which the molasses per- colates, and falls into gutters below. Clay, made into a soft paste by being well mixed with water, is next spread over the sugar about three inches thick. The water, separating slowly from it, passes through the brown sugar below, and washes off the molas- ses from each grain, converting it into the quality known by the name of Havana white. After a certain time the mass becomes consolidated, and the loaf is removed from the pan, and carried to the driers, large wooden frames fixed on rail-ways, on which they can be readily rolled undercover of the shed when it rains. The base of the conical loaf is the whitest, while the apex is of a dirty-brown hue, and the intervening portion of a light brown. It is divided into these three kinds by the negroes, who with their cleavers walk over the sugar with their bare feet, cutting the masses into small lumps. To a stranger the sight of two or three dozen half- naked negroes thus employed under a broiling sun, and sweating over their task, is far from being pleasant ; and I have known more than one who have been afterwards very sparing in the use of clayed sugar. A machine has, however, been late- ly invented for crushing the loaves, and the present 156 NOTES ON CUBA. unclean method will probably be generally aban- doned. In well constructed furnaces the dried cane stalks, called bagassa, are found sufficient for boiling the juice, but wood is required to produce steam for the engine. This is brought to the mill at the ex- pense of great labor; and in consequence of its great consumption, large tracts of land are now bare of forests, and the difficulty of procuring fuel in- creases every year. Much labor is also expended in raising water from the deep wells to supply the engine boiler, the amount of which may be imag- ined by the reader, when he learns that they are from one to four hundred feet deep, and that the water is generally drawn up by single buckets. During the dry season the sugar-planter is also in constant dread of his fields being fired by some malicious neighbor, when in a few hours his whole crop and perhaps all his buildings might be destroyed. The canes are so thickly planted, and their numerous dead leaves form such a closely interwoven mass, that when ignited while the wind is fresh, the flames spread with inconceivable rapidity over the whole field. Although the prince of agriculturists, the sugar-planter, is now at the mercy of any of the canaille he may have offended, and an opportu- nity is not unfrequently taken at this season to re- venge some past slight or injury. As soon as the fire is discovered the large bell of the estate, which can be heard several miles, is rapidly tolled, and the neighboring estates at the summons disgorge their troops of slaves, who hasten to the spot. Alleys are cut through the field to the leeward of the burning portion and counter- fires ignited, and a large quantity of cane is often thus saved. In some cases the alley is cut too close to the fire, which sweeping across it surrounds NOTES ON CUBA. 157 the workers, some of whom are not unfrequently suffocated by the dense clouds of smoke. I was present on one occasion, and the scene was most exciting. The roaring of the flames, the sharp cracking of the burning cane, the volumes of smoke that now and then swept along the ground, evelop- ing everything in its dark cloud, the gang of half naked negroes, numbering more than five hundred, with their sword-like machets, hewing down the canes, while others with torches were setting fire to the windward edge of the road, the mounted mayorals with long swords and holsters galloping about, and shouting out orders and counter-orders, and a certain vague sense of danger, combined to render the whole a most animating sight. It was near midnight when it occurred ; and de- ceived in the distance by the light, I had left the estate, on which I was residing, on foot, and soon learned, to my cost, that I had to walk more than a mile. On my return I lost my way, and had to scramble alone through briars and over rocks to reach the public road, which I had no sooner done, than I was stopped by a sudden chal- lenge from a man, who stepping from the hedge intercepted me. As he paid no attention to my answers to his demand quien es ? and kept advan- cing, I hastily opened a dirk-knife as he came close to me, and prepared for my defence. He was an athletic fellow, the gloom may have made him appear more so, and had I not been completely ex- hausted by fatigue, it is very probable that I would have retreated, perhaps ran. No other thoughts, however, passed through my mind than of selling my life as dearly as I could, when the sharp click of the knife's spring struck his ear, and he stopped suddenly within two feet of me with his hand on his weapon. His bravado instantly ceased, and I 14 158 NOTES ON CUBA. found my highway-robber to be only a watch, that had been secreted on the road to arrest any suspicious person he might see lurking about the cane-field. He had believed from the click of my knife that it was a pistol, and not knowing me, had been, as he confessed, as heartily frightened as I was. He was the closest approach to a true robber that I had met in three years on the island, and our rencontre ended in our walking together towards our homes, which were close to each other. To encourage the cultivation of the cane, the Spanish government has granted many privileges to the sugar-planter, some of which are at the expense of justice. The island government has, however, never been remarkably over-scrupulous in the choice of means to increase its revenue. His slaves can- not be seized for debt, nor can his plantation be sold for less than its value adjudged by arbitration; he pays no tithes on his sugar, and late laws have so well protected him, that the creditor is literally compelled to wait until it suits him to pay his debt. All that he can do, is to place an agent on the es- tate, who secures the crops, from which, however, the planter can deduct sufficient to support himself and workmen, and to pay all the other necessary expenses of the estate. The picture I have given of the labor exacted from the slaves on a sugar estate does not apply to all. On some, so well are the tasks regulated, that they do not work more than the English peasant, while on others much cruelty is exercised. This is often the case when the proprietor does not oversee his concerns, but leaves the whole to an adminis- trador, who is expected to make as many boxes of sugar as his predecessor, and if possible a few more. If he fail he is dismissed, so that to secure his place he tries to accomplish the task, regardless of NOTES ON CUBA. 159 the comfort and lives of those under his authority. A cruel task-master is, however, as much detested in Cuba by his brother planters, as a distraining landlord is in England ; and it is very doubtful if of the two the latter is not generally the less hu- mane. I have introduced the reader to the coffee and the sugar planter, let him now follow me to the cottage of the hardy montero. In the centre of an open spot generally bare of high trees, a small hut may be seen, often formed entirely of the palm. Its trunk split into poles, and tied firmly together by strips of bark from the majaguay, than which no rope could be stronger, forms the frame and rafters. The foot-stalk, or part of the leaf that encircles the trunk, is spread out, and sewed to the sides of the hut, and being about five feet long and three wide, and as impervious to rain as a hide, forms an excellent protection to the weather. The roof is next thatched with the long stems to which the leaflets are attached, cut into pieces three feet long, and tied to the rafters, forming a covering about a foot thick, through which neither heat nor wet can penetrate. The door and window-shutter alone are of planks, the floor being of clay or mud, ac- cording to the soil on which it is built. The fur- niture within accords well with the simple struc- ture. A cot, a bench, a table, and a shelf, with perhaps a chest, comprise the whole ; while two or three plates, and an unglazed, clay cooler, com- monly termed a water monkey, and a few cups for coffee, form his breakfast and dinner sets. Nothing can be more simple or primitive than the whole, telling plainly the few wants of the owner and his hardy habits. Adjoining his dwelling his horse is tethered un- der a tree, and perhaps a small house may be built 160 NOTES ON CUBA. close by for his fowls, which, however, often roost on the trees or in his own hut. In the background is his patch of plantains, on which he depends all the year round for his daily bread, and which, from its self-propagating power, is the very plant for an indolent farmer. People this spot with a half dozen naked children, whose skins seem to have been long unacquainted with water; a slovenly-dressed woman, and a man in pantaloons and shirt, with a sword lashed to his side, and spurs to his cow-skin shoes, and you have a faithful picture of the mass of Cubean peasants and their homes. Yet from this man you will receive naught but the most courteous treatment, if you take shelter under his roof from an impending shower, or draw in any way on his hospitality. There is also a grace in his manners, wanting even in the French peasant, for it seems to arise from a feeling in him that he is your equal. I have frequently seen one of the lowest class of monteros enter the presence of his employer, without evincing in his bearing anything of the awkward bashfulness and obsequi- ousness of the English peasant. He gracefully saluted the company on entering the house, con- versed without restraint on his business, bidding them adios on leaving, with the same ease that one of the family would have done. His politeness never deserts him. I have often lingered about the door of a country tavern, and been amused at the compliments freely bandied from one to another. It would be an unpardonable breach of good manners in a Creole to eat his meal, or drink his Catalan wine, without first offering them to each one about him. It is true, that it is not expected that they will be accepted, but some- times the temptation is too strong for an old tippler, and the thirsty traveller, who perhaps has not money NOTES ON CUBA. 161 to buy another draught, relinquishes the longed-for cup to a perfect stranger, muttering a volley of exe- crations when out of hearing of his guest. The Creole is, moreover, a finished orator, grace- ful in his actions, and forcible in his expressions. While talking, his whole frame is in movement, and one ignorant of the Spanish could almost guess the drift of conversation by the pantomime. I once listened to a most graphic description of William Tell's shooting at the apple on his son's head, by a mayoral of a sugar-estate. In one of my excur- sions, I dined at the same table witlrjiim, and had been relating some anecdotes of courage, when he in his turn told that story. He was seated when he commenced, but warming with the subject, he rose from his chair, and, as the story proceeded, present- ed in succession, the anxious crowd of spectators, the patient, unconscious child, the firm father, and the stern tyrant, in tableaux vivants, that I had nev- er seen excelled. At the moment when he had shot the arrow, and placed his hand on the other, ready to send it to the heart of the tyrant, if the first pierced his son, the intense agony of the father, more intense because half-subdued and mingled with his deadly resolve, was so well depicted, that I gazed with unfeigned astonishment at the actor, when the cries of the crowd, joyful at his success, burst from him. Then came the daring response to the tyrant, that the second shaft was for his own heart, at which point his story closed, and I was resolving in my mind how one, who so well could depict the indomitable spirit of liberty dwelling in the bosom of the Swiss, could himself tamely bend his neck to the burthensome yoke of his own country, when he said that all this happened to an Indian and his king in Mexico. He moreover told me that he had bought a Universal Geography, for 14* 162 NOTES ON CUBA. twenty-five dollars; and from it and some of his friends who had travelled, he had learned much about my countrymen and the English, and that we were nearly all addicted to drunkenness, and fighting, and stabbing. This sketch is but a picture which every day meets the eye of the traveller, who will mingle among the middle and lower classes of the Spanish Creoles, from whom alone can, indeed, be drawn a correct representation of the character of the Cube- ans. The higher classes are either from Old Spain, or from travel and intercourse with other people, have had their feelings and manners more or less imbued with a foreign tone, and cannot be selected as fair specimens of the sons of Cuba. The montero is also a ready irnprovisatori, and the traveller is often startled by a description of the merits of his horse or wife, the picture of his home, or the badness of the road, suddenly bursting from the throat of the muleteer or ox-driver; which, al- though intended to be very expressive by the loud- ness of the tone, is bawled out against all the rules of melody. There is, indeed, something very painful in it. as it strikes the ear ; and when it breaks through the stillness of a bright moonlight night, often se- lected by the arriero for his journeys, it sounds like a wild, savage yell. I was once the innocent cause of an accident to one of these improvisatores, that will probably form the burthen of many of his future effusions. Returning on horseback one afternoon alone from Matanzas, I suddenly found myself on the brow of a steep, stony hill, and that I had missed the way. It was already late in the evening, and recollecting the distance at which I had left the last road, I de- termined to proceed. The path was, however, so rugged, that I was compelled to dismount, and lead NOTES ON CUBA. 163 my horse, slinging my pistols over the saddle, which not having holsters, compelled me while riding to retain them in their woollen bags. As I cautiously descended the hill, I encountered a mon- tero, who had also dismounted, and was dragging his horse after him in his ascent. He had evidently been making a purchase, which, consisting of a pile of four straw bonnets, he carried on his head; and was so lost in the wild lay he was singing, that he scarcely noticed me. He had just passed me when my holsters slipped from the saddle, and the per- cussion-cap of one of my pistols striking the rock, it exploded. Never was a man more startled than my montero. His song ceased abrubtly in the midst of a high cadence, his horse jerked him across the rocks and broke his bridle, and his straw bonnets flew in every direction ; while 1 only made matters worse, by showing him the pistols and burnt holsters, and explaining the cause in unintelligible, broken Span- ish. As soon as he had caught his horse, and col- lected his bonnets, he made a hasty retreat; and fearful that he might return with some companions, and arrest me for a highwayman, I followed his example, and soon reached the upper ford of the Canimar ; after which, the road being less rough, I put spurs to my horse, and was before long far on my way homeward. The Creoles are accused by foreigners of great duplicity, and from the means of observation I pos- sessed, they appeared to me to resemble somewhat the lower order of the Irish peasantry. They pos- sess the same disposition to blarney, laughing after- wards at the person they have imposed on; the same readiness to promise what they well know they can never perform, the same unbounded hospi- tality ; but here the likeness ceases. The Irishman will empty his purse, when the Creole will hesitate 164 NOTES ON CUBA. to spend a medio. His duplicity, however, is forced on him by the government under which he lives; for here no one can express with impunity his honest impressions. The Spaniards, indeed, have a proverb, that " you must bear a link before the devil, but that God does not exact that ser- vice ;" and the worse a man in power is, the more obsequious are the attentions paid to him. In every partido, each one strives to gain the good-will of the padre and the captain, how much soever they might be secretly despised; for each is capable of annoy- ing a landholder by a hundred petty exactions. There is, however, a redeeming trait in the char- acter of the montero, as strong as in the German peasant, filial love. To an American, accustomed from an early age to almost unrestrained freedom from even parental government, the obedience of men, possessing themselves families, to their own parents, is a strange and interesting sight; an obedi- ence which induces them after manhood to submit even to parental chastisement. Their morals in general are loose, gambling is a universal passion, and there is much infidelity, singularly combined with gross superstition in their character. One knows not, moreover, whether to admire or despise their patient endurance of the burthensome exact- ions of the mother country ;—to attribute it to loy- alty, or to a want of spirit. They can scarcely be said to pay any regard to the ceremonies of their religion, having a too poor opinion of their spiritual teachers to place any faith in their doctrines. The bible is, however, always an acceptable present to them, and, perhaps from its novelty, is greedily devoured. Tracts, that do not treat on sectarian points, are also received with readiness, and may with due caution be distributed with impunity; but if relating in the remotest de- NOTES ON CUBA. 165 N gree to the institution of slavery, would subject the pseudo-philanthropist to imprisonment and hard la- bor. A medical friend, who has taken up his resi- dence in Cuba, chiefly from philanthropical views, was requested by a padre to operate for cataract on the eyes of one of his slaves. Desirous to improve every opportunity that was offered to distribute some tracts he had, he gave a few to the messenger who showed him the way to the padre. These, to his great annoyance, the man carried openly in his hand; but his anxiety greatly increased, when, on reaching the padre, they were submitted to his inspection, with the demand, if he could read them without injury to his spiritual welfare. The latter had no sooner seen them, than he suddenly left the room, carrying the books with him; but my friend, who was as yet a stranger in Cuba, and had his brain filled with ideas of Spanish intolerance, soon had all his fears dissipated by the return of the padre, with a bundle of similar tracts in his hand, who assured the man that he could not read better books, and distributed the rest, which he had re- ceived from New York, to several other visitors. Yet this very son of the church, like nearly all his brethren in Cuba, was an opponent to the rules of celibacy, and had a large family living with him under the same roof; except in the vows of matri- mony, obeying all its laws, — protecting a single woman, and maintaining her children. Nor do the island padres hesitate to defend their position, hav- ing only usurped a privilege, which some of the priesthood of Italy, Spain, and Germany have at different times petitioned the Pope to grant to them, —marriage. In those parts of the island much traversed by strangers, and where many foreigners have settled, the padre is no longer seen at the cock-pit; but in 166 NOTES ON CUBA. the less frequented spots, like Puerto Principe, where the procession of the host still brings every one down on his knees, and the people are a centu- ry behind the present age, he is often found among the greatest betters on that debasing sport; an em- ployment, it must, however, be acknowledged, not more unclerical than horse-racing and fox-hunting in England. The current anecdotes of their vices, and which are freely circulated by their own parish- ioners, if true, in many cases place them on a level with the lowest characters; still many are found among them, whose gentlemanly deportment, and devotion to their peculiar forms of worship, secure the love and respect of their flock, and who in other respects act the part of faithful pastors. On the whole, there is more toleration of relig- ious opinion here, than in many European Catholic communities; certainly far more than in those of Germany and Ireland. No one can hold property or practise any of the professions, without first ac- knowledging in writing that he is an Apostolical, Roman Catholic ; but those who have tender con- sciences leave out the middle term, and it is winked at. The term judio, jew, is also applied to foreign- ers, including Spaniards, more in jest than derision, and without any particular reference to its sectarian application : and I have not met with as much inim- ical feelings in the Creoles towards Protestants, as the sects of the latter manifest towards the Catho- lics in our northern states. The secret is, that the Cubeans are not priest-ridden ; they are in the same state that the French were under Charles X. with a church establishment forced on them.* But if to-morrow all hindrance to the preaching of other doctrines were removed in Cuba, her Roman Cath- * In 1825 and '26 I saw few persons i and '34 they were well attended. NOTES ON CUBA. 167 olic clergy would be soon purified of many of their vices, and her churches, like those in France at the present time, be again filled with worship- pers. No other nation can be pointed out, in which less of religious duties is publicly taught, and more order and obedience to the laws are observed. Were it open to all sects, Cuba would form a rich field for the missionary, but in her present condi- tion all means to improve the morals of her people must be silent and covert. Although at present the churches are thinly at- tended, there was a time when the ceremonies of their religion occupied much of the time of the Creole. In Havana alone, 525 festivals were cele- brated annually in the 29 religious establishments it then possessed, besides vespers, ave Marias, masses, and sermons. My author, Arrati, further affirms, that in pomp and solemnity they were unrivalled by any in Europe ; and that, like in Lima, more wax was consumed in candles for the churches of Havana in one month, than in other cities for the whole year, the wax being moreover of the finest quality, from Castile.* The tithes collected in 1811, from the 42 parishes under the bishopric of Havana, amounted to $328,309; the income of the bishop was $38,333. From the same bishopric, $3,137,736 were collected in tithes in eight years, from 1813 to 1821. The first cathedral was established in the ancient town of Baracoa, in the year 1518, by Leo X. This town, which now contains only 2605 inhabi- tants, is situated on the north coast, at the eastern extremity of the island, and was for a long time the most important place in Cuba. No vessel from Europe attempted to navigate the then unknown * Slave del Nuevo Mundo. 168 NOTES ON CUBA. channels between the Bahamas and the Keys, with- out a pilot from that port; and all there replenished their stocks of water and fresh provisions. It was removed in 1522, under Adrian VI. to Santiago, where four years after it was burnt to the ground ; and the third one erected, was so badly built, from paucity of means, that, threatening to fall down on the congregation and priests, it was finally aban- doned in 1672. The island remained without one until 1690, when from a donation of $10,000 from the king, and other resources, including the materi- als drawn from the ruins of the last, another was built at an expense of $20,000. During the exca- vations of the old site, a slab of marble, about six feet long, and three wide, was found, containing the following inscription, fixing the period of the death of the great pacificator of Cuba: Etiam sumptibus, hanc Insulam debellavit, ac pacificavit. Hie jacet nobilissimus, ac magnificentissimus Dominus Didacus Velasquez, insularum Yucatani praeses, Qui eas sumno opere debellavit in honorem Dei Omnipotentis, ac---------- Cui Regis D.---------- ivit in Anno Domi MDXXII. The history of the Cuba church at this early period is very interesting, and will well repay for its perusal, by the picture it helps to depict of the character of the first Spanish settlers. Suffice it to say, that it long struggled with poverty, and was at one time compelled so to curtail its expenses, that, according to Morell, the priests had to dispense with the two monacillos* and supply their place with a negro belonging to the cathedral, named Martin, on whom they put clothes and shoes, that he might make a decent appearance before the * Boys attendant on the priests. NOTES ON CUBA. 169 altar; and this was its state when the bishop Valdes visited it in 1716. At first the whole island, Lou- isiana, and the two Floridas were under one bish- op ; and even before two were established here, the head of the Cuba church resided in Havana, where its large population, the general concourse of people from all parts, and its increasing commerce required the presence of the prelate to superintend its spirit- ual welfare, and perhaps supervise more advanta- geously the temporal interests of the church. The diocess of Cuba was divided into two in 1788, of which, one, that of Santiago de Cuba, was elevated into an archbishopric in 1804 ; the other, of Havana, remaining under a bishop. The latter superintends forty-four parochial churches, and seventy-nine auxiliary ones ; while the arch- bishopric contains only twenty-seven parochial churches and twelve auxiliaries, the whole subdivi- ded into curacies. Besides the tithes, from which sugar produced by estates made after the year 1805 is alone exempted, the income of the church is in- creased by many other perquisites. Every one who is born or dies on the island is christened or buried by the church. The charge for the baptism of every negro is 75 cents, for his burial $6.50, even if he be an infant. The price for the burial of a white man is $7.00, but more is given to the priest as a present; the burial of a stranger seldom costs less than $34.00. No one, without special permission, which is very rarely granted, can keep a family cemetery on his estate; all must be carried to the public ground, where their remains are not permitted to lie long undisturbed. The following table of the interments in the cemetery of Havana, while it shows the income derived from it by the church, tells also the annual 15 170 NOTES ON CUBA. mortality of the city and its suburbs. From 1806 to 1832, there were 101,870 bodies buried. In 1833, (when the cholera* raged,) inclu- ding 1451 buried in los Molinos, 11,596 In 1834, . . . 5,731 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 5,440 5,569 4,725 4,447 4,737 4,781 4,912 4,496 In 36 years, .... 161,304 A law has been lately enacted, by which no body shall be buried, before a certificate from a physi- cian, stating the cause of death, shall have been deposited with the padre, by which a valuable sta- tistic of the diseases of the island will be formed. There has long been in force a wise regulation, re- quiring the coffin to be left open in the church, until after the service for the dead, a valuable pro- vision against the secret burial of a murdered per- son. Over negroes and the poor, however, no service is performed ; the privilege of being interred in consecrated ground being thought enough for the burial fee. In 1842, there were 439 marriages in Havana, and 4661 baptisms; while in the year 1780, there were 395 marriages and 1928 baptisms; which, regarding the difference of the population, prove that the old Habaneros were more given to matri- mony than their descendants: only 1,062 were interred that year. aZP^X^a Preval?j1,ce °f lhe cholera in Havana, the drivers of the 1 n«JS» «f S° rtaPld]y>that no ?*e could be hired for that office, and ™not^tTf7hCeSmTedreleaSed °n conditionof "PPlying the vacan- NOTES ON CUBA. 171 CHAPTER VII. Departure from Limonar—Sail down the Canimar — Novel Mode of Guarding a Ferry — A Fisherman Recluse — Trip in a Steamboat from Matanzas to Havana — Regla — Its Arena for Bull Fights — Its The- atre — Schools — Church — Guanabacoa — Its History — Population — Tales of Robbers—Departure for Dr. Finlay's Coffee Estate - Posada at Bejucal — Cock-Pit at San Antonio — The Buena Esperan- za — The Cuba Horse — Mariel — San Marcos — Artemisa — Suspi- cions against Strangers — Creole Courtesy — Religious Feeling — The Warning—Return. Leaving my friend's estate in Limonar, where I had spent many pleasant days, I rode in his volante to the embarcadero, where a boat was ready to con- vey me to Matanzas. It was nearly six o'clock when I started on my journey, but one of those dense fogs, that sometimes overspread the land, completely hid the landscape from the view. Tree, bush, and herb were wet with the condensed va- por, and as the volante occasionally struck against an overhanging bough, a shower of large drops would fall from its charged leaves; while the birds, with plumage all matted, hopped from bush to bush as we passed, but rarely took flight. The manes of the horses glistened with minute particles of water as with hoar-frost, and although wrapped in an ample cloak and protected by the volante apron, I felt its chilling damp very sensibly. The village at the Canimar was already alive with laborers load- . ing the heavy ox-carts, and the launches moored to the wharf, and its narrow street was again blocked by teams of oxen, pack-horses, carts, boxes, and barrels, all inextricably intermingled. Its situation was most picturesque, being situated on the border of a placid stream at the foot of high hills, that rose abruptly from the water on all sides; while 172 NOTES ON CUBA. the large mass of produce it contained, and the busy crowd in its short street, contrasted strangely with the wildness of the surrounding scenery, and its apparent seclusion. The strong rays of the sun when I reached it, were fast dissipating the fog, which, dividing in large masses, rolled up the hills or hung about their shaded sides, and I already found the shelter of an umbrella necessary against the heat. Down a steep, winding path on the op- posite hill several monteros were descending on horseback, each with a long sword lashed to his side, and a basket containing a game-cock under his arm. They crossed the river below, and follow- ing the crooked ford among the little isles, cheered and laughed at each other as they passed through the deeper parts, and nothing but the backs of their horses were above the water. I was soon seated under the awning of the boat, which with well plied oars swept swiftly down the ebb-tide ; for although the embarcadero is more than three leagues from the sea, and the river runs the whole way between high hills, the tide rises nearly as high there as at its mouth. The Canimar is a pretty miniature of the North River in New York; but here the beauty of the precipitous walls was increased by numerous tropical plants hanging from them, and covering every little spot of allu- vial deposit at their base. The sudden turnings of the stream also broke it into several small sheets of water, resembling so many little lakes ; the borders of which were covered by the soft foliage of the bamboo, and the red flowers of Majaguay, with patches of mangrove; while among the mul- tiplied roots of the latter, springing from the water, numerous crabs were hurrying to their hiding places on the approach of our boat; some red, others blue, and a few nearly white, but belonging all to the same species. NOTES ON CUBA. 173 On our way down, the boat passed a ferry with a solitary flat and a small tienda near the water's edge, but which must have had many customers to pay its annual rent of more than two thousand dol- lars. When first established, the monteros used the flat only when the current was swollen by rains, swimming their horses across when it became low ; but the owner of the ferry imported a number of alligators from the lagunes, and feeding them daily in the river, soon stopped all attempts to deprive him of his dues. About a mile from this spot we passed the ruins of a stone house, built by a Ger- man doctor on one of the hills overlooking the river ; but even he thought it too wild a site, and abandoned it to decay. Still further were two caves, one on each side of the river, which had formerly been the habitations of an old fisherman, who for many years led a solitary life in them, catching daily just enough fish to buy sufficient rum to last him until next day. In the summer he lived in the shaded one on the south side of the river, but when the northers commenced to blow, he shifted his quarters to the opposite one. With no companion but his jug, which was also his bed- fellow, for he drank until he fell senseless by its side, this solitaire spent the last years of a long life. No one knew his history, and when once he was missed for a week, they searched his caves, and found his putrid remains beside his jug. The place was still used by his craft, for as we rowed by, several men were seen at the entrance of the southern cavern mending nets ; while volumes of smoke were issuing from its mouth from a fire, and a fishing boat was drawn up on the beach that passed into it. No river in Cuba, however small, but has a fort at its mouth ; and here was an ancient-looking, 15* 174 NOTES ON CUBA. little one, with a single cannon commanding the entrance to the channel that ran close under it; while the rest was obstructed by a shallow bar, over which, during a norther, the sea breaks and renders it impassable. On leaving the river we entered the open bay, and before the sea-breeze we rapidly approached the city, sailing between the anchored vessels and the launches engaged in load- ing them. Our course lay up the San Juan river, and as the boat passed under the bridge, we were hailed by a custom-house officer, who followed along the shore until we landed, and procured an order to pass our trunks. A few steps from the river brought me to one of the finest houses in Matanzas, the property of an American merchant, under whose hospitable roof I soon received a hearty welcome. It was three stories high towards the river, and two on the street, having been built, like some in Edinburgh, against a hill; and had plank floors, glazed sashes, and wide piazzas, with all the other conveniences that a mansion in the United States possesses. I embarked early the next morning on board the steamer for Havana, between which place and this port two or three ply all the year. The bell gave its last warning, the boatmen loosed their boats from her sides, and the quick revolving wheels drove us soon through the bay into the gulf-stream, that sweeps along a large portion of the northern coast of Cuba. We had but few passengers, among whom was a newly-married couple, behaving as such people do all the world over ; the man affect- ing to feel quite at home in his new position of husband, and the woman fondly clinging to him and affectionately watching his every movement. There was also one of the wealthiest citizens of Havana on board, with his wife and child; the latter NOTES ON CUBA. 175 dressed in a single, short frock of linen Cambric, of so fine a texture, that it resembled muslin, and served to screen the poor infant from the bleak wind. Its father, to whom I was introduced, told me that it had long been in feeble health, but was now improving ; but I could not help contrasting its shivering, emaciated frame, plainly visible through its dress, with the healthy, comfortable appearance of an American child, that lay in its nurse's arms close by, well and warmly clad. The custom of only half-clothing children among the higher class- es, and of not clothing them at all among the lower people, is very common in Cuba ; as to the blacks on plantations, even the adults are not unfrequently not much more clad than their brethren in Africa. The "human form divine," whatever effect its imitations on canvass and marble may produce on the senses, as seen in Cuba is at first most repul- sive ; but one becomes at length accustomed to the sight. Our course lay, the whole sixty-six miles to Ha- vana, close along the cliffs of the shore, which oc- casionally presented a small river and town, always guarded by a fortress, over which the richly-colored flag of Spain was gaily fluttering. Numerous schooners, ladened with the produce of the island, were also seen coasting ; while sea-ward, many a square-rigged vessel was ploughing its way on the great thoroughfare of the New World, the gulf- stream. When near Havana our passports were demanded by the captain, which, on our arrival in port, were delivered to the boarding-officer, who, seated at a table, called up each person to receive his. On landing, our baggage was not searched by the custom-house officers, who, however, require every trunk to be opened on embarking at Havana, even for a coasting voyage. 176 NOTES ON CUBA We arrived in Havana at one o'clock; and the next morning I stept on board the Regla ferry-boat, to visit the neighboring town of Guanabacoa, the spires of which can be seen from Havana, and which is much resorted to by the Habaneros du- ring the rainy season. The boat had just reached the wharf, and a dozen pack-horses, with bulky loads of green corn blades, projecting five feet from their sides, and hiding their whole body, were cau- tiously picking their way on shore ; measuring so well the distances between their wide loads and surrounding objects, that they moved along with- out striking them. The passengers consisted of a few country people, so dark that it was difficult to decide to what race they belonged ; of these, the women were dressed in calico gowns, and shawls which served to protect their otherwise bare heads from the sun. On their departure the boat became filled with monteros, who, having sold their milk in the city, were returning with the empty jars, resembling those used for olives, packed in seroons across their horses; while others, who had returned with empty sacs, had them slung across their bulky straw saddles. I singled out a lad who had an idle look, from among my fellow passengers, to be my cicerone for the town of Regla we were now approaching. He was not more than ten years old, yet he alternate- ly puffed his cigarrillo, and eat sugar-plums from a paper he had well filled with the latter. Nor could I help smiling at the courteous manner in which an old montero proffered the use of his cigar to re- light his extinguished cigarrillo, and the graceful wave of the hand with which the lad returned it. Regla is the place where that favorite spectacle of Spaniards, the bull-fight, is exhibited, and my first walk was to the arena. But the day of this NOTES ON CUBA. 177 cruel sport was passed, and the large, octagonal, wooden amphitheatre seemed, by its decayed con- dition, to picture the declining taste. The keeper of a neighboring posada informed me, that not more than three or four exhibitions took place in the course of the year, and that they could not be com- pared to similar ones in Spain. The horses were too weak to support their riders, and fell an easy prey to the bull, and the latter was too tame to endanger the life of the man ; so that, he said, it was not worth a visit. The theatre, too, was fast falling to decay, and with its rough and blackened weather-boards presented an ancient appearance ; while the open doors and windows served only as entrances to the bat and owl to cling and roost amid its galleries. The streets also wore a deserted look, and the houses were all of a single story and mean- looking ; while several on the outskirts of the town were roofless and half demolished. The palmy days of Regla had ceased with the destruction of its chief supporters, the pirates, who with smug- glers and slavers made this town their resort, and there held their carousals. It contains at present 6755 inhabitants, and is chiefly concerned in the exportation of molasses, which is here kept in large tanks. It has a foundry managed by engineers mostly from the United States, and a ship yard for the repair of small ves- sels. There is also a navigation school in the city, with a preceptor and two aids, in which the primary letters are taught by the system of Bell and Lan- caster; and where also sixty poor girls from its pop- ulation receive the rudiments of education from a preceptress. The institution was first established in 1812, but although it has received the notice of many in power, still struggles for existence. As I strolled through its almost deserted streets, where 178 NOTES ON CUBA. not many years before it would have been danger- ous to have walked, I passed a large school-room, the wide door and window of which, opening to the street, exposed the interior to the passer-by. It was well filled by young ladies, who had assem- bled for a public examination before their teachers and friends ; the latter occupying seats elevated on a platform, that afforded them a view of the whole room. There was much whispering and secret con- ferences among the scholars, and the scene was so animated, that I lingered awhile at the door to gaze on them. Indeed, there is nothing more interesting than a group of young, innocent girls, just bursting into womanhood, with all their freshness of thought, and feelings tinctured with couleur de rose, in their happy ignorance of the world they are about to enter. There were several very beautiful among them, with those drooping lids, so highly esteemed by connoisseurs in Spanish beauty, which give to the eye an almond-shape, to which the name of ojos de Moros, Moorish eyes, is applied; and I know not how long I might have stopped, had I not been admonished to depart by an old soldier on guard. I pretended not to understand his Spanish, but there was no mistake in his pantomime, and I pur- sued my way towards the church. This building, of a modern structure, and painted blue, is one of the objects that most particularly catches the eye of the traveller as he enters the harbor. The interior contained a pretty altar, two oil paintings, a few images, and a couple of glass cases filled with small silver offerings of hearts, anchors, images, etc. For, be it remembered, Our Lady of Regla, the image of which at times perspires miraculously from her forehead, is the especial patroness of seamen and boatmen. As I sat on one of the benches, and mused on the proba- NOTES ON CUBA. 179 ble characters of those who had thus redeemed their vows, — the pirate, the slaver, with perhaps many an honest, weather-beaten tar, whom moments of despair had driven for aid to the Virgin, I could not help thinking that the petitioners were shrewd bargainers, for not one of the silver offerings weighed more than an ounce. But my attention was soon diverted to another quarter, where an old, emaciated negro woman knelt before the altar, vehemently praying aloud; often striking her breast with one hand, while the other was extended towards the image of a saint, her ragged dress hanging in tattered folds from the arm. As she closed her prayer, and remained in the same position, silent, with upraised eyes, but perfectly motionless, she presented the very personification of despair. Her arm slowly fell, she crossed her- self, muttered some words, and quietly left. Next came a hardy sailor, but no word fell from his closed lips as he knelt, with his hands clasped, and gazed intently on the image of a crucified Christ. He was followed by several others, whites and blacks, who having severally knelt and prayed, re- tired. As I gazed upon their devotions I could not but feel that I was an intruder, — that I had pro- fanely sought a resting-place, where others came only to worship,—and before I left, I, too, added one more to the petitions there offered to the Uni- versal Parent. From the church to the ferry was but a short walk, and expressing my desire to go to Guanabacoa, I was besieged by a half dozen volante drivers, each demanding twice the usual price. I got into one, and telling the postilion I would give him six rials, the legal price, bade him drive on. The savanna on which Regla is built extends far into the country, and as I rode over the barren soil, I looked in vain 180 NOTES ON CUBA. for hiding-places for the robbers that formerly infested this road ; which has since been complete- ly rid of them by the mounted guards, that now nightly patrol it between that city and Guanabacoa. I met many volantes and horsemen hurrying to the ferry ; and as mine ascended the hills several beau- tiful views were obtained of a long, wide valley, and of the harbor and shipping. A few straggling houses now appeared, some closed and deserted, others threatening to fall about the ears of their sal- low inmates; the whole presenting a most forbid- ding aspect of poverty and desolation. And these were the suburbs of the favorite summer retreat of the luxurious Habaneros, where they sought refuge from the mud and heat of their crowded city, and persuaded themselves that they were enjoying a country life. In a few moments the galloping horses carried me to the Plaza in the centre of the city, and I proceeded to explore it on foot. Guanabacoa is one of the oldest towns in Cuba, having first been a settlement of Indians, of whom, in 1533, according to a letter of Manuel de Rojas, it contained 300, without including the children and the aged. When Havana was invaded by the French, in 1555, it was already so considerable, that the government of that city was removed here. The first inhabitants, however, resided on the loma de Indio, now called the Ermitano, adjoining Tarra- co ; celebrated for having been the residence of him who preserved the celebrated image of Jesus Naza- rino del Potosi, which, after the death of its pre- server, was kept in the hermitage of that name, and to this day performs many miracles. Supplicatory devotions made to it by the husbandmen for rain, during long droughts, always bring down copious showers ; the origin of the image itself is so miracu- lous, that I dare not further test the credulity of the NOTES ON CUBA. 181 reader by the history of it. In 1743. Guanabacoa was made a city, and a coat of arms was granted to it by Phillip V.; it now contains 10,000 inhabitants, and is the seat of a governor. It has quite an ancient look, combined with one of cleanliness; for the soil being made up of decom- posed granite and ferruginous pebbles, the heavy rains serve only to cleanse the surface, and in dry weather the air is free from that impalpable dust so annoying on clay soils. The antique appearance of the church tempted me to visit it, but the doors were locked, and seeing a side gate open, I walk- ed into a garden, where the padre was busily em- ployed in planting flowers. Expressing to him the desire I felt to see the interior of the building, he sent a lad with the keys to open the doors, and I once more stood within a christian temple, so filled with miserable effigies of the human form, with wax dolls, tinsel and gew-gaws, with shrines and offerings, that the heart sickened at the sight; and the question was forced on the mind, if the wor- ship of the Saviour was not here mingled with that of departed human beings, frail as ourselves. This edifice was but another monument of the fallen fortunes of the church in Cuba; its architecture was rude, more of the Saracenic than of the Gothic or- der, and the embellishments of the interior were on the most economical scale. Not far frorrwt was a school with thirty lads, two of whom were repeating their catechism to an older boy as I passed its window ; the children were meanly clad, and little order seemed to prevail in the school. Every town in Cuba has a public square, and here was one in front of the governor's dwelling and the adjoining barracks, in which were a number of soldiers. In several houses prepara- tions were made for the reception of boarders, piles 16 182 NOTES ON CUBA. of furniture were before their doors, and all the con- fusion attendant on arranging it reigned within. From its vicinity to Havana, and its freedom from yellow fever, this city would form a secure resi- dence for invalids, whose cases required them to stay in Cuba until June and July. Being on a savanna, the roads remain good throughout the rainy season, and its situation is high and cool. Numbers flock here from Havana during the summer, the society is good, and with a slight knowledge of the Span- ish, that season might be spent very pleasantly in it. The short road of six miles between this place and Regla, now so safe, was, during the days of pi- racy, much infected by robbers, bands of whom then roamed with impunity through all the surrounding country. A smart little Frenchman, who practised the healing art in this city, was one night waited on by one of them, with a command to accompany him to a wounded man. Fearing the result of a re- fusal,, he mounted a horse that the robber had brought with him, and rode some distance from the city under his guidance, when the two were sud- denly surrounded by a band of armed men. The doctor now repented of his journey, nor were his fears lessened on their blindfolding him,, and leading him off on foot, although they assured him that no harm should come to him. After a long walk, they reached a hut, where, the bandage having been re- moved from his eyes, he beheld a strongly built man covered with wounds, and exhausted by loss of blood. He was told to attend on him ; and having dressed his wounds, and informed them that they were not necessarily fatal, his eyes were again blind- folded, and he was given in charge of his guide; a double' handful of doubloons having been first offered to him as a fee, which he positively declined accept- ing. He was conducted safely home, and on the NOTES ON CUBA. 183 Says appointed for his future visits, the man and horse were found each night at his door. His patient got well, but the doctor would ac- cept of no pecuniary recompense. In several of his rides afterwards he was stopped on the road, but on being recognized was not molested; and on some occasions, he was even accompanied by his robber friends to his home, when other bands, who did not know his worth, were prowling about the place. Another disciple of iEsculapius in the small village of Camarioca was employed in a like manner, and also declined receiving money for his fee. " What then shall we do for you ?" they asked. " I had a horse stolen from me last week," replied the doctor, " he was invaluable, and " ---- " say not another word," whispered, one of the gang to him, " to-mor- row you shall find him in your protrero." He kept his promise, for he had himself stolen the horse. But tales of the generosity of Cuba robbers are very rare, and generally they are dastardly and wan- tonly cruel ; not only depriving the traveller of his purse, but adding insult and injury, unless their ra- pacity has been glutted by a large sum. A single pistol, it is said, will protect any traveller, and so successful are the officers of the police in ferreting them out, that at present no apprehension is felt for them. On my return from Guanabacoa in the afternoon, a fine view was obtained from the road of the Ca- banas and Morro, and the mouth of the harbor ; and when I reached Regla, several large vessels were slowly entering the port, before the last, faint puffs of the subsiding sea-breeze. The sun had declined, and the soft light of even fell on the varied pan- orama as I crossed the bay to Havana; and I lin- gered awhile on the fine promenade near the Opera 184 NOTES ON CUBA. to enjoy the beauty of the scenery, before entering the still heated alleys of the city. I had at different times been deterred from visiting the establishment of Dr. Finlay, from the accounts everywhere given me of the difficulty of the route ; and although it was late in the season, I now deter- mined to make a pilgrimage to it, for such I was led to believe the journey would be. In two hours after leaving Havana the railroad cars stopped at Be- jucal, a village about eighteen miles from the city, where an excellent breakfast was served up to the passengers in a posada close by the road. A num- ber of soldiers, who had come with us from Havana, also left the cars here, and took up their line of march for the interior; while a half dozen others, just returned from escorting some criminals to an in- land town, were lounging about a table, on which a number of empty bottles and glasses told how they had been engaged. Then there were the usual hangers-on of a village posada, monteros with their trousers, and shirts, and skins freely coated with the red soil, with long swords to their sides, gossiping and smoking ; idle boys of all colors from olive to black, and travellers who had stopped to take their mananas, drams of aguardiente. A few country women were also seated in the piazza, with bonnets of every shape, adorned with ribbons of every color, and flowers of every kind. It is only while travel- ling that the Cuba women wear this protection from the weather, and even then a shawl or handkerchief often supplies its place. One of my travelling companions was an aged in- valid suffering from palsy, and I was detained in Bejucal until 12 o'clock, when we all set off on our journey, under a broiling sun; the invalid with his attendant in a volante, a Mexican Indian, his ser- vant, on a hard-trotting horse, and I on a little rat of NOTE ON CUBA. 185 a pony, which was as remarkable for his skeleton form as for the fire that yet kindled in his eye. The country through which we passed was divided into sitios, with here and there a coffee-estate and por- trero, but nowhere was seen the wide-spreading fields of cane and the smoke of the tall chimneys. We passed by many a field of maize, yuca, and plantains, and patches of sweet potatoes and pump- kins. But although April was nearly passed, so few had been the showers, that the young grass had scarcely sprouted, and the tropical spring had not yet set in. Still everything wore the livery of sum- mer, and trees in flower, or laden with fruit, met the eye on every side. About two o'clock we reached San Antonio, a beautiful town containing 4757 inhabitants, distant eight leagues S. S. E. from Havana, and three from Bejucal. Crossing the bridge over the little river flowing through the place, we rode through long, clean streets, and passing to the opposite side of the town stopped at. a large posada called the Punta. Here we dismounted to rest until the afternoon, and were shown into a long room, serving the double purpose of parlor and chamber, where a table was soon spread with a clean cloth for our mid-day meal. While these preparations were made, I proceeded to the public cock-pit in the adjoining yard to gaze awhile on its interested crowd, and refresh my parch- ed mouth with the fine oranges that an attendant was peeling under its elevated amphitheatre. There were more than a hundred men present, engaged in betting on the combatants, for Monday, by many a montero is also kept as a holiday ; on the preceding Sabbath four hundred had attended the sport. I took a seat on one of the benches, and witnessed the same scenes I had seen at Guines. Again were the 16* 186 NOTES ON CUBA. colored and white intermingled without distinction, reduced to a common level by the same base pas- sion; and childhood with its innocent gaze was also there, mingling its silver laughter with the screams and shouts of the gamblers. So strong is the love of the cruel sport in some, that I have heard of a Marquis betting a dollar on a fight, with the calesero who drove his volante, pocketing the money won from his own slave. After dinner, which was well served up, we pur- sued our journey over a smooth road, and through a level, rich country, laid out in successive coffee estates, surrounded by stone walls and lime hedge. Ten miles brought us to Alquizar, a village or pueblo containing 800 inhabitants, through the streets of which our whole party rode in a gallop, bringing many an idler to the door to gaze on us. The Buena Esperanza, the coffee estate of Dr. Fin- lay, was but five miles farther, and the road ran be- tween beautiful plantations of that shrub, and alleys of tall palms. We reached it at five o'clock ; those in the volante not having experienced the least fa- tigue, so good were the roads, and we who had rode on horseback, forgetting all we had suffered in the cordial reception by the family of the proprietor. The estate, although an old one, still contained some fine alleys of mangoes and palms ; and so much was the season here in advance of the north side of the island, that the ground under the mangoes was strewn with the over-ripe fruit. There were no other fruits on the place, but the boarders had free access to a neighboring estate containing an abun- dance of oranges, zapotes, caimitos, etc. The season had nearly passed, and not expecting to receive boarders, no provision had been made for them in the way of horses, and several days elapsed before I could hire one from among the NOTES ON CUBA. ] 87 neighboring mayorals. The montero is by nature a horse-trader, and I have never heard his eulogi- ums on the character of the beast excelled, even in Kentucky. One mare was promised to me, which the owner averred had not her equal in Cuba; nay, that since the world was created (I use his own words) no such animal had lived. Unfortunately he had loaned her to a friend, but she should be at my door early the next morning. He brought her, and I looked in his face to discover if possibly he was attempting a hoax; for she was a perfect pic- ture of Rozinante, and had, moreover, an immense sore on her back, judiciously covered by a piece of moistened brown paper. The owner stood by her side, alternately eyeing the animal and me ; but I was proof against his effrontery, and declined even taking her on trial. Soon after, an easy and gentle pacer was offered, which I hired for two dollars a day, twice the sum usually paid. The owner, however, could not part from his favorite, without a recommendation; " her spirit is such," he said, "that she will travel until she falls down dead, so, senor, you must not let her have a free bit." I rode by his cottage that afternoon, and the poor fellow, catching a glimpse of his mare, ran to the door with his children and gazed at her until a turn in the road hid her from his view. The Cuba horse well deserves the love of his master. Although small, his capability to endure fatigue is great, and his march, a kind of pace, is the easiest, combined with rapidity, possessed by any breed. The most esteemed are supposed to have been derived from Andalusian coursers, and are called hannovegas. These are bought at the price of eight doubloons while yet untried colts, and are remarkable for the march, being their natu- ral gait. I had one, presented to me by a lady, 188 NOTES ON CUBA. which, with a free rein, carried me six leagues in two hours, with the greatest ease ; and I have known a young lady ride sixty miles on one in a day, to attend a ball the same night, where she ex- pected to dance until near morning. The horses are left entire, to which they owe their fine manes, and broad necks, and their sweeping tails ; but are nevertheless under perfect control by their power- ful bits, and the heavy spurs of the rider. The mares, however, are seldom used under the saddle or in the volante, but are employed chiefly in field- labor, and can be bought for twenty to fifty dollars, one-third the price of the horse. The montero inherits all the love of his Moorish ancestors for the horse, which too frequently, how- ever, tempts him to disregard the rights of others, in showing his affection. In short, he is an expert horse-thief; and if it were not for the dogs nightly set at large on estates, there would be a constant and general exchange of horses over the whole island. He is rarely seen off his horse, a foot trav- eller being a sight unknown ; I have even seen two beggars on one horse, giving, moreover, the lie to the adage, for they rode to the hospitable mansion in which I was living, where all their wants were soon relieved. The montero, indeed, considers himself established in life when he possesses a fine horse, a pair of silver spurs, a silver-mounted Tole- do blade, a pair of linen trousers, a cambric shirt, and yellow cowskin shoes. If he get a wife she is merely an appendage, never usurping, in his affections, the place of his horse. The country around the Buena Esperanza, is a perfect level, extending on one side to the south coast, which is distant six miles, and to the north coast on the other, while it is bounded on the west by the Cusco mountains. The island is here most NOTES ON CUBA. 189 narrow, being not more than fifty miles from shore to shore; and this spot having been settled during the palmy days of coffee, the estates are beautifully laid out, and so close to each other, that it well deserves the name of the garden of Cuba. The neighbor- hood has been but little frequented by strangers, and the inhabitants are very hospitable; the roads, generally, are also quite safe. I have already no- ticed its climate, and its advantages as a residence for invalids, and will merely add that besides excur- sions to the Cusco mountains, the scenes among which are not excelled in beauty by any on the island, a trip may be made to Mariel, a port on the north side. This place, situated eleven leagues from Havana, as early as 1829, included within its jurisdiction 122 sugar estates, and 125 coffee estates, besides 694 farms; and in 1837 it exported to the amount of $1,640,166, and its imports were valued at $831,875. Yet such is the difficulty to wrest from a despotic government the people's rights, that petitions have been presented since 1820 to make this a port of entry, without success: the town it- self contains 1318 inhabitants. Having tried in vain to procure a fellow-traveller to Artemisa, a small village, about five leagues distant, in the celebrated partido of San Marcos, I got on my famous mare one morning before sunrise, and commenced my journey alone. The road was level, and, for a long way from the estate, lined with rows of palms; but it then ran between portreros, and low-lands planted with guava-trees, on the rich fruit of which many herds of swine were feeding. At other places I passed forests of palms, resem- bling our open pine-woods, except that the white, stone-like trunks of the palms, and their drooping tufts of dark-green foliage far exceeded the pine in beauty. Here also a number of swine were feasting 190 NOTES ON CUBA. on the fallen seed, and horses and oxen were brows- ing on the grass, while their negro-keepers were lounging on the stone-fences, or sitting over fires within their temporary huts, although the thermom- eter was above 80°. After a ride of six miles, I passed a large field of cane, planted on an abandoned coffee estate, and entered the most lovely road I had ever seen. Perfectly level and straight for three leagues, it was skirted on each side by a continuous line of tall palms, planted sometimes in double rows, within a hedge of lime-trees, and occasionally inter- mingled with the light, hairy foliage of the native pine, contrasting prettily with the heavy arches over them. The whole ground was cultivated in coffee; and the estates were separated only by low, trimmed lime-hedges and alleys of palms ; while the entrance to each from the road was by an avenue of the same trees, through which were seen the mansions of the planter, the boheas, the storehouses, and the secad- eros, forming so many miniature villages. At one point two roads met at right angles; and the inter- minable broad alleys that stretched out before me, bordered by square lime-hedges, and crowded lines of majestic Corinthian columns, their white shafts lost in continuous high-sprung arches of the rich- est green, presented more magnificent vistas than I had ever beheld in France or Italy. The estates were very uniform in appearance ; most had plantains in rows between the coffee- shrubs, and alleys of orange-trees intersecting the grounds, and in all the greatest neatness prevailed; the avenues were kept scrupulously free from rubbish, and the hedges and strips of guinea-grass cut in straight lines. The names of some were placed over the gates, by which small lodges for the porters were also seen, generally inhabited by old negro men. Enchanting as was the scenery, its very beauty fatigued the eye by its sameness; NOTES ON, CUBA. 191 and the air of solitude spread over all, and the ab- sence of busy life, induced a melancholy mood as I rode along. The whole of this labor was expend- ed to greet the eye of the owner for three short months of the year, and then was abandoned to the wild Africans, and the mayorals, as brutal often as they. The season for the country had passed, and it was already deserted ; the crops had all been sent to the distant towns, and for ten miles I did not meet as many persons My mare, which well merit- ed the praises bestowed on her, carried me, however, fast over the ground, and by nine o'clock I reached Artemisa. An intelligent old negro, whom I met near the village, pointed out the best posada to me, and riding up to its tienda, I passed through it on horseback into the yard, to which the doors of the shop were the only entrance from the street. I could not but notice the sensation my arrival created among the loungers about the bar, who, no doubt, from my foreign appearance at once set me down as ajudio ; but whether 1 was an English Jew about to free the slaves, or engaged in some other dia- bolical project against the peace of the country, they could not divine. Nor was my expressed intention to remain all day, and perhaps the night, at all expli- catory of the mystery in which they had invested me. I could get nothing but monosyllables in ex- change for my questions; and so much shyness was visible in their manner, that I feared I might be asked for my passport by the captain, whose office was next to the tienda. Having neglected to procure that necessary safeguard, I promptly adopt- ed Franklin's plan of quieting Yankee inquisifive- ness, and told my whole history to my host and his clerks. Their bearing towards me immediately changed, and we suddenly became on very sociable terms ; and when all of our topics of conversation 192 NOTES ON CUBA. were exhausted, the proprietor, who was also the village postmaster, and agent for the Havana news- papers, brought two of the latest to me to read. The highway from Havana to the Vuelta Abajo passed in front of the posada, and when I entered the parlor, the table was occupied by a dozen trav- ellers, whose swords were clustered in one corner of the room, and their saddled horses with holsters under an adjoining shed. An active lad, with sandy-colored hair, laid a cloth for me in another room, which although not remarkable for its white- ness, nor the plates for their cleanliness, I was suf- ficiently hungry not to notice too closely. The passage to the room, moreover, was by the kitchen, but I looked another way, as I always do when I pass a Spanish cook and his utensils. By these precautions I was enabled to relish a tolerable good breakfast, and so attentive to all my wants was the servant lad, that I offered him a rial when I had finished. To my astonishment he declined it; I pressed it upon him to buy cigars, but he told me he could get as many as he wished from the store, and whatever he wanted to eat or drink, and I had to keep my coin. He had only been two months from Asturia, in Spain, and although he seemed at first to resent my opinion of his character, he after- wards was still more attentive to me, persuading me to spend a week at the posada. The sun was now intensely hot, but I could not leave Artemisa without exploring it, so I set out for a stroll; passed the closed church with its square tower built by its side, looking like it had hopped from the roof with its three bells to the ground ; the dirty thatched huts, composing the greater part of the village, in one of which I noticed a tall, emaciated, and pale woman teaching six little chil- dren ; peeped into the spacious cock-pit that a rival NOTES ON CUBA. 193 posada had erected in its yard ; and amused myself by returning the gaze of every curious citizen, male and female. In a half hour I had become acquaint- ed with all the squalid poverty of the place, and was again seated in the piazza of my host, which ex- tended likewise in front of his fancy store, the cap- tain's office, and a shop full of busy shoemakers. Over the postman's box before me was a placard of the royal lottery, of which he was an agent; and by it, another, stating that almanacs were here sold, which, among other curiosities, contained the exact times of the risings and settings of the sun and moon. About noon several travellers stopped to dine, and as 1 sat at one end of the table reading, not one touched his meal or wine without first asking me to partake of it. This is an empty compliment, and the offer is never accepted; but when dining in company with them one becomes tired of refusing the proffered dishes, for the Spaniard before helping himself from one, first offers it to all his neighbors. Many of the travellers loitered about the room after dinner, and several villagers joining the party, the conversation became lively, for the Creole is far from being grave. " Has the padre a family ? " I asked one. " Yes," he replied, " a sobrina* and several children," without seeming at all astonished by the question. I told him that the Pope had prohibited all his priests from obeying the first command of God, " be fruit- ful and multiply ; " but that I supposed having ex- communicated all slave-holders, for which I gave my authority, the comments of an American news- paper on an Apostolic letter of Gregory XVIII., the Cuba priests could not be worse off, and acted in- dependent of him. But I found that the Papa had no longer any influence over the ignorant peasants around me ; and that even the descendants of those * A niece. 17 194 NOTES ON CUBA. who had invented the inquisition could fearless- ly laugh at his Holiness. Notwithstanding their contempt of the priesthood, the lower classes in Cuba are sunk in gross superstition, while some of the educated, it is to be feared, are strongly tinc- tured with infidelity. The cause to every reflect- ing mind is apparent. The Catholic religion of Cuba is scarcely better than that of the dark ages, and society is in advance of it. It is not the same as that of the United States, where the eyes of rival sects are fixed upon it, and have compelled it, in self-defence, to discard much of the mum- mery attendant on its ceremonies in Spain and Italy. Some of these, intended to represent scenes in the life of our Saviour, when enacted in Havana, excite only the laughter of the spectators ; and the most solemn, his death and resurrection, from the poverty of the materials, fail to create the feelings of respect, which those in Rome, with all their grandeur, cause in the breast of the veriest her- etic. My Asturian lad had spread my table in a private parlor, which he said was better suited to a senor; some worn-out cots and other lumber had been heaped up in a corner, leaving space enough for the table, and turning my back on the door which gave a full view of the kitchen, and stables close by it, I resolutely set to the task of eating. My dinner consisted of a beefsteak, which the cook told me he had dressed in the English style, and which was hid under a heap of raw garlic and onions, and fried in oil and vinegar ; but the bread was good, and my palate had insensibly accommodated itself to Spanish condiments. I had intended to return to the Buena Esperanza at night, to view the scenery by the light of the full moon, and avoid the heat of the day; but a suspicious-looking vil- lager told me that the road was not safe, and that NOTES ON CUBA. 195 many bad characters lived on the outskirts of the village, who, as I travelled alone, might molest me. The sight, of my pistols, which my host now brought to me, only induced him to expose new causes for apprehension. No one is permitted to carry fire-arms on the highways without a special license, and the captain's office was the next door to the tienda; so, well knowing the rapacity of those officers, I quietly placed them in my holsters out of sight. His fears at first excited only my laughter, but as the sun declined behind the neighboring mountains, I mounted my horse and bid adieu to the group of clerks who had left the tienda and shop to see me depart, giving me many a good wish. The sun set before I had proceeded far on my journey; and in the fairy-like beauty of the country, only now and then broken by the sight of a single individual, all fears of robbers and of the police were completely dissipated, and even the cross, with its heap of fresh stones over the murdered man's grave, was unno- ticed.* I soon left the highway to the Vuelta Abajo for a cross road, and retraced my steps through the enchanting scenery I had traversed in the morn- ing. Not a sound interrupted the stillness of the calm night air ; the silver rays of the moon shed a soft light on all around ; a mysterious feeling crept over my heart; and the imagination would fain have peopled the surrounding groves with happy spirits. Even after I had reached my hotel, my thoughts still dwelt on the scenery through which I had past, and were only dissipated by the sound slumber induced by the exercise I had taken. * It was formerly the custom, and still is in some parts of Cuba, to place a cross over the spot where the corpse of a murdered man had been found. The one here referred to, had a heap of small stones piled about its foot, many of them presenting the appearance of having been recent- ly broken and placed there ; it is not, however, usual for the traveller to perpetuate the memory of the deed, and add his tribute of a pebble to the monument of the murdered. 196 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER VIII. Puerta de la Guira— San Marcos — Pendencias — Their Population and Agricultural Statistics — The Nobility of Cuba —How Created — Divisions of Society — Haut Ton —Creole Compliments—Creole Women —A Captain's Sub —The Rubica — Departure from Buena Esperanza —Moonlight View of the Sumidero of San Antonio — Lounge in a Tienda —Cigar Making—Best Tobacco —Safety of Country Inns — Havana Race Course — The Carnival — Early Histo- ry of the Metropolis — Its First Site — Sacked by a French Corsair — Taken by the English — Number of War Vessels built in Havana — Its First Church — Its Colleges and Seminaries — The Sociedad Economica — Public Library —Medical College —Printing Presses and Periodicals. The Puerta de la Guira, near which Artemisa lies, contain 2610 whites, 378 free colored, and 8817 slaves ; these are distributed as follows ; 1021 on six sugar estates. 7225 on 73 coffee estates, and 2158 on 134 farms and other rural establishments. The whole partido of San Marcos has but two small sugar estates with 101 laborers, and 19 coffee estates with 1875; while its 168 farms are inhabi- ted by 3078 ; its principal pueblo las Manjas con- tains a population of 183. Pendencias, in which is the Buena Esperanza, has 458 whites, 31 free colored, 3860 slaves. There is but one sugar es- tate in it with 190 laborers, 45 coffee estates, with 3861 blacks and whites, and 12 sitios with 29S. The whole constitutes the most highly cultivated portion of the island, and although the prosperity of it has declined with the price of coffee, the sce- nery is so unique and lovely, that no one should neglect to visit it, even were the interested accounts of the difficulty of reaching it true. One is struck by the number of estates here belong- ing to titled owners, some of whom have extensive NOTES ON CUBA. 197 landed possessions, that are rented out; paying a fixed annual tribute; so, that a large plantation may often be obtained for a yearly tax, without paying any purchase-money. Many wealthy per- sons have bought titles of nobility, not only on ac- count of the rank they give possessors in society, but also for the exemption they confer from petty annoyances from captains of partidos, and other low officers of justice. The titled can only be tried by a high tribunal, and cannot be arrested for debt ; military officers, also, can only be indicted before a military court, and priests before their ec- clesiastical bodies. There are 29 marquises and 30 counts on the island, more than half of whom have been created since 1816; Ferdinand 7th, alone, made 11 mar- quises and 15 counts from 1816 to 1833. Most of them had acquired their wealth by sugar-planta- tions, and are jocosely called " sugar noblemen," often adopting the names of their estates, as the Marquis de Santa Lucia, the Conde de Casa-Romero. The Marquis del Real Socorro obtained his title from having presented a large sum of money to the government, when its coffers were exhausted, and a few others have had theirs conferred for military and other services to the State. The greatest num- ber have, however, been bought, no considerations being paid to aught but the wealth of the individ- ual ; the mother country thus taxing the idle arro- gance of her colonists. The prices vary from twenty to fifty thousand dollars, the purchaser being also compelled to entail a certain amount of property with the title. The origin of many of this class of society, while it exposes them to the private derision of the untitled crowd, creates among themselves a clanish feeling, and presents an insuperable barrier to a 17* 198 NOTES ON CUBA. general social spirit. The marquis of 1832 looks down with something like contempt on his younger brother of 1835, and those of the 17th or 18th century hold themselves quite aloof from the mushroom generation of the 19th. The tone of Cuba society is also eminently aristocratic, and cer- tain circles are very exclusive. The native of old Spain does not conceal his hatred of foreigners and contempt of the Creole, and shields his own inferi- ority of intelligence and enterprise under a cloak of hauteur. The native of Cuba, on the other hand, sees himself almost entirely excluded from all offi- ces under government, the army and the church,* and regards with no favorable eye those who are thus sent to mend their fortunes at his expense, and to exact to the utmost from his gains. The Spaniard and the Creole thus form two distinct classes of so- ciety ; and the foreigners from other countries, regarded with jealousy by one class for the liberal principles they insensibly instil in the people, and with envy by the other for dispossessing them of some of the branches of industry, constitute another class. Then the untitled crowd is divided into the sugar- planter, the coffee-planter, and the merchant ; the liberal professions and the literati; all below them forming a single class, with which the rest do not associate. The planter holds a scale above the merchant, whose genius directs the stream of wealth that flows into the land ; and at whose nod the for- mer beholds his fields covered with cane, his boheas peopled with Afric's sons, and his costly sugar- works spread their extensive sheds, for which he pays a heavy interest. There is so much corrup- tion at the bar and on the bench, that, as a class, * The Count de Villanueva, the Intendente of Havana, is one of the few exceptions to this rule. NOTES ON CUBA. J^g the dispensers of justicia are not respected, how much soever individuals among them may attain a high rank in society. The medical profession here confers no honor in itself, for the doctor is frequent- ly confounded with the barber-surgeon ; and it is probably in revenge for thus being placed on a level with Strap, that the Spanish physicians forbid their patients to shave while indisposed, thus undermi- ning their professional brethren.* But wealth here breaks down all the barriers of distinct classes; the millionaire has a box-ticket in the theatre of Cuba life, and ranges at will from the pit to the galleries. In polite life the manners resemble those of Paris, with the addition of a double proportion of empty compliments ingrafted on it. It is pleasant enough to acknowledge the introduction to a fine woman by the common phrase, " a los pies de listed se- nora," " at the feet of your grace, my lady," while the action is almost suited to the words ; but com- pliments to the other sex are on the same extrava- gant scale, and the half of one's visit is occupied in bandying them from one to another. One can- not express his admiration of a breast-pin, an article of dress, or anything else, without receiving an answer that it is at your command ; with such sincerity of expression, that the stranger is half tempted to accept, merely to oblige the one who offers. The constant offer of the house and all its contents, on an introduction to a family, is well known. It is, however, extremely impolite to ac- cept the merest trifle thus tendered, and it is even considered a breach of good-breeding to express your admiration of things with which the owner can easily dispense. * A sick Creole neither shaves nor washes, if his fever continue a month. I have heard of a beautiful young lady, who, while confined to her room by sickness, did not wash her hands or face for forty days. 200 NOTES ON CUBA. Proverbs are often used in conversation in polite circles, and practical jokes, even in good society, frequently usurp the place of wit. But in all a kind feeling is predominant, and even in a Cuba street-crowd, one may move for hours without re- ceiving offence. On the whole, although it wants that elegant simplicity of manners found in the higher circles of England and the old families of my own State, the Creole society possesses many charms, especially if one has not from custom be- come totally indifferent to its tinsel. Sincerity, as in high life everywhere else, is banished from it, but one does not enter its company to seek it. There is also generally much more scandal than truth in the accounts of intrigues that are often circulated ; and the stranger, especially, should be cautious in receiving impressions from men who doubt the virtue of the other sex; a sentiment which frequently only proves the absence of it in their own breasts. There is, it is true, a greater freedom of speech than is even met with among French women, arising from a total absence of pru- dery ; but their simple habits save them from many temptations, to which a love of dress and finery expose the sex in other countries. But to return to Pendencias, — a week was most pleasantly spent in visiting different estates, on all of which a cordial reception was given. The family too at the Buena Esperanza was very agree- able, and I regretted the short time the advanced season permitted me to remain under its roof. On going to the Captain's house for a passport to return to Havana, I learned that he had gone there him- self on official business, and I was referred to his sub for one. It was early in the morning when I reached the house of the latter, and I found him, still in dishabille, seated in his piazza. He, how- NOTES ON CUBA. 201 ever, immediately came out, and leading my horse to a post, invited me into the parlor, which occu- pied one half of his cottage, and contained one table, four chairs, a bureau, and a bench, the whole covered with an ample coat of dust. His face was yet unwashed, for no Creole in the middle classes performs his ablutions before the sun is well risen, from the fear of spasms; and there was such a sloven air about the whole place, that I set his wife down for a slattern ; for the paraphernalia of a woman's wardrobe hanging behind the door told that he was not a -bachelor. He was, however, very polite, countersigned my passport, and an- nexed his rubrica ; and when I rose to depart, held the stirrups while I mounted my horse. Poor fellow! he had once been well off; had drawn a prize of ten thousand dollars in the lottery, and had bought a coffee estate, about which some dis- putes concerning the boundary line had been fasten- ed on him, and he was drawn into a law-suit. He gained the suit; but, according to a custom in Cuba, he had to pay all the expenses of it, for his oppo- nent was insolvent, and it took all he possessed to de- fray the costs. He was now a Captain's secretary, and lived in a clay cottage, with a palm-thatched roof, but was not a singular instance of the effects of the law in Cuba : I could not but think he must often have regretted the little fruit-shop which his good luck in the lottery had tempted him to de- sert. I have mentioned the rubrica he annexed to his name, without which no signature is valid. It is generally an intricate flourish, and is often in pass- ports and other papers added to their printed name by the public officers. Its name is derived from having been at first signed with red ink, to distin- guish it from the rest of the writing; each office 202 NOTES ON CUBA. has a particular form, and some have more than one. Thus in printed copies of Spanish deeds or titles, it is often noted after the name of a public officer, se hallan tres rubricas. Carrying with me the good wishes of the kind friends I had gained at the Buena Esperanza, I set off in a volante after dinner, intending to spend the night at San Antonio. We reached that city soon after the shades of night had spread over the earth, and the bright moon had risen on the clear sky. Leaving the volante and horses at the posada la Punta, I strolled out to visit the large opening in the rocky soil, into which the river traversing the town flows, when swollen by the rains of summer. It was about a quarter mile from the posada, but the spot was easily found by the large ceyba, growing over the mouth of the cavern, which was pointed out to me as the landmark. On reaching the spot, I found the deep ravine leading into the cave dry; but the river, which in the winter season disappears close by the town, could be heard rushing in its un- derground course near the opening. The ceyba, nearly a hundred feet high, rested the base of its immense trunk on the very edge of the rock over- hanging the entrance ; the huge braces, common to this tree, projecting a score of feet from it on the land, and firmly fixing it to the soil. It stood like some giant guard over the yawning cavern below, which seemed well suited to be the fabled resi- dence of the terrible Cemi, worshipped by the Cu- bean Indian. The moon-beams lit up every object without, making the dark cavern still more dreary ; numerous tree-frogs were piping their bird-like notes from the bushes covering the sides of the ravine, and bats were flitting down into it; while ever and anon a large white owl swept across the chasm, has- tily beating the bushes on its margin, and emitting his grinding cries. NOTES ON CUBA. 203 The whole spot was extremely picturesque; but one could not help fancying the stream, when swol- len by the rains, thundering down into the wide mouth of this cave, and carrying with it, whatever it bore, throughout its subterranean course ; deposit- ing bones of animals, perhaps of men, of birds, rep- tiles and land shells; and at its submarine outlet, ejecting some amid those of the finny tribes of the ocean and its shells; and when these shall have been upraised by the heaving earthquake, puzzling the future geologist by the incongruous mingling. The river is again seen, deep down, through an opening in the rock about a half mile from the cavern, and pieces of wood, thrown into the stream, have appeared on the coast several leagues distant. These sumideros, as they are called, are very common on the island, which, like all limestone rocks, is penetrated by numerous caverns, often forming the channels of subterranean rivers. In the yard of our posada a well had been dug down upon the roof of one of these, by breaking through which an opening was made into a rushing stream, which now constantly gushes into the well, never filling it, however, above a certain height. The moon shone so brightly, that I was tempted to prolong my walk into the town. The streets presented quite a cheerful appearance, the shops were well lighted, and ladies were seen making pur- chases in them, or promenading on the side-walks. From one of the bridges, a pretty view was ob- tained of the river as it flowed over ledges of rock, bounded on each side by compact lines of houses. Below this bridge it entered a large, square reser- voir surrounded by a stone-wall, forming a small lake in the town itself. A few years ago, an aquatic tournament was held in it, that drew thou- 204 NOTES ON CUBA. sands of spectators from the neighboring country. I will not attempt to describe the scene, as it was painted to me by an enthusiastic villager ; but as I looked at the misshapen canoes, formed out of single trunks of the ceyba, that lay rotting in an adjoining yard, I could not help fancying the com- bat ending in all the belligerents being soused into the water. On returning to the posada, I found that the trunk of my compagnon de voyage was still at- tached to the back of the volante, which had been rolled into the open yard, and that it was the inten- tion of the postilion to let it remain there all night. The owner of it, a Bostonian, expressed his fears that it would be stolen ; but our host laughed, and told us the gate was locked, and that it would not rain in the night ; so we let it remain. My own carpet-bag had been thrown on a table in the pas- sage, where it had lain since our arrival, and where I left it all night. The tienda was crowded with loungers, and taking my seat near its bar, I joined in their gossiping. Most of them were clothed in only trousers and shirts, the latter on the outside ; a cool way of wear- ing that article of dress, but which would not have found favor in the Fat Knight's company. Several were playing practical jokes on each other, which were all taken in the greatest good-humor, and ex- cited peals of laughter from the by-standers. I could not refrain from asking about the padre of the town, and learned that he was an estimable man, and had a family, which, however, did not lesson their respect for him. My curiosity was not an idle one. I was desirous to ascertain the religious feel- ing of the Creole, for his natural habit is one of great quietude and kindness. There is a tacit ac- knowledgment, on the part of the people, of the privilege thus assumed by their spiritual teachers, NOTES ON CUBA. 205 and were the priests here otherwise blameless, this trait in their domestic life would turn aside one of the most fatal shafts launched at the order by irre- ligious persons in Catholic communities. One of the clerks was busily employed cutting cigar wrappers on the counter close by me, with which he furnished three men, who in an adjoining recess were rolling them into cigars ; while a lad in- dustriously gathered the stripped stems, which he informed me were used as chewing tobacco by the girls. The cigarillo with its paper envelope is still generally smoked by the women in the middle classes, although the ladies of the best society have long since abandoned the practice. It is also only among the lower classes that children are permitted to use tobacco in any shape ; but among the men the cigar is lit in the domestic circles of even the first society in the company of ladies, the open, airy rooms depriving it of half its unpleasantness. Most of the cigars for the consumption of the country are made in this manner in tiendas; and even in Ha- vana, a great number are prepared by small establish- ments scattered over the city. The best quality of tobacco comes from the Vuelta Abajo, the south- eastern part of the island, and the seed from that place is sent over the northern and western parts for cultivation. Those celebrated cigars, called vergue- ros or plantation-cigars, are made in that section, in the Pinar del Rio, by the country people ; who, in collecting the prepared leaves, select the best, and roll them rudely into the clumsy articles so much prized. They are then packed in palm-boxes and sent to Havana, where they are readily sold. Many are, however, manufactured in that city of inferior tobacco, for exportation, so that it is probable but few of the genuine ever reach foreign countries. My chamber was on the ground, for the house had 18 206 NOTES ON CUBA. but one story ; and its large windows, protected by iron bars, looked into the yard, where the horses, tethered in the open air, were feeding on their green fodder. There were no glasses to them, but each heavy shutter had a small port-hole, closed by a smaller one, which let in the light when the in- mates of the chamber desired privacy. The cot was spread with a clean linen sheet, a bed being very seldom used in Cuba; and having closed the doors, I lay down to rest, feeling as secure as if in the first hotel in Havana. Indeed the inns in all the large villages and towns are so safe, that I men- tion the fact on account only of the erroneous opin- ions foreigners entertain of the dangers of travelling through the island; opinions not unfrequently strengthened by the startling tales recited in its city hotels. San Antonio de los banos, with its four cuartones, contains 8631 inhabitants, 18 coffee estates, and 280 sitios or farms. Of these 4383 are whites, 1288 are free colored, and 2960 are slaves. It is situated at the foot of a gently sloping hill, and derives its name, delos banos, from the number of sheds erect- ed over its river to screen the bathers, who resort here from the neighboring country to sport in its limpid waters, and gamble at its monte tables. It contains one church, barracks, and several small schools, besides a Society of Political Economy, founded in 1811, which now numbers 23 members, and whose reports are published in the memoirs of the parent society in Havana. A branch of the Havana railroad will also be soon extended to this town, and greatly facilitate the travelling to the Pendencias. In one year, ninety-four inches of rain fell in this place, and eight months of the year being generally dry, nearly the whole must have fallen in the four summer months. The town pre- NOTES ON CUBA. 207 sents none of the squalid wretchedness of other in- land populations in Cuba; the great number of farms and whites, compared to the estates and slaves in its vicinity, prove a more equal division of prop- erty and greater comfort to the mass. Before the day had well broke, the next morning, our horses were harnessed to the volante, and bid- ding adieu to our host of la Punta, we left, accom- panied by a score of good wishes from him. In two hours we reached Bejucal, where we awaited the arrival of the Guines cars for Havana. This city contains 2263 inhabitants, and is situated some distance from the posada on the road where travel- lers are set down; it will, however, hardly pay for the trouble of visiting it, although from a hill, close by, a fine view is obtained of the neighboring country. This is laid out principally in farms, con- taining 197 of them, and only 3 sugar and 5 coffee estates. With its four cuartones Bejucal contains 2545 whites, 492 free colored, and 2225 slaves. As the hour approached for the cars to pass, many passengers collected, coming in volantes and on horses from the different roads. Planters, with their wives, children and black attendants, country- merchants with valises, and monteros with their dames, tricked out in all the finery of bright-colored ribbons, and bonnets that would puzzle a milliner to imitate. All met under the wide shed of the depot, and many, on the arrival of the cars, took seats in fhe second and third classes; for the Creole has a spirit of economy, only equalled by the itine- rant Yankees who peddle in our Southern States, and standing in strong contrast with the noble gen- erosity of the Castilian. The eighteen miles to Havana were soon travelled, and we entered its sub- urbs at one o'clock, passing close by the fine race- ground that had been just laid out, enclosed by a 208 NOTES ON CUBA. wooden fence, and decorated by a large, airy house for the spectators. The attempt to introduce the sport had completely failed ; with their natural sus- picions, the Creoles believed the owners of the horses a set of rogues, and would not bet higher than one or two doubloons on a race ; and the members of the jockey-club were bantering each other, with forced gaiety, about the payment of the large ex- penses incurred in the construction of the road, for the projector was thought to be insolvent. The monteros are fond of quarter races, but will bring their horses a dozen times back to the stand, if on starting, one animal is a foot in advance of the other. The uknowing-ones" returned with empty purses to the United States; and although several wealthy gentlemen are at the head of the Havana jockey-club, their efforts to create a taste in Cuba for horse-racing will probably fail. Havana on our arrival was quite joyous with the festivities of the Carnival. The theatre was con- verted into an immense ball-room for the maskers, and the streets were filled with various grotesque characters. The latter would frequently stop before the grated-windows of the parlors and dance to the music of a guitar or tambourine, the whole family gathering to behold them ; while others, habited as Turks, Jews, and other nations, paraded the streets, maintaining their respective characters with con- siderable life. The scene is quite different on Good- Friday, when all the church-bells are kept silent, and in some places their merry peals are substituted by a sound intended to represent thunder, but which might readily be mistaken for the noise of a large corn-mill. The yards of all the Catholic ships are also crossed, and an effigy representing Judas is hung by the neck from some conspicuous point ; when thus suspended in country villages, the mon- NOTES ON CUBA. 209 teros amuse themselves by shooting at him. The crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God are also acted, reminding one of those plays of the dark ages, named " mysteries," in which the Deity and all His attributes were personated by men. Here, however, a miserably carved block of wood is shown as the image of our Saviour, carried in a procession, and buried in the sepulchre. And thus is He worshipped who abolished the ceremonial law, substituting the essence for the image. Religious feeling is evidently on the wane in Cuba; at least that kind which is manifested in the observances of the ceremonies of the Roman Church ; and perhaps the way is now prepared for a more healthy culture. The possessions of the church have been confiscated, but the tithes are still collected, and it is said, much of the money finds its way into the public treasury, and is appro- priated to other purposes than the support of reli- gion. The people feel most sensibly every addi- tional tax on their almost exhausted resources; and should they ever throw off the yoke of Spain, it is not impossible that their new government will be unconnected with the church, especially as they can look for no support from the crushed powers of the latter. The expulsion of the monks is one stride towards religious liberty ; still, such is the jealous policy of the Spaniard, that England, with all her influence, cannot obtain permission to erect a chapel in Havana for the worship of her Protestant citizens residing there. The history of this wealthy city embraces much of that of the whole island, the fortunes of which, in time of war, have always depended on it, and, indeed, even now it forms the key not only to the whole island, but also to the gulf of Mexico, and all its outlets. San Cristobal de la Habana, according 18* 210 NOTES ON CUBA. to Solis, Herrera, and other early historians, was at first established on the south coast of Cuba near Batabano; but on account of the insalubrity of the spot it was translated, in 1519, to its present site, on what was then called the port of Carenas. The propriety of having selected this spot was soon manifested in the aid promptly obtained from the city, by many vessels that were successively wrecked on its neighboring coasts, and on that of Florida, particularly on the Matacumbi rocks ; where, besides others, the whole fleet of Don Rodrigo de Torreo, with the exception of a single vessel, was completely lost in 1733. It was, also, chiefly from this port, that the early discoverers of much of the then unknown lands of Southern America sailed. It was here, too, that Diego Velasquez, whose imag- ination was inflamed by their accounts of the riches of New Spain, fitted out an Armada for its conquest, which he placed under the command of one of his secretaries, Hernando Cortes, who, to the honor of the bar, it will be recollected, was at one time a notary of Hispaniola, now Hayti. Judging from the rapacity of the present Spanish escribanos, from no better class could a man have been selected to conquer Anahuac, according to the early Spanish writers, the richest empire of the universe ; which_ he did in defiance of the after efforts of Velasquez to depose him, by sending Narvaez to assume the command of the army. The governors of Cuba, at first, resided in St.Jago, which, besides containing the cathedral, was near to Hispaniola, the head-quarters of the Spaniards. In 1538 Hernando de Soto took up his residence for a time in Havana, and after 1607, when the island was divided into two departments, not only the military chiefs, but also the ecclesiastical heads made it their chief quarters. In 1538 it was sur- NOTES ON CUBA. 211 prised by a French corsair, who reduced it to ashes ; and so troublesome did the pirates become during this century, and the beginning of the next, that sixteen thousand of the inhabitants of the islands flocked to the vicinity of Havana, and established themselves under its protection. ' Their boldness carried terror along the coasts of the whole island and of Hispaniola. In an attack on St. Jago de Cuba, they sacked the cathedral; and their chief, Giron, carried off the bishop a prisoner, who, after eighty days captivity, was ransomed for 200 ducats, 1000 hides, and 125 lbs. of beef* In 1655 the English attempted to take Havana by assault, but failed with a great loss of men, having been frustrated by a miracle, the memory of which is still perpetuated by the name of los con- grejos, the crab miracle. It is related that they disembarked on the coast during a dark night, but became so alarmed by the noise of the crabs among the dead leaves of the mangroves, which, with the lights from an immense number of cocullos, induced them to believe they had fallen into an ambush, that, filled with terror, they fled to their boats in the greatest disorder. In 1762, however, they were more successful, and took the city, attacking the defences by sea and land, making a breach in the Morro.f The fleet on this occasion, consisting of fifty-three vessels carrying 2268 guns, was com- manded by Sir George Peacock; and the army, numbering 12,041, and 2000 more from New Eng- land, Virginia and Jamaica, was placed under the orders of George, Count of Albemarle. Three bomb- ketches, carrying 24 bombs, were all attached to * Morel, Vida de este obispo. t The Morro was first built in 1633 ; the present one was erected on the ruins of the first, destroyed by the English. La Punta, la Estella, and Santa Catalina were built in 1664. 212 NOTES ON CUBA. the fleet. To oppose this formidable force, the Spaniards had sixteen vessels in the port, carrying 890 guns, while the city and the Morro were defended by 250 more, of which only one was a 42 lb., and six 36 lbs. ; besides these they had 11 mortars, two of which were of 12 and 13 inches and 4 of 1£ inches. Their army numbered 13,610 Spanish troops, and 14,000 militia and colored men. The larger part of the veteran soldiers and all the cavalry, with a large body of militia, were posted in Guanabacoa, to protect Havana from an attack by that quarter. The Morro was obstinately defended by Don Luis Vicente Velasco, who refused to capi- tulate, and was mortally wounded while defending a breach in the final assault of the English. He died in 24 hours after ; and in perpetual commemo- ration of his indomitable courage, Carlos III. com- manded that there shall always be one of the vessels in the Spanish navy bearing his name. The title of Marquis and a coat of arms was also granted to his brother Don Inigo, as next of kin. The whole Spanish fleet fell into the hands of the English, who, in addition, exacted $100,000 from the coffers of the church, exiling the bishop of Havana, who opposed the payment of their demands. After retaining possession of the whole island for about one year, it was restored to Spain.* The importance of Havana about this period may in a measure be learned from the number of war vessels built there from 1724 to 1796. These amounted to 51 ships of the line, 22 frigates, 7 barks, 9 brigs, and 25 smaller crafts ; in all 110, carrying 5068 guns: six rated above a 100 guns, among which was the Santisima Trinidad. At present the Cuba navy consists of one frigate of 44 guns, two * Apuntes para la Historia de la Isla de Cuba. NOTES ON CUBA. 213 steam-boats built in the United States of 5 guns each, and sixteen other crafts, carrying from 1 to 16 guns ; in all 184 guns. The fortifications, whatever may be the number of their guns under cover, have very few mounted, and those of not a large calibre. The harbor is one of the finest in the world, being land-locked on all sides but the north, where its entrance is only a thousand feet wide, with the fathomless gulf-stream running before it. It has six fathoms of water within, and can shelter one thousand vessels. The first church in Havana was built on the spot now occupied by the mansion of the Captain-Gen- eral ; an attempt was made by the senor Laso to demolish it, and build another on the site; but it continued to be used as a place of worship until the expulsion of the Jesuits, when the present cathedral was erected. In January, 1607, one of the prebends of the Canon was suppressed, to give place for the tribunal of the Inquisition, which was held in the church of San Domingo. A large part of this immense structure is now converted into a government lumber-yard; while under the arched passage of one of its doors a fashionable tailor has erected his shop, and quietly pursues his trade, careless of the savage mandates that once issued from his very abode. Havana is now the seat of the Captain-General, and the centre of most of the talent and of the wealth of Cuba. Besides the Royal University, including a medical and law school, and chairs on all the natural sciences, it contains several other institutions for learning. Among these are the Royal Seminary of San Carlos y San Ambrosio, founded in 1773; a seminary for girls, founded in 1691; a free school of sculpture and painting, founded by the Sociedad Economica in 1818; a 214 NOTES-ON CUBA. mercantile school, also free, and many private insti- tutions for instruction in the first branches of edu- cation. A museum of natural history was estab- lished in 1838, and the learned naturalist, Don Felipe S. Poye, appointed director; without the walls a botanical garden was also laid out, which is now under the especial care of the professor of botany, Senor Auber. The means of education are, however, far from being ample, and many of the wealthier inhabitants send their sons to Ger- many, France, and the United States, where they adopt liberal views, and on their return insensibly impart them to their associates. The visitor will often be surprised to hear republican principles openly discussed, where a too great liberty of ex- pression has not unfrequently caused the exile of the speaker. Many subjects are also brought be- fore the Young Men's Debating Society in Havana, that in old Spain would not be named. The Real Sociedad Economica de la Habana, formerly called the Patriotic Society, was estab- lished in 1793; and is divided into three principal sections, on Education, Agriculture, and Commerce and popular industry ; to these a fourth section, on the History of Cuba, has been added. Attached to it is a public library, in the old convent of San Domingo, that is open to all, daily, except on Sun- days and festivals. The Society publishes a month- ly memoir of its labors, which, besides contribu- tions from its members, contains extracts from foreign journals. It is peculiarly valuable in regis- tering the general statistics of the island, and in collecting fragments of its early history : it has branches in nine of the principal towns of Cuba, which are in correspondence with it. The parent society in Havana has numbered from its founda- tion 300 members, of whom all, except 30, have NOTES 0>f CUBA. 215 joined since 1821: its corresponding members are 63.* The medical school has been reorganized in 1842, and the present requisitions for graduation, among others, are a classical education, and six years study of medicine. The ordeal, through which foreign candidates for license^ to practice are now compelled to pass, is rigid in the extreme, and the expenses amount to nearly $400. Several of the Professors are Frenchmen, and the school has a very respectable standing. There are thirteen printing establishments in Havana ; one founded in 1735, one in 1747, and one 1787. Besides these, ten are distributed in the other principal cities, making the whole number of presses in the island 26. But few periodicals are, however, published, the educated being dependent on foreign publications for that information which the censorship of their own press denies to them. Thus in Havana, besides the memoirs of the Patri- otic Society, and a small, trivial medical journal, only three daily papers, and one thrice weekly, are published. Matanzas, Puerto-Principe, Trinidad, Villa-Clara, Santi-Spiritu, and St. Jago, each support only one newspaper. The Corres del Ultramar, a weekly paper in Spanish, printed in Paris, and con- taining a condensed report of European news, may also be added to the preceding. Almost all the * Among the subjects for which premiums were offered by it in 1839, were the following. For the best Essay on Free Schools. For one de- tailing the advantages of free commerce to a nation. For one on the introduction of steam-power on sugar estates, and the foundation of a school for native machinists and engineers. For one on the necessity of augmenting the number of the white population in Cuba, and the possi- bility of substituting white for black labor on sugar estates, with calcu- lations on the cost, etc. The diploma of a Socio de Merito of the Socje- ty was also offered to any one, who, after three years, produced 200 boxes of sugar from an estate thus worked. For one on the breed of cattle, etc. For one on the relative value of railroads and coasting vessels in Cuba. For one demonstrating the means to correct the habits of the country in its present state. 216 NOTES ON CUBA. American and English newspapers find their way into the island, through the commercial houses in the maritime cities, but to these the Creole, from his ignorance of the English language, is denied access. The character of some of these papers, in point of literary contributions, is, however, as good as that of many in the United States; while although the people dare not through their columns give utterance to the least complaint against the govern- ment, they are also free from that scandal, that sullies the pages of some of the presses in our own country and England. Nor is the censorship con- fined to the politics of the island. A quack medi- cine, which had been puffed through its advertise- ment in one of the Havana papers, was found on trial to be deleterious, and to have caused the death of several persons. To guard against future similar accidents, a medical censorship was also established, to which the ingredients in all quack medicines must now be confided, before they can be recommend- ed through the papers. Metaphysical, scientific, and moral subjects are often well discussed in the Diario and Noticioso of Havana, and rival in their excel- lence many of the contributions to our periodicals. Indeed, whoever takes up one of these papers will soon perceive that there is no lack of talent or learning in Havana, but it is confined to the few. The mass of even the wealthy population are not liberally educated, and of the poorer classes, very many are ignorant of the first rudiments, reading and writing. Over every effort to instruct them the mother country watches with a jealous eye; and Cuba, as long as she remains subject to her, will have cause to mourn over the ignorance of her indigent classes. Too much praise cannot, there- fore, be rendered to those noble spirits among her NOTES ON CUBA. 217 citizens, who struggle amid every obstacle to dif- fuse the blessings of education among her popu- lation. 19 218 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER IX. Musical Societies of Havana— The Royal Lottery — Professional Men — Merchants —The Casa de Beneficencia — Its Orphans — Its Luna- tics—Its Paupers—Consumption in Cuba —Statistics of the Insti- tution—Hospital of San Lazaro—The Disease Kocubea — Military Hospital Factoria—Comparative Mortality in the Havana Hospitals for 1842 —Early History of the Charitable and Religious Institutions — Sebastian de la Cruz —The Foundling Hospital —Education in Cuba — Statistics for 1836 —Present State — Statistics of Crime — Apprentice System —Views Near Havana —The Cabanas — Sugar Crop for 1840. Besides the opera, which is generally well sup- ported, and the Tacon theatre, larger than the Scala of Milan, Havana has several musical socie- ties, in which the members not only listen to excel- lent music, but enjoy also the pleasures of the dance. The three principal ones are the Filohar- monico, Habanero, the F. St. Cecilia, and the most exclusive, named simply the Filoharmonico. The last has lately been reorganized, and bids fair to be well supported; their large hall has been newly fitted up, and various arrangements have been made, by which its meetings will be better con- ducted than formerly. The Royal Lottery, established in 1812, is drawn in Havana, sixteen times in the year ; the prizes amount each time to $110,000, and once each year to $180,000. The price of the tickets is four dol- lars, and so numerous are its agents that almost every small town has one, and pedlars carry them about the streets and through the country, where many are bought by the slaves. One has but to glance at this mammoth establishment and trace out its multiplied ramifications through the whole island, to perceive the incalculable injury it does to the NOTES ON CUBA. 219 morals of the people by fostering a spirit of gamb- ling, the very counterpart to one of honest industry. Its very stability and just payment of drawn prizes only increase its baleful influence, tempting more to venture their gains in its vortex. The parental affection of a government, that thus creates a fund by fostering the vices of the people, should be strongly distrusted. There are 363 licentiates and doctors of law in the city, and 11 ecclesiastical advocates ; besides escribanos and procuradores publicos, notaries and attorneys. It has also 85 medico-chirurgians, 20 physicians, 90 surgeons, and 57 sub-surgeons, who, in urgent cases, are permitted to render assist- ance to the wounded or sick, until a surgeon or physician can be brought. A large number of barbers, 88, receive licenses to bleed, cup, leech, apply blisters and setons, and extract teeth, and are generally em- ployed for these purposes by the higher branches of the profession, of which they form the fag-end. There are 140 merchants in the city, who for standing and enterprise are not surpassed by any in other countries. It is true that the enormous duties compelled some of them to adopt a certain mode of business with the custom-house, with the officers of which they held a tacit understanding. Recent measures have, however, almost completely checked this mode of introducing goods, and although the revenue of the crown has thereby increased, it will only be the means of encouraging smuggling. Cuba has not a single bank, the merchant drawing on his foreign credit. But although it has only a hard currency, in no other country is more paper afloat in the way of bonds, etc. Individuals here become securities for promissory notes, for which, in countries having a paper currency, communities are liable ; and so well is the planter protected by 220 NOTES ON CUBA. law, that the mortgage of his estate amounts to but little. I have already made mention of some of the charitable institutions of Havana, but the one most honorable to the feelings of the Creole is a kind of orphan-house, named the Real Casa de Beneficencia. It was founded, or rather translated to the present site, in 1794, amid an imposing cere- mony, a record of which may be found in an old oil-painting suspended in its hall of administration. Under the guidance of its presiding director I was conducted through all its departmetns, beginning at the one for the reception of insane females, for the institution does not confine its care to destitute children. Their dwellings consisted of a number of rooms, in front of which a wide piazza extended its inviting shade, and a spacious yard offered the means of exercise. About sixty-five were here confined, of whom not more than a dozen were whites, the rest being of every shade from black to brown. Nearly all were walking about the yard or through the dormitories, and talking to the idle wind. There could not be a happier set of luna- tics; all their wants were supplied, and they were subjected to no medical treatment when in ordinary health, and had no fear of shower-baths, bleeding and cups. I could not learn the correct number cured by this rude treatment; but several were annually thus relieved of their infirmity, probably, chiefly from the absence of its exciting cause. A few were insane on religious subjects; of these, one, a pretty young woman, received us very courteously, and with such a constant simper, that it was hard to keep our own countenance. Another, a beautiful girl with a pensive look, answered rationally all our questions relative to her physical health; but the NOTES ON CUBA. 221 settled gloom dwellng on her face told of a "worm that dieth not." I must not omit to notice a stout, old negro woman, who was bustling about every- where, and who, on being introduced to me, was at once quieted by my inquiries in English of her home. She replied hurriedly, " I am from Charleston, I belonged to Mass John Wragg, he sold me to Sam Ferguson, and then little John Miller, who kept a boarding-house, bought me." I tried to learn how she had eventually come here, but she flew off to subjects that induced me to quickly part company with her. We next proceeded to the boys' department, passing through their dormitories, long, high, well ventilated halls, cleanly swept, in one corner of which the cots used at night were placed away. The eating room contained a spacious table, cov- ered with clean crockery, and knives and forks for more than a hundred, with long benches placed by it ready to receive the eager throng. In the school- room we found 150 boys from seven to twelve years, engaged with their books, silently conning their lessons. At a signal from the teacher they all rose when we entered, resuming their seats only when directed to do so by the gentleman who ac- companied me. One class was engaged in parsing a sentence written with chalk on a black-board, giving first the definition of each word; they seemed to be well prepared, and proceeded without any promptings from the teacher. With the ex- ception of the usual pallor observed in children congregated in large numbers, there was no appear- ance of ill health among them. Their infirmary, which we next visited, contained only six patients, none of which were very sick, and the nurse told me that twelve was the largest number that had been there at any one time. I 19* 222 NOTES ON CUBA. could not refrain from patting the head of one re- tiring, modest little fellow, who was a convalescent, and asking his name. With flushed cheek, proud of the notice I had taken of him, he told me it was Antonio Valdez ; in itself a history of his origin. Valdez, the name of one of the oldest families of Spain, being conferred on all nameless, illegitimate children brought to the foundling hospital. Our entrance into the school-room of the girls created quite a sensation among the scholars; one drew a loose kerchief around her bare shoulders, an- other arranged a stray lock of hair, and all changed their easy posture for one erect and prim, while the buzz of a general whispering pervaded the large apartment. My conductor was an elderly gentle- man with a most benevolent expression in his face, and he had a kind word to say to each class; often asking who was at the head, when the downcast looks of the one would tell before her smiling class- mates could point her out. They numbered about 150 ; very few of them were more than 13 years old, those above that age generally accepting situa- tions as seamstresses, etc. in private families. It was pleasant to look on so many tender minds snatched from poverty and all its temptations, and to reflect that their very destitution had been turned into a blessing. The institution was at first intended only for girls, and by its rules three years' residence within its walls entitles each on her marriage to a dowry of five hundred dollars. I asked my conductor how they got sweethearts; but he pointed to the grated windows, opening on the streets, and said many a sly token had found its way through those iron lattice frames, adding, no girl in love ever failed to let the loved one perceive her passion ; — he had never travelled out of Cuba. Most, however, be- NOTES ON CUBA. 223 come engaged after they enter the service of a family, which may be one inducement to leave the institution early, for they can remain there until 21 years of age. In the female infirmary seven were seen on clean beds, apparently with every comfort about them. One had her cot removed to the extremity of the long room, and separated from the rest by a screen. She told us she was much better, and was getting stronger, but the nurse significantly pointed to the bloody sputa; and her attenuated frame, her burn- ing palm, and hectic flush, told too plainly that consumption's blighting touch was fast loosening the " silver chord," and that ere long would " the golden bowl be broken." This disease, when it originates in Cuba, runs its course so rapidly, that the Creole might well be pardoned for his belief in its contagiousness. So strong is this belief, that in private families, the clothes and bedding of the deceased, and even the plates, spoons, etc. used by him while sick, are destroyed. The physician now entered, to whom I was introduced by a professional friend accompanying me. Leaving the hopeless case around which we had met, he brought to me a del- icate looking girl, whom, he told me, he had cured of the same affection, showing me the numerous marks on her chest of the cups he had applied. She was but twelve years old, and possessed those characteristic features of Spanish beauty, the full dark eye and the long silken lashes ; there was, moreover, so much of native dignity in the expres- sion of her countenance, that although she was but a child, my voice insensible assumed a tone of respect, as I asked her the history of her case. With regret I saw that I could not coincide with the favorable opinion of her physician, and foresaw 224 NOTES ON CUBA. that the unerring shaft would, ere long, lay pros- trate her exhausted frame. The children, who are all whites, are received after the age of six years from the foundling hos- pital and other sources. The boys are kept until 15 years old, and are then indented as apprentices. In 1842 a proposition was made by Monsieur Antonio Cournand, a student of the high normal school of Paris, and tutor in this institution, to educate the more intelligent boys for schoolmasters, to supply the schools on the island. It was gladly agreed to by the trustees of the school, but the early death of the proposer has, for the present, unhappily frus- trated the completion of the design. In addition to the departments already described, the institution embraces also one for white female paupers, another for the free colored, and one for indigent men. The lunatic asylum, mentioned in the first pages of this work, is also a part of it. It contains besides a place for the confinement of slaves arrested for crimes, from which it receives a considerable income, in the charges exacted from their owners for their lodging and board. The capital of the Casa de Beneficencia amounted in 1832 to $262,505, and by the report for the year 1812, read by its secretary before the Patriotic So- ciety, its income for that year was $86,407, and its expenses $86,262. Of this sum $3,300 were for six dowries, and an additional one bestowed during that year. In the girls' department 22 had been admitted, 20 had been placed at service in private families, 2 had married, and 2 had died. In that of the boys 33 had entered, 30 had returned to their friends, or had been indented, and one had died ; 156 were left, and of the girls 151. In the Lunatic Asylum 54 had entered, 28 had left, and 11 had died, leaving 130; while in the female in- NOTES ON CUBA. 225 sane department, 19 had entered, 12 had left, and 7 had died, leaving 63. Of the paupers 32 had en- tered, 26 had left, and 7 had died, leaving 39. The whole establishment gives shelter to 604 individ- uals, including 49 negroes of both sexes, and 16 slaves belonging to it. Well might the Habeneros be proud of this monument of their charity, unex- celled as it is by any similar institution in other countries, in the liberality of its regulations, and the care it bestows on its inmates. In the receiving hall were several fine portraits of various benefactors of the institution ; among others one of las Casas, its projector, and one of General Tacon, in whose face there was more benevolence than sternness. My kind conductor here bade me adieu, after having spent more than an hour in showing me through the building; and I left its doors with most favorable impressions of Cubean worth. Another charitable institution, well worthy the attention of the stranger, is the hospital of San Lazaro, destined chiefly to succor those unfortunate persons affected with the incurable Kocubea or La- zarino, commonly called leprosy, a disease, I be- lieve, peculiar to the West Indies, and'which I have never seen in any European hospital. It com- mences its ravages on the toes and fingers, which first become atrophied and distorted; then a small blister appears on their extremities, and joint after joint decays and falls off, until sometimes the whole hand to the wrist, and the whole foot to the instep is thus destroyed. Some recover with the loss only of the first and second joints of their fingers or toes; but the stumps remain quite insensible ; and a patient informed me, that he was conscious of the effects of fire on his hand only by the blister caused by the burn. Only a partial motion is retained in 226 NOTES ON CUBA. these curtailed members, but it is surprising to see how much an almost fingerless hand can perform. This disease is probably ossification of the arte- ries, on which an inflammation supervenes, closing their calibers, and death of the part ensues, as in semile gangrene. It is regarded by the Creoles as contagious ; and any one affected by it, if seen in the streets, is at once conveyed to the hospital. No instance has, however, been related of its spreading there to the nurses or physicians ; and I have my- self known the father of six children, who although long a martyr to this affection, never communicated it to them or his wife, although they visited him constantly in the cottage where he lived, separated from the other negroes, on a coffee plantation. This hospital, like similar establishments in Cuba, was built around a central square, in the middle of which was an additional building, like the main one, of a single story, having a wide piazza before it. The whole was divided into small apartments, each destined to accommodate a single individual or family, and in the central building there were a few wards set apart for fevers and other acute cases. It seemed to be an asylum for those affected with cutaneous1 diseases, but the greater number was suf- fering from the kocubea, and from elephantiasis of the feet, hands, and face ; a disease very prevalent in the West Indies, and as incurable as the other. I had been met near the gate by one of the pa- tients, a black man, who voluntered to be my ci- cerone, and while he led me through the different parts of the establishment, I gratified him by list- ening patiently to the history of his own case. Henry Albert was a Philadelphian, had been a sailor, and on a visit to St. Jago de Cuba, was attacked with kocubea. Finding no relief from physicians there, he came to Havana, and was sent NOTES ON CUBAv 227 to his present quarters. He had lost nearly all his fingers; but the disease was now checked, and he was quite contented with his quarters, than which none could be more pleasant for a negro ; he had a plenteous supply of food, and could sleep as long as he wished. After dwelling particularly on these comforts, he pointed to a small chapel, and said, " we have service every Sunday by a padre, who tells us many good things; that we must be good here, too late when we are dead to reform, a great deal about Santa Maria, Christ, and God, and then he says many long prayers, that no one under- stands." I told him I was happy to learn that his soul as well as his body was cared for, and advised him to profit by what he could understand of the service. About thirty white and sixty colored patients were lying on beds, or promenading under the cor- ridors, presenting every degree of deformity from the ravages of the disease, and to any but a medi- cal man, a repulsive sight of human suffering. But even here could the heart glean delight, in the contemplation of man's love to his fellow man, and even the abolitionist learn a lesson, in the treatment of his colored brethren, who here received the same attentions as the whites. It was pleasant also to reflect that the balm of religion was poured on the sorrowing minds of these outcasts from society, doomed through life to be the tenants of a prison, and to witness around them nought but foul dis- ease. As I was about to depart, Henry urged me to pay a visit to the portrait of a great saint, who, he said, had given a hundred million dollars to the hospital, and the adjoining sea-coast as far as the eye could see. I went, and was shown the portrait of the founder, Pedro de Alegre, resembling one of Van- 228 NOTES ON CUBA, dyke's ; with mustaches, a peaked beard from the chin, and ruffles around the neck, so thick that the head, held stiffly erect, seemed supported by them. There was an expression of goodness in the counten- ance, not always seen in those of the founders of hospitals and churches, and it was, moreover, blended with one of discernment, if the rules of Lavater be correct. He had, in 1681, appropriated a large amount in jewels and other valuables towards the erection of the building, which was farther has- tened through the exertions of the Marquis de Casa Torres, and by a tax of $18,000 collected by the governor Don Dionesio Martinez. On stepping into my volante, I left a small donation in what re- mained of the hand of my cicerone, and made one of his cronies, who gazed wishfully at it, superla- tively happy, by tossing at him a single medio, for which he returned a hearty benediction. The military hospital, which has lately been es- tablished in what was formerly the Royal Factory of tobacco, is one of the finest in the world, both in regard to size and the neatness of its arrange- ments. The immense building is quadrangular, enclosing several separate squares, and presenting without the appearance of a large fortress; so mas- sive and high are its walls, and so well secured all its inlets. It was here that all the cigars of Cuba were made, and its tobacco packed for exportation, when the trade in that article was monopolized by a chartered company under the government. It grew out of several royal establishments that ex- isted as early as in 1727, and may be said to have been founded in 1740. Its capital was one million dollars, and in less than fourteen years the property owned by the establishment amounted to fourteen millions; while so great was the number of men employed in manufacturing the tobacco, preparing NOTES ON CUBA. 229 the boxes, packing it, and superintending the whole, that the annual expense was $46,000. The whole of these, to prevent their smuggling, lived within the building.* Having been presented to the Superintendant, by the porter, as a foreign physician desirous to visit the hospital, I was placed under the guidance of an attendant, with directions to him to show me every part of the building. I will not carry my reader with me through all its numerous lofty wards, each appropriated to the reception of a separate class of diseases ; nor by the prisons for the refractory, and the comfortable apartments for the insane; the bathing-rooms, where a large number of warm and cold, and shower-baths, could be given at the same time; the apothecary's hall ; the cleanly kept kitchen, and the separate room with furnaces to prepare chocolate and coffee ; the dispensary with its motley collection of candles, tin-pans, cups, etc., the clothes-room with shelves laden with piles of white linen and flannels. I will not lead him through them all, lest he be as fatigued by the de- scription as I was in traversing them. Indeed, although my guide kept me at a quick step the whole time, my visit occupied more than an hour. I cannot, however, refrain from noticing the ward for affections of the eyes. It was about two hun- dred feet long, forty wide, and twenty high ; and the light was admitted only through panes of green and blue glass, transmitting hues peculiarly grateful to the sight. The rooms for sick officers were bet- ter fitted up than those for the common soldier, but I saw only one lodger of a higher grade than a lieu- tenant, and his balcony commanded such a view of the harbor and country, that I really envied him the possession of his quarters. * Arrate. 20 230 NOTES ON CUBA. The large central square was laid out in multi- plied walks, with a cool fountain in the middle, and beds crowded with flowers of every variety ; form- ing a beautiful garden, on which the extensive, cool corridors for the convalescents looked down. Attached, also, to the hospital, and within the same building, was the Anatomical School of the med- ical college, with a fine museum, containing speci- mens of anatomy in wax, papier mache, and a few of the dried preparations of the human body, with others in alcohol. Adjoining the museum was a small amphitheatre for the students, and below a marble table for the subject of demonstration, while the walls around, were appropriately hung with ana- tomical plates, presenting a complete picture of the human system. The whole building covered a large space of ground, and whoever will visit it, and witness the scrupulous cleanliness and order that pervades every part of it,—its well ventilated and comfortable wards, its spacious and cool corridors, and the atten- tion that everywhere seems paid to the welfare of the sick inmates, — will feel his estimation of the Spanish character greatly enhanced. The physi- cians and officers of the different wards received me with the greatest courtesy, and my wishes were everywhere anticipated by their desire to show me everything. It contained in January 1842, 480 patients, and received that year 5622. Of these 5540 left it cured, and 204 died, leaving 358 in its wards in January 1843. When I reached the porch, a crowd of medical students were waiting there to accompany the phy- sician in his rounds, and as I deposited a fee in my conductor's hand, they all clustered about him, jo- cosely insisting on having a treat from it. The sight reminded me of many a past scene of active NOTES ON CUBA. 231 exertion and professional labor in which I had par- ticipated, that to me were never to be renewed ; and I involutary heaved a sigh over the memory of the past, as my volante drove hastily from the door. The comparative mortality of Havana may in a measure be learned from the statistics of its hospi- tals. San Juan de Dios in 1842 lost 507 of 2299 who entered ; San Francisco de Paula, for women, 181 of 479 ; San Lazaro 18 of 106 ; the foundling hospital, Real Casa de Matemidad, 32 of 169 ; the military hospital, just described, 204 of 6102 ; in all 942 of 9155,—about 9.7 of the patients en- tered. I have written rather slightingly of the religious institutions that have been suppressed in Cuba, and it is but fair that I should present them, as described by their contemporaries, during their palmy days of prosperity. Antonio de Lopez states that in his time there were twenty-three convents in Cuba, containing 496 individuals; three of them con- tained nuns. As an instance of the spirit of those times, I may relate the history of Sebastian de la Cruz, one of the few saved from the wreck of the ship Perla. Covered with rags he entered the city, exciting by his actions the laughter and mockery of the mob, which at first treated him as a lunatic. But his obstinate silence, the imperturbable quiet and humility he manifested under their injuries, and especially the perseverance and courage with which he castigated himself, resting nightly on thorns and rising covered with wounds, induced a more favorable opinion of his merits. Soon after his entrance in the city, he appeared in public dressed in the third order of St. Fran- cisco, and went about exercising charity to all the sick he met, whom he conducted to his barracon. 232 NOTES ON CUBA. There he cured them, administering with great be- nevolence all the aid he could, to which end he applied the alms he received ; and was at the same time their cook, their nurse, and their almoner. Thus did this singular man spend the remainder of his life, which terminated on the 17th May, 1589, without informing any one who he was, or whence he came, on which subjects he ever preserved an obstinate silence. The account of his life is found in both Valdes' and Arrate's histories of Cuba, but the latter fixes the period of his death in 1778,— so much do historians differ. Of the four hospitals established by these relig- ious orders, San Juan de Dios is the most ancient, having been founded by three brothers, hospitaliers from Cadiz, in 1603. During the 17th century, according to its tables, it had one hundred beds, and 800 sick persons were annually cured in it; but as the commerce and population of the city increased, it is probable that the number was great- ly augmented; the order consisted of thirty brothers. The hospital San Francisco de Paula, dedicated to the reception of women, is the next most ancient, having been founded in 1665 by Don Nicolas Estebes Borges, a native of Havana, and dean of the church of Cuba. In 1730 it was destroyed by a hurricane, and one rebuilt in 1745. The Convalecencia de Nostra Senora de Belen, owed its foundation to Senor Evelino, and was built to shelter those who had been cured in other hospi- tals, and protect them from the vicissitudes of the weather and improper diet during their convales- cence. It maintained also a free school of 500 boys, 300 of whom were taught writing and two hundred reading, and all were instructed in the articles of the holy faith. Many of these scholars were so NOTES ON CUBA. 233 poor that the institution had to furnish them with paper, pens, and catechisms ; and it is particularly noted that the teachers made no distinction between the poor and rich scholars, the mean and the noble. Yet at a later day, the scrupulous historian, Valdes, denounced this very order for maintaining, for only three days each, a number of convalescents not averaging above a hundred ; while it possessed fully two million dollars in real estate, and a great sum in capital, and consisted of only 22 brothers, who had taken the vow of charity and poverty ! It was founded about the year 1695, and is now sup- pressed. The list of charitable institutions would not be complete without that excellent one named by the Creole, in common parlance, la Cuna, the cradle. It was founded by the illustrious Valedes in 1711, at an expense of $16,000, and maintains both the nurses and the foundlings. In 1842 it received 64 children, in addition to the 105 remaining from the last year; of these, 32 died, 23 were sent out to gratuitous nursing, and 2 to the Casa Beneficen- cia, leaving 112 inmates: its income was $35,859, and its expenses, $31,682. The name of its foun- der is conferred on all infants left without one under its protection, thus perpetuating a.living monument to his noble charity. There are eighteen other public hospitals on the island, located in its chief towns. No report on the state of education in the whole island has been made to the Sociedad Economica since that of 1836 was submitted by its able com- mittee, Don Pedro Maria Romay, and Don Domin- go del Monte. According to that paper, the island contained 41,416 boys, from 5 to 15 years of age, and 32,660 girls from 12 to 14. Havana maintain- ed 85 white and 6 colored male schools, in which 20* 234 NOTES ON CUBA. 4453 white and 307 colored boys were educated ; and 55 white and 1 colored female schools, with 1840 white and 34 colored girls. The next division of the island, Cuba, had 32 white and 19 colored male schools, and educated 1069 white boys; and 19 white and 5 colored fe- male schools, with 347 white, and 145 colored girls. Puerto-Principe, the third division, had 12 white male schools, with 512 white boys; and 7 fe- male schools, with 239 girls, not classified. The whole amounting to 210 schools, with 8460 white scholars; and 31 schools, with 486 colored scholars. Of these, 3678 received a gratuitous education ; 1243 from the teachers themselves, and 2435 from funds provided by the Sociedad Economica and by subscriptions, etc.* Discouraging as this report is, that of 1842 is still more so. The committee state that the public funds for the gratuitous education of scholars, which not long before amounted to more than $32,000, has been reduced to $8000, sufficient to support only 457 boys, and 342 girls, in 37 schools. The cost of instructing them in the articles of religion, reading, writing, arithmetic and grammar was, for each, one dollar monthly. In the large cities, the dearth of schools is not very remarkable, but exten- sive tracts of the richest part of the country are scarcely provided with even primary schools. Among others, Nueva Filipina may be mentioned, which, although with a population of more than thirty thousand, and containing the richest vegas of tobacco, unrivalled in commerce, has but one school of about 40 boys, recently established by its lieuten- ant-governor in Pinar de Rio.f * Memorias de la Sociedad Economica, Vol. 2, p. 220- 370 The re- port, written by Senor Del Monte was too liberal in its tone to be printed entire. r t Vol. 15, for 1843. NOTES ON CUBA. 235 The extreme poverty of the laboring class of whites in the couitry is one cause of this neglect of education ; the children often have not clothes de- cent enough for school, and some have none at all; and the distance to the school in a country sparsely populated with the poor where the soil is barren, and almost exclusively occupied by the rich planter where it is fertile, is another prominent obstacle. But another cause felt by every Cubean, but which no one dares publicly own, is the depressing effect on the energies of the population by the enormous exactions of the mother country, and the extreme jealousy with which she views every attempt to en- lighten the Creole. Yet there are not wanting pa- triotic men, both in public and private life, who struggle ever against obstacles, which no one living under a free government can conceive. And with what feelings of approbation must not the efforts of the teachers be regarded. Although frequently in indigent circumstances themselves, by the report of 1836, they taught gratuitously one-half as many as all the societies and the government paid for, and in many cases adopted the scholars, to rescue them from ignorance. No statistics of crime have ever been officially published, but the following informal report will give data by which the aggregate may be roughly calculated. In here giving the number of criminals confined in the Havana prison in 1842, it must be premised that many are brought from a distance, and that it includes all within the jurisdiction of the cap- ital, a population of 631,760: the greater number from the ignorant population of the country. Accused of Murder . Wounding . . • • Robbery . • • Forgery and passing counterfeit money Whites. Colored. Total. 11 38 49 86 151 .238 132 137 269 14 7 21 236 NOTES ON CUBA. Accused of Whiles. Colored, Carrying prohibited arms 24 122 Quarrels (reyertas) 68 46 Inebriety and riot 74 83 Serious injury .... 50 56 Rape and ravishment 12 4 Adultery . 4 0 Uncontrollable anger (servicia) 1 0 Prohibited games 44 31 Vagrancy .... 33 10 Deserters from those condemned to hard labor 17 19 Deserters from the army 35 0 Non-observance of police laws 180 282 Suspected of various transgressions 192 191 Minor offences 108 64 Sent to the prisons of other jurisdictions 45 62 1123 1219 From this number must be deducted 107 sent to the prisons of the jurisdictions where the crimes were committed ; also the convict deserters and the soldiers, 71. Of the 383 suspected persons, it is calculated that 288 at least will be found innocent, for persons in Cuba are often imprisoned on very slight grounds of suspicion. The 462 arrested for non-observance of police laws, cannot be classed among criminals, and added to the preceding, make the number 928 to be deducted from the total, leav- ing 1506 criminals. The same year, 19 lunatics were confined in the prison until proved fit subjects for the Lunatic Asylum, making the total 2451; that for 1841, was 2551, at the end of which year 482 remained con- fined, and at the end of 1842, only 287, showing a decrease in crime. The following table shows the comparative number of particular crimes in the two years. Accused of murder " of wounding " of robbery Rape and ravishment Incendiaries Total. 146 114 157 106 16 4 1 75 43 36 35 462 383 172 107 1841. 1842. diminution. 74 49 25 340 238 102 372 269 103 21 16 5 5 0 0 NOTES ON CUBA. 237 Let us follow the author of the above table, for which 1 am indebted to the Noticioso y Lucero de la Habana, and see the final destiny of those incar- cerated in 1842. Liberated ..... 1512 Confined for correction and hard labor . . . 202 Condemned to hard labor alone . . . 329 Deserters sent to their garrisons . . .69 Sent to the Casa Beneficencia . . . 21 " to the Lunatic Asylum . . . .19 " to the Section of Industry of the S. Econ. . 2 Died in the hospital ..... 7 Executed ....-, 5 Remaining ...... 287 2453 The following curious comparative statistic of crime and education, reported in 1837 to the Patri- otic Society, by the Captain-General, is not with- out interest. Of 888 prisoners in the Cabanas, 494, charged with grievous offences, had not had even a primary education : to which may be added, 239 sick prisoners sent to the hospital San Juan de Dios, making the total 1127 persons accused of crime. The 4407 scholars in Havana and its sub- urbs, compared to the accused, give a per centage of 26, and to the 1105 convicted in the capitania- general, give 25 per cent. The same comparison between the scholars and prisoners, gave for Cuba (St. Jago) 24 per cent., Baracoa 28 per cent., Jiguani 21 per cent., Bayamo 5 per cent., and for San Juan de los Remedios 20 per cent. The greater number of the prisoners in these places had not received even a primary education.* Let the reader compare the foregoing with the statistics of crime in countries, where the forms at least of religion are generally observed, and ample * Memoris de la So. Econ. 238 NOTES ON CUBA. means of education are free to all. Let him also recollect that persons are arrested in Cuba for many acts which are often committed with impunity in the United States,—the carrying concealed weap- ons, and other offences which a depraved public opinion permits, if it does not encourage, in our country. Let him then contemplate the miserable police system of Cuba, and mingle with the peo- ple during their festivals, the heterogeneous masked crowds of the Carnival, where almost unlimited freedom is allowed ; let him travel alone through districts, once the domain of the robber and the assassin, now safe as the highways of the most civilized country in Europe ; let him compare the amount of crime in Cuba with its population and its preventive means, and he will discredit many of the popular aspersions on the character of the Creole. Two chief causes contribute to the present peace of Cuba. Intoxication is very rare, the dormant passions are not aroused by it ; and the laws are en- forced. With all the corruption of the bench in Cuba, the murderer very seldom escapes from pun- ishment ; and so well is justice administered in cer- tain cases, that foul excrescence on civilization, and most deliberate defier of the laws of God, the duel- list, receives no mercy, and the crime is now un- known on the island. Nor are the intelligent of Cuba idle lookers on the moral condition of their fellow-citizens. Un- remitting efforts are made to improve it by encour- aging industry in the youth. The section of Industry and Commerce has made a gratifying re- port to the society, so often referred to, on the sub- ject of apprenticeship, for 1842. They have already snatched from vagrancy 1411 boys, and placed them in situations to learn trades and the arts; of these, NOTES ON CUBA. 239 257 were bound in 1842. It is also a chief object with this section, to see to the interests of the ap- prentice, and truly have their labors been great. During the past year they adjusted 621 quarrels be- tween the masters and the indented, and their parents or trustees; and so satisfactory were their decisions to both parties, that only five of the dis- putes were referred to a magistrate. Of the whole number indented, 72 have become masters of their trades, and are now working for themselves ; 84 changed masters by mutual consent ; 11 died ; 159 absconded, but 153 of these were retaken and re-" turned to their occupations. In all, only 50 were lost, many of these having been removed by their own parents or trustees ; 14 were sent to the work- shops of the Lanceros as a punishment; and 32 have been arrested by different peace-officers for public offences. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the section continues to be sanguine of success, and the report of their secretary, Senor Garcia, breathes a spirit of patriotism and benevolence highly honora- ble to his feelings as a man and a Christian. The philanthropist will rejoice to learn that the different branches of the Sociedad Economica, established throughout the island, imitate the example of the parent society, and that in several other cities their reports have been favorable There are many beautiful drives near Havana, from which fine views may be obtained of the city, and the harbor with its populous shores. The Bish- op's garden is well worth a visit ; it was laid out by the same Juan de Espada who established the pub- lic cemetery, and whose patriotism was so manifest that it excited the jealousy of the mother country. He was recalled, but the Habaneros could not con- sent to part with their worthy bishop; and a certifi- cate, asserting that the state of his health required 240 NOTES ON CUBA. him to remain, and signed by all the physicians of Havana, obtained the desired favor. It was also during his residence in the capital, that the small temple was built, in front of which stands the column erected in 1753, in commemoration of the first mass celebrated on that spot. The garden of Tacon affords also a pleasant promenade, and on the Cerro are private grounds tastefully laid out, to which visitors can always obtain access ; while near the fort on the same hill, one of the finest views is presented of the city and country. The Cabanas, however, affords the most varied views, and permission to visit its interior can at times be obtained by application to the command- ing officer, especially if the visitors are not military men — the Spaniards being ttery cautious in keep- ing concealed the plans of all their forts. No ob- jection is however made to a promenade on its outer parapet, from which, indeed, the best view of its defences can be had. You are conveyed in one of the numerous boats waiting near the quai, to the commencement of a long inclined plane, which af- ter a few turns leads you to the foot of the fortress, already more than a hundred feet above the sea. Here you behold on each side the perpendicular walls of the fortification rising more than sixty feet above you, while at the extremity of the long, wide passage, a battery, with its multiplied embrasures, completely commands it. This ravine,—for no other name can well express its appearance,—seems to have been excavated out of the solid rock, which forms one of its sides, and against which a narrow flight of stone steps leads to the top of the outer parapet. Here choose well your foothold, for noth- ing intervenes between you and the depth on your right. We have now reached the summit,—let us pause to gaze on the varied panorama. NOTES ON CUBA. 241 Far down lies a forest of masts, the tops of which are hardly on a level with the base of the fortress; and just beyond is the populous city, with its solid blocks of turretted houses occupying every space of the level land, and creeping half way up its sur- rounding hills. Carry your eye southward, and trace the shores of the little bay everywhere stud- ded with villas, its bosom covered by the large fleet of vessels from every nation, riding securely at an- chor ; and the summits of the adjacent heights crowned by forts, protecting while perfectly com- manding the city—presenting, in their sullen gran- deur, a strong contrast to the peaceful look of the latter. How dwindled to pigmies are the moving throngs below, yet how the sound of their mingled voices sweeps upwards ; even here, you almost can distinguish the words spoken. And that sudden burst of music from those numerous convent bells, playing their merry tunes, as if to arouse the buried monks once more to life's joys. Now they cease— and now again they all strike up a din, that would start a fireman from the sleep of death. But let us leave this spot, and following the para- pet, separated from the fortress itself by a deep fosse, trace all its indentations and angles. What a city of embattlements lies on your left, as you pass sea-ward ! line upon line, and battery over battery, all admirably supporting each other, and the whole on such a grand scale, that the place seems built to be garrisoned by giants. The very air of desertion which its long extent of unarmed embattlements presents, adds to its apparent strength ; the largest cannon, in those embrasures, would look like a swivel on the deck of a line-of-battle ship ; a thou- sand soldiers paraded on those stupendous works, would only impress the beholder with an idea of their weakness. Not a single human being is seen 21 242 NOTES ON CUBA. on its walls; its centry-towers, hanging over the abyss below, are tenantless, and silence seems to hold her court within the massive enclosures. Sud- denly, the roll of the rattling drum issues from its inner depths, and the trumpet speeds the message in repeated wild notes to the next fortress. It is the signal of the setting sun, and from battery and fort, and the war-ship's deck, is heard the evening gun ; but the sudden tumult is over, the mingled noise from trump and drum have ceased, and the spirit of the place seems again to slumber. We have now followed the parapet nearly a half mile ; and beyond lies another fortress, the Morro, with'itstall tower, its " Twelve Apostles," and its " Pastor," ranging the surface of the water, and completely commanding the entrance of the harbor, itself an almost impregnable strong-hold ; while to our right, within a mile, another height is covered by batteries that could sweep the whole inter- vening vale. Well might the palm of building be awarded to the Spaniards, but let us not forget that that of keeping has been conceded to the English, and let us profit by the history of Gibraltar. With a sufficient number of troops, a Spanish officer has said eight thousand, the Cabanas* would be impreg- nable ; and should this port ever again fall into the hands of the English, our whole southern coast and the gulf of Mexico would be commanded by them, nor could any present power dispossess them of it by force. That England looks with a jealous eye on Cuba, none but the wilfully blind will deny. The 330 million pounds of sugar produced by the island interferes too materially with the 480 million pounds produced by all her possessions.! The large con- * The Cabanas is said to have cost over forty million dollars. t This includes the seventy million pounds from Porto Rico ; Manilla produces fifty million pounds more, making four hundred and thirty mill- ion pounds from the Spanish Colonies, nearly half of that produced by all the other countries the same vear, which was 1,346,000,000 pounds. — Statistics for 1840. NOTES ON CUBA. 243 sumption of American produce in the island, and the tonnage employed by the United States in its transportation, is not regarded by her with a careless eye. I will, however, leave this subject to abler pens, and by a condensed view of the commerce of Cuba, present a picture of its value to us while re- maining in the hands of its present possessors, pre- ceding it by one of its resources and wealth. 244 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER X. Size of Cuba —Number of its Towns —Sugar and Coffee Estates and Farms —Its Population in 1827 and 1841 —Its Commerce — Its Im- ports from the United States — Number of our Vessels engaged in its Trade-Its Divisions—Its Government —Army —Political Parties — Taxes — Bond of Union to Spain — Its Probable Duration — Slavery in Cuba—Of the Indians—Africans—Number of Slaves Imported — Names and Characters of the several Tribes — Their Government — Privileges —Runaway Slaves — Comparative Mortality — General View of Slavery. Cuba is 220 marine leagues long, 37 across its widest, and 7 at its narrowest part; it contains 3500 superficial leagues, without including its numerous keys. It has 12 cities, 10 towns, 108 villages, and 96 hamlets, in which 360,170 persons reside. In Agriculture, 138,701 persons are engaged on 1238 sugar estates; 114,760 on 1838 coffee estates, and 393,993 on 42,549 farms, etc. ; in all 647,454. The population by the census of 1827, was 704,487, of which 106,494 were free colored, and 286,942 slaves ; the present population is 1,007,624, to which may be added 38,000 transient persons, those in the garrisons and shipping, and visitors. CENSUS FOR 1841. Whites. Free colored. Slaves. Whole Island, 1,007,624 418,291 152,838j 436,495 Augmentation in 14 years, 303,137 107,240 46,344 149,553 do. per cent. 43 34 43 52 Western Department, Capital, Havana, 180,256 60,395 54,796 65,065 Augmentation in 14 years, 48,803 12,625 18,612 17,566 do. per cent. 37 26 51 36 Central Department, Capital, Porto Principe, 195,698 113,873 31,579 50,156 Augmentation in 14 years, 31,111 15,650 7,333 8,128 do. per cent. 19 15 30 19 Eastern Department, Capital, Cuba, 631,760 244,023 66,463 321,274 NOTES ON CUBA. 245 Augmentation in 14 years, do per cent. Males, do. 16 to 40 years, do. 40 " 60 " do. 60 " 80 " do. over 80 years, Females, do. 16 to 40 years, do. 40 " 60 " do. 60 " 80 " do. over 80 years, Married, Widowers, Widows, Mulattoes, Total. Whites. 223,223 78,965 54 47 584,097 322,586 227,144 103,169 75,457 13,083 3,074 29,885 4,810 663 423,527 213,934 45,844 7,197 1,223 191,147 82,485 20,975 3,340 512 80,092 9,334 16,216 99,028 43,329 4,174 9,920 ''tee coloret ', Slaves, 20,399 123,859 44 62 75,703 281,250 34,269 185,148 10,939, 34,633 2,140 6,133 367 821 77,135 155,245 37,566 93,883 10,424 14,445 1,800 2,057 334 377 8,825 1,002 2,810 88,054 27,908 4,158 3,486 10,974 The importations of the island in 1840, amounted to $ 24,700,189; in 1841, to $25,081,408 ; in 1842, to $24,637,527. Among the articles imported in 1840 and 1841, were, Codfish, 20,422,675 lbs.; Rice, 34,056,775 lbs. ; Bacon and Ham, 2,747,300 lbs.; Lard, 10,415,375 lbs. ; Butter, 836,175 lbs. ; Cheese, 1,809,000 lbs. ; Jerked beef, 63,596,975 lbs. ; Candles, 3,491,750 lbs. The exportations in 1840, were $25,941,783; in 1841, were $26,774,614; in 1842, were $26,684,- 701. Among the articles exported in 1840 and 1841, were Sugar, 653,419,200 lbs. ; Coffee, 83,464,- 475 lbs. ; Molasses, 277,854 lbs. ; Rum, 11,511 pipes; *Raw Cotton, 2,013,957 lbs. ; Wax, 1,453,- 900 lbs.; Honey, 4,616 hogsheads; Copper ore, 1,312,252 quintals ; Leaf tobacco, 9,999,352 lbs. ; Cigars, 311,808,000. The imports for 1840 and 1841, were valued at $49,781,597, which paid $11,014,534 duties. The * A large portion of the cotton comes from the United States. 21* 246 NOTES ON CUBA. exports for the same year amounted to $52,716,397, paying $2,758,340, including the tonnage duty on vessels, leaving the port; the tonnage duty on those that entered those two years was $1,036,341. Let us now examine our particular commercial re- lations with Cuba. During the years 1840, 1841, and 1842, we exported to Cuba, articles valued at $18,166,428, of which $15,464,108 were for our domestic produce ; add to these our exports to Porto Rico, which would share whatever fate befel Cuba, and the amount total to our exports would be $20,582,385. Our imports during those three years, amounted to $34,202,347 from Cuba, and $8,201,301 from Porto Rico ; in all, $42,403,648. From the Balanza Mercantil, already largely quo- ted, I have calculated the value of a few of the articles exported by us to Cuba. They were for 1841, as follows. Lumber, $1,345,379; Rice, $896,777; Lard, $714,653; Meats, $204,744; Fish and whale-oil, $364,158; Tobacco, 115,801 lbs.; valued at $20,844. The whole amount of the ex- portations of the United States for 1841, amounted to 121 million dollars, and Cuba, with her one million inhabitants, consumed six million dollars of that sum, one fourth of the value of all their importations for that year. The island can support ten times its present population, and, even now, with a more equitable commercial treaty, our exportations to it would be greatly increased. But there is another light in which the relations of Cuba to the United States should be regarded, as a nursery for our seamen. It is chiefly in the coast- ing trade that the landsman is first tempted to try his fortune on the sea, and a voyage to the West Indies, requiring so much vigilance to guide the vessel safely to the destined harbor, forms an excel- lent school for seamen. Besides the support given NOTES ON CUBA. 247 indirectly to our fisheries by the purchase of their produce, a great number of vessels, some of them of a large size, are employed in the trade with the island. In 1841, the whole number that entered the ports of Cuba, was 3024. Of these, 1053 were Spanish, 1349 were American, 537 were English, and 59 were French. Until the year 1842, nearly all the coasters employed by the "island, were built in the United States, and all the steamboats, even to the small ferry-boats. By a late law of Spain, the national flag can now be only borne by vessels built within her dominions. Cuba is divided into six divisions. The military, comprises the whole island, and is divided into three departments, a western, a central, and an eastern. These are subdivided into sections, partidos, and cuartones. Each department is under a command- er-general, each section under a commander-of- arms, each partido under a petty judge, with the title of Captain, and each cuarton under a leader of patrol. The political division contains two provinces, the western or that of Havana, and the eastern or that rf Cuba. The judicial division contains two juris- dictions, that of the Royal Pretorian Audience of Havana, and that of the Royal Audience of Puerto- Principe ; the first comprises the western depart- ment, and the second, the central and eastern. The maritime division comprises the whole island, under a general marine command. It is divided, into five provinces, Havana, Trinidad, San Juan de losReme- dios, Neuvitas, and Cuba; and is subdivided into districts. Each province has a commander, and each district an adjutant. The division of the Real Hacienda, as a superin- tendency, includes the whole island, and is divided into three intendencies, Havana, Puerto-Principe, and 248 NOTES ON CUBA. Cuba; these are subdivided into sub-delegations. The eclesiastical division contains two dioceses: the archbishopric of Cuba, and the bishopric of Havana; these are subdivided into curacies. The Captain-General of Cuba is appointed by Spain, and is commander-general of the army, and governor of the island, president of the royal audi- ences, and of the provincial assembly, superintend- ent of the post-office, &c.—indeed, a kind of vice- roy. The army is divided into the regular troops and the militia. Of the first, there are seven regiments of infantry of the line, and five regiments of light- infantry. One battalion of eight companies of artil- lery, one of which is of flying-artillery, and one company of sappers ; also a brigade of two compa- nies, and six of disciplined militia, and four squad- rons of Royal Lancers; the disciplined militia in- cludes three battalions, of free colored troops, and two regiments of dragoons, whites. The city militia is composed of eight squadrons of three companies, each containing seventy men. The volunteer companias sueltas, includes eight companies of white infantry, and thirteen of cavalry, and twenty-two of free colored infantry, mulattoes and blacks. These troops are distributed throughout the island, and as the regular army, with all its officers, is from old Spain, the Creole finds but little sym- pathy in those who are thus sent to enforce his obedience to the exactions of his unnatural parent. Havana, the key to the whole island, is garrisoned by six regiments of infantry of the regular army, one regiment of infantry, and one of horse of the militia, organized in 1763, and two battalions of free colored troops. There are three great political parties in Cuba, of NOTES ON CUBA. 249 which the most powerful are the native Spaniards, of whom, with a few exceptions, are composed the merchants, the army, the priesthood, and all the government officers, from the Captain-General to the Captain of partido. The Creoles form the se- cond class, and are generally planters, farmers, or lawyers, but are, most generally, scrupulously ex- cluded from the army and higher civil offices. The third class is made up of about an equal number of free mulattoes and free negroes, who, although they are not represented, and are by law excluded from all civil offices, still compose a respectable part of the militia, and would play an active part in any revolutionary movement that might occur, either of the whites or of the slaves. To these parties may be added the slaves, who are themselves divi- ded into bozales,* those recently brought from the coast of Africa ; ladinos, those who were imported before the passage of the law in 1821, prohibiting the slave-trade; and criollos, those born on the island. The first retain for a long time all their native vices and ferocity, the second are in a mea- sure civilized, and the third are the most intelli- gent ; but imbibing from their youth all the vices of their African parents, are thereby only the more difficult to govern. The merchants own a large portion of the wealth of the island, in bonds of planters, in whose es- tates they are thus largely interested, and with whose prosperity or adversity they deeply sympa- thize. The free colored have many privileges, and are more kindly treated and respected than the same class in our northern free States. The Spaniard has not the same antipathy to color that the Anglo- Saxon has, and, indeed, a few of the wealthiest * Bozal signifies muzzled ; ladino, versed in an idiom; criollo, a creole, applied to any one born on the island, white or colored. 250 NOTES ON CUUA. and most intelligent, in some parts of the island, mingle in the higher society ; these are, however, only of that class in whose veins there is a strong admixture of white blood, the swarthy are totally excluded. They are all permitted to enjoy the advantages of education, but intermarriage between the white and colored races is interdicted by law, by which they are also excluded from all the learned professions. This obstacle is sometimes removed by having the children christened as white by the priest, or by procuring witnesses to give oatli to their white extraction, and the fraud is winked at. The greater portion of this class has procured its freedom by purchase, and is consequently more intelligent and industrious than that remaining in slavery. Its introduction into the army, the many privileges it possesses, and the little sympathy that the African races show for each other, would pro- bably induce it to join the whites in any insurrec- tion among the slaves ; whatever effect the promise of equal rights with the former would have on it should the whites themselves revolutionize. During the last fourteen years it has increased nine per cent, faster than the whites; its male population already amounts to one third that of the white. Of the white Creoles, only the wealthy class is liberally educated; the middle class has but an elementary education ; and the lowest, by far the most numerous, is sunk in the grossest ignorance. This last has a most perfect contempt for the negro slave, mingled with hatred, for the latter is its rival in the labors of the field ; and the montero more- over eyes with jealousy the wide domains of the wealthy slave-owner, aside of which his primitive hut sinks into utter insignificance. This class is totally unfit for self-government, and the island, should it NOTES ON CUBA. 251 ever throw off the yoke of Spain, will have more cause to fear it, than the slave population. A revolution of the whites could not be effected, with any prospect of success, unless they were united within themselves, and this the threatened emancipation of the slaves alone could produce. For by it the planter would be ruined, and with him the merchant; and the army, which is paid out of the resources of the island, would also suffer in the general destruction. The people are taxed beyond any other known community, its half million whites paying annually more than twelve million dollars, but a very tri- fling proportion of which is expended in the island in other than means to keep them in subjection. As long as the prices of sugar and coffee afforded them an ample profit on their labor, they bore pa- tiently this onerous burthen ; but he, who has of late mingled among them, will have heard many a bitter complaint against the exactions of the mother country in this their period of great agricultural depression.* Still so closely are they watched, that it is very probable that between the fear of the coercive means the mother country possesses, and that of their own population, if they ever succeed in throwing off the yoke, no serious attempt will for a long while be made to form themselves into an independent nation. Revolutionary movements have, however, not been entirely wanting. In 1S23 an attempt was made to liberate the country, and adopt the constitution that had so brief an exis- tence in Spain; but it was promptly checked; and to deprive the conspirators of the sympathy of the foreigners residing on the island, it was stated that * Six per cent, is paid upon the sales of lands, negroes, houses, etc., and the revenue from these in 1842 amounted to about four million dol- lars. The duties on all articles of general necessity are heavy, while those on fancy and fine goods are very light. 252 NOTES ON CUBA. they intended to seize their possessions, and expel them. In 1842, a few liberal-minded Creoles in Havana were exiled under a pretence that they had formed an abolition society, and were in correspon- dence with the notorious Tumbull, thus rendering them odious in the eyes of their fellow-citizens, whose liberation alone they were plotting. Indeed, not only is every movement of the Creole watched, but every avenue by which liberal sentiment may be introduced is jealously closed. Newspapers, especially from Spain, are not unfre- quently stopped at the post-office and destroyed ; the books of travellers are sometimes examined; and it is not improbable that even this trifling work, were the sentiments it contains written in the lan- guage of the island, would share the fate of all heretical books, political or religious. Both the Span- iard and the Creole are, however, sensibly alive to the obvious desire of England to ruin the prosperity of Cuba by the emancipation of its slaves ; and they look forward with hope, and openly express their belief, that the United States will not permit her great commercial rival to destroy one of her best customers. Cuba is indeed linked to us by strong ties of interest, and a constant secret tide of liberal views flows ever from our Republic into her rising generation. Many of her sons are educated among us; and everywhere on the island will be found the Anglo-Saxon emigrant with his restless spirit, forcing upon his adopted country the improve- ments he has brought from his native land. The separation from the mother country will be the work of time, and probably be gradual in its completion ; the picture which her quondam sister colonies on the South American Continent now presents, warns her against any sudden change in her local government, and Spain, if she act wisely, NOTES ON CUBA. 253 will long retain this her brightest colonial jewel. With all his burthens the Creole is, however, free from the revolutions that drink up the life blood of Spain. Whatever befalls the mother country, he knows that his position will be the same ; for his form of government is not affected by the new masters sent out to fatten on his labor. But little sympathy is felt for the Captain-General, and the new incumbent is welcomed with the same com- pliments with which his predecessor was greeted ; he retains his office until his successor assumes the reins, and the wheels of government never stop. No work on Cuba, how limited soever may be its pretensions, would be complete without a review of her system of slavery. The first people enslaved by the Spaniards on the island were the aborigines ; but these were soon so much thinned by over-labor, that the race was in danger of becoming at once exterminated. It was to supply their place that, in 1523, three hundred negroes were imported from Africa to till the soil and work in the rich copper mines, and those of gold, that were then eagerly sought after. " Thus," exclaims the pious Arrati, "began that gathering of an infinite number of gentiles to the bosom of our holy religion, who would otherwise have perished in the darkness of paganism." Would that the laws of Spain on the subject of the religious instruction of slaves, than which none could be more liberal, had been en- forced ; and his countrymen had performed faith- fully those duties incumbent on every Christian slave-owner, who, like the head of a family, is ac- countable for the moral instruction of those under him. " It is impossible," the same historian continues, " to compute how much the purchase of slaves has cost the island, but the royal company, who were per- 22 254 NOTES ON CUBA. mitted to import only 4986, paid for them $717,561 and 7 rials."* The importation of them has con- tinued to this day, but feebly checked by the ef- forts of Europe and the United States to stop the trade. From the number introduced into the island during the three winters I have spent there, it is probable that nearly two thousand are now annually imported. In 1841 three hundred were openly carried on the deck of a steamboat from Havana to Matanzas ; their owner, an Italian, was my fellow-passenger, and I learned that he had made eight hundred thousand dollars by the trade, and intended to continue it until he had accumu- lated a million. In the spring of 1843 two thou- sand were congregated in and near Havana for sale, or had been sold at its marts, and much anxiety was felt by the slavers lest the English should notice it; these had been imported within a few months. The whole island is in favor of continu- ing the trade, and consequently no one interferes. It is related of the British ex-Consul, Mr. Turn- bull, that having discovered a thousand of the ne- groes exposed in the Havana mart to have been just imported, he hastened to the Captain-General with the news, affirming that he knew also the owners and the vessels that had brought them. The latter, with feigned surprise that the laws should be thus openly broken in the very capital, ordered a company of horse to attend Mr. Turnbull to the spot, and capture both the slaves and the sellers. On the way thither the commanding officer became suddenly indisposed, and getting rapidly worse, was compelled to stop at his house, where several physicians were soon in attendance on him, and his case was pronounced to be very dangerous. * Llave del Nuevo Mundo. To 1810 the whole number imported was 229,011. r NOTES ON CUBA. 255 In about three hours, however, he was sufficiently relieved to accompany the consul in a volante at the head of his troop, but when they reached the mart, only a few ladinos were found there. The next day a bill of two thousand doubloons was sent to the owners of the slaves ; one half as hush-money* for the Captain-General, and the other half a re- muneration for the physicking the officer of the troop had undergone on their behalf, during which a timely notice had caused them to remove all the bozales from the mart. This anecdote, for the truth of which I do not vouch, was circulated in 1841, and is related to show the feelings of the people on the subject. When brought by the slaver, they are either landed on the coast near the plantations, for which the living cargoes are purchased in advance ; or are sent overland to Havana, where they are divided into their different tribes, the value of which dif- fers according to their physical or mental capacities. Thus the Lucomees are fine, athletic men, and when not worried by their overseers, excellent la- borers, surpassing in intelligence all the other ne- groes. They are, however, bold and stubborn if Injudiciously treated; and having been in their country at the head of the warlike tribes, if already arrived at manhood when brought from the coast, are much disposed to resist undue oppression from their masters. They are very prone to commit suicide, believing with all Africans that after death they become retransported to their native country. One of my friends, who had purchased eight newly arrived from the coast, found occasion soon after to chastise slightly one of them. The pun- * It was usual to give the Gaptain-General a doubloon for every negro landed in Cuba. General Valdes, the late Governor, is said to have re- fused accepting the bribe. 256 NOTES ON CUBA. ishment of the whip is applied to the delinquent lying on his face, and when he was ordered to place himself in that position, the other seven lay down with him, and insisted on being also pun- ished. Their request, however, was not granted, but they were told that if at any time they required it, punishment would be inflicted. I continue the narrative in the words of my friend, although I cannot give his graphic description of the scene that ensued. " The boy was punished," he said, u before breakfast, and I had not been long seated to that meal, when the contra-mayoral (a negro overseer) came to the door, and advised me to go to the negroes, for they were greatly excited, and were singing and dancing. I immediately seized my pistols, and getting on my horse rode with him to the spot. The eight negroes, each one with a rope tied around his neck, on seeing us, scattered in different directions in search of trees on which to hang themselves. Assisted by the other slaves we made all haste to secure them, but two succeeded in killing themselves ; the rest, having been cut down before life was extinct, recovered. The cap- tain of partido was summoned to hold his inquest over the dead bodies, which he examined minutely to see if any marks of the whip could be discov- ered, but fortunately for me there was not a single one, or I should have had to pay a heavy bill. " The rest refused to work, and 1 asked the cap- tain if I punished them, and they then committed sui- cide, would I be chargeable with the result; he an- swered that I certainly would be, if he found the smallest sign of injury on their bodies. My neigh- bors then offered each to take one home, but they would not consent to be separated, and I was quite at a loss what to do ; when I determined to run the risk of the law, and punished all the six. They NOTES ON CUBA. 257 went to work immediately, they are now in the gang, and are the best behaved of all my negroes." The Caraballis are like the Lucomees, quick tem- pered, and require to be watched ; their neighbors, the Lalas, are similar to them, and both generally come intermingled with the first. In consequence of the warlike propensities of these three tribes, not as many of them are made prisoners in Africa and sold to the slavers as of the other tribes. The Gangas and Mandigoes are the most tractable and trustworthy. The Congos are stupid, great drunk- ards and sensualists ; the Longos are hard to learn, but are lively ; the Maguas are as brutal as the Congos ; the Q,ueesees are like the Mandigoes, and are as much sought after for their honesty; the Breechees and Minas resemble somewhat the Lu- comees but are differently marked, while the Beebees are remarkable for their lively disposition. These different tribes are distinguished either by peculiar cuts and tattooing on their faces and bodies, or by their stature and habits, some being quite free from marks. They bring with them from Africa all their orig- inal animosity against each other, having them- selves in many cases been made prisoners by each other's tribe, and thus been transported to Cuba; and it is often a difficult task for the mayoral to decide correctly in the mutual accusations made to him, and distinguish between the true and false. This mutual jealousy, also, will ever prevent the combination of any large number for the purposes of insurrection to remain long secret, and with her present slave population Cuba need never fear a simultaneous rising. WTith so many different dispositions to curb or direct, it will readily be seen that the treatment of the slaves must vary much. They are, indeed, 22* 258 NOTES ON CUBA. governed more by the fear of punishment than are the slaves in our Southern States; but then the Spaniard has a wild, untutored man to deal with, while we have one greatly superior to his parent stock in intelligence and morality. I do not think they accomplish much more than our tasked slaves, especially those on coffee estates, but they are work- ed more constantly. The chief object in Cuba seems to be never to let them remain idle ; and I have excited the astonishment of many a Creole, by stating the quantity of leisure our slaves enjoy after their daily tasks are over; they could not be- lieve they would remain disciplined. Nor was their astonishment lessened when I told them that in my native State, South Carolina, some planters paid missionaries to preach to their slaves, had chapels erected on their estates, and sometimes ex- horted them in the absence of clergymen. The laws in Cuba regulating slavery are, how- ever, very liberal to the slave. Thus by them every owner is bound to instruct his slaves in the principles of the Catholic religion, after the labor of the day has been finished, to the end that they may be baptized and partake of the sacrament. On Sundays and feast-days they are not to be em- ployed longer than two hours, for the necessary labor of the estate, the feeding the animals, etc., except when the gathering of the crop admits of no delay. They are required to have daily six or eight plantains, or an equivalent in potatoes, yams, yucas, or other edible roots, eight ounces of meat or fish, and four ounces of rice or flour. The quantity of clothes is also prescribed, and the treat- ment of women who are enciente or nursing, with respect to the amount of their labor, diet, and lodgings. Except during the harvest of the canes on sugar NOTES ON CUBA. 259 estates, when they may be employed sixteen hours daily, they are not to be worked longer than nine or ten hours ; and on Sundays and other holidays they must be allowed to attend to their own gardens and private occupations. Those only between sixteen and sixty years can be employed in tasks, nor shall any who are disabled by injuries or old age be liberated, without granting them sufficient funds for a permanent subsistence. Illicit intercourse shall be prohibited by their owners, and matrimonial alliances encouraged ; nor shall the slaves of different masters be forbid to intermarry. When this takes place, and neither master will sell his respective slave for a reasona- ble price, that they might live together under one roof, both slaves united in marriage shall be sold to a third person. Owners who maltreat their slaves shall be compelled by a magistrate to sell them, and if a slave desire to buy his freedom, he shall obtain it for the actual valuation decided by arbitration. By paying not less than fifty dollars of his value he may purchase a smaller or larger portion of his liberty; and if sold to another owner, that sum must be deducted from his purchase-money, so that he may accomplish his liberation whenever the balance of his first valuation shall have been paid. Three arbiters are chosen to decide the value of a slave ; one by the master, and two by the JSindico Procurador general. Liberty and fifty dollars shall be bestowed on any slave who shall have given information re- specting a conspiracy of his fellow-slaves or of free persons; the purchase of his freedom and the reward to be paid out of the public funds from fines inflicted on slave-owners. No owner is al- lowed to give more than twenty-five lashes to a slave, and for offences calling for a severer punish- 260 NOTES ON CUBA. ment, the latter must be tried before a magistrate. Criminal processes shall be instituted against those who maim or otherwise seriously injure their slaves, whom they shall then, moreover, be compelled to sell. Other penalties, in fines of twenty to two hundred dollars, shall be inflicted on the owners who disobey the laws relating to slavery. No slave shall leave the estate of his master with arms, unless accompanied by the latter, when he may carry his machete, nor when alone, without a license. At night they shall all be enclosed within the boheas, the general gate of which shall be secured by a lock; and the two guards placed to watch at night, shall inform the mayoral of any disturbance among them. After nine o'clock they must all retire to their rooms, and only on Sundays and feast-days shall they be permitted to play on their drums, or indulge in their national dances and other amusements. The local laws of Cuba, from which the prece- ding has been condensed, also oblige the public officers of justice to attend personally to the ob- servance of these regulations, holding them respon- sible for all omissions of duty. But this article caused so much dissatisfaction to the planters, that the Captain-General, Valdes, issued a circular absolv- ing them from this duty, and limited their obli- gations to the hearing complaints made before them. These laws are not all observed, but so many are, that the slave in Cuba is in some respects bet- ter off than the European peasant. With respect to the religious and moral government of them, baptism and burial in consecrated ground are alone enforced. On a few Spanish estates prayers are repeated to them before going to work in the morn- ing, and before retiring to their dormitories; but NOTES ON CUBA. 261 no attention is paid to the matrimonial compact, some being polygamists, and others making mutual exchanges of their wives when tired of them. In the country the slaves do not often compel their masters to sell them to other owners more to their liking, but this not unfrequently is done in cities; and both on plantations and in towns many annually purchase their freedom against the will of their owners. The Creoles have an excellent custom respecting a runaway slave. The delinquent gives himself up to a neighbor of his master, who becomes his padrino, and intercedes for him. Unless his offence is very grievous he is forgiven, and returns to his work unpunished. On an adjoining sugar estate, through the negligence of the guards at night, several hogs were stolen. The four negroes on duty discovered the loss, and to avoid the punish- ment of their carelessness ran away. The owner was very vexed at this double crime, and threat- ened condign punishment on all four, but he was outwitted by his absconded slaves. Daily was one presented to him by the physician of the estate, Dr. H., a kind-hearted Yankee, who acted as their padrino ; and three, through his intercessions, were pardoned. But the fourth remained in the woods several weeks, and on him the owner declared all the merited punishment should fall. At length one morning he saw him trotting by the horse of the doctor, who had once more been applied to as padrino. " You need not intercede for him," he exclaimed when he approached, " you well know that I have determined to punish him, and that he richly deserves it." The doctor made no reply, but dismounting from his horse, fell on his knees with mock humility before the master, and implored the pardon of his slave. It was too much for the grav- ity of the Spaniard, and the prayer was granted. 262 NOTES ON CUBA. During the winter, when the labor on the sugar estates is very great, many of the slaves abscond, and lead a roving life in the woods. They often make extensive depredations on the hogs and plan- tains of the coffee-planters, and are sometimes hunted by bloodhounds. The greatest number are captured by the slaves on the different estates, who obtain from the captain of partido four dollars for each prisoner; and they are as active in the chase, as they would be in their native forests to collect a supply for the slavers. On a single estate, where I resided, ten runaways were caught in a few months by three or four of the negroes, who at their own request were permitted to patrol about the grounds after the last curfew. Notwithstanding all these means, some contrive to lead a wandering life for several years; and the mountains about the Pan of Matanzas, and several of the savannas, have ever been favorite hiding-places for them. Armed with spears, made of the hard woods of the island, and the machetes they liad stolen from their masters, they are often very formidable to those who with bloodhounds make it a business to ferret them out of their retreats. I have already noted the mortality of the slaves, and the propensity of some tribes to commit suicide; the following table of the interments in the ceme- tery of Limonar from the 1st of July, 1842, to the 5th of July, 1843, which was kindly furnished by the worthy padre of that district, will give the relative mortality of the white and colored pop- ulation : Whites,— 27 men, 4 boys, 7 women, 4 girls, Total, 42 Slaves, —92 men, 20 boys, 34 women, 21 girls, Total, 167 Free colored, — 5 men, 1 woman, Total, 6 NOTES ON CUBA, 263 Of these, one white man and nine negroes commit- ted suicide, two negroes were accidently drowned, and one of the free blacks was murdered by his own slave. This would reduce the mortality by sickness, among the whites, to 41, and among the slaves to 156. I could not ascertain the exact pop- ulation of the curacy, the dead of which were buried in the cemetery of Limonar; but that of the partido Guamacaro, in which it is situated, is 1196 whites, and 11,813 slaves. By this it will be seen that the relative mortality of the whites was more than twice as great as that of the slave popu- lation, completely refuting the absurd tales told of the numbers of the latter killed by over-labor. Although myself a native of a slave-holding State, my early education was received in a foreign land, where I imbibed prejudices against the insti- tution of slavery, that have only been removed by a long observance of the habits of the negro, for which the practice of my profession gave me ample means. Compared with the manufacturing and mining classes of England, they labor less, and so far as physical enjoyment goes, are better off. I speak of those in Cuba; those in the United States are the happiest and best governed peasantry in the world. Let any one compare the crowds of cheerful black laborers on the quay of Havana, and even those of the much belied sugar-plantation,— their robust forms, their sleek, well filled skins, and active habits,— nay, also their government and the punishment of the lash, and the stocks and the chain of the inveterate runaway; — let any un- prejudiced person compare the Cuba slave with the African slave, and he will acknowledge that his state has been much bettered by his transportation across the Atlantic. Slavery as it exists among the tribes of Africa, is 264 NOTES ON CUBA. truly surrounded with horrors. The bondman there works while he has vigor, and when sick, or old and helpless, is left to perish with famine ; his life also is at the mercy of his black master. Such, at least, are the accounts of the Africans brought to America. In Cuba he has a comfortable dwelling, clothes, and an ample supply of nutritious food. When sick he has a doctor and a nurse, and when disabled by old age or other infirmities he is sup- ported by his master. If he will not labor, or com- mits a robbery on the property of his master or fellow-slaves, he is not, like the English vagrant, cast into a prison, or, like the English thief, torn from wife and children, sent to colonize a distant land, to toil for a length of years under a govern- ment task-master, who has no interest in his tem- poral welfare. For crimes that in England would be punished by transportation or death, the negro slave in Cuba receives a flogging, which, moreover, is only a corporeal punishment, and does not pro- duce that abasement of mind that it does in the white man. It does not lower him in the estima- tion of his class, and it is well known that a just and strict disciplinarian is always more respected than an owner who permits his slaves to impose on him. Again, compare the slaves of our Southern States with those in Cuba, and witness the effects of the judicious and moral treatment in the former; a rapid increase in population, and a greater degree of order than is seen even among the lower classes of Europe. Then turn our eyes to Jamaica, where the English government is authorizing the importa- tion of laborers from Africa, so that by their num- ber her free negro subjects may be starved into industrious habits and low wages. The slaves of St. Domingo, under their French masters, enjoyed a NOTES ON CUBA. 265 happy state; many were instructed, and it was customary, as it is now in some places in Cuba, to free the woman who had six live children. Compare the produce of that island while it was in a state of slavery, with what it is now, and see the black popu- lation jealous of the mulatto for having, by superior intelligence, monopolized all the higher offices of gov- ernment. The negro has but little inherent powers of self-improvement; it is chiefly by imitation and by contact with the white man that the American slave so far transcends his African stock in intelli- gence ; and the fate of Hayti tells plainly what would be his state if again set free, and placed under governors of his own color. In the present state of Cuba none but the indus- trious negroes obtain their freedom, and they are then protected in their privileges better than the same class is in our Northern States. But what would be the effect if the whole slave population of Cuba were suddenly emancipated. Even if all the whites were expelled from the island, they would be constantly embroiled in intestine wars. The jealousy of the several tribes is too great to admit of concord among them, and the mulatto with the white blood in his veins, and his superior intelligence, would never submit to black rulers. Our southern seas would swarm with pirates; and the final effect would be the subjugation of the island, and the white man would again become the master of the negro. The present policy of England is evidently to form around our southern shores a cordon of free negroes; her refusal to acknowledge the indepen- dence of Texas; while a slave-holding country, and her repeated attempts to abolish slavery in Cuba, and, as many believe, to take possession of that island, prove these to be her intentions. She 23 266 NOTES ON CUBA. may persuade a portion of our northern citizens that she is guided alone by philanthropy, as she did her own single-minded and pious Wilberforce, when finding Jamaica an expense, and in the way of her East India possessions, she enlisted his tal- ents and his moral weight to free her West India slaves. But that nation, whose grasping ambition and blood-stained conquests clearly demonstrate that with it the end ever justifies the means, should not prate about freedom to the southern slave-holder, whose black subjects fare far better than her own oppressed white laborers at home ; work less, and are better cared for. If left in their present state of slavery, the negro race in America will continue to advance in intelli- gence and knowledge, and in proportion to its fitness to receive them, new privileges will be granted. As long, however, as the white and colored races inhabit the same country, the proper and the hap- piest sphere for the latter is one subordinate to that of the whites. The moment the colored man leaves the sphere alloted to him by Nature, as he has in our free Northern States, and aspires to an equal footing with the white man, he renders him- self obnoxious to the latter ; and in spite of protecting laws, is driven back by public opinion, and when necessary, by mob violence, to his proper level. It is not unphilosophical to look to the present state of slavery as the only means to civilize and evangelize Africa, the deadly miasm of whose fields has alone saved her from the fate of Hindostan. It is highly probable that her sable hordes will, in the course of time, be converted to Christianity by her expatriated sons — it is certain that they never can be by the white man, either through the channels of commerce or of missionary labor, to which her fatal climate will ever present an insuperable barrier. NOTES ON CUBA. 267 Past experience has taught our Southern States that no external means can induce their slaves to combine in any general insurrection ; this has been well proved in the revolutionary war and subse- quently. In Cuba, should they be instigated to rebel by the advice of an invading army, the result would only be disastrous to themselves. They never could constitute an efficient ally, and thou- sands would be immolated on the altar of the abolitionist, for the war would then necessarily become one of " the knive to the hilt." Freedom, moreover, although thus dearly bought, could not, in their present debased state, be appreciated by them ; and the anarchy which would soon reign would call for severer measures than the lash of a mayoral to suppress it. By a continuation of the present laws a large number will annually attain that degree of comparative freedom, to wkich the emancipated slave in Cuba is admitted ;—for more, his present intellectual and moral condition does not qualify him. Were the slave-trade effectually suppressed, their increased value on the island would call for greater care from their masters, and they would then increase, as they have done in our Southern States, in population, in morals, and in usefulness. 268 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER XI. Trip to Cardenas —Its History —Commerce—.Former Trade with Pi- rates—Bay of Cardenas—Its Petroleum and Fresh Water Springs — Insurrection of Slaves — Jucaro — "Value of Molasses — Viability of Trees —A Bandit turned Policeman —The Hutia—Agricultural Sta- tistics of Lagunillas — Migration of Sea-crabs — Trip to Sagua — Mangrove Keys—Sub-marine Landscape — Sagua le Grande — The Dying Padre — The Ex-Governor of Santa Clara—A Savanna — The Captain — A Pilgrim— Cocullos — Yield of Tobacco per Acre— Pop- ulation of Sagua and Villa Clara — Departure. It was past the middle of May, and the rainy season threatened to commence; we had already had a precursor in a week of daily showers, when I hastened my departure for the rich lands of Sagua le Grande, in the salubrity of which I had faith only during the dry season. A friend's volante conveyed me from Limonar to Cardenas across one of those tracts of black soil which in many places intersect the red ; sometimes passing abruptly into it, and sometimes changing first to that dull yellow land called mulatto. There was a long road that led direct to Sagua, but it passed over a large savanna, on the barren surface of which it was so subdivided, that a guide would have been required ; it moreover crossed places with rather ominous names, cimarones, vives y muertes, and cementerio, the runaway, the living and dead, and the burial- ground, all which well deserved their appellations, and which the route by Cardenas avoided. For some distance after leaving Limonar the country was poorly cultivated, with only here and there a coffee or sugar estate, and the road execrable ; the black soil was softened by the rains into a stiff paste, and each little rivulet converted into an almost bottomless quagmire. When we reached NOTES ON CUBA. 269 the vicinity of Cardenas, the rolling country was exchanged for one perfectly level, and the rich soil was everywhere covered with luxuriant growths of the new cane. The town of Cardenas was now seen with its houses planted in the mangrove swamp, which its raised streets, like so many causeways, intersected and divided into squares. I was soon seated in the hospitable house of a friend, and enjoying the refreshing sea-breeze that already blew strongly from the east. Here I learned that the steamer for Sagua would not arrive before the following day, and I did not regret a delay which permitted me to enjoy the pleasant company of my kind host and his family. This city was commenced in 1827, and within a few years has rapidly increased in size and impor- tance. Situated at the head of a fine bay, the entrance of which has 14 feet of water, and the anchorage from 30 to 12 feet, it is 35 leagues distant from Havana, 18 leagues from Matanzas, and 50 leagues from Sagua le Grande. As early as 1836, it received the crops of 56 sugar and 25 coffee estates in Lagunillas, besides those from 78 estates beyond that partido. Its exportations that year included 53,636 boxes of sugar, 14,204 bags of coffee, 11,725 hogsheads of molasses, and a large quantity of rum, honey, corn and starch. Its popu- lation was then 1192, of whom 387 were colored. Although its exportations have greatly increased by its railroad to Bemba, 18 miles into the interior, and if made a port of entry, it would also receive all the sugar brought from Altamisal by the Jucaro railroad, the whole about 150,000 boxes, the merchants of Matanzas and Havana, who now export all its produce, have as yet had sufficient influence to defeat every movement for that object. The neigh- boring planters are therefore compelled to pay the 23* 270 NOTES ON CUBA. coasting freight on their crops to those two cities, from which the produce is shipped to foreign ports. The city has now quite a thriving appearance, contains several fine stores, and a population of 1828 inhabitants. Although built on a swamp, from which all the mangroves have been removed, exposing the salt mud to the powerful rays of the sun, it has as yet remained comparatively healthy, for the high tides still overflow the swamp. The long trains of cars entering it from the railroad, and the many schooners anchored in the bay, give it a lively appearance ; and, indeed, during the shipment of the crop, the large warehouses can scarcely contain all the produce that then rapidly accumulates in the place. It does not yet boast a church, but a room has been appropriated for the celebration of mass, and the usual gallows-shape frame, with the three bells erected before it, without which it seems a congregation cannot be collected in Cuba. The inhabitants have also commenced building a custom-house, as an evidence of their readiness to pay its dues when the government will let them, a tone of feeling quite different from that maintained by the first settlers, who carried on a brisk smuggling trade with the pirates. This place was one of the favorite lurking spots of those miscreants, and many a noble craft has been run ashore on the reefs off the bay, and taken possession of as a wreck ; and the cargo brought on shore, while no one asked about the fate of the missing crew. The goods were then sent on pack-horses to Matanzas, and sold there by its merchants, or were carried into the interior to supply the country tiendas. The railroad to Bemba is well worthy the atten- tion of the stranger, and a ride on it will afford him a fine view of the neighboring country. The man- NOTES ON CUBA. 271 grove islands in the bay are also interesting, and from those which have a beach, fine shells may be obtained ; it is also about this bay that the flamingo is found, and herds of them may often be seen wading in the shallow waters, and fishing. There are also several petroleum springs among the keys, and large cakes of the hardened mineral tar are fre- quently brought to the city. These springs were known to de Oviedo, and seem, by the account he gave of them, to have greatly excited his curiosity. On some keys, there are natural salt-ponds, separated from the sea by banks, over which the waves flow during a norther, and fill the reservoirs. The water quickly evaporates under the heat of the trop- ical sun, and deposites thick incrustations of salt. They belong to the government, and are guarded by soldiers ; individuals are, however, permitted to col- lect the salt, on paying a certain toll to the superin- tendent. Several subterranean streams open into the bottom of the bay, and one may be seen close by one of the wharves; the constant rush of the fresh through the salt water producing, on the sur- face of the latter, the usual boiling appearance of a strong spring. The neighborhood of Cardenas contains several sugar and coffee estates, owned by Americans and other foreigners, by the society they afford to the stranger, rendering a residence at Mrs. Lawrence's boarding-house quite pleasant. During the winter the city is much enlivened by balls, which persons from the country for several miles around frequent, and now and then a strolling band of actors erects a temporary theatre in its swamp. On my present visit I found the good people of the city still under considerable excitement from a late insurrection among the slaves near Bemba, in which all the negroes of the railroad had partici- 272 NOTES ON CUBA. pated. Each man had a tale of prowess to relate of himself or his friend, and the only wounded white person, a drunken Irishman, who had charged singly into a crowd of the insurgents, was still an object of interest to the citizens, although only one, and he a foreigner, gave him a shelter and food. The insurrection, like all others in slave-holding countries, was quite local, and confined chiefly to a single tribe of negroes, the Lucomees or Ashantees. They rose to the number of a thousand, on six or seven sugar estates, and after killing three white men, and several negroes, who defended their masters, they flocked to a tienda to hold their caucus, and determine on further proceedings. In the mean time, about forty monteros, armed with swords and guns, assembled, and charging on the mob, drove them into the woods, where the horse- men could not follow them, but where they kept them in check, until they were reinforced by about four hundred additional whites. The battle now commenced in earnest, but was soon won, for the fighting was only on one side. The negroes broke and scattered through the woods, many of them in their despair hanging themselves by the vines, growing here in great numbers on the trees. So resolute, indeed, were they in destroying themselves, that standing under the branches, to which the vines clung, they twisted them around their necks, and then, raising their feet from the ground, suffo- cated themselves; on a single tree more than twenty were found thus suspended. The whole affair was crushed before the regular troops arrived from Matanzas, but the carnage still continued, and to prevent a farther destruction of life, the authori- ties offered a quarter doubloon for every negro pris- oner. The official return reported about 150 killed, but it is believed that fully twice that num- NOTES ON CUBA. 273 ber were massacred ; the owners of the dead slaves concealing the number on account of the legal expenses, attendant on the investigation of the affair, being in proportion to the negroes killed. At first there was great fear manifested by the women and children of the monteros in the vicinity of the outbreak, but as soon as the former were removed to a place of safety, the men collected and at once put down the insurrection. During a visit I had paid to the district, while the insurgents were yet in great force, even the ladies of the house where I staid exhibited no fear; and the labor of the plantation, only five miles from those destroyed, went on with the usual regularity. The whole affair rose from the lax discipline of the slaves, who were permitted to gamble at cock-pits, and visit each other's plantation. So badly were they governed on one estate, that although they had the previous year murdered their white over- seer, the affair was hushed up through the influence of the proprietor, and his reward was the loss of nearly a hundred of his slaves. This insurrection was one of the most extensive that had occurred on the island ; and when we con- sider the number of the insurgents and their char- acter, as the boldest of the African tribes imported, compared to the few whites killed, and the prompt manner in which it was stopped, no fear will be entertained from similar attempts. In 1825 when fifteen estates rose, only 16 whites were killed, and the affair terminated as quickly as this last one. On both occasions the rising was not general; many of the negroes ran into the woods to avoid the insurgents, and returned to their labor when the latter were defeated, and some even defended their masters at the expense of their own lives. Cuba has now nothing to fear from her slaves, what- 274 NOTES ON CUBA. ever influence her increasing free colored popula- tion may hereafter exercise on her safety. Several sail-boats ply between Cardenas and Jucaro, in one of which I was conveyed across the bay to the latter place ; which on my arrival I found to consist of a single tienda, a large warehouse and a long wharf, all placed in the mangroves at the head of a railroad 25 miles long. The cars were just about to leave as I reached the spot, and I took my seat in one of them, in which were a number of Americans residing in the neighborhood, and several of their Creole friends, about to celebrate the birth day of a child of one of the party. The latter were full of practical jokes, and almost bois- terous in their mirth; and as I contrasted with theirs the quiet manners of my countrymen, I thought of the two the latter merited more the reputation for gravity, so generally assigned to the Spaniard. The road, after passing through a large mangrove swamp, ran over a perfectly level country but little elevated above the sea, and composed of a mulatto soil. We passed several large sugar estates, and once, for nearly a mile, the ditch along side of the road was filled with molasses, conducted to it by a trench from a sugar house ; the low price of the article not even paying for its transportation by rail- road to the bay of Cardenas. At fair prices the molasses of a sugar estate is always enough to de- fray its current expenses, and the present depression of this branch of agriculture may be learned from purchasers paying only for the hogsheads, and get- ting the molasses gratis on transporting it off the estates. The cause, it is said, lies at the door of the reformed drunkards, whose demands for rum having ceased, the consumption of molasses by the distilleries has greatly diminished. It is probable, NOTES ON CUBA. 275 however, that its chief decline in value accompanied that of sugar, by which its use has been superseded. As it quite destroys vegetation wherever it flows, the planters were compelled, in some places, to dig pits into which it was conducted. My lively companions left the road when about twelve miles from Jucaro, and I was soon after set down at a large depot erected at Altamisal, near which was the coffee estate of one of my friends, under whose airy piazza I was in a short time seated, with a large file of newspapers from every State in the Union placed before me. His house was built on a rising ground commanding an extensive view of the flat lands; and with its fine piazzas, its wooden floors, and especially its large rooms and window sashes, surpassed in comfort all the Spanish houses in its neighborhood. The coffee shrubs on this estate looked flourish- ing, but like all in this quarter yielded but little fruit; on some of the trees not a single berry was seen. This barrenness was attributed to the dryness of the spring seasons, which did not secure the young berries produced by partial rains, but it is possible that the soil was the chief cause. I no- ticed here a remarkable instance of the viability of some of the native trees, the trunks of which, more than two feet thick, had been cut into posts for a fence and planted along the road. Although four dry months had passed since they had been thus divided, and a torrid sun had all that time beamed on them, several posts of the almacigo, bursera gumifera, and of the Jobo, spondias lutea, had taken root and thrown out a luxuriant crop of twigs from the edges of their superior extremities. The piflon used here for hedges also retains so strongly its vitality, that when cut into sticks and thrust into the ground at the commencement of 276 NOTES ON CUBA. the dry season, it remains devoid of all foliage until the first rains in May, when it sprouts freely, forming a beautiful, living hedge. During the lax government of the island before the great reformer of its morals, Tacon, held the reigns, Altamisal was so much infested with rob- bers, that the merchants combined, and after the fashion of the Italians, selected the most notorious of them, and placed him at the head of a troop of armed men to scour the country and break up the bandelleros. But our robber in his new capacity of a soldier of justice could not rid himself of old habits, and he became a greater terror to the mon- teros than when he was an outlaw. Wherever he stopped he selected the best horses of the planter for his men, and laid under tribute the sheep-cots and pig-sties all over the country. He thus led a right joyous life with his merry men, afterwards became a sugar-planter, and settled in this vicinity where he lately died. A few years ago a family of Castillos committed several murders on the highways near this place and Cardenas, but they were all soon apprehended by the police disguised like countrymen. The chief was executed, and his head was sent to Ha- vana and suspended in a cage by the road, and the rest were put to hard labor. These instances of crime, although not frequent, should induce the traveller to adopt certain precautions, and refrain from an unnecessary display of gold either in his purse or on his person. One is often told that such a man, now living at his ease, was a pirate, or a character nearly as bad, and opportunities are only wanting, through a lax police, to renew those scenes of fraud, robbery, and murder, which Tacon corrected. The materials are still here, the people have not had their morals reformed by religion, NOTES ON CUBA. 277 they have only been restrained by the fear of the law. The woods about here abound in hutias, sup- posed to be the only quadrupeds indigenous to Cuba. They are about the size of an opossum, and resemble so strongly the rat, that they might readily be mistaken for a large variety of that cos- mopolite. There are two species, the carabali and the congo ; the first is the smaller, and has a power to hold on the branches with his tail that the other does not possess; they both feed on fruits and leaves, living principally on the Jobo-tree among the parasite carujeyes; the first is said by Don Jose Ramon de la Paz y Morejon to be noc- turnal, and the congo diurnal. When well dressed for the table they resemble the pig in flavor, and their tanned skins form an imperishable and water- tight over-leather for shoes. The perdiz, columb. cyancephala, is also found here in abundance, and are caught by the country people in traps, which they enter closely and hurriedly like quails. The partido Lagunillas contains 3367 whites, 149 free colored, and 9612 slaves; it has 38 sugar estates with 5216 laborers, 40 coffee estates with 2518, and 253 farms with 2961. The soil gener- ally is very fertile, and having been lately opened yields more abundantly than that of Limonar. The neighboring partido of Macuriges also bids fair to deserve with San Marcos the name of the garden of Cuba. My kind host, a native of Marblehead, was a perfect Creole in hospitality, and he accompanied me on horseback to the depot, where I awaited the return of the cars, which had passed a few miles higher to the terminus of the road. On my return to Jucaro I saw large droves of crabs on their way across the island ; they migrate over the land, every 24 278 NOTES ON CUBA. spring when the rains commence, from the sea on the north into the Caribbean sea on the south of the island, and are then taken in great numbers by the Creoles. When fed for a week or two on hom- ony, they lose the poisonous properties they are supposed to imbibe from feeding on the manza- nillo, and are highly esteemed. They resemble our stone crabs, and have one large and one small claw, and a body about nine inches in circumfer- ence ; the dun colored, for they are of various hues, are preferred. So many were crushed by the wheels of the engine the previous day, that the iron rail became coated with their fat, and the cars made only a slow progress; even when I passed they formed a close line for several miles in the ditches alongside the road, all moving in one direc- tion, facing us with distended, open claws, as our cars rolled by. They cross the whole island, and have never been seen returning to the north side. On reaching the wharf I stept on board a steamer that had stopped there to convey passengers to Matanzas, via Cardenas, and at sunset we put off, and doubling the point of a reef on which was a primitive light-house, consisting of a single post and lantern, in a half hour was landed in Car- denas. Although the spring had far advanced, the house where I was kindly entertained was so open to the fresh sea-breeze, that the heat was little felt, and it was moreover free from mosquitos that rendered the public hotel insupportable. The next day at noon I embarked in the diminutive steamer Jijene or Sandfly for Sagua, and passed the day in sailing on smooth water between numerous man- grove islands, or, as they are called, keys. Large flocks of a species of black ducks were swimming about them, and often, when frightened by the approach of the boat, would hide their heads N6PKES ON CUBA. 279 under the water until we came close to them, when they flew a short distance, and resorted to the same expedient to conceal themselves. Now we passed close by a large key, and various species of cranes and curlews were seen perched on the roots of the mangroves, or wading in the shallow waters; while occasionally a herd of flamingoes would be distin- guished at a great distance by their red coats, fish- ing on the reefs, or in single file flying across the water in long extended lines. They are often tamed and kept among the poultry on estates, where with the peacock they form a pretty ornament to the pleasure-grounds ; although their mode of feed- ing, with the upper mandible on the ground and raking the surface towards their feet, is as awkward as the cry of the other bird is unmusical. The waters over which we sailed had in past times been a favorite hiding-place for the pirate, and was still one for the slaver returned home with his living cargo. It was easy to see how well one acquainted with the intricate channels among the surrounding reefs and keys, could escape and re- main securely hid behind a mangrove forest. The view was truly picturesque. As far as the eye could reach on every side the sea was dotted over with islands of every size, from one a few yards long to those several miles across. Now and then a solitary hut would be seen on one with a small patch of cleared land around it, and then on a larger one the wide-spread shed of a storehouse told of the young plantation of cane or coffee. At Sierra Morena we stopped to land two plant- ers, and 1 walked on the long wharf, built of ma- hogany or Spanish cedar, to a large warehouse half finished. The roof of shingles was already on, and a part of the sides was closed by boards, but the rest was quite open ; while in one corner was 2S0 NOTES ON CUBA. a counter and shelves filled with goods exposed for sale. I asked if they were not afraid of being robbed at night, as they had not a door to the whole building; but they told me they were often awake, and there was no danger. On pursuing our voyage we passed several coast- ing schooners sailing among the keys, or anchored at the bight of some intricate channel, waiting for a favorable wind or tide; and everywhere as we glided over the smooth water the bottom could be distinctly seen, now covered with marine vegeta- tion, with here and there a large fish lurking in the long grass, and sometimes perfectly bare, with conchs and star-fish resting on the coral sand. Our dinner consisted of stews, and soups, and hashed meats, all plentifully seasoned with garlic; while for the dessert we had olives, almonds, and raisins, and preserves, with the usual finisher, fine, strong coffee. In the afternoon we amused our- selves by fishing with a strong line towed after the boat, and caught a plentiful supply of large fish of the shape and size of drum. Passing through the channel of Manui, five leagues from Cardenas, and six leagues farther, through the bay of Santa Clara, we reached the canal de los Barcas, and five leagues from it the bahia de Cadiz, where we rode at an- chor all night close by two schooners, with as lit- tle fear of molestation as if we were in the harbor of New York. Before daylight the next morning we were on our way across the wide bay ; and when the sun rose, so perfect was the calm, that not a ripple was seen on the mirror-like surface of the sea. The water was as clear as crystal, and although two leagues from the shore, not more than ten to fifteen feet deep. The bottom was distinctly seen, and when free from vegetation, the furrows made by NOTES ON CUBA. 281 the currents on the sand. The boat, as I looked over the bows, seemed suspended by magic on the pellucid fluid ; and it was pleasant to gaze on the garden below, rendered more beautiful by the de- composed sunlight playing in prismatic colors on it, and carpetting the sands with irregular figures of the brightest hues. And then the living inhabi- tants of this vast garden —large conchs with their cleft-openings upwards, and extended long feelers ready to catch the passing prey : fish of various forms and colors reposing among the tufts of weeds, or darting aside as the boat passed over them ; and sometimes an overgrown turtle surprised napping, and suddenly aroused from his lethargy, paddling away amid a milky cloud of the coral sand, in his hurry outstripping the speed of our steamer. There was also the star-fish, a foot in diameter, with its five rays, lying motionless on the bottom ; and sponges with their concave tops, like large bowls; and coral in globe-like forms with their thousand branches and their worlds of zoophytes, all interspersed amid different kinds of seaweeds growing erect from the bottom.' To me the sight was a novel one, and I lingered more than an hour gazing over the bows at the changes in this sub- marine landscape, and its living tribes. The heat was so oppressive, and the water was so transpar- ent, and all below was so inviting, that one could not help envying the possessors of such a world. Even the dull African looked fondly at the scenery spread out beneath us, and it was only when it was obscured by the deepened water, that we left our stands. Five leagues from the inlet of the bay we passed the Verde, and two leagues farther entered among an extended chain of keys called the Boca de Sagua, distant still four leagues from the mouth of the 24* 282 NOTES ON CUBA. river itself. On some of these islets were fisher- men's huts with their nets drying on long poles before them, and their small boats at anchor close to the beach. Their very presence, isolated, and surrounded on all sides by uninhabited keys, but increased the wildness of the scenery. The channel through the shoal water was very intricate, and was marked nearly the whole way by stakes, a few of them with a broken bottle on their end, or a fluttering rag marking some particular spot. About nine o'clock we reached the mouth of the Sagua river, emerging through a dense swamp of mangroves, and passing over a bar that barely admitted the entrance of a large schooner. There was a small house on a beach near by with a tall flagstaff, showing that it was a military post, but such a one that a fishing canoe would not respect. In a direct line this place is not four leagues from Sagua, but by the course of the river it is seven, so tortuous is it; at one point we saw the stream across a tongue of land which we sailed six miles to reach, and which a canal a quarter mile long would have obviated. The mangroves were succeeded by large plains of wet soil devoid of herbage, and then came the rich black lands raised above the river and thickly planted with cane. For more than a mile from its bank the whole was clear of trees, and presented on each side of the river a continuous field of cane, while the boundaries of each plantation was known only by their extensive works and warehouses. The steam-engines were all at work, emitting vol- umes of smoke from their tall chimneys, and with the houses of the planters close to the margin of the stream gave a lively appearance to the country. The arrival of the steamer brought many a one to the banks, to receive their letters and papers, which NOTES ON CUBA. 283 were thrown to them attached to pieces of wood. After passing several houses the boat stopped near one with a prettily laid out garden extending down the sloping bank to the water's edge, and I recog- nised among those on shore some of my friends who had long since been expecting a promised visit from me. I need only to say that they were southern planters, to assure my reader that my reception was cordial; and having been secured by one of them for his guest, amid the elegant simplicity of manners that distinguished his family, I was at once made to feel myself at home. These fertile lands were for a long time unculti- vated except by the monteros, who had taken possession of the twenty-five yards of the river's banks belonging to the crown, and had planted it in tobacco. These have generally sold their rights to their little farms to the planters, who have in a few years converted a dense forest into the richest cane-fields that Cuba boasts, yielding twice the quantity that the lands of Limonar now do. The mansions of the planters are very picturesque, being in most cases the cottages of the tobacco grower, with additional wings and piazzas, presenting every variety of shape. But their sugar-houses and steam- engines are the most perfect on the island, and their slaves share also in the prosperity of their masters, being well cared for. The river abounds with fine fish, and the dozen planters who have settled on its borders sometimes form picnic parties and visit the keys at its mouth, and the neighborhood is on the whole the most prosperous and social that I have visited on the island. The country around is wild, the fertile soil extend- ing but a short distance from the river where it terminates in an extensive savanna, with a sparse population of poverty-stricken monteros. The town 284 NOTES ON CUBA. of Sagua itself is irregularly built along the banks of the river, and is composed of very mean houses thatched with palms, and is believed to have been at first supported by pirates and smugglers. A rickety wooden building served for its church, but the padre was ashamed of it and lived five leagues off, rarely paying it a visit. Indeed, his predecessor became so reduced in circumstances, that calling to his sick bed two of his neighbors, he told them he had but a short time to live, and that one should buy his solitary slave, and the other the house in which he lived, possession to be given after his death ; while he, in the mean time, would subsist on the funds thus raised. They complied with his wishes, and he died in a few weeks after. With such a picture of the resources of the church, it is not surprising that the present padre keeps aloof from the spot; even the captain, an old soldier, left his family in Havana, while he here tried through his official labors to support them. Calling on him with some friends to procure a passport for Matanzas, he received us very politely in his small house, ordering with a military air two soldiers attendant on him to bring us chairs. We were introduced by him to the wife of the gov- ernor of Santa Clara, who with her father and sister was on her way to Havana, whither her husband had just been sent a prisoner. His history was but one of many told daily in Cuba. An officer of high rank, who had spent his best years in the service of one of the parties in Spain, he had been appointed to a civil office in this island as a remu- neration. Some atrocious murders had been com- mitted in the jurisdiction of Santa Clara, and the government had vainly tried to discover the perpe- trators, when one of the least guilty proposed to the governor, if he would secure him from punish- NOTES ON CUBA. 285 ment, to disclose the names of the rest. The bargain was struck, and they were arrested and sent prisoners to Havana; but the Captain-General demanded that the informer should also be sent ironed. On his way there he escaped from his guard, and they and the governor were imprisoned as accomplices in assisting him to escape. One of the chief actors in the murders was closely allied to some of the first families in Havana, and the old soldier of a governor, in the simplicity of his heart, forgot that he should have been allowed to escape. Another officer had already been installed at Santa Clara ; and if cleared of all imputations on his integrity, the one deposed would perhaps receive some inferior office, but he would not be reinstated in the one he had lost, among the people who had seen him borne off a prisoner. But a few days ago he had paid a visit to Sagua, and with its principal inhabitants had enjoyed a glorious ban- queting and excursion down the river in the steam- er,— now, his family were on the hospitality of the kind-hearted captain, and not a single individual had called on her. She was about seventeen years of age, and had a fine, chubby child in her arms that seemed a year old, but did not count more than three months, so well does the " plant man " thrive in Cuba. My friend invited her and the captain to spend the afternoon at his house, promising to send his volante for her. On rising to leave I tendered to the captain the fee for my passport, but he would not receive any compensation; so I told him if I ever found him sick, 1 would attend him gratuitously, which he replied, he earnestly hoped I should never have occasion to do. I prolonged my ride through the town to the savanna that stretches out from its suburbs more than fifty miles into the interior. The soil changed 286 • NOTES ON CUBA. suddenly from the black alluvial mud we had left, to one barren and pebbly, apparently made up of decomposed granite and siliceous carbonate of iron. Here all the trees were stunted in their growth, and many low palms of various species were scattered amid a thin undergrowth. But there were many curious and beautiful flowers growing from the soil, and the horticultural collector should not fail to visit these tracts of land which intersect large portions of the island. On returning homeward I passed the cottage of a Scotch woman, who had come here as an attendant on the lady of an Ameri- can planter, and had married his Spanish mayoral. She was now a widow with a large family of young children, but their neat appearance and the order observed in every part of her small house, told that she had not forgotten her early education. That evening the governor's wife, accompanied by her father and sister and the captain, paid us a visit. The latter was evidently in his cups, and a few more drinks of brandy quite enlivened him. With his head adorned by a garland he found hang- ing on the wall, he danced a minuet; but finding it rather tiresome, he led out the daughter of the Scotch woman, who was a protegee of the family, and with another visitor, a young Catalan physician, and the wife of the governor, waltzed to the music of the piano. The ladies, although well behaved, were not accomplished, and several failures to pro- duce a piece on the piano induced the captain to request we would not insist on further trials, as the misfortunes of the governor weighed heavily on their spirits. On leaving us, he caused his steed to prance and bound so much, that I expected to see him fall under the wheels of the volante, by which he rode ; but I was assured, that although he staggered on his feet, he never lost his seat NOTES ON CUBA. 287 on the saddle, having been many years a Spanish trooper. The Holy Virgin in Cuba, as in all other Catholic countries, is a particular object of adoration, but she here possesses different attributes at each shrine. Thus the Virgin of Regla presides especially over the interests of all seamen, and 150 leagues from Sagua was the Virgen de Cobre, that attended only to the cure of sores. One of our poor neighbors had vowed to her a silver leg, if she would cure his own of a foul ulcer that had long tormented him. His prayers had been heard, and he was met by my host on his pilgrimage to the shrine with his offering, to which he was journeying without scrip or bag, and sans treasure, save a silver model of a leg as large as his little finger. He believed as firmly that she would provide for his wants on his long journey, as he had that she was the chief instrument in curing his leg. Yet this very man would execrate the vices of the padre, whom, on his death bed, he would look to with all confidence for the absolution of his sins. The grinding season had far advanced, and nearly all the canes had been cut, but the fields were covered by the new shoots, in many places already three feet high ; for these sprout from the old stumps in a few days after the ripe crop has been gathered. It is now that the cocullos, those harbingers of the rains, feast in large flights on the cut surface of the canes. I passed one dark night through fields, where my path for a mile was in a sheet of tremu- lous phosphoric fire, spread over the ground more than a hundred yards wide. The air was also alive with them, darting in all directions like so many meteors ; and the few trees that were grow- ing by the way were thickly populated, glowing with ten thousand gems in perpetual motion, and 288 NOTES ON CUBA. emitting a lurid halo ;. while on the ground about me there swept by large patches of light from the bellies of the insect, that in the dark were them- selves invisible, and mysteriously illuminated the surface for a full square yard. No idea can be formed of the brilliancy of their light from the sickly specimens brought to our country. The chief bright spot is on the under part of their bodies, and is a quarter inch long, and an eighth wide; this, while they fly, resembles a burning taper, of the color of inflamed gas; and with the two large globes near their eyes, in their rapid movements, produce a bright streak of light. It is the means by which they are attracted to each other; and they are readily caught by holding up a live coal of fire at night or a captured one, which will bring others on the wing, from a great distance emitting a brightening light, to the very hands of the decoyer. I have often been amused at their movements when attracted by the reflections of their lamps from the window-glasses of a darkened room ; and have counted nineteen quickly repeated advances of a single insect to the image of its own light on a pane, against which it struck each time so forcibly as to fall to the ground. The country ladies pin them to their bosoms through a natural hook near their heads, and which gives no pain ; they also put them in the flounces of their dresses when dancing, where, excited by the motion, the insects resemble so many large dia- monds. Pyramidal cages of split rushes are also filled with them, and hung in the piazzas as orna- ments. They leave the decayed timber, in which they undergo their transformation from the grub into the beetle, about the middle of May, and disappear about August, when the rains have fairly set in. The largest are about an inch and a half NOTES ON CUBA. 289 long, and a quarter broad, and, when laid on their backs, turn over by a sudden jerk, like the snapping- bugs with us. The lagunes here abound in water-fowl, and the forests with hutias, which are sold at fifty cents apiece, as food for the slaves, who are immoderately fond of them. But little fruit is cultivated in the partido, which contains only one coffee estate ; while those cultivated in sugar-cane number 33, employing 1793 persons, and the farms 343, with 2580. The white population exceeds the colored, being 3276; while the latter is composed of 356 free and 2214 slaves. Many of the farmers culti- vate tobacco, and, indeed, the whole borders of the river were thus occupied when the sugar planters bought the adjacent lands. When properly man- aged, its cultivation is profitable, yielding about 135 lbs. to the acre. According to Senor Sagra, 500,000 arrobas of the leaf were produced on 2778 caballerias of land: the former is 25 lbs., and the latter contains 33£ acres; of this amount in 1827 only 200,000 arrobas came from the Vuelta-abajo, where in Mayari the best is grown. From 1804 to 1809 the 70,000 inhabitants of Havana consumed 5,481,968 lbs. of tobacco from the Factoria, besides what was smuggled into the city; and the taste for the fragrant weed has not diminished with the lapse of time. The cigar in Cuba is, indeed, what the pinch of snuff is in France, — the frequent means of cre- ating sociability between perfect strangers. There is also great etiquette observed in its use ; and the most perfect exquisite does not hesitate to loan his to light that of the veriest loafer, but with a pecu- liar wave of the hand presents it with a passing compliment. It would also be the greatest breach of good-breeding to throw it away immediately 25 290 NOTES ON CUBA. afterwards, even if it were but a stump, without first drawing a few whiffs from it. The pueblo of Sagua la Grande contains 1216 inhabitants, and is about 30 miles from the villa of Santa Clara, commonly called Villa-Clara, an inland town with a population of 3355 whites, 1891 free- colored, and 886 slaves; both are included within the central department of the island, and the juris- diction of Puerto-Principe. During the dry season it is healthy, but the rains render it sickly, and congestive and intermittent fevers prevail all along the river. The negroes, however, are as elsewhere but little affected by the malaria, and the loss by death among them is very trifling ; on one planta- tion with a hundred laborers, a man and an infant died last year. Warned by the commencing rains, I, therefore, hastened my departure, and bidding adieu to the kind friends whose attentions had been unremitting from the moment of my arrival, I hailed the passing steamer, and, with a couple of friends bound also for Cardenas, stepped on her deck. The governor's wife and her father and sister were among my fellow-passengers, and were accompanied by the captain, and an intelligent young Catalan physician, who practised in the neighborhood. With the ebb tide in our favor, we soon reached the mouth of the river, where we sent the captain and doctor ashore by the little barracks. The first took his station by the tall flagstaff, and when we got under weigh, lowered and raised the flag repeatedly, as a passing salute to us; to which, not to be outdone in courtesy, we returned the same with our flag until he became quite tired, and left, wending his way back on foot through the mangroves. The sea was rather rough, and I saw nothing of NOTES ON CUBA. 291 my new acquaintances before we anchored for the night at the entrance of the Canal de los Barcas, when, being in smooth water, they emerged from their quarters, and supped heartily. The whole of the next day we were within the keys, and they were constantly on deck, but I soon found that their conversational powers were very limited. The governor's wife, indeed, was very social, and expa- tiated largly on the merits of her child, her first- born, which she kept in her arms or passed to her father, and which, moreover, had not a rag of cloth- ing. It was once also offered to me, but I declined receiving it; excusing myself with the plea that I had never held one so young. Among our forward passengers were a number of negroes that had been hired to sugar estates during the grinding-season, and were now returning home to their coffee estates near Cardenas, each with a bag or box full of sugar. They were fine, athletic fellows, not long from the coast of Africa, and it was sickening to witness the quantity of meat and vegetables they devoured from the large wooden bowls liberally filled for them by the cook. In the enjoyment of robust health they had apparently been well treated, but seemed rejoiced to return to the light labor of the coffee estate. The wages for such laborers are ten dollars a month, but two years ago they brought a doubloon. We arrived at Cardenas at one o'clock, and I bade farewell to my companions, whom I found more distressed by the loss of a mocking bird that had just escaped from its cage, than they had ever been while discussing the misfortunes of the gov- ernor. My friends were on the wharf ready to greet me, and horses from Limonar were waiting to convey me back to my old quarters; and resist- 292 NOTES ON CUBA. ing all limitations to make a longer stay than one night in Cardenas, I pursued my journey home- ward,—for Limonar had long been to me a second home. NOTES ON CUBA. 293 CHAPTER XII. Climate of Cuba - Dry and Rainy Seasons- Northers - Summer Show- ers-Rates of the Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Barometer, and of the Rain Gauge-Salubrity of the Country-Its Ornithology - The Wild Dog and other Animals - Absence of Venomous Snakes-The Ox-The Bloodhound-His Sagacity-The Palm - Jaguey-macho and other Trees —Rapid Growth of some-The Medicinal Calabas. There is not a pleasanter climate in the world than that of Cuba in the winter and spring, more familiarly called the dry seasons from the small quan- tity of rain that then falls. About the commence- ment of November the rains of summer cease, and the regular trade-winds from the east set in ; the sun is warm enough to admit of summer clothing, and the nights are so cool that a woolen coverlid is not unacceptable while in bed. Masses of white clouds sweep across the clear sky, driven by the fresh breeze that from eight in the morning until sunset blows daily ; but how heavy soever they may at times appear, they never presage rain, unless the wind veers to the south. When it comes from that point, it generally increases in force for three or four days ; and then a small bank may be seen forming in the north and daily becoming larger, until the wind shifting to the west, and then northwest, it rapidly piles up cloud upon cloud; while large scuds separating from the dense mass are sweeping onward, the sure precursors of the coming norther. And now it rises in all the grandeur of a thunder-storm, and gathering strength as it advances with increasing rapidity, bursts suddenly on the surprised traveller with its fierce gusts and driving mists. I have seen one of these storms rising while I was only four miles from home, and although 25* 294 NOTES ON CUBA. mounted on a swift horse, have just escaped it, en- tering my house while the doors and windows were slamming with the wind. An hour before, a thin summer-suit was too warm, and I was now chilled, although clothed in woolens that were suited for a temperature of 30° Fahrenheit. These storms last generally only a few hours ; the wind continues, however, two or three days from the north, and then returns to the east, and the bright sunshine- weather of a Cuba winter is restored. During three winters, I have only known it once change from the east to the north, without first sweeping round the compass by the south and west, although the regular trade-wind has always more or less north- ing. After January these northers are seldom accom- panied by rain, and are then delightfully bracing. I have known nearly two months elapse at this season without a drop of rain, and it is now that the sun performs the office of a frost in more northern climes. The soil becomes dried to a great depth ; the trees drop many of their leaves ; and the herb- age is parched on the portreros, affording but a scan- ty supply to the cattle, which now require to be fed on the guinea-grass and sugar-canes that remain verdant all the year. The heavy dews, that fall almost every night, alone preserve vegetation from being burnt by the torrid heats. As the season advances the sun assumes a red appearance, and sometimes for two weeks emits a lurid light; said to be produced by the smoke from the burning bushes of land being prepared for cul- tivation. It is now also, that, during perfect calms, miniature whirlwinds sweep over the fields, raising high up through the still air, clouds of impalpable dust, and straws and leaves ; or rushing through a plantain field, splitting their broad leaves into shreds, with the rattling sound of a hail-storm. NOTES ON CUBA. 295 They are generally not wider than five or ten feet, but will sometimes snatch off your straw hat, car- rying it a considerable distance before it escapes from the column. I have often rode into them to observe the direction the straws followed in their ascent, and my conclusions are in favor of the theory of Professor Espy. Although the first ap- pearance of the rising matter is apparently in a whirl, it does not afterwards sweep around as in a vortex, but the particles move from one side of the column to the other, as the upward current strikes their angles. The largest one I have witnessed was about sixty feet wide, and raised a thick column of dried cane-leaves so high that they were at length imperceptible. Towards the close of this season many fruits ripen, and the orange is in its greatest perfection about the end of April. The best time to eat them is early in the morning, when they have been ren- dered cold by the dews of night. There is consid- erable truth in the Spanish saying, that "they are gold in the morning, silver at noon, and lead at night," although they may be freely indulged in at all times. The gardens thrive best during the early part of winter, and many flowers open in that season, the savannas being then all in bloom. In April and May, when the spring has fairly com- menced in Charleston, everything here is yet parched. The coffee has, it is true, given sev- eral successive crops of flowers, and like the orange, lemon, aguacate and other trees, is covered with young fruit; but the palms still retain their dark- green winter dress, and the woods present no new verdure nor have the portreros become recarpetted with the lively green of the young grass. June, however, approaches with its heavy showers and hot suns, and vegetation starts forth with the sud- 296 NOTES ON CUBA. denness of Canadian growth. The spears of the palms are rapidly unfolded into long fringed leaf- lets ; the plantain unrolls its light green scrolls, and exposes its broad tender leaves to the ruthless wind; the coffee, the orange, and other trees put forth luxuriant growths of new wood, and the portreros now afford an ample supply to the half-famished cattle. The trade-winds now are less frequent; and the southwest winds, that during winter produced the feverish feeling of a Sirocco, are now refreshing; the mornings until ten o'clock are sultry, but the mid-day and evenings are cool. The sun generally rises on a clear sky ; but about nine o'clock clouds form on every quarter of the horizon and unite into large dark masses, some of which are stationary, while others rise against the breeze that now blows daily from different points. About two o'clock the rain descends in torrents, the thunder rolls, and lightnings flash, and the wind in a single squall often changes all around the compass. It often, however, falls perpendicularly, unaccompanied by wind or thunder, and no idea can be formed of the quantity that in a short time is discharged from these tropical clouds, by the heaviest thunder storm in our more modern clime. Between four and five o'clock the rain ceases, the sky becomes clear, and the evening is ushered in with a gorgeous sunset, while a delightful freshness is given to the air. At night it is often necessary to close the windows, so cool does it become. The scorpion now leaves his snug winter quarters in the palm-thatched roof, driven out by the soak- ing showers, and crawls over the whole cottage of the montero, into his bed, his shoes, and his clothes. All the butterfly tribe is on the wing, and the nights are illumined by the bright lamps of the NOTES ON CUBA. 297 cocullos. This is also the season for the luscious pine, the mellow aguacate, the anona, and the ban- ana, although many of them are found on the trees as late as November. The sumidero can no longer swallow the swollen stream, that now thunders down its hitherto dry bed ; and the highways, con- verted here and there into dangerous quagmires, are impassable to the heavy ox-cart. The annexed table of the rates of Fahrenheit's Thermometer, as observed in Havana during the year 1842, will afford an illustration of the almost uniform temperature of the Cuba climate. I would, however, premise that it is no guide to the sensa- tion of cold, for I have felt oppressed by the heat when the thermometer was at 70°, and I was dressed in a summer suit, and I have felt chilled with cold at the same temperature, although envel- oped in thick woolens. It must also be recollected that Havana is colder in winter, and warmer in summer, than the interior of the country, arising from its exposed and low situation, and that it is more subject to rains in winter. The tables of the rates of Saussure's Hygrometer, and of the French Barometer, will assist in giving a faithful picture of the climate. 00 OS |2K££SS3£S£££ giggggggsSSSS 00 j £ LISISWMS-Noonil! lOtOt»t^t»t^0000t~t^C~O^^CJ^^00O>fO-*-HT)< S t»t»t»GOO0CO00000OaO00t^ - t^tOt^t^OOOOOOOOOO^^lO -HTJllAQO)^no>N>00 .«{ bot»t»^ooaDGoaoooGOoooot~. 5---------------- e^ b^ ^2 >»W5a.« fe u 5 «i2 ^HS §"= B « "^i1 '----------•-----v---------------' v---------------v---------------' Fahrenheit's Thermometer. Saussure's Hygrometer. lOl^OOOOTO—i O - S il) * h B U) (J) id Ol Ml) h N U) 0000t^t»t~t~tOe<5fr)TjitoreiN S »0)OMOIsO«*(l-1 o £ u5u5'*nooooo oaxM^-mnooo^ion-i S10tOH5W^U3Tt^^totO n OJ- - - MSNCifilfluswiniotON N ----- - French Barometer. s| ioos-oiommocoo^s S.= OHNOHlNNm-i-od (Ncooooiosoigoou:^ Sja uiNuotJiiiinoiMtooin tig KOOOOiSHlMOfflOlM ■S2 rtcoTj!ocoo»T) £guada del Cura. Guara. j Rmcon. Melena. [ Bejucal. Guines. Ditto on the Cardenas Railroad. Cardenas. Contreras. Cimarrones. Bemba. Manzanillo. 242 Mariel. 209 33 Matanzas. 92 137 104 Moron. 2?"6 35 67 j 171 Pinar del Rio. 146 84 45 53 118 Puerta del Golpe. 60 162 129 31 196 78 Puerto-Principe. 240 7 24 135 36 86 168 San Antonio Abad. 125 101 68 25 37 18 65 93 San Juan de los Remedios. 227 15 18 122 49 81 161 9 85 Santa Maria del Rosario. 236 10 24 181 45 77 165 34 90 4 Santiago de las "Vegas. 111 111 78 26 145 27 50 117 20 110 114 Santo-Espiritu. 52 257 231 117 297 171 85 271 156 262 266 137 Tiguabos. 128 101 66 ! 43 135 22 65 88 29 86 85 17 159 [Trinidad. 28 142 221 88 188 49 64 49 255 122 137 4 23 74 219 92 124 14 206 85 208 89 80 23 59 167 127 24 Tunas. ----IVilla-133 Clara 340 NOTES ON CUBA. CHAPTER XIV. Ushering in of the Rainy Season — John Baker—A Catalan's Know- ledge of the Decalogue —A Captain taking an Inventory—"Vegetation in July — Stingless Native Bee — Mineral Wealth of Cuba — Return Homeward — Passport to leave — Missionary labor in Havana by a Layman— General View of the Creoles. Soon after my return to Limonar, the rains of summer commenced to fall. For several consecu- tive days was the whole canopy of the heavens, each noon, hid by heavy masses of clouds rapidly formed on the horizon and overhead ; presenting in their storm-like appearance a strong contrast to the clear blue of the morn's unclouded sky. About two o'clock began the gathering to one grand fo- cus ; and the black thunder-cloud, condensing in its frigid bosom the ascending vapors, and blending with its own immense mass the smaller ones in its course, with gathered and still increasing power rose majestically against the opposing breeze; its jagged edges apparently resting on the hills, and its pendant centre threatening destruction to all be- neath. Then came the deep calm, and each leaf was motionless ; while the scuds above rushed madly together, and curled and intermingled as if in fierce contest. And now, the sudden blast burst through the still air, and the stout tree groaned, and the tender plant lay prostrate beneath its power. The long, pliant leaves of the tall palm, like streamers, fluttered in the rushing wind; the frail plantain's broad, tender foilage was lashed into shreds; the umbrageous alleys of mangoes waved their long lines of dense verdure, and all nature did homage to the storm-spirit — all, but the powerful ceyba, whose giant trunk bended not, and whose massive NOTES ON CUBA. 341 arms and close-set foilage defied its utmost wrath • amid the turmoil of the tempest it stood unmoved, a perfect picture of conscious strength. But the whole scene was soon hid by the torrents of rain that fell from the overcharged clouds. The atmosphere seemed converted into a mass of rush- ing waters ; and mingled with its rattling gusts, was the lengthened crash and reverberating roar of the more distant thunder, and the sharp, shot-like re- port of that close by; while vivid streams and broad flashes of lightning played rapidly through the aqueous shroud. In less than an hour the storm had passed by ; but fresh masses of clouds rose from different quarters, and their circumscribed showers often fell heavily within a few hundred yards, while near by not a drop descended. Thus was the rainy season ushered in. In the afternoon the clouds separated into banks which hung about the horizon ; and before even, the sun shone brightly through the transparent ether, and at length sank into a gorgeously-colored and golden bed. A refreshing coolness pervaded the evening calm ; the tolling of the different estate bells, sounding the oracion, came sweetly on the ear; and when the shades of night set in, myriads of cocullos left their hiding-places, and darting through the air, lit up the gloom with a thousand streams of lurid light, while the stars shone with a brilliancy not surpassed in the frigid zone. The highways were soon converted into islands of mud, and quagmires, and miniature lakes ; and even the estate alleys became so slippery, that my horse slid at every step as if treading on ice, and I felt more apprehensive of falls, than 1 had done while traversing the frozen, narrow pathways and snow-clad passes of the Alps. Although my ex- cursions were thus curtailed, I had other sources of 29* 342 NOTES ON CUBA. amusement. A kind family, under whose hospita- ble roof and in whose polished society I had spent many pleasant days, had given me full possession of their country seat during their stay in Havana. I had, therefore, taken my quarters in one of the nu- merous rooms of their spacious mansion, and with no other companion but its library, a miscellaneous collection of books, among which were several old Spanish voyages to the " Indies and Antilles." I determined to resist the tempting invitations to the houses of my neighbors, and commence gleaning from the works about me their fragmentary history of the island. But I soon found that solitude, as somebody has said, was pleasant only in company with one who could sympathize in all its pleasures ; and becoming tired of my lonely life, I persuaded the mayoral of the estate, the only white person on it besides myself, to take his meals with me. Now, John Baker was not of a taciturn disposi- tion ; indeed, his organs of language, locality, and ideality were so strongly developed, that his tongue seemed endowed with the power of perpetual mo- tion, and he rivalled the Eastern princes of story- telling celebrity. He was a native of Hamburgh, had served several years in the English navy, and had deserted; then joined an American whaler, where he had been distinguished for his boldness in the dangerous sport, and his skill as a seaman ; and at length had settled down as mayoral on one of the loveliest coffee estates in Cuba. He was honest, never skulked from his duty, or permitted those be- neath him to do so from theirs; and in his disposi- tion there was a mixture of thoughtless generosity with the most unbounded confidence in others, be- lieving all to be as true as he was himself. With such a table companion, I passed daily from the ex- treme of solitude to one of the liveliest of life, and NOTES ON CUBA. 343 was frequently carried by his vivid descriptions through many an interesting scene of the sailor's toils. I have introduced him to my readers as a sample of one class of the foreign settlers of Cuba: men who have spent the earlier part of their lives in adventures, and have suddenly, to their own sur- prise, found themselves quietly engaged in the peaceful pursuits of agriculture. Let me not omit to state that my companion had signed the temper- ance pledge, and had not only refused to give ma- nanas to his creole visitors, but also abstained from them himself. Besides this companion there was a Catalan mer- chant, a friend of the administrador, who had been long suffering from ill health, and still more from the improper means employed by his creole doctors to relieve him. Failing of success, they at length had recommended him to try the climate of Limo- nar, and he spent a few weeks on the estate. His case, which had been misunderstood by his former medical attendants, was a very simple one, and under a treatment that I prescribed, yielded readily; and his gratitude was unbounded, fie was a shrewd observer of men, and was about to close his busi- ness in Cuba, which he affirmed had lost nearly all its prosperity under the onerous burthens laid on it by Spain, combined with the diminished value of its produce. Although well educated, he knew but little of the contents of the Bible; and some tracts on the decalogue which I loaned to him, and which from his regard for me he read from the first to the last word, excited but little interest in him, treating as they did of divine laws, of whose history he was entirely ignorant. But with Don Quixote he was quite at home; and each day, after his perusal of the knight's adventures, he would repeat with much gusto the exploits of Don Kehote, and the sayings 344 NOTES ON CUBA. of Sancho Pantha. No one indeed can do justice to the wit of Cervantes but a Spaniard, who, con- versant with the idioms and manners of the people with whom the knight had dealings, can keenly relish the humor in many a passage, the meaning of which is completely sealed to a foreigner. During my residence on this estate, my much esteemed friend, the owner, died in Havana; and a notice was soon after sent to the administrador by the Captain of the Partido, that he would visit the place and take an inventory of all on it. This is always done when the deceased was intestate, the property then passing into the hands of the Juez des Muertes, from whom it is often very difficult for the natural heirs to obtain its possession, and then, only after the payment of heavy expenses. In this case, however, the captain was doomed to be disappointed of his fees, for on his arrival at the house, he was informed that a will had been made ; nevertheless, for fear of accidents, he took the in- ventory. There was some little excitement on his visit; for although legally secure from his power, so great is often the vileness of these officers, that it was not known what he would do. Before our present energetic Consul, Gen. Campbell, arrived in Havana, it was usual for these harpies to take pos- session of the trunks of deceased American travel- lers, which, with whatever valuables they con- tained, were secretly divided among themselves, and the rest sent to the Juez de Muertes for his share of the spoils. Even on Spanish estates they have been known, formerly, to appropriate various articles of silver plate, and sometimes a fine horse or two. Our present captain had to be satisfied with a tolerable dinner, and a fat turkey which he admired much, while telling us that to-morrow was the anni- NOTES ON CUBA. 345 versary of his wife's birth-day. He was plied freely with brandy by the administrador, who had paid us a visit, and this may have accounted for his mode- ration. The Spaniards, although the lower classes of their descendants in Cuba generally use ardent spirits in the morning, are remarkable for their tem- perance ; but our captain had once been a trooper. Learning that I was an invalid, he placed his left hand on his breast, whilst his right held the tumb- ler, and between his draughts assured me that he, too, had mal de pecho. He left us in the afternoon with his two aids ; and a servant was ordered to fol- low him with the old gobbler, the patriarch of the flock, all of us being quite pleased that the affair had terminated so well. It was the beginning of July when I prepared for my journey homeward. Vegetation had burst forth in full luxuriance under the almost daily showers, and the country looked like a second Eden. The palms, in their summer dress of fresh, rich ver- dure, were more beautiful than ever ; the cane fields were covered thickly over with the new sprouts; the coffee shrubs were laden with large green cher- ries, bending down their long slender twigs ; the aguacate or alligator pear,* many already ripe, hung in abundance from the branches of its stately tree; and the orange, with its new crop of fruit half grown, still retained many of the ripe ones of last year attached to its branches. In these latter, the golden color for a considerable space from the stem, had changed to a light green, the fruit evidently undergoing a partial second growth. This, it is well known, takes place in the sugar cane, which, when left uncut, sends forth a new shoot from its extremity, and loses much of its saccharine prin- * A salad of aguacates, with its rich marrow-like flavor, alone would repay an epicure for a visit to Cuba. 346*. NOTES ON CUBA. ciple ; the old stock becoming, indeed, again like the new green sprout. In some places the indian corn was already in tassal : the rice, which here yields well on high- lands, had attained nearly half its growth; the yuca, with its finger-leaves, covered many an acre with lively green ; the yam had sent forth its long vines from the hillock, soon to be burst by its mammoth root; the plantains and pines were fast ripening ; and the alleys of mangoes, and mameys, of caimitos and rose apples, were strewed with the over-ripe fruit. The country teemed witli an abundance of nature's gifts, and so amply did she reward the husbandman's toil, that her offerings seemed almost spontaneous. This may appear extravagant to one a stranger to a rich tropical land, but Cuba is the very para- dise for a lazy farmer. The plantain, which alone will yield him nutritive food all the year, requires to be planted only once. The stem bears at the end of eight months, and while growing, becomes sur- rounded by sprouts from its roots, the largest of which takes its place when destroyed and bear fruit; so that all the farmer has to do, is, ever after, to cull the plantains and cut down the old stems. Sweet potatoes, when once planted, require care only to prevent their too great luxuriance ; and for this pur- pose a plough is passed through the field before the rains set in, and, as many of the vines as can be gathered, are removed. The sugar cane, on virgin soil, will last from 20 to 24 years; and the coffee shrub I have seen bear well when nearly forty years old. Besides these plants, the cacao or cocoa yields well; and indigo and cotton, in certain situations, are very productive. The honey of Cuba is justly celebrated for its fine rich flavor; and that secreted NOTES ON CUBA. 347 by its native, stingless bee, curious also for the black wax it deposits, is as limpid as water. The inertia of its aborigines can easily be traced to the abun- dant productiveness of the soil ; and were all outlets to the island closed, a people, accustomed to only the simple wants of nature, could enjoy on it, to satiety, the dolce far niente. Taking advantage of a few days of fine weather, during which the roads became almost as dry as in the winter, I mounted my famous hannovega, Romeo, and accompanied by several of my friends, bid adieu to Limonar. In a short time we reached the embarcadero of the Canimar, where a boat was waiting to convey rne to Matanzas, and a few hours' sail brought us to the house of a wealthy and highly intelligent merchant of that city. A fine brig lay in the bay, with rice from Charleston ; to which port she was to return after the sale of her cargo. But the Catalans, who monopolize the trade in pro- visions, and who form, for this purpose, companies in every Cuba town, would not agree to give the price asked, and I was detained a fortnight under the hospitable roof of my friend. His library was, however, well stocked with some of the best works in the English language, and his table covered with the latest periodicals; the spacious piazzas of the house, also, commanded an extensive view of the bay and country, and afforded pleasant promenades during the heats of the morning and the rains of the afternoon. I had many acquaintances in the town, and the days flew rapidly by, but the lapse of time brought also nearer the hurricane season; the temptation of a comfortable cabin, and the company of several of my friends, in the Havana packet, had also its weight, and I left Matanzas for that city in company with one of my first and kindest friends on the island. Through his correspondents there, 348 NOTES ON CUBA. passports to leave had been procured for us ; and our trunks were, soon after our arrival, transferred to the packet which lay moored in the harbor. To avoid the escape of debtors, all persons before quitting Cuba are obliged to give security that they owe nothing there, or advertise their purposed departure for three consecutive days. So, that with the pre- cautions used before permitting a stranger to land, and before leave is granted to him to depart, it is as hard for a rogue to enter, as to quit the country ; there is, nevertheless, no lack of natives who " live on their wits." The evening was passed with my worthy friend, Dr. M----d, whose interview with the padre I have already noticed. His labors in the cause of reli- gion had been unremitting since his arrival, the preceding December; his Spanish tracts had been all distributed, and with his pockets filled with English ones, he had visited American and English vessels, and many a seamen had been thus re- minded of the office of the Sabbath. It is true, that by some he had not been received with much favor, one old sea-dog remarking, that he never thought the "----stuff would be poked at him here;" but even he accepted one and promised to read it. He had twice raised the Bethel flag ; and so much had the officers of American vessels become interested in the cause, that propositions were made to invite a chaplain from the United States to reside in Ha- vana to preach on board the vessels to our seamen. Did each visitor to this benighted land, imitate, but in a small degree, his praiseworthy example, what good might not thus be done. Religious works, free from sectarian points, are in almost every case thankfully received by the Creoles ; and I have seen a Spanish New Testament greedily devoured by some of the lower classes, who before had never heard of such a book. NOTES ON CUBA. 349 thP ™,w' I nGMt morninS> we were on board the packet; the sails were loosed, and soon after the gun from the moro had proclaimed that the port was open for egress, (for no vessel is permitted to leave or enter between evening and morning,) our vessel glided out into the gulf-stream before the last puffs of the land-breeze. The next day we reached Key West; and in less than a week after, I was landed in Charleston; and I rejoiced once more in the refreshing quiet of the Sabbath, to which my heart had, for eight long months, been a stranger. The Anglo-Saxon face, too, met me at every step; and I again saw the female form ming- ling with the pedestrians in unrestrained freedom. I had returned to the scenes of my childhood; and Cuba and its perpetual spring,—its hills, its groves, and its dark-eyed daughters, were remem- bered only as a morning-dream. In the preceding pages, an attempt has been made to present to the reader detailed pictures of the country and its inhabitants, that he might form from them his own conclusions. Descriptions of this kind are, however, often apparently contradictory, and are too apt to lead to contracted views, in which the excellency of the whole is lost sight of in the numerous but unimportant blemishes. The agricultural resources of the island, although not half developed, are unquestionably very great, as well as the small part of its mineral wealth that has been explored.* The exports of 26£ * The mineral wealth of Cuba has been but little explored, but its copper mines are acknowledged to be the richest in the wodd. The most extensive works are in the neighborhood of Santiago ae Cuba ; from five quintals of the ore it is stated that Alonzo del Castillo extract- ed three quintals of copper ; * the veins now worked are, however, far less rich. The same mineral is found in many other parts of the island, and near Villa Clara several abandoned mines have been discovered, that • Black letter edition of the history of las India!, itlai y titrra Jirmi dtl mar ociano, by Ori- edo y Valde», 1547, quoted by Domingo del Monte. 30 350 NOTES ON CUBA. million dollars* by one million of whites and colored, who also pay 12 million dollars taxes, clearly demonstrate this. If we now turn to the Creole inhabitants, we will find the higher classes enterprising, patriotic, economical, yet hospitable and kind; simple in their habits, regular, and re- garding more the intrinsic value of things than the showy exterior. That they are not more liberally educated, is from the absence of means, and not of talent ; that they have not more improved the con- dition of the lower class of whites, is from the jealous intervention of the mother country, and not from the want of inclination ; that the house of God is deserted, is more because His pure and simple service has been rendered repulsive, to the rational mind, by the alloy of human inventions, than that there is a want of religious feeling. Where, too, can be found a people like the mon- teros—ignorant, poor, and oppressed, yet polished, hospitable, and obedient to the laws ; in their des- titution, clinging to a mere shadow of religion, while deprecating the corruption of its ministers. In all countries, when the law becomes a dead letter, and the passions of men are not restrained by the influence of the Scriptures, vice will sprout forth luxuriantly ; and the days of the pirate and of the robber in Cuba, have been more than rivalled by had been worked by the earlier settlers. The attention of the Cubeans has lately been given to the researches of Sr. Sagra, on the early ac- counts of gold found on the island. I have not had the good fortune to meet with his valuable work on the natural, physical, and political his- tory of Cuba, but gold is stated to have been collected in considerable quantities by all the first writers of its history. Cortez, while he re- mained in Baracoa, extracted much gold from the mines; the river Mayari also yielded the precious metal, and a manuscript found among the papers of Don Mateo Hechevarria, computes the amount collected in one year to have been $143,000.t Coal has also been found in many places. * For 1842 the exports were $26,684,701. t Mem. de la So. Econ. Vol. 8, page 355. NOTES ON CUBA. 351 the "age of terror" in France, and by many a period in the histories of the most enlightened na- tions on the globe. With no desire to advocate the slave trade, some- what might be said in extenuation of the govern- ment that winks at its continuance. England en- couraged it long after her slave-holding colony* had petitioned for its suppression ; and now, even now, are the manacles of the captured African wrought by English workmen. What, also, is the enlist- ment of emigrants from Sierra Leone to labor for the lowest wages for a fixed period of years, under a Jamaica planter, who is not bound to feed, and clothe, and administer to them when sick and help- less—what, but the very worst system of slavery. What can the stupid African know of written con- tracts or articles of indenture, and of the reception he will meet with from his West India brothers, whom he is sent to starve into submission. The same principle that has induced England to eman- cipate her West India slaves, while she refuses to remove the shackles from her other oppressed colon- ies—that makes her plot the destruction of our Southern and Western States, while she extends the hand of well-feigned friendship to our Northern brethren—the same principle, self-interest, prompts the Creole to continue the importation of African laborers; and much as we may deprecate the hor- rors of that trade, we must not forget that they have been ingrafted on it mainly by the means used to suppress it.f The American traveller in Cuba, amid the defects he will witness, will find much worthy of admira- tion and of imitation. Its charitable institutions are not excelled by his own, and the hardy back- •^ v irgniia. t See various articles on the slave trade in the English Reviews. 352 NOTES ON CUBA. woodsman of his wide forests does not surpass in hospitality the simple montero. While he traver- ses, unmolested, the crowded streets of the popu- lous town, or mingles, without fear, with the incon- gruous mass of gamblers at the cock-pit of some obscure village—he will praise the government, which, by the suppression of mobs and the enforce- ment of laws against carrying concealed weapons, has prevented the occurrence of scenes that have too often left a stain on his own. Nor will he fail to admire that honesty of purpose, that has effected more than all the wisdom of his legislatures has yet done—the entire suppression of the crime of duel- ling, and the certain, although varied punishment of murder, how extenuated soever by concurrent circumstances. These rough, and unconnected notes, were written chiefly to relieve, by mental exercise, the tedium of an invalid's useless life. The excursions were made, and the work composed, while the writer was laboring under almost continued physical suffering ; and he claims with confidence the reader's indul- gence for its imperfections. He does not flatter himself that his observations are entirely free from error ; but he is conscious of having essayed to divest his mind from all bias, and to have faith- fully recorded the impressions it received. He ex- pects not to escape censure ; but to the worshipper in the Church of Rome he would say, that his strictures on the religion of Cuba are but the echo of the opinions expressed by many a good Catholic on the island; and to the abolitionist, who through ignorance of our institutions would subvert a gov- ernment best suited to the African race, that he has advocated slavery on the broad grounds, that it con- fers the greatest good to the greatest number of that peculiar people. An interest might have been NOTES ON CUBA. 353 given to these pages by descriptions of the domestic lives of his numerous and hospitable Cuba friends ; but although he would thus have published their virtues, he has sedulously avoided them ; from a habit, which every physician insensibly acquires, of never abusing the confidence reposed in him. With the termination of his labor, comes the parting with his reader ; and if he has failed to interest him with his subject, the fault must be attributed to the writer's feeble powers of description, and not to the country and its people, than which none are more worthy the attention of the traveller. 30* APPENDIX. Since the preceding pages have been written, the author has spent another winter in Cuba, that of 1833; during which, events occurred that have materially affected the condition of its bond and free colored population, and in a remote degree, the foreigners who have settled on the island. An extensive conspiracy had been discovered among the slaves of a large section of the country, within the jurisdiction of Matanzas, in which the free negroes were proved to have been prominent agents, conveying intelli- gence of the progress of the plot from one body of the slaves to another. At the head of these was a mulatto poet of Matanzas, Gabriel de la Conception Valdes, whose verses, under the signature of Placido, had often been admitted into the daily journals. He was proved by thirty-two witnesses to have been elected chief of the committee from which emanated all the orders to the other conspirators, and, with other intelligent free mulattos and negroes, to have been instigated by foreign influence. Indeed, no doubt remained on the minds of the members of the Commission, appointed to investigate the affair, of the active part played in it by the notorious David Turnbull, 356 APPENDIX. late British Consul at Havana; who, abusing the confi- dence reposed in him as an official agent of a government at peace with Spain, was plotting the destruction of her valuable colony. The plot was disclosed by a negress slave to her master ; those whom she denounced were arrested, and their con- fessions led to the detection of other conspirators. But it was soon seen that all its meshes could not be traced out by the usual means of trial, the last accused always obstinately denying any knowledge of it. The Captain- General, Leopoldo O'Donnell, accustomed to the civil strifes of Old Spain, promptly resolved to adopt a system of terror, and appointed military commissions to try the cases. These employed the very means used by the English in 1798 in Ireland, and if they committed greater excesses, it was because they could do so with greater impunity. " Slaughter-houses," like those of Dublin were established in Matanzas and Cardenas, where the accused were subjected to the lash, to extort confessions; and the same number, 200, inflicted on chimney-sweeper Horrish,* was generally found sufficient to subdue the firmness of the black man, and force the secret from his bosom. It may be affirmed that prompt and rigorous measures were called for by the urgency of the case; but the atrocities committed this winter in Cuba, leave an indelible stain on the Spanish character, and admit of no palliation. A thousand lashes were in many cases inflicted on a single negro; a great number died under this continued orture, and still more from spasms, and gangrene of the wounds. Confessions thus obtained, especially while the prisoner was influenced by leading questions, could not * See Barrington's Sketches of his own times. APPENDIX. 357 always be relied on; and not a few, in their dying moments, declared that all they had said was false. A number of whites, both Creoles and foreigners, who had settled as planters, were arrested on such testimony, and confidence in the protection of the government was entirely lost. Abandoned to the caprice of the sub-commissions that visited the plantations, the whole population, afraid to utter one word against their acts, in despair saw their property sacrificed, and were compelled to witness the most revolting scenes of cruelty. To the honor of the Creole be it said, that it met their entire execration; and so general became the dissatisfaction, that O'Donnell, it was believed, sent secret orders to his agents to moderate their zeal; as the chief of them, Quiotayros, governor of Cardenas, who had rioted in the most outrageous acts, suddenly became less savage. It was, however, against the policy of a despotic government to admit it could do aught wrong, and the crimes of these men were left unpunished. The whole affair was from the discovery of it soon crushed ; a few dragoons rode through the disaffected partidos, and the prowess of the negro was suddenly changed to the deepest submission. It is needless to state, that all the horrors of the San Domingo massacres were to have been repeated. Many of the whites were to have been flayed and broiled while alive, and with the exception of the young women, reserved for a worse fate, all, without discrimination of age or sex, were to have been massacred. The plans were, however, so ill organ- ized, that the insurgents could only have presented an inert mass before even the armed monteros of the island, and their insurrection could only have drawn down destruction on themselves. A civil war between the two races must necessarily be one of extermination, as is ever 358 APPENDIX. the case when the savage contends with the civilized man. Witness, even in Hindostan, the torrents of blood shed by the rapacious conquerors of its half-civilized, peaceful people. In whatever light it is viewed, one can only deplore the wild efforts of the abolitionist to force the freedom of the negro, which have only curtailed his privileges, and thwarted the measures employed by his master for his civilization. One effect of the late insurrectionary move- ment in Cuba, has been the banishment of all the foreign free negroes that had settled on the island; and it is pro- posed to revise the laws regulating the manumission of slaves, restricting the same. The privileges of the slaves, and of the free colored population that remains, will for a long time be abridged, and the amelioration of their con- dition, depending so much on the mutual confidence of the two races, be for the present arrested. Well might the negro plead deliverance from his officious friends. The Spaniards are desirous of attributing the late in- surrectionary movements entirely to foreign influence, but a prominent cause exists in the absenteeism of the owners of plantations, and the abandonment of the slaves to ignorant overseers, who feel no interest in their wel- fare, and often abuse their trusts. The negro is a great stickler for justice, and will submit as quietly to merited punishment, as he will resent that which he believes un- deserved. Feed and clothe him well, and do not over- task him, and he will remain a cheerful, faithful slave; it is in his nature, and is as unchangeable as the color of his skin. The line of demarkation between the different classes of slaves, free negroes, and whites, is too indis- tinct in Cuba. Many of the former are owned by the second, and some of these, if not too deeply tinged, find their way into the society of whites, only, however, by APPENDIX. 359 disclaiming all of their African origin. The. privileges, only half enjoyed, thus tempt for their full possession, and discontent reigns. But the most prominent obstacle to the permanent tranquillity of the island is the African slave-trade. The annual intermingling of several thousand wild savages, accustomed to almost continual warfare, with the partially- trained laborers, themselves but recently imported, tends to keep up a constant, although limited insubordination. By supplying thus the waste by death, the planters give little heed to those regulations which increase the popula- tion so rapidly in our Southern States, and the same coercive means must ever be used to induce their negroes to labor; while our native-born slaves, trained from youth to subordination, and always increasing in intelligence, form a peaceable and skilful peasantry. The trade was more than ever active this winter, so that bozales were sold for one third their former value, and it is vain to hope for its cessation so long as the island government patronizes it. ERRATA. Paee 4, line 12, for Proffresso read Progreso. '? 7, " 21, '* Aichevaria " Echevarria " 7, " 35, '< Andreas " Andrades. " 8, " 7, " Aichevaria 8 " Echevarria'f " 8> " Hi " Simonar " Limonar. " is, " 33, " northern " norther. " 16, " 31, 11 keg " key. " 17, " 33, Morro " 38, " 8, " delietando " deleitando. " 42, " 14, '• des " de. " 57, " 8, Tniamo 11 mismo. " 75, " ". '« malhokero " malojero. " 82, " 14. 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