The United States and Cuba. Eight years of change and travel

Front matter

THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA THE UNITED STATES AND CUBA: EIGHT YEARS OF CHANGE AND TRAVEL. BY JOHN GLANVILLE TAYLOR. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. publisher in (©roinarg to fficr fHaje<stp. 1851. LONDON: Printed by Samuel Bentley and Co., Bangor House, Shoe Lane. TO REAR ADMIRAL MITFORD, HUNMANBT HALL, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, BY HIS ATTACHED NEPHEW, J. G. T. TO THE READER. A melancholy interest has been added to this little Work, by the early and lamented death of the Author, soon after its completion. He died at Batticaloa, on the 3rd of January 1851, in the twenty-ninth year of his age. February 20th, 1851. PAGE 5 23 CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Departure from Liverpool for Philadelphia. — Seventy Mormons on board. — Loudest singing in hardest weather. — Fields of ice and sprinklings of icebergs. — Arrival in the Delaware. — Pilots and their craft. — Man overboard, and value of a hencoop. — Paddy's first sight of American pigs. — Dialogues of the living. — Consolations of egg-flip. — Arrival at Philadelphia . . . .

Chapter II

Impressions ofthe United States. — Hints of com parison. — Germans, and their notions of hospitality. — Irish, and their notions of conciliation. — Americans, and their notions of independence. — Female liberty. — Slavery .......

Chapter III

Hot sun. — A mile of market. — No starvation in Phila delphia. — Anniversary of Independence. — The Schuyl kill. — Railroads. — Travellers' story. — Tale of murder.— CONTENTS. X PAGE 45 65 127 165 Blossburgh. — Bellefont. — Philipsburgh. — Alleghanies and their coal fields.— Liberia and its dawn of freedom .

Chapter IV

Philipsburgh. — Pottsville.— Return to Philadelphia.— Public entertainments. — Singing schools. — Trip to Vir ginia. — Mount Vemon in decay. — Wild ducks in vigour. — Washington. — President's levee. — Patent office. — Calf anecdote. — New York. — Embarkation. — Voyage to Cuba. — Saint Jago. — Letters of introduction. — Yellow fever. — Boarding house. — Departure and journey to Holguin. — Night sleep on horseback. — Language.— Country life in Cuba. — Arrival at Holguin ....

Chapter V

The gold mine. — Its flattering promise and wretched performance. — Chrome ore. — Language. — Drought and famine. — Torribio the wrestler. — Night adventures. — Narrow escape. — Sugar works. — Cuban horses. — Return to St. Jago. — Voyage to Philadelphia. — Yellow fever

Chapter VI

Return from the United States. — Arrive a second time in Cuba. — Description of Gibara. — Mines and mining laws. — Geology of the district. — Natural caves. — A novel con fessional. — Chromate of iron. — Land tenures and divisions. — A sugar plantation. — Life of the Negro. — Punishment. — Bloodhound CONTENTS. XI PAGE 193 213 242 279

Chapter VII

Slavery considered in relation to free-trade. — The author's project for its extinction .

Chapter VIII

Statistical view. — Drunken Negro row. — Summary judgment and correction. — Traits of character. — Run aways. — Blood-money. — The great Pallenque. — Lopez the Negro hunter. — A female fury. — Confidence seldom betrayed. — A fresh arrival from Africa. — Their former state there.— The dying Negro . . . .

Chapter IX

Famine. — Scenes of misery and ruin. —A generous friend. The great Negro plot. — Wholesale punishments. Natural productions. — Birds. — A learned parrot. — Palms.— Sugar-cane, and its mode of culture and pre paration for market .....

Chapter X

Further views and arguments on the slave-trade. — Suggestions for its extinction continued . CONTENTS. PAGE 294

Chapter XI

Religion of Cuba. — Catholicism relaxed. — Law of set tlement. — General administration of the laws. — Governor's court. — Sudden arrest of the author. — His fortunate es cape.—Despotic distinctions. — Don Miguel Tacon and his memorable decree against vagrancy. — Taxes and duties. — Smuggling. — Law of marriage. — The fair Jewess. — Domestic habits. — Cock-fighting and cards. — Dr. Madden's work. — Departure to New York. — Arrival at Liverpool. — Conclusion . EIGHT YEARS IN CUBA, etc.

Introduction

. The events of the last eight years of my life have taken place in different parts of the world, and those widely separated. It is now much a matter of regret to me, as it has been to thousands besides, the not having kept a regular journal ; however, I be lieve, that once I shall have begun, nothing of any moment will be found to have escaped a memory, of which indeed I have seldom had reason to com plain. I have little hope, certainly, of writing a history abounding with " startling" incidents, as some would perhaps desire ; no, my occupations have been in most respects of a more every-day and " plodding" character. It will soon be seen B

INTRODUCTION.

. that more than one failure has been the result of a failing, of which I can remember myself to have been possessed, namely, an over sanguine disposition. The reader will observe when this was the case, and when other causes formed the reasons of ill success. Some people may think strangely of the idea of thus setting forth all their proceedings, but I have no such feeling, and shall be really and truly rewarded, if, by this means, the consideration of my own mistakes may lead any person right, who may be either pursuing or meditating a course similar to mine. And there are many such. Now be it known, the above paragraph is a veritable " curiosity of literature," for it was written more than a year ago, and actually before a word of the rest which follows. As I am copying now what I then jotted down, I may as well add, that I have seen a review lately of a work of travels in America, in which on two or three points, the writer, noticing the very same things, and remarking on them in the same spirit as I have, might give some suspicious people a notion that a little book making had been going on, on my part.

But I am not going to alter or expunge a word on any such account, and I rather take it as a great com pliment to rny judgment, since I see there are now

INTRODUCTION.

. " a pair of us" on the side of Anti-Humbug, in whatever shape our adversary may appear, and I am proud to see my opinions, formed so far back as 1841 (when I was yet a stripling), borne out by this writer. J. G. T. Battacaloa, Ceylon, June, 1850. b

Chapter I. Departure From Liverpool For Philadelphia

— SEVENTY MORMONS ON BOARD. LOUDEST SINGING IN HARDEST WEA- THER. — FIELDS OF ICE AND SPRINKLINGS OF ICEBERGS. ARRIVAL IN THE DELAWARE. PILOTS AND THEIR CRAFT. MAN OVERBOARD, AND VALUE OF A HENCOOP. PADDY'S FIRST SIGHT OF AMERICAN PIGS. — DIALOGUES OF THE LIVING. CONSOLATIONS OF EGG-FLIP. — ARRIVAL AT PHILADELPHIA. Affairs generally were in rather a strange state at the beginning of 1841. Indeed, we had then a general panic, something similar, commercially I mean, to that which even yet we are feeling the effects of. But as this one has chiefly seemed to affect the east in connection with England, so did that of 1840-41, the west. Doubtless in both cases the causes were much the same ; the chief being a too great readiness on the part of England to give credit, and an undue advantage taken of the privilege by the other side.

In 1836, -7, and -8, hardly a scheme, however wild, could be sug gested in England, by those interested in American matters (some few of these people being really DEPARTURE FROM LIVERPOOL. nothing but sharpers, and the majority of the rest carried away by imaginations, excited by visions of wealth), but found immediately its supporters in persons, who actually had not only never them selves been in America, but who knew absolutely nothing of the merits of the propositions, nor even of the characters of those who brought them forward. Though the worst of the crisis seemed approaching, I resolved to go and see for myself. One of my relations, who has recently made himself celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic, by his treatise on coal, had been engaged also to a con siderable extent in mining, and I had his and other reports, in the shape of pamphlets on several mining schemes, which gave me quite a favourable idea of the concerns.

Besides, there were not wanting voices which whispered " Never fear ! in a country like America there are always abundant means by which a young man," &c. I dare say the same has been said before. The week preceding the date of my departure from Liverpool, was certainly one of the deepest gloom in many quarters, although the aspect of the heavens was anything but sad, as it was the merry month of May, and the brightest of the bright. But the long expected steam ship had arrived from Halifax, yet brought no relief to the anxious souls MORMONS ON BOARD. 7 who hoped, and the few who had confidently ex pected news of the missing ship " President." I remember well the eagerness with which the first boat from the steamer's side was hailed, and the terrible look of some of those assembled on the pier-head.

The same mail also brought tidings ill calculated to raise the hopes of any who had dealings with America, News also arrived of the immense quan tities of loose ice afloat in the Atlantic, and the loss, by striking on it, of the " William Brown," as well as the subsequent tragedy enacted in her boats ; the murder of the Irish passengers by the seamen, only a few hours before help came in view. On the 24th of May we sailed, in a ship of 850 tons, and we numbered on board 280 souls. Seventy of these were " Mormons" from Wales, who had a place boarded off for them. They appeared to pass their time (about equally) between psalm-singing and knitting, as it seemed to us ; and they had some most extraordinary tunes, with tremen dous "winds up" to them, particularly one, which they apparently reserved for the most stormy weather, to the infinite annoyance of our second mate, since the burthen or chorus was, " Blow, breezes, blow, a gale of grace, The Heaven above is our landing-place !"

FIELDS OF ICE. He would put his head down the hatchway, and tell them that as he uhad just finished double reefing the topsails, they had better stop, for surely there ought to be wind enough by this time !" About the 10th of June, the weather having been warm, with strong gales and contrary winds, we all began to feel the temperature suddenly decrease, though the wind continued from the same quarter. We observed this first about 5 p. m., when we went into the cabin, which was on deck. After supper, while amusing ourselves with a rubber, the chief mate came in, and whispered a few words to the captain, who instantly went out, of course speedily followed by us, who partly guessed what the matter might be. But in the short moment he preceded us, he had already ordered the ship about, and she was quickly feeling the alteration in her helm.

The cause was manifest enough, and lay now directly astern, in the shape of an immense field of ice, which we could distinctly observe rising and falling, while, from well-known causes, it emitted a bright white light, though there was no moon. The cold was now intense, and we had to seek coats and cloaks in order to observe this dangerous neighbour for a while longer ; however, seeing no fresh indications any where a-head, we all turned in. Next morning, at about two miles1 distance LAND CLOUDS. 9 abreast of us, and on both sides, were several large icebergs. One we sailed close to afterwards, seemed to be as high as our royal-mast head, and several hundred yards long. We could discover no living creatures on any of these icebergs. Thus we had all got our wish, which we made on leaving Liver pool, that we might see the ice a good long way off, but not feel it, which happened exactly.

On Saturday, the 3rd of July, after our long buffet of forty days, we "made the capes of the Delaware, having skirted the land, though out of sight of it, for several days, and the Captain had every day pointed out certain clouds, which lay quietly in one unbroken line abreast of us, which he affirmed were " land clouds." Since then, I have neared the land on very many occasions, and have never failed to observe the same phenomenon, although curiously enough, I do not remember to have noticed them often when on shore. Their top edges are generally high in the heavens, and the clouds themselves a light fleecy white, approaching, towards their edges, a rosy hue. I do not think they are visible in cold or stormy weather however. As we neared the shore the heat became intense; we had little or no wind, and what there was appeared to be carrying us with it, under the attraction of a dense mass of black clouds, emitting continuous b ARRIVAL IN THE DELAWARE. streaks of forked lightning.

In a short time, as of course might be expected, the wind veered round to the very opposite point, all sail was got in, and every preparation made for an encounter with a severe squall. But little did we think of squalls. To us, how delicious was this wind ! It now came off cool and abundant, bringing with it a mingled fragrance of newly mown hay and pine forests, amidst which the smell of cedar was quite distin guishable ; in fact, it was a whiff of the " country," and we sat enjoying it intensely, till the large drops of rain pattered thinly on the deck, and we had to seek shelter in the cabin, but not till our sympathies had been given to some scores of little birds, and many insects that struggled vainly against the storm, few of which poor creatures had much chance of ever seeing the shore again.

This must be a fruit ful means of depopulating countries bordering on the sea, of the smaller races of birds and insects ; for who shall say how far they might be carried before such a squall should exhaust itself, and as for their numbers, they quite surprised us. It soon blew a hurricane ; and then the rain descended as it were in sheets, as if it had been determined that our ship should not enter the Delaware without a complete wash-down. In the evening we slowly sailed up the river — at its mouth apparently about APPEARANCE OF THE DELAWARE. 11 twelve miles wide — and floating up with the flood tide, anchored off the Lazaretto. The next day was Sunday, and the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but the authorities had ordered it to be celebrated on the following day, though there seemed to be a goodly number, evidently well prepared to keep it on both.

After every soul of us had been passed in review before the medical inspectors at the Lazaretto, and been pronounced free from all contagious diseases, we were permitted to proceed, which we did with a wind exactly astern, and every inch of canvas set. Never have I seen a more enlivening spectacle on any river than the Delaware presented that day. Not the kind of motley we see on the Thames, but an abundance of craft of all sizes and rigs, yet without exception, of the most graceful models, and with ample scope for their manœuvres, and not the least appearance of crowding. Men-of-war, armed cutters, steamers painted white, and beautifully clean, and all sorts of pleasure boats and yachts, decorated gaily with flags and streamers, were sailing and tacking about, or if steamers, moving steadily up and down at a rapid pace.

Sometimes a steamer would suddenly vanish from our view as if by en chantment, and then we learned that all along the Delaware at intervals are creeks, which are navigable BANKS OF THE DELAWARE. for very many miles, all leading to towns of more or less note, and which are reached by steam com munication, although sometimes these creeks, though deep, are not much wider than the vessels. We also learned that these noble boats were not of the boiler-bursting race, which are still to be met with on western waters, but regulated by law, on the slower and surer condensing principle, as is the case on all eastern rivers. The banks of the Delaware lined with farms, their crops now either ripe, or ripening fast under a July sun, the cool tempting-looking woods, and the farm-houses and barns, not like those of Eng land, but seeming (as some one I think has said before) as if they had all along been packed in band-boxes, and exhibited that day only by par ticular desire, with their gaudy painting of red, green, yellow, and white ; — all this forms a great contrast to the port we had sailed from !

Not less striking is the remarkable difference between the pilot who took the ship out of the Mersey, and him who now conducts her into the Delaware. The former, very likely, an uncouth specimen of a Welshman, who barely speaks intelligible English, while he condescends or not, as the case may be, to grunt out a word now and then to the captain, varying the entertainment by not unfrequent swigs PILOTS AND THEIR CRAFT. 13 of ale, or rum and water. Of course I don't deny that he may be a very worthy man, and perhaps he may be (but who shall say that?) a more re spectable one than his Delaware brother ; but just observe him, if you please ! Thirty or forty miles out to sea he has sighted the " Liner." Though it blows a fair wind for the big ship, it is also a good one for him, coming from the opposite direction.

Who has not heard of these boats, one of which, as was said by a British Admiral, once sailed right into the wind's eye, and put it out? Be that as it may, he is soon alongside, and you cannot fail, surely, to be struck with him ! Your eye naturally follows down from the neatly brushed hat, and satin stock, or muslin cravat, to the Parisian looking dress-coat, the spotless shirt-front, the un exceptionable studs, the snow-white trowsers, even unto the neat and brightly-polished boots, all is nattiness. But now glance down at his boat ! Why his shirt itself is not whiter than either her deck or her mainsail, which, by the way, has a reef in it. These vessels have no bulwarks whatever, and nothing but their own sure-footed ness prevents those other four or five gentlemen (all pilots) from toppling over into the sea, but they understand their craft too well for that.

These are very much a set of counterparts of our friend ; PILOTS AND THEIR CRAFT. some a little taller or shorter, thinner or fatter, older or younger, but the description I have sriven of him wdl do for all. Now she sheers off, and for half an hour amuses herself by sailing round and round us, then shoots away suddenly, having sighted another ship. This may be called yachting for one's bread, and a pleasant enough trade in weather like that we were then enjoying, but hardly so in the month of March, I should say. The boats are from fifty to ninety tons burthen, and admitted to be excellent in every way, though when the waves are over a certain magnitude, they cannot run. This was discovered by sending one with certain important despatches to England. She ran the distance in a very few days, but lost about ten by " lying to," so dreadfully rough was the sea; in any thing like average weather, they are the fastest vessels known.

A group has collected round our pilot already, eager for news. He answers all inquiries with the utmost politeness, hands out a file of the latest papers from his carpet bag, and the captain, now liberated from all responsibility about his ship, sits down in his easy chair on deck, to look them over, and share them with his passengers. After supper, our pilot will be extremely happy to take a quiet walk with you, if all be going on well, and I can MAN OVERBOARD. safely prophesy that the Havana cigar which he will certainly offer you, from a neat case, will be " superior." We had, as I said, a delightful sail, which was only once disagreeably interrupted. About two o'clock the tide having changed, was running out very fast, and though we had stud'nsails set, we made but little way, as the current ran swiftly by.

Our pilot, however, no doubt longed, in his secret heart, to get the ship up to the city that night, to be in time for the morrow's festivities ; accordingly he ordered out lower stud'nsail booms on both sides. Out they went ; and the sails were being set, when something appeared foul at the end of the starboard boom. Little Jack, an Irishman, and one of the smartest of the crew, ran out on the boom to clear it, when suddenly boom, sail, and all went splash into the water, from some terrible neglect of somebody's. I, who saw all, had no idea but that poor Jack was completely entangled in the folds of the sail, and under water; but on turning my head, was infinitely relieved by seeing him, far astern, however, com fortably seated astride of an empty hen-coop, which our Captain himself had thrown over with great promptness, when all the rest of us were looking at the sail.

It seems, however, that the PREPARATIONS FOR SHORE. moment he felt the boom yield under his feet, he gave a deep dive for fear of accident, and had come up a good distance astern of the ship. In one minute or less the boat was out, and after him, but they had a hard pull to catch us. At 4 p.m. we were only ten miles from the city, and all were confident of reaching it at a very early hour in the evening, nay, some declared their positive intention to go to church. There was a very agreeable lady on board, who had come to join her husband after a very long (I think eight years') separation ; he had settled to meet her at Philadelphia, though he resided in New Orleans, so we may fancy her anxiety. All our passengers were now invisible, but the constant calls for the " Steward " and " Stewardess !

" and cries for that hot water, &c, showed plainly what was going on. However, I had no such pressing anxieties, and remained, in fact, neutral on this great shaving and dressing question. America was not home to me, as it was to them ; I had even become a good deal familiarized to much that was new. But I felt then too what I feel more and more every voyage I make, I mean a sort of regret that it is over. I never could get any fellow-passenger yet to agree with me on this point ; but I remember giving a kind PADDY AND THE PIGS. 17 of wistful look at my little state room, I mean little compared to rooms on shore ; its snug berth, where I had got, nevertheless, many a good roll ing ; the plate glass window, that had been smashed to atoms by the same sea which carried away bodily twenty-five feet of our bulwarks (I forgot to mention this), and the table where Mr. Acheson and I had fought out so many battles at back gammon, and where we all had eaten and enjoyed so many hearty meals.

We had been a very united, pleasant little party, too, and / was really very sorry to think that I should, in all human likelihood, never see one of them again. I, there fore, now sole master of the telescope, took my seat on little Jack's friend, the hen-coop, and resting it on the bulwark, continued a critical ex amination of things on shore. While I was thus engaged, an Irishman, to whom I had given a bit of tobacco that morning (which had been appre ciated in the most extraordinary manner, inasmuch as all the passengers' had run out for many a day, and they did not think there was an atom on board), came up, and pointing with his hand to a wood, indicated some animals feeding. " Wisha, yer honour that has the glass, tell uz, av ye plaze, what's thim craytchures? Tim, here, says they're ■what's this Tim sez they're, Mick?"

Mick's DIALOGUES. answer I did not hear, but it soon appeared that the "bastes" were no more nor less than a herd of pigs, although my friend looked quite incre dulous when I announced the fact, and muttered something about " wild counthry " " wild bastes." The idea of wild beasts in New Jersey, within ten miles or less of Philadelphia, was amusing enough, and I regretted afterwards I had not found out what sort of " wild bastes " they had settled them to be. More than once on our way up we had sufficient amusement from the visits of boats from the shore, and as this was holiday time, the occupiers had plenty of leisure for such trips as they diverted themselves with, namely, hailing the newly arrived ship, which they could see was crowded with pas sengers, to inquire for news of home. Every county in Ireland seemed to have its representative in these boats, and on the approach of one, the following kind of colloquy would generally take place.

Man in boat. — "Ship ahoy! Where are yiz from ? " Voice. — " Liverpool." Man in boat. — " Have yiz had a long passage, ye have ? " Voice. — " Forty wan days, this very blessed Sunday that's in it!" DIALOGUES. 19 Man. — " Musha now ! " (A pause.) Another man in boat. — " Is there anny one from the County Leitrim aboord ? " Voice. — " There is nat ; we 're moshtly from Munsther, I think, that 's here." Another man in boat (in a higher, more confident tone). — "Is there anny av yiz from the Coun' Tipp'rary ? " Several voices. — " Faix, there is, so ; enough av us ! Boat. — " Is there any wan there from Newport ? " (Man and two women rush to the side, and scramble for a peep over everybody's head.) Man at length (after a desperate push). — " Yarra b-blur an-ouns, Teddy, an' is that you ? " Boat. — " Divil another ; boys, let me aboord ; sure that's Jack O'Nale that's in it to the fore !

Let me go, I say ! " Bow oar. — " Aaisy ; let Phil ax, the craythur, that 's sot here so quiet (this is a boy,) sure time enough ; the day 's long ! " Teddy. — " A'yeh ! why couldn't he ax before ? musha Jack, agra, an' what 's the news ? " Jack. — " Nothin' sthrange ; Teddy Ryan, rest his soul, 's dead av the saver ! " Teddy. — " Lord save uz ! " (A pause while the little boy asks.) Teddy continues. — " Is Biddy come ? DISAPPOINTED IN LANDING. 20 Jack._" Is it the wife ? Sure isn't she here ? " Teddy (after interchanging civilities with Biddy). — " Did Nance Connel marry Dinny Shaughnessy afther all ? " (This in rather a sorrowful tone.) Jack. — " Sarra a bit ! Sure isn't she here too ? " Teddy (getting red as a turkey cock with ex citement). — " Yarra b'ys, let us on boord, I tell yiz ! " A rope is hove, and the threatened irruption about to take place, when the mate, who has been watching all this like a cat, suddenly appears on the scene, and puts a summary stop to any such move ; so poor Teddy and Biddy and all must bottle up their excitement till the ship has been visited by the Custom-house authorities. 5 p. m. One by one our passengers emerge.

What a change ! Are these the scrubby seedy people who crossed the Atlantic with us ? We near Caen's Point, only four miles more ! Here the river makes a sharp bend. The tide still runs out pretty fast. We clear the Point, but the crew had not been quick enough with the sails. The chief mate sings out the fatal words from the bow, " All aback for'ard, pilot ! " back we go, give a strange twist or two, — there is an attempt to get her round — wont do — and, as if disgusted, she runs her nose into the nice soft mud, at the CONSOLATIONS OF EGG-FLIP. 21 very extremity of Caen's Point ! The pilot forgot it was Sunday for about five minutes. The captain seemed rather vexed, though I thought once I could see a wrinkle extra in the corner of one of his eyes. The ladies, alas ! had nothing for it but to prepare to pass another night on board.

Some time after supper the steward produced a jorum of egg-flip, to console us, as the captain said, for the disappointment. We sat sipping this, and afterwards chatting on deck till ten, when our pilot suddenly jumped up from his seat as if a scorpion had stung him, having felt something which had escaped our notice. " Loose the jib there for'ard, my lads, and look alive ! Sure enough she feels it ! Give her the rest of them ! " The larger sails were set in a moment ; two or three audible rubs, and we are in deep water, r— the power of the sails must be immense after all. At eleven we were in front of the Navy Yard, and shortly after, anchored in the stream opposite Walnut Street wharf, Philadelphia. It was now far too late for any one to go on shore, but as one man, all hands of our passengers were assembled on deck ; it was bright moonlight ; they were perfectly still, and spoke in whispers ; all looking towards the city.