Juanita; a romance of real life in Cuba fifty years ago

XXII. Page

LA CONSOLACION . >i

THE XE\V YEAR'S I!ALL 204

CoCK-FlGHTINC. 2l8

THE CACTUS. — THE SLEEVE OK WIND . . . 222

DONA JOSEEA 245

Dox ANDRES 311

2072230

O CONTEXTS.

XXIII. TULITA 323

XXIV. THE FLIGHT 351

XXV. SEWING 355

XXVI. DECEPTION 369

XXVII. CONSEQUENCES 376

XXVIII. REPENTANCE 383

XXIX. HOMEWARD IJOUND 392

XXX. DISSIPATION 402

XXXI. THE RETURN 411

XXXII. CUBA 423

A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE IN CUBA FIFTY YEARS AGO.

CHAPTER I.

AFRICA.

IN a beautiful valley on the border of a river, about fifty miles from the western coast of Africa, a party of natives had assembled under the shade of a copse of trees to celebrate a rustic wedding. The valley was nearly closed in by a circle of low hills. From one of these summits a stream dashed down and wound its way like a silver serpent, glis tening in the sun's rays, through meadows, and by bosquets of plumed bamboos and heavily laden mango-trees. The feathery, acacia-like foliage of a clump of tamarind-trees shaded the group of figures as they reclined on the bank of the stream, waiting for the decline of the burning tropical sun before they consummated their simple ceremony^ which was to be followed by a festive dance, for, like other savage nations, the Africans consecrate all national and social observances by the dance.

War and rapine had never invaded this little valley of peace. It was separated from any other tribe by the hills that surrounded it, and the wants of its unsophisticated inhabitants were amply sup plied by the productions of nature around them.

The plantain, the fig banana, the orange, and the bread-fruit tree, the mameas or tree-melons, the yam, and innumerable other fruits and vegetables ; the delicate fish of the rushing stream, that shot through the valley with the first impulse from the hills that had given it birth ; the light game found in the woods, and the birds that made the air alive with music, furnished them with all the necessaries of life. Two varieties of dwellings stood in the valley : light bamboo structures, interlaced with cocoa-leaves ; and more solid structures, formed of mud and pebbles, which the sun soon baked, and which were designed for shelter in the rainy sea son. In these, abundant stores were laid by for future use.

The Ayetans, for so we will call them, from the name of their river, Ayete, had heard stories of invading white men who stole their dark breth ren from their homes and bore them away on the backs of great birds, with snowy wings ; and, not a great many years before the time of our story, some young men, more enterprising than the rest, had ventured beyond the hills, and were never heard of again. A narrow opening, which the kid nappers had never espied, wound into the valley between two hills, and the native curiosity of man had led them to explore it. But the Ayetans had

AFRICA. g

by their seclusion escaped the common fate of the tribes of western Africa thus far.

On this day, with the native taste which charac terizes the African, they had chosen the prettiest grove in their lovely valley to celebrate the nup tials of their youthful chief with a maiden he had chosen from the tribe. He was a tall and well formed youth, and she was a lithe and bright-eyed maiden. Labor had not stunted their growth ; but fishing, hunting, and chasing the antelope, had developed their limbs in graceful proportions, and in their simple way they were as happy as savages could be — gentle specimens of savage nature. The older members of the party were resting in the shade ; the younger girls and lads were chasing the innumerable butterflies of all hues and sizes, and pulling off their brilliant wings by way of preparing the more solid parts of these " flying jewels " for what was to be the wedding cake, — a favorite food of the Africans, which was to be made with their bodies and with honey from the wild bees' nests, and cooked over embers that were burning on a little reach of pebbly beach by the river. Groups of little chil dren were paddling in the edges of the stream or rolling upon the green sward.

A distant shout and the noise of fire-arms sud denly startled them all from their repose and amusements, and in a few moments, as they stood huddled together, the dreaded white men, of whom they had heard, followed, alas, by a savage troop of howling negroes, burst into their midst. Then, like frightened deer, they fled. But it was in vain. Their enemies carried the lightning and the thunderbolt in their hands. It was the first sound of fire-arms that had ever assailed the ears of the natives. It proved far more terrific than their imaginations had pictured it. At every flash of that concentrated lightning, and at every peal of that mimic thunder, their companions fell dead to the ground. The rest turned and knelt sup pliant to these evil gods ; but they were bound hand and foot, and borne away on the backs of these black and white demons — for their own countrymen were there transformed into fiends by the cruelties and bribery of the white men.

Only a few old people and very young children were left in the valley, for such do not survive the horrors of the middle passage.

On this festal day, many of the natives were ornamented with chains and bracelets of the soft gold which was found in the rivers and in the sides of the hills, and which they knew the art of moulding into these decorations. These did not escape the eyes of the kidnappers, who commis sioned a few of their number to sack the rude habitations and store-houses of the negroes for more booty of a similar kind. But the natives had hoarded little gold. It was only preferred in their eyes to the flowery chain because more

AFRICA. t j

glittering and more permanent. They knew no other value for it. Its discovery, however, doomed the beautiful valley to desolation and still farther carnage, for other parties soon came to inquire for the locality of the gold, pitilessly massacred all the inhabitants that were left, fed upon their stores, and dug into their hill-sides till they had exhausted the supply of the treasure for whose possession they had become the fiends they were.

When the kidnappers were weary of their bur dens, and knew their prisoners were too much ex hausted by the torment of their bonds to be able to make any resistance, they unbound their limbs, and, tying them together, led them by the thongs a weary march to a barracoon near the coast. There they were thrust into pits, and earth was shovelled in around them till it reached the chin, and thus they were left till they could be safely embarked. Enough food was given them to sus tain life, and this they were made to eat whether they wished to do it or not. A guard was sta tioned over them to prevent any sound from issuing from their mouths, for these were deeds of darkness, that must not be exposed. Some com passionate ear might hear and betray, for English vessels were occasionally nearing the coast for this very purpose. Straw and other rubbish was piled up in the corners of the barracoon, ready to be scattered over the heads of these poor victims if any symptoms of approaching danger were scented in the air.

One wretched night and long day passed before the negroes were released from their agonizing positions. They were then huddled, in the dead of night, between the decks of a vessel, where they were laid side by side. There they were left to move about what little they could, but if they endeavored to thrust their heads out of the loop holes for a fresh breath of air, they were beaten back from without, such was the kidnapper's fear of capture. Occasionally, when out at sea, a few at a time were allowed to come upon deck. Every day their dead were drawn out and thrown into the sea, and thus they crossed the ocean to the Spanish islands.

We will not dwell upon the countless sufferings, the impotent ravings of the middle passage. From this earthly hell they were glad to be set on any shore, to breathe again the sweet breath of Hea ven, to look at one another by the sun's light, to count over the ranks of kindred and friends to see who were left. All the sins of selfishness that had developed themselves in the hours of suffering were forgotten and forgiven. Hatred was felt now for the oppressor only, and they still had the privilege of uttering their common sentiments to each other without being comprehended by their tyrants. Every natural sign of hostility must be suppressed, but the burning word of their native dialect still remained to them, and this gift of untrammelled speech was the only earthly boon they now possessed. They no longer owned themselves. Who could tell how long their simple souls would be their own? — for it is not probable that they ever consciously realized the possession, or would be likely to retain it, amid the temptations and degradations of bondage.

Hitherto they had worshipped an unknown God as the birds do, by song and dance, and by happi ness — but had not their God forsaken them ?

Chapter II

IT was a lovely clay, of golden sunshine and balmy air, in the Island City.

On the veranda of a spacious court-yard, en closed on all sides by the mansion of Don Miguel Arbrides, sat some ladies, earnestly engaged in conversation.

The setting sun was shining upon a mass of brilliant clouds that rose to the zenith, and their reflection threw a rosy tint upon the marble walls of the mansion and the shrubbery within the court, while a sparkling fountain threw up its spray from a clear basin in the centre, giving one a sense of coolness that was most refreshing after the heats of a tropical day.

Below the veranda, or piazza, which ran all round the building, were the domestic offices. They were unusually spacious for a city, for Don Miguel was a successful slaver, and, in addition to his household dependents, often had a supply of slaves in preparation for the market. He had just returned from a profitable voyage, and the numer-

HA VANA. j 5

ous people seen below were some of the fruits. He owned extensive slave-pens in the country, within fifty miles of the city ; and from these depositories small gangs of bozals, as the newly arrived negroes were called, were from time to time brought into the city by night, and placed in this domestic slave-pen, where they were attended by a skilful physician, who prescribed for the maladies incurred on the voyage ; and when such a gang was pronounced by him in good condition, it was sent to the slave market in the vicinity of the city, and few slaves there sold brought such good prices. Formerly slave-pens were within the city walls, where medical men attended regu larly, but since the treaty of 1817 with England, which made all slaves contraband who were brought to the island, it was safer to land them upon some unfrequented part of the coast. Thence, so many as were not disabled were marched, chained together, to such plantations as required recruits and had engaged them beforehand, and even to the villages of the interior where they were sold, for no troublesome English commis sioner resided in the country, and the one in the city took no pains to inform himself of disobedi ence to the treaty, knowing that the Captain General received so much a head from the slaves, and was therefore specially blind and deaf upon that subject, which made his commission practi cally abortive. The usual form through which he passed when he did confiscate a cargo, was to throw the captain into prison, from which, after a few months, he would be sent into the country by a physician, on a plea of ill health : and, very pos sibly, a week or two later the commissioner would meet him in the street, just ready to re-embark in the employ of some other slaver, like Don Miguel Arbrides, who was* wealthy enough to pay the fine and all collateral expenses. It was not often that a wealthy slaver commanded his own vessel, but Don Miguel, though a pleasant gentleman at home, had practical proclivities, and liked the excitement of the chase ; and even looked forward to taking his own son with him when he should be of suit able age. But of this anon. Less popular or less wealthy men would not have brought such slaves into their own places of residence within the city, for fear of inconvenient consequences ; but who wished to give offence to such a man by saying that those were emancipados, and had a right to their freedom ? Not the people who visited his splendid mansion and partook of his lavish hospi talities ! In such communities it is not considered good manners to complain of one's neighbors and acquaintances. The enslaving of fellow-men who are defenceless is a trifle in comparison.

As far as practicable, such slaves were sold into the country, for in the city they might in time learn of their rights from the free negroes, of which Ha vana contains some forty thousand, and every addi-

HAVANA. ij

tion adds to the constantly impending 'fear of insurrection.

In one corner of the court-yard, a knot of people, who, apparently, had no part in the domestic ser vice, were gathered together and earnestly engaged in conversation in a language which no one else could understand. The slaves of the household occasionally mingled with them, but evidently could not communicate with them. A beautiful little boy, son of Don Miguel, might be seen threading his way amongst them, and giving them oranges and little articles of confectionery.

Tulita, the dark-browed Spanish maiden, was the very embodiment of loveliness and goodness. No tenderer heart ever beat than hers for her friends, for her pet dog, her birds, for the poor padre who begged at the door, for the sick negro who was consigned to the domestic hospital of her father ; but she had never questioned the pro priety of his seeking slaves on the African coast, or selling them at home. Her father was a kind and tender father, though his wealth was acquired by the theft and sale of his fellow-beings. Indeed, it was a jubilee all through the family circle, which was large and well-to-do, when Don Miguel re turned from his voyages, for his return was the signal for many a festivity, which he specially enjoyed and liberally promoted ; and he was always well furnished with the soft golden chains and trinkets made on the coast, which he distributed among his friends. He did not own any plantations, for his occupation was on the high seas ; but there were many on which he was a welcome guest ; and when he was at home in \vinter, the season for visiting, Tulita passed brill iant and joyful days in the country.

Miss Wentworth had gone to visit a friend in Cuba with the northern feeling upon the subject of slavery. At that time, it might be said to be rather a negative feeling. It was before the agitation of the question of human rights had stirred the foundations of society. The contro versy between abolitionists and colonizationists had just begun. She knew that she was going to a land of slavery, but she had no expectation of being plunged into the midst of it. In her child hood she had heard a respectable old negress, who lived in the neighborhood of her mother's house, tell the story of the abolition of slavery in Massa chusetts, when she had emerged from a mild form of that institution into the enjoyment of perfect freedom and ownership of self, and she told it elo quently but without entering into the details of cruelty and injustice. A respectable community of colored people resided in the town, and Miss Wentworth had seen them, arrayed in their best at tire, congregate together on the anniversary of the day of emancipation, which they celebrated with dances, sometimes with revels, which were laughed at but not sympathized with. She had known

HAVAATA. ig

excellent persons of color in domestic service. She had helped to teach their children to read, and had gathered them in the Sunday-school. She knew that their mothers were afraid to trust them out after dark, for fear of the kidnapper ; and this had been her most painful knowledge, for she knew slavery was not far off, and that that was a real danger. She knew the colored people were not allowed to ride in public conveyances, and had indignantly sympathized with her own nurse, who was obliged to pay largely for being carried into the country, in a private conveyance, to see her old mother. She had shuddered over oc casional accounts of the horrors of the middle passage, but her mother had tenderly guarded her children from the knowledge of extreme cruelties, and her impression was that they were excep tional. Indeed, slavery was a name rather than a reality to her. The pecuniary interest northern people had in southern plantations — often the ownership of them — made it invidious to dwell upon the subject, and sealed the eyes of hu manity, down to the time when Garrison boldly attacked the monster crime. Even long after that, it was considered not genteel to say too much about it, — all which condition of things threw dust in the eyes of society. Col onization had excited some interest in the be nevolent, but the general voice condemned any suggestion of immediate measures of emanci

2Q HA VANA.

pation, or relief for the oppressed. There was no faith in human nature large enough to com pass the idea that emancipation from bondage would call forth any but the baser passions of revenge and indiscriminate destruction. It yet remained to be seen that the long enslaved would receive freedom on their bended knees, and with songs of thanksgiving. It was supposed that, like the Anglo-Saxon race which had enslaved them, they would turn and rend their oppressors. That they can feel gratitude and affection for kind ness among their oppressors when in bondage, did not suggest the inference that they would be much better, instead of worse, for the boon of liberty.

A few days' residence in a slave-country had rudely waked Miss Wentworth from her compar ative insensibility to the fact of slavery. She now saw the degradation and helplessness of a class of men and women whom she had hitherto looked upon practically as almost fabulous. She learned with a shudder that she was residing in a house of a slave-catcher, — a class of men whom she had previously thought of as the embodiment of all that is brutal and demoniac in human nature, but one who was, in fact, respected in society, outwardly like his fellow-men, and pos sessing many of the qualities of a man and a gen tleman. She had accidentally learned that day that the slaves below were about to be sold at auction, and she had inquired, with startling earnestness, whence they came and whither they were to be sent.

Tulita, with all simplicity, had revealed all the arcana, which those more conversant with nonslave-holding communities would have concealed. The wife of Don Miguel had visited American cities before her marriage, and had some glimpses of the state of feeling on the subject ; but courtesy to a guest, and that guest a young lady, had pre vented her feelings from being hurt, or even

O O '

roused by it. She was now for the first time, as a mother, made aware of what the feeling might be ; for her husband had already intimated that he should take his son with him, when a little older, to initiate him into the business. Her maternal instinct made her sympathize with Miss Wentworth's ill concealed disgust and indignation, but she wisely concealed it, in the fear of her hus band's displeasure. Nothing makes a slave-holder so angry as any question of his rights, as he calls them.

"Did your father go for them himself?" asked Miss Went worth, her blood boiling within her at the thought of the courtesies she had received at his hands.

" Ah, yes, indeed ! " said Tulita, "and they will be so much better off now. They were all ill when they came, but they arc all well now."

" Poor creatures ! " exclaimed Miss Wentworth ;

22 HA VAX A.

" they were brought forcibly away from their homes, I suppose."

" Yes, but papa says they are taken from the most cruel slavery on the coast and brought here to a Christian land. They were all baptized a few days ago, and now can have Christian burial when they die," and Tulita crossed herself devoutly.

" A Christian land ! " exclaimed Miss Wentworth, with an emphasis that brought a surprised look into Tulita's face. "But there would be no slavery on the coast if there were no slave-traders."

"Oh, yes, there would!" said Tulita. "The African tribes make slaves of their enemies, and it is a mercy to them to bring them here! These people whom you see below are much more civ ilized than usual. They were all baptized with Christian names the other clay, and Carlito and I chose the names. They were so pleased, and all spoke their names very well. None of the rest understand their language, so we can't find out much about them. Carlito spent a great deal of time teaching them their names, and he says mamma Francisca thinks those two you see talk ing together are lovers, and he has been teasing papa to let them be married."

"They will not know what it means, perhaps, but it may keep them from being separated," and with these words Carlito, who had climbed up, threw himself over the balustrade, and climbed down from the gallery like a squirrel.

"Separated!" repeated Miss Wentworth, the truth beginning to dawn upon her. " Are families separated to be sold?" she almost gasped out.

"Oh, yes, to be sure; that is, sometimes," said Tulita, for the first time thinking anything about it. " It does seem cruel, but papa says they don't care."

"Not care!"

"Oh, they are not like us, you know."

"I do not know any such thing! — they must have human affections if they are human beings ! "

"I should hardly think so," said Tulita, "for papa says they are in the habit of killing their own children."

"Probably to save them from slavery," said Miss Wentworth. " I like them all the better for it."

"But they do it in Africa — it is an African vice."

"Did you not say they were victims of slavery there, too ? Probably the vice does not exist except in connection with slavery. It is too unnatural a one. Animals love their young and defend them frantically when attacked, without taking any precautions for themselves; — it is impossible that human beings should be below the animals in that respect. Nothing could make me believe it. I know the colored people of our own country. They are below the generality of whites in education or position ; but many of them are good people, and some of them quite respectable in intellect. I am sure of it, for I have taught some of them to read."

The conversation, to the great relief of Tulita, who was beginning to see what she had never seen before, was here interrupted by the entrance of Padre Jean, a jovial, benevolent-looking Irish indi vidual, in a Franciscan garb, whom Tulita greeted very warmly and introduced to Miss Wentworth.

"And how is the Senorita, your mamma? and how is my boy Carlito?" he inquired.

Tulita told him how he was engaged.

"Foolish boy!" said he, "is papa going to indulge him ? Where are his lovers ? I suppose they will only quarrel the sooner if they are mar ried, but I will marry them if Don Miguel says so," and the fat priest laughed merrily.

At this moment Carlito came scrambling over the balustrade in great excitement. " Oh, where is papa ? I want to see him this minute ! "

"Carlito, you have not spoken to Father Jean."

" Oh, how do you do, Father Jean ? but where is papa ? "

" I think he is at home ; but what is the matter ? "

Papa evidently heard the demand ; for he now entered, asking Carlito what he wanted in such haste.

" My boy is crazy over some negroes we have below, whom no one can understand, so he cannot gratify his curiosity about them."

"Oh, papa! let me tell you. Juacomo has just come back, and he says they came from his country, and he can understand them — and mamma Francisca was right ! they are lovers, they were just going to be married when they were carried off. Juacomo says he is Dolores' uncle ; he came away a great many years ago, when she was a little girl. He says Pedro is the king ; and oh, papa, he did so to him,"- — making obeisance. "That is the way they do to their kings when they speak to them. I asked him if they would like to be married now, and he said they would. Oh, papa ! won't you let Padre Jean marry them ? Padre Jean, will you marry them ? "

" Oh, yes, if papa says so, I should like to marry them. But Juacomo must tell them what it means, for they will not understand what I say ; perhaps Juacomo can tell you how they marry people in the place where he came from."

Carlito was over the balustrade and out of sight in a moment, shouting, "I will ask him."

He soon returned, breathless.

" Juacomo says they jump over a stick, and some body takes a long shawl or a string, and winds it round them, and then they dance together. Oh, how pretty it will be ! papa, you will let them be married, won't you ?"

" I think you had better have waited till you found out before you went quite so far, my boy. I suppose they know all about it now, and Juacomo will be greatly disappointed if it is not done, but this is the last time you must ask such a thing, Carl," and Don Miguel looked more grave than was his wont.

Carlito did not wait to discuss the matter, but, securing the permission, he was soon out of sight again, and came up the other way, dragging the two astonished negroes after him, followed by Juacomo and a crowd of men and women, with a stick and a long scarf, which he had obtained from one of the house-servants.

" Ah, these are some of the people I baptized the other day. Lend me your ring, Miss Tulita, and I will soon have them married."

Juacomo laid the stick upon the floor, and held the scarf ready. After Padre Jean's ceremony and the placing of the ring, at a signal from Juacomo, the two took hold of hands and jumped over the stick, and Juacomo wound the scarf around them. At this moment, the negroes present, with one ac cord, clapped their hands, which was a signal for the dance ; but Don Miguel, with one wave of his hand, signified to Juacomo that that could not be allowed, and they descended to the court below, where instantly the whole crowd threw themselves in wild excitement into the most violent contor tions, accompanied with measured clapping of hands and wild screaming, and for a few moments it was as if pandemonium was let loose ; but this again was of brief duration, for as soon as the order could be communicated it was hushed, and they were all driven to their quarters and locked in. Don Miguel was undoubtedly aware that he could not go too far in his violations of legal pro visions ; and, although it seemed hardly possible that any amount of noise in that closed court could be heard over the incessant and uninterrupted din of the city, it could not be risked. But the few moments in which nature had resumed its sway over these savages made a fearful impression upon Miss Wentworth. It seemed to her that in those screams she heard the long suppressed agony burst forth, which the new surroundings of these un happy people had pent up within them. With an excuse she left the company, and Tulita followed her. For the first time the latter had realized that the African slave had sentiments like her own, for marriage is not promoted by the slave-holders, and this was the first time she had ever witnessed such a scene. Dona Lucia mastered her tears, as she had often done before, and Padre Jean was left to take counsel with the elders.

Francisca was summoned to put Carlito to bed, when he gave his father the good-night kiss.