Elsie's Winter Trip

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER X.

  It was a lovely moonlight evening; the "Dolphin's" Captain and all hisfamily and passengers were gathered together upon the deck. It hadbeen a day of sight-seeing and wandering from place to place about theislands, and they were weary enough to fully enjoy the rest and quietnow vouchsafed them.

  Captain Raymond broke a momentary silence by saying: "I hope, myfriends, that you can all feel that you have had a pleasant sojourn inand about these islands?"

  "Indeed we have," replied several voices.

  "I am glad to hear it," returned the Captain, heartily; "and now thequestion is, Shall we tarry here longer or go on our southward way tovisit other places, where we will escape the rigors of winter in ourmore northern homes?"

  No one spoke for a moment; then Mr. Dinsmore said: "Let the majoritydecide. I am perfectly satisfied to go on or to stay here, as you,Captain, and they may wish."

  "And I echo my husband's sentiments and feelings," remarked Mrs. RoseDinsmore, pleasantly.

  "And you, mother?" asked the Captain, turning to Mrs. Travilla.

  "I, too, am entirely willing to go or stay, as others may wish," shereplied, in her own sweet voice.

  "And you, Evelyn?" asked the Captain, turning to her.

  "I feel that it would be delightful either to go or stay, father," sheanswered, with a smile and a blush.

  The others were quite as non-committal, but after some further chaton the subject it was decided that they would leave Bermuda the nextmorning, and, taking a southerly course, probably make Porto Rico theirnext halting place.

  As usual, Lucilla woke at an early hour. Evidently the vessel wasstill stationary, and anxious to see it start she rose and made hertoilet very quietly, lest she should disturb her still sleepinghusband, then left the room and stole noiselessly through the saloon upto the deck, where she found her father overseeing the lifting of theanchor.

  "Ah, good-morning, daughter," he said, with a smile, as she reachedhis side. "You are an early bird as usual," ending his sentence with aclasp of his arm about her waist and a kiss upon her lips.

  "Yes, papa," she laughed, "who wouldn't be an early bird to get such atoken of love from such a father as mine?"

  "And what father wouldn't be ready and glad to bestow it upon such adaughter as mine?" he responded, repeating his loving caress. "You haveenjoyed your trip thus far, daughter, have you not?"

  "Yes, indeed, papa. We are bound for Porto Rico now, are we not?"

  "Yes, I think that will be our first stopping place; though perhaps wemay not land at all, but merely sail round it, viewing it from the sea."

  "And perhaps you may treat Cuba in the same way?"

  "Very possibly. I shall act in regard to both as the majority of mypassengers may wish."

  The anchor was now up, and the vessel gliding through the water. TheCaptain and Lucilla paced the deck to and fro, taking a farewell lookat the receding islands and talking of the pleasure they had found invisiting them, particularly in exploring the many creeks and bays, withtheir clear waters so full of beautiful shells and fish, so differentfrom those to be found in their land.

  "I shall always look back with pleasure upon this visit to Bermuda,father," Lucilla said, with a grateful smile up into his eyes.

  "I am very glad you have enjoyed it, daughter," he replied; "as Ithink every one of our party has. And I am hoping that our wanderingsfurther to the south may prove not less interesting and enjoyable."

  "Yes, sir, I hope so. I shall feel great interest in looking upon Cubaand Porto Rico--particularly the first--because of what our men did andendured there in the late war with Spain. How pleasant it was that thePorto Ricans were so ready and glad to be freed from the domination ofSpain and taken into our Union."

  Just then Harold joined them, and with him came little Ned. Pleasantgood-mornings were exchanged. Then others of their party followed, twoor three at a time, till all were on deck enjoying the sweet morningair and the view of the fast-receding islands. Then came the call tobreakfast, followed by the morning service of prayer and praise, andafter that they returned to the deck.

  As usual, the children were soon beside their loved grandmother, Mrs.Elsie Travilla.

  "Well, dears, we have had a very good time at Bermuda, haven't we?" shesaid, smiling lovingly upon them.

  "Yes, ma'am," said Elsie. "Do you think we will have as good a timewhere we are going now?"

  "I hope so, my dear. I believe Porto Rico is to be the first land wetouch at. Would you like me to tell you something of its beauties andits history?"

  "Yes, indeed, grandma," both children answered, in a tone of eagerassent, and she began at once.

  "The name--Porto Rico--was given it by the Spaniards, and means 'TheGateway of Wealth.' It was discovered by Columbus in 1493. It is abouthalf as large as New Jersey. Through its center is a range of mountainscalled the Luquillo. The highest peak, Yunque, can be seen from adistance of sixty-eight miles. Porto Rico is a beautiful island. Thehigher parts of the hills are covered by forests; immense herds ofcattle are pastured on the plains. The land is fertile and they raisecotton, corn, rice and almost every kind of tropical fruit."

  "Are there any rivers, grandma?" asked Ned.

  "Nine small ones," she answered.

  "Are there any towns?"

  "Oh yes, quite a good many; large ones. Ponce, the capital, has a goodmany thousands of inhabitants, and some fine buildings. San Juan,too, is quite a large place; it stands on Morro Island, which formsthe north side of the harbor and is separated from the mainland by anarrow creek called the Channel of San Antonio. At the entrance to SanJuan's harbors is a lighthouse on Morro Point. It is one hundred andseventy-one feet above the sea, and its fixed light is visible foreighteen miles over the waters."

  "Oh," cried Ned, "let's watch out for it when we are coming that near."

  "It will be very well for you to do so," his grandma said, with asmile; then went on with her account of Porto Rico.

  "The island has much to recommend it; the climate is salubrious,and there are no snakes or reptiles. It has valuable minerals,too--gold, copper, lead; also coal. San Juan is lighted by both gas andelectricity.

  "The Spaniards were very cruel to the poor Indians who inhabited PortoRico when Columbus discovered it. It is said that in a hundred yearsthey had killed five hundred thousand of men, women and children."

  "Oh, how dreadful!" exclaimed Elsie. "And they killed so, _so_ many ofthe poor natives in Peru and in Mexico. I don't wonder that God has lettheir nation grow so poor and weak."

  "The Porto Ricans were tired of being governed by them when we beganour war with Spain to help the poor Cubans to get free," continuedGrandma Elsie. "Our government and people did not know that, butthought Porto Rico should be taken from Spain, as well as Cuba. So assoon as Santiago was taken, a strong force was sent against Ponce.

  "The 'Wasp' was the first vessel to arrive. It had been expected thatthey would have to shell the city, but as the 'Wasp' steamed close tothe shore a great crowd of citizens could be seen gathered there. Theywere not behaving like enemies, and the troops on the 'Wasp' were at aloss to understand what it meant; therefore, the gunners stood readyto fire at an instant's warning, when Ensign Rowland Curtin was sentashore bearing a flag of truce, four men with him.

  "The citizens were cheering as if frantic with joy over their coming,and as soon as they landed overwhelmed them with gifts of tobacco,cigars, cigarettes, bananas, and other good things."

  "Oh, wasn't that nice!" exclaimed Elsie. "I think they showed theirgood sense in preferring to be ruled by our people rather than by theSpaniards."

  "As soon as the people could be calm enough to listen," continuedGrandma Elsie, "Ensign Curtin announced that he had come to demand thesurrender of the city and port, and asked to see the civil or militaryauthorities.

  "Some of the civil officials were there, but they could not surrenderthe city, as that must be the act of the military powers. There was atelephone at hand, and the ensign
ordered a message sent to Colonel SanMartin, the commandant, telling him that if he did not come forward andsurrender the city in the course of half an hour, it would be bombarded.

  "The garrison had been, and still were, debating among themselveswhat they should do, but as soon as they heard of this message theybegan looting the stores and shops, cramming underwear and clothingupon their backs and in their trousers, to check and hold the bulletswhich they were certain the Americans would send after them, as theyscampered off.

  "Ensign Curtin went back to his vessel, and, soon after, Commander C.H. Davis, of the 'Dixie,' was rowed ashore. There a note was handedhim from Colonel San Martin, asking on what terms he demanded thesurrender of the city. He answered that it must be unconditional. Atthe request of the commandant, however, he made the terms a littledifferent. Then the padded men of the garrison waddled out of town,leaving one hundred and fifty rifles and fourteen thousand rounds ofammunition behind.

  "Lieutenant Haines, commanding the marines of the 'Dixie,' landed andhoisted the Stars and Stripes over the custom-house at the port ofPonce, the onlookers cheering most heartily. After that, LieutenantMurdoch and Surgeon Heiskell rode to the city, three miles distant,where the people fairly went wild with joy, dancing and shouting,'_Viva los Americanos. Viva Puerto Rico libre._'"

  "Sensible folks I think they were to be so glad to get away from Spainand into the United States," remarked Ned, with a pleased smile.

  "Yes, I think they were," said Grandma Elsie, "for it was gainingliberty--freedom from most oppressive tyranny."

  She had begun her talk to the two children alone, but now quite a grouphad gathered about them--Dr. Harold Travilla and Grace Raymond, Chesterand Lucilla Dinsmore and Mrs. Evelyn Raymond.

  "I am very desirous to see Porto Rico," said Harold. "It must be agarden spot--fertile and beautiful. As we draw near it I mean to be onthe lookout for El Yunque."

  "What's that, uncle?" asked Ned.

  "The highest point of land on the island, nearly four thousand feethigh. The meaning of the name is the anvil."

  "Porto Rico being in the torrid zone, it must have a very hot climate.The weather must have been very oppressive for our troops--taking it inthe height of summer," remarked Grace.

  "Yes," said Grandma Elsie; "but the climate is more agreeable than thatof Cuba or of many places farther north, because of the land breezesthat prevail, coming from both north and south."

  "It is a beautiful and delightful island," remarked Harold. "I haveoften thought I should, some day, pay it a visit."

  "Are we likely to land there?" asked his mother.

  "I do not know, mother," he answered; "but I presume the Captain willsay that shall be just as his passengers wish."

  "Yes, I am sure father will say we may all do exactly as we please,"said Lucilla; "go ashore, or stay quietly on the yacht while others goand return."

  "It cannot be now the delightful place to visit that it was before thehurricane of last August," remarked Chester.

  "No," said Grandma Elsie, "and I think I, for one, do not care to landon the island until they have had more time to recover from the fearfuleffects of that terrible storm."

  "What mischief did it do, grandma?" asked Ned; "were there housesdestroyed and people killed?"

  "Yes; a great many," she answered, with a sigh. "I have read that inone district it was estimated that the damage done to houses and cropswould reach nine hundred thousand in gold, and that in the valleyof the Rio de Grande over a thousand persons disappeared, and weresupposed to have been drowned by the sudden rise and overflow of theriver."

  "And you, mother, I know gave liberally to help repair the damages,"said Harold.

  "I was better able than many others who may have been quite aswilling," she responded, "and I think I can do still more, if I findthe need is still urgent."

  "Yes, mother dear, you seem always ready and glad to help any onewho needs it," said Harold, giving her a look full of proud, lovingadmiration.

  Captain Raymond had drawn near the group just in time to hear Harold'slast remark.

  "Quite true, Harold," he said, "but who is to be the happy recipient ofmother's bounty this time?"

  "We were talking of the losses of the unfortunate Porto Ricans in lastAugust's fearful storm," replied Harold. "Mother, as you know, hasalready given help, and expresses herself as ready to do more if it isneeded."

  "And will do it, I know," said the Captain.

  "I hope, though, that my dear grandma wont give everything away andhave nothing left for herself," said Elsie Raymond, with a loving lookup into Grandma Elsie's face.

  "I should not like to have her do that either," the Captain said, witha smile. "But the Bible tells us, 'He that hath pity upon the poor,lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay himagain.'"

  "A promise that none of us need be afraid to trust," said GrandmaElsie, with a happy look and smile. "Do you think of visiting any partof the island, Captain?"

  "That shall be as my passengers wish," he replied; "we can consider thematter and talk it over while on our way there. My present plan is togo directly to San Juan. We may stay some hours or days there, thosegoing ashore who wish, the others remaining on the vessel. We may makethe circuit of the island, entirely or in part, keeping near enough tothe land to get a pretty good view of its beauties."

  "Will this be your first visit to Porto Rico, Captain?" queried Chester.

  "No, I paid it a flying visit some years ago; and then went up themountains to Caguas and visited the dark cave of Aguas Buenas."

  "Did it pay?" asked Chester.

  "Hardly. The outside journey, though difficult, did pay, but thedarkness of the cave, the multitudes of bats flying in your face, andthe danger of the guides' torches going out, leaving you unable tofind your way to the opening, make the expedition anything but safe orpleasant. I shall never venture in there again or advise any friend todo so."

  "Are you going to take us to Cuba, too, papa?" asked Elsie.

  "If my passengers wish to go there."

  "Oh, I think they will; this one does, anyhow," laughed the little girl.

  "Don't you think it would be pleasanter to visit it after it has hadtime to recover from the war?" asked Lucilla.

  "Perhaps papa will bring us a second time after that?" Elsie said, witha smile up into his face.

  "That is quite possible," he answered, returning the smile.

  "Please, papa, tell us something about Cuba now, won't you?" pleadedNed.

  "Very willingly, if you all care to hear it," returned the Captain, anda general assent being given, he went on: "I think much of it you willall understand better, if told you while looking upon the scenes whereit occurred. However, since you wish it, I shall tell at least a partof the story now.

  "Doubtless, you all know that Cuba was discovered by Columbus onOctober 28, 1492. He said of it at one time: 'It is the most beautifulland that eyes ever beheld'; at another: 'Its waters are filled withexcellent ports, its rivers are magnificent and profound'; and yetagain, 'As far as the day surpasses night in brightness and splendor,it surpasses all other countries.'

  "He found it beautiful not only along the shore where he first landed,but in the interior also; flowers, fruits, maize and cotton in theirabundance showed the fertility of the soil. And it was inhabited by apeaceful people who gave him and his men a glad welcome, imagining themto be superior beings, and little dreaming how they were to suffer attheir hands. Columbus describes them as tall and straight, like thenatives of North America, of tawny complexion, and gentle disposition,being easy to influence by their masters. They were a naturallyindolent race, which was not strange, considering how easy it was forthem to have a comfortable living with very little exertion; therewere abundance of wild fruits, and corn and cotton could be raised withlittle exertion; abundance of fish could be easily obtained from thewaters, and if they wanted meat, a little animal resembling a rat inappearance, but tasting like a rabbit, could be had for the huntin
g. Soit would seem they lived easy, contented and peaceful lives; and whyshould the Spaniards think they had a right to rob and enslave them."

  "Why indeed," exclaimed Lucilla. "The Indians--if able to do so--wouldhave had just as good a right to go over to Spain and enslave them."

  "But with the Spaniards might made right," said Chester.

  "But there were only a few Spaniards with Columbus and a very greatmany natives on these islands," remarked little Elsie, in a puzzledtone. "I wonder they didn't kill the Spaniards as soon as they begantrying to make slaves of them."

  "At first," said her father, "they took the Spaniards to be a race ofsuperior beings, and gladly welcomed them to their shores. It would,doubtless, have been easy for them to crush that handful of worn-outmen, and no doubt they would if they could have foreseen what theirconduct toward them would be; but they mistook them for friends, andtreated them as such. One cazique gave them a grand reception andfeasted them amid songs and their rude music. Games, dancing andsinging followed, then they were conducted to separate lodges and eachprovided with a cotton hammock, that proved a delightful couch to passthe night upon."

  "And the Spaniards took all that kindness at the hands of those poorthings and repaid them with the basest robbery and cruelty," exclaimedElsie.

  "Yes," said her father; "they even repaid that most generoushospitality by seizing some of the youngest, strongest and mostbeautiful of their entertainers and carrying them to Spain, where theywere paraded before the vulgar gaze of the jeering crowd, then soldinto slavery.

  "One of their venerable caziques gave to Columbus, when he came thesecond time to the island, a basket of luscious fruit, saying to him,as he did so: 'Whether you are divinities or mortal men, we know not.You have come into these countries with a force, against which, were weinclined to resist, it would be folly. We are all, therefore, at yourmercy; but if you are men, subject to morality, like ourselves, youcannot be unapprised that after this life there is another, wherein avery different portion is allotted to good and bad men. If, then, youexpect to die, and believe, with us, that every one is to be rewardedin a future state according to his conduct in the present, you will dono hurt to those who do none to you.'"

  "That old chief was certainly a very wise man for a heathen," remarkedChester.

  "And how strange that the Spaniards could treat so shamefully suchinnocent and friendly people," said Evelyn.

  "Yes," exclaimed Lucilla, "I think we may all be thankful that there isno Spanish blood in us."

  "Which fact makes us the more to be blamed if we indulge in oppressionand cruelty," said her father.

  "Papa, did that old king live long enough to see how very cruel theSpaniards were to his people?" asked Elsie.

  "That I cannot tell," replied the Captain, "but by the time anotherten years had passed by, the natives of Cuba had learned that the loveof the Spaniards for gold was too great ever to be satisfied, andthat they themselves could not be safe with the Spaniards there; theywere so alarmed that when Diego Columbus sent an armed force of threehundred men to begin to colonize Cuba, they resisted their landing. Butthey, the Indians, were only naked savages with frail spears and woodenswords, while the invading foes were old-world warriors who had beentrained on many a hard-fought battlefield, armed with deadly weapons,protected by plate armor, and having bloodhounds to help in theircruel attempt to rob and subjugate the rightful owners of the soil. Sothey succeeded in their wicked designs; hundreds of those poor Indianswere killed in cold blood, others spared to slavery worse than death.From being free men they became slaves to one of the most cruel andtyrannical races of the world. And they were not only abused there ontheir own island, but hundreds of them were taken to Europe and soldfor slaves in the markets of Seville. That was to raise money to paythe expenses of their captors."

  "Why," exclaimed Ned, "the Spaniards treated them as if they were justanimals, instead of people."

  "Papa, were they--the Indians--heathen?" asked Elsie.

  "They had no images or altars, no temples, but they believed in afuture existence and in a god living above the blue-domed sky," repliedthe Captain. "But they knew nothing of Jesus and the way of salvation,and it seems the Spaniards did not tell them of Him or give them theBible."

  "No," said Grandma Elsie, "Rome did not allow them the Bible forthemselves."

  "Are there a good many wild flowers in Cuba, papa?" asked Elsie.

  "Yes; a great many, and of every color and tint imaginable--flowersgrowing wild in the woods. The foliage of the trees is scarcely lessbeautiful, and their tops are alive with birds of gayly-coloredplumage. I have been speaking of wild, uncultivated land. The scene iseven more inviting where man has been at work transforming the wildwoodinto cultivated fields; he has fenced them off with stone walls, whichhave warm russet-brown tints and are covered here and there with vinesand creepers bearing bright flowers. The walks and avenues are borderedwith orange-trees in blossom and fruit at the same time, both lookinglovely in their setting of deep green leaves. But you have seen such inLouisiana."

  "Yes, papa, and they are beautiful," said Elsie. "There must be agreat deal worth seeing in Cuba, but I'll not care to land on it if youolder people don't want to."

  "Well, we will leave that question to be decided in the future," theCaptain said, smiling down into the bright little face.

  "I think I have read," said Evelyn, "that Columbus at first thoughtCuba not an island but a part of the mainland?"

  "Yes," replied the Captain, "but the natives assured him that it wasan island; on his second trip, however, in 1494, he reiterated hisprevious belief and called the land Juana, after Juan, the son ofFerdinand and Isabella. Afterward he changed it to Fernandina, in honorof Ferdinand; still later to Santiago, the name of the patron saint ofSpain, after that to Ave Maria. But the name Cuba clung to the islandand was never lost.

  "The Indians there were a peaceable race. They called themselvesCiboneyes. They had nine independent caciques, and, as I believe I havealready told you, they believed in a supreme being and the immortalityof the soul."

  "Really, they seem to me to have been more Christian than the Spaniardswho came and robbed them of their lands and their liberty," saidEvelyn.