EVIA'S DEFENSES.!
%
| Present Condition of the Fort» *
£ ress of Cabana. $
xei
No outsiders had been admitted to
the fortress of San Carlos de la Ca
bana, at Havana, Cuba, since the be
ginning and ending of the war, until
i few days ago, when, through tho of
fices of a mutual and neutral friend, a
correspondent of the New York Even
ing Post received from the general in
command the freedom of the place.
He is not much interested any more
in preserving secrecy regarding this
uiedisoval fortification, which, it was
believed by the the Americans on the
blockade, had been made formidable
by new guns brought in clandestinely.
Among the fortifications of Havana,
which include the Castello del Prin
cipe on the land side, tho Fuerte del
San Diego, Castillo del Morro,Castillo
de la Punta, Castillo del Atarez,
Bateria de la Reina, Bateria de Santa
THE FORTRESS OF CABANA AT HAVANA.
Clara and tho Bateria de Velasco, on
the water side, the only ones which
are commanded by brigadier-generals
are the Castillo del Principe and tho
Castillo de la Cabana. All the others
aro commanded by majors of infantry,
captains, or first lieutenants of artil
lery. Thus one knowus the impor
tance in which Cabana is held. It oc
cupies a front of 2400 feet on the
heights, just within the entrance to
the bay; on the land side it has three
picturesque bastions, a moat and a
drawbridge, contains accommodations
for 1000 troops, and to persons whose
military criterions have been received
through Sir Walter Scott and Alexan
der Dumas it appears to be impreg
nable, so thick are the concrete walls,
so well is "all-outdoors" excluded
from the view until one climbs to tho
overtopping parapets, and from these
the surrounding country seems to be
at one's mercy.
Santa Clara, Punta Morro, Velasco,
standing guard between Cabana and
the sea, look to be of small account,
although Santa Clara and Velasco aro
about the only Havana fortifications
which have big and fairly modern
guns. From tidewater the walls of
Cabana rise dominant as high as a
twenty-two story New York building;
well-manned guns, ranging a circle of
eight miles, could reach nearly every
thing within sight by sea or laud. To
get into it on foot or mounted there
are three entrances, two from the bay,
up zizzag common roads, and one
from the land, over a drawbridge.
Once within the lirst wall there are
yet two others to conquer, and in the
centre of all are the prisons and the
magazines and the quarters of the
soldiers.
There are now only three batteries
in Cabana; the one just mentioned
aiming down over the harbor,one of live
old-fashioned cast-iron mortars which
points towards the mouth of the bay, and
one nearly over the sally-port keeping
watch on the land side. In all there
are scarcely twenty guns, and I should
uot like to be back of one when the
match was applied to its touchhole.
We could not say anything like this
to the polite lieutenant of artillery
who presently offered to guide us
around the rest of the fortress, and
who broke the regulations to let us
see the dungeon prisoners. He and
the other officers fancy that Havana
has immensely powerful defenses, and
they regret that they did not have an
opportunity to defeat us in an attempt
to take the city, but it was merciful
to their pride that we did not attempt
it.
What will the Cubans or Americans
do with Cabana? It would last for
ages yet unless hit with a modern pro
jectile. It would be difficult to disin
fect it sufficiently to serve as a bar
racks, for in the centuries it has been
occupied there have been no closets,
no p~<»tem of sanitation, and every
prison cell and barrack-room is vile.
Cubans will probably want to keep un
touched the Laurel Diich, or grassy
space between two walls, where no less
than 600 patriot? have been executed.
"Here," said the Lieutenant, our guide,
Hiite unconcernedly, "is where politi-
An Indian Belle.
QUANO, A MOQUI SQUAW.
(She is nineteen years old and is the
favorite 'model of Eldridge Ayer Bur
bftnk, a Western painter.)
cal prisoners were shot. They were
placed against that wall there, and the
soldiers were drawn up about fifteen
feet awaj; you can see the marks left
by their bullets on the wall." The
whole side of the wall for fifty feet
and to the height of ten feet was closely
pitted with bullets that had first passed
through men who had dared to preach
that Cuba must be free of Spnin.
There have not been any executions
lately, but the prison contains several
political and many military prisoners.
Ac we passed, one of them called out
something about "Americanos" and
"liberated." Our lieutenant never
minded, but offered us more cigarettes
and said (wet and hot as he was) that
he would like the pleasure of showing
us also El Morro.
WORK ON COLON ABANDONED.
Tlie Naval Board lielievea Tliere l« No
Cliance to Save Her.
Captain Chester, of the United
States cruiser Cincinnati, and a board
of officers visited the wreck of the
Spanish cruiser Cristobal Colon, oft'
Santiago de Cuba, a few days ago, and
decided that work on the sunken war
ship should be abandoned, as, in their
opinion, there is no possible chance of
raising her.
The men of the wrecking company,
who have been at work on the Span
ish vessels, have been ordered to pro
ceed to Santiago harbor there to raise
the lieina Mercedes and blow up the
Merrimac, so as to clear the channel.
A boat will be sent to tear down
the woodwork put up by Lieutenant
Hobson at the wreck of the Cristobal
Colon, as Secretary Long has decided,
after consultation with the bureau
chiefs, that the Government will make
no further attempts to raise the Span
ish vessels sunk off Santiago.
There is no objection on the part of
the Navy Department to private cor
porations making the effort, but the
department will not promise to take
the vessels even after they are raised.
As the United States has no juris-
CRI3TORAL COLON ON HER STARBOARD REAMS-END.
diction over the harbor of Havana at
this time, the Secretary of the Navy
is unable to grant permission to the
Acme Wrecking Company to begin
work on raising the Maine. Upon
the evacuation of Cuba by the Spanish
the department will interpose no ob
jection to the company undertaking
tho work if it desires to make the
attempt.
A Dainty Match Striker.
To make a pretty match-striker take
a strip of curdboard and cut out a
piece seven inches long and six inches
wide. Then cut from a sheet of sand-
UTILE- I : V (I
TVmoWj t
' Ts B&acis 1 '
A PRETTY MATCH STRIKER.
paper a piece 3J inches long and 2}
inches wide. Paste this crosswise in
the centre of the cardboard. With a
hard leadpencil draw several loose
matches and print the quotation,
"How far that little candle throws its
beams" on the cardboard above and at
one side of the sandpaper.
In the lower corner draw a candle
stick and candle! Color the candle
stick with a thin wash of burnt sienna;
the candle with Chinese white and the
tlame with gamboge and scarlet Ver
million. These colors will be found
in any ordinary box of water colors.
Tint the matches with a light wash of
chrome yellow and tip the edges of
those representing unburned matches
svith burnt sienna. Those represent
ing burnt matches should be tipped
with black. Cut openings at either
end of the card and run a narrow rib
bon through them, tying in a bow at
each opening, leaving between them a
long loop of ribbon by which the card
may be hung. These match-strikers
are easily made, and are prettier if
made of cardboard or of some delicate
color, instead of plain white.—New
York Tribune.
oooooooooooooooooooocooooo
I WHY FUKSARE COSTLY §
6 Tliev Are Battered With Be»t Creaui- O
O evy Greane, Pow<lere<l With Ko»e- Q
X wood Flour nnd Bathed, Soaked A
Q and Warmed by Human Body. <T
03000000000000000000000000
Froni the animal's back to the lady's
shoulders there is much skilful hand
ling of high-priced furs.
TBE ONLY MACHINE USED IN THE FUK
INDUSTRY.
Machines there nre for the curing
and tanning of skins— skiu3 of the
lower grade—rabbit and opossum,
and the heavier pelts are put through
a machinery process. But the high
grade furs—the costly skins—sable,
ermine, mink and chinchilla, still are
manipulated almost entirely by hand,
and this together with the increasing
demand and decreasing supply adds to
the final cost.
The work of the dresser is interest
ing, aud in stages highly picturesque.
The skins are turned over to him by
the firm who buys its season's supply
in the raw state. The trapper has
literally skinned his game—turned the
outside or fur side in, leaving the en
tire pelt exposed—hence the old
nursery joke of "skinning the rabbit."
The skins are greased to preserve them
from vermin and soon turn stiff. This
constitutes the raw state.
In curing, the pelt is first put
through a softecing process—a chem
ical solution—and the skins are then
tubbed. Hero they remain in the salt
and water or similar wash as required
ever night, possibly twelve hours
longer. Tlie skins are wrung out of
this bath and partially dried, then
turned over to the flesher. This is
another department of the trade aud
requires skilled hands to scrape the9e
skius properly. This is done on up
right knives set slightly oblique at the
end of a narrow bench ou which tho
flesher sits a-straddle.
From tho flesher the skins go
through a greasing process, where fine
creamery butter is liberally slapped
over tho pelt, the skin all this while
remaining pelt out, of course.
The nest departure leads one to the
picturesque detail of the dresser's
shop. Aloug either side of the room
are ranged large barrels of three-quar
ters height. Iu this the men stand
waist deep, while sacking forms tho
cover from the edge of the barrel to
the man's body. This keeps in the
heat which in time becomes exces
sive, and iu these covered barrels the
half-naked men tread and tread day
after day, aud look as though they
were practicing the couche-couche
dance. With their naked feet they
work the butter into the pelt and fur,
and the heat which emanates from
their body forms a most important
item iu the curing of the skius. A
shuffle board fastened obliquely across
the front inner side of the barrel aids
them in rotating the skius, which in
time acquire a high degree of heat,
very surprising to the novice. This
heat renders the fur soft aud supple.
Only a few skins —ten to a dozen—
are trodden at one time.
When the butter dauco stops the
skins are removed to a drying room
and spread over tho floor. At the
right point of dryness they are
gathered together nnd taken to the
sawdust room. This sawdust is iu
truth pulverized wood, as fine iu qual
ity as cornstarch. Sometimes it is of
maliogauy, sometimes of rosewood.
The first mechanical labor is here in
troduced, when the skius with a
copious supply of dust are thrown into
a big revolving tub which imitates
closely the rotation of treading, and
by passing over coils of steam pipe
gets warmth similar to the heat of the
treader's body. The furs and dust
are revolved rapidly until sufficient
dust has been taken up, when they
are dumped out, picked up separately
and given a deft shake and the hand
labor is again called into use. The
are spread to air, beaten, turned
fur out, and given to the comber. He
finishes tho silky coats, evens up
skius to a point of symmetry.
Mnst Have Soft Manila.
Girls employed in the erapo indus
tries are under a curious contract- not
to engage in any housework after their
hours of labor. The reason is lest
their hands should become coarse and
unfltted for the delicate nature of theii
employment.
It is now Btated that the invention
of gunboats and armor-protected g !u?
dates back to the fifteenth century.
AMERICA'S HICHEST MOUNTAIN.
i'eak in Alaska That Is More Than 20,•
000 Feet Above Sea Level.
A mountain
feet in height has just been discovered
011 the Alaskan coast, inland from Ka
uai Peninsula, and has been named
Mount Bullshae, by the United States
geological party that first set eyes
on it.
This discovery, the most important
that has yet been made by the many
exploring parties sent into Alaska,
oarly this year, falls to the honor of
tlie party led by George H. Eldridge.
They returned to Seattle on the
steamer Alki, and there seems to be
absolutely uo doubt that the mountain
discovered is tho highest in North
America.
After following the course of tho
Sushitiia a long distance it was de
cided togo into one of the valleys
emptying into the Sushitna Bivei
from the light. Tho party followed
Ibis valley somo distance, when sud
denly they came in sight of a big,
broad peak. "Bullshao," was the ex
pression of the Indiau guide when he
first saw the natural monster that
loomed up even amoug the huge peaks
that surrounded them on every side.
"Bullshae" tho peak was named aftei
- o OO . TI
; 112
4#/ X
THAN V '/AVL- O V~.y KOOSH V. \ .
!,/ 2 0-COO \ZO-000 y 2O 650 SS
/ P-T. - \ FT /- F-T N
COMPARATIVE HEIGHTS OF TALL MOUN
TAINS.
the most thorough possible investiga
tion.
It was evident that Mount Bullshae
would not allow the party to mount its
crest with ease, if at all, so no attempt
was made to climb it. In fact, the
members of the party expressed the
opinion that it never will be climbed.
Great precipices present an almost
impassable front on every hand as
far as the members of the party
could see.
Unless tho atmosphere is perfectly
clear the clouds enfold it on the
slightest provocation.
lioUleii Hose of Virtue <*ivcn by the I'ope
The Golden Hose which tho Pope is
to confer upon the Archduclioss
Gisela, Princess of Bavaria, is the
Highest honor which his holiness can
bestow upon any woman. It was said
the Pope would give the Golden Bose
to the young Queen of Holland, but
jf course that report was all nonsense,
for Wilhelmina, although a most ador
ible young person, is a Protestant,
ind this special honor is reserved for
members of the Boman Catholic
Church only. The gorgeous thing
that is called the Golden Bose is made
of pure gold, and its value, so far as
the mere market is concerned, is about
§IO,OOO. In the great rose in the
middle of the group tho Pope pours
rose balsam. This flower is framed
with a number of subordinate roses
aud rosebuds. The metal plant
stands iu a pot of pure gold and ou
\ j§r
''1331
YrlE POPE'S GOLDEN' HOSE.
the cide of this pot are engraved the
arms and the seal of Leo. Two officers
of the Vatican are chosen yearly to
present this magnificent gift to the
lady selected by the Pope. That lady
is always royal, a queen, au empress or
a princess of royal blood.
"The Ileal Thins" In Paraguay.
In Paraguay it is considered "the
real thing" to dine with the rich na
tives. All European and American
tourists who reach that faraway South
American country find a great fascina
tion in being invited to a native's
hous9. They never eat a meal with
out drinking a pint of water before
hand to prevent indigestion, nor will
they serve a visitor who does not do
likewise. It is needless to add that
Paraguay is full of indigestion, and
the custom is continually kept ap.
r — i
| CHILDREN'S COLUMN. |
The Bedtime Folk*.
[ always hutoto goto bod 'fore other folkscs
go,
Booause they take the light away or turn tho
wick down low.
Chey say I won't go right asleep with lights
u-blazin' high,
fcn' laugh an' call mo because I
tease and cry.
IVhy, dark is just the awfllest timo ot auy
lime of day!
Tis then the goblins, gnomes an' ghosts
come out to scare aa play.
The ghosts come slldin' down the hall an'
creak the nursery door.
In' goblins play at hlde-aud-soek upon the
big black floor.
Our Tabbyskins comes sneakin in,with eyes
like chunks of lire;
The witch's cats camp ou our fenco a-prac
tlcln' their ehoir.
The brownies on our attic floor keep daucin'
plt-a-pat.
No, don't tell me—it isn't mice, nor 'tain't
no great big rat.
I know aouut the bedtime sprites—l'm sure
you must agree—
I've read too many fairy books to let them
ihinijs fool me.
so I just lie wide awake an' cover up my
bead.
wlsht I was a bettor boy. till mother
comes to bed.
—Caroline Wotherell.
Dogs '« the Army.
Probably there is no United States
regiment in existence which does not
possess two or threo dogs, and these
army animals,as a class,are highly in
teresting. They know when the bugle
calls, aud wliea reveille sounds they
get up for the clay. At drill time tliey
do not budge, knowing that the drill
is something in which they have no
part, but when tho bugle for dinner
reaches their ears no one iu tlie re
spective rogiment responds more
quickly, and that is saying a good
deal for alacrity.
Tim Ant as a Farmer.
The little ants have an industry all
their own in the care and breeding of
insects called aphides which serve
them as cows. Although the aphides
do not give milk, they supply the auts
with a sweet liquid which is nutritious
aud pleasant to the taste.
The aphides live ou the stems of
plants, and the busy little workers
that cultivate them build tunnels over
these steins, leaving a small opening
at either end, just large enough for
one of their number to pass in and
out. The aphides are well fed and
cared for bv the ants, and they repay
this attention by a generous supply of
the honey-like fluid each day. The
auts manage to keep their cows from
generation to generation, carefully
protecting them through the winter
from cold aud storms by a velvety
blanket of dry moss, and over this an
other covering of [.astelike substance.
Iu the spriug, when the young are
hatching, the auts seek food in the
field, and not until the young aphides
crawl out from under the moss
blankets do the ants begin the work
of carrying away the winter cover
ings. With the return of summer
these little auts and farmers work
faithfully that their "cattle" may
thrive for the harvest clays.—New
York Tribune.
Tlie Sierra Squirrel*.
In the spring, before pine nuts and
hazel nuts are ripe, tho gray squirrel
examines last year's cones to see if a
few seeds may be left in them between
the half-open scales, and gleans fallen
lints and seeds on the ground among
the leaves, after making sure that 110
enemy is nigh, says John Muir, iu the
Atlantic. His fiue tail flows, uow be
hind him, now nbove him, level or
gracefully curled, light and radiant as
dry thistledown, every hair iu its place
standing out electric. His body seems
hardly more substantial than his tail.
The Douglas is a firm, emphatic bolt
of life, flery, pungent,full of brag and
show aud tight, and his movements
have none of the elegant deliberation
of the gray. They are so quick and
keen they almost stins the onlooker,
and the acrobatic harlequin gyrating
show he makes of himself turns one
giddy to see. The gray is shy and
oftentimes stealthy, as if half expect
ing an enemy in every tree and bush
and back of every log; seems to wish
to be let alone, and manifests no de
sire to be seen, or admired, or feared.
He is hunted by the Indians, and this
of itself is cause enough for caution.
The Douglas is less attractive as game,
and is probably increasing in numbers
iu spite of every enemy.- He goes his
ways bold as a lion, up aud down and
across,round and round, the happiest,
merriest of all the hairy tribe, and at
the same time tremendously earnest
and solemn, sunshine incarnate, ting
ling every treo with his electric toes.
If you prick liiui, yon cannot think he
would bleed. He seems above the
chance aud change that beset common
mortals, though in busily gathering
burs aud uuts we see that he has to
work for a living, like the rest of its.
I never found a dead Douglas. He
gets into the world and out of it with
out being noticed; only in prime is he
seen,like some littlo plants that never
are noticed except when in bloom.
A King's Verdict.
The question whether an officer is
justified under any circumstances in
disobeying his commander has been
answered differently by different
judges. Boyal authority at one time
went on the affirmative side of the
question. It was in the reign of
George II of England, aud the of
fender was Captain Hawke of the ship
Berwick, of sixty-four guns. The of
fence was committed during an inde
cisive naval actiou off Toulon in 1744,
when the Euglish admirals in corn
maud lost the opportunity to gain a
victory by shrinking from a close en
gagement.
Captain HawKo was indignant. His
country was being wronged by the in-
Action—cowardly, he thought—of the
commander!!. He could keep still no
longer. Seojng no prospect of a gen
eral action, he boldly, and in defiance
of every order issued, quitted his sta
tion and selected a Spanish ship of
equal force to try the issues with.
For half an hour it was an open ques
tion whether Hawke had done a wisely
bravo deed or simply a mad one, but
at the end of that half hour, in which
some brilliant lighting was done, the
Spanish ship was a prisoner, and the
captain's wisdom as well as bravery
was clearly demonstrated.
When official and public opinion
had hud time to decide on the merits
and demerits of the principal actors
in the engagement, a Hag promotion
took place, in which the name of Cap
taiu Hawke was passed over. The
slight was followed by a verdict from
the naval authorities dismissing him
from the service for his disobedient
bravery.
But the matter was not yet settled.
His majesty, King George, had some
thing to say. He inquired why the
officer had been dismissed, and was
frankly informed that it was because
Captain Hawke bad disobeyed orders
by quitting the line to light the Span
ish ship Poder.
"What?" cried the indignant mon
arch. "Disgrace a man for fighting
too much? He shall be my admiral."
This was the royal verdict, and it is
said that some years lutcr, in 1759,
when Hawke gained a signal victory
over the French fleet, the king was
so overjoyed that his judgment in the
choice of an admiral had been vindi
cated, that he pulled the wig from his
head and kicked it about the palace of
Kensington for very gladness that he
had given England so great an ad-
I miral.—Youth's Companion.
The >lincl»i«»votiH Puppv.
One day a little puppy had just re
ceived a bath aud his mother told him
not togo out until he was quite dry,
but the little dog, who never did a
thing his mother told him, thought it
wouldn't do him any harm togo out
for a walk, and while his mother was
sleeping he went out very quietly, so
she wouldn't wake up. When onco
out of the house he rayed aud jumped
aud barked and chased the pretty
butterflies until he was so tired out
|he didn't know what to do. At last
i he came to a muddy pool of water aud
j he walked right through it, and so of
| course he got all dirty.
The little puppy began to feel so
tired that he lay down to rest,and fell
asleep. He slept for a long time, and
when lie awoke it was very dark, aud
the moon was. shining on him through
i the trees. He started up in a fright
: and began fo whine, but no one an
swered him, so he stopped and lay
| dowu again, but he could not sleep
and he didn't know where he was.
The disobedient puppy began to
think of his home in the barn and
i wished he had never left it. When
daylight begun to dawn be thought he
i heard a noise in the bushes close by
and when he looked he saw two
; shining eyes fixed upon him.
He did not stay there a minute
longer, but started to runaway as fast
; as ever his legs would carry him.
| Then he heard whatever it was com
| ing right behind him, and he tried to
; run faster and faster, but lie could
j not run fast enough, and pretty soon
; lie shut his eyes and gave himself up
j for lost. He dropped down on the
! ground, and right on top of him CRine
; two big paws, and then he heard his
• name. He opened his eyes,and there,
; looking into his face, was his own
mother! It was she who had been
watching him from the bushes and
chased him when he ran.
With a joyous bark aud one leap he
was on his feet, asking forgiveness.
His mother took him home and read
| him a very serious lecture on disobe
! dience, and then washed all the mud
and dirt off him and put him to bed.
Cowboy Feats In Hawaii.
The Hawaiian cowboy would put
many of his western prototypes to
1 blush as to feats of horsemanship, for
' some of the country ridden over by a
, Kanaka "spaniola" would cause cold
chills to run down the back of a cow
'■ puncher from the plains of Texas or
: Nebraska. The latter country is level
or at least undulating in its general
character, while in the Hawaiian
Islands it is quite the reverse. The
cattle there have comparatively very
little grazing laud, and as a conse
quence stray far up on the mountain
: sides aud iuto "the bush" looking for
I sustenance. When the time conies
! for rounding up and branding, the
j Kanaka has no "soft snap." Some of
his riding is a little short of niarvel
' lous. Now down a deep grade on
' tho mountain side, floored with loose
rocks and lava, next into a belt of
! timber over fallen tree trunks and
through a tangled undergrowth, only
to bring up on the edge of some pre
cipitous gulch. Nothing daunted,
horse and rider scramble dowu to tho
bottom, ford tho inevitable stream and
up on tho other side as if the devil
were after them. All this on a keen
jump, too, whenever possible.— New
York Post.
A Wonderful Yarn.
Seven years ago a farmer living
west of Webster City, la., hung his
vest on the fence in the barnyard, and
as a result of it a wonderful story is
told.
A calf chewed up a pocket in the
garment in which was a standard gold
watch. Last week the animal, a staid
old milk cow, was butchered for beef,
aud the timepiece was found in snch
a position between the lungs of the
cow, that the process of respiration,
the closing in and filling the lungs,
kept the stemwinder wound up, and
the watch had lost bnt fonr minutes
in the n«ven years. —Chicago Times-
Herald.