PEARL OF THE ANTILLES CHAPTER I.
OR
AN ARTIST IN CUBA
BY
WALTER GOODMAN
Henry S. King & Co. 65 Cornhill & 12 Paternoster Row, London 1873
(All rights reserved)
TO
MY TRAVELLING-COMPANION AND BROTHER-ARTIST
SEÑOR DON JOAQUIN CUADRAS
OF CUBA
THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED
IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LONG AND UNINTERRUPTED FRIENDSHIP
AT HOME AND ABROAD
PREFACE.
Cuba having lately become a prominent object of attention, both to Europe and America, I venture to think that any trustworthy information that can be given respecting it, may prove acceptable to the reader. I approach my task with no great pretensions, but yet with an experience acquired by many years' residence in the Island, and an intimate intercourse with its inhabitants. I arrived there in 1864, when Cuba was enjoying uninterrupted peace and prosperity, and my departure took place in the first year of her adversity. Having thus viewed society in the Island under the most opposite conditions, I have had various and ample opportunities of studying its institutions, its races and its government; and in availing myself of these opportunities I have endeavoured, as far as possible, to avoid those matters which are alike common to life in Spain and in Cuba.
As I write, Cuba is passing through a great crisis in her history. For this reason my experiences may prove more interesting than they might otherwise have done; nor do I think that they will be found less attractive, because it has been my choice to deal with the subject before me from the point of view rather of an artist than of a traveller or a statistician.
Perhaps I may be allowed to add, that the matter contained in these pages will be almost entirely fresh to the reader; for, although I have included a few papers which I have from time to time contributed to All the Year Round, Cassell's Magazine, and London Society, I have taken care to introduce them in such a manner as not to break the continuity with which I have endeavoured to connect the various parts of my subject.
In explanation of the title chosen for this volume, I may remark that 'the Pearl of the Antilles' is one of the prettiest in that long series of eulogistic and endearing titles conferred by poets and others on the Island of Cuba, which includes 'the Queen of the Antilles,' 'the Jewel in the Spanish Crown,' 'the Promised Land,' 'the Summer Isle of Eden,' 'the Garden of the West,' and 'the Loyal and Ever-faithful Isle.'
Walter Goodman.
22 Lancaster Road,
Westbourne Park,
London: 1873.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. |
| A CUBAN WELCOME. |
| Our Reception at Santiago de Cuba--Spanish Law--A Commemorative Feast--Cuban Courtesy--Coffee House Politeness |
CHAPTER II. |
| DAILY LIFE IN CUBA. |
| A Cuban Home--My Bed-Room--A Creole Breakfast--Don Benigno and his Family--A Cuban Matron--Church-going in connection with Shopping--An Evening Tertulia--A Tropical Moon |
CHAPTER III. |
| ART-PATRONAGE IN CUBA. |
| Our Studio--Our Critics--Our Patrons--Still-Life |
CHAPTER IV. |
| A CUBAN 'VELORIO.' |
| More Still-Life--A Night-Wake--Mourners--DoÑa Dolores--A Funeral Procession--A Burial |
CHAPTER V. |
| CUBAN MODELS. |
| Tropical Birds--The Coco's--La Grulla--Vultures--Street Criers--Water Carriers |
CHAPTER VI. |
| CUBAN BEGGARS. |
| Carrapatam Bunga--The Havana Lottery--A Lady Beggar--A Beggar's Opera--Popular Characters--Charity--A Public Raffle--The 'King of the Universe' |
CHAPTER VII. |
| THE BLACK ART IN CUBA. |
| A Model Mulatto--A Bewitched Watchman--Cuban Sorcery--An Enchanted Painter |
CHAPTER VIII. |
| A TASTE OF CUBAN PRISON-LIFE. |
| Two Views of the Morro Castle--The Commandant--The Town Jail--Cuban Policemen--Prisoners--A Captive Indian--Prison Fare--A Court of Justice--A Trial--A Verdict |
CHAPTER IX. |
| A WEST INDIAN EPIDEMIC. |
| A Cuban Physician and his Patient--A Nightmare--A Mystery--A Cure--By the Sad Sea Waves--A Cuban Watering-place--Lobster-hunting--Another View of the Morro Castle--What 'Dios sabe' means |
CHAPTER X. |
| GENERAL TACON'S JUDGMENT. |
| Pleasant Company--The Cigar Girl of Havana--A Tobacconist Shop in Cuba--A Romance of Real Life--Spanish Justice abroad |
CHAPTER XI. |
| (VERY) HIGH ART IN CUBA. |
| On the Ceiling--'Pintar-monos'--A Chemist's Shop À la Polychrome--Sculpture under Difficulties--'Nothing like Leather'--A Triumph in Triumphal Arches--Cuban Carpenters--The Captain-General of Havana |
CHAPTER XII. |
| A CORRESPONDENT IN THE WEST INDIES. |
| American News-agents and their Work--Local Information--The 'Glorious Campaign' of Santo Domingo--'El CaÑon de Montecristo' Wounded Soldiers--Still-Life again--A Visit from the Spanish Fleet--Escape from Jail |
CHAPTER XIII. |
| CUBAN MUSIC. |
| A SoirÉe at Don Laureano's--An eminent Violinist and Composer--Cuban Pianos--Real Negro Minstrels--Carnival Songs--Coloured Improvisatores |
CHAPTER XIV. |
| MASQUERADING IN CUBA. |
| Deserted--'Los Mamarrachos'--A French-Creole Ball--Street Masquers--Negro Amateurs--Masks and Dominoes--The Plaza de Armas--Victims of the Carnival--A Cuban CafÉ in Holiday Time--'Comparsas'--White and Black Balls--A Moral |
CHAPTER XV. |
| AN EVENING AT THE RETRETA. |
| A Musical Promenade--My Friend TunicÚ--Cuban Beauties--Dark Divinities--A Cuban CafÉ--A Popular 'Pollo'--Settling the Bill! |
CHAPTER XVI. |
| AT A CUBAN BALL. |
| The Philharmonic and its Members--A Street Audience--The Guests--Engaging Partners--'La Carabina'--'La Danza Criolla'--Dance Music--Refreshments--A Pretty Partner--A Night with Cuban Gamblers--Spanish Cards--An Old Hand--'Temblores' |
CHAPTER XVII. |
| CUBAN THEATRICALS. |
| The Stage-Door Keeper--A Rehearsal--The Spanish Censor--A Cuban Audience--Dramatic Performances--Between Acts--Behind the Scenes--A DÉnouement in Real Life |
CHAPTER XVIII. |
| MY DÉBUT ON A CUBAN STAGE. |
| An Engagement--A Foreign 'Star'--A Benefit Night--A Local Play--First Appearance--A serious 'Hitch'--Re-engagement |
CHAPTER XIX. |
| COFFEE GROUNDS OF CUBA. |
| Going out of Town--On the Road--A wayside Inn--A Cane Field--West Indian Fruit Trees--The Arrival--A Dinner in the Country--The Evening Blessing--Tropical Reptiles--A Farm Yard--Slave Flogging--Coffee--Tropical Scenery--A Siesta |
CHAPTER XX. |
| COUNTRY-LIFE AT A SUGAR ESTATE. |
| An Artist's Tent--Early Sport--An 'Ingenio'--Sugar and Rum--Afternoon Sport--A Ride through the Country--Negro Dancing--An Evening in the Country--'La Loteria' |
CHAPTER XXI. |
| LOVE-MAKING IN THE TROPICS. |
| My Inamorata--Clandestine Courtship--A Love Scene--'Il Baccio' in Cuba--The Course of True Love--A Stern Parent |
CHAPTER XXII. |
| A CUBAN CONVENT. |
| Without the Walls--'El Torno'--A Convent Letter--Accomplices--A Powder Plot--With the Nuns--Don Francisco the Dentist |
CHAPTER XXIII. |
| A CRUISE IN THE WEST INDIES. |
| Cuban Telegraphy--The 'New York Trigger'--News from Porto Rico--A Day in Porto Rico--Don Felipe--A Mail Agent--Coasting--Aguadilla--MayagÜez--Santo Domingo--Sight-seeing--Telegraphic News |
CHAPTER XXIV. |
| A STATE OF SIEGE IN CUBA. |
| A Cuban Newspaper Office--Local Intelligence--The Cuban Revolution--Spanish Volunteers--A Recruit--With Bimba--'Los Insurrectos'--At a Fire--Cuban Firemen |
CHAPTER XXV. |
| CUBAN WARFARE. |
| Spanish Soldiers--A Sally--Prisoners of War--'Los Voluntarios'--A Triumphant Return--Danger!--Cuban Emigrants |
CHAPTER XXVI. |
| HAVANA CIGARETTES. |
| Cigars--The Etiquette of Smoking--A Cigarette Manufactory--The Courteous Proprietor--The Visitors' Book--Cigarette Rolling |
CHAPTER XXVII. |
| A MULATTO GIRL. |
| An Obscure Birth--Bondage--A Bad Master--A Good Godfather--A Cuban Christening--Anomaly of Slavery--A White Lover--Rivals--An Important Event |
CHAPTER XXVIII. |
| A MULATTO GIRL (continued). |
| The Slave Trade--ErmiÑa and her Lover--Panics--'Los Insurrectos' v. 'Los Voluntarios'--A Wounded Patriot--Spanish Law and Cuban Law--The 'Mambi's'--A Promise--An Alarm--All's Well that ends Well |
CHAPTER XXIX. |
| A CUBAN WEDDING. |
| Open Engagements--A Marriage Ceremony--A Wedding Breakfast--The Newly Married Couple |
CHAPTER XXX. |
| CUBANS IN NEW YORK. |
| The Morro Castle again--Summer and Winter--Cuban Refugees--Filibusters--'Los Laborantes' of New York and their Work--American Sympathisers |
THE
