History of Cuba; or, Notes of a Traveller in the Tropics Part 9

But let us recur for one moment to the subject of the slaves from which we have unwittingly digressed. On the plantations the slaves have some rude musical instruments, which they manufacture themselves, and which emit a dull monotonous sound, to the cadence of which they sit by moonlight and sing or chant, for hours together. One of these instruments is a rude drum to the beating of which they perform grotesque dances, with unwearying feet, really surprising the looker-on by their power of endurance in sustaining themselves in vigorous dancing. Generally, or as is often the case, a part of Sat.u.r.day of each week is granted to the slaves, when they may frequently be seen engaged at ball, playing a curious game after their own fas.h.i.+on. This time of holiday many prefer to pa.s.s in working upon their own allotted piece of ground and in raising favorite vegetables and fruits, or corn for the fattening of the pig hard by, and for which the drovers, who regularly visit the plantations for the purpose, will pay them in good golden doubloons. It is thought that the city slave has a less arduous task than those in the country, for he is little exposed to the sun, and is allowed many privileges, such for instance as attending church, and in this the negroes seem to take particular delight, especially if well dressed. A few gaudy ribbons, and nice gla.s.s beads of high color are vastly prized by both s.e.xes of the slaves in town and country. In the cities some mistresses take pleasure in decking out their immediate male and female attendants in fine style with gold ornaments in profusion.

There was one beautiful sight the writer particularly noticed in the church of Santa Clara, viz: that before the altar all distinction was dropped, and the negro knelt beside the Don.

The virgin soil of Cuba is so rich that a touch of the hoe prepares it for the plant, or, as Dougla.s.s Jerrold says of Australia, "just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest." So fertile a soil is not known to exist in any other portion of the globe. It sometimes produces three crops to the year, and in ordinary seasons two may be relied upon,--the consequence is that the Monteros have little more to do than merely to gather the produce they daily carry to market, and which also forms so large a portion of their own healthful and palatable food. The profusion of its flora and the variety of its forests are unsurpa.s.sed, while the mult.i.tude of its climbing shrubs gives a luxuriant richness to its scenery, which contributes to make it one of the most fascinating countries in the world. Nowhere are the necessities of life so easily supplied, or man so delicately nurtured.

The richest soil of the island is the black, which is best adapted to the purpose of the sugar-planter, and for this purpose it is usually chosen. So productive is this description of land that the extensive sugar plantations, once fairly started, will run for years, without the soil being even turned, new cane starting up from the old roots, year after year, with abundant crops. This is a singular fact to us who are accustomed to see so much of artificial means expended upon the soil to enable it to bear even an ordinary crop to the husbandman. The red soil is less rich, and is better adapted to the planting of coffee, being generally preferred for this purpose, while the mulatto-colored earth is considered inferior, but still is very productive and is improved by the Monteros for planting tobacco, being first prepared with a mixture of the other two descriptions of soil which together form the richest compost, next to guano, known in agriculture.

Coal is fortunately found on the island, of a bituminous nature; had this not been the case, the numerous steam engines which are now at work on the plantations would have soon consumed every vestige of wood on the island, though by proper economy the planter can save much by burning the refuse cane. The soil is also rich in mineral wealth, particularly in copper, iron and loadstone. Gold and silver mines have been opened, and in former times were worked extensively, but are now entirely abandoned. The copper mines near Sagua la Grande in 1841 yielded about four millions of dollars, but the exactions of the government were such that they greatly reduced the yield of the ore. An export duty of five per cent. was at first imposed upon the article: finally the exportation was prohibited altogether, unless s.h.i.+pped to old Spain, with a view of compelling the owners to smelt it in that country. These arbitrary measures soon reduced the profit of the business, and the working of the mines from producing in 1841 four millions, to about two by 1845, and finally they were abandoned.

And now is it to be wondered at that the Creoles should groan under the load of oppressions forced upon them as depicted in the foregoing pages?

No! On the contrary we feel that they are too forbearing, and look to the enervating influence of their clime as an excuse for their supineness under such gross wrongs. Their lovely climate and beautiful land are made gloomy by the persecutions of their oppressors; their exuberant soil groans with the burthens that are heaped upon it. They are not safe from prying inquiry at bed or board, and their every action is observed, their slightest words noted. They can sing no song not in praise of royalty, and even to hum an air wedded to republican verse is to provoke suspicion and perhaps arrest. The press is muzzled by the iron hand of power, and speaks only in adulation of a distant queen and a corrupt court. Foreign soldiers fatten upon the people, eating out their substance, and every village near the coast of the island is a garrison, every interior town is environed with bayonets!

A vast deal has been said about the impregnable harbor of Havana, the "Gibraltar of America" being its common designation, but modern military science acknowledges no place to be impregnable. A thousand chances might happen which would give the place to an invading force; besides which it has been already twice taken; and though it may be said that on these occasions it was not nearly so well garrisoned as now, neither so well armed or manned, the reply is also ready that it has never been besieged by such a force as could now be brought against it, to say nothing of the vast advantage afforded by the modern facilities for destruction.[53] Were not the _inaccessible_ heights of Abraham scaled in a night? and how easily the impregnable fortress of San Juan de Ulloa fell! Havana could be attacked from the land side and easily taken by a resolute enemy. With the exception of this one fortress, the Moro, and the fort in its rear, the Cabensas, the island is very poorly defended, and is accessible to an invading force in almost any direction, either on the east, west, or south coast. Matanzas, but sixty miles from Havana, could be taken by a small force from the land side, and serve as a depot from whence to operate, should a systematic effort be organized.

Cuba's boasted strength is chimerical.

Steam and the telegraph are revolutionizing all business relations and the course of trade. A line of steamers, one of the best in the world, runs between New York and Havana, also New Orleans and Havana. By this means all important intelligence reaches Cuba in advance of any other source, and through this country. By the telegraph, Havana is brought within three days' communication with New York and Boston. All important advices must continue to reach the island through the United States, and the people must still look to this country for political and commercial information, and to the movement of our markets for the regulation of their own trade and commerce. New Orleans has become the great centre to which their interests will naturally tend; and thus we see another strong tie of common interest established between the island of Cuba and the United States.

Naturally belonging to this country by every rule that can be applied, the writer believes that Cuba will ere long be politically ours. As the wise and good rejoice in the extension of civilization, refinement, the power of religion and high-toned morality, they will look forward hopefully to such an event. Once a part of this great confederacy, Cuba would immediately catch the national spirit and genius of our inst.i.tutions, and the old Castilian state of dormancy would give way to Yankee enterprise, her length and breadth would be made to smile like a New England landscape Her sons and daughters would be fully awakened to a true sense of their own responsibility, intelligence would be sown broadcast, and the wealth of wisdom would s.h.i.+ne among the cottages of the poor.

In the place of the rolling drum and piercing fife, would be heard the clink of the hammer and the merry laugh of untrammelled spirits. The bayonets that bristle now on every hill-side would give place to waving corn, and bright fields of grain. The honest Montero would lay aside his Toledo blade and pistol holsters, and the citizen who went abroad after sunset would go unarmed. Modern churches, dedicated to pure Christianity, would raise their lofty spires and point towards heaven beside those ancient and time-eaten cathedrals. The barrack rooms and guard stations, in every street, town or village, would be transformed into school-houses, and the trade winds of the tropics would sweep over a new Republic!

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHARACTERISTIC STREET SCENE.]

FOOTNOTES:

[52] English authorities,--Sir F. Buxton in the van,--declare that the extent of the slave trade has but slightly diminished, while the restrictions under which it is now carried on renders it more fatal than ever to the blacks.

[53] "It is as well secured as it probably could be against an attack from the harbor, but could still be a.s.sailed with effect in the same way in which the French succeeded against Algiers, by landing a sufficient force in the rear."--_Alexander H. Everett._

CHAPTER XV.

Area of Cuba--Extent of cultivated and uncultivated lands--Population--Proportion between the s.e.xes--Ratio of legitimate to illegitimate births--Ratio between births and deaths--Agricultural statistics--Commerce and commercial regulations--Custom-house and port charges--Exports and imports--Trade with the United States--Universities and schools--Education--Charitable inst.i.tutions--Railroads--Temperature.

In addition to the statistical information incidentally contained in the preceding pages, we have prepared the following tables and statements from authentic sources, giving a general view of the resources, population, wealth, products and commerce, etc., of the island, with other items of interest and importance.

_Area of Cuba._--Humboldt states the area of the island to be 43,380 geographical square miles. Mr. Turnbull puts it at 31,468, and, adding the areas of its dependencies, namely, the Isle of Pines, Turignano, Romano, Guajaba, Coco, Cruz, Paredon Grande, Barril, De Puerto, Eusenachos, Frances, Largo, and other smaller islands, makes the total 32,807 square miles.

Years. Population.

1775, 170,370.

1791, 272,140.

1817, 551,998.

1827, 704,487, viz.:

Whites, male, 168,653 Free colored, males, 51,962 " female, 142,398 " females, 54,532 -------- ------- 311,051 106,494

Slaves, 183,290 males, and 103,652 females, = 286,942. Total colored, 393,436. Excess of colored over white population, 82,305.

Year 1841-- Whites, 418,291 Free colored, 152,838 Slaves, 436,495 --------- Total, 1,007,624 Excess of colored over white, 171,042

Year 1851-- Whites, 605,560 Free colored, 205,570 Slaves, 442,000 -------- Total, 1,253,130

Year 1854-- Total population, 1,500,000

_Proportions between the s.e.xes._--In 1774 the white males formed 58 per cent., and the females 42 per cent., of the population; free colored, males, 52, females, 48; male slaves, 65, females, 35. Total, males, 58 per cent., females, 42.

In 1792 the proportion was-- Whites, males, 0.55 " females, 0.45 Free colored, males, 0.47 " females, 0.53 Slaves, males, 0.56 " females, 0.44 Total, males, 0.53 " females, 0.47

In 1817-- Whites, males, 0.55 " females, 0.45 Free colored, males, 0.52 " females, 0.48 Slaves, males, 0.62 " females, 0.38 Total, males, 0.57 " females, 0.43

In 1827-- Whites, males, 0.54 " females, 0.46 Free colored, males, 0.48 " females, 0.52 Slaves, males, 0.64

Slaves, females, 0.36 Total, males, 0.56 " females, 0.44

In Paris, the ratio is 54.5 per cent. males, to 45.5 females; in England, 50.3 per cent. males, and 49.7 per cent. females, and in the United States, 51 per cent. males, and 49 per cent. females.

The ratio of legitimate to illegitimate births, deduced from the observations of five years, is as follows:

2.1136 to 1 among the whites; 0.5058 to 1 among the colored; 1.0216 to 1 in the total.

That is to say, establis.h.i.+ng the comparison per centum, as in the proportion of the s.e.xes, we have:

Whites, 67.8 per cent. legitimate, and 32.2 per cent. illegitimate.

Colored, 33.7 " " " 66.3 " "

Total, 50.5 " " " 49.5 " "

No capital or people of Europe, Stockholm alone excepted, offers so startling a result, nearly one half the number of births being illegitimate.

Taking the average from the statements of births for five years, we find that in every 100 legitimate whites there are 51.1 males, and 48.9 females; and in an equal number of illegitimate, 49 males, and 51 females. Among people of color, in 100 legitimate births, 50.6 males, and 49.4 females; and in the illegitimate, 47.2 males, and 52.8 females.

And finally, that, comparing the totals, we obtain in the legitimate, 51.6 males, and 48.4 females; and in the illegitimate, 47.1 males, and 52.9 females. Consequently these observations show that in Cuba, in the illegitimate births, the number of males is much less than that of females, and the contrary in the legitimate births.

_Ratio between the Births and Deaths for five years._ +------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | | 1825 | 1826 | 1827 | 1828 | 1829 | | +-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | Births, | 3,129 | 3,443 | 3,491 | 3,705 | 3,639 | | Deaths, | 2,698 | 2,781 | 3,077 | 3,320 | 3,712 | | Difference,| 431 | 662 | 414 | 385 | 73 | +------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

_Agriculture._--The total number of acres comprising the whole territory is 14,993,024. Of these, in 1830, there were used:

In sugar-cane plantations, 172,608 " coffee trees, 184,352 " tobacco, 54,448 " lesser or garden and fruit culture, 823,424 -------- Total acres, 1,234,832

Leaving over 13,000,000 of acres uncultivated. Some of these uncultivated lands are appropriated to grazing, others to settlements and towns; the remainder occupied by mountains, roads, coasts, rivers and lakes,--the greater part, however, wild.

Total value of lands in 1830, $94,396,300 Value of buildings, utensils, etc., 55,603,850

The different products of cultivation were valued as follows:

Sugar canes in the ground, $6,068,877 Coffee trees, 32,500,000 Fruit trees, vegetables, etc., 46,940,700 Tobacco plants, 340,620 ----------- Total value of plants, 85,850,197 Total value of wood exported, consumed on the island and made into charcoal, $3,818,493 Minimum value of the forests, 190,624,000 Value of 138,982 slaves, at $300 each, 41,694,600 Total value of live stock, 39,617,885

RECAPITULATION.