MATANZAS, January 15th, 1897.
[DEAR MOTHER:]
I sent you a note by Remington which he will mail in the
States — From here I go to Sagua La Grande. It is on the
northern coast. I think from there I shall cross over to
Cienfuegos on the Southern coast and then if I can catch a
steamer go to Santiago to see my old friends, at the Juraqua
mines and MacWilliams' ore road and "the Palms" — Everywhere I
am treated well on account of Weyler's order and I am learning
a great deal and talking very little, my Spanish being bad.
There is war here and no mistake and all the people in the
fields have been ordered in to the fortified towns where they
are starving and dying of disease. Yesterday I saw the houses
of these people burning on both sides of the track — They gave
shelter to the insurgents and so very soon they found their
houses gone. I am so relieved at getting old Remington to go
as though I had won $5000. He was a splendid fellow but a
perfect kid and had to be humored and petted all the time. I
shall if I have luck be through with this in a few weeks but
it has had such a set back at the start that I am afraid it
can never make a book and I doubt if I can write a decent
article even. I am so anxious not to keep you worrying any
longer than is necessary and so I am hurrying along taking
only a car window view of things. Address me care of Consul
General Lee, Havana and confine your remarks to what is going
on at home. I know what is
going on here. I don't believe half I hear but I am being
slowly converted. Remington is more excitable than I am, so
don't misunderstand if he starts in violently. I am getting
details and verifying things. He is right on a big scale but
every one has lied so about this island that I do not want to
say anything I do not believe is true. This is a beautiful
little city and after Jaruco, where we slept two days ago, it
is Paris. There we slept off the barnyard and cows and
chickens walked all over the floor and fleas all over us. It
was like Honduras only filthier. Speaking of Paris, tell the
Kid I expect to go over to him soon after I return to New
York.
Lots of love. DICK.
