THE CLUB ARRIVES AT SAN JUAN.
The Island of Porto Rico boasts of but three cities of importance: San
Juan on the north, Mayaguez on the west and Ponce on the south. The
mountainous country back of the seacoast is dotted with hundreds of
villages and hamlets; but the means of communication from one place to
another are very poor, the best highway being the military road from San
Juan to Ponce, a splendid bit of engineering, which, as previously
mentioned, runs over mountains nearly, if not all, of four thousand feet
high.
San Juan, the capital, is the principal city, especially so far as
shipping is concerned, for its harbor is one of the best the island
affords. The city contains about 30,000 inhabitants; natives, Spaniards
and negroes, and foreigners from all over the world. It is wedged in
along the shore, between two frowning forts of whitish stone and a long
line of battlements, once kept in good order, but now fast tumbling into
decay.
In the city itself there are two plazas; one at the city hall and the
other near Fort Christobal—both great meeting-places, in the evenings,
for native dames and maidens, young and old men, and children. It is a
merry crowd, that smokes, sings, dances, listens to the band, and
otherwise amuses itself.
As the Dashaway came to anchor in the harbor, all the boys viewed the
shore with interest. They could see row after row of the flat, square
houses, set up in long blocks, with narrow and not over clean streets
between. About every second house had its second story project over the
first, and balconies were to be found everywhere, sometimes causing the
street below to be little better than a tunnel.
"All ashore that's going!" cried old Jacob, and the small boat was
lowered, and the boys and Robert Menden entered, along with their
weapons and other traps, and then the Yankee sailor pulled them to the
nearest dock.
Here a harbor officer met them, and a long conference ensued. Then the
Dashaway was visited by the San Juan officials and inspected, after
which the craft was assigned to a proper position in the harbor. It was
at first thought to leave old Jacob in charge of the yacht; but at the
last moment a native was engaged to watch the craft, and the Yankee went
along with "his boys," as he was wont to call them.
"Now, lads, are you all ready for the trip?" questioned Robert Menden.
"We are," came in a chorus.
"Remember, you may have some dangers to face. Don't go if you would
rather remain behind."
"Who's afraid," came from Bob. "I'm not."
"Nor I!" came from the others.
"I'm out fer dat hundred dollars wot was promised to me," put in Danny.
"Just youse lead de way an' I'll be close in yer footsteps, see if I
ain't."
Each of the lads had provided himself with a hunting suit, and a small
pack containing a change of underwear, comb and brush, and the like. All
carried a little money, which, in the city, was exchanged for Spanish
silver; for it was correctly surmised that the natives in the interior
would not take United States coin. To-day that is, of course, changed,
and Uncle Sam's coin or paper money is as good as any.
The party of seven soon found themselves on the main street of San Juan.
Robert Menden had made some careful inquiries, and without delay they
set off for Caguas.
They had hired a native turnout to take them to the place, but the
driver failed to turn up, and at last they set out on foot for the
village.
The many sights to be seen at every hand were very interesting. Here
were the milk and fruit peddlers, each with his wares hanging from a
yoke balanced over his broad shoulders. And here were funny looking
ponies and donkeys with huge burdens strapped to their backs. Native
carts were rather scarce, but occasionally one would come lumbering
along, with its broad and almost solid wheels, and its team of oxen or
cows. The driver would walk by the team's side, lashing them with a long
whip and yelling at them continually in very bad Spanish.
The people also interested the boys. A large proportion of them were
black, the blacks increasing in number as the seacoast was left behind.
Most of the colored men looked friendly enough, but here and there could
be found fellows of mixed Carib blood—tall, ugly looking creatures.
"I reckon they are the Porto Rican brigands," whispered Dick, as they
passed three of the ugly looking Caribs. "I don't think I would care to
meet them of a dark night along a lonely road."
"These people have good cause to be ugly," put in Robert Menden. "Spain
has robbed the natives for years by taxing them to death, and I
understand that in many places the church has fallen into disrepute
because the clergy do everything they can to get the money away from the
sugar and plantation workers. It's really a sad state of affairs."
On they went, until San Juan was left behind and they struck the
military road previously mentioned. The walking was all uphill, but the
ascent was so gradual that they scarcely noticed it. On both sides of
the road grew tropical trees of all sorts—palms, mangoes, guavas, cedar,
mahogany, and that wood which can be found almost anywhere—hemlock.
There were also plantains and great cacti, and over all trailed immense
tropical vines. Close to the deep, black soil grew magnificent ferns,
and such mosses as the boys had never before seen.
"Almost a paradise, isn't it?" remarked Don. "And how clear the air is—
not half as hot as I imagined it would be."
"Jest you wait until noon afore ye speak o' the heat," returned old
Jacob. "Old Sol don't git to work in earnest till about twelve or one
o'clock."
They soon crossed a clear running brook, and leaving the bridge, Dick
ran down to the water's edge to get a drink.
"Drink through your handkerchief!" called out Robert Menden.
"Through my handkerchief?"
"Yes."
"What for?"
"Because you don't want to swallow a lizard or worse. These waters are
full of small animal life, so I've been told."
Dick did as the Englishman suggested. And he was glad of it, for while
bending down he saw several tiny lizards or leeches swimming near at
hand. "None in me, not if I know it," he murmured as he drew back. "I'll
inspect everything that goes down my throat after this."
By noon they had covered several miles. The sun was out clear, and now
the heat began to tell on them.
"I move we rest," suggested Leander; and this was readily agreed to, and
they sat down under an immense plantain, covered with half ripe fruit—
that fruit which we commonly know by the name of banana, although the
real banana is red.
"Are there any wild animals in Porto Rico?" questioned Don.
"I'm sure I don't know," answered Robert Menden. "I shouldn't look for
anything very large on an island of this size. All the large stock has
probably been killed off by the natives."
"I reckon you'll find wild-cats here an' wild hogs," put in old Jacob.
"An, let me tell ye thet a real wild hog is about as dangerous as a wolf
or a leetle bear. But it ain't likely thet any wild animals would keep
themselves around such a road as this. They would take to the mountains
and stay there, so long as they could git enough to eat."
The rest was not half over when Dick grew restless, and arose to take a
look at his surroundings.
"I'm bound to see all I can of the country," he said, with a smile.
"Will you come, Leander?"
"Certainly," was the answer; and in a moment more the two chums were
strolling off.
"Be back inside of fifteen minutes," shouted Robert Menden, and both
called back that they understood.
There seemed to be a fine grove of orange trees to the left of the road,
and toward this they made their way, wondering if they could pick up any
fruit fit to eat.
"It must be fine to have such fruit ready to hand," observed Leander, as
they entered the grove. "I reckon the natives don't know the value of
what they've got."
"They might say the same of our apples, Leander. I'd rather have apples
than oranges—that is, I mean for regular."
"Oh, so would I. Don't they grow apples?"
"I don't think so—anyway, not such apples as we have up North. It's too
hot."
They soon found that the oranges were even more green than the
plantains, or bananas, had been. They passed the grove and came out on a
rocky stretch, overlooking a little valley where flowed a tiny stream,
glistening like silver in the sunlight.
"Beautiful scenery," murmured Leander, and Dick agreed with him. Then a
flock of gayly-colored birds flew out of some brush to the right of
them.
"If I only had my gun," cried Dick—for their firearms had been left at
the resting place.
"Let us see if we can't locate their nests," said Leander.
"I don't want to rob their nests," declared Dick.
"Neither do I; but we might have a look at the kind of eggs they lay."
So the pair set off through the brush and over the rocks.
They had gone less than fifty yards when they came to a spot covered
with long rushes.
"The ground seems to be shaky here," began Leander, when suddenly,
without warning, the rushes gave way, and down plunged both boys out of
the bright sunlight into almost total darkness.