Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 2, February 1886Various
History
Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 15, No. 2, February 1886
Various
Periodicals
After seeing the handsome, dark-eyed boys of the college, its fine
library and other interesting apartments, I ascended with Father Osoro
to look at the observatory en the top of the building.
This solid and business-like structure possesses the newest and most
complete astronomical and meteorological instruments, and the accuracy
of the scientific results arrived at by the Fathers, has become justly
celebrated. They received a manifestation of merit from the Centennial
Exposition of '76, on account of their meteorological observations, and
the Parisian Exhibition presented them with a magnificent medal. Father
Benito Vines, the president, communicates regularly with Washington and
nearly every civilized nation. After viewing the interior of the
observatory, we came out on the roof, and here I beheld a novel and
wonderfully lovely sight. Stone and brick walks, four or five feet wide,
with railings at each side spread away, intersecting each other at
different points, and all were above the dark, red-tiled roofs of the
institution. Strong little edifices like watch towers, painted in blue
and white, stood out prominently near the walks, and no sooner did the
eye turn from these immediate objects, than it was dazzled by the superb
panorama of city, ocean, bay, sky and woodland that spread before it.
Father Osoro enjoyed the expressions of admiration that escaped me, as I
gazed on the high and low roofs on every side, the black turrets, the
walls of houses, red, green, blue, crimson, yellow, and white all
mellowed by age. Down below us were the narrow streets, the iron-barred
windows, the curious shops, verandas, balconies, flag staffs, flying
pigeons, flowers blooming on the roofs, and bananas growing. Away to the
north-east stood the grand Morro Castle, the sentinel of the harbor,
with its frowning guns, and its grand, revolving light shining like a
gem above the sea. Behind it, Fort Cabana looked long, bold and ancient,
backed on the east by evergreen hills, and decorated on the south by
palms and other tropical trees. The harbor, which glittered with
sunlight, was full of ships, buoys, sail-boats, music and sailors. On
this side of the bay appeared the old cathedral, with its dark gray
walls and black and brown roof. Yellow pillars, old towers, picturesque
wind-mills, brown iron stairs running up to the roofs of mansions,
palaces, domes, cupolas, plants of great beauty in vases on roofs, and
numerous old spires intervened. On the right, near the bay, could be
seen the old church, de San Francisco (now a customs storehouse), the
church de San Augustin, the church de Sancto Spiritu, and the palace of
the admiral to the south, the church de Mercede, that of St. Paul, the
arsenal, military hospital, gas houses, the Castello de Princepe, and
the suburban gardens of the captain-general. On the north, we beheld the
ocean, the Castello de Punta and the Casus de Benefecentia.
The Campo de Marte, Parque de Isabella, the parade grounds, trees,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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