SANTIAGO. 
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to Galicia, and being led by a miracle, was deposited in a mountain, and a 
chapel was built to mark the tomb. The shrine was forgotten, until in the 
beginning of the ninth century it was rediscovered through the agency of 
a star of extraordinary brilliancy, which hung over the place. A costly 
cathedral was then erected on the spot, which was named Santiago de 
Compostella (Campus Stellas—field of the star), and became a shrine to 
which devotees resorted in such multitudes that the pilgrimages gave rise 
to the popular name for the Milky Way—El Camino de Santiago—the 
road of Santiago. Thus recognized and honored, the Saint proved an 
important ally of the Spaniards against the Moors, frequently appearing 
in the midst of conflict in gleaming armor and turning the tide of battle. 
At the great battle of Clavijo, the Saint appeared on a milk-white steed, 
waving aloft a snow-white banner, and hewing down the ranks of the 
infidels, who were driven from the field, leaving behind them 6,000 slain. 
From that day to this “Santiago!” has been the battle cry of Spain. 
Cobre is a copper mining settlement on the southern side of the Cobre 
(Copper) Mountain range, nine miles west of Santiago. The mines are 
owned by a New York company, and the ore is shipped to the United 
States. The mines were worked at a very early day and supplied the 
material for the ordnance which defended the Spanish possessions in 
America. It was a curious circumstance that some of the guns with 
which the Americans bombarded Morro Castle were made of metal from 
the Cobre mines. Formerly the ore was transported to Santiago on the 
backs of horses, mules and camels. The camels fell victim to that minute 
insect pest the igua, which got into their feet and ruined them. 
The Virgin of Cobre. 
Here at Cobre is the church of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad del 
Cobre (Our Lady of Charity of Cobre). It is the most famous and popu¬ 
lar shrine in Cuba, and its history reveals an interesting phase of the 
religious development of the island. In the year 1638 two men and a 
negro slave boy of the mining village of Hato, near Cobre, went to the 
Bay of Nipe to collect salt. As they were rowing on the bay after a 
storm, they saw at a distance on the surface of the water what appeared 
to be a sea bird. On nearer approach it proved to be an image of the 
Virgin, supported upon a board and floating upon the waves toward land 
as if bound for a haven. The Virgin supported on her arm the Blessed 
Child, and in her right hand held a gold cross. On the board were 
inscribed the words. “Yo soy la Virgen de la Caridad ”—“I am the Virgin 
of Charity.” Filled with wonder and awe, they took the image into the 
boat and proceeded on their errand, and having secured their store of salt 
returned to Hato. Intelligence of their wonderful discovery preceded 
them, and before they reached the village they were met by the Mayor and 
the people, who escorted the image into the town, where a palm-thatched 
