CUBAN CITIES: HAVANA 115 



ful cottages surrounded by gardens, which suggest some of 

 our summer seaside resorts. 



The principal business streets are known as the Calle 

 Obispo and Calle O'Reilly. The latter runs from the 

 governor's palace east, and passes through the central 

 park to the outer walls of the city. It is a crooked thor- 

 oughfare, built centuries ago, with sidewalks so narrow 

 that one must step into the gutter to pass an opposing 

 pedestrian. Many of the houses of this and similar narrow 

 lanes and alleys of the old part of the town are but one 

 story high; but one story in Cuba is so lofty that it is 

 equivalent to two of our country. These streets are 

 crowded during the early hours with vehicles and people 

 engaged in shopping or commercial pursuits, and sailors 

 of all nations, for the foreign trade of Havana amounts to 

 fifty million dollars yearly. 



The wholesale houses are overflowing with plantation 

 supplies, while the shops are plentifully supplied with 

 European and native goods. Only a few years ago the 

 jewelers' and goldsmiths' shops were renowned throughout 

 the western world; but now, unfortunately, they are 

 entirely ruined. Even in 1878, when the shoe first began 

 to pinch in Cuba, many fine jewels, and some beautiful 

 specimens of old Spanish silver, Louis XV fans, snuff- 

 boxes, and bric-a-brac of all kinds, were offered for sale. 

 Often a negress would come to the hotel bearing a coffer 

 full of things for inspection. The mistress who sent the 

 good woman must have had implicit trust in her servant, 

 who frequently sold her wares for very considerable sums. 

 Few of the Havanese nobility and rich planters have any- 

 thing left which is worth selling nowadays ; but only a few 

 years ago Havana was a happy hunting-ground for bargain- 

 seekers. 



Street-railways with cars drawn by mules radiate in sev- 

 eral directions from the Paseo. One of the principal lines 

 proceeds north down the Paseo to the Punta battery and 

 baths on the Gulf shore, and then westward for several 



