A TRIP TO CUBA AND THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



vinegar, in which state it was much relished. A portion of the large mass was boiled, 

 but so badly cooked, in our estimation, and mixed with such desperately bad but- 

 ter or oil, that a little was enough. The whole of the cutting down, the unrolling 

 process, and examination of the delicate white folds, offered an example of vege- 

 table structure on a large scale, of very great interest, and we are very sure that 

 none of the American party will ever forget or regret the morning thus employed. 



At Mr. Monson's (the old coffee plantation), we had Gne opportunities of ob- 

 serving the novel insects, which are abundant in all tropical countries. A kind 

 of wood lice, called comehen, build enormous deformities, of the consistence of a 

 wasp or hornet's nest, on the stems of trees as well as their branches ; the paper- 

 like layers are extremely thin, and easily attacked by birds, which feed upon them 

 with avidity. The nests are so large as frequently to contain a bushel of insects ; 

 these the natives carry off, to feed and fatten their chickens. The beautiful cuccu- 

 lios, or great fire-flies, had not arrived when we left, so that we missed this famous 

 sight. Spiders, lizards, centipedes, and tree-frogs, are abundant ; the little lizards 

 are quite pretty, and seem to have no fear of man, whom they look at with their 

 beautiful and cunning eye, and allow him to scratch their heads. Birds, except a 

 parrot-billed blackbird, were not numerous at this early season, though flocks of 

 partridges occasionally flew up with their well known lohir. The wild dove was 

 plentiful in market, and a favorite food. 



About this region, but more especially on the southern side of the island, one 

 of the great annoyances to the botanist is a vine not inaptly called the tvait-a-hit. 

 It pervades every uncultivated woods, where it makes a pedestrian progress very 

 dilBcult. A short hooked spine at every bud and every joint of the tough branches, 

 and even of the leaves, not very unlike a fish-hook or a short hooked thorn bent 

 backwards, and very sharp, tears one's clothing, and is really a formidable enemy. 

 The compensation for all this, is the quantity t)f gorgeous flowers at every step ; 

 among these is the vanilla vine, with a bright green stem, the flowers white, of a 

 lily shape, and waxy appearance. Sometimes, in such rambles, you come to 

 orchideous plants large enough to fill two wheelbarrows. 



Matanzas. — Having engaged passage to New Orleans, we found time only for a 

 short visit to Matanzas. Understanding that the accommodations of the hotels 

 were desperate, we took pains to find out the best, and as everybody agreed that 

 the Ciervo de Oro (the Golden Stag) took precedence, on arrival by rail, our party 

 drove to it ; externally, it was of respectable proportions, with its name displayed 

 in huge letters, over a Moorish arch. The bar was rather prepossessing at first 

 entrance, but no booking of names was needed, and the landlord appeared quite 

 indifferent to his customers, though we constituted his entire stock of that import- 

 ant hotel article. At last, more by signs than understood words, we were shown 

 to our rooms, and such we hope never to be placed in again. To say that they 

 were dirty, is mild language ; in fact, they had evidently never been scrubbed or 

 cleaned with anything better than a whisk. The rough floors were grimy beyond 

 endurance. Yery soon we all decided to depart by first opportunity, for no sleep 

 could possibly be had in such beds. On inquiry, it was found that a steamboat in 

 good repute would depart for Havana in the evening. It was difficult to ascer- 

 tain at what hour, for Matanzas that evening rejoiced in an oi)era, and the boat 

 was to leave wlten the opera broke tip ! which would be at eleven or twelve o'clock. 

 We concluded to get some dinner, look at the town and the celebrated valley of 

 the Yumuri, and be ready at the earliest hour named. 



The cook's department was unfortunately prominently in view, and it soon ap- 

 ed that the Golden Stag was a restaurant to supply the families of Matanzas 

 kept no cooks. Fine fish were prepared for the fire, to be ready at the shortest 



