Narrati\e of Bahama Expedition. 63 



repeatedly encountered in dealing with similar officials in 

 our own country, that we could but exclaim, as did Mark 

 Twain in regard to the French officials. '• We are measurably 

 their superiors in some things, but they are immeasurabh" our 

 superiors in others." 



Havana was founded about 15 19. and is thus among the \-erv 

 oldest cities of the new world, and was twice visited b}' Colum- 

 bus. Some of its fortifications were built by De Soto. It 

 was twice captured by the English, once by the pirate Jacob 

 Sores, and once by Admiral Drake, since which time it has 

 been continuously in the power of Spain, although several in- 

 surrections and so-called "revolutions"' have given the mother 

 country considerable trouble. 



The architecture is Moorish, as might be expected from the 

 fact that for centuries the Moors dominated Spain. The old 

 city, or that originally enclosed within the walls, bears the 

 appearance of being cramped for room, so characteristic of 

 walled cities. The streets are excessively narrow, barelv 

 allowing room for two wagons to pass, and are paved with 

 rough cobble-stones, affording anything but a comfortable 

 road-bed over which to ride. In many places the signs are 

 hung across the street, giving a decidedly oriental ajipearance, 

 but sadly obstructing the view. The sidewalks are ridicu- 

 lously narrow, not permitting two persons to pass. The rule 

 is '■ keep to the right," and if one is walking on the left side 

 of the street he must take to the gutter, unless he happens to 

 meet a pedestrian opposite a door, when it is customary' for 

 one person to step into the doorway and let the other pass on 

 the walk. Most of the windows above the first story project 

 over the sidewalk, and are enclosed by stout iron bars. Nine- 

 tenths of the notices posted in the windows and on street cor- 

 ners are devoted either to announcements of bull-lights or of 

 lottery drawings. Street peddlers are constantlv soliciting the 

 stranger to buy lottery tickets, and this evil is evidently hrmly 

 entrenched in Havana, as in most Spanish cities. To a 

 stranger the lottery appears utterly demoralizing in its tenden- 

 cies, and more harmful in Havana than the drink habit. 



