650 Foreign Notices : — Germany. 



brought by sea to find terrestrial repose. It is ornamented with a most 

 beautiful specimen of Oreodoxa regia, and a Cocos nucifera. The square is 

 regularly divided into compartments by broad paths laid with flat stones ; and 

 planted with Citrus and A'erium Oleander, some oreodoxas, cocos, Artocarpus 

 incisa about 30 ft. high with an immense head, and a species of Bombax 

 from 60 to 70 feet high, and 6 ft. in diameter at a foot from tlie ground, 

 cassias and mimosas, and several other trees apparently unknown to me. On 

 perambulating the town, I found it very large, and regularly built ; the 

 houses one and two stories high, and no [)aved streets, but only a cause- 

 way From the great number of shops, in which all kinds of objects can be 

 purchased, the town has quite a European appearance ; and it is only the 

 smell of dried meat and fish, the same odour which is emitted from the abodes 

 of the negroes, that destroys the illusion. 



It is natural to suppose that I went as soon as I could to visit the botanic 

 garden here, which is managed by a M. Pedro Auber, by birth a French- 

 man. If I had not been told it was a botanic garden, I should rather have 

 taken it for a nursery of different kinds of trees. It is divided by broad 

 paths, many of which are so wet and marshy that you can hardly find a firm 

 place to set your foot on. From what the governors told me, the garden is at 

 present on the decline, but they hope soon to bring it into a more creditable 

 state. Its greatest ornament is one which is wanting in all European gardens, 

 viz. a splendid avenue of oreodoxas, and of these there are about eighty in 

 each row, 70 or 80 feet in height, and covered with blossom and fruit: and 

 not less beautiful are the rows of Casuarina fquisetifolia vera, called here the 

 cedar. There are also beautiful specimens of Cocos nucifera, Phoe^nix dacty- 

 lifera, a fan palm unknown to me, 6'jcas revoluta, Citrus, iaurus, cassias, 

 mimosas, Bambusa arundinacea in extremely high hedges, splendid specimens 

 of Artocarpus incisa ; clusias, probably alba and rosea ; several species of 

 iSida ; large surfaces covered with Pothos, Calddium bicolor, and other yiroidete. 

 The trees are entwined by convolvuluses and ipomceas. The ^uphorbifl pul- 

 cherrima, with its innumerable blossoms and beautiful red bracteas, the Canna 

 indica, and several other species, are here seen growing in the deepest 

 marshes ; also tiie most formidable hedges of opuntias, yuccas, and agaves. 

 Greenhouses and hotbeds are nowhere to be seen in the garden ; and there 

 are but a very few plants in pots, such as Orchideae and euphorbias, which 

 did not look well ; and, besides the opuntias, only the Cereus speciosissimus 

 and triangularis are in the garden. Our simple balsams, Tagefes patula, and 

 other Mexican summer flowers, were seen here and there among the trees ; 

 and this was all M. Auber, with the most friendly feeling and unlimited 

 goodwill, had to offer me. 



On the same side of the city is situated the Pasco de Tacon, so named 

 after the late Governor Tacon, who, however, only got it made at the public 

 expense ; and it is, indeed, a very large public promenade. It consists of a 

 carriage way 2500 ft. long, 40 ft. broad in the centre for carriages, and 26 ft. 

 broad at each side for foot passengers. The whole descends from both ends 

 to the middle, so that a general view is obtained from the two extremities. 

 There is a circular piece of ground at the entrance, surrounded by a wall 5 ft. 

 high, and the gate is guarded by two marble lions. In the centre of this 

 circle stands a statue of Charles III., with the following inscription : " A 

 Carlos III., el Pueblo de la Habana, anno MDCCCIII." From tiiis circle 

 you proceed to the avenue ; and at about 600 ft. distance there is another 

 circle, surrounded by two rows of hcautitid lofty Casuarina cquisctifolia, and 

 in the centre a pillar 20 ft. iiigh, on a pediment 10 ft. high. After another 

 space of 600 ft., 30U find a similar circle ornamented with a basin and foun- 

 tains, and a pedestal with five urns and four marble figures. The avenue is 

 twice more divided in this manner, with 300 ft. and 260 ft. between the 

 circles ; and at the other end is one sia.'iiar to that at the entrance, with a 

 pillar -to ft. iiigli in the centre ; and the gate is ornamented with two urns, 

 24' ft. in height, standing on pedestals. The trees in the avenue are Aleurites 

 triloba, several species of i^icus, /-'hyllanthus, and Cedrela. Tiiere are stone 



