1 90 SUNSHINE AND SPORT IN 



at modest deprecation, I accepted the apologia (on 

 behalf of Football) and felt myself blushing. 



The great hall was packed and must that after- 

 noon have seated its full allowance. During the 

 interval between the partido and quinielo my new 

 acquaintance took me into the ring, where we 

 conversed, or rather he conversed and I looked 

 interested (not understanding one word in ten), 

 with one or two of the darlings of the crowd, who, 

 perspiring freely after their strenuous game, were 

 drinking limonata and other mild refreshers. 



The most delightful evening ramble in the city 

 is along the parade beyond the Malecon, watching 

 the play of lights on the entrance to the harbour 

 and listening to the band play the Paloma, and 

 other novel airs. 



As the moon shone over the Morro, lighting on 

 ghostly ramparts that guard the harbour's mouth, 

 or perchance on the bronze maiden who dwells on 

 the roof of the old fort, little pleasure-boats, each 

 hooded with an awning, would shoot out from the 

 dark cliffs with a merry, tuneful freight of men and 

 maidens. Then I would stroll homewards, making 

 a devour by way of the old cathedral, which 

 enshrines a few of the many bones of the intensely 

 vertebrate Columbus. Dear dead explorer ! He 

 was buried in even more places than saw his birth, 

 and he must have been a bonier hero than even old 

 Atlantosaurus immanis / En pas descana / 



The temperature of Cuba in the month of May, 

 something just the right side of 80, is never 

 unpleasantly hot, though I have no desire to dis- 

 count the tortures of the American volunteers who 

 camped in the scrub on half-rations, fighting a fight 





