THE CUBA REVIEW 



37 



ADMINISTRATION 

 HOUSE OF A 

 SUGAR 

 PLANTATION. 



RESIDENCE OF A PLANTER. 



Cuban dejeuner, plates heaped with congreros mores, those delicious crabs which reach 

 the highest state of delectability in the bays near Cardenas and Caibarien ; large succu- 

 lent pink shrimps ; wicked-looking little ruby lobsters, — no wonder the Cubans are 

 sallow! — slivers of ham and olives; then black bean soup; a red snapper fried in batter 

 with its mouth open ; and the eternal but always welcome omelette, stuffed this time with 

 the most tender little green peas. For dessert, a pineapple of such luscious sweetness 

 that sugar would have been an ifisult, and the usual guava jelly and Cuban cheese made 

 from goat's milk. 



Our volante, as the easy-riding native carriage is called,, was due at the hotel at 

 twelve, but though we waited until one, frantically telephoning every ten minutes to the 

 stable and receiving assurances that it was on the way, it did not appear. Finally we 

 jumped into a "gua-gua" and drove furiously to the stable, where, after a conversation 

 conducted in Spanish more resonant than melodious, we found that the faithless and 

 greedy Pedro had "sublet" our volante, the most luxurious one in the city, to another 

 party of Americans for double the customary price. Now volantes are scarce, there 

 being only about a dozen in the town, and as the road we had to travel was impassable 

 except in one of those strange vehicles, the Captain was in a fine frenzy. He danced 

 from one foot to the other gesticulating madly and denouncing the oily-tongued but now 

 abashed Pedro in the most mellifluous and awe-inspiring Spanish expletives until he 

 finally produced a very decrepid volante which was made to suit our needs, the Captain 

 riding between us on a little mushroom-like stool fastened to the floor of the vehicle. 



Our way lay over the famous San Isidro road, which coils and twists like a silvery 

 serpent for several miles up from Matanzas, and from the top of the hills commands a 

 splendid view of the beautiful city with its two rivers (Yumuri and San Juan), its 

 dancing bay, old forts and stately cathedrals. To the right and left of us were thousands 

 of royal palm trees, some growing in groups, some planted to form hollow squares or 

 avenues, and in the distance always the purple mountams, so striking a feature of that 

 particular part of the island. 



