300 HAVANNAH. 
pands to the view. The city is built on a promon- 
tory, bounded on the north by the fort of La Punta, 
_ and on the south by the arsenals. On the western 
side it is protected by two castles, placed at the 
distance of 1407 and 2643 yards, the intermediate 
space being occupied by the suburbs. The public 
edifices are less remarkable for their beauty than 
for the solidity of their construction, and the streets 
are in general narrow and unpaved, in consequence 
of which they are extremely dirty and disagreeable. 
But there are two fine public walks to which the 
inhabitants resort. 
Although the town of Havannah, properly so 
ealled, is only 1918-yards long and 1066 broad, it 
contains more than 44,000 inhabitants. The two 
great suburbs of Jesu-Maria and the Salud accom- 
modate nearly an equal population. In 1810 the 
amount was as follows :— 
Whites,../. 2 oe 41,227 
Free Pardos, or copper-coloured men,... 9,743 
Free BI Tee Scere ee --- 26,349 
Pardos’ Slaves.::..5/...2. 22 2,297 28,728 
Black Slaveszs ..5.ccccsten cesses bis toe 26,431 f°" 
96,304 
There are two hospitals in the town, the number 
of sick admitted into which is considerable. Owing 
to the heat of the climate, the filth of the town, and 
the influence of the shore, there is usuallya great accu- _ 
mulation of disease, and the yellow fever or black vo- 
miting is prevalent. The markets are well supplied. 
A peculiar character is given to the landscape in 
the vicinity of Havannah by the palma real (Oreo- 
doxa regia), the trunk of which, enlarged a little 
towards the middle, attains a height varying from 60 
to 85 feet, and is crowned by pinnated leaves rising © 
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