106 



humboldt's cuba. 



of them not paved. As the paving stone is brought 

 from Yera Cruz, and its transportation is costly, the 

 singular idea had been entertained, shortly before 

 my arrival, of supplying its place with great trunks 

 of trees, as is done in Germany and Russia, in the 

 construction of dikes across swampy places. This 

 project was speedily abandoned; but travellers who 

 arrived subsequently to the making of the experi- 

 ment, were surprised to see beautiful trunks of 

 mahogany buried in the ruts of Havana. 



During my residence in Spanish America few of 

 the cities presented a more disgusting appearance 

 than did Havana, from the want of a good police. 

 One walked through the mud to the knees, and the 

 many carriages, or volcmtes, which are the charac- 

 teristic carriages of this city, and the drays laden 

 with boxes of sugar, their drivers rudely elbowing 

 the passer-by, made walking in the streets both vex- 

 atious and humiliating. 1 The offensive odor of the 

 salted meat, or tasajo, infected many of the houses, 

 and even some of the ill- ventilated streets. It is 

 said the police have remedied these evils, and that 



1 These evils have since that time been in a very great measure 

 remedied, and Havana is now as well paved, and lighted with gas as 

 the best regulated city of America or Europe, while a better police 

 system has removed many of the inconveniences of walking in the 

 streets. 



