26 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
[Jan. 11, 1896. 
ingly cold, our questions hardly noticed, and abruptly 
turning to three Chinamen Mr. Williams seemed much 
more engrossed in pleasing them than us two American 
citizens. After standing around a few minutes, hoping 
for further chance of a parley, we left, still further im- 
pressed — as all Americans are who travel — with our 
wretched Consular service. 
A block further on I had our driver stop again to leave 
some negatives to be printed, and then on we went to the 
colored banker, or money changer, Mr. Hardy. Intend- 
ing to continue thence on foot we handed our driver a 
pesado or 20 cents, the right and legal fare — so we had 
read in the guide book. Our quiet man immediately 
awoke and in an instant seemed all on fire. What I took 
to be cursing came in long lines from his mouth like a 
volcano, and in that smooth tongue how easily the words 
did flow. Not knowing the reason we quickly fled into 
Hardy's shop, the driver and a crowd after us. Fortu- 
nately English was spoken there, and it appeared that 
instead of 20 we owed 60 cents for our ride, explained by 
our three stops at 20 cents a stop. If you tell the driver 
to stop while you light a cigar or cigarette, one stop 20 
cents; but if you don't stop you can cross the city from 
border to border for the pesado. When one is familiar 
with the custom, I question if there is better or cheaper 
cab service in the world. 
For our greenbacks Hardy gave us a lot of money called 
pesos, pesados and a lot of other "dos," at the rate of 
|l.l0A in Spanish silver for American silver, greenbacks 
or gold. Be it understood, however, the Spanish dollar 
contained as much silver as our own. For our money of 
whatsoever kind, marked United States of America, he 
gave in Spanish gold $1.07^ for every American dollar. 
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, ye silver fanatics. 
These United States, thanks be to those to whom honor is 
due, are not yet in that slough of "financial despond" 
where we find Spain and Italy to-day. Feeling rich as 
Crce3us with the mass of silver in our pockets, we walked 
up Obisto street, the Broadway of Havana from a shop- 
ping standpoint, but in reality, as all the streets are, so 
narrow that a carriage can go only one way; resembling 
Philadelphia in this respect. Having just dodged a whirl- 
ing cabby and being nearly run down by a string of eight 
mules hauling a big two-wheel cart, we emerged on a lit- 
tle plaza, with a fountain playing in the center, sur- 
rounded by green grass, palms and flowers. What ap- 
peared to be toy soldiers stood there smoking cigarettes. 
They looked so cute I felt as though, should chance or war 
ever, throw me in contact with such men, I would want to 
pick them up and put them in my pocket. To find our 
way we addressed them in their language, the word's of 
which in guide-book Spanish we knew so well and spoke 
so badly. Vain effort, not a sign of "sabe" came to them, 
and all they could say was "Yo no entiendo" (I do not 
understand). Finally we said, "Hotel Inglaterra." Then, 
with a pleased and happy countenance, they pointed out 
our way. 
Up the strange little streets we walked, noting to our 
great regret few signs of beauty among the women, who, 
though wearing no hats but the Spanish mantilla, pow- 
dered their faces so plentifully as to give them a sickly 
white appearance. The men were of the type seen and 
known everywhere as the Spanish race. At last, on the 
top of the slight slant on which the city is built, we en- 
tered Central Park, or the Parque de Isabel II., to find it 
thronged with people. The cause was quickly noted, for, 
led by a gorgeous black and gold hearse, a funeral of some 
prominent politician or general was passing by. From 
on top of a big wagon, with a fellow kodaker, we gained a 
grand view of all that passed, and saw in the full evening 
dress of the men who rode in the carriages an explanation 
of many such we had seen driving rapidly about town in 
broad daylight. 
Weary with our exciting walk and ride, and with 
tongue twisted all out of shape trying to talk French, 
English and Spanish, we Beated ourselves at a table in the 
cafe of the Inglaterra,feeling assured that at last we could 
again enjoy the pleasure of hearing our own native tongue. 
What's in a name? That which we call a rose 
By any other name would smell as sweet. 
And so with that hotel. Its name was a blind. No one 
spoke English, and so, not knowing "cervezha" meant 
beer, we called for Milwaukee, and you should have seen 
that boy jump. The idea of our not knowing. I think 
with another generation the word "Milwaukee" will be 
Spanish for beer, at least in Cuba. Having to guess the 
cost we thought it safe to hand him a dollar and then re- 
ceive the change. This amounted to 20 cents, but 
my eyes chanced to wander to the cash register on the 
bar where he rang it up, and saw the honest (?) boy push 
up 15 cents and the rest went in his pocket. Great 
Yankee invention as a check on barkeepers, the cash 
register, but it takes a Cuban to run it. 
Thinking a drive in the cool of the afternoon would be 
pleasant we hired a rig "per hora" for $1.25 and soon 
found ourselves in the outskirts of the city on the drive 
Paceo de Tacon, a street corresponding to the Champs 
Elysees or Bois, close by the Botanical Gardens, full of 
royal palms, strange trees and flowers without number, 
along a well-kept smooth road with hedges of thick cac- 
tus, until at last we came to the cemetery. There many 
illustrious dead no doubt lie buried, with some real marble 
tombs or headstones erected to their memory, and many 
shams. The latter are of what seemed to be plaster 
painted white or yellow, built inside an iron fence on 
which hung iron painted wreaths or colored flowers in a 
glass case. Back we drove, near where the blue sea 
dashed on the shore, through the rich suburban homes of 
the better class. No more vivid coloring have I ever seen 
than the painting of those houses. Blues, pinks, yellows 
and whites, no two exactly alike in tint, and although 
only one story high differing somehow in architectural 
effect. Some yards were rose gardens, others all green 
palms and ferns, while over the whole side and porch of 
one house twined a vine of solid flowers the color of the 
richest magenta; a royal vine, no hue of northern flower 
have I ever seen to equal it. The rich red soil seemed to 
produce everything planted with a force as though native 
to the spot. I fancied it was all as Eome once was, only 
there the houses were marble; here brick or stone and 
plaster; but Rome could not have had prettier courtyard 
gardens with fountains, as all such were in Havana. It 
seemed a sweet dream that winter afternoon, winter still 
by the calendar at home, but June by the air and climate. 
Once back in town, we punched cabby in the back and 
said, "To the yachta, boata, aqua" and everything pertain- 
ing to water we could think of to get him to go to the 
dock; but he drove around the square in such an aimless 
way, wearing such a sickly smile, that at last in despera- 
tion we said ' 'Inglaterra" again, and back there we drove 
in the almost vain hope of seeing an English-speaking 
human being. At last I found an interpreter who told 
our driver where to go, saying to us, "When lost again, 
just say 'Machina,' and he will know where, to take 
you," Blessed yachtl never more welcome came the 
good old Anglo-Saxon to my ears than when Morris 
called, "Oara, let fall, and give way," to the sailors in the 
gig- 
After dinner we all sat on deck awhile in the moon- 
light, watching the twinkling lights floating about in the 
harbor or the larger anchor lights hanging from the 
steamships near us. All the men on board sat puffing 
away at cigars from 3in. long to panetelas which seemed 
lft. in length. And such cigars! For 8 and 10 cents we 
smoked ones which cost 25 at home, and the sailors had a 
brand at $3.50 per 100 for which they claimed great 
things. Puff, puff, puff — each one seemed a miniature 
human furnace, praising to the sky their own smart pur- 
chase as being the best and cheapest in Havana. He who 
wrote, "It was my last cigar," luckily put the fellow on a 
quarterdeck "off the blue Canarie Isles," and not the 
Greater Antilles, for poor indeed is he who sits on a deck 
in Havana and smokes his last cigar. 
Havana by gas and moonlight was not to be missed, so 
on shore we went again about the little streets up to 
Plaza Isabel. "What an improvement on New York 
parks!" we all exclaimed on noticing the benches and 
iron seats there arranged. They do things differently in 
Cuba in many ways, for scarcely were we seated before a 
man came along and collected 5 cents from each of us. 
Tiring of the passing throng, several of us bought seats 
for the theater. The play I could only tolerate about fif- 
teen minutes; perhaps I was hard to please, but it was 
tedious, incomprehensible and decidedly vulgar, and 
when I again breathed the fresh air from the deck of the 
yacht I felt a great relief, 
The following day with an interpreter we visited the 
churches, which we found exceedingly uninteresting, and 
the markets, which are of interest for the many strange 
fruits and vegetables, but the place was far from clean. 
We lunched at the Louvre, where fortunately French 
was spoken, so we fared well, and I advise all who visit 
Havana to go there for a good dinner. 
Having secured a room at the Pasaja Hotel, with a 
pretty little balcony and tiles on the floor, for Mrs. C. and 
Miss S. , they desiring to spend a night on shore, Morris 
and I taking the guide with us jumped on a street car. 
Seeing all the men smoking I also lit a cigar, which lasted 
me the three miles out to the suburb, Jesus del Monte. 
To cigar smokers this is known everywhere as the site of 
Julien Alvarez's Henry Clay factory, probably the largest 
cigar factory in the world. I had always promised my- 
self this visit and was amply repaid. They make in com- 
pany with Bock & Co., of the Golden Eagle brand, some 
800 varieties, from $1,000 per 1,000 to $20 per 1,000. These 
are gold list Havana prices, and multiplying the same by 
two and a half about gives you the New York price duty 
paid. If for no other reason let us annex Cuba to get 
good cigars cheap. They say all smokers, even though 
strong protectionists at home, become free traders after a 
visit to Cuba. Besides cigars the factory turns out millions 
of cigarettes, but these are little known I think in the 
United States, at least since my return I have noticed 
very few on sale. The Algodon papel (cotton paper) is 
too thick for American taste. Perhaps as famous and as 
interesting a factory is that close by the Pasaje, but the 
ride out in the country to Jesus del Monte is well worth 
the trip, seeing as you do inns by the roadside, with open 
bar or counter, to the very edge of which horsemen ride 
and drink without dismounting. The climate being 
always warm the store is wide open to the world. The 
iron grating over the windows, alike in town on house of 
rich or poor, gives also ample protection against robbers, 
besides allowing the air to ventilate freely through all the 
rooms. 
But, speaking of robbery, I spent my last morning on 
shore taking photographs about the streets of fruit 
venders, milkmen with cans of milk strapped to the 
mule's sides, cathedrals, castles, forts, stores and I cannot 
tell what all. Running short of plates, I bought some for 
$1.75 per dozen (95 cents in New York), and was then 
charged $1 to use the dark room to put them in the 
holders. Nothing except tobacco is cheap in Havana, as 
we found while shopping that afternoon. They have 
some beautiful fans, and to tell the truth, that is about all 
I could see to bring away as acceptable souvenirs. Had 
the island not been under martial law we should have at- 
tempted a run back into the country, but we were cau- 
tioned against doing so. All the signs of a revolution we 
saw, however, were the numerous mounted soldiers about 
town, together with what we read in occasional copies of 
the New York Herald. 
We could not see all there was to see in that interesting 
city, so leaving for a future visit the many other attrac- 
tions of Havana, on the morning of March 8 we steamed 
down and out the harbor past the forts, which we saluted 
with guns, and speedily headed E, i N,, some five miles 
off shore, for Matanzas, the second city of importance in 
Cuba. The water was smooth as glass and blue as a tur- 
quoise. We skirted along the beautiful coast past Santa 
Cruz and the cut at Jaruca River. Great rifts in the 
shore led down from the high palm tree capped mountain 
ridges inland to the glorious sea, making a picture to en- 
chant even the dreariest soul. It was about noon when 
we turned in at the long harbor of Matanzas, and amidst 
the sportive play of an immense school of sharks cast 
anchor. 
What beauty the landscape and towns of Latin coun- 
tries present at a distance, away from the dirt, discerning 
in a glance the toute ensemble, as our Gallic friends say. 
So I gazed on Matanzas and bewailed the lack of enter- 
prise which has allowed its fine sheltered harbor gradually 
to fill in and compel shipping to anchor nearly a mile 
from the city. The great wharf built entirely of 
mahogany, alongside which in ante-bellum days Mr, Ulmo 
told us great ships were tied, is now used only by lighters. 
These are towed by a tug to the ships loading with sugar 
out in the bay, and if the wind be right, bacK they come 
with a square set sail. All the town lay in the bend of 
the horseshoe harbor. From the water's edge it climbed 
the hill behind, leaving, however, a broad green strip 
from^the skirts of the town to the hilltop surmounted 
there with a cathedral, from which at eventide a curfew 
"tolled the knell of parting day." I was at first impressed 
with the'beauty of their having selected red tiling for the 
roofs, but found that of such color was the only soil from i 
which they could be made. 
Sending the captain ashore for our papers, we shortly 
followed, to find arrangements had been made for a drive i 
in volantes to the Cuives de la Mar (Caves de la Mar). 
While waiting for the rigs we were introduced to and en- 
tertained by the Capitain de la Porte, Capt. Riga, late 
commander of the Infanta Isabel. A most charming' 
Spanish gentleman we found him, and were rather sur- 
prised to learn that our salute gun created quite a stir in 
town, many people thinking it was a gunboat come to 
quell the rising rebellion. Very queer vehicles were those 
volantes. Built with a very large, soft, comfortable seat 
over two big wheels, extra long shafts, between which 
one horse was hitched; another outside, with traces once 
again as long as the shafts, was ridden by the driver. 
How they did fly around, up hill and down without 
slacking pace, taking ditches and gutters at full speed. 
Their long coupling makes a jolt hardly perceptible. We 
followed the shore some two miles to the east of town, 
passing en route long strings of horses tied together going 
to be washed in the sea. Then we turned inland some 
two miles further to the caves. To those who have vis- 
ited Luray Caverns in Virginia a comparison is hardly 
worth while, for besides the heat, 100° Fahrenheit, which 
drove the ladies out again, the long wax candles have so 
smoked the stalactites and stalagmites as greatly to mar 
their beauty. A walk of a half to three-quarters of a 
mile completes the circle and you have seen it all. 
Hardly had an hour passed before we gained the town 
once more, and going through, with gaping! natives 
and naked little boys yelling "Americano," we ran up 
rather a steep road to the cathedral seen from the bay. 
From that hill in two views I had sufficient reward, all 
else aside, for the journey to Cuba. Matanzas city with 
its harbor is itself a pearl set in Cuba, long known to the 
world as the Pearl of the Antilles. Looking the other 
way, in all its most impressive fullness stretched the val- 
ley of the Yumuri, comprising one of the richest bodies 
of land, if not the richest, in this whole Garden Island. 
It lay in a basin several hundred feet below U8, and never 
have I been struck anywhere with an evidence of such 
unbounded fertility as that valley presented. Nowhere 
was there the least sign of barrenness; every inch seemed 
cultivated, while scattered in clumps and singly, royal 
palms, 50, 60 and 70ft. tall, lifted their long green 
branches to heaven. Hardly visible, little houses were 
peeping out from under the foliage here and there, and 
but for its length and breadth, some ten by five miles, it 
had the appearance of a great garden. I appreciate how 
feebly my dull words picture in any sense to you the rest- 
ful feeling that scene portrayed, but so long as I shall live 
nothing can erase the beautiful picture. If there be any 
place else in that island, 760 miles long and from 20 to 135 
miles wide, like that valley I hope to see it some day. As 
darkness stole over the scene we turned away and went 
back to the yacht, listening meanwhile to the faint sound 
of the curfew bells. 
During the evening I walked through the city, and 
finding an English-speaking citizen asked him to accom- 
pany us. A fair being in progress we were persuaded to 
try our luck by buying for 10 cents each little rolls of 
paper wrapped up like lamp lighters. With daily, weekly 
and monthly lottery drawings born in their blood, noth- 
ing as a money-making scheme can succeed in Cuba car- 
ried on in any other way than by chance. The Royal 
Havana Lottery, by the way, yields many millions yearly 
to the State. Occasionally, by unrolling the little papers, 
a number would be stamped on the inside to correspond 
with some object about the room. We won prizes from 
a toy boat to a set of cologne bottles, a few yards of lace 
and a washstand, until, followed by an ever-increasing 
crowd, Morris and I sought the outer plaza and a neigh- 
boring cafe. Our pilot, continually up to tricks, men- 
tioned some words in Spanish which he said he once knew 
belonged to an extensive and close Cuban society. I don't 
know if what he said was true or not, but the waiter 
could not do enough for us and was so pressing in his 
attentions — attracting notice to us by so acting — that I 
thought the better part of valor was in flight, and so took 
myself off, only to get lost in the many and devious 
streets to the wharf. Seeing at last my predicament, and 
perhaps suspecting me as a filibuster — for the town waB 
strictly guarded against such — a mounted soldier rode up 
and asked what I sought. I by that time had learned a 
little Spanish, and inquired the way to the yacht, which 
he quickly put me in the way of finding, so exchanging 
buenas noehes and a cigarette we parted. 
On Saturday morning we entertained Capt. Riga on 
board with seVeral other gentlemen and ladies. Late in 
the afternoon an invitation to a ball the following night 
was brought out to us, and pleading only the custom of 
the country we went. About 9 in the evening, rigged in 
the full regalia of summer ball gowns and evening dress, 
four of us went ashore to be met on landing by the Capi- 
tain and sefioras, and in four carriages we were rapidly 
driven along the narrow streets to the club. At the door 
we were met by ushers and escorted into the ball room, 
where, as strangers, we were quickly the cynosure of all 
eyes. Mac and I were at our wits' ends to know what to 
say to a lot of masked senoritas who spoke to us, and had 
it not been for an occasional one who spoke French I 
should have been utterly wound up. Right here let me 
beg you to learn at least a little Spanish before visiting 
Cuba — your pleasure will be increased a huudredfold. 
Those unmasked— and it goes without saying, 'twas 
human nature, they were the prettiest — had a lan- 
guage of their bright black eyes and long lashes 
the greatest dullard could understand. Their native 
dance, "The Danza," approached nearest to a waltz 
of any; but for slowness and strangeness it was like unto 
nothing so far in my life's experience. This dance, the 
ofteneat played by the orchestra, derives its popularity 
from the many stops while dancing it, giving thus to 
young people the only opportunity to be alone together 
and talk. Not solely from gallantry do I say it, but in 
truth I saw many pretty faces, and their black eyes are all 
romance has pictured them. Mrs. C.'s position, seated as 
she was with the sefioras (to whom the knowledge of Eng- 
lish was as foreign as the North Pole has been to Arctic 
explorers), was tedious; so, having invited the belle of the 
ball and several others out next day, we bade all good 
night. 
Agreeable to the engagement, Mac and I went to No. 7 
Rio Calle about 10;30 next day; but upon our arrival were 
