The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1827-07-19
CUBA In 1e27.
s'ror, tie Ne,c- I'ork Dolly .4dcerttSe.'.
LETTER vi.


y,e diversions ofthe Inhabitants of the Havana
a.e fever tl.sn those Of most cities Of the United
states: ana this fact may in some degree be as !
cribed to the natute of the government, as ven
1, to the states Of society. The scenes OF dissi-
nation are much fever than those which Nc".
York. philads lphia or Boston furnish. euoa mas
10 drunk ards: and when an evil of SUCH hiaShl-
ude is taken away, society in one poh't mas ios'
curse. - 4!
The most prominent exhibitions Tor and ot |
ehe ladies' of Havana, is to be founa IN Hue
of about three quarters OF mile Ill length, run
ming parallel with the city, winch separate y
from the suburbs. it IS ca'iea ene Piaeo, i.1etai
~ trals. Il is a smooth, level road, kept IN the
nest pe,ect ORDER for the sole object OF display
no Cuban bellies and beauty. On each side ct
4 are fwo walks for the spectators, each shaded
81 q double row of trees, such - oranges, lines,
ocoanass. &c. planted with the most perfect
-eruiaFifv. To separate the walk from the road
3 small stone wall, about two and hall teet
high and one foot in thickness. In the eye oi
i. Cuban there is. nothing like the paseo' The
theatre Aamenla, plaza de arInas are mere en-
tircly ec,ipsed. "Ihe pazeo, the pazeo, have
sou seen the pazeo" is question which for
.igner must answer fifty times the first week OF
lis arrival; and if the enquirer be met with neg
alive he will tell YOU that YOU have not vet seen
Cuba. In short, he will feel like the citizen OF
! much greater city OF Europe, represented IN
the play, when he exclaims, that "lf you have
not seen Paris, then you have seen nothlag =
As far as the ladies' of Havana are concerned, this
opinion is not unfotnded On the holidays, at
about O'Clock in the afternoon, forth from the
cities come the voants and quitras, crowd after
crowd. Foot passengers also are eagerly, and
at some hazard, endeayoring TO get out, all
bound for the pazeo. vol,nt is a vehicle like
the pig, except that it is much larger, the
wheels heavy and set wide apart, he body
brought much farther forward, and vide enough
70 contain three persons. The qultra differs only
IN this particular, that the top falls down at the
will ofthe rider, the yolant top IS permanent
Havana contains an immense number OF these
vehicles, public and private. It IS however, con.
sIleretl beneath a lady to ride in public volan
hence all that appear at tie pa-eo are owned by
families, and consequently are remarkable Tor
their elegance and coatliness. No person IS Al
awed to use reins in driving, al Havana; the
.tretts are too narrow. Each horse is therefore
t,onntcG. b a driver Ecabtsero) always dresscc
in livery. There is, as may be expected, a clash
ing III the pless, for the pazco. The Virgin Ma
~ finds her name abused and inrok ed--wlth al
the addition oi 'ssantssina," "purlslha, &c
connected with other words not quite SO respect.
sui, in the midst Of locked wheels and broker
harnesses But the pace once gained, all ttou
bic is over. On each side Of the road are ranged
close to the wall and the volants and qnltras pls.
from owe end to the other at SLOW walk
and noX commences the display. The dress 4
tht ladies' is almost invariably white, ct the mos
costly kind. A wreath Of roses IN the hair, al,
sometimes veil hanging from the comb, 50 q
20 cover 0ny about half Of the head, and uon'
Of the face, is all the head-drcsS which they Wear
The small wan is lined with gentlemen, who ,ta
lion themselves there to gaze at the ladies'; AM
;ht ladies' in turn pass by, TO gaze at the genie
men. 1t may he called a staring match th
number of vehicles sometimes amounts 70 500
in which case the ride is extended beyond ~
paceo The ladies' amount to more than an
thousand From end to end they pass for abou
shree hours, to see and he seen. At dusk til
,ame confusion is observable IN returning as
entering the city. The sign ofrecogniton is
shake Of the hand TO the acquaintance on tn
walk, ard consequently there y perpetual wa'
ing OF hanikerchiets, fans, and hands
Or the subject Of female beauty ef Havana,
may sc SAID that about the usual proportion
females are pretty. Not indeed, if We make OF
northern standard the test, for no Cuba beaui
possesses lips and checks, Of which
s'They tell,
0utshine the beauty Of the sea,
White foam and crimson she'll"
But if regularity Of features-smoothnes
skin--dark eyes-dark hair, and beautiful teet
give any claims-then the Eabeneras may con
in for their share, Byron's description of II
- l. al.