Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-06-18

porting and selling ice, which he obtains
from Boston, and retais it at twenty-five
cents pound; and but for such protec.
ton the article could be furnished here, to
the citizens at 8 or 4 cents per pound, at
which price all could procure this article,
which in this climate is almost necessary
of life. ..
The principal articles of export from
this city, are coffee, sugar and cigars; and
of the last, the amount now exported is
twelve millions of dollars annually; and the
amount consumed in this city alone, is ten
thousand dollars day, equal to 3,850,00O
dollars year, which among population
of 10000, the number Of Inhabitants in
the city and suburbs, is twenty.eight dol.
lars and fraction, year, for every man,
woman and child, white black and yellow.
This is smoking to some purpose: our
anti-smoking societies should take the sub
ject into consideration.
The. Spanish ladies smoke, and have a
small cigar made for their use: and when
they 90 abroad they carry small cigar
case suspended from their necks by gold
chain, like Apolla's CULVER, which is filed
with cigars, of which they make great
use; smoking, splitting and chattering at the
same time with grace and elegance pecu-
larly their own: and lighting their cigars,
and after putting them into smoking con-
dition, they present them with the most
winning grace, to the gentlemen around
them, which cigars lose none of their fine
aroma from being first in their pretty
mouths.
This custom would be considered very
shocking and vulgar in our country; but
here it is practised by the most refined and
polite classes Manners and customs are
very arbitrary and conventional things,
and every one thinks that his own man.
ners and customs, like his religion, are
much better than those of his neighbors;
although he cannot assign single sensible
reason why he thinks so. Men every
where, and in all things, measure them
selves by themselves, and compare them
selves with themselves, and commend them
selves among themselves" and always ar
rive at the conclusion, that they are the
cleyerest fellows in the world; and that,
when they die, if their manners, customs
and religion should all die with them, the
world would sustain an irreparable loss.
l believe that we have in our country
as much bigotry and foolish prejudice as
can be found in any civilized country on
earth; and with US these things are more I'M
pardonable than with any other people, be-
| cause our institutions and government are
of the most liberal kind, and should en-
large and liberalize the minds of our peo-
pie; yet they fail to do it.
In our country the ecclesiastical is far
behind the political, civil and literary; nor
can the first keep pace with the spirit and
progress of the age. In its character it is
purely despotic; and centralizing in its
tendency: and the only advantage result
ing from multiplicity Of sects among us,
| is but negative one; and that is they
counteracts and defeat each others inten-
tons and designs. Ecclesiastics in all ages
have shown as great fondness for power
as politicians, and have abused it to a
greater extent.
The city of Havana, the Metropolis of
Cuba, written in the Spanish language
Habana, which signifies harbor, is situated
on the northern side of the island, right
under the tropic of Cancer, and has the
finest and safest harbor in the world
The entrance is less than quarter of
mile wide, and is defended on the left
hand by Moro castle, second only to Glib
raltar in point of strength. Standing on the
termination of rocky promontory which
sweeps round the eastern side of the har-
Dor in the form of crescent, she COM
mands effectually the entrance, as all YES
sells entering have to brush the rocks and
pass right under her guns, which are placed
in chambers excavated in the rock. She
is truly tremendous fortress, and from
the number and weight of her cannon, she
could sink all the fleets in the world, in
few hours, if in reach Of her shot, without
receiving any injury. About half mile
above the Moro castle on the same pro.
montory is the Cavanas, another castle lit
tie inferior to the Moro, which covers the
city, that lies right opposite on the other
side of the harbor, between the Cavanas
| and the Moro, are subterranean commune
cations through the solid rock which is
limestone; and right opposite the Moro
castle is the Purto, another impregnabie
fortress. To attack Havana by sea would
be madness in the extreme. The city is
also surrounded by walls 30 feet high, 10
feet thick, and filled up in the inside, so as
to be easily assembled every where; besides
all this, the heights in the neighborhood
are crowned with castles, strong and we'll
manned, so that an army marching to at
tack Havana would find it perilous un-
dertaking, though it was once taken by the
English under General Abercrombie--but
it was before the Cavanas was erected.