The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-05

10 request an interview. Mr.. King replied,
that he would be unable to receive the CAPTAIN
General before the next day, as he was exceed
ingly fatigued with his voyage. The Captain
General made answer, that the departure of
the Correo for Spain would prevent him from
coming till the day afer-as for instance,
Wednesday. On Wednesday, MIR King pre-
pared to receive his vislter, who neither came
nor sent an excuse Thursday passed over in
the Same way. Mr.. King then wrote a note,
to the effect that as he would be unable again
to bear the fatigue of preparing to receive Cen
eral Canedo, and as it was impossible for him
to visit the General, he begged the latter to
dispense altogether with the interview. This
note, through the Intervention of third party,
was not sent until Saturday, at noon On the
same day, at ttoo O'Clock, the General called on
MIR. King, but was civlly congedie!
From these facts, which have on the best
authority, think it plain that General Canedo
never attached any Importance to the visit of
Mr. King, and allowed himself TO neglect the
performance of what was at once a political
and social duty, till the receipt of Mr.. Kings
note suddenly suggested to him the false posi-
ton in which he was putting himself and the
opportunity which he was giving to the presses
of the United States to charge him with inten.
tional contempt Of the Americans, in the per-
son of 50 distinguished an officer of their Gov.
eminent. Whatever he may have meant to do,
or to leave undone it is certain that he has
helped TO swell the gathering feeling of hostili-
ty to his Government, which menaces from the
continent, this so much priced island
AS | stood in the Cathedral, and saw this
representative of the ancient Crown of Spain
advance, in all the paraphernalia of his rank,
and looked around me on the strange throng of
decorated officers and silken ecclesiastics and
collegans in black doublets and square ruffs,
that recalled the days of Rubens and Van
Dyke, and Velasquez, | seemed to myself to be
looking upon dlssolving view," the next
mutation whereof would present to the eye
clean and hungry" Yankees, in black satin
waistcoats; for the Captain General and the
bishop, +" the Governor of the State f" and " the
reverend clergy" and for grand mass in
honor of the Queen Fourth of July Grafton y
in the Tacon theatre. But all such dreams
were soon put to flight by the violent noise of
the service. The music was very Moorish, in
the matter of clangor and racket; and the bell,
ringing at the altar-now, at brief intervals,
with the impetuous suddenness of steamboat
bell signaling stop her" and cease her." now
prolonged, stunning, and vocferous, like din
ner bell--was more intolerable than have ever
heard elsewhere. There was a great deal of
posturing as usual, by men in cloth of gold and
cloth of silver but the service, though not less
Enthusiastically, was much less brilliantly per-
formed, than in even the smaller Italian cities
| happened to be very near four censor men,
two in red velvet dressing gowns, and two in
red damask They had the potato-like faces
of the most forlorn sons of Connaught; the soiled
collars of their seedy black coats peeped over
the splendors of their robes the huge silver
urns hung dejectedly for the day was hot, and
the men were weary as faded hacks around a
railroad station. Once seen, these wretched
men haunted me till left the church. What
possible purpose of religion could be answered
by the incense offered by such miserable NOR
tails, who seemed to loathe their heavy silver
censers as the tired stOker loathes his coal hod
Monday morning spent on the Azotea, OF
terrace, of the hotel, sketching the outlines Of
the city from that commanding post, and en-.
joying the delicious fresh air from the ocean
which rolled its broad shining flood halfway
round the horizon. Algiers seemed to be be-
meath me to the north the broad Paseo and
European city walls to the south carried me
in imagination, to the peninsula while TO the
east the immense yellowish masses of the GA
banas, and the Moro, with its light tower
made up the most marked and original part OF
the picture. A fine ship, going out under full
sail, and two or three smaller vessels running
in, few large birds swaying lazily to and fro
or moving in great circles overhead and the
ubiquitous volantes, clumsily galloping along
under the trees, gave life and animation to a
q mn % 4
still, in the broad tropical morning light
am going next week, to visit an estate neal
the new and magnificent port of Cabanas. in
the northwest of the island--a most beautiful
and romantic place among the mountains. We
shall pass through the picturesque vale of Ma
riel, and live in the heart of an almost inaccess
IDLE country, At every step of the way VIC shall
encounter the chance of O superb view. and TIT
risk of breaking our necks AS smoothing is NOR,
beneficial to the health than these Journey
which almost imperl your life, feel bound t,
60.
M. also made me present of tanned ser
pent skin, such as those Of which the wild war
drums were made, that the Aztec priests used
to beat upon their teocalis It will mako very
nice slippers for a modern man of mlder man.
ners. | am also going with him to q sugar es-
tate near Cardenas, where | shall see the
French machinery in all its perfection
Hayti and Jamaica have disappeared from
my longing view. My friends here warn me
80 strongly against the climate at this season,
that, great as is my desire to see the emanci.
pated islands, do not feel it to BIO right to in
cur any needless risks
On Monday evening, went to the theatre
to see Zarzuela, or comic operetta, which
was evidently taken from the French. The
acting was very ordinary the singing execrn-
bic, and the plot OF the piece absurd, just one
of those impossible plots which nothing but the
talents of the Montansicr or the Vaudeville
could render amusing. The house was very
full the Captain General in his box, and q
goodly show of ladies in the open Palcos The
audience exhibited such delight at the perform
ance, that | was somewhat consoed for the
many boasts have endured of the superiority
OF theatrical taste in Havana over our own
cities AZ far as musical cultivation particu-
larry, is concerned, the reputation of the Ha-
baneros has been easily acquired. Boston and
New York, notwithstanding the vast amount
of musical humbuggery annually perpetrated
in both places do unquestionably furnish nu-
mcrous and increasing audiences for the very
best and most classical music, such as is never
heard IN Havana. went to Edelmanns, which
is considered the music shop in the city, to get
some of the Cuban contra dances, and while
there, looked over good deal of music and
talked with the people about the subject They
told me that German music and classical
Italian music was in very little demand here,
Donizett and Verdi being the favorite COM
posers Of the Cubans Once in q while, they
import q few sonatas Of Beethoven, and they
had some mOrceaux Of the Nozze di Figaro
What the Mendelssohnians of Boston would
say to their shelves, forbear to imagine Then,
what can be thought of the musical cultivation
of place, in which Jenny Lind did not pay
her expenses Intolerabe as was the hum
bug which surrounded, still is it not utterly in
credible, that population really capable Of
approaching her exquisite powers, and her not
less exquisite use Of them, should have been in
different to the enjoyment Of such pleasure
as was her singing even under the most disad-