The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-06
LETTER FROM HAVANA.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM HAVANA.
Correspondence of the Richmond DISPATCH
HAVANA, January 20, 1869.
"A walk through the streets OF havana ;
furnishes one with @ good many ooJects OF
interest. There is something OF excltement
in it. too for the break-neck velocity with
which the vehicles are driven along these
narrow WAYS forces the pedestrian 10 exer-
oise the discernment of the hawk and the
agility of the antelope to keep from under
their wheels. The drivers are perfectly
reckless; and l am convinced that THIS
recklsssness is strongly tinctured with ma
lice prepense. verify believe that they
strive to run over the foot-passeDgers ana
in nv own oase-may confusion confound
them for it they succeeded. On the very
day Of nv arrival was cast down and well
nigh destroyed by avolante, which bore
down upon me with the utmost wrath and
violence, while l was standing on o corner
With my whole heart and soul absorbed In
the attempt to decipher theatre bill. MY
stock Of Spanish objurgations was at that
time limited TO one which ! had picked up
aboard the Lavacca, of SO appalling cha
racter that, as | have since learned, no
decent person would utter it for the world.
This obiurgstion hurled at the driver with
all nv strength whereat he laughed de-
risively, and went laundering on.
In the streets YOU will see multitudes of
vendors of multifarious articles, many OF
them conveying their wares In Immense
hampers slung over the backs OF horses.
The kind and quality of their commodities
they announce in sy llables of dolor, length
ily yelled forth, of the saddsst and most
lupubrious cast. From them can be pro
cured everything required to supply the
daily wants of family-fruits, chickens,
eggs, and sugarcane; which last article Is
sucked in enormous quantities by the Ha-
baneros. You will also very likely meet
with large droves Of COWS, accompanied by
their calves, coming into town to be MIXED
at the doors Of their patrons-a plan worthy
of all commentator and imitation, since 1t
allows every consumer to water his milk to
suit his own taste. Another thing that you
will be sure to see is q long string OF horses
advancing towards you overwhelmed and
almost hidden in extraordinarily yolumi-
nous loads Of green fodder, and giving you
p capital idea of the mode in which Birnam
wood came to Dunsinane and you will, fur
thermore, see good many clumsy carts
drawn by oxen, which will afford you the
opportunity Of comparing the Cuban method
of applying o1-power with ours; this
method being to gear the OK SO that ne
pushes with his forehead instead OF pulling
with his shoulders, as with us, while any
hardness of locomotion is guarded against
by substantial stick with sharp nail in
the end of it, which is poked into him with
al the fervency and zeal which is uniformly
displayed by folks hereabouts when ope-
rating on the feelings of their fellow
creatures. You will also be able to realize
the immense business that is done in the
sale of lottery tickets. A great many per-
soma gain their livelihood exclusively by
pedling these tickets, and you will encoun'
ter them every where, equipped with great
sheets Of tickets and q pair Of shears, read
to snip off as many as you want. Almost
every one who comes to Havana invests 8
little in this direction. PIE invested, and
with our accustomed luck, drew some of the
most conspicuous blanks in the whole batch
Lastly, here, there, and everywhere, you
will be assailed by beggars, till you are
constrained to believe that if the number
of persons engaged in pursuit furnishes
any Indication of its prosperousness, men
-dicancy is one Of the most lucrative and
desirable ayocations that can be followed in
Havana. ea@ 't.s rz,-. ~ i.s,-a
= Along these streets there flows continu-
GUS tide of people with compilations oil
milk-and .cider mixed in variable proper
lions, every one, with scarcely an excep-
ton, smoking a Cigar or cigarette, and
dressed in costume to suit the climate
Some 70 in their shirt-tails, and some few
without any shirts at all. The ladies'
dresses are furnished with the most pre-
tentious trails, which sweep the streets
effectively as they smble along and l have
often chuckled most Enthusiastically as |
beheld them raking up the hundreds Of
old cigar-stumps that stand in their path
to think that was not husband or q
father, compelled to furnish them with dry
goods for this purpose. .ar,,l, ..-..,,-g-
80 As q southerner, / have naturally been
interested in noting the condition Of the
negroes here. 1t appears to me that they
are treated remarkably we'll. Before l
visited Cuba it Was my impression, and
doubtless it. is. that Of many Americans,
that they were subjected to great hardships,
and even craelties; but az far as / can
learn from observation and inquiry such is
mot the case. 1t is even the reverse. I They
sahsss' asgreat many prisileges-more than
were granted to the slaves In the southern
States. The fact is the dividing line be-
tween white and black on this island ia
not always to be easily drawn, and the
races are consequently just nearer to ], an
equality than they can be with us. AS a
,.natarai ,rssah the negroes are happy and
contented, end viii probably remainiso fill
!: Some 3phiilaHthropist comes along. and gives
them the fatal information that they have
5" rights. - The men are robust, hsarty- :
looking Fellows sind Imany of the women
are really eiephantine With fat and 1t is
one Of che common and striking sights Of
t*-hS" ~. .1iEsstLI 840 - 81. y Oh