The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-04-20

So Wasl.
Before takin, our final leave of this beautiful
Island, where spring time and harvest reign per
petually, where japopicas and roses continual
smile on every side, and where ever.bloominl
flowers load the air with balmy fragrance, rem
dering the place a fit abode for angel innocence
let us forget the many charms which nature her,
provides and descend to the groveling considera
in this, as in all other lands where travellers 20
Before leaving New Orleans we had provided
ourselves with limited amount of gold, sup
posing that this was the circulating medium
here, as in most other foreign countries. Even
before landing, however, the error was correct.
ed Gold is only required when dealing with
officials for passport purposes, and even for this
presume they would be required to take Span.
ish currency, which is issued by the Govern.
ment III unkaown quantities, without provision
for its redemption in gold This, together with
greenbacks, constitutes the general circulating
medium OF the country, while the latter among
the money.changers is worth from three to five
per cent. more than the former. I gave New
York exchange in payment of our passage home,
and was surprised when the change was made
to find l was allowed three and one.half per
cent. premium On it. Thinking this was . pref.
ty good thing which it might be we'll to follow
up little. I inquired if they could take few
hundred more at the same rate, and was answer
ed they would be happy to do 80, but was sur.
prised when the proceeds came to find osfore me
q stock of Spanish currency, the bills of which
are twice the size of greenbaoks. at once init.
mated that would prefer the latter, but was
told they could give no premium if they gave
me that. took what thought should use
there in the currency of the place, and the bal.
lance in our own currency. In paying your no.
tel bills or in shopping generally both pass at
par; although at one store they declined green.
backs and demanded their own currency, but I
thought they looked little blank when that
was produced, and have no doubt it WAS a
sharp dodge TO get the greenbacks at discount.
1 afterwards learned that some of nv friends
had sold New York exchange at five per cent.
dor the local currency, which somehow had a
tendency to abate my enthusiastic admiration
for the honesty and liberality at the office where
they had allowed me three and half. So let
me advise you, when you come to Cuba fill your
pockets with New York exchange, that on the
Chemical Bank Is much sought for,) 20 every
where till you get the best price for it, and de.
pend entirely on the Spanish currency for your
expenditures there, unless, indeed, before that
time this paper shall "go up in balloon" As
formerly stated, small change is in American
dimes, of which you are Liable to have forty or
fifty poEed at you At once believe could
have brought away peck, obtained as change
for paper money, and am surprised that some
Yankee does not resort to this means to dmiu-
ish the burthen OF inevitable expenses here.
Friday was busy d,y. /, was our last in
Cu0d, and many interesting sights were as yet
unseen. St4tei ooms had been selected and pas
sages taken 4; passports had been properly vised
at twenty five cents each to allow us to depart,
and left at the ships agency, for tho agent had
to furnish TO the authorities list of the passen.
gers, with their passports, which were taken On
board the ship by an official, who, after seeing
that none else come On board, left them with the
purser who returned them to US when he took
up cur tickets So it is you may get away from
Cuba.
Trunks all packed, travelling dresses donned.
an early breakfast despatched, cabs brought into
requisition, and away we went to finish ur Ha.
van". shall not ask you to accompany us
through this pleasant morning ride We re-.
turned by one o'clock, ordered lunch, and sat
down to fan ourselves, for the weather was ratb.
er warm, especially TO- the ladies, whose travel.
Ing dresses were designed for country at least
several degrees colder than this is to-day.
We were informed at the Office that the anchor
would be up at five o'clock sharp and we had
directed Angeleno to have us ON board AZ ls,s,
halt an hour before that time. Before 3 O'Clock
he took away the baggage, promising to return
Tor us directly; but We had to wait impa,ieutly
LOT 'Hfeo quarters of en hour, all ready for the
start Then he came bustling in, gathered up
the hand packages, aud we followed him out
INTO inc not sun, expecting to find cabs a, the
door 70 take US to the dock where we had land
ed. But no, he lead the way to the extreme
.o"'' ehd OF the dock, involving walk of two
hundred yards in the heat of the day, which
enabled him to pocket the cab.money. Howey.
en- there was no help for it. So we seated our.
serves as quickly as possible in the large boat,
already well filled with our trunks. and n,.b,d
OIL. we soon found We had a job on hand The
tide was running out strong and smart breeze
was pio"'he GOWN the bay, and bu. TWO oars TO