Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-10-12
Che FIREMAN.
What / Saw In Cuba.

who had come in the darkness to see us
safely aboard the Margaret at the levee in
New Orleans. l confess it was with some
dissatisfaction that | looked about my
narrow quarters, such was the contrast to
the large, comfortable rooms l had lately
been enjoying. The sight of one or two
reaches did not tend to augment the
make-yourselfat home" feeling which
all New Englanders like to experience
wherever they may roam. All disagree,
able objects flee with the light. however
and so did my reaches the next morning.
The "purser," Spaniard, touched his bat
politely, said there had been mistake,
and begged to show me into neat little
cabin forward. | was Immediately re.
freshcd, and reoiced again in feeling of
comfort.
Al breakfast we met the captain who, at
first, was unwarrantaby shy and reserved,
scarcely speaking II word TO us. He was
a Floridian, and evidently suspicious of
our fellow feeling" By the time we
got into the gulf, however, his reserve had
all vanished like mist before the SUM-
and he showed himself courteous, we'll.
bred gentleman.
When we touched at Cedar Keys, in
Florida again, the white beaches glistened
in the sun and took away somewhat from
its drenriness. We picked up a pleasant
party who had been waiting eight days
for the Margaret, and among them was a
live Russian prince; musical, too, because
he had his " harmonica" with him. on
which he discoursed most harmoniously
under the starlight on the open deck
The weather was fine and the sailing
consequently smooth, so on the fifth day
after leaving New Orleans we touched mt
Key West, the extreme southern city Of
the United States. 1t was my first peep
at the tropics, and under the blue sky of
an Easter Sunday the tall cocoa palms and
scarlet hibiscus lent stateliness and color
ing to most charming picture.
rhe inhabitants who welcomed us were
of a most heterogeneous type-Cuban
refugees, negroes, Floridians. with few
French and English. We were promised
some good music if the captain would " lie
over" but an after consideration of land
ing in Havana the next day, under a torrid
midday sun, if we listened to dulcet strains
which would cause delay of some hours
resolved us to fly the temptation. We
were rewarded by an early morning view
of the "Queen Of the Antilles as she
step, out with her green sandals into the
sea
The entrance to the harbor of Havana
is the most picturesque l have ever seen,
Moro Castle forming the chief feature
with its imposing battlements and Spanish
flags.
Steamers are not allowed in dock, so
we were surrounded by countless little
boats, with their white awnings, all wait
inc till we have been visited by the health
officer. He took his own time, and after
satisfactory glance we were permitted to
cave. The little boats took our baggage
and ourselves to the landing, and we were
soon under the custom house. | say under
for 1t is more like an ice cream veranda
than anthing else Gun think Of, with lis
regularly set tables. One end is latticcd
off for the close inspection of suspicious
individuals, and one of our passengers, IA
Cuban, had to undergo the ordeal. His
trunk Is literally rlnsacked and as he
left between two officers for the police
quarters, the poor fellow turned to us
saying: - You will have to stay here some
time yet" But our trunks. fortunately.
as we'll rs bundles, we're treated with the
greatest respect, for Madame stood by and
famed herself while the examining under
went the scrutiny of her eyes. The in
spector lintily raised "A piece or two, and
touching his hat politely to Sonora, pro
nounccd it :" all right" in Spanish.
The voIantes are now almost entirely
superseded by four wheeled French
vehicle, which they tell me is made exten.
svely in New York. They are very COM
Portable, and all mud from the street is
prevented being thrown inside by the
protection of large shields which entirely
cover the revolution of the wheels.
In ride through the Paseo few vo.
lantes can be seen, and they are very
stylish affairs. Imagine an old-fashioned
chaise with red or yellow wheels, drawn
by "a handsome horse in a silver mounted
harness, this horse in turn being led or
driven by an outrider in livery. The
reins, therefore, of the horse attached to
the volante, are of no use, but are drawn
through the dash board and carefully tied.
Sometimes, with less style, the driver sits
on the volante horse and dispenses, for
economy's sake, with the other. The
ladies recline at their ease, hair dressed a
Ia m0de-no bonnets are worn, so | nat
urally fell into the fashion.
We were recommended to the San Car
los, the finest hotel structure in Havana,
but on our arrival every room was occu-
pied, so we were temporarily accommo
dated in aa old Spanish inn, the Hotel del
Europa. 1t was in the real Don Qu xote
style, with court yard into which every
thing enters, from carriage to chicken.
One side ia devoted to the ban0S, or baths;
the other TO the bGrbeyos, or barber shops.
stone staircase conducts you into cir
cular corridor, into which the apartments
open. Varieties of birds hang in cages
all around the passage. A fountain occu
pies the center, surrounded by plants in
boxes. The large doors are in shutter
form, covered with muslin drapery. You
have a key as. large as that to prison, but
of what use it is / cannot say, as there
are plenty of ways of ingress and egress
A tiled floor is occupied, by the Spanish
beds, canopied, with plenty of pillows and