The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-06-25
4 Picture q Havsna-noW the ca.
bans Live sad Hove.


the light Of the sun. and one Of the
hsalthiest. There is probably no other
country in the tropics where people Of
Northern birth can live more safely. It
is true there is yellow fever in Havana
At all times, and in the summer it be-
comes epidemic; but this is the effect of
local causes. For winter residence for
Northern people nothing can be more
delightful than the Cuban climate.
Through February this year the average
Of the thermometer was about 70, and
there was only one day Of rainy, UNI
pleasant weather. Still, the climate is
never bracing one. Even in winter q
white man can not do as much hard
work Is he can in Pennsylvania or Iowa; ;
and in summer he must rest during the
middle Of the day.
Havana is . very attractive city of
semi.MoOrish aspect. 1t is built on the
western slope Of long and narrow bay.
The decliyity is sufficient to insure good
drainage. The streets are narrow and
the sidewalks are often only wide enough
for . single person. The houses are
built Of stone, and the older ones are
generally Of one story. They are paint
ed light blue and yellow. The roofs in
many cases are OF red tiles. In the in.
tense sunlight Of the day, the general
effect is exceedingly bright and gay.
The public promenadas are charming,
with their handsome drives, smooth
walks, fountains, palms and masses Of
tropical Towering shrubbery. In the
evening they are brilliantly lighted and
filed with throngs Of people, sitting,
walking, talking, smoking, listening to
the music, enjoying the soft, DELICIOUS
air. The picture is like that of the
lsoulevards Of Paris, except that it is
broader, more varied, less crowded and
less noisy.
The sewage of the city is all carried
into the long and narrow harbor. The
mouth of this harb0r is less than half q
mile wide, and the rise and fall of the tide
is only two feet. Accordingly, there is no
current outward, and during the hot
weather Of summer the contents of the
bay stagnate and ferment. Hence ma
laria, yellow fever and the unhealthiness
OF the town. Engineers say that Il
might be changed at no great expense
BY cutting canal from the head Of the
hsrbor northwestwardly to the sea, pro-
dacing . current and changing continu.
ally the waters OF the harbOr.
The cabs of Havana are Victories
with one horse, carrying two persons.
The horses are small, active, native
breed. There are thousands of these
cabs, and.no one has TO wait to find one.
The drivers are honest beyond the wont
of their trade. I did not hear of
On instance Of one attempting to extort
from . foreigner more than his lawful
fare. The price Of drive to any part
Of the city, whether there are one or two
persons in the cab, is forty cents in pa
per or twenty cents in coin.
Cock fights are regular institution
all over Cuba. In every village festival
they play . part. Sunday appears to
be . fsvorite day for them, and l heard
OF country priests going from the altar
to a cock fight. In Havana there are
also bull fights on Sundays, when the
placards say the bulls are fought to the
death; but, did not have an opportu-
tunity to attend any Of these exercises.
The cock-Aghting people are said to be
especially gentle and kindly; though for
that matter brutality and ruflianism
seemed to be absent everywhere.
Hotels in Cuba arc dirty. There is NO
clean hotel in Havana, and those most
frequented by foreigners seem, if posi-.
bic, to- be dirtiest. It is said that in
visiting any place where Spanish is the
language the safe way is to 60 to the
newest hotel.
The usage everywhere is to begin the
day, say at six o'clock in the morning,
with couple of fresh oranges and q CUP
OF coffee with sugar and milk. Break.
fast, very substantial meal, with wine
and desert Of sweetmeats, follows at
about II, and dinner from six to seven,
The best cooks are Chinese.
There is great deal of dram drink
ing among the people. Gin is the fay.
orite liquor, and large quantities of it
are sold, but did not see anywhere a
drunken man. Smoking is as universal
and constant as breathing, out saw no
ladies smoking, though no one refrains
from smoking because they are present.
Cigarettes are more frequently used
than cigars. No apology is required for
introducing them, and no ono asks bis
visitor or companion to join him in
smoking because he assumes that the
visitor has his own tobacco in his pocket
and would light bis cigarette if he wished
to do 50. The only places where one
cant smoke are the churches and the
theatres. At the opera l saw a man
who had begun to smoke in the parquet
compelled to quit the indulgence; but at
the same time . cloud of smoke blown
from one of the private boxes back of
the proscenium excited no attention
whatever. In the railroad cars every.
body smokes without restraint and q
special car for the purpose would be
ridiculous.
There are few railroads in Cuba, and
some Of them are in good condition.
The tirst.class cars have cane seats, and
all the cars are shabby. In some cases.
however, the road.bed is smooth and in
good order. The trains are slow.-C,
a. Dana, IN N. 7. Sun.
Two Ways Of Locking ct Things.
Two boys went to hunt grapes. One
was happy because they found grapes,
the other was unhappy because the
grapes had seeds in them.
Two men, being convalescent, were
asked how they were. One said, II am
better In dAv ~ fha nkhor sa;d 81 ,,o j..