The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-04-29

soon boarded by native hote
runners, in true Oriental style
some of whom were OrientallS
loud-mouthed. IF / ever keep !,
hotel, l shall employ clerks and
runners who are shy rather thar
bold. Perhaps I would soon be.
come insolvcnt, but I think my
modest, diMdent agents would
secure us guests that minority
Of the travelling public that cuf.
tivatcs brains along With dollars.
"Oh, my dear gentlemens'
shouted one, "it's all right, I tell
you. I am three times glad to
see you, sirs, and we've got rooms
saved for you all. We are the
only decent house in town, and
speak nothing but English.
ellis is decent hotel" inter
polated another with a spasm OF
unconcious humor, "but you can
eat she food ut our house"
Not being a helpless tool in
the hands Of the average hotel
runner, I selected my own boat,
u crazy craft with a hood over
one end. I went ashore, and
was landed ut the custom wharf,
with the understanding that the
baggage would follow by lighter.
At the wharf I learned that the
autocratic individual in charge of
the custom house service would
not be down till IL a. m. to in
spect baggage. l therefore took
a victoria and was driven up
town. n
IN SEARCH OF A HOTEL.
AS I have some weeks in Which
to make this city my headquarters
1 was ANXIOUS to get where I
could WELD my limited command
Of the English language. OF
course I found every hotel adver-
tising itself MS the "only Ameri-
can hotel in town." but I readily
perceived that tho stock tof Eng
lish WAS exceedingly meagre at
the majority of establishments.
Boarding-houses are unknown
here; the Cubans fuiling to per-
ceive the use Of such institutions.
At Atlength 1 found the nearest
approximation to u civilized
boarding-house in hotel kept by
al American lady and known az
the "Gnnd Central"
l WAS promptly reminded of
the Syrian hotels when I came to
survey these caruvansaries of Ha-
vana. There arc the marble
floors, tiled walls, glassless win
dows, and regular Syrian court to
which [ became accustomed in
Beyrout. The terms are high
ranging from
$3 70 S. PER DAY IN GOLD.
AS we only get two meals day,
and fruit is cheap aud impor-
tant element in each repast, it
would seen that the Cuban Hotel
proprietors are trying to outdo
the ilacknen of Niagara, but du-
ring my stay here I have enjoyed
some insight into the methods by
which the Spanish Government
increases the cost of living here,
and / think there is some excuse
for the seemingly extortionnte
charges. On this point I shall
have occasion to write something
in future letters
IN the present initial letter of
the Cuban series, l propose to
take up n few of the commoncst
street sights.
At the very outset | was SUR
prised not to find any specimens
of the Spanish volante OH the
quay, waiting to convey passen-
gers up town. Subsequent in
vcstigation failed to discover the
volante anywhere else in town,
and then I perceived that in the
process Of Havnna's Europeani-
zation, the victoria has driven the
volante out of town. | Iam told
that there is only one specimen
of this large wheeled, long
shafted Cuban vehicle in town
and that travellers sometimes
visit this as o curiosity in case
they find themselves unable to
prenetrate to the interior of the
island. The victorias drawn by
Il single horse each are ubiqni-
tous.
The other vehicle encountered
OH the street is All immense two
wheeled cart drawn by u single
dray. horse and used in tranport-
ing freight from one part Of the
city to another. You sec there
heavy carts standing.on the streets