, 1888-02-12
THE poEsY OF LIFE.
Enchanting scenes in Cuba's Fair
Capital.

the parks and pascos of Havana are in
themselves in nowise more interesting
than those of many other noted cities,
they become extremely engaging as the
points from which 50 much that is char
acteristic in Cuba may be studied.
Down at the wharves by the old ruined
Church of San Francisco is the aband-
oned plaza of that name, which a century
ago comprised the archbishop's splendid
gardens. Hero arc now found hundreds
of chattering carrcteros and their carts,
with oxen and mules disposed in lazy
negligence, and recalling the old camps of
the "mule-whackers" in the rear of our
army when We fought from Chicamauga
to Atlanta. 4 little further north, toward
the harbor entrance, is the dainty Plaza
de Armas. This is the center of the
greatest business activity of the capital,
near the government offices and shipping.
Two sides are faced with palaces of gov
ernment officials. On its eastern, or har-
Dor side, stands n little temple sacred to
Columbus, containing a bust of the great
dIscoverer, and three historical paintings.
This templete is opeped once each year
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In the center of the plaza is a superb
statue of Ferdinand VII. Though only
covering the area OF an American square
or block, this park is one of the most
beautiful and picturesque spots in Cuba;
and before the new parks were opened
outside the old city walls, at night it was
Tor two centuries the scene of rare social
and civic splendors.
AT the harbor entrance itself, opposite
Moro castle and behind La Punta fort,
lies Parque de la Punta, set like an emer-
AID IN the spearlike point upon which
breaks the blue sea. Near here is the
Gale Baluarte quarter, where | have
many queer friends among the lowly folk.
Here are the trumpeters from the forts,
making shrill music the whole day long.
Here flock thousands of the lazzaroni for
basklng in the sun to the sound of the
ocean lullaby. Here are the hospitals
and the prisons, where the i'll and the
lroned look upon palms and flowers. Here
all day pass cavalcades of horses, tied
~nose-and-tail, on their way to their daily
dlsporting in the ocean. And here begins
That most enchanting way, the Gale Ancha
del Norte, which underneath architecture
as quaint and beautiful as that of Nurem-
burg or Venice, for miles, and forever
swept by enchanting sea air mingled with
all the balm and thyme of the tropics,
sklYts the ocean past weird rows of banos
or baths, chlseled in the solid rock, stretch
ing and circllng away like a cleaning
white ribbon flung upon a mantle of pur-
pie and pink, to ancient Vedado upon the
sea. Here again you are greeted by foun-
tains, parks and gay q~uintas of the rich,
Embedded In parterres OF sense. bcwitching
perennial flowers. With no thought of
time or care, to saunter upon the Gale
Ancha del Norte, ~feasting upon beauty of
sky, air, land and sea, and the marvellous
faces of Spanish women bending pleas
antly upon YOU from brilliant equipages.
Is tropical idyl fairer han can be limned
and sweeter than can be penncd. 1t is n
delicious dream that, fixed IN the memory,
rlpples with sunshine, pulses with odor,
murmurs with melody, and is eloquent
with life and beauty.
The main prado, park and paseo sys-
tenn of Havana, rs recently developed,
and independent of the little plazas
scattered about the city, is most admir-
able, indeed beautiful. Practically be.
ginning at Parque dc la Punta at the sea-
shore, 1t extends almost due south to the
center OF the city, and thence at a right
angle west, through h cresidcnce portion,
terminating at the foot of a hill surround
ed by the fortified Castillo del Principe,
where most delightful suburban calzadas
and paseos, leading to pretty villas and
villages are found.
The prado is in imitation of the grand
Prado at Madrid, and with its rich stretch
OF greensward broken only by an occa-
sional marble fountain, and its splendid
shaded promenades at either side, it
comes up nobly from the sea to the beau
tiful Parque Central, with its spacious
walks, parterres, its fountains, the mas
terpiece of which is La Fuenta de la
India or the fountain of India, executed
In Italy at fabulous cost and representing
an Indian maiden, %allegorical of Havana,
supporting a shield bearing the arms of
the city. Just beyond this, to the south
west, comes the famous Campo de Marie,
formerly a drill and parade ground for
the Spanish soldiery. 1t is now laid out
into broad walks and carriage crossings,
and is surrounded by a high iron fence
with colossal gates This improvement
was made under the government of Gen.
Tacon, the most hated and praised of
Cuban rulers. The four great gates to
the Campo, which are aanked by i'm
mense square pillars, are called the gates
of Columbus, of COrtez. of Pizarro and
of TacUn.
Turning from the west from Campo del
Marie, you enter the magnificent Calzada
de la Reina, a mile in length, the contin-
uatlon of which at the grand statute of
Carlos Ill. forms the equally splendid
Paseo dc Tacon. also a mile in length.
The calzada and paseo are one and the
same thing, and are to Havana what the
Champs Elysccs is to Paris, though here
is no noble Bois de Boulogne to fulfill the
the promise of a majestic Arc de Tri-
omphe. Indeed the Plaza de Toros,
where the greatest Cuban bull fights oc-
cur, is the most important point Of inter
est 10 which the grand way leads. But
at its right are somc fine Cuban villas, in
GLIDING the country seat of San I~gnacio,
and the Quinta de los Mollnos, or the
governor generals villa, as also the in
fantry barracks and the botanical gar.
den. Besides these parks and ways there
is the weird old plaza, rife with an hun
dred sad romanees of the profigate arts
tocracY, Cortina de Naldes. over there by
the Boqleta wall, as tragic a spot as ever
was beaten by the sea, all under the
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