New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-02
A SOUTHWARK FLIGHT.
REALISTIC IMPRESSIONS OF THE CUBAN
CAPITAL.
THE LAND OF Sun AND FLOWERS. AND ALTO OF

buildings. Its dirt and It's perfumes not OF Arnpy.
- What lovely old castle!T said the sentimental
lady Isn't It beautiful she added. turning to Il
Young Cuban who had been our icliow passenger OH
the trip from Ney-YorL.
We were ~ us prepared Tor the angry hsh'
that suddenly glcarned In his eyes.
"Dcautiflll, - he cried. alt is hdeouS TO me-. NV
brother was Il rvoIutionis lie fought Tor The 'r'e-
dom OF Cuba He imprisoned In one OF the
dungeons Of MORO Castle for years. ana ne WOMB
have boon had 1t not been for the Intervention
OF the United States Consul. hate the place."
uc strobe away. and the sentimental lady mnr
INJURED q" How very romantic, I wish I'd known
about his brother before. ia like 10 have heard
more aI,ont the Dungeons. Wcll-its too Int" now,
here como thc little boats TO take us ashore
As she spoke. n rowboat full Of dirty. dark eyed
nrchns pcarcd the steamer The lads Iccred Of MS
and made grimaccs much after the fashion OF New
York gamips
"What beautiful chidren!" cried a passenger;
"and listen. They can speak Spanish already. though
they're li'c!"
Then a babel OF cries arose. and swarthy mon
surrounded us. cluchlng our arms. gcscun'ins
fercey. and cling out broken English with Spanish
oaths
"Bandltti. :" gaspcd the sentimental lady.
She was not far from the truth Onr prosecutors
were runners for the Havana hotels. They hoard
the steamers company with the quarantine officials
They all talk at once. and though IN reality they or"
very l,,od -natu'ed the uninua'cd tourist fancles
they are about to cut each others throa's. Oar
party had decided TO paronlzc certain hotel. so We
arranged with It's representative to 90 In bis boat
and gave trunk keys to him. He said he
would get cur luggage through the Custom House. and
that would have all our goods and chatels In IN
hour. he promised the best rooms In his hotel.
These details settled descended rIcsety ladder
1T .hr SIDE o! the s"amrr and boarded one NJ tn
small boats awaiting Through some mistake our
valises were thrown into another boat, which had
also been hired by The runner. Despite thl,
fact the two bOatmen Quarrccd the matter and
finally came 10 blows. MEANWHILE the little boats
rolled from side 10 side as tHc fight waved terccr
At spanish gentleman nterfercd. H. separated
the cnmhatanS. handed "allses and We started
After had been In Cuba few days we learned
that no business can be- transacted without
such preliminary dispute.
At list landed We vcr" IN Cuba. TIE land Of
flowers and beauty We ought 10 have been quite
happy. Eat orr first action was I" reach madly FOR
smelling sars. Those who had none buried their
noses IN their harhkerchcfs In short. our first I'm
preston Of IJavana was that had landed AZ
Cutan Hunters Point
Cld-iashloneG vesautcs arc NJ lnrer 10 BE- found
IN Havana. They have been replaced hy one-hor.e
baroucheg small AMI uncomfortable. Th'sc are sup
posed 10 seat four rersons besides the driver. bnt
;he un'ortnnacs the front forced - bend
forward In M attitude strongly suggrVtiv" of cramps
As every rides In Havana. this popularity may
account for the fsc' that about nine Cnhans ort NJ
zen seem rlund shouldercd.
The hotel was painted BRIGHT co,ors and looted Me
IT p'r'v iacf,Tourd in .p ciacular pay. In fic
during or s'nv In Cuba could not rid Ourselves
~ the idea that simply snpernunlcrnr les I'm
an opera bourr. The dining-ro and oricc N
one and there was wa'ing.room. The women Of
our rariv down while the men attempted 10
engage rooms.
There bi clerk ~ the desk. and he I'D
not ray the sliqh'os' attention crowd ~ woud
b, rues's. lie cha'tcd with acquaninace wrote
u few notes called up the telephone. and
snokrd ali the time
~ the end ~ tlroc.qua-tcrs NJ an horr patience
became q crime. our leader leaned over the desk.
clurhrd The rk's and said "Can Won and
VII you listen - nc' have several ladies In my
party They are tired and i,isn't pleasant for them
to wait oil dGy In ths orce. What rooms can you
give us
The clcrl apparently woke mp He yawncd.
smiled bandlv. and murmur"d "Rooms' oh. We
have no rooms They all occupied"
For few minutes the air tremuor- With good.
substantial hmercnn words. Two priests. who
had been waiting patiently for evidence of alton
lion from The clerk touched sTol. sman's arm.
Sir said one Of them. "ycur language, repre-.
hcnyible as u might b. ordinarily. s perfectly
c,isatic now
Then We dove 10 another hotel ard got excellent
rooms.
There ere few point, aboGt location which tourists
world 90 well 10 remember. Front I'm the
best hotels five dollars day Others cost four
dollars. The four dollar rooms preferable: they
are airy and well ventilated and their windows open
on coEr'yards. People who tahc front rooms, pay
for them With slccpessncss we'll rs III. extra
dollar The noise OF carriages rafting the badly
paved streets. tie sound Of prilcr3 incesaDty cry
ing their wares. and The cch Of hackmen's oath,
nd
rOomer.7
Most OF the hotels three stories high. The
first ground floor Is given over 10 dining rooms
Offices. etc. The second and third floors devoted
sleeping apartments. The third floor II always the
one TO choose. because. being furthest from the
ground II l. comparatively free from insects and
dirt In our ignorance we chose front rooms on the
second floor AT first but changed them
The dust was thick on the floors. and our comfort
was disturbed by mammoth oochroaches scampering
hither and thithcr. We spoke to the hotel manager
about the animals hut he shrugged his shoulders and
laughed as h. replied, "The good animal, he no
hurt you" Feas. Of course. everywhere; but
one gets ussl To them
When had rested. we had n delicious dinner IN
airy room on the ground floor The meats, fruit
and fresh vegetables served were surprisingly good
Tnt for spanish wine-wel, there Americans
who like II.
After dinner We walked over to Central Park We
what disappointed TO find II about the Size OF Union
square and not much prcttier a hand Plays IN the
park two three evenings Of every week. hut Sunday
is the gala night. Directly In the centre OF the
square is statue OF Isabella, on n raised PLATFORM
and there the band Is stationed There about
sixty performers, and ut distance Of forty feet
can scarcely hear them. The music Is weird and
wonderful. You wait eagerly for the tune. but IN
vain. There Is a tune. but 10 the American ear II
Is indIsnglshabe though you realize that you must
be very dull for after IL piece Ii finished you hear
the young around you hummIng something bear
ing "A Strong resemblance 10 what has been played.
On the outer wink Of the park there Is a ccascless
procession Of people. The women are IN evening
dress. with mantlas draped their shapey
heads. But men In evening dress are exceptional.
The arisocracy, however, do not walk In the park
or anywhere else. One con meet them only In thoir
own homes. through the medium Of letters Of intro.
ducuon. They delightful people. and those who
fail TO meet any OF them miss one Of the mos,