The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-27
Havana

cal sun should it chance to be a bright
day, and the atmosphere fairly gitters
with that peculiar glimmer Of the sun
shine characteristic of the tropics, as
though myraids of gold specks we're
floating in the air. The traveller is
charmed with the balmy climate The
heavens are so blue that when a
stranger who has never been to Cuba
sees such a sky depicted in one Of
Chartrand's landscapes, he fancies that
1t is due to an eXaggeration of the
painters brush. The sky is equal if
not superior to that Of sunny Italy, so
celebrated in verse and prose.
The harbor is narrow at the
entrance, and well guarded by the
fortress Moro Castle on one side, with
its bristling cannon, and the Punta on
the other, while the city extends be-
You'd, faced by another large fortress,
La Cabana, on the same side as the
Moro, and the little village of Casa
Blanca, as well as the towns of Regla
and Guanabacoa. The Moro is sur
mounted by round tower, with a re-
volving light which can be seen by
mariners thirty miles at sea. AS the
steamer passes close under the battle
ments Of the Moro, these are usually
crowded with swarthy Spanish soldiers
gazing down at the passengers. When
the steamer anchors in the harbor,
| ,tyhi~1 ,.,;Ia,,e int n hn,,,tiC,,l
cious bay, it is surrounded with boats
of all sizes and descriptions, from the
little skiff manned by one boatman
alone to steam tug with its shrill
whistle, while all clamor for the privi-
lege of taking the traveller on shore, as
ships do not go up to the docks.
The streets in the business portion
of the city are narrow, with high build
ings close together. The modern part
of the city has wide streets and hand
some residences and numerous parks,
where palm-trees grow, their slender
trunks rising high in the air, adorned
with tuft of leaves, while the atmos-
phere is redolent with the perfume of
jasmines, roses, rises Of all varieties,
and rich tropical flowers of every
hue.
Some of the dwellings are very hand
some, with a wide entrance which
serves for man and beast alike, as
houses usually only have one portal or
large double doors. Houses are built
around courtyard, and the wire-bar-
red windows expose the inmates to the
view of the passers-by, who can look
into the cool, well-furnished apartments,
with marble floors, and into the court
yards, with their ripping fountains re-
freshing the air with silvery spray, and
adorned with tropical plants, which fur
nish such a pleasant shade. Some
residences are two or three stories high,
but very few are built any higher.
One of the chief places of interest in
Havana is the Cathedral, an old struc-
ture gray with age, where the ashes of
columbus, which we're brought here
from San Domingo, are buried. The
Template is memorial chapel, and
contains large painting of the first
mass ever said in Havana, in which are
represented the ancestors of several Of
the leading Cuban families. The Gov
ernment Palace is large building, not
very handsome, but quite spacious.
The Teatro Tacon stands opposite the
park, and is large edifice, which, com
pared with the celebrated theatres Of
Europe, ranks as the fourth. 1t is a
brilliant scene when the Coliseum is
Iup and filled with beautiful women
elegantly dressed The statue of Queer
Isabella ii. now stands in the park
but during the revolution of 1868 il
was dragged from its pedestal anc
thrown into a ditch, where it remained
until the restoration, and Alfonso XII
assembled the throne. Then Isabella
was rubbed and scrubbed and rein
stated in her post, though whether the
inhabitants of the Ever faithful Isle,
as the Spaniards call Cuba, have any
greater regard for her now than then il
doubtful.
Society in Havana is charming, an(
resembles society in Paris, for tn,
Havanese are elegant and polished il
their manners, while the men are viva
cious, though the women are quiet ant
languid. Wealthy families usually SEM
their children to Paris to be educated
the boys at the principal universities
and the girls at the most celebrates
, converts, so when they return hom
they have usually acquired French way
as we'll as French views of life. Tn
Havanese are generally votaries c
fashion, and the women order thel
gowns from Worth or some other fan
Gus artist. The Cuban dudes are fon
of fencing and of all athletic sports, a
we'll as of tripping the light fantasti
toe, for they are adopts in the terpsi
chorean art,
Cuban women are beautiful, with a
Oriental cast of features, although ther
are some lovely blondes with golde
, tresses, blue eyes, and fair complexion
One beautiful blonde we have in min
: married Don Francisco de Bourbon
IJdHte de ESbdna and cousin to Kin
Alfonso XII, some years ago Tn
: real Cuban type, however, is a woma
{ ,vith Ianouichinu hlack ewes rOundP