Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-04-10


early sunshine. A little later, you
are passed within stones throw of the
Morro from whose frowning battle
ment the sentry halls as the ship goes
| by. The white walls ON the abrupt
hills at the left are the Cabanas fortifi-
cations; to the right again the bay side
walls of Havana. with house roofs and
church towers piled up in close proxim-
ity, and in the midst of them, fresh
and green like an oasis in the desert
of stone and mortar, the small but
pretty Cortina de Valdes. looking so
invitingly cool in the shade of its
palms. Some of the other parks and
paseos in the outer portion of the city
may be clearly traced by the regular
squares of green trees and long rows of
them that stretch away until lost in
the distance Havana at last-whose
| foundation dates back nearly 200 years
before our own noble country was
settled, and around whose walls clus-
ter so many memories of once naughty
Dons and Hidalgoes, of gold-laden
ships and murderous freebooters, and
expeditions of gallant discoverers and
adventurersl How ones heart is
thrilled by the novel scene, and how
passages of Irving's and Prescott's
glowing descriptions come thronging
upon the mind as one sees for the first
time this apparently beautiful city, to
which distance and romance lend en-
chantment, transfgured in the light of
breezy morning Still gliding
swiftly on you pass Spanish men.of-
war and vessels flying the flags of all
nations sailing in and out of this far
famed bay. A turn to the right and
the long line of covered wharves come
into view, with the shipping of the
world lying side by side waiting the
completion of their cargoes; to the left
the white walls of still another fort,
the Casa Blanca, that commands the
city; and farther ON the suburban
village of Regia, with its immense
warehouses of solid stone and CORFU
gated iron for storing the sugar of the
island. Here you come to anchor, to
be Immediately surrounded by fleet
of small boats-not the usual canoes to
which we have become accustomed in
these island ports, but queer cross
between market wagon and scow
from which emerge horde of hotel
runners, each expatiating at the top of
his voice upon the merits of his own
particular inn, some of them in the
most amusing pigeon-English. These
boats, by the way, are afloat what
the volante is ashore, and as the travel
er must use many of them if he wishes
to see anything of the bay and imme-
diate surroundings of Havana it is well
to become informed without delay
upon the regulations thereof, as set
forth by the port authorities. Five
cents is the general charge for each
passenger for going ashore from anchor
age near by, cents for each small
valise or parcel and IL cents for each
trunk; from 5 to 30 cents for short
trips across the narrow part OF the
bay, to Moro Castle, the storehouse
of Regia, to vessels in the offing, etc.
Small boats are not permitted to carry
more than five passengers, larger ones
ten; and at night or on wet or stormy
days the boatmen may exact reales
fuertes Spanish for silver COIN in
place of sencilla, and from 1890
O'Clock at night until firing off of the
signal gun at daybreak no craft what
ever is allowed to cross the bay.
The custom house officers being on
board, your passport is demanded: but
my advice is not to let the precious
document go for an instant into any
body's hands until you reach the hotel
of your choice, where, with the assist
ance of the landlord. and of the Con-
sui if need be, you can get it properly
arranged; otherwise you will probably
not see it again until you hunt up the
passport bureau and pay $4 for its re-
covery, after submitting to many de-
lays and annoyances. You will under
stand this better after reading the in
structions set forth in the permit, "
which will be procured at the hotel on
giving up the passport. Allow me to
transcribe verbatim few of the long
I list of items under the head of warn
ing" in the alleged English translation
of the permit, as issued to wanderers
from the land of stars and stripes.
This permit must be presented to OBJ
tain the baggages, which can be landed
every day from sunrise to sunset. pro-
vided the consignee of the vessel has
obtained the necessary permit from
the collector.
"This permit must likewise be pre-
sented to the owner of the house OF
establishment where the passenger goe'
to stop. so that he may give the neces
sary advice to the police.
"This permit will enable newly
arrived foreigners to transit in al
directions during one month from it,
date. 1t will also enable, during the
same time, to fixed residence in every
place in the island; according to it
it's presentation is always necessary
before the Captain de Partido, Comis
ario, or Celador. respective. After ont
month passe de transito is required