The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-08

and In December and January tbev
frequently increase in storms. though
enis oe the1r fafr season. The trade
Wlnd, In these seas. blows from the
northeast" 'i49
yellow Fever In Cuba.
IN IN the Universal Traveller" pub-
Hshed In 1886, considerable attantio,
Is paid to the yellow fever in Cuba TIa
dact that Havana is seldom exemnt
from the disease, it says. 'is imnnted
oy capt. Alexander to a. long marsh
oe e IlangroVes extending from the side
vi the harbor into the country to the
east. Ihe following fact Is related bv
pnita 15..it ti connrmatlon Of his opinion. His
I:rIIannlc maJesty's frigate Aurora ar
rlVed some time ago at Havana. after
navlng been three years in the West
Indles; she dropped her anchor AZ
spot Where the breeze blowing over
Ii1 Ime mangrove swamp could reach her
Inc Pylades, fresh arrival from Eng
iand, also anchored for one night In
the harbor but at the distance of q
rev hundred yards from the Aurora
Next morning the two vessels sailed
Inc aurora lost eighty men and officers
IN a, few weeks from yellow fever.
ana uhe Pylades, though unaccustomed
70 the climate, did not lose one hand"
vance In sixty years. and what was
solemnly read by the generation then
actlVe often arouses a smile now: but
our own knowledge of the yellow fever
is not so complete as to make II i'm
possible that the coming campaign in
- Cuua "a may not add largely to the store
OF the worlds sanitary information.
The same Capt. Alexander mentioned
IN the quoted passage had several COM
ments to pass upon the manners and
customs of the people of Havana in
the course of his narrative. He was
particularly ill-pleased with the way
olnner was conducted at a local h tel
OF that day. THE charge" he wrote,
was one dollar, for which abundant
fare was provided, including French
claret. Soups, salads and dessert were
placed on the table at once: the dishes
were crowded on one another, and ON
the ringing of bell the company hasti-
~ took their seats and made a vigor-
Gus onslaught; every one plunged his
fork into the dish he liked best. Most
or the guests had the air of despera-
does and adventurers, and they seemed
very Indifferent to common courtesy
III their behavior to each other. Thus
! at these houses 1t Is no uncommon
| thing to see joints of meat flying across
| the table, and violent quarrels ending
| in blows. Sometimes they commence
| in this way: A skipper asks for an
| omelet opposite to him; a negro runs
| around to fetch it; in conveying 1t to
| the sailor he is stopped half way by
| another gentleman, who cody seizeS
the dish, cuts the omelet in two, takes
| half himself, and gives the other half
to friend next to him; the disappoint-
| ed skipper vents his rage by uttering
| a hearty curse, and sends his glass at
| the head of the gentleman (sic) who
had taken the bread out Of his mouth"
Got Into n Book.
| 1t would not be hard to guess the
identity Of the skipper whose misad-
venture with the omelet had so aroused
! his wrath, that IL was reflected into
| the pages of Capt. Alexander's book.
| Possibly 1t was the disgust aroused by
few such typical incidents which
| animated this description Of a Cuban
| funeral in high life: when a respect
| able person dies in Havana, a lofty
| stage is erected in the principal apart
ment, covered with black drapery and
! tinsel ornaments, and on the top Of
| it the open coffin is placed at an angle
so as to expose the dead body, dressed
in holiday clothes. to the spectators
below. There is also a great display
| of wax lights In the room. The volan-
tes of the friends of the deceased being
assembled, the bier is placed across the
| leading one, which, with the calaSSero
and horse, is covered with black cloth,
and attended by slaves in red coats,
gold-laced cooked hats and canes in
| their hands. The procession moves to
! the Campo Santo. Arriving there, the
coffin is taken from the volante, the
head of the corpse being uncovered,
| ard kept in constant motion by the
hasty steps of the bearers. 1t is
ghastly sight. After the service is per-
| formed, the body is commonly tumbled
unceremoniously into shallow grave,
lime and earth thrown over 1t, whilst
| the coffin is returned for the next VINO
requires it.