The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-09-30
THE QUEEN CITY OF CUBA.

To look into Havana is to look into
the cities of Spain. Thus a we'll known
writer on the place gives a description
of the largest city Of the West Indies
and the capital Of Cuba.
It is true that Havana is more like
the cities of Spain than any other to
be found in tropical America. Here
the Spaniards have ruled for nearly
four centuries. Many Of the inhabi-
tants are native Spaniards who live up
to the customs of the home country.
The officials h govern the place
come direct from Spain. n there is
little in the city that is not Spanish.
The customs Of the Spaniards and the
peculiarities of the natives go to max
up the interesting things that strike
the visitor from the north. At every
turn he finds something new to him,
from the manner in which the place is
governed to the methods employed by
the native farmers who flock into the
city every morning to sell their wares.
With the exception of a few modern
buildings and the dirty streets, Ha-
vana is different in every way from the
q SS1 SlIlSo VI llS OllllS SldlCS, dllO
While it contains. or did contain, more
than 100000 Inhabitants before the val
it is in a primitive state so far as i'm
provements are concerned. There are
few large and imposing buildings in
the place. What the city lacks, how
ever, in modern structures it makes up
in a number of buildings that were
constructed early in the sixteenth Gen.
fury. Each of these has an interesting
history. The city in itself is imposing,
and it is we'll worth visiting. The
sights will leave a lasting impression,
especially those to be found in the
country just outside of the corporate
limits.
The first view the visitor has of the
city is not until the steamer points her
bow into the bay from the sea. The
water outside Of the harbor is rough
and runs rapidly, while that in the bay
is smooth and almost without current.
The odors arising from it are sicken-
ing, and if the trip down the coast has
been a pleasant one without the dis
agreeable features of sea travel the
chances are hat the tourist will be
overcome before the ship reaches her
anchorage. It will not be caused by
the heavy seas, either. for there are
none, but by the odor from the brackish
waters of the harbor, which is often
sufficient to p%recipitate the nausea
that has been fought off on the way
down.
LIGHTHOUSE LOOMS UP.
AS the vessel nears the land the light
house at the entrance to the harbor
looms up. 1t is on a promontory jut-
ting out into the sea. Surrounding it
are the gray walls and the turreted
ends of the Notifications, including thu
MORO castle, in which so many politi-
cal prisoners Of the Grown" have met
a cruel fate. Both sides Of the harbor
are dotted with forts and land bat
teries. They give the place a we'll pro,
tected appearance. From the waters
edge to the tops of the hills and long
before the city comes into view may tie
seen the forts with their guns frowning
down on the steamer, which looks like
a small boat from them. Like most of
the harbors in the West Indies, that Of
Havana is l~andlocked, and whatever
else may be said Of the place it is well
protected from the invasion. AS the
steamer passes into the broad bay the
city makes its appearance and with it
the customs officials with all the pomp
and dignity they can muster.
BUxOM DARK-sKINNED GIRLS.
The vessel scarcely comes to anchor
before it is surrounded by a swarm of
small boats, in which the native "bum,
boat" men and women carry all sorts
Of goods for sale. Their wares consist
mainly of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Buxom dark-skinned native girls, car
rying heavily laden baskets filed with
garden produce, climb the sea ladders
and in the most bewitching style offer
them to the passengers. So gracious
are these girls that one can scarcely
help buying sugar cane, fruits and
flowers Of all kinds from them. Thu
prices are remarkably low, and before
the passengers are aware Of it they
have burdened themselves with a lot
of stuff they have no use for.
Once on shore the visitor gets a
good idea Of what he is to expect, and,
although far from home, he is struck
by a familiar fgure-the cabman. He
Is different, however, from those one
meets at the ferries or neal the squares
in u cities. The Cuban cabman is
not up to those that are found in the