The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-06-18

onu iair Quality OF prcad. sometime frutt
is on sale. but only BY accident What makes
the Cuban buffet still more undesirable how
ever. Is that II IS located in the thlrd-ciass
coach. aud one glance at It's surroundIngs is
enough TO remove all desire for food from
the thoughts Of the most hungry man. The
cuhans usually carry a lunch With them and
partake OF i whenever hunger suggests. but
for the tourist this is impossible, as no hotel
keeper in this country would think OF putting
UP > luncheon without charging as much for
It as he would for a full days board. My
advice, therefore, would be to purchase some
fruit before starting, and then. II this was
not sufficient. 10 so hungry until ones desu-
nation had been reached.
There Is another means OF travel that will
commend itself to the American visitor who
desires to ses the country at It's best. In many
parts of the island there are macadamized
highways, and over these one may ride III q
| carriage at comparative ease. The carriages
are not all that they might be. 1t Is true, and
the horses do not look as IL they had had
enough TO eat since the beginning OF the war,
but in spite Of all this the ride Is an enjoy
able one, as the roads pass through more
pleasant section than do the railways,
~
] If one can obtain the use of one OF the old
volantes that were so generally used In Cuba
thirty or forty years ago. the trip would be
/ an ideal one but, as volantes are not easy
/ to secure-although there are some OF them
still In u.e-one may hire one OF the regular
cabs OF the cities without fear OF great dis
| comfort or danger. On some of the roads
near which no railways run a system Of omni-
buses has been established, aud these 80 be-
tween several OF the large villages. TO travel
on them is neither comfortable nor uncom-
Portable, and in many respects they are far
superior to the railway coaches. In other
sections OF the Island, where the roads are moi
too bad for any vehicle to use, one may find
the old American stage coach, but the mode
Of travel by carriage Is generally by the ordl-
nary cab.
Before Starting upon such a trip, however
It is necessary to come to full understand
ing with the driver, and this is a feat thai
is not accomplished In a moment The regu
lar rate is 20 cents in Spanish silver for on'
or two passengers within radius of two
miles but the Havana cabhy--or the cabby Ii
any other part of Cuba for that matter-is mrs
cousin to the bandit, and he objects very seri
ously to the acceptance Of anything like tn
legal rate.
A trip that is taken by many American Wis
itors is to take the morning train from Ha
eana to Guanajay. and then, after the ta'rl
decent luncheon at little inn that is kept b
clean looking chlnaman, to drive back a
far as Mariauao, where train may be take
for Havana.
The fixed rate for this drive is 81 In spauis
silver, but the cab driver does not show an
] disposition to accept any such slight remu
e neratiou. He first demands $40 in gold, an
$ finally you may beat him down to IS in golt
When you offer him s. in silver he turn
e away with a shrug OF the shoulders and 20
e see him no more for half an hour. In III
meantime you are approached by other car
hies and the same performance Is gor
y through with. AT last II you remain firm
8 your position the first driver will return an
i after long and eloquent reproaches will cor
e sent to drive you TO Marianne.
= You will never force him to accept II
seven dollar rate however unless you hay
made friends with the celestial proprietor
i, the inn, In which case he will come to YOU
assistance and by threats and vtuperation
q, a most eloquent character he WILL compel u
driver to accept the 81 to which he is el
= titled
In Havana Il l. somewhat different. III
cab driver is Just as much OF a bandit b
he has a certain amount of respect for 4
law, and If he attempts to take advantage
YOU you have only to call a policeman al
'e the matter is amicably adjusted without fu
ther DELAY. George Alfred Edwards.