Evening star., 1899-03-11

with saddle, boots, sombrero and other ac-
cessories takes another $125. Thus prepared
of country in a given time. A guide is
necessity. The roads, according to the
maps are base deceptions. They are
usually designated as "caminos reales," or
kings highways. But the peasant can
travel them better than the king, because
frequently even the trail is lost, and it is
necessary to go by Typographical instinct.
A Cuban guide is as infallible as hunting
hound when he himself guides the stranger,
but when he attempts to tell the directions
which must be followed and indicate the
land marks he is invariably at fault.
The volante.
For those who are not going on pros
Pecting Journeys into the country the vo-
lante Is the most comfortable means of
travel though it is quite expensive. The
volantes' are not seen in Havana now or in
any of the larger towns. 1t was expected
that the incoming of the tourists would
bring them back on the streets, but this
has not yet happened. Nevertheless, there
are many hid away in family stables and
usually one can be had for a journey. When
General FftZhugh Lee visited the Prov1-
dencia sugar plantation near Guines few
weeks ago he had his first drive in a vo-
lante. This one had been in use in Ha-
vana when the Infanta Eulalie visited the
city, and she had been drawn about in It.
General Lee did not care much for the
trappngs of Spanish royalty, but he found
the volante so enjoyable that he insisted
on being driven in it over the hills and
through the valleys.
The Cuban National Vehicle.
The volante is the Cuban national vehicle.
1t is one of the few things that is, or was,
genuinely characteristic of the country. The
Cubans themselves frequently call it the
'quitrin.'' The only difference between the
two vehicles is that the "quitrin' has a
top which can be lowered, while the cover
of the volante Is immovable. The volante
Is two-wheeled vehicle, and the wheels
are very large wheels, almost as high as
those used for the OK carts. The carnage
proper Is slung low down from the axle
by leather straps. The shafts are fifteen
feet in length. Formerly the weight rested
almost entirely on the shafts. In tine later
makes it was shifted more to the axle.
The horse in the shaft is led by a position
whose horse is harnesSed to the carriage
with traces. Often a third horse is used
and is harnessed with traces in the same
manner. The height of the wheels ana the
distance from the ground prevent the dan
ger of turning over.
1t Is surprising to see the ease with which
sharp corners are turned, steep hills climbe
and rugged descents made. All the while
the occupants of the vehicle are comfort
able. Sometimes they compare 1t TO travel
ing in a hammock. New England visitor
says they are first cousin to the One-horse
''shays" of his frandfather's time. They
have also been compared to the "calashCs,
or caleches, which the French in Quebec
have preserved This comparison is prob
ably made because the caleche and the
volante are so different, except that each
has two wheels.
Mourning the Old Days.
The Cubans and the Spanish residents
who talk of; the old times mourn the de-
cadence of the quitrins and volantes. They
say these were Indigenous carriages, con-
structed before the age Of railways and
holding their own long after the railways
came Twenty-Five or thirty years ago the
victOrias and cabs and coaches of various
It Will probably be a long time before they
disappear from the country entirely. be-
'ause it will be a long time until Cuba is
traversed in all parts by good roads
Except on horseback, there is no other
means of travelling in the interior of the
island. On all the sugar plantations there
are volantes slowed away somewhere, and
every cuban family which has q country
home possesses one. Some of them are very
aged vehicles, yet they do not wear out as
he one-horse shay is said to have done.
me position Is sedate colored man. who
has all the pride of a family coachman He
sits his mount with grace and serious
ness that evokes admiration. To the ordi-
nary rider the short trot ut which the
horses drawing a volante move would be
excessively uncomfortable. 1t Is not so to
the Cuban position. As he logs along he
seems part OF the lead horse. Sometimes
n the hot sun he goes to sleep. Never;he-
less, he is rarely the victim of an accident.
1t may be that the enterprising American
who is looking for the chance to make
money in Cuba will corner the volantes
with view to the tourist travel of the
next few years. But he will hardly be able
TO corner the Positions. They are family
;oachmen. and they do not take kindly to
innovations.
Cabbies Are Highway Robbers.
In the parts of the island where there are
calzadas or macadamized highways travel
by means of the carriages is prefera BILE to
he railroads. 1t gives much better idea
of the landscape, and enables the country
to be seen to advantage Some of the We
hicles are rickety and asthmatic and the
horses are survivals of the recommendation
Yet 1t is better to take them and thus en-
Joy the journey. The Cuban cabmen.
whether in town. city country are mem
bers of the universal union of highway
-obbers. In other respects they are oblig-
overcharse. No one should hire one of
heir vehicles without fixing the price in
advance In fixing the price their first de-
mand should never be needed
A pleasant day can be passed bv taking
the morning train from Havana to Guam
aJay, and then driving back in the after
noon part of the way to the city The hack
driver will begin by asking two centens.
gold. After half IN hours squabbling he will
come down to eight dollars The knowing
traveller will stipulate that the eight dol
lars shall be paid in silver. Negotia lions
Will end abruptly. After a time the cab
1river will return and reproachful!y accent
he terms He will go to the stable 10
change horses The visitor will wait fo;
him. Other hacks will be passed before
him in review. Finally he will become i'm
patient, and ask what has happened. He
VIII be told that an accident has befalIen
the horses. Then other drivers will offer
their services-first for ten dollars, gold:
tten eight dollars, gold, and, finally. the
same amount in silver. When the disgust
OF the visitor has reached it's height the
Chinaman who keeps the inn will come ont,
scold the robbers for their rapacity. and
tell the stranger to offer any one of them
seven dollars in silver for driving him to
Marianoa, which is the station where the
train is taken for Havana This is the reg
ular procedure, and seven dollars is the
regular charge. I
Determined Stand by Americana.
The tariff, however, was not established
until two Americans had vindicated their
independence and that of their country