The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-24
-THr cHAPEI, OF THE VIRGIN ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN

1t has slightly swcetish taste. with a
mild flavor OF cocoanut. 1t Is not to be
compared to the milk Of the ripe nut,
which Is coarse and heavy. There -
a drink here made OF the skins and cores
OF pneapples, which have been placed
In a stone jar with water and allowed to
ferment; and there are others made OF
other fruits, the names OF which do not
know. The cubans have but few IN tox1-
eating liquors, AND, so far, have seen
almost no drunkenness. The most COM
mon wines are Spanish, 1t being tho GUS
tom to drink wine with ones meals.
Coffee may be had anywhere In Cuba,
It is always served with milk, and. as
& the coffee beans are burntitoa cinder,it
is rather bitter to the American taste,
Most OF the milk for coffee Is boiled and
sailed. 1t used to be the custom to drive
the CO.'S through the streets from house
to house and milk them before the doors,
but the milk is now delivered from pam
niers on the backs Of horses or mules
Cabs Are Cheap.
came from my ship to the hotel for
thirty cents in silver This included
three passengers. The fare for the or
binary cab ride Is about fifteen cents,
and the service is quite as good as that
Z OF New York. The cab horses are fast,
and the drivers as rule are not. eX-
tortlonists. In shopping, one can get Il
hack by the hour for fifty cents gold,
and IL he makes his bargains away
from the hotels, other kinds OF transport
tation are cheap $
\ q The street car rates are FIVE cents
American, and there is a set Of common
vehicles known as qua -guas, which con-
nect Havana with all suburban towns,
the fares of which are remarkably low.
The guaglt as, pronounced wah-WafSs'
arc the property OF tho street car COM
panies. They are< omnibuses, each drawn
BY four mules, the animals being driven
on the gnllop up hill and down. | have
ridden in them here and there over the
island but doubt whether they are Mt
vehicles for our representative American
ladies, who may object to the smoking
among the men and women passengers.
The cabs Of Cuba are victorias, with
tops which come down SO as to shade
the eyes. They are wel-made vehicles.
imported from Europe. Indeed,I am told
that the American cab will not stand
the wear and tear OF tho Havana street
Tho most of the city thoroughfares are
narrow and not a few are paved With
cobblos. In some of them It is hardly
possible to pass. md the drivers have
to be careful at tho crossings or when
turning corner. Every cab has o.
under it, which Is rung By the foot OF
the driver These bells are of the DOOR
gong variety, 80 that there Is a con-
tinual Changing and ringing as the car-
riages go through the streets. Indeed,
it was some time before ] could find
where the ding-d dong noises came from,
until Il saw that they were from my
own cab and made by my driver,
A great deal of the transportation OF
Cuba is moved by mules, This Is so with
the heavy traffic of Havana The mules
nro fine animals, fat strong and well
kept, Each cart mule has q gay saud!e
and bride with a red tassel as big
as "a nv brush at each ear and also
under the chin. Many of the mules have
bells about their necks, and some have
bells on their collars, so that they make
IA great noise as they so,
Outside Havana the heavy traffic Is car
rled In OK carts; such carts are TO pc
seen everywhere throughout the island
except IN the larger cities.
The Land of Ten Million Palms,
The most of the tourists do not go outs
side OF Havana. They miss the most
interesting part of the country. There
is no moro beautiful Island than this.
IT Is the Switzerland Of the tropics; and.
indeed, 1t Nigh: he called the land Of
ten million palms, II have seen palms In
the tropics around the globe. nut nowhere
do they compare with those of Cuba.
The principal tree Is the royal palm, It
has trunk like frosted silver, and It
rises straight upward 70 height Of
| 100 or more feet when 1t bursts out into
q gigantic tassel Of fem-like leaves. The
| leaves are of the brightest green; they
have many rbaachesl and they Qulyer