The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-06-13
SEA BATHING lH CUBA.


f You Ara Tsmptss % Trg it Resist
the lneisatiou.
81 you sh0al1 chance rs VISIT Cufa.
o1elaiiy oE otherwise. and should de-
sire % 90 ii sea bathlng. remember tie
advice 3f the Enelishman ana-don't
Fer sea baEAine Ia Cuba. like toe
ways Of the heathen Cfiinee, IS pecui
lar. The natives probably 60 through
Il as q religious penance. as. consider
Cd in the light of q diversion. il Is sim
ply ghastlE. Say you reside il Havana.
and. attracted by the beautiful fints 81
the tr0Dic sea. ron desire its intimate
saline refreshment- You VII notice,
as you drive along the Maieeon. lmme
diately below that fne sea wall some
curious masonry construction IKE the
ruins Of cells. over which the waves
dash and disport themselves. These
are, in fact. he remains Of former
baths that before the Gringo came
were used BY the natives. Ton viii
further notice that there prevail along
the Malecon drive odors not at an sng-
gestive OF Araby the Blest. and when
you find upon closer investigation that
The odors are not wholly removed from
the fact that ali the sewers of the city
seem to empty into the sea Just below
the wall you acknowledge that this
fine 3lsleeon promenade has its draw
backs
The banos. or baths. are out at We
dado, suburb Of Havana. and you are
likely 10 enjoy the drive along by the
coast some six miles. The fTinges CT
Havana. as you leave the city proper.
are shabby enough. but there's the sea
to gladden. the eyes. and you anticipate
sporting in those bright blue waters
with relish.
The first intimation you have Of the
baths is the apparltion Of frame
structure that looks Ike grand stand
You enter this ana purchase your
ticket Then the misery begins. After
the usual preliminary process. similar
to that prevalent in a watering place
In the United States. you go forth, ex-
pecting TO come upon a sandy beach
Instead. you tread painfully upon sharp
rock. and the sight Of the place where
you are expected to bathe gives you
the horrors. II Is cell cut In the
rock, with an opening to the sea.
through which the water swIshes and
regurgjtates with the advancing and
retreating waves. This cell. If you
have nerve enough. you descend into
by means Of steps. taking care not to
slip. for the rock Is like soap owing TO
the action Of the seaweed. The bottom
Of the cell Is formed Of the rough rock,
while sharp Eints are pIentifulIy strewn
about. Your feet are soon Iacerated
and bleeding.
Suddenly you feel something nip
your leg Ike d pair OF powerful twee-
zers. You put your hand to the afflicted
part and find that it is a crab that has
laid hold Of you. You glance about in
hopeless desperation and see that other
crabs are coming forth, with laudabIe
pollteness. to welcome you to this
aquatic bower of bliss. what in thun-
der" you think. rs the idea In yaIIIng
you up In this fashion? Is 1t a sur
yival Of Spanish crueItyT' Then, as
your gaze wanders out to sea. you see
a long grayish black body sll 1t swift
" past The explanation Of the wall
ing In part Of the transaction is ex-
planned BY that long. swiftly moving
body, for this coast is infested by man
eating sharks, and bathing without the
precaution Of wall in front Of you.
with an opening in it just large enough
TO fiji the cell with water, would be
likely to prove more gratifying to some
hungry shark than to you. You have
paid 50, Spanish money. for this de-
llghtful experience, but then you can
enjoy II Just as long as You please
Washington Post.