Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-18


hundreds of men and boys on horseback
sitting in large. high Spanish saddles
heavily trimmed with silver, with brides
to match. and the tails of their animals
side of the saddle by colored cord. White
pink, blue, yellow and purple ribbons were
fastened to the harness and woven into the
tails of the animals, which gave them
very gay appearance
Famous for Saddle Horses.
Like all Spanish countries Cuba rs ia
nous for its saddle horses. They are chiefly
of Andalusan breed and Arab origin and
are trained to what is called Eel paseo
del trote," sort of single-foot gait, which
is very graceful to the animal and easy for
the rider. l saw no women on horseback.
Several American women in town and
wives and daughters of officers at the
American military camp are accustomed
to the saddle. but Spanish women seldom
ride for pleasure.
There were many stylish equipages in the
carnival parade, with a variety of vehicles
Four-in-hand and tandems were numerous
and included several housekeeping thor
ouShbred hackneys and coach horses There
Is a jockey club in Havana to encourage the
breeding of running horses, but the climate
Is not adapted to them. They have never
had horse show here, but are talking of
one.
The girls and women We're more interest
ing than the horses. however. All the sWells
were out in gay costume and We had a
chance to see many of the famous Cuban
beauties, with fair skins. languishing eyes
and coquettish manners. The traditional
social restrictions that prevailed under
Spanish domination have been very much
modified since independence. and in the
most progressive circles are entirely re-
moved Very little counting is done now
adays through the beautiful iron grlles of
the windows. The fashions of New York
and Paris prevail In nearly all the aristo-
mil M q t-lo r1 a,I
social customs are rapidly replacing those of
Spain. Young women attend dinner parties
and balls with great freedom as in the
United States, although they cannot go out
without duenna.
The battle of confetti and .erpentine pa
per ragged fiercely through the afternoon.
Every carriage was covered with it, and
before the street sweepers came around the
roadway looked as if all colors of snow had
been falling. The evening was filed with
noise and tumult. Carriages were whirling
about until midnight filled with people
blowing horns, singing songs. shouting and
laughing with the greatest abandon. There
were balls at all Of the clubs, dinner par
ties at many of the private houses, and the
restaurants and cafes were filed to over
flowing. Bands of music performed long
programs in the parks, and Orchestras were
employed at all of the principal hotels and
other places of resort.
Many Visitors, New Hotel Needed.
Havana Is crowded with strangers chiefly
tourists from the United States Every
berth on every boat that comes into this
port Is occupied by health and pleasure
seekers. There are now regular lines from
New York, New Orleans Mobile, Tampa
and Miami. and it is officially announced in
the newspapers that Mr.. C. w. Morse who
has recently consolidated pretty much all
the Independent steamship lines on the At
lantic coast. intends to double the service
between New York and Havana next win
ter. The company announces that turbine
steamers that will make the trip in three
and perhaps two days, with accommoda-
tons for a thousand passengers, will be put
on as fast as they can be built, and that the
service will be as good as that of the latest
Atlantic liners. Mr. Morse promises that
the rates will be made reasonable that
everybody can go.
Mr.. Flaglers Key West road will be fin
ished by the time these steamers can be
built and he will be able to carry passen-
gers from New York to Havana in sixty
hours in competition with Mr.. Morse's
boats. But before such improvements in
transportation are made somebody ought to
build a first-class hotel. Havana needs a
good hotel as badly the City of Mexico
and it is surprising that some one has not
furnished one long before this There are
fifteen or twenty very poor houses of the
old-fashioned sort, without modern couven-
fences and with all the discomforts that the
Spaniards think are necessary to human ex-
istence. The cuisine is Indifferent a. the
best hotels and very bad at the worst. 1t
Is impossible to get good meats in any tropi-
cal country, but they might be brought
from New York. The best fish in the world
and abundant fruits and vegetables are to
be found here, although no attempt Is
made to produce deicacies out of season.
You would suppose that the Cubans would
have Strawberries melons, fresh peas, new
potatoes. asparagus and artichokes the
year round, they have them In Mexico
and Bermuda, but market gardening is not
conducted on scientific plans in this island.
There has been no change in the method for
centuries and 1t will be necessary for some
of up-to-date truck farmers to show
the Cubans how to do 1t.
Perfect Climate for Five Months.
The climate of Cuba is perfect for five