LII.

HAVANA, _March 22, 1849_.

I started for Jamaica in the English steamer, which proved to be our

old New York favorite, the Great Western. After landing at Kingston she

proceeded to San Jago de Cuba, giving me nearly a week’s sojourn on the

island, prior to embarking for the island of Cuba.

Kingston, although quite a large town, was exceedingly dull. The

colonists complain bitterly of the mother country; an immense number

of estates have been thrown up, the price of labor demanded by the

manumitted blacks exceeding the ability of the planter to grow sugar

in competition with the slave-holding colonies. Various expedients

have been tried by the English to introduce laborers from the East

Indies, and have proved a failure. One large planter informed me that

the apprentice system was now found to be the best. All captured slaves

are apprenticed for a number of years, and not understanding the

language of the country, they apply themselves readily to labor, and

become attached to the estate on which they are placed, and with good

treatment show no disposition to leave. Although Kingston is a quiet

and uninteresting town, lying on a slope with wide and unpaved streets,

and sandy soil, still many of the houses, constructed of wood or stone,

two stories high, setting a little back from the street, with verandas

above and below, have an air of convenience for a warm climate. I found

a very good and retired hotel, full of English comforts, and kept by an

English lady. The hotels generally are only tolerable.

I enjoyed a rest after my fatigues in Hayti, and then made some

excursions in the interior. The capital of the island, Spanish Town,

offers nothing of interest aside from the public buildings, the

House of Assembly, the residence of the governor, and the military

barracks for the black troops. The white regiment of English soldiers

is stationed at New Castle, an elevated point in the mountains, some

fifteen miles from Kingston, where they enjoy better health than they

would at the latter place, and can be called upon when needed.

The House of Assembly was in session. It is composed of forty-seven

members, a respectable-looking body, the largest proportion of whom

are white, though there are some mulattoes and one black among them.

The debate was rather interesting, as tending to reduce the burdens

of the island, the taxes being enormous for their present reduced

resources; but the governor, bishop, and other officials, appointed

by the crown, with fat offices, being members of the Council or Upper

House of twelve, bolted, I understood, and I suppose had their own way.

The Court of Assize was holding its term while I was in the capital.

On entering the court-room I found a crowd of blacks and mulattoes,

drawn thither by the trial of a negro, who occupied the prisoner’s box,

for the murder of one of his race in a night fracas. I made my way

through to get a view, and hear the evidence, and could not without

difficulty command my gravity. The judges and lawyers were in black

robes, agreeably to the English forms; the jury were half white, the

balance being negroes and mulattoes. The evidence, on the part of the

blacks who were present at the fight, was in such broken language, and

so contradictory, that the counsel and judges were at times obliged

to give vent to a suppressed laugh, and in which I heartily joined,

but was soon stopped by the cry of “silence,” coming loudly from the

mulatto criers in regimentals.

Jamaica is a fine island, and has been one of the most productive of

the group. The views in the interior are varied, and the mountain

ranges present a great variety of magnificent scenery, and a great

diversity of climate; but the island in general has sadly fallen off

from its ancient prosperity. The distance from Kingston to Havana,

seven hundred and forty miles, was made under favorable circumstances,

the ship and passengers behaving well. The portion of the latter who

had never seen Havana were struck with the cheerful and picturesque

views in the distance, as we approached the harbor, on the left of

the narrow channel or entrance of which stands the old Moro Castle,

with its bastions well fortified, and on the opposite side the Punta,

another strong fort, and the immense Tacon prison, with its imposing

exterior.

Being already familiar with the island, nothing struck me as new except

such innovations as had been made upon old Spanish customs, since my

last visit; but I well recollect the impressions made upon me when I

first landed upon its shores and could enjoy the surprise of some of

my fellow passengers when they beheld the peculiar construction of the

buildings, the narrow streets, and the volante, or carriage of the

country. I repeat, a stranger is surprised and amused at seeing such

things for the first time, and as these vehicles dash along the Paseo

or public promenade, in long files with fleet horses, filled with

ladies in full dress, with mantillas instead of bonnets, enjoying the

balmy air before the setting sun, they cannot but prove attractive to

him.

So much has been said and written about Havana that I shall not attempt

a description. Suffice it to say, I found that the same causes which

extend the suburbs of our cities have here had their effects, for since

a line of omnibuses was established, the environs of Cero have been

beautified for about three miles out, and there are now many delightful

residences there. When passing the country-house where Santa Anna

formerly resided, and where I saw him engaged in his favorite sport of

cock-fighting three years ago, a crowd of thoughts came in my mind,

of the immense conflicts and conquests growing out of his return to

Mexico; and now I find him banished again, and living in retirement in

the suburbs of Kingston, Jamaica.

The city, in fact the island in general, is enjoying its usual

prosperity under the existing institution of slavery, but in a more

grateful aspect than formerly, by reason of the suppression of the

slave trade to a great extent. In consequence of the drought the sugar

crop will be much less in quantity, but the large prices obtained for

it will make good the deficiency.

The Habaneros are fond of music, and have been in raptures with the

Opera Company who have now left. They have the Tacon Theatre, an

immense structure, the interior of which is chastely ornamented, with

boxes separated by slight railings, and open gilded trellised work in

front; when filled with ladies in full dress it produces a beautiful

spectacle. The Ravels are now doing all the business. The steamer

for Charleston has taken the family of children called “The Viennese

Dancers,” who have done better at Matanzas than here.

The carnival season had ended when I arrived, but having already passed

several carnivals here and in different parts of Italy, it was no

great loss. The Grand Catalan Benevolent Society Masquerade Ball did

not come off as usual in the theatre this year, but was held in three

distinct places, on a Sunday evening, according to custom. When held at

the Tacon, where I saw it once, with six thousand persons attending it

attired in all possible variety of costumes and dances, while outside,

the Paseo or public promenade contained many thousands more, under the

mild rays of a full moon, dancing to the sounds of banjos, and other

discordant music; it was really a novelty, and like all new visitors I

enjoyed it, but now I gaze upon it with indifference.

A few days since I met with a travelling acquaintance who had

accompanied me, when I was last on the island, to its south side, where

we visited the sugar estates, and made ourselves familiar with the

whole operation of grinding the cane, and boiling and granulating the

extract into sugar. Afterwards we stopped at a small Spanish town at

the termination of the railroad, which was exceedingly dull, except

on festivals, or to those who take an interest in cock-fighting, for

which the Spaniards have a great passion, congregating here in goodly

numbers, from town and country, in the arena of a small theatre, twice

a week, to exercise this cruel practice, in which one of the combatants

must be killed to decide their heavy bets.

On Sunday morning we attended the parish church, where a large number

of ladies had assembled, with their flowing white and black lace

mantillas, gracefully thrown over the back of the head and shoulders,

kneeling and sitting in groups upon their rugs on the stone floor

of the church, apparently devout, and watching the changes of the

service, while their negro servants in livery were placed beside them.

A detachment of cavalry was also upon their knees, and two of the

privates in the same position, with drawn swords, were placed beside

the priest at the altar. During the several changes of the service the

trumpeter of the troops would sound his shrill bugle, and the old walls

seemed to shake. Service being done many of the ladies crossed over

to the fancy shops, which were all open, to make their purchases. Soon

after the country people begin to arrive on horseback, with their game

chickens under their arms, and in this way, or in some other diversion,

they pass the Sabbath, which to them is considered a festival or

holiday.

The steamer Isabel, of the Charleston line, has just left. The evening

before her departure her owner, who is from Charleston, gave an

entertainment on board which passed off well. The family of the Captain

General of the island, and several of the Spanish nobility, with a

number of the consuls, and many English, German, and American ladies

and gentlemen, to the number of a hundred, after a dance on deck to the

music of the band, sat down to a magnificent supper. The steamer lay

off in the harbor, and we were taken on board by a steam ferry-boat.

The deck of the steamer, which was well lighted up, and a stream of

rockets flying in the air, produced a fine effect from the shore.

The season of Lent will soon be over, when the functions of the Holy

Week will take place; but having described to you the ceremonies at

Jerusalem, and the great and gorgeous display at Rome under Pius IX.,

I fear I shall have but little to communicate on this occasion. I

could have hardly thought while in Rome, one year since, hearing the

enthusiastic multitudes singing VIVAS to PIO NONO, that he would so

soon be banished from his temporal and spiritual seat.