ex
these islands, but since she ordered the French out of Mexico, and the
French obeyed, she is universally felt on that side of the Atlantic to
be the supreme arbiter of all their fates. Her consuls are thus persons
of consequence. The Cubans like the Americans well. The commercial
treaty which was offered to our islands by the United States would have
been accepted eagerly by the Spaniards. To them, the Americans have, as
yet, not been equally liberal, but an arrangement will soon be
completed. They say that they have hills of solid iron in the island and
mountains of copper with fifty per cent. of virgin ore in them waiting
for the Americans to develop. The present administration would swallow
up in taxation the profits of the most promising enterprise that ever
was undertaken, but the metals are there, and will come one day into
working. The consul was a swift peremptory man who knew his own mind at
any rate. Between his 'Yes, sir,' and his 'No, sir,' you were at no loss
for his meaning. He told me a story of a 'nigger' officer with whom he
had once got into conversation at Hayti. He had inquired why they let so
fine an island run to waste? Why did they not cultivate it? The dusky
soldier laid his hand upon his breast and waved his hand. 'Ah,' he said,
'that might do for English or Germans or Americans; we of the Latin race
have higher things to occupy us.'

I liked the consul well. I could not say as much for his countrymen and
countrywomen at my hotel. Individually I dare say they would have been
charming; collectively they drove me to distraction. Space and time had
no existence for them; they and their voices were heard in all places
and at all hours. The midnight bravuras at the pianos mixed wildly in my
broken dreams. The Marques M---- wished to take me with him to his
country seat and show me his sugar plantations. Nothing could have been
more delightful, but with want of sleep and the constant racket I found
myself becoming unwell. In youth and strength one can defy the foul
fiend and bid him do his worst; in age one finds it wiser to get out of
the way.

On the sea, seven miles from Havana, and connected with it by a
convenient railway, at a place called Vedado, I found a lodging house
kept by a Frenchman (the best cook in Cuba) with a German wife. The
situation was so attractive, and the owners of it so attentive, that
quiet people went often into 'retreat' there. There were delicious
rooms, airy and sol