in-- At the end of the wharf we were hustled into a
sled on steel runners, like a hearse with curtains around it and drawn
by bullocks-- The streets were all of mosaic, thousands of little
stones being packed together like corn on a cob. Over this the heavy
sledge was drawn by the bullocks while a small boy ran ahead through
the narrow streets to clear the way-- He had a feather duster made of
horse's tail as a badge of authority and he yelled some strange cry at
the empty streets and closed houses. Another little boy in a striped
jersey ran beside and assured us he was a guide. It was like a page
out of a fairy story. The strange cart sliding and slipping over the
stones which were as smooth as ice, and the colored house fronts and
the palms and strange plants. The darkness made it all the more
unreal-- There was a governor's palace buttressed and guarded by
sentinels in a strange uniform and queer little cafe's under vines--and
terraces of cannon, and at last a funny, pathetic little casino. It
was such a queer imitation of Aix and Monte Carlo-- There were
chasseurs and footmen in magnificent livery and stucco white walls
ornamented with silk SHAWLS. Also a very good band and a new roulette
table-- Coming in out of the night and the rain it was like a theatre
after the "dark scene" has just passed-- There were some most dignified
croupiers and three English women and a few sad English men and some
very wicked looking natives in diamonds and white waistcoats. We had
only fifteen minutes to spare so we began playing briskly with two
shilling pieces Cecil with indifferent fortune and Somers losing-- But
I won every time and the croupiers gave me strange notes of the Bonco
de Portugal which I put back on the board only to get more of a larger
number-- I felt greatly embarrassed as I was not a real member of the
club and I hated to blow in out of a hurricane and take their money and
sail away again-- So I appealed to one of the sad eyed Englishmen and
he assured me it was all right, that they welcomed the people from the
passing steamers who generally left a few pounds each with the bank.
But the more I spread the money the more I won until finally the whole
room gathered around. Then I sent out and ordered champagne for
everybody and spare gold to all the waiters and still cashed in
seventy-five dollars in English money. It was pretty good for fifteen
minutes and we went out leaving the people open-eyed, and hitt