ul winter climate. Also
very good roads. Among other places visited was Constant Spring Hotel,
once the plantation residence and property of one of my uncles. At Port
Antonio, on the north side of the island, is a very fine up-to-date
American hotel, which of course was greatly appreciated after the vile
caravanserais of Central America. Thence on to Cuba, the steamer passing
through the famous narrows leading to Santiago. A pleasant daylight
railroad run through the whole island brought me to the great city of
Havana, not, as it appeared to me, a handsome or attractive city, but
possessing a good climate and a polite and agreeable population. The
principal shopping street in Havana is so narrow that awnings can be,
and are, stretched completely across it. In the centre of the harbour
was visible the wreck of the United States battleship _Maine_. Here in
Havana, on calling at the Consulate for letters, or rather for
cablegrams, as I had instructed my Amarillo agent not to write but to
cable, and only in the case of urgent consequence, I found a message
awaiting me. No need to open it therefore to know the contents! Yes, my
building had been burnt to the ground two months ago. A cable to Caracas
had not been delivered to me. So, back to Amarillo to view the ruins. In
the United States of America one cannot insure for the full value of a
building; or at least only three-quarters can be recovered. So my loss
amounted to 8000 or 10,000 dollars. But no need of repining, and time is
money, especially in such a case. So a new building was at once started,
rushed and completed, in almost record time.

CHAPTER XI

SECOND TOUR ABROAD

Bermudas--Switzerland--Italy--Monte
Carlo--Algiers--Morocco--Spain--Biarritz and Pau.

In November 1907 I again left Amarillo bound for Panama and the Andes.
But the only steamer offering from New Orleans was so small, and the
messing arrangements so primitive, that I abandoned the idea, railed to
New York, saw a steamer starting for the Bermudas and joined her. For
honeymoon and other trips the Bermudas are a favourite resort of New
Yorkers. Fourteen honeymoon couples were reckoned to be on board. The
climate of these islands is very delightful. The hotels are quite good;
English society pretty much confined to the Army and Navy; two
golf-courses; the best of bathing, boating and sea-fishing. The Marine
Aquarium is most interesting. The roads are good and not a motor-car in
t