CHAPTER VIIISIGHT-SEEING IN HAVANA
Theboys watched the entrance into the harbor of Havana with interest, and as they approached the shore Professor Strong pointed out the various objects to which he wished to draw their attention.
“As you doubtless remember,” he said, “during the War with Spain, in 1898, the city of Havana and several other cities in this neighborhood were blockaded for many months, so that it was next to impossible for the Spaniards to get any supplies from outside or to send any goods away from these ports. A number of vessels tried to run the blockade but nearly every one was captured, so that when the war was over our sailors had quite a lot of prize money coming to them.”
“Is that Morro Castle?” asked Mark, pointing to a high fortification to the left of the harbor entrance.
“Yes, that is old Morro, and over on the right is Punta Castle, and beyond that is the Queen’sbattery, a long fortification, which, as you can see, shelters the city itself from the sea. It was these fortifications, Morro, Punta, and the batteries to the west, that kept our ships at a distance during the blockade.”
“I should like to visit Morro Castle,” came from Sam.
“I think there will be no difficulty, although, you must remember, the American troops have now been withdrawn from the city and all of Cuba is now in the sole possession of the Cubans.”
“Well, I guess they have a friendly feeling towards Yankees,” came from Frank. “At least, they ought to have—we did so much to help them establish their freedom.”
“The entrance to the harbor is about a mile from the harbor itself,” went on Professor Strong, “and the city lies entirely on the west shore. Roughly speaking it is about a mile and a quarter square and contains about two hundred and forty thousand inhabitants. It is divided into the old city and the new, the former being within the old walls and being very much cluttered-up, and the latter being on the outskirts, where there are many fine buildings and summer residences. The harbor of Havana isa place that no real American is likely to forget. Can you tell me why?”
“Because the battleshipMainewas blown up here,” came from one and another.
“Exactly, lads, and the blowing up of theMainehastened on the war which resulted in Cuban liberty. I think we shall be able to see the spot where she sank, although the wreckage has been cleared away.”
“I will show you the place,” said one of the other passengers, and he pointed it out, not many rods from the shore. “I was here at the time,” he went on. “The explosion was a very terrifying one, and broke a good deal of the glassware in the hotel at which I was stopping.”
It was not until several hours later that they were allowed to land, after a Cuban Custom House official had passed their baggage. Professor Strong knew exactly where he wished to go, so there was no hesitation on that score.
“What narrow streets!” exclaimed Frank, as they passed along, the boys having elected to walk, in order to see the sights more fully. “Why they are no better than alleyways. This sidewalk is barely two feet wide.”
“That is the way they used to build the streets,”answered the professor with a laugh. “They know better now, and the new part of the city has some very broad and well-shaded highways, and also a great number of beautiful fountains.”
“I don’t see how wagons can pass each other—especially those long things they callvolantes,” came from Hockley.
“There used to be a regulation that carriages and carts could only pass through a street in one direction. I presume that is still in force in the old part of the town.”
It was not long before they came to the main thoroughfare of Havana, with its quaint Spanish name ofIsabel Segunde. Here, as the professor had said, were broad walks with numerous trees, and many fountains. Here was also located the hotel for which they were bound, a large three-storied affair, with broad verandas upon all sides, and the usual courtyard, orpatio, in the center.
“This is quite like home,” declared Darry, as he looked around. “I have heard half a dozen folks speaking English. It’s a good deal different from Caracas.”
“The war made the difference, Dartworth. Before that time Havana was as foreign a town as onecould find on this side of the Atlantic, and that too although it is but a short journey from Florida.”
The walk to the hotel had tired the party, and all of the boys, especially Hockley, were glad to rest in thepatio, with its easy chairs and its cooling fountain. From a distance came the sounds of a band playing some popular air and the effect was most soothing.
“This is what I want,” was the tall youth’s comment. “Beats walking in the hot sun all to pieces.”
“Tell you what, Glummy, the next time you walk you had better ride,” said Frank, with a yawn.
There was a laugh at this “bull” and Hockley’s face grew sour at once.
“How many times must I tell you not to call me ‘Glummy’? I don’t want it and I won’t stand it.”
“All right then, sit down—it’s what we are here for,” returned Frank. “But I’ll try to remember,” he added, as he saw that Hockley’s anger was rising.
“See that you do,” growled the big fellow, and then he dropped into an easy chair and soon fell asleep.
“He hasn’t got over that affair on the steamer,”whispered Mark. “He thinks one of us ought to have had that knock-down from Captain Sudlip.”
“Oh, let us forget Captain Sudlip,” said Frank. “I never want to see him again. He was too mean to live.”
Professor Strong had to attend to several matters, including the getting of money on his letter of credit, and while he was gone the boys made themselves at home at the hotel. The quaint hostelry possessed every comfort and all would have been content to have remained there a long while.
But this was not to be. It had already been arranged that they should spend three days in sight-seeing in and around Havana, and then take side trips to Matanzas, Cardenas and other important cities not far away. After this they were to journey to Santiago, where they were to go out on horseback and view El Caney, San Juan, and other battlefields of the late war.
When the professor came in on the evening of the second day, he had a treat in store for them.
“I was passing the Tacon, the principal theater of Havana, when I saw an announcement of a celebrated Spanish dramatic company which is playingthere in a round of standard dramas. I would like you to see this playhouse, for its size and beauty is known all over the world, and so I purchased tickets for to-night’s performance.”
“Good!” came from Darry and Frank in a breath.
“I’d like to see a play first rate,” said Mark. “What is it?”
“Othello. I suppose you have all seen this, so you can follow the play even if it is in Spanish.”
“Oh, pshaw! I thought it was some Spanish variety show,” sighed Hockley.
“I should not care to take you to a variety show, Jacob.”
“But this will be dead slow.”
“If you don’t care to go, you can stay here.”
“I guess I’ll stay here then,” answered Hockley. “I’ve got something of a headache, anyway. I’ll go to bed early.”
Hockley’s headache was largely imaginary, and his thoughts were on another novel he had picked up, “Handsome Jack, the Dead Game Sport of Chicago.” He had left off where Handsome Jack was confronted by four gamblers who wished to rob him of his fifty thousand dollar diamond stud, andhe was anxious to read on and find out how the “hold-up” terminated.
“Very well, Jacob,” said Professor Strong. “If you have a headache I think the best thing you can do is to sleep it off. Probably the sight-seeing has been too much for your eyes.”
At the proper hour the boys were ready to attend the performance at the Tacon. They were attired in their best, for at this opera house, people invariably wear the finest clothing they possess. The professor called a carriage, and soon they were rolling down the broad highway.
“How foolish Hockley is,” whispered Frank to Mark. “He doesn’t know what he is missing. Do you think he’ll really go to bed?”
Mark shrugged his shoulders. “It isn’t likely. He’ll read another trashy novel, I fancy.”
Mark was right, as we already know. But this was not the depth of Hockley’s shortcomings.
The youth had a strong desire to be considered “mannish.” He wanted to follow in the footsteps of certain men he had known and others he had read about. The character of Handsome Jack, “the Dead Game Sport of Chicago,” appealed strongly to him. Jack played cards, drank, went to horseraces, and always got the best of the many enemies who tried to “down” him. To poor Hockley, who swallowed these tales and believed them true, he was more of a hero than even “Gold Nose Hank, the Mine Discoverer” had been.
Having seen the others off, Hockley strolled over to a cigar counter in the hotel and invested in a package of cigarettes, one of which he lit and placed the others in his pocket. Then he entered the café and called for a glass of liquor, and while it was coming he sat down at a table in a corner to continue the perusal of his novel.
The fumes of the liquor, and the smoking of several cigarettes, made the misguided youth far from clear headed. But he kept on reading until the volume was finished, Handsome Jack having at last killed off all his enemies in double-quick order. To keep the eyes of the waiter off of him, Hockley ordered another glass of liquor which he also consumed. Then he threw the book in a corner, arose and stretched himself.
“Guess I’ll go out and have some sport,” he muttered. “It’s dead slow hanging around like this. I came to see the sights and I’m going to see ’em—professor or no professor. There must be lots ofsport going on in a town of this size,—variety shows, gambling, and such—and I’m going to hunt ’em up, and if I don’t find ’em then my name ain’t Jake Hockley!”
And paying the amount of his bill he shuffled out of the brilliantly lighted café and was soon lost to sight in the darkness of the night.