Travels in the United States, etc.,: during 1849 and 1850./ By the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.
evening on the Grand Plaza. The best I have heard here is,
I think, the Artillery band; but they all are good.
They have a large number of troops already in Cuba, and I
believe they expect more very shortly. Rumors of every kind are
rife, but one can place no faith in any of them. I believe only
that Spain is most sincerely desirous of retaining this magnificent
possession of hers-and well she may be. Not only its almost
unequaled fertility and natural advantages, but its position, renders
it a place of the very highest commercial and political importance.
Its situation, commanding the entrance to the Mexican Gulf, and
also the communication between North and South America, has
caused it to be named "The Queen of the Antilles," "The Sentinel of the Mississippi," "The Key of the Gulf;" and its great
beauty and luxuriance have acquired for it the denomination of
"The gem of the American Seas." "The Beautiful Antille,"
"The Pearl of the Islands," and other admiring designations.
When we first arrived here, how natural seemed the loving
exclamations and remarks of returning "Habaneros," who, bending over the guards of the steamer, uttered ejaculatory expressions
of delight as we neared the enchanting shores:-" O! que escenas
tan hermosas. E1 cielo sin nubes, y la mar tan serena, y el sol
tan brilliante." "Si! y las florestas tan deliciosas! Y esa verdura eterna de la hermosissima isla." "Mira V. que multitud de
barcos, bergantines y goletas y fregatas y paquetes y-hombre,
que multitudc!" " Si! y inil banderas y banderolas de variados
colores y de todas las naciones! Y que vista tan hermosa ofrece
la ciudad desde el puerto. Mire V.! a fo mia, no se ha visto cosa
mas bella!" and so on.
We have been to see the cathedral here, which is extremely
interesting, from being the burial-place of Columbus. It is not
as magnificent as the cathedral in Mexico, but it is a noble building. On the right side of the grand altar is an urn, containing
those precious ashes: it is inclosed in the wall. A fine bassorelievo is placed before it, of the bust of that mighty Discoverer.
This bust is the size of life. and under it is read the following
inscription:-" O restos 6 imagen del grande Colon, mil siglos
durad guardados en la urna. Y en la remembrancia de nuestra
nacion." There is a small, but very interesting and beautiful
painting opposite to the tomb, which is said to represent the Pope
and the Cardinals of that day, celebrating HIigh mass previous to
the departure of Columbus from the shores of Spain, on his first
adventurous and momentous expedition in his humble "caraval."
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