“I think there will be no difficulty, although, you must remember, the American troops have now been withdrawn from the city and all of Cuba is now in the sole possession of the Cubans.”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 is a place that no real American is likely to forget. Can you tell me why?”
“Because the battleship Maine was blown up here,” came from one and another.
“Exactly, lads, and the blowing up of the Maine hastened 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 call volantes,” came from Hockley.