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28. an exotics with us - struck me forcibly. Mumums - cacti - which would be valued highly in Northern gardens - grew by the wayside and were looked on as men common articles. There is not much scenery in the ride to Cerro. The country is mostly level - without trees - and looks swampy and unpleasant. Here and there is some fine residences surrounded by gardens - in the Ristance - Not English - but the whole is so interspersed with indifferent haven - and by no way marked did and squalidness as not to leave a very favorable impression upon the traveller. The houses of Havanna are mostly but one story - but one room deep - but this necessary in order to admit the air. In this climate - air and mind are of high value to the inhabitant. They are built of Corrallini limestone plastered on the outside to make it smooth. And painted with fancy colours blue - green - yellow - &c. The tops are adorned with ornamental valuctrades and wrns - Their windows are large generally without glass - the doors large - the entry leading directly into the court - the living rooms opening into the entry. I could not tell the front door half the time - they looked so like our barn doors. The [?] is [?] in an always stands in the entry when not in use. The climate is not oppressively hot. The only time when the heat is felt most being between the hours of 8 am and 11. The sea breeze then springs up and is very refreshing. As little clothing is worn as possible. The ladies dress mostly in white - and never wear hats. The Gentleman dress mostly in an American Style - and the negroes - wear little or nothing. In many of the houses we saw the women sewing or reading and in many also we saw children running about without any clothing. I always thought when reading about warm climates - that my modesty would be considerably shocked by seeing naked people - but the actual experiment proves far otherwise. The fact is only one feeling more