er cry of 'Dulce de guayaba! Dulce
de almiba!' proclaims that her tray contains various kinds of West
Indian preserves. The Dulcera is also a slave, and consequently derives
no pecuniary benefit from the sale of her sweets, unless, by
pre-arrangement with her owner, a share in the profits has been
allowed.

El Malojero is a dark young gentleman who perambulates the town on the
back of a mule--or more correctly on the summit of a small mountain of
long, freshly-gathered grass. This grass, or 'maloja' as it is called,
together with maize, constitute a Creole horse's fodder, and being
packed in bundles on all sides of the beast of burthen, only the head
and hoofs of the animal are visible; while el Malojero, perched several
feet above its back, completes the moving picture.

La Aguadora is perhaps the most attractive of all peripatetics of the
pavement. It is she who provides the inhabitants with the indispensable
fluid--water. The water supply of Cuba is derived from wells attached to
certain houses; but those who, like ourselves, have not this convenience
on the premises, have water brought to them from the nearest pump or
spring. More than one Aguadora is employed to replenish our empty
vessels, and, like all popular characters in Cuba, each is favoured with
a distinguishing nickname. One of our water-carriers answers to the
pseudonym Cachon, another is called Tatagueita, a third Mapi, while a
fourth is dubbed with the imposing title of Regina. In turn, these
mulatto wenches arrive from the public font with small barrels and
strangely-fashioned water-jars, and deposit their contents in our
reservoir and in our 'tina.'

A tina is a filter on a gigantic scale. The exterior resembles a sentry
box, and is furnished on all sides with ventilating apertures through
which a current of air passes. At the top of the box or cupboard is
fixed a huge basin made of a porous stone, through which the water
slowly drips, and is received thus filtered in an enormous earthen jar.
A tin pot with a very long handle serves to ladle out the filtered
liquid, and the rim of this vessel is fringed with sharp projections
like a chevaux de frise, as a caution to the thirsty not to apply their
lips to the ladle!

Our nymphs of the pump are more serviceable as models than any of their
sister itinerants. They have symmetrical forms, which are partially
revealed through the scantiness of their clothing. Their coffee-coloured
features are, besides