The _guajiro_ is totally lacking ambition and his chief desire is to be left alone to live his life in his own way. If he is frugal, it is from necessity. Of thrift he has no understanding. What he earns to-day he carelessly spends to-morrow. Indeed he knows no reason for earning except to spend. It would be strange if his characteristics were otherwise. He has never had any opportunity to improve his condition, nor any incentive to accumulate property. He has become accustomed to living from hand to mouth with indifferent regard to the future. He works when he must and ceases as soon as he may. In that respect he is merely giving full play to an inclination that is strong in all of us. The _guajiro_ lives chiefly on bananas and other fruit. Aside from an occasional _iguana_, or _jutea_, pork is the only meat he eats. This, contrary to our idea of the fitness of things in the tropics, is a frequent and favorite dish with all classes of Cubans. He sometimes varies his bill of fare with a fish or a bull-frog. The one trait of his Spanish forefathers which the _guajiro_ retains in undiminished strength, is love of gambling. He is supported through a week of loathsome labor by the prospect of wagering his wages at the cock-pit or bull-ring on Sunday. He enjoys music and dancing with the whole-hearted delight of a child. As most of the observances of the Church have something of a gala character they attract him, and he finds a pious excuse for attending them. Weddings, christenings, funerals, are so many holidays in which it is a religious duty to take part. Of course all the _fiestas_ are holy days and if he worked on all the days which are in no manner signalized by the Church, he would hardly labor half the time. The _guajira_ does all the chores about the place, except for looking after the cattle. If these and the cooking leave any surplus time it is occupied in attending to the numerous brood of _guajiritos_, who are to be seen tumbling [Illustration: YOUNG CANE-FIELD, WITH BANANA GROVE IN THE DISTANCE.] about every cabin of the Island in a state of unhampered nature. The _guajira_ is the working member of the family, but she gets her full share of the holidays, for her husband usually takes all his dependents with him when he goes to town to attend mass and patronize the cockfight. Females are debarred from that delectable entertainment and while it is in progress the _guajira_ will foregather with others of her kind outside the village _fonda_ and gossip over a glass of tamarind water.