New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-03
DOMINICA.
TN " Tribune.

INV hserxaton features IN the mode OF NE OF Tue
natives worthy Of forming the subject OF letter for
publication.
Life here, as in most Spanish American towns Of the
came Dimensions, seems Ike very abortiye attempt
40 realize state of things akin 10 that depigted by
Tenny son in his exquisite poem, The Lotos EA.ers.
IN. BIN this case for "lOtos" read "plaintain -
TIA, vegetable having been found yield the maximum
Of food with the minimum Of exertion In one respect
I End very striking resemblance to the aforesaid
country, that It "seems Away afternoon here; and,
judging from the langud movements of the inha ei-
tsnts very late in the afternoon too. On the other
band, they are neither "md.eyed" nor melancholy,
but on the contrary rascibls and hght-hearted yet
altogether the climate the scenery and the character
OF the people, Who cordially embracing the PHILOSOPHY
embodied In the inquiry, Vots the hods, as loIS o.
you're Apply 7" have long since ceased TO strive oi
better stale Of things remind one just saeeI bss ys
this epsode in Uly sses wanderDgs to MAKE nui
sigh at the ruthless disenchsntments OF ian'y '
Gons wrough: by experience. s;,,r,v n ssnd
Ny object in taking up my pen was supp s ~
YOU sketch of nv visit to the h'tie farm OF ias 20
slave from Florida, ia the vicinity OF 'ne eo"n, st ~
the improvements that h. hss han year Il seems
10 me Of vaine 40 sbo wing what black man VITO en-
er,y and perseverance can accomplish spSle-nauueo,
and il may possibly serve as an lncenuV9 " son u
our free blacks at the NoTtn 10 CoDe ouV hoio au AV
low bic example.
The man speak Of iss fine boxing mulsto of about
35 his keen wecut features and muscular frame In
d,eatl both resolut on and energy. lie was slave
IN South Carolina black NTH BY trade and had been
taken by his master by sea- from Charleston 10 Key
West. His wife accompanied him, and on reaching
Key West he was hired oat to Government at 81 -
per day, to work on the fort, while his wife was In
vesed ia the mannsr, al 10 cents per day, TO do
washing.
On tae'r voyage out they passed Nassau, which he
carefully observed, with view 10 future opera
knowing 1t 70 be an English colony. Gradually aud
cautiously be conded to some of his fello wsayes his
plans for .sctpg their escape until he had got 70
gether party Of eleven lading women and eal
orep, Taking possession of q small saboat st he
hsht hoDse with opy food and water enough for one
dey and compass they set forth on their watery eXo-
dus. Their leader, however, had greatly uoder-esu-
mated the distances OF Ne"-Providel'e, ana Tor TWO
DAYS ap nights they without anything T. eat or
S,Bk nos If them suffering from sea sickness at ths
ssme time. On the fourth day ship hove in eight
They mace sail for her at once, aud on her,
and stating their condition, were supplied with whst
they wanted by the captaic, who also gave toem the
bearings snd distance OF the island, without asking
any Que stops In three days more they arrived safe
y at their place of estimation, whsre he proceeded 10
declare his intention of becoming Bri!ish subject and
went at once diligently 10 WORK. He lived n.arls a
wear at NeS .Provd O. but was were low, and he
finally decided TO remove to Dominica and go TO farm
ing. "
trade until be had saved up little money The farm
on which he lived, lying about two miles ives; o. the
town, Covered with dense growth OF wild trees
buthes, ete-in short with tropical jungle. He paid
twelve dollars to the nominal owner for ii, and the
Goverpmeot relnquisbed claim which they had upon
1t for eight dollars more He aud his wife at olce
commenced operations, cleared and planted over TWEEN
ty aeres hav pg obsi, ed credit for part o! tue
msterisls) erected q snug little cot age.
On walking out TO his farm was struck with the
neatness exhibited erywhere, the mora noticeable
from the contrast exhibits 10 the houses of the ma
tves ger orally The house, consisting Of two rooms,
lone than the average among people OF the came
class herel with separate oat-house u.ed as ktc1'
3D. k,ild he'd ha IVA
"waued" with POLES, formiog sort Of basket-work,
pasteIed with clay and wbitewashed, both inside aud
out thus forming very substantial and slightly little
maDtioD
large field Of corn and Teet potatoes surrounded
it. great deal of the former he cuts greeo and sells
for FODDER the boys who out from the town to
purchase IT, OF the latter he has than two hun
dred and fifty bushels nearly ready for market, and
YVES told by 40 American merchant in town, formerly
engaged In farming that hs standing crops must be
worth between four aud five hundred dollars. L con
eev. that few Of our Western emigrants can show as
ouaty ing result Of their first years labors farm OF
forty ACRES and snug house, both paid for, and crop
worth four hundred dollars, ony two miles from
q got d market.
In breaking up the ground for planting he used a
plow--a Startling innovation here where the people
merely make hte hole with their snyes stick IN the
seed and cover il up, leaving the bulk OF the 50 un
touched. The esct Of bic plo wing in preserving hi
crops from the drouh has been remarkable that his
peigbbors accuse HIM of wichcrait, and sincerely
trust he may escape the persecution which generally
attends the who intellectually in advance OF
the minds around them.
Next yesr he proposes to begin cultivatng SeaIsand
Cotton havDg planted a little by way OF experiment
last year, which turned ont admirably, and Sugar
Cane. II be gees on a. he has commenced, l do not
see hos he can fail to be prosperous planter ten
years hence
Now, having presented sueh practical illustration
IS bis of the rewards aainable by intelligent Industry
IN this country, l cannot but ask, Is it not worth
whils for many OF the better class of free blacks at
"the North 10 come out here and settle 2? There are
thousands of of ast such land conposes this
farm, visible from the town on every side lying wholly
nDimproved.
am we'll aware there are reasons for preferrng
Hsyti 10 Dominica Yet the greater cheapness Of land
in this part Of the island is an inducement for poor
men TO prefer it. Emigran's ought TO form colony,
however, as to lend each other aid and encourage
meDt for the iudoence and ignorance of the natives
would be terrible encouragement 10 the solitary set
tier.
The most serious objection to coming here to become
citzeD seems 10 be the liability to peIfor military
service l am informed that the rho'e adult male
popuationrsome % 000is enrolled and that of these
5000 are on doty at tme fresh recruits relieving
their predecessors al intervals Of six weekg. The pay
ie merely nominal twenty cents week. 30 that the
army axes the citizen eighth Of bis time. Daring
revolutions every man 10 liable TO be kept under
long ss the struggle lasts.
III American emigTants could be protected from such
liability by stipulation for their exemption on the
part Of the Government the most serious objection to
tuch emigration would be done away with and as
thsy really desire TO attract intelligent settlers Of Af
can BLOOD such agreement might easily be made.
or course the newcomer must he prepared for a
wboy different state of society from that which he has
been used to-must expect to find wretched roads no
schools and a scarcity Of many convenienees as alum
dant among people as air and water Yet all tnls
the pioneer encounters every where 10 certain extent
and 10 the colored at least the feeling that here
be free from the scorn and oppression OF the white,
mnst 10 considerable degree counterbalance the In
To ha