Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-26
Our HaYtIAn CORRESPONDENCE.
NUMBER 8.
GrPshV CAMP,
MoNTAaNl Oh La SRLLE.


from there to lie Los Rios, where we had an
opportunity To contrast the state of the
country under Spanish rule, with that under
the regime Of the young French Republic,
and the comparison resulted to the credit Of
the latter.
/ call it French, for though it stands on the
tablets Of the nations as u Independent Re
pttbique PHdyti, it is nevertheless as essen
TALLY French as it was when Napoleon's word
was law throughout its borders and when the
beauty and the chivalry of the Partisan Cap
ital created there court of wealth and splen-
dor that realized the extravaganza Of Arabian
tales of enchantment. II is much to the
credit of the Queen of the Antilles that
while revolving against tyranny and oppres-
sion, she still preserves the polish Of the
most polite nation in the world. ,-..
In the rural districts, up among the noun
tain hamlets, the people are free from French
finish, because even in the palmy days of
Napoleonic glory on the Island, large masses
remained uninfuenced, apparently asleep,
until the wild war cry of the Revolution re-
verberated among the EXTREMIST hills, and
the day. star of Napoleon's power in St. Do
mipgo has for ever set. The people have
manners, habits and customs peculiar to
themselves, and affording field of interest,"
ing research to the student of nationalities.
The last week has been devoted by us
in an artistic and q utilitarian point of view.
We consider the fertility of the Island as
directly attributable to vast mountain chains,
and to the part they play in the beautiful de-
sign of the Great Economist. .
The Senonas' ramifcations stretch over
the entire surface of the Island, and bear on
their emerald bosoms the most beautiful of
lakes and reservoirs, wherein are accumu-
lated the foods of heavy rains, for which
the winter season of the torrid zone is so re-
markable. The rapid evaporation by a
tropical sun causes refreshing showers to
fall daily, which, bathing profusely thewhole
surface of the Island, issagain evaporated,
causing delightful humidity in the atmos.
phere. Thus the very heat of the country
is made, by the action on the waters, to pro-
duce cooling effect.
This mountain range, together with the
MeTique and the BohorHeo, form a vast
chain extending from east to west, and ter
mfnating in the south at the Pointe de Ia
BeGte.
We are now at least seven thousand six
hundred and seventy-three feet above the
level of the sea, and ocean breezes and daily
drenchings are among the many advantages
we enjoy. At this writing, the thermometer
stands at 7215o, and it seldom rises above
that. At night we wrap ourselves in our
blankets, and when the fires are lit, mandates
the plains through which it passes, and by
this means produces the happy effects of the
Nile in Egypt.
The Government has much excellent land
for sale in the mountains, but people have
exaggerated the difficulty of transportation.
So few take up their abode here. Those who
do, however, could not be prevailed on to
exchange the fresh, free, healthy life for the
more enervating one on the plains.
The farm-houses are few and far between,
and for the first time in our expedition we
find ourselves comparatively alone for sup
per. We gather around them with as much
| pleasure as We ever did around the blazing
logs of our camp. fires in the pine-forests of
the NoGtblands. Not that it is really so very
cold, but the change from the valleys basking
in perpetual sunlight was SO sudden that we
feel it decidedly. The geological constitu-
ents of these mountains differ very essen
tally from each other. Often these in iuxta-
position could not present wider dissimi-
larity if oceans rolled between them.
They are rich in iron, sulphur, copper,
antimony, gold, mercury, cobalt, manganese,
and other minerals, in various combinations.
The soil on the plains, slopes and valleys
partake of the characteristics of the noun
tains near which they are situated. In one
place we find loose loan, near it this loan
mixed with coral, fishbone, and pulverized
shells; here rich vegetable mold, light
sandy soil, or stiff clayey mari. Sometimes
it is of deep black or brown, again red,
yellow, gray, blush, muddy, or lava colored.
Repeated analyses attest the fact that they
are highly impregnated with minerals pecu
liar to the mountains, which, doubtless, &C.
counts for its variety of colors, and the mar
velous fertility of the plains and savannahs
is owing to the debris of these mountains,
together with the decsying vegetation Of
their slopes, brought down by the frequent
rains that since Creation blessed this beauti-
full emerald isle of the ocean
1t is sweet to hear the loved accents of our
native tongue in foreign lands, but sweeter
still for hungry travellers from Northern
lands to find in the tropics fruits and vege-
tables such as they often appeased their hun
ger with at home. Old tried friends-apples,
pears, green corn, potatoes, chickens, to-
| matoes, &C., how we did pay our deUoirs to
| theml No stately palm or graceful banana
| tree ever touched our hearts like the waving
corn OF the mountain farms, and no balconied
villa on the plains can equal, in our estima
tion, the snug little farm-houses, and the old
uncles and aunts are great deal more pa.
rental and domestic on the mountains than
the same class on the plains.
From the mountain lakes and reservoirs
proceed rivers, which are joined by Other
streams, and widening and deepening a!
| they advance, roll proudly TO the sea- en-.
riching and beautifying the regions through
| which they pass, and bearing on their bosom
RATS and boats, and otherwise aiding in va
rious departments of human industry.
At the base of this branch of the Mount
aims de la Selle, on the northern side, sweeps
the A7tibOnite, or, as the Indians call it, Hal
bonico. 1t is one hundred and forty-fve
miles in length, and flows in an easterly
| direction in a line from Oibao, where it rises
In its way to the sea it is Joined by the Rio
Cdnas, the Fer a-eheOal, and the Ga4yan,uee.
If frequently Captain ", who enjoyed
the expedition hugely up to this, now votes
it a bore and talks of returning to the city,
with its life and pleasures, its wit and song,
its reVelry and wine, he is is now asleep in
his hammock, looking really tired out his
black curls falls over the broad brow so often
barred TO pointed bayonet and belching can
non, and his wicked uniform" as he calls
it, lies on the grass beside him, after doing
more execution in a certain way than any
Damascus sword. Poor fellow no wonder
he seeks 30 assiduously the balm of love, the
wine of woman's kisses. II forms fitting
afterpieee to the heavy tragedy of war, will
its tales of horror, and its fields of blood.
Yours &c, Gypsy.
GALIGNANrs Messenger of the 9Th of Sep
tember says;