Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-03-01


gossip Of the appearance Of things at
San Domingo city, and the reception
Of the commissioners by President
Baez:
DANGEROUS HARBoR.
At about five o'clock on Tuesday
evening We entered the harbor lor
more properly the roadstead,) of the
city. 1t can hardly be called a har-
Dor, for the coast is entirely exposed
70 the sea, and the surf can be seen for
miles, as Il breaks against the cliff.
dashlng upward in white spray to the
height OF twenty or twenty-five feet,
even IL the calmest weather. In the
event Of storms from the south all YES
fsels are compelled 10 put to sea. 10
avoid being driven on the rocks. The
I OZania River, however, along the left
bank Of which the city is built, forms
a safe anchorage for vessels not draw
ing more than twelve feet. We an
chored about two miles from the shore,
near the Nantasket, the man-of-war
ordered to accompany US from Sama-
ma aud, with the exception of two or
three others, ours was the only vessel
to be seen.
DISTANCE LENDS ENCHANTMENT.
From where we lay the scene on the
shOre was a strange one to northern
eyes, a friendly haze softened the
rough old buildings of the town, and
the setting sun lent a golden tinge to
the graystone ruins, making, with the
high mountains in the distance, with
their submits crowned with snow, a
beautiful picture. But it was of the
same death-like beauty that we had
seen before, at Santa Barbara, and the
city might have been deserted for any
apparent sign to the contrary.
TIE OLDEST CITY.
The American Commercial Agent.
Dr. Ames, came aboard that evening,
and was closeted with the Commis-
siOnerss but no one went ashore until
next day when all but the Commits.
siOners visited the queer old town.
planned and built by Columbus, his
chosen home and the scene Of his
struggles and disgrace. almost the first
building confronting us as we ap-
preached being the old castle in which
he was imprisoned, and from which
he was sent back to Spain in chains.
They show the iron ring in the wall
TO this day, and call the castle FL
Homage, in remembrance of the dis
grace thsre witnessed.
The town looks as though il had
been bOmbarded years ago, and the
grass and rank weeds had grown over
he broken walls, which have never
been repaired. In all parts of the city
are palaces, converts, churches and
citadels, all in ruins. There was once
a high stone wall around the city,
with bastiOns and parapets; but the
parapets have been torn down and the
walls gone 10 decay. There are vet
several iron-studded gates, carefully
guarded by the bane-footed, ragged
soldiery, and every night the gates
are shut at nine O'Clock, and posi-
lively no admission is allowed after
that hour. The value of this precau-
tion, however, may be judged from
the fact that last evening one or two
Of our company returned from visit
from the United States steamer, Yam
tic, lying in the stream opposite the
gate Of Don Diego, (having run
aground and received serious iniury,)
and, il being after the prescribed hour,
neither persuasion nor mild profanity
could induce the guard at the wicket
to open. Failing in this they climbed
along the shore until they found a
breach in the wall, entered it under
the solitary gun of a Dominican man
of-War, lin theshade Of a littIeschoon-
er resembling fishing smack, and
retired to their lodgings victorious.
A COURTEOUS INVITATION.
The Dominican Government had
prepared for the reception Of the Com
mission and its attaches the National
Palace, a large stone building, very
plainly but comfortably furnished,
and sent word that they would take
pleasure IN Offering them its hospital
ity. The Commissioners, however,
resolved TO decline the offel, to the
general surprise, fearing that il they !
should accept the proffered palace" I
the newspaper correspondents would /.
write to their respective papers, and 4
the impression would 90 abroad 4
among those people who do not know 1
that in this country every ugly stone 4
building with bleak, bare rooms is a |
palace, y that the honorable Commits
siOners were rioting in the utmost
spleadOr, surrounded by eRery tropi- 4
cal luxury at the expense of the Do 1
mlnican Government. Wishing to
preserve their independence and to
avoid the shadow Of suspicion, they
sent regrets. Learning this the Do
authorities appreciated their
but stil urged the palace,
even promising " receive q sufficient
consideration. 1t would /
have saved them much trouble, but
the Commissioners stood by their
intentions, and hired an un-
occupied house, paying the same
rent as the former lessee, and trans
ferred cooking apparatus, bedding.
furniture and servants from the Ten
nessee. The whole affair is rather
ludicrOus and illustrates "what's in n
name;" had the authorities called
the building a casa fhouse) instead Of
Odgdcio (palace) the members Of the
Commission would probably have ac-
cepted. Having taken the trouble to
furnish the palace, the Government
placed It at the disposal OF the mem
oers o. the press, who were only too
glad 70 get lodgings there and pro-
cure the services Of a Dutch cook from
Curacao and an American caterer
,colOred) from jersey city. Some
members Of the scientific department
also preferred the ''palstialu and aris-
5ocratic accommodations of the press
10 those furnished at the casa by the
Commission, and we We're happy to
be lodged in rooms which have held
.0me OF old Spain's grandees. The
deserve thanks for their
,hOughtfulness, for there is but one
hotel in the place accommodating
Eight with two on the billiard tablet,
md there is no knowing how the un-
number Of twenty unfor-
innate travellers, entering this place
Il the same time, could be provided
or.
The palace is a neat, solid stone
not so ancient as some in
his city, and deserves the high-sOund-
ng name better than any other we
nave seen. 1t was occupied until re-
.anflV as the national na1aoa buf y4-op