Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-07

crude people, and the word of the governor,
Damien Baez, is law, especially as he always
carries out what he once undertakes to do In
speaking of the sudden rains which seem to de-
scend from cloudless sky, l am reminded of
Ben. Wade's joke upon Domingo; he said there
were two seasons there, namely, the wet and
the rainy.
The cemetery is a short distance outside of
the city. 1t looks very neglected flowers and
weeds spring up and grow so fast that a great
deal of care would be required to keep it in
order. People who can afford to, buy long
leases ofthe lots wherein they bury their friends,
but the poorer ones cannot do this, so after,the
mortal part of it has lain in the ground GER
tain length of time it is exhumed and burned.
Two corners of the cemetery are set apart for
this purpose, and are enclosed by low stone
wall When I visited the cemetery there were
piles of bones in both these places waiting to be
burned-they were mostly skulls and large
bones, and were well beached by lying in the
sun. 1t was a repulsve sight for a northern
woman, but as | had twice visited the cata-
combs of Paris, l could easily endure this sight.
With this exception and the luxurious aud rank
pla1itbo ulu MOI ulHer
materially from most Roman Catholic burying
grounds.
About two miles from the city there is a fine
place for sea bathing. A coral reef shuts out
the heavy breakers, and makes it safe also from
sharks. There are great many large sharks
always coming in close to the shore, which rem.
ders bathing in most places there very danger
Gus. In March l enjoyed delightful sea-bath
in the place have mentioned.
NOrtherners going to San Domingo would
find the late autumn or early winter The best
time of the year for their visit. There is less
rain there then than in the spring or summer,
which makes walking and horseback riding
much more agreeable than at other seasons.
went there the first part of March and found
the sudden change from our cold northern
winter to the summer warmth of the tropics
very enervating.
The southern part of the island where San
Domingo City is situated is less beautiful, and,
l think, less fertile than the northern part. If
annexation should take place, SANTANA would
become the commercial centre OF Domingo.
The bay is thirty miles long and fifteen miles
wide, and both sides of it are exceedingly beauti-
full and highly fertile. Towns could be built
almost anywhere along its shores, and there are
innumerable fine sites for villas. The locality is
healthy, and there seems nothing to prevent this
portion of the island from monopolizng the
greatest part of all kinds of business. A. rail-
road has been projected from st. Jago to Sa-
mana; the former place is the most populous
and thriving of the inland towns; at present
Puerta Plata is its seaport. There are very
famous caves along the bay of Samana--some
of them are very large, with hard, sandy floors.
Their entrances are sometimes entirely hidden
from view from the bay by projecting rocks or
high islands in front of them. They make very
delightful resorts for excursion parties, and are
great sources of interest to the naturalist and
scientist.
Before went to San Domingo was strongly
in favor of anneXing it to the United States !;
but having been there and seeing what it is, the
only real advantage, | think, we should derive
from annexation, would be to have naval sta
ton in the West Indies. The people there are
weak, gOod-for-nothing race, and | fear that even
if northerners should go there with their enter
prise and industry, it would not take many years
to demoralze them. AS Emerson says: "The
highest civility has never loved the hot zones.
Wherever snow falls there is usually civil free
dom Where the banana, the animal system is
indOlent and pampered at the cost of higher
qualities. The man is sensual and cruel"
L.B.R.