Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-10

| phesied, the priests warned all who were living
together without marriage to come TO the church
and have that ceremony performed before it was
too late and they were all swept into perdtion.
| The church reaped quite harvest at that time
| This laxity about marriage, | think is owing to
the great and almost universal poverty of the
people. The national religion is the Roman
| Catholic, though the American negroes still
adhere to their Methodism
During Holy week there were religious pro-
cessions every evening. They were all alike
with but slight variation. On Monday the peo-
pie carried figure of Christ standing upon a
high platform, surrounded by lights and arti-
fetal flowers. Priests, chanting boys and city
officers followed. Then came a figure of Santa
Barbara which tottered upon its high place, and
seemed ready to plunge down at any moment.
An image of the Virgin Mary followed the
feeble.kneed saint. The Mother of Christ was
arrayed in black velvet robe deliberately en-
broidered with gold. A part OF the invincible
Dominican army, Ga most motley looking set of
mem brought up the rear. The governor of the
city, Damien Baez, and other city officials,
walked in the procession with uncovered heads,
bearing candles in their hands. The most inter-
esting procession was upon Good Friday. Then
all the flags in the city we're at half mast the
| soldiers all bore reversed arms, and the Christ
was borne in his sepulchre from church to
church, followed by two imaged saints and the
Mater DolorOSa. The president, the governor
and his suites, and all the foreign consuls
walked in the procession. All the men, women
and children were out in their holiday attire.
Good Friday is the great day of all the year in
Santo Domingo. The women and young girls
bend all their energies towards getting new
| gowns for this occasion. The feminine Domin-
leans are prone to much powdering of their
faces, the blacker they are the more powder OF
-four do they use. 1t often has the effect of the
white down on a peach or the white bloom on q
dark grape.
There are very few popular amusements in
Santo Domingo. Occasionally there is an
itiDerant opera troupe, or band of juggers
Theonly regular diversions are the Sunday after
noon cock-fghts, and the music of the National
band on the Plaza Sunday evenings. The cock.
| pit is opposite the "Church of San Domingo
thus pleasure and religion 60 hand in hand.
have seen many of the cocks which are trained
for fighting, all the feathers from the head to
the shoulders are plucked; each cock is weighed
before he is admitted to the arena. have never
witnessed acock-fght, nor a bull-fght, and prob
ably never shall, as regard such pastimes as
degrading to humanity.
One of the most interesting and imposing
ruins Of this ancient town is the old convent
and church of San Francisco. l cannot dis
cover at what time this church was founded
but from its size and indications of former
magni6cence, it must have been during the ear.
liest and proudest time of the Spanish rule.
These ruins of the church and convent of Sar
Francisco occupy several acres of ground, anC
form one of the most picturesque ruins in thu
city. The church was built upon a promnen
and elevated site. AS 1 approached the main en-
trance a boy mounted upon a donkey was
emerging from the door. We entered and asked
permission of an old hag who iuhabits these
once sacred precincts, to explore the ruins. In
the body of the church there are groves OIL
banana trees, an occasional orange or lemon
tree, and various other fruit trees. The small
chapels nearest the grand emf rance, which were
once used shrines dedicated 10 different saints,
are now used for entirely different purposes from
those their founders ever dreamed of. The first
two or three are miserably furnished for human
habitations, the people and their surroundings
are wretchedly poor. In the next chapel black,
dirty Dominican hog was wallowing. In this
place | could clearly see where an altar had once
stood, and there still remain, on the wall near
by, frescoed saints and draperies. Further with
in, the walls and part of the ceiling are in bet
ter state of preservation. The arches sweep in
graceful curves to grand height In the con-
vent chapel where the nuns once prayed and
chanted their vesper hymns, now waves a grove
of banana trees. The adjoining cells, which were
once occupied by sisterhood of nuns, are now
draped with vines which hang in graceful fes-
toons, and are used as stalls for horses, donkeys
or pigs. There are nearly three hundred bee
hives in different parts of the church and con-
vent. These hives are simply hollow logs, from
a yard to two yards long. The bees swarm
twice year. In May and June, and again in
August. | have been told that pots of old
Spanish gold coins have from time to time been
dug up within these ruins and that the old bag
that now haunts the place was once fortunate
| enough to unearth a like treasure. But from
the abect poverty of herself and family, gave
little credence TO this tale. AS | have before
stated, these ruins occupy vast area of ground.
| When President Baez first came into power, he
granted to many poor people portions of this
land, and the right to build houses upon it.
The only condition was that they should annual
/ lv 81 20 loI,,,
As Santo Domingo is situated in the tropics,
of course the climate is warm, but the heat is
always tempered by breezes. All day long a re-
freshing breeze blows in from the sea; at eve
ming this dies away, and q breeze from the in
land mountains sets in. There is not more than
ten or fifteen degrees difference in the tempera-
ture ofthe island throughout the year. The soil
is wonderfully productive, and requires but lit
tie cultivation. With northern industry and eff
terprise all the tropical fruits and vegetables
and most of those of the temperate zones might
be produced in great abundance.
Buenventura Baez the president of the Do.
minican republic, has held that Office through
| several successive terms. He is q man about
sixty years of age, medium height, and of mixed
African and Spanish blood. l have been told
that he is an Octoroon, which | can well be-
lieye, as he is very light colored, though his
hair is quite wooly. He was educated in Eu-
rope, has Travelled considerably, and his man
ners are easy and agreeable He is rather a
handsome man, his features being more of the
Spanish than African type. He wears a mus
tache and side whiskers, which are long and
nearly straight, and slightly sprinkled with
| gray.
Damien Baez, younger brother of the presi-
dent, is governor Of Santo Domingo city. He is
taller and more erect than the president, and is
also handsomer. He is said to be less of a
diplomat than his brother, but he has reputa-
ton for prompt and decisive action whenever ii
is needed, and in business his word is always to
be depended upon.
Two others of the Baez. family hold important
positions in the republic. Carlos is commander
in-chief of the troops in this part of the island
and Valentino, the eldest brother commands al
Aqua, seventy-five or a hundred miles from
here. Thus most of the power Of the republic i.