New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-21
NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 81, 1871,

realized something of that tropical luxur1-
ance and freshness upon which travellers
have loved to dilate. In the distance. we
soon deserted peeping above the horizon, the roofs
of Santa Barbara de SANTANA, and little by little the
whole scene bloke upon us in it's delicious beauty.
One by one appeared the spreading tops OF the
palms. The brown hue of the hills changed to the
most brilliant shades of green their sides showed
here and there little patch of farmland shut IN
by waving forest. and over all the country was
mantle of that soft, beautiful veIdure which we
never see at home except after the showers OF early
Summer. We could appreciate now the rapture
with which Columbus land we were sailing-so they
say-in the very track Of the discoverer) painted
the beauties of this island paradise. Close to the
shore. in a little gully through which stream Of
water ran singing to the sea, stood hut, with round
matched roof and single window looking out upon
the ocean, Waving palms shaded it in front and rear
blooming hills sheltered il from the winds, and close
by was huge ragged rock against which the lazy
surf beat perpetual music This perfect picture was
succ eeded by views Of larger houses with patches
of cleared land and groves of cocoanus and bananas
There was little settlement whose borders coached
to the shore green and fertile to tho very edge OF
the sea- while the palms dropped their broad leaves
tipped with golden yellow above the houses, and IN
the back ground forests Of the most beautiful and
varied foliage stretched away farther than the eye
could reach. On ship-board the heat excessive;
but on shore everything looked deciously cool and
fresh.
SANTANA BAY.
Through such scenes we moved along until at
o'clock in the afternoon Of the oath We dropped
anchor in the outer harbor of SANTANA, about two
miles from the village Over the property leased by
the United States hoated the American flag, and to
our delight we found in the harbor the United States
steamer Nantasket, Capt. McCook. boat from the
Nantasket soon boarded u.s. and some time was
passed in pleasant conversation the news from
home and from the feet. Later in the day the Com
mssioners landed for visit TO the local authorities,
and these latter distinguished officials fastened to
return the compliment. 1t was not until the morn
ing of the 18th that the rest Of the party went ashore
THE TOWN OF SANTA BARBARA DE SANTANA.
SANTANA is a poor little dirty place enough, for all
its romantic and picturesque appearance IL Is built
in random hap-bazard sort of way along hali-a-
mile of cnryng shore at the foot Of ridge Of high
wooded hills and what with its rambling lanes and
grotesque huts think il is of the most absurd
places ever saw There 80 or 20 buildings, all
told consisting for the most part of a light frame
work of scantlings brought from the States and
clap boarded with bamboOs splt in half and pressed
fiat by piling stones upon them while wet. The rude
panking made in this primitive manner is from four
to six inches wide and half quarter
of an inch thick Paint is almost unknown, but
most Of the buts are whitewasbed The roofing is
of cocoa leaves bound together with vines. The
flooring when there is any, which is not often, con-
sists of rough-hewn wood, or bark or bouehs' OF
the same leaves that are used for thatch. None OF
the houses-or, perhaps, should say eabins-haye
more than one story few have more than one or,
perhaps two rooms. Doors and windows are luxu-
ries which the majority of the people have learned
10 do without but there are two or three houses In
the village rooted with shingles and supplied with
all such modern convenences plank floors, parti-
tons and doors and windows In the center of the
settlement is the Plaza. square, without which
no Spanish built town is thought to be complete,
and here is a Liberty Tree, OF the royal palm spe-
cies, planted by the villagers five or
six years ago u replace one cut down by
the spaniards before they were driven away.
We landed from the ships boats on wretched
wharf which out about 100 feet into the shallow
water; and if the village looked cOmical from the
frirate what shall / say of the nearer viewf The
platform swarmed with men, women, and children,
of all shades of color, gazing open-eyed and OPEN
montbed upon the strange arrival At least half the
children under eight years of age were as naked as
when they first came into this wicked world The
ofispring of this innocent population usually begin
TO toddle about the streets when they are little
above the size of a large sweet-potao, and it is not
customary to clothe them in so much as a fg-eaf
until they are at least five years old. Clothing, even
nj that age, is looked upon as superfiuous
"a often as not, and l have seen some
pretty we'll advanced children with nothing
on worth mentioning. 1t seems to be one OF
the unwritten laws of fashion that the young
shall never wear more than one garment at
time If mother has given her child shirt, that
il enough; if a coat is more handy let coat suf-
free. and indeed it is not uncommon for all the pur
noses of convenience and adornment to be answered
by hat OF pair Of shoes Among the lower classes
If NAV be pardoned the xpression-econOmy in
costume is not confined to the children. There are
men whose whole wardrobe consists of pair OF
pantaloons. and women who boast of no garment
whatever but torn calico gown-nOt so much as
ragged handkerchief. One of the members OF the
Commission assures me that in the Interior the full
dress Of a gentleman sometimes consists OF broad
trimmed hat and rusty sword. tied about the lOins
with a belt of bark. don't wish to be understood
as making this statement on my personal response
bility; but evidently we shall have great deal to
get used 10 in Santo Domingo.
We pushed our way through the lazy, grinning
good natnred crowd, and made an inspection of the
nublic bindings of SANTANA. IL did not take long
for there ne none at all except two churches and
calaboose-and perhaps, should add couple of
school-houses The Catholic Church is a rude struc-
ture much larger than the inhabitants seem to re-
auire and full Of the oldest images dressed in
quaint not to say grotesque, habiliments. We
tried to converse with the priest but he spoke none
of the three languages at the command Of our party
80 we gave itup. We afterward learned that he was
an Italian A Methodist Church is building under
the auspices of the English Mission Society and the
British flag is displayed the unfinished edfce as