New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-21


weather fair, the sea Of the finest ultra
marine blue, and nothing could be more
delightful than the voyage. As the frigate
ylided into the tropics, the atmosphere
became clearer and clearer; no mists were
perceptiblc: the sun seldom obscured, and
the appearance of the sky and stars at
night peculiarly bright and clear; the
moon in these ATTITUDES often assuming an
almost vertical position and many OF the
stars. such as the Southern cross, which
belong to the Southern hemisphere, are
visible OF the tiying-tish, the shark, the
myriads of minute blue fishes, the blue and
green glitterins dolphins and of the ''man-
of-war BIRDS" nothing new can be said.
LAND, no! FIRST IMPRESSIONS, ETC.
Contrary to the first intention OF steamns
direct for this city, tho capital, to the
southeast of the island. and probably
touching at Samana ton the northeast) on
the way, was the determination to strike
the north OF the island at ManZanillo Bay,
about at the line where Hayti ends and San
Domingo begins and cruise nearly around
the island. Although this part of the
island is at present in an uncultivated state
owing to the incursions OF the Haytiens, for
IA half century past. its appearance as yon
approach it from the north Is picturesque
and pleasing to those who had been SO
long at sea, and were strangers to West In
dian scenery. it seemed clad with beauty.
1t was easy to conceive the pleasure enjoyed
by Columbus and his followers when the
fertility and beauty of West Indian scenery
first burst upon their view.
CAPE FRANCOIs-IBERvILLE.
A short distance west OF this. bat where
tho Tennessee did not go, ID the harbor OF
Cape Francos. which is spacious and with
good anchorage, but not 80 good as that
of st. Nicholas further west, or SANTANA to
Nhe east. But it is very advantaSeouslv
situated, being at the western extremity OF
the Vega Real or royal plain which extends
tar into the Spanish or San Domingo part
of the island and to this is attributed the
great success which Cape Francois always
had under French rule. Here it was that
YOUR own Ibervillc in Eo6 came, (thc year
he died at Havanal one hundred and sixty
tour wears ago and half j dozen years after
he had pioneered the first French colony to
| Louisiana. headed by his brothers Sauvllle
| and Benvile the first two Governors OF
| louisiana Here this great navigator fitted
out an armament TO attack the English at
| Nieves and at Jamaica, n which he was un-
successful.
ISABELLA, FIRST EUROPEAN CITY N AMER
| IcA.->>ME. DIMEN..OS,. ETC. OF TIIE.
| ISLAND.
II was with JOY that "a. started to
steam along the northern and rugged,
rocky. and picturesque coast. But the JOY
was not of long duration. for the Iennes-
see rolled hiieouslr. II short time lsa-
bella was reached whose foundation dates
sixth Of January 1894, three hundred and
seyentySiX years ago. When columbus
here built the first city founded by Euro
peans on this side Of the ocean. Here the
immortal Christopher nade his nrst settle
ment and named it after the august
princess who had seconded his enterprise
But. though it accordingly had many 4
privilege and titulary patronage. its history
ia too sad one 10 be here further dwelt
upon Its ruins. even. did not last two cen
turies; and now, toward the end OF the
fourth. only a half o'erllanging arch, the
one-armed cross or moulderin. pedestal are
all that are seen TO peep through the rank
and luxuriant glade, or the spreading
gliava and wild indiy
This island, which was christened His
PAMELA Little Spain, by Columbus was
called by the natives Haiti. or Highland
for such it presents itself, particularly tC
the north: they named it also Qulsqueya
or the mother of countries, both OF whici
names appear to be expressive epithets. II
resumed, under the French, its ancient
name of Hayti. 1t is, however. divided
into two republics. That to the east is gen
orally called st. Domingo having borrowed
the name given by Bartholomew Columbus
to the town or city from which write
This is by far the larger division OF the
island that to the west is now called Haytl
1t is not equal to third OF the whole, yc
it was Justly considered. in the zenith OF it,
prosperity, as the garden spot OF tht
western world; still it boasted not tht
local advantages OF the St. Domingo end IL
point Of fertility, resources, irrigation
elevation, or mines. This division is csti
mated at about 3l75 square leagues, tract o
country equal to the support OF Il population
of eight millions Of souls, and preservin:
in great measure the virgin state OF its soil
while that of Hayti is tired, and particu
larly in many of the surrounding windwart
islands, worn out. Here clothing and i'm
plements of culture alone are required TO
the planters, and while to other islands w
send coal for the purpose. of fuel, and llm
for building. here the tall and crowded for
ests defy extnctiOn and the abundan
limestone, unequaled anywhere, lies neg
lected and II no use. OF the dimensions o
the whole island, Raynal and Spanish au
thors say it is two hundred leagues long
and from sixty to eighty wide; but even on
maps and surveys of the present day are I'm
perfect, and to the scale OF latl
tude and longitude, therefore. we ar
indebted in great measure for its measure
ment 1t stands in lSo l9' north latitude
and from 6S1 to 74o west longitude iron
London. In the America and Nes
Indies of Professor Long. G. X. Porte
and George Tucker, it is said to. be abOl'
400 miles long and $50 broad, in the wides
part and containing about 10000 s4uar
miles. or nearly equal to that of Ireland