The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-22
SAN DOMINGO.

sion rhe Voyage 20 the lainno-Bamuua nay
and San DOmioEo CITY.
We take the following extracts from the
letters in the New York Tribune giving an
account Of the San Domingo expedition, in
addition to what we published yesterday
THE yoYAeE-THE ARRIVAL AT SANTANA bay
THE BAY AND IT'S SURROUNDINGS.
Writing in the Bay of Samana, on January
u, the Tribune correspondent says;-
We had charming weather for the hrst
two days out-cold, indeed, but bright and
clear, with fresh and favoring winds, and
every prospect of a pleasant voyage. But
toward evening of the second day, in the
rough latitude of Hatteras, our troubles
began, and from that time until we neared
our destination we experienced abundant dis
comfort and many stormy seas, though with
out any specially severe test of the seagoing
qualities of the frigate Using generally both
steam and sails, we have made a mode
rately quick passages but the beha-
yior of the vessel under steam is far
from satisfactory, and the machinery is found
to be full of serious defects. AS a saller,
however the ship is pronounced taultless.
We had been out of sight of land six days and
a half, when on the morning of the oath we
heard from the lookout in the maintop the
welcome cry of ''Land hol" and the passen-
gers rushed upon deck. Thick. clouds hung
heavily over q dark line about two points
off our starboard bow, hardly discernible
at first; but as we came nearer we
gradually traced the outline of the
mountain range which stretched westward to
the mainland from Cape Cabron at the ex-
tremity of the peninsula of Samana. Behind
this mountain barrier and opening to the
east lies the bay to which we were bound.
The morning was the hottest we had yet felt
A burning sun blistered the deck. The brass
work of the frigate glowed like fire, and the
waters glittered like FURNISHED metal under
the blazing heavens. There was hardly a
breath ef air, and as we steamed through the
calm sea the sails hung useless from the yards.
Long before noon the whole country around
the mouth of the bay was distinctly visible
in outline. There were the hills rising ab-
ruptly close to the shore, the palisade-like
rocks almost surrounding the peninsula, the
irregular and picturesque profile of the range
stretching back as far as the eye could reach.
We could discover no table-laud; we saw no
beach; and at first there was no sign of life
except in the waters, from which a flying
fish darted now and then; nor was
there much appearance of vegetation.
1t was not until we had rounded Cape Cabron
and entered the mouth of the bay that the
dingy aspect of the landscape changed, and
we realized something of that tropical luxu-
rance 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 Samana, and little
by little the whole scene broke upon US in its
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
a mantle of that soft, beautiful verdure which
we never see at home except after the showers
of early summer. We could appreciate now
the rapture with which Columbus (and 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
thatched roof and a single window
looking out upon the ocean. Waving
palms shaded it in front and rear blooming
hills sheltered it from the winds, and close
by was huge ragged rock against which the
lazy surf beat perpetual music. This perfect
picture was succeeded by views of larger
houses, with patches of cleared land and
groves of Cocoanuts and bananas. There was
q little settlement whose borders reached to
the shore, green and fertile to the very edge
of the sea, while the palms dropped their
broad leaves tipped with golden yellow above
the houses, and in the background forests of
the most beautiful and varied foliage stretched
away farther than the eye could reach. On
shipboard the heat was excessive; but on
shore everything looked deliciously cool and
fresh.
Through such scenes we moved along until
at o'clock in the afternoon of the oath we
dropped anchor in the outer harbor of Sa-
mana, about two miles from the village.
Over the property leased by the United States
foated the American flag, and, to our delight,
we found in the harbor the United States
-, IN 1~x~ok
from the Nantasket soon boarded us, and
some time was passed in pleasant converse
tion over the news from home and from the
feet. Later in the day the commissioners
landed for a visit to the local authorities,
and these latter distinguished officials has
tened to return the compliment. 1t was not
until the morning of the 25th that the rest of
the party went ashore.
SCENES AT SANTANA.
After giving the description of the town,
already published by us, the correspondent
continues
We pushed our way through the lazy, grin
ming, good -natured crowd, and made an in
spection of the public buildings of Samapa.
1t did not take us long, for there are none at
all except two churches and calaboose-and,
perhaps, should add couple of school
houses. The Catholic church is rude struc.
ture, much larger than the inhabitants seem
to require, and full of the oldest
images dressed in quaint, not to say
grotesque, habiliments. We tried to con-
verse with the priest, but he spoke none
of the three languages at the commando of our
party, SO we gave it up. We afterwards
learned that he was an Italian. A Methodist
church is building under the auspices of the
English Mission Society, and the British fag
is displayed on the unfinished edihce as well
as on the residence of the minister. The