New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-22
ORLEANS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1871
anchor without in thirty-six feet water and

float down their wood.
Before entering the port and city Of San
Domingo, we will take a short cruise past
it to Puerto ViegO, two leagues from the
interior town of Azua or Antigua. where the
Haytiens and partisans of the rebel Cabral
have been creating trouble recently, caus- |
ING Commander Irwin. of tho United States |
steamer Yantic and Lieutenant Commander |
Me Cook. to take Baaz there and settle the !
difficulties We will a!so tako glimpse of |
Alta Vea and the r,st of the southern |
coast of Domingo in the meantime.
The port Of San Domingo is indifferent, |
being exposed to Southern winds, and as
such were prevailing to Il fearful extent |
as weapproached the harbor, We stood Oft,
and were rapidly carried west all night,
and next morning were surprised to dis
cover how much we had Overrun our cal
culations of longitude, when, in the course
Of the day, we discovered IA small island,
covered with verdure. seeming as if spread |
like Il carpet upon the waves. called Llsle |
des Vaches. away to the southwest OF |
Hayti. Steam and fine breeze soon
waited l,s back, and when the mountain |
coast was seen, the pilot pronounced 1t |
Jacmel in the centre of the Haytien do |
miniOns, 80 that we could have taken mules |
and soon rode over the mountains to Port.
au-Prince and paid our respects to the Pres
nlent of Hayti, but such was not our
destination. In the course OF the evening
we saw the dome-like rock OF Alta Eela, a
small guano island on the dominican shore,
for the American claims to which, by right
of discovery General Butler has 80 inter
ested himself rs attorney. Here it was that
Columbus and his sailors amused themselves
| in the days Of Old with killing ''sea wolves
| A little to the northwest is another remark
| able rock, called Los Frayles, composed of
vertical pillars. which imagination clothed
| in -ackcloth and made resemble ''triars,"
| whence the name. It was with regret that
| we could not tarry i'll that western division,
| whose climate is said to be extremely tenn
| peratc: whose inhabitants drink from the
| mineral springs that abound in this quarter;
| where hunting is the occupation OF the men
the cultivation OF roots and washing of
| cold from the mountains that of the women
| and children: but where sickness SIS un-
| known to all.
| DOMINGO CIyT-LETTERs FROM HOME-THE
| HARROR-RUHIAL PLACE OF COLUMBUS
| Ills FAvORItE ISLAND, ETC.
At length We entered this our long sought
haven. To say that We met with the utmost
civilitv from all would be TO draw it exceed
| ingly mild. Friends presented Us, on our
| arrival, with letters enough from home to
| occupy Omr attention for two or three days.
All could now understand the full meaning
| of King Soomon's saving: "As cold water
to a thirsty SOUL 40 Is good news from tar
| country
The port of San Domingo. "a before re-
marked. is Indifferent. being exposed t"
southern winds. as will have been seen by
our difficulty in cnterin. 1t, but it affords
! excellent anchorage. Ii Is formed by the
confluence of the rivers Isabella and Ozama,
swelled by variety of smaller ones. such
| as the YavacaO. Monte Plata. Savita,
| GuavanimO, Yuma. Duev. Hama MOsa.
Naranjo, Yuca. Dajao and Higuero. The
Isabella and Olama. that receive the above
| mentioned streams with variety OF others.
| unite in a general channel league up from
this capital. retaining the name OF the
Ozama. here about the width of the
Thames. Our own Irving, in describing
| this site chosen for the capital by BarthOlO-
new Columbus says: After careful ex-
| animation, he cheese the eastern bank OF Il
natural haven at the mouth of the river
! Ozama. 1t was easy of access, OF sufficient
depth. and good anchorage. The river ran
| through beautiful and fertile country; its
| waters We're pure and salubrious and well
stocked with fish: its banks were covered
with trees. bearing the fine fruits Of the
island 50 that in sailing along the fruits and
flowers might be plucked with the hand
| from the branches which Overhung the
stream" 1t will be recollected that the first
town was destroyed shortly after building
| by a hurricane in 1902 ia the time of the
miserable Commander Bobadilia. 1t WAS
rebuilt by his successor. Ovando. but on the
opposite or western side OF the rivera bad
choice. on many accounts, 1t being en-
veloped by the vapors of the stream, which
| a continual east wind blows over it, and
being destitute OF the excellent water
which the original site affords. 1t will be
changed by Uncle SamueIs folks. But the
town is soiidly built, its streets are wide and
straight. The appearance of the place is. pic
turesque but its massive plies OF buildings
OF stone from 9rarrics near are unadOrned
| ...l, t.,,yl
old Spanish style. with fat roofs, and yard
or patio in the middle with surrounding
| galleries inside, and baCOnics to the street.
| The lower windows are all rOn-grated,
many of the doors fold and give entrance
to large vestibule or passage where the
porter sits. The cathedral standing on the
| south side of the main square, with its head,
as in all catholic churches. to the East, was
built according to the plans sent out by the
Emperor Charles Fifth, the model taken
| from a church in Rome. 1t was commenced
according to an inscription at the entrance,
in 1912, and finished in l54O. is handsome
structure OF modern Gothic. On the right
of the high altar, for many years. rested the
remains of the ill-reauited but immortal
Columbus. to which place they were
removed from Seville (and previously
from Nalladolid. Spain, where he
died), by his own order in his will. and de-
posted in this first and favOrite scene of his
discovery and settlement. together with the
chains which the ungrateful Spanish rulers
of the island there put upon him, and which
he bore on his passage home. When the
Spanish ceded the island, his descendants
had the brass coffin containing the same re-
moved to Havana. in 1896 This island,
Astounding in gold, and the first Columbus
settled, was decidedly his favorite. Pos
sessing fertility local beauty and natural
productions beyond any other. it was long
held the most valuable appendage of the
Spanish crown. and gifted and privileged
accordingly. But l must reserve for an
other letter description Of its productions
To-day is positively the last day of the