The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-23
sANTO DOMINGO,



ARRIVAL AT sAMANA--PLANNING OUT THE
woRK-INTERvIEws WITH THE INHADI-
TANTs-scIENTIFIc ExpEDITIoNs-vIsIT
TO A PLANTATION.
Especial correspondence of the N. Y. Tribune. ]
On Board tic Tennessee, Samana Bay,
January 30.-Samapa is, without doubt,
the most fortunate starting point for any
exploring expedition. One cannot help
accumulating fund of enthusiasm which
may help him endure possible future hard
ships and disappointments. He who has
glowing views of annexation feels them
confirmed, while the anti-annexationist is
content to have his pet arguments over
thrown by sucn a pleasant refutation.
Far out at sea the rough outline of the
yellowish mountains disappoints an pre-
pares one for a rocky, barren coast; but,
as you approach, the somber mountains
gradually disappear, and the ranges of low
hills, covered with the densest vegetation,
come in sight. A week before we had
been in New York, with cold and sleet and
leai1ess trees; now we were warm with linen
clothes, and the hills before us were COW
cred with mass of trees and vines, green
beyond all description, a clear, fresh color,
such as the woods with us have in spring
after shower. The vegetation extended
down to the very surf which dashed its
spray over the graceful cocoa palm.
Higher up were dense groves of cecropia
and palmas reales former a slender,
branchless tree, with tuft of large white
leaves, the latter with curiously sweIed
out trunk and thin, wavy leaves. Here
and there were little cottages, thatched
with the bark of the palm and buried in
the cool-shade, and clearings planted with
the large-leaved banana or pineapple.
We dropped anchor at 2 P. M. about
two miles from the little town of Samana,
or, to give it its full name, Santa Barbara
de Samana-Santa Barbara being the pa
tron saint, whose fete is celebrated with
much pomp the 9th of December. The
history as most of the West Indian cities
and islands s. founded and abandoned, re-
founded by French buccaneers, who were
driven out by the Spaniards, re-occupied
by the French, who were again dispossess-
ed, this time by the English. The pres
ent charter dates back to the year 1907,
and was given by the French. Since then
there have been revolutions and counter
revolutions, internal dlssensions, and for
eign wars. 1t has been a city of refuge
for political exiles from Hayti, and, what
is perhaps more interesting for us, was the
place whittier the American Colonization
Society sent, in 1924 number of negroes
from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Dsla-
ware, some of whom are still living, and,
with their descendants, constitute the most
intelligent and well-to-do portion of the
inhabitants of the town aud peninsula Of
Samana. The town consists of so or 90
buildings. Sixty of these are dwellings, the
others shops, store-houses, church, guard
house, &c. The streets are narrow ara
muddy, the houses one-story buildings Of
wood, with palm thatch, the more amb-
tious rooted with corrugated iron. Glass
is unknown, and would be useless in
country where the only object of windows
is to let in breeze, and the only need of
shutters to keep out the SUM- In the CEN
tire of the town is a Catholic. churcha
barn-like structure, with cracked bell
| hung outside in a rude frame.
There are about 800 inhabitants, 25
| whites of different nationalties, the remain
| der colored, descendants of che Haytian
| colonists come hither 10 President Boyer's
| time, more recent Haytian refugees and
Dominicans of French descent these three
classes forming the large majority and a
minority ofSpanish Domnicans. A French
patois is more generally spoken than
| Spanish.
The above description does but poor
| justice to the really romantic-lookiug little
town, built on slope of the bill, which
incloses beautiful little harbor. The vii
lage is sustained by local traffic, stimulated
by the arrival of occasional vessels. There
is no wood-cltting or any kind of manu-
facture carried on, although the best Of
ship timber and material for posts abound
The day of our arrival the Commissioners
visited the authorities of the town, who
were afterward invited on board, and re-
ceived with due honor The following
days they were requested to be present at
| an informal examination, of which pho
nographic report was taken. Among those
examined was the Civil Governor, Senior
Acosta, who is also General in the
| Dominican army. He is a full -blooded
| Dlack, oU years oiu, anu cdHuot reau or
write, but speaks French and Spanish, is a
man of property, and greatly respected by
all classes. The real power, however, is in
the hands of Colonel Enrique Abreu a
handsome quadroou of 35, polished aud
fairly educated; he reads and writes French
and Spanish, and, in addition, speaks some
English. The AIcalde or Jadge, Eugenio
Garcia, was next examined, a shrewed old
octoroon, the son of a planter of Spanish
descent, and playmate of the Governor,
who was his fathers slave. Garcias son
is the administrator or collector of the
port of Samana, and has charge also of
leasing the government lands All the
books and papers in the possession of the
above officers were carefully examined, and
the officials themselves were very frank
and communicative, being told that annexa-
ton was by no means yet decided on, and,
if they really desired it, their best plan
would be to make perfectly truthful and
unreserved statements.
DIVISION OF LABOR.
The Commission had not been in Domi-
nican waters twelve hours when they had