The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-25
THE SAN DOMINGO JOB.
THE VoY4GE OF THE TENNESSEE

The Bay of Samann-First Impressions
-The Reception and Entertainment
ofthe Comm MISUNDERSTANDING Exptora-
tions-Fred. Doug1ass-snn Domingo
City, &c..
As has already been briefly stated by tele-
graph, the United States steamer Tennessee, hav-
| Ing on board the San Domingo commission, arrived
| at San Domingo City, from samana, on February
Q, all on board being in good health. The com.
mission landed on the 3d. and were formally re-
ceived by Baez. From letters OF different cores
pondents we make the following extracts:
THE BAY OF SANTANA AND ITS APPROACHES.
The shores on approaching SANTANA Bay are
| bold and high. Hills rise up from the waters
edge. Tie entrance to the bay is about half
| mile wide and there is deep water all the way.
The little town Of Santa Barbara de Samana,
which is the only one near mere M Snt ST OF
/ This lies In the inner bay, In which q large vessel
like the Tennessee could not roe. we are lying
| In the outer bay, abouta mile from the town. In
sixteen fathoms OF water 1t is me and safe
harbor. The largest fleet could lie in It safely.
The Unitel States sloop Nantasket Commander
McCook, Is lying here In the inner Oay.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
The commission and press respondents were
| delighted with the scene. Many naa not seen
| Iror;cal country before, and thought this prlmi
| tive sort OF paradise. They were much struck
with the dense forests OF PAINS aou OF otnef
| trees, and the richness OF the Verlure. only q
| tent here and there could be seen amid the
dense tropical foliage, and there was no sign OF
cuitiyarioh. except in spots OF few yards in ex
| tent around these very sparse ana Faae dwell
ings.
Soon after the anchor fell, nearly all wanted to
q Ynn
the commission and correspondents went to the
little village mentioned. The people. nearly all
colored, and Of many shaaes anu types OF tne
| colored races appeared wen p,edse! 10 see Ine
Tae Dominican colonel In command OF the fort
of two rusty guns, and three 0r foar sad lo1E!n9
specimens O. soldiers, appeared more intelligent
than the resi-.
The same correspondent writes on the eo;h:
RECEPTION OF DIGSITARIEs
The day after we dropped anchor. tla: is the
25tl the dgnirarlcs and principal citlZens OF SAN
1a parhara de SANTANA were received Oh board by
invitation and with the honor OF q sasute. They
were introduced TO the commissioners ana the
other officers attached 10 the commission, 10 pro-
per form, and after that were entertained with
cold collation. in the cabin. he party was COM
posed OF the Colonel CoIumanaante, Aoren, VINO
Il the highest ofilcer OF the Dominican govern
| ment here, except that General Acosta, full
blooded negro, Ia the nominal Governor; the Cath
o!ic priest the collector Of the port the alcalde,
or snrt of village magistrate. the man in charge
or the flagstaff, and several others, both Official
and unofficial. 1t was motley assembly OF men
OF various na!onal!tes, types anu cOlors, from
the light. eyed Caucasian race to ne pure negro,
black as the ace of spades. The Colonel Conman-
dante Is lne looking lelloW, wen eiuca!ed anu
intelligent, and has travelled In Europe. BE is
native Dominican, anil seems 70 De OF the Moor.
isl. Spanish stock, with touch perhaps. of the
ABORIGINAL native OF the Island In hlm. He earn
estly hopes for annexation, and appears to com
pIenend the power and destiny o! the Un!ted
States He proposed as toast Tine great re-
public which represents the liberty OF the New
World. and to the early accomplishment OF the
Monroe doctrine over all Spanish America The
padre Is an Italian, and middle aged, joVial sort
Of man.
The correspondent writes on the 35:,. when the
Tennessee left Sanana Bay for San Domingo:
THE scrENT1c EXPLORATIONS.
The scientific exploring parties have returned,
and make on the whole favorable reports. Pro-
!esSor W. P. Blake. the geologlst and Tlnera!o-
gist OF the commission, who has charge generally
or the scientific explorations, went mp 10 the head
Of the bay or gulf and mouth OF the Yuma River
In the ships cutter with the Special object OF eX.
amiping the reported coal mines near there. He
reports 10 the c0mmi sion that ne lound outcrops
OF Ignite or tertiary brown coal, lndlcat!nS oeus
of c0ns;6 erab.e extent ani f1Sorao.J situated FOR
working and for transportation 20 the gull He does
nor regard T. as OF any va ue nr ocean steamers,
hut as likely TO prove or some economical. value TO
this region as fuel for local steamers on ne gul'
for making gas, and, possibly, for use 10 locoIno.
tyas in case railway should ever he la!d along
the great valley. No other valuable minerals
have so far, been discovered. All agree that the
soil is very rich and generally ueep, even 10 the
tops Of the hills or small mountains. The bo'an-
ISIS ami naturalists have found some interesting
specimens new to them.
OPINION ABOUT JOBS"
Though there may be no jobs, as far as our.
government officials are concerned. In land spec
ulatlons at the town and inner nay OF samana,
OF the DAY 10 the United States for Si50oao year
looks very much like job This Is an enormous sGS
privileges Fy thousand dollars lS no,nc5p year
government probably would have been glad
10 nave got less. Others besides Blez, there IS
reason 70 suspect, have their hands In this job
One years. rent Of this lease ought 20 be enough
10 buy uD nearly all the land ar0un! the harbor.
SPEECH DY FRED. DOUGLASS.
Fred Douglas made characteristic speech in
mana. Notice had been given two or three days
previously that he would speak. About one hun
tlred. and thirty peope-men and chiltlren-Were
half OF them understood what he said He talked
about the glory and greatness OF the United
States, and dwelt especially on the delverance OF
the negroes from slavery. He asked them II they
had heard OF sumner, Abraham Lincoin-the
abolition and Radical leadlcrs. He confessed the
peoDe knew little or nothing OF these lights OF the
world, and thought this fact might hurt Mr..
Summers feelings should that distinguished sena'
tor ever know OF il. In truth they do not know
much or :hc world outside OF thctr own neighbor-
hood.
ARRIVAL AT san DOMINGO.
Several of the party had been dispatched over.
land on the 25.h TO San Domingo. with dispatches
70 Baez. and they arrived there, aller iuSurloas
driye through tropical meadows and forests, On
the 3lst. The Tennessee anchored In tie port OF
SAN Domingo, three miles from shore, owing 70
the. general badness OF Tile harbor, on the 2d In
stant' after thlrty.Gvc hours run from Samana
Bay. ST. Domingo is q quaint.looHlng, ancient
and dilapidated old town, containing seven or
eight thousand inhabitants. 1t Is the Oldest
place built by Europeans In America. 1t Is much
ike Panama and other old towns built by the
SpanIards except, perhaps that 1t ls In worse
condition OF decay and has more perlshlng
blirht resting upon 1t. The very buildings are
oyercrown !n many places With grass and shruos.
some OF these buildings and large ruins are pic.
turcseue, as showing the architecture. state o!
civilization, ami colonial grandeur of spau sew
era! centuries ago.
LABOR AND FOOD.
To Sortherner II Is mystery ho| the natives
"a live with so little work. All eXertlon IS dis
tasteful to them and they make one think OF the
man who was not lazy, but "born tired" IN tle
town there are several small stores, at winch you
cpn purchase queer little loayes OF bread, oranges
bana1as, lin: s. mangoes, plantains, yams al'.
tobacco. American, French and Spanish gold
and silver comprise the little money III circula-