Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-03-01

ing. President Baez, in the name of the
Government, very kindly rendered to the Com
missioners the use of public building called
for euphony I" the Palace but they felt
that they would be more independent and re-
tired in private house. So they secured
very pleasant one near the Presidents resi-
dence and the public Offices, and moved in to-
day. The house is partly furnished from the
ship and partly from town, and the public
may be interested in knowing that the rent
paid is $40 per month in gold. The Dominl-
can Government, while regretting that the
Commissioners did not feel able to avail
themselves of the quarters which had been
assigned them, expressed their perfect salts
faction and appreciation of what they had
done. The scientific members of the Com
mission and the reporters are lodged in the
palace, fact which will probably be stated
in The POdunk Gazette as follows " The
immediate attaches of the Commission are
now reveling in the Halls OF the Monte
zumas."
From other correspondence At least
half the children under eight years of age
were as naked as when they first came into
this wicked world. The ofsprings of this
innocent population usually begin to toddle
about the streets when they are little above
the size of large sweet potato, and it Is not
customary to clOthe them in so much as a
fig leaf until they are at least five years old.
Clothing, even at that age, is looked upon as
supertiuOus as often as not, and have seen
some pretty well advanced children with
nothing on worth mentioning. 1t seems to
be one of the unwritten laws of fashion that
the young shall never wear more than one
garment at time. If mother has given
her child shirt that is enough if coat
lie more handy, let coat suffice; and, in
deed, il is not uncommon for all the LurpOs-
es Of convenience and adornment to be an
swered by hat or pair of shoes. Among
the lower classes-if | may be pardoned the
xpression-ecOnomv in costume is not con-
fined to the children. There are men whose
whole wardrobe consists of pair of panta-
looms, and women who boast Of no garment
whatever but a torn calico gown-nOt SO
much ragged handkerchief. One of the
members Of the Commission assures me that.
in the interior, the full dress of gentleman
sometimes consists of a broad brlmmed hat
and a rusty sword tied about the loins with
belt of bark. | don't wish to be under
stood as making this statement on my per-
sonal responsibility but evidently we shall
have great deal to get used TO in Santo
Domingo.
There is nothing on wheels to be seen
here not even the rudest sort of cart.
Everything is carried on oxen, asses, ponies
or mules, or by hand. The most common
beast of burden, or for riding on by the PEG
pie of the interior when they come to
town - il a small bull. The rider, who Is
often a woman OF girl, sits astrldo on rude
wooden saddle, without stirrups, the naked
feet and legs hanging dangling down
nearly to the ground. In place of a
bride OF other head gear TO guide the bull,
there is ring in the nose of the animal
with a single cord attached to II. Literally
these stunted and docile little bulls are led
by the nose. one of our party was so anus
ei with the comical sight OF half nude
Young woman sitting astride one Of these
animals as she rode through the village that
he declared he had seen Europa. Consider
Iuy the large families women have, and at
tile same time the very limited population,
it Is evident there are causes at work To cut
of the people rapidly. What are these
The frequent revolutions and intestine wars
contribute undoubtedly TO keep the country
depopulated, but there must be other causes.
The ignorance Of the people, and their mode
of living, may account for many deaths
Still the country cannot be as healthy as
has been represented 10 Us at SANTANA. W hite
people. particularly those OF the United
States and Northern Europe. could not labor
n cultivating the soil. 1t ever st. Domingo
he made productive, it must be through
other IaboTers The question is, where are
+ they to come from and how are they to be
controlled or induced to labor
( Santo Domingo City is nothing but ruin
l have been here now two days, and have
searched vainly for a new house, fresh
brick. newly quarried stone, OF lately
sawed scantling. Apparently there Is not
ia the whole city, a structure that Il not 2OO
wears old All the houses bear the proof OF
great age. CrumblIng stones, concrete fall
ing to decay, ivy and other vines clIngIng u
the walls. moss and mold and diecolOratiou
everywhere. Every street Is but copy OF
its fellows. Its houses are like prisons,
with thick walls massive doors, and barred
Windows
The fruit most abundant are the orange
lemon, lime, cocoanut, caeao, banana, pine
alligator pear, guava, and tamarInd. Pine
apples are immensely large and rich. Some
measure To inches in diameter, and one OF
the naval officers was recently presented with
a pine weighing p pounds All ct these
fruits are found IN practically unlimited
quantities. the production being checked
only by the difficulty Of transportation. APP
pIes. peaches blackberries, straw berries, anC
water melons flourish on the mountains, In
dian corn grows magniheently. Three crops
are raised ON the same land every year two
of these crops are each larger than an aver
age crop in the States, besides being Of the
best quality Mountain rice is abundant
Potatoes, yams, plautains, cabbagcs beets'
turnips, cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, egg
plants, peas beans, and l know not how
many other culinary vegetables, are produced
IN r'erfectiDn The SautO Domingo rquashes
are the best squasbes in the world Last
March Mr.. Burr sent 800 pounds of thi
noble vegetable to the New York market snc
got fifteen cents pound for his cargo, snC
the labor of cultivation was almost nothing
An important life insurance case has JUS
been decided which involves a point of grea
interest to both life insurance companie
and policy holders. The case is briefly state,
by the New York Tribune follows
e. 1t viii be recolected that the person in
surcd, being in embarrassed circumstance
] -