New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-24
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respect on thc island has private ghost u It's own,
and disbelief in them is considered flat blaspheny

taking in several windows. extends alone the front
Of the house, aud another in the rear From the lat
ter beautiful scene j. urfodcd. The River OlaIna,
showing itself in the distance, amid gently slopng
hills, and bending gracefully in It's souward course
through perpetual ycIdure flows placdly into tho
rough sea. Across the river, on the eastern bank.
nearly opposite the palace are the ruins of the Grss
town of Santo Domingo, and just across the steamer
iantcs bow is all that left Of the iri stono house
erected here nearly 400 years ago Battle-Ground 20
the rght point Of land. protected by coial reefs
JUS out INTO the against which tho va yes dash
eternaly Obliquely in front 30 yards Distant ara
the ruins Of Diego Columbuss palace. with two
massive bastiOns fronting the river To the lft and
are the ruins of the San Francisco convent tho
finest Of all the magnificent ruins of the city, On tho
walls Of this ruin, over 30 feet high grow hall "a
dozen orange trees, some If them foot m diameter
the roots OF which down along the sides Of tho
decaying wall until they find Judgment in the
ground. Inside the walls are rank weeds and
luxuriant plantains and palms, and, what is
more peculiar than all, there are MIRO than
200 swarms of honey-bees, busy with honey
making in hollow logs laid there by violent pro-
prictOrs. There are also two three tifrce dogs,
who guard their young with tine more energy
than the occasion demands the climate warrants.
The dogs and bees seem 10 live in perfect harmony
and close fellowship. On one side of the ruin IS
well of remarkable appearance Ii is Of obloug
shape about 10 feet i'm its longest diameter walled
with well wrought masonry, and about 90 feet deep.
OF course, superstition has invented cheerful stories
to the effect that TO the very surface Of the water
the well is filed with infants bones, and 80 forth.
and so forth. Under the doorway Of this imposing
ruin lie the remains Of Ojeda-the most conspicu
GUS of the followers of Columbus At the
end of his stormy life he asked that his
bones might be placed in all humility in the spot
they now occupy, that the feet of all vii should
enter the holy place might press the slab W ch COW
cred him. IL would require volume TO cttalOgue
and chronicle all the huge structures devoted piey
pride which crowd the space, scarce more IAN half
a mile square, embraced by the venerable jnd pic
turesque walls of this city. 1t will be enough 10
mention two or three for all the churches are SINH
lar, and all the palaces show by their APPEARANCE
pan and material that they built in that short
golden period Of the youth of Spanish America when
this city, its capital blazed into sudden sileDdor
about the year 1900 to begin its long decay by 1850
In its early prime it was glorious. Whole streets Of
strong massive houses many of them palaces, were
built in block. The sound of tie hammer 4trowel
came up from All army Of wOrkmen.
THE TOWER OF COLUMBUS.
At the southeast corner of the city, where the
river meets the sea- stands the Tower of Columbus.
the center OF the citadel its lofty square soar
ing above all other structures in the city. From ia
summit vessels approaching deserted and sig
nailed hours away at sea. One Of its thick-walled
and strongly grated cells, high up in midair. is
| shown the dungeon where Columbus was i'm
| prsoned by Bovadilla. All about the citadel
wide wastes Of ruined palaces and monasteries
Almost in the center of the city is the great cathe
dra once the richest shrine in all America but long
since despoied of its golden ornaments and precious
| stones. The high altar is still plated with an i'm
mense field of silver and the sacrsty still contains
! in the old mahogany drawers robes Of priests and
bishops, whose faded spendors of furnished gold and
time-staned silks are mirrors of the departed ores
| Of this archiepscopal see, where the Primato
| Of all the Indies minstered. The great nave,
| hanked by two imposing asles is bordered by row
| of six chapels on either side, each dedicated 10
saint whose image looks down from its altar.
Several paintings Of merit still hanging their
walls, though most Of them are sorry daubs The
roof is very wide and though not lofty, as in tho
| great gothic cathedrals of Europe, for the earth
| quake forbids soaring and delicate masonry, tho
effect is very grand by mere yastness in the spread
Of the arch and the immense sweep of the nave. In
| ono Of the chspels is shown the mahogany cross
erected by Columbus upon mountain, Cerro santo'
commanding O view Of the great plain Of vega
Real-the first cross raised upon this island It's
| apocryphal wood is coveted by relic-hunters,
| who are permitted TO cut away bits for shght
| fee-a destruction which does not embarraSs the
holy men who have it in custody as 1t Is replaced
every few years. 1t has been three times burned
but to the strong faith Of the devoG thus Is no Sell
Gus discTedit, for by q new miracle it was each
| time saved OF renewed. more inspiring relic ~
the slab near the high altar which for centuries
covered the ashes of Columbus. In every pat
| Of the city are hugo churches, or the Uns
| of churches, far more than could ever have been
necessary for the accommodation of the population.
| San Francisco Church and Convent on the north
side of the city near the wall, already mentioned.
is vast and most picturesque ruin, as beautiful
Melrose Abbey, which it strongly resembles from
some points of view, though it is much
more extensive, and its tropical vege-
| tation overspreading the crumbling masses
| is infinitely more striking than English everereens
or MOSES. ST. Nicholas Church, in the midst Of tho
city, is HIGH massive, splendid ruin-thc beautiful
| roofs Of some of the chapels and the holdings ana
tracing over the high altar still almost as perfect as
ever. The churches of La MERGED, with ITS great
| square belfry crowned with battlemented towers;
! Los Remedies with sun-dal turned askew by an
| earthauake; Regina Angelorum, Santa Barbara,
| Santo Domingo, Carmen and hall dozen oihers
| tell of an earlier age and hearter faith
Dr. Brown in his history, published IN 1876 OF Santo
Domngo tells of the rgin Of this city the follow
ing romantic story. Spaniard returned 20 the set
Element NJ Isabella in 1895 from this coast Of the
Island. whittier he had strayed, and where he had
| hocome epamored Of an Indian girl who resided in
This vicinity The latter to allure her lover to re-
main permanently with her, told him OF tho
snnerority of this part of the island, of its mine.
of cold. which was so much valued by his country
men and of its much greater saubrity than the sick
" fens around the vicinity OF Isabella ana urged
lad 70 on ia
mora favored coast. The Spaniard reported these
1t. 90 CoIumbus who was then on the eve Of his