New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-22


SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITIoNS-VISIT TO PLANT
ALTON.
TFROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS
OK BOARD THE TENNESSEE, SANTANA BAY, Jan. 30.
SANTANA is. without doubt. the most fortunate
starting point for any exploring expedition One
cannot help accommodating fund of enthusiasm
which may help him endure possible future hard
ships and disappOntments. He who has glowing
views of annexation feels them confirmed while the
snti-ameXatIonist content to have has pet argu-
ments oyerthrown by such pleasant refutation.
Far out at sea the rough outline Of the yelowish
mountains disspponts and prepares one for rocky.
barren coast but as you approach, the somber noun
tains gradually disappear, and ranges of low
hills. covered with the densest vegetation,
come in sight. A week before we had been i'll New
York with cold and seet and leafess trees; now
were warm with linen clothes and the hills before
us were covered with mass of trees and vines,
green beyond all description, clear, fresh color.
such as the woods with 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 reaes-the former a slender Branches tree
with tuft of large white leaves the latter with
curiously swelled out trunk and thin wavy leaves.
Here and there were little cottages, matched with
the bark of the palm and buried in the cool shade
pineapple.
We dropped anchor at p about two miles
from the little of Samaua or to gave II It's fil
name Santa Barbara de Samana-Santa Barbara
being the patron saint whose tete is celebrated WIN
much pomp the 9th of December. The town has had
the same gloomy, checkered history as most OF the
West Indian cities and islands-fOunded and aDan-
doned, refoundod by French buccaneers, who were
driven out by the Spaniards, reoccumed by the
French. who were again dspOssessed, this time by
the English. The present charter dates back to the
year 1901, and was given by the French Since then
there have been revolutions and
informal dissensons and foreign wars. 1t has
been a city of refuge for political exiles
from Hayti and what is perhaps more in
teresting for U.S. the place whittier the
American Colonization Society sent, III 1874.
number of negroes from Pennsylvania Maryland,
and Delaware, some Of whom are still living and,
with their descendants. constitute the most ntell-
gem and well-tO-dO portion OF the inhabitants Oh
the town and peninsula of Samana The town con-
sists of 80 or 90 buildings Sixty of these are
dwellings, the Others shops, StOrehouseS church,
guard-hOuse, &c. The streets are narrow ana
muddy the houses one-st0ry buildings of wood,
with palm thatch. the more ambitions rooted with
corrugated iron. Glass is unknown, and would be
useless in a country where the only object of win
ers to keep out the sun I'm the center of the town
n the Catholic church-a bam-like structure, with
a cracked bell hung outside in a rude frame
There are about 800 inhabitants % whites of differ
ent natl Qualities. the remainder cOored, descend
ants Of the Haytian coOniSts come hither In Prcs
dent Boyers time, more recent Haytan refugees
and Dominicans of French descent these three
classes forming the large majority and a minority
of Spanish Dominicans French patOiS is more
generally spoken than Spanish.
The above description does but poor justice to the
really manufacturing little town. built on slope
of the kill which inclOses beautiful little harbor
At one extremity Of the town is the fort, an open
wooden structure. in front of which stand two di-
lapidated rusty guns The last salute fired cost
tho gunner an ARM the next will probably cost him
his life. Opposite the fort is the new Methodist
church The old one was burned by the Spanards,
in 1868 The present stands on low bill, over
looking marsh where lie buried multitudes OF their
old euemes the Spanish soldiers, who died during
the last INVASION The village is sustained by local
traffic. stimulated by the arrival of occasional YES
sells There is no wOOd-cutting or any kind OF man
INF rure carried on although the best of shiptlmbcr
Az dluaterial for posts abound.
The day of orr arrival the Commissioners visited
the authorities of the town, who were afterward IN
vited ON board and received with due honor. The
An informal examination, of which a photographic
report was taken. Among those examined was the
Civil GOV. SeIor Acosta. who is also General
in The Dominican army. Ho is a full-blooded black
~ wears old and cannot read or write. but speaks
French and Spanish, is man of property, and
,-raativ respected by all classes. The real power
however. is in the hands of Col. Enrique Abreu
handsome quadro0n of %, polished ana
fairly educated; he reads and writes French
and Spanish and. in addition, speaks some
English. The Alcalde Judge, EugeniO Garcia, was
next examined shrcwd old OctOroon the son of a
planter of Spanish descent and playmate OF the
Governor. who was his fathers slave. Garcias son
il the Administrator or Collector of the Port of
Samlna aud has charge also Of leasing the Govern
rnsnt lands All the books and papers in the posses
SION of the above officers were carefully examined,
and the officials themselves very frank and
communicative being told that annexation was by
no means vet decided on and if they really desired
it, their best plan would be to make perfectly truth
f,l and umeservcd statements.
DIVISION OF I.tBORs
The Commission had not been in Dominican
waters twelve hours when they had equipped and
sent ont three independent expeditons-twO of them
scientific the third for the purpose of conveying
dispatches TO President Baez at SantO Domingo
One scientific party, under Prof Ward, started for
Cape CabTOn, on "a genera geologlcal survey; "hlc
Prof Blake went to the head of the bay to explore
the region where coal has been said to abound.
The marty conveying dispatches TO President Baez
WAS accompanied by Mr.. Jacobs practical farmer
who WAS requested TO report on the agriculture of
the Great valley Of the Yuma, named by Columbus
l.. Vega Real. the royal plain, which name it still
preserves. Prof Newcomb was requested to report
ON the sanitary condition of SANTANA. and the phys-
cal condition Of the natives Mr. Frederick Douglass
10 examine INTO the condition and ideas OF the En-
olish- gpeakins colored emgrants of the Peninsula,