New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-12-05
A TRIP TO SAINT DOMINGO.
BY DOCTOR ]. d. HARRIS.

BY DOCTOR ]. d. HARRIS.
A Description Of the voyage-The History
II che Peopae-A Ride Across the Country
Its Minerals and Pred uetions-TheB Bay OF
Saaana-The PrssPeets for the Future.
1t was a mild, showery morning in the
month Of May, that the brig John Butler. on
which We were. left her dock at New y Ork and
anchored of the Jersey Flats. From this
point we enjoyed the pleasantest and most
satisfactory view Of the great commercial city
and its environs. The many white-sailed
vessels and finely painted steamers plying in
AID out the North and East rivers, and be-
tween the bright green undulating slopes Of
Staten and Long islands, presented pic
turesque and animated scene, quite in con-
trast with the dark walls and stately steeples
Of the city which arose beyond.
Later in the DAY, we sailed out of the bay,
passed Sandy Hook, and were at sea. Our
time was spent in studying the language we
soon must use, in fishing and catching sea-
weed, watching the flying-fish, or in looking
simply and silently on the ever-bounding sea,
which was in itself an infinite an unwearying
source of irrepressble delight.
A comparatively quiet sameness character
lied the voyage. With bright clouds PEN
cilling the sunset sky, a fresh breeze stifiening
the sails, and the ship gliding smoothly over
the buoyant waves, the sensations were at
times exceedingly exhilarating, and even SUI
premely delicious. But there were no dead
Gains, no terrific storms. To-day, the pale
blue sky above, and the deep blue ocean
rolling everywhere around and tomorrow
the sky was equally as fine, and the same
dark, heaving ocean as boundless and SUBJ
lime. Had there been storm, if only for
descriptions sake.
o0i1 r,f xro1vo 1op- apl lnno Jim, HIN.
ish outline, as of cloud four hundred miles
in length, stood out above the waves.
Soon with a glass could be discerned the
regularly rising table-lands and lovely green
valleys, the dark mountains standing in the
background. We were approaching the
eventful shores Of Saint Domingo, and the
question arose whether we should not find a
revolution going on there and the climate
hotter and less healthy than was desirable,
orwhether the luxuriant indications ofwealth,
IS now beheld, might not prove to be more
captivating than expected, and the climate
even more delightfully."- salubrious than we
had dared to anticipate. We watched the
lingering sunlight, wrapping the clouds, the
mountains, and the sky into one glowing and
refulgent scene, with all the enthusiasm of
which our souls were capable, But the sun
went quietly down, and the supper-bell
reminded us of fresh-caught mackerel. The
sun and the land may come again tomorrow,
but the mackerel disappeared forever.
Morning did come, and with it came the
pilot. We entered the sport Of silver"
puerto del Plata.) The harbor is o poor
one; but if there be one thing on earth de-
serving the epithet sublime" it is the sur
rounding mountain scenery. We anchored,
and there awaited the coming OF the custom
house officers. The officers came-some
white, some cOlored-and with them Mr..
Collins, an American gentleman to whom we
had letters. He received us kindly, invited
US to stop with him, promising to show us
around the country, introduce us to the
General, (black, y and do a variety Of other
things, which at that time was considered
decidedly uu- American, but very gentlemanly
indeed.
1t was Saturday afternoon when we went
ashore, and it so happened there was to be a
government proclamation. In due time the
drum was beat, and down came the standing
army-which we counted-and there were
four drummers, two filters, and two lines of
soldiers, thirteen in line. Some were bare
footed, others wore shoes; some Of their
guns had bayOnets, and others had nOnc
SAINT Domingo has government-very much
g p0etz have empires.
Tne houses are generally built one-story
hiGth, with conical shaped roofs. But the
mere wealthy people live in airy, two-story
houses, with charming verandahs running
their whole length. They are cool and de-
hgAtfnl, surrounded by the sweetest fruit
trees and most beautiful, bright flowers.
THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE.
There are German, American, French, and
English merchants, but the natives are gen.
orally Of mixed Spanish and African descent.
The inhabitants, at the time Of the islands
lSxv Gt<&Is
nInded, h0apitabie, and kind-hearted peo.
pie, called Caribs. We shudder at the barrel
recollection of the predatory scenes and be-
wildering iniquities of which they fell the VIC
TINS, and which, If perpetrated now, on any
class of people, would send thrill Of horror |
throughout the civilized world
Montgomery expresses their fate touching |
~, and in nutshell, thus:
I" Down to the dust the Carib people passed. !
Like autumn foliage whitening in the blast
A whole race sunk beneath the oppressor's |
rod,
And left blank among the works ofGod!" !
The Spanish colonists brought with them, |!
Of course, the Spanish language, customs, /
laws, and religion, which language. customs.
and religion prevail to this day. They were |
exceedingly prosperous through long series
OF years. They built IDalatial residences. Gull |
tivated sugar and tobacco farms, erected pro-
digious warehouses, established assay Offices.
and worked the mines on a grand but un.
scientific scale. The mines are supposed to
have yielded from twenty-five to thirty mil.
lions Of dollars per annum, and the exports
OF sugar and other productions showed a cor
responding degree Of prosperity.
In about 1890 the island began to decline.
Jhe natives had been driven and tortured to
the last degree, and the heroic Spaniards
began TO look around for other countries to
conquer, other people to enslave. They
discovered Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. The
most glowing and captivating accounts went
forth Of the incalculable wealth of those /
countries in silver and gold, and multitudes |
abandoned their homes and haciendas and |
hooked thitherwards in the hope Of real /
ling wealth untold. Plantations and mines |
that had been producing immense revenues I
were abandoned to waste and desolation.
and the population was reduced one-half
from this one cause alone. Meanwhile, the /
French established themselves on the west
en part OF the island, and the present Hay-
ten territory was ceded to France in 1878.
The remaining Spaniards introduced Afri-
can slaves. 70 supply the place Of natives,
and with this labor they were enabled to re-
cover somewhat Of their ancient thrift.
Soon after this, the revolt in the French