New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-12-05


helpled themselves TO what they needed, de-
stroyed the hac;endas, carried of cattle and
crops, and II they were resisted, as they
sometimes were, they slaughtered the Span
iards, set the cities on fire, and left behind
grand but terrible, universal ruin.
Finally, Dessalines, that extraordinary
prince of Hayti, entered the Spanish terri
tory, drove out the French, laid waste the
country for leagues, carried of the remain
ing slaves, and so bewildered and astounded
the Spanish residents, that they gathered up
what movable wealth they could and lief, Tie
country, ''some for Mexico, some for Peru,
while many returned to SPAIN
Such are the principal, and to Us satisfac-
factory causes. which history assigns for the
decline of the islands thrift, which had
reached an unparalleled degree of prosperity,
and an unsurpassed grandeur and magniii-
cence. with a rapidity unrivalled in the annals
OF the world.
In 1921, the Saint Domingo portion (which
embraces about three-fifths of the island, but
having not more than one-fourth of its popu-
laiion) declared itself independent of the
Spanish crown, but was shortly after subiu-
gated by Bower. the President of the Haytien
republic In 1912. a revolution in Hayti
caused Bower Ia fee, and in three years after,
the people of It. Domingo re-established
their government and independence, which
they have till now maintained.
The main features of their constitution, are
that each district or canton choose electors,
who meet in preliminary electoral conversion,
and elect for four years the President and
other administrative officers, and a certain
number Of counselors. who constitute Con-
eress.
President Baez is OF mixed French aud
African descent. and is generally regarded as
a most cstimable parsonage. There is no
distinction between citizens, on account Of
race or color. Their religion is Catholic, and
their stated festivals enjoyed by men. wo-
men. and children. but, of course, principally
By women.
RIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Accompanied By Senior Pastorisa, of the
firm OF Collins. Pastorisa 4 Co.. We took a
ride across the country. And first, we no.
ticed farm of forty acres, owned by Mr..
Smith, who was once a fugitive from the
United States.
Mr.. Smith was a slave in South Carolina !;
was taken by sea to Key West, and there
hired ont to work for the United States Gov
eminent. lie and some other Of his fellow
slaves, including his wife, took a sail-boat,
set sail, and after suffering almost incredibly
BY sea-sickness and want Of food, finally
reached New Providence, which he had pre-
viously learned to be an English colony.
He proceeded to declare his intention..to be-
come a British subject, and went to work !;
but wages being low, he concluded to re-
move to st. Domingo, and go to farming.
of Porto Plata, and with the assistance of his
"helpmate, erected shanty thereon,
cleared the land Of its tropical underground,
and planted it in corn and potatoes. In
breaking up the ground, he used pillow, a
startling innovation there, but which pro-
duced most salutary results.
So great was the yield Of Mr.. Smith and
his wife's crop, that in little more than a
years time they had house and forty acres
Of land, all paid for, and a new crop of cot
ton, corn, and potatoes, worth over five hum
dred dollars, then ready for market.
Now, up mountain We rode, slowly,
slowly, and the sun poured down with an
intensity never before experienced. Here
and there, along the road, was a small house,
around which grew beautiful plantains, BAN
anas, cotton, and coffee trees, the cotton
being of the Egyptian variety, and, Of course,
perennial.
There is vast quantity 1f asologany stand
ing in groves on the mountains, and scattered
over the valleys and along the rivers and
streams. The best mahogany in the West
Indies grows on this island. Some Of these
groves and trees are truly magnificent, grow
ing straight and to a great height. The best is
new found inland, as it has been nearly all
already stripped off the coasts, and cut away
from near the mouths ofthe principal rivers and
around the bays, where it was more accessi-
BILE and of easier and cheaper carriage to
market. 1t has been extensively used for
building purposes bv the Inhabitants, more
nsol1x 80 Al srxa - ,,,
Der now used in the coast cities being carried
thither from the States, and exchanged for
mahogany and other products.
Tobacco is now one of the principal pro-
ducts, but little Of which, however, finds its
way to this market. There is q large guam
tity Of it raised by the residents near Sam
tiago, on the Royal Plains, and the cigars
made from it equal the best Havana brands.
Indeed, many Of the cigars supposed to be
from Cuba are made in st. Domingo.
Coffee grows wild i'm abundance on the
mountains, and is collected and shipped.
After the abandonment of the coffee planta-
tons, the trees spread into the woods, where
they now grow. Lacking the proper culture,
its quality is not the best, but the climate
and soil is capable of producing it unex-
celled.
Over the mountain and beside Il stream
WIN oSataNi'i ihChtAuhs StobAiki, We
stop moment for refreshment. Lemonade
is cheap, one would think; the lines are as
free as the water.
Now five mile gallop over level plain,
thirty miles in all, and we had reached the
home Of Senior Pastorisa.
The property came by Sonora Pastorisa.
She was Of mixed Spanish and African de-
scent. Her eyes were as bright and dark as
even Lord Byron could have wished them to
be. Her complexion was that of a clear ripe
orange. The place was extensive, containing
say nineteen thousand acres, in valley five
miles wide, fenced in on either side by spur
Of mountains. with limpid stream running
through the centre. Mocking-birds enlivened
everything; parrots and paroquettes few
around in droves, screaming and squawking
like a very nuisance. Back Of the house was
a grove appropriated to honey-bees. They
swarmed on every log. Honey is considered
Of but little value in the mountains, and is
often wasted in the streams, the wax only
being preserved. This comes Of having pack.
mules and mule-paths instead Of wagons and
Sonora Pastorisa did not usually Fat at the
table with her husband. She saw that his
baths were ready, and even that his horse
was fed, and at meal-times either took her
plate on her lap or awaited the second table.
This is not from want Of respect on the part
Of either; it was their stupid custom. Should
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