Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-30
sAN DOMINOo DEsCnlBED.

Inc NulCdRO lytOunc luFuIsueH
well.engraved cut of San Domingo, in
connection with a descriptive letter
from a resident of the Island. We
copy the closing portion of the letter
relating to this earthly paradise:
THE ISLAND OF SAN DOMINGO,
AS stated in former portion of my
letter, is little short of an earthly par
adise. ] have during my life been
considerable ola traveller, especially in
the tropics, but nothing that ever l
have seen approaches it in beauty of
scenery. The foliage is magnificent,
and mahogany cannot be equaled in any
part of the known world it also sup
plies more iignum VITAE to England
and this country than can be obtained
from every other source.
Fruits, especially the orange, lemon
and citrcD, have not their equals under
the sun, and sufficient could be pro-
duced in few years to make them
very cheap luxury OH every table in
,.he land.
The sugar-cane grows larger than
any | have seen elsewhere. / have
some growing III a back yard in the
city three and q half inches in dame
ter and fifteen feet high.
The whole of the eastern half of the
Island is fat, and is, in consequence,
designated tho Llanos; it is covered
with long grass, and in some places
brush, but there is nothing to prevent
its being easily brought into cultiva-
ton.
SANTANA BAY
is the third finest bay / have seen, Rio
de Janeiro being first, and Port Jack
son, in Sydney harbor, being second ;
all the navies in tho world could an
Choir in it, and find room to swing at
their anchors, deep water even close to
the shore in some places it abounds in
fish, and the Llanos with wild cattle,
brought there by the Spaniards three
hundred years ago. Some of the bulls
are said to be magnificent animals,
and awfully fierce. As regards the
political
OBJECT OF THE PURCHASE,
one can form O very fair idea; but
that / leave to other pens than mine to
deal with. Certain it is an enormous
trade is to be done by the establish
ment of q free port at SANTANA, for the
resources Of the country are very large,
and, taking winds and currents into
consideration, it is splendidly situated
tor that purpose, being just about half
way between the wind ward islands and
the shores of tropical America, and di-
rectly in the northeast trade winds.
SAN DOMINGO
is city in ruins, situated at tho en-.
trance OF the river (Ozama) on the
south coast, asshown in your accompa-
nying map. 1t was no doubt two
hundred years ago in Spanish hands a
pretty strong place, being surrounded
on the south and west by strong FORTH
iications, now also in state of ruin
and useless for purposes Of defense.--
The sea breaks ON the eastern side
against rocks so high and Jagged as to
render them unapproachable; the
north side Adults on the river. The
river itself is mere ditch, and all but
useless except for small crafts, there
being only nine feet of water oyer the
bar at the best of times. A trenen.
dous surf Is continually breaking on il,
and n downward current renders 1t by
no means an easy place 10 enter. Once
inside, md no lOvelier spot on cartl
can be fonnd.
THE CLIMATE
| Is different from anything, / have ex'
pcrienccd in any other part of the
tropics. inasmuch rs you always hayi
cool nights. Toward sunset the SCI
breeze dies away, and by o'clocl
there Is cool, gentle land wine
which, by midnight, will allow ofcov
cring to tho extent of sheet, ant
sometimes blanket. OF
| THE PEOPLE
/ he'd rather not write, for I Away
find myself getting angry when thinl
of them; a cross between a Spaniart
and negro, with the worst feature
of both brought into strong relief. La
" Is no name for their laziness; tur
bulent, braggarts, superstitious, and is
norant--thcre, there, I'll stop and fin
ish by advising the new masters Q
San Domingo to otter all aud every on
of its present Inhabitants an induce
ment to quit, for sooner or later Their
is bound to be row between men o
such opposite tendencies and ideas a
the American and the Dominican.
Santo Domingo in the hands of
moderately thrifty race of peopl
would soon be place inswhich !
would be desirable to owna little rea
estate, especially water frontage OF
Samana bay. Yours truly.
ST.. DOMINIC.
1t is said that hccausethe Judge fail