Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-05-14
HAITI AND
HAITIAN TRAITS
w, B. Holloway Writes an Inter
esting Letter Concerning a
Strange Land and Folk.
Port au Prince, Haiti,
April 10, '0S.

April 10, 'Os.
The News:
Easter in the Tropics
Here Saturday is observed as holi-
day for the Hatians to indulge in fes-
tivities and worship.
Early on Saturday the 18th inst,
mt sunrise the officers and crew of the
u. S. S., "Des Moines'' were taken
by surprise when there came to them
the rumble and roar of artillery, as if
a battle was in progress on shore in
the city. We could esaily discern the
smoke as it rose above the forts and
land batteries. Sheets of fame and
smoke were issuing from the guns on
the five small Haitian gunboats.
As we continued to gaze at this war
like demonstration we naturally sup
posed the expected uprising was on
hand. Relations had been somewhat
strained beween Alexis, the president
and Gen. Firman, the leader of the
revolutionist faction Then, also,
stories were rife as to the president
having said he would drive the com
bined fleet of American, English
French and German ships from the
harbor.
Instead of trying to get away our
guns were manned on the doHble, ="
ready to send few tons of shot into
the "Sons of Ham" but soon realiz-
ed that if the bombardment was meant
for us we were not in any danger as no
shots were falling about us. In few
moments the flags of all nations were
broken from the signal halyards of the
Haitian ships and then we realized that
they were shooting for Easter.
The regular Sunday breakfast for
the u. S. sailor all over the globe is
Boston baked beans and pork On
this Sunday we must have eggs as a
reminder of the "dear old U. S. A. "
on that day and we managed to eat
9, 400 while we talked of other casters
spent with homefolks and friends
Perhaps some person may ask why
there are so many war ships here, es.
pecially at the capital of a little, in
significant republic in the West Indies,
inhabited by negroes, with sprink-
ling of English, French and German
planters.
On the night Of the 18th Of March, a
wireless message from Washington, via
Key West, was received by us while
on the target range at Gautanamo,
Cuba, ordering us to proceed to Port
au Prince Haiti, to protect American
interests, quell the riots and insurrec
tion which was placing IN jeopardy the
lives of many people
AT a. III. on the morning Of the
18th, the 'Des Moines' and "Du
buque" steamed away, the former un-
der forced draft using six boilers, max
ing an average speed Of sixteen knots
(20 miles, per hour We arrived abou
500 p. M the same day finding that :,
formidable array of fighting vesses haC
preceded us. They were the English
cruisers, "Indefatigible' and Ores
sy''; the French cruiser "DeEstrees'
the German cruiser, Bremen, tht
latter having taken on board many ref
ugees from the city.
About noon we caught our first
glimpse of the mountains of Haiti.
They are very beautiful, clad III darl
green vegetation; rising precipitousl,
from out the depths of the sea, kiSslns
the clouds with their topmost peaks
The republics Of Haiti and Santi
Domingo, comprise the island of His
PAMELA, situated southeast by eas
from Cuba and lying in Lat Is and %
and Long. 6S to "a. Haiti is directl,
west of Santa Domingo, the former be
ing composed of two peninsulars jut
ting into the Caribbean sea. TIL
southern peninsular is about l4O mile
long, gradually decreasing in breadtl
from 80 miles to about 20. Betweel
these arms projecting into the ocean i
the island of Gonaive, which is abou
50 miles long and 10 to - wide. 1t
bleak and barren, only a scant growtl
of stunted vegetation visible, We wer
impressed with the fact that if the .
S or other progressive nation helt
sway over this island, the two passage
to the city of Port au Prince could b
fortified so that no vessel would dar
approach nearer to the city than :
miles
After crossing the Windward passag
the sea became calm. Entering th
Leogane gulf the water was of clear
er, lighter blue hue and of such trans
parency that beautiful marine growt
and coral reefs were plainly visible
Large fish at great depths were seen i
the wake of the ship.
Returning now to the city of POI
au Prince as subject matter. will sa
that il is a city of some forty thousan
inhabitants, vast majority being Ell