Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17
FIRST IN NEW WORLD
City of Isabella, Named for
Queen of Spain.
FOUNDED november, 1893
Ruins Explored in 1891 by Lieut..
Col. Colvocoresses and Party.
UNITED STATES VESSEL USED
Nothing Discovered Worthy to Be
Removed for Preservation-De-
sci4ption Of Ruins.
FOUNDED NOVEMBER, 1893
UNITED STATES VESSEL USED
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
| Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
| Herald.
In the files Of the Navy Department,
buried out OF sight and memory, is a
very interesting and important report
| made in 1891 by Lieut.. Colvocoresses,
now rear admiral, concerning his in
vestigations of the ruins of the city of
| Isabella, on the Island of Santo Domingo,
near Paefta Plata, on the north coast,
which was the first civilized settlement
| In the new world. There are doubtless
many other interesting and valuable re-
ports in the files Of the department. and
| 1t is unfortunate that they cannot be
given to the world. but it is not the
custom to publish such things, there is
| no fund to- pay for the printing and it
| is only by accident that some inquisi-
| tive person occasionally discovers the
documents
| This report of Admiral Colvocoresses
| is OF particular interest because he made
the only exploration and has given the
only description of the present condition
| or Isabella. which was founded by CO.
| lumbus on his second voyage in 1893 and
named in honor of his queen.
Investigated by Request.
This expedition was made at the re-
quest Of the American department
of the Worlds Columbian exposition at
Chicago in 1891, by the L. 8. S. Enter
| prise, under command of the late George
A. Converse, then a comma nder and aft
erward rear admiral. Upon reaching
Puerta Plata he detailed a party of ex-
ploration," consisting of Lieut.. G. p
Colvocoresses, DIR. M H.. simons and
Naval Cadet NJ. NJ. Taylor, and instruct
ed them Ito visit the ruins of the ancient
city of Isabella, some thirty miles dis
tant, for the purpose of ascertaining the
general condition and extent OF the ruins
and reporting as to the desirability of
| removing any portion of them for the
purpose of exhibition at the Columbian
exposition"
Lieut.. Colvocoresses having made the
exploration, reported as follows:
About eight miles inside the cape now
known as Isabella there is bay of con-
siderable size, and on its eastern shore a
slight rocky projection of land formed by
one of the numerous bluffs was chosen
for the first permanent settlement Of the
Spaniards in the new world. A shallow in,
let marks the landing place near the
| ruins. About mile further up the bay is
the Isabella river. a swift-running stream
OF shallow. muddy water.
The shore at this part of the bay is
generally low and interspersed with la
goons and dry, sandy water courses, but
|
try is thickly covered with young trees.
cactus plants tangled vines and bushes.
Cliffs of limestone and coral formations
rise abruptly from the water at intervals
and extend some ten miles to the east
ward of Cape Isabella; they present
curious appearance. especially near the
cape. where their Fantastic shapes closely
resemble the battlements and towers of
reasties and forts, and the similarity is in
creased by numerous caves that appear
like doors. windows and port holes cut in
the faces of the gray walls.
Port of Shipment for Years.
For many years Isabella has been "a
port of shipment for mahogany and lig
mum vitae. woods which grow In abun-
dance in the neighborhood. No habita-
| tons are to be found within mile and
half of the ruins, but the native wood
cutters that we met verified the state
ments of the pilot as to the traditional
genuineness of the site which he pointed
out.
''On landing we turned to the right and
assembled a gentle slope to a little plain
about two acres In area, and terminating
abruptly on the western, or water, side in
cliffs from twenty TO thirty feet high.
formed by large powders containing; fos-'
si coral and shells. Tradition points to
this little plateau as the site of the an
cient city, and here are found scattered
at intervals various small. ill-defined
heaps of stones; remnants of wall built
of small. unhewn stones, EVIDENTLY laid
in mortar: pieces OF old tiles and pot
sherds, some of the latter glazed and
fragments of broad, roughly made bricks.
There were half a dozen or more blocks
OF dressed limestone that may have been
part of the walls of buildings somewhat
finished and permanent in character. The
trees matted roots and trailing vines
| overspread the ground and rendered
progress slightly dihicult. The soil is
shallow, covering in some places only a
foot or so a bed of lmestoe rock The
application of pick and spade brought to
light nothing of particular interest, but
enabled us to follow the traces Of walls in
some instances"