THE; REPUBLIC OF HAITI 2 , 5 



to foreign trade, mostly in the south and west, which afford 

 fairly safe approach and anchorage to vessels, and all of 

 which contribute more or less to the coasting-trade. 



The principal coastal cities, beginning on the north 

 side, are Cape Haitien, Porl de Paix, Gronaives, Port-au- 

 Prince, Petit Goave, Miragoane, Jeremie, Aux Cayes, and 

 Jacniel. 



Cape Haitien, or, as it is universally called in Haiti, " the 

 Cape," on the northern coast, is the most picturesque town 

 in the republic. It is beautifully situated on a commodious 

 harbor having a narrow entrance, which could be most 

 easily defended. This town is the second in size and im- 

 portance in the republic, and is by many considered the 

 most picturesque city in the island ; it is situated at the 

 foot of a hill which slopes gradually to the sea, and is 

 hemmed in on three sides by mountains. Its population 

 is estimated at twenty-nine thousand, but this undoubtedly 

 includes the people of the adjacent commune. Under the 

 rule of the French, it was the gay capital of the colony, 

 and its wealth and splendors and luxury gained for it the 

 name "Little Paris," or the "Paris of Haiti." It was also 

 the capital of black King Henri's dominions. It was 1 >eau- 

 tifully laid out, and built on the plan of some of the older 

 European cities, with the rigoles, or gutters, in the middle 

 of the streets. The Cape is further noted as having been 

 the scene of a terrible earthquake in 1842, when, in an 

 instant, it was nearly all thrown into ruins, and several 

 tin msand inhabitants perished. Sir Spenser St. John says 

 that to this day the country people talk of that awful 

 event, and never forget to relate how they rushed in to 

 plunder the place, and none lent a helping hand to aid the 

 half-buried citizens. It has also suffered from a bombard- 

 ment by the British (in 1865), from civil commotions and 

 disastrous fires. 



In spite of all these misfortunes, and in spite, too, of the 

 fact, striking to the new visitor, that many of the fine 

 buildings thrown down by the great earthquake have 



