68 Sarrorp: NoTEs OF A NATURALIST AFLOAT—IV 
Tobacco, corn, and a limited amount of cacao were also 
cultivated, but agriculture on an extensive scale could 
‘not be carried on for lack of laborers. 
When I expressed my surprise at this and referred to 
the former prosperous condition of the colony, which 
was the first European settlement in America and at 
one time the pride of Spain, the colored man said: “Sefior, 
‘it’s all very well to talk of the former prosperity of Santo 
_ Domingo. It was prosperous only because the owners 
oe of mines and plantations had slaves whom they com- 
oe pelled to work for them. When the slaves were freed 
people poor and ignorant, but most of them get a com- 
= fortable living from their little garden patches, and as — 
- they do not have relations with the outside world, they = 
hav en’t tech use for reading and writing. The roads | 
a - carriages while ther themselves haven’t even horses to : 
i. Tide. Almost the only way we can get anything done is” 
~ to force ow oe to work.”” When I went 
I saw ‘this man | officiating as 
: | Barbara. was not attractive. 
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