82 Sarrorp: NoTEs OF A NATURALIST AFLOAT—IV 
and selfish greed of the men they chose to be their presi- 
dents, many of whom were cruel tyrants, who violated the 
—— caused themselves to be crowned king or 
emperor’’ and imitated the ceremonial pomp of Euro- 
pean royalty. Few of the leaders of the black islanders 
seem to understand the principles of republicanism or 
to have the welfare or progress of the people at heart. 
Many of the schools of the island are now closed for 
lack of pupils, and it may be largely owing to lack of 
education that the practise of sorcery or voodooism, 
_ very similar to that of our own southern negroes, persists. 
a Much good land susceptible of cultivation now lies 
idle for want of laborers. In nearly every case where 
2 Seige are worked successfully the labor is performed 
by ent paid soldiers under the supervision of their 
pet cers, hired out to the planters like gangs of con- 
. This i is especially the case on the farms of govern- 
1 t officials To avoid conscription the men of the lower 
. keer away from the towns, remaining in the 
‘mountains at a safe distance and sending their wives to 
town to do necessary errands. Who can blame them 
for preferring the freedom of their homes, where the 
enerous soil yields them a just return for their daily 
» to the constraint of forced labor for the profit of 
a In =~ of these conditions: there is _generous ie 
che —_ of the Haitian ae : 
ple. It is to be hoped that the 
e le in the hands of rulers, — 
| well educated, but ogee and 
