TOPOGRAPHY OF SAN DOMINGO. 



421 



On the opposite slope of the mountains the north-east corner of the island is 

 occupied by the district of Satnana, with its magnificent bay, spacious enough to 

 shelter whole fleets. Icaco Point, on the south side near the inlet of La Gina, pro- 

 jects to within a short distance of several islets by which it is continued across the 

 entrance of the bay nearly to the north side. This outer barrier is pierced by two 

 channels, the larger of which is less than a mile wide, while the other is so narrow 

 that sailing vessels run great risk in attempting to enter without a pilot. Thus 

 the bay might easily be defended by fortifications, erected on the reefs and head- 

 lands. In the neighbourhood are some rich coal-mines, hitherto very little worked. 



In 1869 the United States purchased for £30,000 the right of establishing a 

 naval station in Samana Bay. An American company also obtained the commercial 

 monopoly of the district. But fortunately for the independence of San Domingo 



Fig. 203.— Sama::^a Bay. 

 Scale 1 : 700,000. 







69°40' 



Wester breenwich 



69'io- 



Depths. 



to32 

 Feet. 



32 to 160 



Feet. 



12 Miles. 



160 Feet 

 and upward 



the company failed, and about the same time the United States surrendered the 

 protectorate. 



The port of Zfrs Fléchas, near the extremity of the peninsula, has been almost 

 abandoned in favour of Santa Barbara (Samana), where a trading community of 

 Americans, Englishmen, Italians, and others has been established, although the 

 inlet is inaccessible to vessels drawing more than 13 or 14 feet. 



"West of Samana peninsula the basin of the River Yasica is largely cultivated by 

 North American negroes settled here by the Florida planter, Kinsley, who had 

 framed a scheme of gradual emancipation for the slaves. But scarcely had they 

 landed when they emancipated themselves, and these " Kinsley boys," as they are 

 familiarly called, have prospered and multiplied in the district. The pearl-fisheries 

 of San Lorenzo, near Savana-la-Mar on the south side of Samana Baj-, have been 

 abandoned. 



