2 I 4 



The National Geographic Magazine 



this fact. In great state the leaden case 

 containing the body there found was 

 transported to Havana and deposited in 

 a niche, made for that purpose, in the 

 cathedral of the capital city of the Span- 

 ish West Indies. In 1877, while repairs 

 were being made to the cathedral in Santo 

 Domingo City, another vault was dis- 

 covered, containing another leaden casket, 

 in which there were not only fragments 

 of bones but a silver plate on which was 

 the name "Don Cristobal Colon, discov- 

 erer of America." This and other proofs 

 found showed conclusively, to every Do- 

 minican at least, that their worshiped 

 hero was safe in the land he loved. One 

 can imagine the rejoicing that the dis- 

 covery of these precious relics brought 

 to the inhabitants. It is certain that 

 they were in marked contrast with the 

 reception accorded the distinguished Ad- 

 miral in Spain, when he returned in 

 chains from his last voyage to the New 

 World. Of course, the Spanish people 

 would never admit that when they hauled 

 down their flag on the American conti- 

 nent, for the last time, on January 1, 

 1899, they did not take with them all 

 that remained of the man who had done 

 so much for them and the world at large. 



HAITI IS DEGENERATING TO A CONDITION 

 OE BARBARISM 



It is not possible within the limits of 

 this paper to go into details regarding 

 the turbulent history of Haiti. The fact 

 that of its 21 rulers, from Dessalines to 

 the one now holding power, four only 

 have completed their terms of office, the 

 most of them being driven out of the 

 country, will show the general tendency 

 of the people to revolution. History is 

 here constantly repeating itself, summed 

 up in the general statement that the 

 "outs" are always struggling to get into 

 power, while the "ins" are striving to 

 retain possession of the spoils of office. 



It is said that Haiti is getting blacker 

 and blacker, the white element having 

 been practically exterminated or removed 

 from the island. It is not that the whites 

 are unkindly treated here, but so many 



difficulties surround their holding of 

 property that development is impossible, 

 and the white people are reluctant to 

 invest money in a country where there 

 is such little promise of an income from 

 it. It is the one country in the world 

 where white blood is at a discount. 

 There is, however, quite as much antag- 

 onism existing between the mulattoes and 

 the blacks as is usually found between 

 the blacks and whites in our own coun- 

 try, so the colored question is not elimi- 

 nated from politics even here, and parties 

 are generally lined up according to color, 

 and as a rale the blacks and mulattoes 

 alternate in the control of the executive 

 offices. 



In all its political history, Haiti, the 

 beautiful, has been torn almost to shreds 

 by its turbulent inhabitants, led on by a 

 few inspiring chiefs, who rarely have had 

 any other object in view than personal 

 gain. The inhabitants themselves are 

 naturally as gentle, except when over- 

 come by the barbarous religious customs 

 handed down from their African ances- 

 tors, as were the aborigines that Colum- 

 bus found here. A traveler may pass 

 from one end of the island to. the other 

 without being molested, unless his visit 

 happens to be coincident with one of its 

 many revolutions, when, owing to the 

 poor shooting of the soldiers he runs 

 more risk of his life than do the partici- 

 pants themselves. The Haitians do not 

 consider it a crime to rob the govern- 

 ment, and hence stealing from it is gen- 

 eral. They rather regard it as a duty for 

 the government to provide sustenance for 

 the people, and if it does not do so, they 

 use their prerogative to enforce their 

 claim. 



As practically 90 per cent of the popu- 

 lation are descendants from the former 

 slaves, who have no higher ambition than 

 to possess sufficient means- to supply the 

 demands of their appetites, their wants 

 are easily satisfied. The scant clothing 

 required in the Torrid Zone is obtained 

 without much difficulty, and as enlist- 

 ment in the army is sure to gain both of 

 these necessities, .the natives naturally 



