(38 



ox TlIK TOPOGTIAPHT AND (4EOLOGY 



road, if road it may be called, over these mountains, and, in near approach to impassa- 

 bility, is inferior only to the Savana la Mar trail. It is useless to repeat the same 

 stor}^ of steep hills, rocks, and mud ; this route abounds in all ; l)ut a pleasant relief 

 is experienced when the traveler, 'emerging from a network of bad road, wood-trails, 

 and mahogany drags,"" suddenly comes in view of a pretty little valley at his feet, 

 on the edge of Jamo River, with a neat-looking farm-house and its group of dependent 

 out-buildings, helds well fenced, and with luxurious crops well cultivated ; the 

 plantain patch, with its trees actually planted in straight lines ; al^undance of cocoa- 

 imt and other fruit-trees, and, in short, many unwonted signs of comfort and good 

 taste. This is the tarm of an old Spaniard, Don [Narcisso Roca, who has lived in the 

 country for many years, and who rules his little domain like a prince. His boisterous, 

 good-natured hospitality is notorious, and the pleasant recollection of it is not soon 

 forgotten by those who have shared it. From Don ]!?^^arcisso's there is one trail down 

 the river to Puerto Plata, a good half-day's ride distant, while another crosses a long 

 ridge, with plent}^ of mud, as usual, striking the Yasica River, along which it descends 

 a mile or two to Batei. At Batei is the tarm of a gentleman, an American, Mr. C. 

 Schaftenberg, which, in the appearance of the 1)uildings, fences, gates, fields, and, in 

 short, e^'crything, Ijetokens more advanced ideas than those held, or even understood, 

 by his neighbors. The land is excellent, and the manner in which its owner has 

 arranged his surroundings and availed himself of the natural advantages at his dis- 

 posal, is not equalled au}^ where else in the Republic. An unusual feature in Santo 

 Domingo is the existence, near the house, of a fine large spring, giving rise to a 

 good-sized stream of clear, cold water. In this neighborhood is quite a large colony 

 of American negroes and mulatoes. These were brought to the country from Florida 

 by a Mr. Kinsley, during the tiaytien occupation under President Boyer. Kinsley 

 made a contract Avith the Government that, as they were his slaves in the United 

 States, they were to remain apprentices for a term of years, and then reach the full- 

 fledged dignity of fieedmen and citizens. Of course the experiment failed. The 

 to-be citizens became impatient of the delay, and became unmanagable, in a couuti'y 

 where a white man was not as good as a negro, and consequently having no redress. 

 Kinsley was ruined; died; his sons, also coloured, and his former slaves, now form a 

 colony, harmonious, industrious, and flourishing, and no persons on the north coast 

 are more respected or more highly spoken of than the " Kinsley boys." 



East of Batei, the country is almost without an inhabitant. A few scattered 

 families occupy the more eligible sites at the mouths of the rivers, or where some 

 httle stream ti"ickles down from the hills, until we I'each Matanzas, a little village 



