1803-] 
Spaniards however rear but a fmall quan- 
tity ; the fame fpecies are ufually found 
there as in France. 
. The houfés in the country offer no fort 
of luxury; they want even feyeral neceflary 
appurtenances; they are ufually conftru&ted 
of the bark of palm-trees, applied flate- 
wife to pofts fixed in the grounds; the cover- 
ing of the houfe confifts of the leaves of the 
palm-tree, or of the Jatanier. No other 
candles are uled in the country than fuch 
as are made.of. rofin, or of pieces of pine, 
or the candle-wood ; they alfo make ule 
of matches mixed with tallow, and placed 
in a wooden Veffel. 
The food of the Spaniards confilts 
for the moft part, of beef and--pork, 
prepared in various ways, and fea- 
foned with thyme, pimento, and love- 
apple. They have alfo poultry and 
fith in plenty. Their ufual drink is 
water ; few of them are in the habit of 
drinking taffia; they have generally coffee 
at breakfalt, and chocolate for fupper. 
Inftead of breads. they eat-rice, potatoes, 
bananas, yams, and caflava. * | 
The value of land in this part of the 
ifland, is far below that to which ‘it will 
rife'in time. Excellent Jands have been 
fold at 10 livres the acre. This low 
price however, was occafioned by the pro- 
hibition to foreigners to fettle, in’ the 
Spanifh precinéts, and alfo by the -readi- 
nefs of owners, uncertain of their deftiny, 
to difpofe of their property, in order to 
quit the country. 
The daily pay of a labourer employed 
in the cultivation of land, in the felling 
of wood, and in other country occupations, 
is commonly four reals of plata, amount- 
ing to about 53 fous, French money. 
Sometimes indeed labour is cheaper, 
Domeftic and Foreign Trade of the Spanifh 
. Part of. St. Domingo. 
What has been faid clearly fhews to 
what a ftate of poverty this part of the 
ifland was reduced; and that its connec- 
tions mult have been feeble with Spain ; 
which often left it in want of the mot ne- 
ceflary commodities; the {mall number of 
cargoes it received, were paid for in coarfe 
fugar, in leather, wood, and hard money. 
Its chief trade with the French part, 
confifted in horned cattle ; the number of 
which, difpefed of in the year, might 
amount to 11,000, valued from 25 to 3a 
gourdes a-head, including the expence of 
drovers, and of fodder on the rcad. Be- 
fide thefe, the Spaniards traded alfo in 
Produce and Trade of §t. Domingo, ole 
horfes, mules, fmoked meats, facks and 
cords made-of ftringy plants, leather, and 
“fome tobacco. 
The total produced by 
thote articles, did not exceed three’ mil-* 
lions; a great part of which went back 
in payment of neceflaries and for objects 
of luxury. . 
The war having caufed the deftru&tion 
of ‘cattle, the number formerly fold is 
now reduced to a third, Cultivation alfo 
being much diminified through the des | 
parture of fo many of the proprictors of 
iand,. it is. evident that this colony mut 
quickly fall to ruin, unlefs {pecdily rege~ 
nerated--by~—a~ more aufpicious manage- 
ment. : | 
The Americans at prefent fupply it) 
with: provifions, and receive in exchange’ 
fome iugar; leather, wood of gayac and’ 
cutchew, wood for dying, and hard dol. 
lars, | 
Its. domeftic trade confifts of the fale of 
tobacco, large and {mail cattle, and in’ 
fome articles of haberdathery. 
It is certain that the firft Spanifh fet-! 
tlers opened communications between the 
different parts of the colony. Ovando, a 
governor at the commencement of’ the 
fixteenth century, caufed a+ magnificent 
road to be made, leading from Puerto) 
Plata, through the chain of mountains 
at Monte Chrifto, and through the plain’ 
of Lavega, to the. mountains..of.Cibao,- 
and through the plain of Conftantia to 
that of St. Juan. 
The principal roads at this. day, are. 
that which Jeads to the Cape through Le 
Cotuy, and another from this place to 
Port-au-Prince. Befides thefe two roads, 
there are many others for the purpofe of 
neceflary communication between the, dif- 
ferent fetilements ; but they are generally 
in bad order, and almoft impaflable. 
Inland Navigation of this Part of the 
Viland.. 
The river Yuna is navigable up as far 
as Cotuy, and might with fome pains be 
made fuch as far as Lavega. . Poflibly 
before long, a plan will be formed for 
opening a canal, which, joining the Camu 
to the Yaqui, will facilitate the commu- 
nication by water, from the bay of Sa- 
mana to that of Monte Chrifto. The 
river Ozana is alfo navigable ten leagues 
inland from that port. In order to ren- 
der fuch the Neybe, part of its waters 
fhould be united into one channel. Time 
alone can bring about the improvements 
of which fome other rivers are fulceptible, 
$s2 
: 
