. The earth and its inhabitants ... Geography. 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 r
. The earth and its inhabitants ... Geography. 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, 69°40' Wester breenwich 69'io- Depths. 0 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 pea
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