I hope and trust you may be successful in your efforts.

Very truly,
J. R. GIDDINGS.

J. D. Harris, Esq.

The subjoined, respecting the work itself, is from Mr. William Cullen Bryant, by whom, in addition to Mr. George W. Curtis, a portion of these communications was reviewed:—

Roslyn, Long Island, August 26, 1860.

Dear Sir:—I have looked over with attention the letters you left with me, and return them herewith. It appears to me it will be very well to publish them. Of the Spanish part of the island of San Domingo very little is known—much less than of the French part; and the information you give of the country and its people is valuable and interesting.

I am, Sir,
Respectfully yours,
W. C. BRYANT.

Mr. J. D. Harris.

CONTENTS.

Introduction[vii]
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
[LETTER I.]
From New York to Puerto de Plata—Smoothness of the Voyage—Haytiin the Distance—The Custom-House Officers—Descriptionof the Standing Army—Unparalleled Scenic Beauty [13-19]
[LETTER II.]
Want of Information—One side of a Question—The other side—Causesof the decline of the Spanish Colony—Subsequent history[20-30]
[LETTER III.]
Corpus Christi—The Farm of the Fugitive Slave[31-35]
[LETTER IV.]
First Ride in the Country—Pastorisa Place[36-41]
[LETTER V.]
Valley of the Isabella—Customs of the People—A Call for Dinner[42-50]
[LETTER VI.]
On the way to Porto Cabello—Antille-Americana—Immigration Ordinance[51-61]
[LETTER VII.]
Proposed American Settlement—A Picture of Life—Tomb of theWesleyan Missionary[62-67]
[LETTER VIII.]
Summary of Dominican Staples, Exports, and Products[69-75]
REPUBLIC OF HAYTI
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
[LETTER IX.]
State of Affairs previous to 1790[76-83]
[LETTER X.]
Affairs in France—Case of the Mulattoes—Terrible Death of Ogé andChavine[84-92]
[LETTER XI.]
Tragedy of the Revolution—A Chapter of Horrors (which the delicatereader may, if he pleases, omit)[93-104]
[LETTER XII.]
Tragedy of the Revolution, continued—Rigaud succeeded by L’Ouverture—L’Ouvertureduped by Le Clerc[105-115]
[LETTER XIII.]
The War Renewed—“Liberty or Death”—Expulsion of the French—JeanJacques Dessalines, First Emperor of Hayti—The Auroraof Peace—Principal Events up to present date—Geffrard on Education[116-127]
GRAND TURK’S AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
[LETTER XIV.]
An Island of Salt—Honor to the British Queen—Sir Edward Jordan,of Jamaica—A Story in Parenthesis—The Poetry of Sailing[128-137]
BRITISH HONDURAS.
[LETTER XV.]
Off Ruatan—The Sailor’s Love Story—Sovereignty of the Bay Islands—Englishvs. American View of Central American Affairs[138-150]
CONCLUSIVE SUMMARY.
[LETTER XVI.]
Concise Description of the Spanish Main—Dominicana Reviewed—Themagnificent Bay of Samana—Conclusive Summary[151-160]
[APPENDIX].
The Anglo-African Empire—Opinions of distinguished Statesmen andPhilanthropists[161-179]