Overview
Chapter XI of the Cruise of the Scythian in the West Indies is a travelogue by American author Susan De Forest Day, who sails to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in the late 19th century. Her account of the Dominican Republic is included along with travel accounts of several other Caribbean Islands, including Jamacia and St. Lucia.
Content
During her short stay in the Dominican Republic, the author accounts a meeting with President Ulises Heuraux, who takes in the party of the Scythian. The author describes Heuraux as “undoubtedly cruel, rapacious and selfish” (page 272). Despite this, she is ultimately impressed by his forceful nature and believes him to be an effective leader. Throughout her account of Santo Domingo Day mentions a litany of racist ideology, including rumors of Haiti “gradually relapsing into a barbar-ism, where cannibalism and African serpent worship are not unknown” (Day 255). She contrasts this with the apparent civility of the Dominican Republic, which although she is dubious of due to its greater racial identity as a predominantly black country, is “advancing along the path of civilization” (Day 255). Day, a white American woman, is treated with both respect and care, although her gender forces her to have a male escort. She imparts a clear feeling of racial superiority over the people — and the president — of Santo Domingo.
Historical Context
During the late 1800s, Latin America was under the process of industrialization and modernization. Following a great wave of independence in the early 1800s, young Latin American countries such as the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Argentina struggled to create and form stable governments. American perception of Latin America during the late 1800s seems to be built on the idea of Latin America as less civilized than the rest of the West.
Works Cited
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