
A vivid, first‑hand account of Haiti in the decades after its independence, this work blends travelogue, political analysis, and social observation. The author, a former British consul, sketches the bustling capital of Port‑au‑Prince before the devastations of civil war, then follows the ruins, the displaced elite, and the everyday struggles of the island’s people as conflict and economic decline take their toll.
Through detailed descriptions of crumbling public buildings, burned-out neighborhoods, and the shifting fortunes of both mulatto and black communities, the narrative paints a nuanced picture of a nation wrestling with its identity and future. It offers listeners a rare glimpse into the complexities of post‑colonial governance, the impact of repeated uprisings, and the fragile hopes of those who once imagined a thriving republic. The book invites reflection on how history, culture, and external influences intertwine in shaping a country's destiny.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (506K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United Kingdom: Smith, Elder, & Co.,1884.
Credits
Peter Becker, Thomas Frost and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2022-07-23
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1826–1910
A 19th-century British diplomat and travel writer, he is best remembered for vivid books about Southeast Asia and life in the forests of Borneo. His firsthand accounts helped shape how many Victorian readers imagined Brunei and the wider Far East.
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