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[[preprinted]] 120 [[/preprinted]] [[top margin]] Dominican Rep. 13. [[/top margin]] was supposed to have in Santo Domingo. About two weeks ago was their first [[underlined]] rain [[/underlined]] in six months. There are quite a few clouds every day, but usually no rain. Since I've been here, it sprinkled only once, -this noon. This town is full of shoe-shine boys. They're the most conspicuous thing in town, - after the buses. I think they must shine each others shoes for a living, as they don't seem to do a rushing business and there seldom are any tourists. I was amazed to see a regular Fifth Avenue double-decker bus go by the hotel. It was shortly followed by a swell specimen of the double-ended coaches, and later by several smaller new buses. I find that they are brand new and not over likely to remain so shiny very long. On the other hand they've made the driver's responsible for all scratches, etc., and that should make a difference. They certainly seem out of place in this town where one would foresee no need for any kind of intra-city transportation. Spent the evening as best I could and went to bed early, -9 o'clock. A late dinner helps to make the lonesome evenings shorter. [[end page]] [[start page]] [[preprinted]] 121 [[/preprinted]] [[margin]] IX-7-36 [[/margin]] Up at 6 [[underlined superscript]] 15 [[underlined superscript]] and got away at 7. Took the [[margin]] J [[/margin]] pavement toward Moca, intending to turn off to the north to Peña, where they find considerable quantities of low grade amber. I missed the road and continued to Moca and then to Salcedo and nearly to San Francisco de Macoris. Was surprised to find I had gone around forty miles. The roads were lined with people going to market. I didn't see a single place to collect and there were no roads turning off toward the mountains. [[margin]] B J [[/margin]] All the way the roads are lined with pineapples. They are more abundant here than anywhere we've been. This region has more palms and trees than most parts of Haiti. Any trees are scarce in the latter, but here there are some fine big ones, and wood is so plentiful that they make fences of it. They put uprights every six or eight feet, then stack poles up between the pairs of uprights. It must considerable time, but that is another thing that seems to be abundant here. One striking thing about the people is their means of attracting another's attention. They don't call or whistle or say "Hey", but invariably hiss. Even up here on the