J 18 Sketches of Hayti. [Auo. 



were raulattoes, while those of Christophe were negroes. The popularity 

 of each leader in his own district was unrivalled ; and after several years of 

 irregular warfare, their strength being nearly balanced, a mutual cessation 

 of hostilities took place, without Union, truce, or treaty ; and French Hayti 

 was nearly equally divided between them. But the personal character of 

 Christophe was far more influential than that of Petion. The former soon 

 assumed the title of king, together with unlimited power; while the latter 

 found it expedient to give to the provinces over which he ruled the name 

 of a republic,- and to adopt the title of president. Petion was a mulatto, 

 and had been educated at the Military Academy at Paris. He had little 

 of the ferocity which distinguished his rival. His mind was better regu- 

 lated and better informed. He was more inclined to direct his attention 

 to commerce than to war ; but his power was of a precarious nature ; he 

 remembered the fate of his predecessor, and was incapable of instituting 

 and enforcing such laws as were essential to the real improvement and 

 prosperity of newly-liberated negroes. To a certain extent, however, his 

 government was absolute. It could command the fate of an individual, 

 although it could not venture to coerce or restrain the vicious as a body by 

 any act of vigour. Christophe, on the other hand, though destitute of 

 the acquirements possessed by Petion, had unbounded authority ; and, as 

 there is a peculiar interest attached to the fortunes of that extraordinary 

 negro, and his conduct, both in reality and appearance, imparted their cha- 

 racter to the proceedings in his dominions, a sketch of his history may be 

 desirable. 



The place of his birth has never been satisfactorily ascertained ; but, 

 notwithstanding Mr. Harvey's opinion that it was Grenada, we believe it 

 to have been the island of St. Christophers, or St. Kitts. He is said to have 

 been born a slave, and to have served for some time on board of a French 

 man-of-war, in the capacity otcook's-mate. He was a stranger to Hayti, 

 until a short time previous to the first revolt ; when, according to the best 

 information gained by assiduous inquiry, he was marker of a billiard-table 

 in a coffee-house, which is still standing, and is close to the beach. It was 

 kept by a Frenchwoman, who, in the day of desolation, is said to have 

 been protected by her former servant. He was a perfect negro in appear- 

 ance. His skin was very dark and coarse ; his hair was short and woolly ; 

 his nose was broad and flat ; his lips were large ; his forehead was over- 

 hanging and scarred ; and his eyes appeared strained and inflamed. His 

 countenance was an index to the obstinacy and ferocity of his disposition ; 

 but still it possessed an expression of superiority which indicated that he 

 was no common man. In person he was stout and powerful, and his deport- 

 ment was free from that slothful motion which is often occasioned by the 

 relaxing influence of a tropical climate. Education he had none. It was 

 only when he became a general that he learned to sign his surname, and 

 he had assumed the chief station before he had acquired the power of 

 giving his entire signature. During the latter part of his life he conversed 

 but little, especially before Europeans ; and his reason is said to have been 

 his own consciousness of the wretched patois in which he spoke. It was 

 an almost unintelligible mixture of the French arid English negro dialects, 

 in their rudest forms. Throughout the revolution, Christophe was cele- 

 brated among the negroes, and dreaded by the French, from his incessant 

 activity and daring courage. It was for himself, however, that he fought ; 

 and having acquired immense riches at the plunder of Cape Francois, and 

 Dessalinos being despatched, be found the consummation of his ambitious 



