120 $&etcAe& of Hayti. [Aua. 



Again : the Juges-dc-Patx of Gonaives having been guilty of injustice, 

 by no means a rare occurrence in Hayti, the same punishment was inflict- 

 ed on them ; and Mr. Harvey further tells us : 



" Another circumstance, connected with the punishment of these men, was said to 

 have taken place ; but whether correctly or not, I am unable to determine. It was 

 stated that Christophe caused them to sit round a room in his palace, and directed 

 water to be poured on their heads till they were thoroughly drenched frequently 

 asking them, during this singular process, in the most sarcastic manner, if their 

 heads were yet coot?" 



But the restless and discontented disposition of his subjects, the nobles 

 in particular, and the tyranny of Christophe, soon made a change desirable. 

 His presence alone checked many from indulging in open disaffection ; and, 

 in 1820, on his being seized with apoplexy, and confined to his palace at 

 Sans Souci so named from its impenetrable situation frequent consulta- 

 tions were held respecting his removal. While this was in agitation, the 

 troops at St. Marc's murdered two of their officers, and Christophe ordered 

 the ringleaders to be executed. 



" On the arrival of these orders at the Cape, one of the more powerful barons, 

 -addressing his associates, said, ' What commands are these ? Who has given him 

 the right of condemning men to death, without ascertaining the nature and extent 

 of their crime ? And why shall we go, at his command, and cut the throats of 

 our brethren? Let us rather go straight to Sans Souci, and cut off the fellow's head. 

 We shall then be delivered from tyranny, and shall have no more mutinies among 

 the soldiers.' * If you are disposed that way,' answered the Duke of Marmalade, 

 * I am ready to join you; and we had better lose no time in carrying the design 

 into effect. What say you ?' added he, addressing the other officers ; ' shall we 

 collect the troops, and proceed to his palace ? He has nothing but his own guard 

 to defend him." 



The proposal was unanimously assented to, and measures were taken for 

 carrying it into execution. Christophe's race was run. After receiving 

 largesses, and swearing " to defend his 'person and authority 'jusqu'a la 

 mort,' " his own guards deserted him ; and Christophe, rinding himself 

 thus abandoned, " seized one of the pistols with which he was always 

 provided, and instantly shot himself through the head." His son was 

 murdered, and, after some further violence and bloodshed, Cape Francois 

 and its districts were united to the republic of Port-au-Prince. 



Such is the outline of the history of Hayti, from the commencement of 

 the commotions in 1791 up to the death of Christophe; and a view of the 

 state of the two most important towns immediately previous to that event, 

 will best shew what progress the Haytians had then made in freedom 

 and civilization. To the picture given by Mr. Harvey of Cape Fran9ois, 

 we have no great objection, except its length; but to Port-au-Prince he 

 appears almost a total stranger. We must, therefore, have recourse to 

 some other source ; and as the following notices, hitherto unpublished, 

 were written on the spot, at the time Admiral Sir Home Popham visited 

 the island, and arc accurate as far as they go, they may suffice : 



" On landing at Cape Fra^ois, I was struck with the dilapidated state of the 

 town. It must once have been very handsome ; but now the greater part is com- 

 paratively in ruins. The best range of buildings faces the sea, and in the upper 

 part of the town there are some good houses. The great majority of the inhabitants 

 are negroes ; and I frequently met with that immeasurable vanity, threatening 

 obstinacy, low cunning, and apparent destitution of superior intellect which are 

 commonly attributed to that people. From what I could see, I should say that 



