1 82 7.] 'Sketches of Hayli. ] 2 * 



slavery is abolished only in name. Instead of many masters possessing this part of 

 the island, it is in the hands of one. I endeavoured to enter into conversation 

 with several respecting their condition, privileges, &c. j but they all seemed restricted 

 by apprehension ; and I was reminded more than once of the old adage, that 

 ' walls have ears.' The discontent was evidently great. They either want the 

 means, or have not the inclination to be generous. Christophe certainly provided 

 a good house and a well-stored table for the admiral ; carriages and horses were in 

 attendance early in the morning, and in the evening, for the convenience of Sir 

 Home and of his friends ; and, under the direction of Baron de Dupuy, who had 

 served with a pastrycook in America, the arrangements were decently made j but I 

 saw no other attempt at hospitality. The soldiers act as the police, and execute the 

 office with more than sufficient severity. The curfew law seems to have been heard 

 of: for, unless upon express permission, all must be silent after 9 p. M. ; and the 

 guards, if I may judge by their insolence, consider the streets as their own property. 

 Drunkenness is more frequent among the higher than the lower classes ; but it can 

 hardly be said to be a prevailing vice. The blacks of both sexes are extremely fond 

 of dress and dancing. Their extravagance in the former is highly absurd, and the 

 appearance of one of their balls is singular enough. It resembles a Christmas negro 

 ball at Jamaica with this exception the dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, are 

 real. There is a Lancastrian school, which is admirably conducted by an English 

 master. Several of the children, on passing me with their satchels, exclaimed in 

 broken English. God save Georgee tray ! Lung him liv /' I saw Christophe enter 

 the town, and the exhibition was striking. His dress appeared to be exactly the 

 Windsor uniform, and he had a small star on his left breast. He had a numerous 

 escort, rode rapidly, and, till he stopped and alighted, no one knew whither he 

 was going. He acknowledged the salute of our officers with marked civility ; but 

 the natives were hardly permitted to see him. Commerce is most irregularly con- 

 ducted, and every thing is very dear. Money is scarce ; and the European and 

 American merchants, of whom there are about thirty, have much difficulty in trans-- 

 acting business. They are frequently compelled to threaten or actually to have 

 recourse to Christophe, to overcome the knavery of their customers. 



*' Port-au-Prince presents a different scene. Here the inhabitants have a wider 

 ecope. There is much greater activity in commerce, and the whites and mulattoes 

 especially are far more numerous. The President Boyer possesses more power than 

 Petion did during the latter part of his life, and his chief endeavour seems to be to 

 enrich his treasury. Nor is he scrupulous about the means he employs. For 

 instance, he has fixed a nominal value to his coin, which is full four times its intrin- 

 sic value. If you change a doubloon, or any other piece of money, you have to take 

 this coin ; and it being worthless any where else, you are glad to get rid of it. 

 Morals here are extremely loose. Petty thieving is so common, that were it not for 

 the soldiers, who here also act as police, it would be almost impossible for a stranger 

 to escape without being pillaged. Provisions and goods in general are not so dear 

 as at Cape Fra^ois the town is less dilapidated and the neighbouring country is 

 beautiful in the extreme. In both towns, religion is very little thought of. On the 

 whole, these places are worth visiting from the peculiarity of their condition j but 

 once seen, the traveller will be satisfied." 



These descriptions are brief but they are just. The dilapidated stato 

 of the towns may be accounted for, in a great measure, by the apprehen- 

 sions which the Haytians entertained of invasion ; but there are other 

 appearances which cannot be so satisfactorily explained. Had a salutary 

 system of policy been pursued, and had the negroes been rendered really 

 sensible of the nature and value of liberty, the continual dread of foreign 

 foes would rather have purified than have relaxed their morals. It is also 

 remarkable that, notwithstanding all the advice, instruction, and assistance 

 furnished from England and the United States of America, no code of 

 intelligible and consistent laws had been adopted either in the republic or 

 in Christophe's dominions. From the close of the revolution up to the 



M.M. New Series VOL. IV. No. 20. R 



