1830.] Four Years in the West Indies. 307 



wood. We looked in vain for even a solitary fishing boat ; but no evi- 

 dence of human existence presented itself, except one or two small 

 groupes of people on the beach (probably attracted by the appearance 

 of a large frigate), and a few buildings in a state of absolute ruin, which 

 from their appearance might have been formerly the residence of 

 opulent proprietors." He landed at a miserable wooden pier, and on 

 account of the impassable state of the leading streets, the carriage pro- 

 vided for him had to take a circuitous route to the palace, where he 

 was introduced to President Boyer, "a little intelligent-looking man, 

 with very keen black eyes, which he whirls about with extraordinary 

 rapidity." 



Mr. Mackenzie applied himself till the month of February, 1827, to 

 the acquisition of information on every topic of interest, and to the per- 

 formance of those duties which had been committed to his charge. He 

 then commenced a more extended examination of the island. 



The only public building of importance in Port-au-Prince is the 

 palace ; the others are described as insignificant in appearance. " But 

 with almost all of these is associated some scene of bloodshed which is 

 quite sickening. It was in the front of the church that Colonel Mau- 

 duit, alternately the idol and the object of detestation of the populace, 

 was basely murdered by his own regiment (that of Port-au-Prince), 

 and his miserable corpse torn to pieces by the infuriated rabble. And 

 in the opposite direction is the burying-ground, in which his faithful 

 slave deposited his reeking remains, and then, stretching himself on the 

 grave, blew out his own brains." 



The police is military, forming a particular regiment. It is improved 

 since Petion's time, but still very deficient. There are chairs or seats 

 for sentries on duty, and hammocks for the remainder of the guard. 

 Offences are principally against the provisions of the Code Rural. The 

 markets are well supplied with necessaries j but house-rent and luxuries 

 are extravagantly high. Port-au-Prince was formerly celebrated for 

 its public amusements. There was nothing of the kind when the 

 consul was there. The situation of the capital is eminently unhealthy, 

 and destructive to foreigners. 



During the months of May, June, July, August, and September, the 

 heat is most intense. The people seem to delight in attending funerals. 

 " I can with truth declare, that all the invitations I received for the first 

 six months of my residence was to funerals." (p. 15.) 



Mr. Mackenzie attended the Fete d' Agriculture ; of which, and the 

 mountebank appearance of the President, he gives rather a ludicrous 

 account. The state of society in the capital is exactly what might have 

 been anticipated. Indolence and inactivity are the characteristics of the 

 country. tc Pourquoi mon ami, est-ce que vous ne courez pas ?" said the 

 consul to a lazy messenger who had been sent on a hasty errand. 

 " Nous ne courons pas dans ce pays-ci," was the answer. Even the 

 dogs and pigs wander about with an apathy and leanness unseen else- 

 where. ' ' D n these Haitians," said a caustic fellow, " they cannot 

 even fatten a pig !" Labourers are with difficulty found at enormously 

 high wages, and these can rarely be persuaded to work two weeks con- 

 tinuously. The evils of this disinclination to labour press heavily on 

 the finances of the government, who have discovered that ff ex nihflo 

 nihil fit." Hence originated the Code Rural, the existence of which was 

 so boldly denied at home. It provides very amply for enforcing labour. 



2 Q 2 



