A LITTLE-KNOWN MARVEL OF THE 

 WESTERN HEMISPHERE 



Christophe's Citadel, a Monument to the Tyranny and 

 Genius of Haiti's King of Slaves 



By Major G. H. Osterhout, Jr., U. S. M. C. 



With Illustrations from Photographs by the Author 



A BOUT twenty miles to the south- 



f\ west of the town of Cape Haitien, 

 i \ in the north of the island of Haiti, 

 there stands, on the top of a precipitous 

 mountain, one of the wonders of the 

 Western Hemisphere, yet one whose ex- 

 istence is at present scarcely known and 

 one whose full history will never be writ- 

 ten. A personal visit to Christophe's 

 Citadel is necessary in order fully to ap- 

 preciate its massiveness, its intricate and 

 elaborate construction, and its remote 

 situation (see map, page 489). 



Few are so fortunate as to be able to 

 visit this spot, or. even when given the 

 opportunity, possess the physique neces- 

 sary to make the arduous trip. 



It is not surprising that Christophe's 

 Citadel is so little known when consider- 

 ation is given to the fact that Haiti itself, 

 although only a few hundred miles from 

 the United States, has been so little 

 known as to be termed, until recently, 

 "Mysterious Haiti." And for many to 

 whom the geographic location of the 

 island was familiar it was carefully cata- 

 logued as one to be avoided, due to fre- 

 quent domestic upheavals, revolutions, 

 assassinations, and the general uncer- 

 tainty there of "life, liberty, and the pur- 

 suit of happiness."' 



the island's isolation for centuries 

 is drawing to a close 



These conditions have been changed 

 recently, however, and. under the mili- 

 tary guidance of the United States, the 

 island's government has been stabilized. 



Discovered on December 6, 1492, by 

 Christopher Columbus ( at Mole St. 

 Nicholas), Haiti's delightful climate and 

 wealth of virgin soil and forest are now 

 for the first time beginning to draw to- 

 ward it such general attention that it is 



only a question of a few years when it- 

 comparative isolation for so many cen- 

 turies will be a source of amazement. 

 And by far the greatest source of amaze- 

 ment to the tourist will be this vast 

 citadel on Bonnet a L'Eveque. back in 

 the mountains, eight miles from the town 

 of Milot, where stands another remark- 

 able architectural pile, the ornate palace 

 of "Sans Souci." both built more than a 

 century ago by an untutored negro. 



"every stone in the building cost a 

 human life'' 



Sir Spenser St. John. K. C. M. G. 

 ( British minister resident and consular 

 general in Haiti, 1863-1875). in his book. 

 "Hayti. or The Black Republic." makes 

 the following interesting comments on 

 Christophe's Citadel and the palace of 

 Sans Souci : 



"The most striking objects near Cap 

 Haitien are the remains of Sans Souci. 

 and of the citadel constructed by King 

 Christophe. called La Ferriere. 



"It requires a visit to induce one to be- 

 lieve that so elaborate, and. I may add. 

 so handsome a structure, could exist in 

 such a place as Haiti, or that a fortifica- 

 tion such as the citadel could ever have 

 been constructed on the summit of a lofty 

 mountain, five thousand feet. I believe, 

 above the level of the sea. Some of the 

 walls are eighty feet in height and six- 

 teen feet in thickness, where the heavy 

 batteries of English guns still remain in 

 position. All is of the most solid ma- 

 sonry, covering the whole peak of the 

 mountain. 



"We were really lost in amazement as 

 we threaded gallery after gallery where 

 heavy fifty-six and thirty-two pounders 

 guarded every approach to what was in- 

 tended to be the last asylum of Haitian 



469 



