Alison's History of Europe [pp. 281-296]

Alison's History of Europe.
a few faithful domestics, who, without betraying
their comrades, warned their masters of their dan ger. The explosion was sudden and terrible. In
a moment, the beautiful plains in the north of the
island were covered with fires-the labor of a cen tury was devoured in a night; while the negroes,
like unchained tigers, precipitated themselves on
their masters, seized their arms, massacred them
without pity, or threw them into the flames. From
all quarters the terrified planters fled to Cape Town,
already menaced by ten thousand discontented
slaves in its own bosom, while fifteen thousand
insurgents surrounded the city, threatening instant
destruction to the trembling fugitives within its
walls.
" The cruelties exercised on the unhappy cap tives on both sides, in this disastrous contest, ex ceeded anything recorded in history. The negroes
marched with spiked infants on their spears instead
of colors; they sawed asunder the male prisoners,
and violated the females on the dead bodies of their
husbands. Nor were the whites slow in taking
vengeance for these atrocities. In several sallies
from Cape Town, the discipline and courage of the
Europeans prevailed. Numerous prisoners were
made, who were instantly put to death, and the in discriminate rage of the victors extended to the
old men, women and children of the insurgent race,
who had taken no part in the revolt.
" While these disasters were overwhelming the
northern part of the island, the southern was a prey
to the fierce and increasing discord of the planters
and people of color. At length the opposite parties came into open collision. The mulattoes, aided
by a body of negroes, blockaded Port au Prince;
while the whites of that town and its vicinity, sup.ported by the National Guard and troops of the
lfine, assembled their forces to raise the siege.
The black army was commanded by a chief named
Hyacinthe, who displayed in the action an uncommon degree of skill and intrepidity. The shock
was terrible; but at length the planters were overthrown, and their broken remains forced back to
the town. In other quarters similar actions took
place, with various success, but the same result;
the whites were finally forced into the cities, and
the plains irrevocably overrun by the insurgent
forces."
French Delegates were sent over with very plenary powers, but matters only grew worse. The insurrectionists were emboldened and only waited for
tan opportunity to commence one dreadful massacre.
i This occurred ill 1793. " On the 20th of June,a
an independent black government over the whole quarrel accidentally arose between a French naval
island. So inviolable was the secrecy, so general captainand a muIattea oficer in the service ofthe colothe dissimulation of the slaves, that this awful nial government; the commissioners ordered them
catastrophe was noways apprehended by the Eu- both into their presence, without regard to the disropean proprietors; and a conspiracy, which em- tinction of color, and this excited the highest indigbraced nearly the whole negro population of the nation in the officers of the marine, who landed witlh
island, was revealed only by the obscure hints of their crews to take vengeance for the indignity donc
295
1843.]