THE LIFE OP


The guests looked astounded. Leclerc, alarmed in his
soulkaffected composure.
 In truth the condition of the colony was lamentable.
fever continued its wasting career. The Government every
lost power, while its enemies increased. Suspicion and
opened on every hand. This state of things finds a good
scription in the words of an eye-witness. Thus does Ge,
Pamphile de LacroiL speak : I was invited to the heig
the Cape by General Boudce, whom the General-in-chief u
sending to France to acquaint the Government with the.-tL1
condition of the island. At the hou'e of General Bonds.
found Generals Clervaux and Christophe. I asked them
cause of the progress of the insurrection. The latter repl4.
'You are a European, and you are oinmg; you have foaJ
merely in the armies of the mother countr-; yon, tonseqiMli
ly, cannot have any prejudices regarding slavery. I will thea
fore speak to you with frankness. The revolt grows becau
distrust is at its height. If you had our skin, you would i
perhaps, be so corfiding as myself, who am intrusting my 04
son, Ferdinand, to General Bondet that he may be educatedil
France. I make no account of the brigands who have gi'
the signal tbr the insurrection. The danger li-s not the
the danger is in the general opinion of the blacks; those
Saint Domingo are frightened because they know the decree
the 30h Floreal, whi h maintains slavery and the slave-th
in the colonies restored to France by the treaty of Amiq
They are alarmed at rseing the First Consul reestablis.l-l
old system in those colonies. They are afraid lest the in|
ereet talk that is heard here on all sides should find its wa4
France, and suggest to the Government the idea of depril
the blacks of Saint Domingo of their liberty.' In orders
pique his self-love, I asked him how it waa that he, who hadl
much influence in the South, hboulil not have found troops
ci-ntly devoted to put Sau-Souci into his hands. His
struck me. "If Sans-Souci was a soldier, I might, get ho
him; but he is a mean and cruel brigand, who has no


~~~