DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70266#0224
194
sirby’s wonderful museum,
enough to find, in a freed negro, a higher pitch of virtu*?
than is often to be met with among the natives of Europe,
This celebrated man was not long in public life, before
he became the chief leader of the blacks. In their wars with
the planters, they had several other generals of their own
colour, and some of great note, such as Biassou, Bouckmant,
and Jean Francois. The fame of Toussaint, however, soon
eclipsed theirs ; for he had uncommon gifts, both of body
and mind. Extremely sober by habit, his activity in the
prosecution of his enterprises was incessant. He was an
excellent horseman, and travelled, on occasion, with incon-
ceivable rapidity, arriving frequently, at the end of his
journey, often of 50 or 60 leagues, alone, or almost unat-
tended, his followers being unable to keep up with him.
He slept generally in his clothes, and gave very little time
either to repose, or to his meals. He found time, however,
for religious study, being always attended by priests. It was
quite a proverb among the white inhabitants of St. Domingo,
that Toussaint never broke his word. The greatest reli-
ance was therefore placed on his promises, in the nicest
cases, by even those to whom his falsehood would have been
fatal. It is a notorious fact too, that the exiled French plant-
ers and merchants did not scruple to return from North
America, on receiving his assurance of protection, and not
one of them ever had occasion to repent of his confidence.
We shall here introduce a well authenticated anecdote,
strongly illustrative of Toussaint’s punctilious regard of his
honour.
During the treaty of 1/98, between this chief of the colony
and General Maitland, by which the island was to be evacu-
ated bjr the English troops, Toussaint came to see the Bri-
tish Commander in Chief at his head-quarters; and the
General, wishing to settle some points personally with him,
before his troops should embark, promised to return the
sirby’s wonderful museum,
enough to find, in a freed negro, a higher pitch of virtu*?
than is often to be met with among the natives of Europe,
This celebrated man was not long in public life, before
he became the chief leader of the blacks. In their wars with
the planters, they had several other generals of their own
colour, and some of great note, such as Biassou, Bouckmant,
and Jean Francois. The fame of Toussaint, however, soon
eclipsed theirs ; for he had uncommon gifts, both of body
and mind. Extremely sober by habit, his activity in the
prosecution of his enterprises was incessant. He was an
excellent horseman, and travelled, on occasion, with incon-
ceivable rapidity, arriving frequently, at the end of his
journey, often of 50 or 60 leagues, alone, or almost unat-
tended, his followers being unable to keep up with him.
He slept generally in his clothes, and gave very little time
either to repose, or to his meals. He found time, however,
for religious study, being always attended by priests. It was
quite a proverb among the white inhabitants of St. Domingo,
that Toussaint never broke his word. The greatest reli-
ance was therefore placed on his promises, in the nicest
cases, by even those to whom his falsehood would have been
fatal. It is a notorious fact too, that the exiled French plant-
ers and merchants did not scruple to return from North
America, on receiving his assurance of protection, and not
one of them ever had occasion to repent of his confidence.
We shall here introduce a well authenticated anecdote,
strongly illustrative of Toussaint’s punctilious regard of his
honour.
During the treaty of 1/98, between this chief of the colony
and General Maitland, by which the island was to be evacu-
ated bjr the English troops, Toussaint came to see the Bri-
tish Commander in Chief at his head-quarters; and the
General, wishing to settle some points personally with him,
before his troops should embark, promised to return the