A description of Tortuga--The fruits and plants there--How the
French first settled there, at two several times, and forced
out the Spaniards--The author twice sold in the said island.
The island of Tortuga is situate on the north side of Hispaniola, in
20 deg. 30 min. latitude; its just extent is threescore leagues about.
The Spaniards, who gave name to this island, called it so from the
shape of the land, in some manner resembling a great sea-tortoise,
called by them Tortuga-de-mar. The country is very mountainous, and
full of rocks, and yet thick of lofty trees, that grow upon the
hardest of those rocks, without partaking of a softer soil. Hence it
comes that their roots, for the greatest part, are seen naked,
entangled among the rocks like the branching of ivy against our walls.
That part of this island which stretches to the north is totally
uninhabited: the reason is, first, because it is incommodious, and
unhealthy: and, secondly, for the ruggedness of the coast, that gives
no access to the shore, unless among rocks almost inaccessible: for
this cause it is peopled only on the south part, which hath only one
port indifferently good: yet this harbour has two entries, or
channels, which afford passage to ships of seventy guns; the port
itself being without danger, and capable of receiving a great number
of vessels. The inhabited parts, of which the first is called the
Low-Lands, or Low-Country: this is the chief among the rest, because
it contains the port aforesaid. The town is called Cayona, and here
live the chiefest and richest planters of the island. The second part
is called the Middle Plantation: its soil is yet almost new, being
only known to be good for tobacco. The third is named Ringot, and is
situate towards the west part of the island. The fourth and last is
called the Mountain, in which place were made the first plantations
upon this island.
As to the wood that grows here, we have already said that the trees
are exceeding tall, and pleasing to the sight; whence no man will
doubt, but they may be applied to several uses. Such is the yellow
saunder, which by the inhabitants is called bois de chandel, or, in
English, candle-wood, because it burns like a candle, and serves them
with light while they fish by night. Here grows, also, lignum sanctum,
or guiacum: its virtues are very well known, more especially to those
who observe not the Seventh Commandment, and are given to impure
copulations!--physicians drawing hence, in several compositions, the
greatest antidote for venereal diseases; as also for cold and viscous
humours. The trees, likewise, which afford gummi elemi, grow here in
great abundance; as doth radix Chinæ, or China root: yet this is not
so good as that of other parts of the western world. It is very white
and soft, and serves for pleasant food to the wild boars, when they
can find nothing else. This island, also, is not deficient in aloes,
nor an infinite number of the other medicinal herbs, which may please
the curiosity of such as are given to their contemplation: moreover,
for building of ships, or any other sort of architecture, here are
found several sorts of timber. The fruits, likewise, which grow here
abundantly, are nothing inferior, in quantity or quality, to what
other islands produce. I shall name only some of the most ordinary and
common: such are magniot, potatoes, Abajou apples, yannas, bacones,
paquays, carosoles, mamayns, annananes, and divers other sorts, which
I omit to specify. Here grow likewise, in great numbers, those trees
called palmitoes, or palmites, whence is drawn a certain juice which
serves the inhabitants instead of wine, and whose leaves cover their
houses instead of tiles.
In this island aboundeth, also, the wild boar. The governor hath
prohibited the hunting of them with dogs, fearing lest, the island
being but small, the whole race of them, in a short time, should be
destroyed. The reason why he thought convenient to preserve these wild
beasts was, that, in case of any invasion, the inhabitants might
sustain themselves with their food, especially were they once
constrained to retire to the woods and mountains. Yet this sort of
game is almost impeded by itself, by reason of the many rocks and
precipices, which, for the greatest part, are covered with little
shrubs, very green, and thick; whence the huntsmen have oftentimes
fallen, and left us the sad remembrance of many a memorable disaster.
At a certain time of the year there resort to Tortuga large flocks of
wild pigeons, and then the inhabitants feed on them very plentifully,
having more than they can consume, and leaving totally to their repose
all other sorts of fowl, both wild and tame; that so, in the absence
of the pigeons, these may supply their place. But as nothing in the
universe, though never so pleasant, can be found, but what hath
something of bitterness with it; the very symbol of this truth we see
in the aforesaid pigeons: for these, the season being past, can scarce
be touched with the tongue, they become so extremely lean, and bitter
even to admiration. The reason of this bitterness is attributed to a
certain seed which they eat about that time, even as bitter as gall.
About the sea-shores, everywhere, are found great multitudes of crabs,
both of land and sea, and both sorts very big. These are good to feed
servants and slaves, whose palates they please, but are very hurtful
to the sight: besides, being eaten too often, they cause great
giddiness in the head, with much weakness of the brain; so that, very
frequently, they are deprived of sight for a quarter of an hour.
The French having settled in the isle of St. Christopher, planted
there a sort of trees, of which, at present, there possibly may be
greater quantities; with the timber whereof they made long-boats, and
hoys, which they sent thence westward, well manned and victualled, to
discover other islands. These setting sail from St. Christopher, came
within sight of Hispaniola, where they arrived with abundance of joy.
Having landed, they marched into the country, where they found large
quantities of cattle; such as cows, bulls, horses, and wild boars: but
finding no great profit in these animals, unless they could enclose
them, and knowing, likewise, the island to be pretty well peopled by
the Spaniards, they thought it convenient to enter upon and seize the
island of Tortuga. This they performed without any difficulty, there
being upon the island no more than ten or twelve Spaniards to guard
it. These few men let the French come in peaceably, and possess the
island for six months, without any trouble; meanwhile they passed and
repassed, with their canoes, to Hispaniola, from whence they
transported many people, and at last began to plant the whole island
of Tortuga. The few Spaniards remaining there, perceiving the French
to increase their number daily, began, at last, to repine at their
prosperity, and grudge them the possession: hence they gave notice to
others of their nation, their neighbours, who sent several boats, well
armed and manned, to dispossess the French. This expedition succeeded
according to their desires; for the new possessors, seeing the great
number of Spaniards, fled with all they had to the woods, and hence,
by night, they wafted over with canoes to the island of Hispaniola:
this they the more easily performed, having no women or children with
them, nor any great substance to carry away. Here they also retired
into the woods, both to seek for food, and from thence, with secrecy,
to give intelligence to others of their own faction; judging for
certain, that within a little while they should be in a capacity to
hinder the Spaniards from fortifying in Tortuga.
Meanwhile, the Spaniards of the great island ceased not to seek after
their new guests, the French, with intent to root them out of the
woods if possible, or cause them to perish with hunger; but this
design soon failed, having found that the French were masters both of
good guns, powder, and bullets. Here therefore the fugitives waited
for a certain opportunity, wherein they knew the Spaniards were to
come from Tortuga with arms, and a great number of men, to join with
those of the greater island for their destruction. When this occasion
offered, they in the meanwhile deserting the woods where they were,
returned to Tortuga, and dispossessed the small number of Spaniards
that remained at home. Having so done, they fortified themselves the
best they could, thereby to prevent the return of the Spaniards in
case they should attempt it. Moreover, they sent immediately to the
governor of St. Christopher’s, craving his aid and relief, and
demanding of him a governor, the better to be united among themselves,
and strengthened on all occasions. The governor of St. Christopher’s
received their petition with much satisfaction, and, without delay,
sent Monsieur le Passeur to them in quality of a governor, together
with a ship full of men, and all necessaries for their establishment
and defence. No sooner had they received this recruit, but the
governor commanded a fortress to be built upon the top of a high rock,
from whence he could hinder the entrance of any ships or other vessels
to the port. To this fort no other access could be had, than by almost
climbing through a very narrow passage that was capable only of
receiving two persons at once, and those not without difficulty. In
the middle of this rock was a great cavity, which now serves for a
storehouse: besides, here was great convenience for raising a battery.
The fort being finished, the governor commanded two guns to be
mounted, which could not be done without great toil and labour; as
also a house to be built within the fort, and afterwards the narrow
way, that led to the said fort, to be broken and demolished, leaving
no other ascent thereto than by a ladder. Within the fort gushes out a
plentiful fountain of pure fresh water, sufficient to refresh a
garrison of a thousand men. Being possessed of these conveniences, and
the security these things might promise, the French began to people
the island, and each of them to seek their living; some by hunting,
others by planting tobacco, and others by cruising and robbing upon
the coasts of the Spanish islands, which trade is continued by them to
this day.
The Spaniards, notwithstanding, could not behold, but with jealous
eyes, the daily increase of the French in Tortuga, fearing lest, in
time, they might by them be dispossessed also of Hispaniola. Thus
taking an opportunity (when many of the French were abroad at sea, and
others employed in hunting), with eight hundred men, in several
canoes, they landed again in Tortuga, almost without being perceived
by the French; but finding that the governor had cut down many trees
for the better discovery of any enemy in case of an assault, as also
that nothing of consequence could be done without great guns, they
consulted about the fittest place for raising a battery. This place
was soon concluded to be the top of a mountain which was in sight,
seeing that from thence alone they could level their guns at the fort,
which now lay open to them since the cutting down of the trees by the
new possessors. Hence they resolved to open a way for the carriage of
some pieces of ordnance to the top. This mountain is somewhat high,
and the upper part thereof plain, from whence the whole island may be
viewed: the sides thereof are very rugged, by reason a great number of
inaccessible rocks do surround it; so that the ascent was very
difficult, and would always have been the same, had not the Spaniards
undergone the immense labour and toil of making the way before
mentioned, as I shall now relate.
The Spaniards had with them many slaves and Indians, labouring men,
whom they call matades, or, in English, half-yellow men; these they
ordered with iron tools to dig a way through the rocks. This they
performed with the greatest speed imaginable; and through this way, by
the help of many ropes and pulleys, they at last made shift to get up
two pieces of ordnance, wherewith they made a battery next day, to
play on the fort. Meanwhile, the French knowing these designs,
prepared for a defence (while the Spaniards were busy about the
battery) sending notice everywhere to their companions for help. Thus
the hunters of the island all joined together, and with them all the
pirates who were not already too far from home. These landed by night
at Tortuga, lest they should be seen by the Spaniards; and, under the
same obscurity of the night, they all together, by a back way, climbed
the mountain where the Spaniards were posted, which they did the more
easily being acquainted with these rocks. They came up at the very
instant that the Spaniards, who were above, were preparing to shoot at
the fort, not knowing in the least of their coming. Here they set upon
them at their backs with such fury as forced the greatest part to
precipitate themselves from the top to the bottom, and dash their
bodies in pieces: few or none escaped; for if any remained alive, they
were put to the sword. Some Spaniards did still keep the bottom of the
mountain; but these, hearing the shrieks and cries of them that were
killed, and believing some tragical revolution to be above, fled
immediately towards the sea, despairing ever to regain the island of
Tortuga.
The governors of this island behaved themselves as proprietors and
absolute lords thereof till 1664, when the West-India company of
France took possession thereof, and sent thither, for their governor,
Monsieur Ogeron. These planted the colony for themselves by their
factors and servants, thinking to drive some considerable trade from
thence with the Spaniards, even as the Hollanders do from Curacao: but
this design did not answer; for with other nations they could drive no
trade, by reason they could not establish any secure commerce from the
beginning with their own; forasmuch as at the first institution of
this company in France they agreed with the pirates, hunters, and
planters, first possessors of Tortuga, that these should buy all their
necessaries from the said company upon trust. And though this
agreement was put in execution, yet the factors of the company soon
after found that they could not recover either monies or returns from
those people, that they were constrained to bring some armed men into
the island, in behalf of the company, to get in some of their
payments. But neither this endeavour, nor any other, could prevail
towards the settling a second trade with those of the island.
Hereupon, the company recalled their factors, giving them orders to
sell all that was their own in the said plantation, both the servants
belonging to the company (which were sold, some for twenty, and others
for thirty pieces of eight), as also all other merchandizes and
proprieties. And thus all their designs fell to the ground.
On this occasion I was also sold, being a servant under the said
company in whose service I left France: but my fortune was very bad,
for I fell into the hands of the most cruel and perfidious man that
ever was born, who was then governor, or rather lieutenant-general, of
that island. This man treated me with all the hard usage imaginable,
yea, with that of hunger, with which I thought I should have perished
inevitably. Withal, he was willing to let me buy my freedom and
liberty, but not under the rate of three hundred pieces of eight, I
not being master of one at a time in the world. At last, through the
manifold miseries I endured, as also affliction of mind, I was thrown
into a dangerous sickness. This misfortune, added to the rest, was the
cause of my happiness: for my wicked master, seeing my condition,
began to fear lest he should lose his monies with my life. Hereupon he
sold me a second time to a surgeon, for seventy pieces of eight. Being
with this second master, I began soon to recover my health through the
good usage I received, he being much more humane and civil than my
first patron. He gave me both clothes and very good food; and after I
had served him but one year, he offered me my liberty, with only this
condition, that I should pay him one hundred pieces of eight when I
was in a capacity so to do; which kind proposal of his I could not but
accept with infinite joy and gratitude.
Being now at liberty, though like Adam when he was first created--that
is, naked and destitute of all human necessaries--not knowing how to
get my living, I determined to enter into the order of the pirates or
robbers at sea. Into this society I was received with common consent,
both of the superior and vulgar sort, where I continued till 1672.
Having assisted them in all their designs and attempts, and served
them in many notable exploits (of which hereafter I shall give the
reader a true account), I returned to my own native country. But
before I begin my relation, I shall say something of the island
Hispaniola, which lies towards the western part of America; as also
give my reader a brief description thereof, according to my slender
ability and experience.