_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, lingnum sanctum, or
guaiacum: 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 magnoit, 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 cruizing 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.