MY uncle was furiously enraged at the escape of the negro. He ordered a
diligent search to be made for him, and wrote to the Governor placing
Pierrot entirely at his disposal should he be re-taken.
The 22nd of August arrived. My union with Maria was celebrated with
every species of rejoicing at the parish church of Acul. How happily did
that day commence from which all our misfortunes were to date!
I was intoxicated with my happiness, and Pierrot and his mysterious
warning were entirely banished from my thoughts. At last the day came to
a close, and my wife had retired to her apartments; but for a time duty
forbade me joining her there. My position as a captain of militia
required me that evening to make the round of the guards posted about
Acul. This nightly precaution was absolutely necessary owing to the
disturbed state of the colony, caused by occasional outbreaks amongst
the negroes, which, however, had been promptly repressed. My uncle was
the first to recall me to the recollection of my duty. I had no option
but to yield, and, putting on my uniform, I went out. I visited the
first few guards without discovering any cause of alarm; but towards
midnight, as half buried in my own thoughts I was patrolling the shores
of the bay, I perceived upon the horizon a ruddy light in the direction
of Limonade and Saint Louis du Morin. At first my escort attributed it
to some accidental conflagration; but in a few moments the flames became
so vivid, and the smoke rising before the wind grew so thick, that I
ordered an immediate return to the Fort to give the alarm, and to
request that help might be sent in the direction of the fire.
In passing through the quarters of the negroes who belonged to our
estate, I was surprised at the extreme disorder that reigned there. The
majority of the slaves were afoot, and were talking together with great
earnestness. One strange word was pronounced with the greatest
respect—it was _Bug-Jargal_—and occurred continually in the almost
unintelligible dialect that they used.
From a word or two which I gathered here and there, I learned that the
negroes of the northern districts were in open revolt, and had set fire
to the dwelling-houses and the plantations on the other side of Cap.
Passing through a marshy spot, I discovered a quantity of axes and other
tools, which would serve as weapons, hidden amongst the reeds. My
suspicions were now thoroughly aroused, and I ordered the whole of the
Acul militia to get under arms, and gave the command to my lieutenant,
and, whilst my poor Marie was expecting me, I, obeying my uncle’s
orders, who, as I have mentioned, was a member of the Provincial
Assembly, took the road to Cap, with such soldiers as I had been able to
muster. I shall never forget the appearance of the town as we
approached. The flames from the plantations which were burning all
around it, threw a lurid light upon the scene, which was only partially
obscured by the clouds of smoke which the wind drove into the narrow
streets. Immense masses of sparks rose from the burning heaps of
sugar-cane, and fell like fiery snow on the roofs of the houses, and on
the rigging of the vessels at anchor in the roadsteads, at every moment
threatening the town of Cap with as serious a conflagration as was
already raging in its immediate neighbourhood. It was a terrible sight
to witness the terror-stricken inhabitants exposing their lives to
preserve from so destructive a visitant their habitations, which perhaps
was the last portion of property left to them; whilst, on the other
hand, the vessels, taking advantage of a fair wind, and fearing the same
fate, had already set sail, and were gliding over an ocean reddened by
the flames of the conflagration.