THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS.
Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the
colony.
The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their
expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were
isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by
the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than
might be anticipated.
About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with
four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French
flag at its stern.
This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave
adventurers.
Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance
of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island.
The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and
for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the
colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the
Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which
he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for
St. Kitts.
These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and
Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph.
As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels
anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag
reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the
French ensign.
There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the
bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their
cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By
Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without
showing mercy even to a boy.
The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships
to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which
to build a house.
This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their
lugger, came ashore, and began their installation.
Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with
manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression
of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor;
spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his
whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful,
his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and
the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular
fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought
into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by
this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth,
and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon
all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live
when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head,
forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him,
when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his
ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of
a Spanish ship.
Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had
been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but
beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible
to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the
sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was
probable, refused to discover anything.
Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would
remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They
accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his,
former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them
very slightly.
The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary
to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning
anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought
with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his
plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow
a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as
before.
Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two
or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with
its entire crew suspended from the yards.
Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was
crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then,
the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive
from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the
colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the
Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale.
Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a
regular association.
Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot
where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery.
It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in
case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also
to repulse the enemy with serious loss.
This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves,
stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of
the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and
left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous,
and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached
by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong
palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks,
that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at
the head of the path guarded the approaches.
This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a
luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St.
Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the
owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of
his prizes.
A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of
the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in
the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which
Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a
death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag,
which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no
hope of mercy to expect.
It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after
Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and
rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as
they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which
Montbarts' hatto stood.
It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and
clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely
shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the
smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a
breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as
a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy
beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the
pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their
hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which
seemed greatly to interest them.
These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their
features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity
and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved
shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking,
while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as
sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved
the fact.
They were talking in English.
"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their
conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say
down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken,
after all."
"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom,
you begin by expressing a doubt."
"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the
most."
"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for
here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!"
"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen
his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man."
"Yes. I do not think that the _gavachos_[1] will ever venture to
attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted;
"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?"
"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your
mind at rest."
"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name.
"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?"
"That is true. I had not noticed it."
"But now you see it, I suppose?"
"I should be blind if I didn't."
"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained
silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do
you know anything about it, brother?"
"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring
project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in."
"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal
French filibusters?"
"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it
is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know
what is wanted of us."
"That is true, because we have arrived."
In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found
themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was
open as if inviting them to enter.
A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud
talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the
hatto.
The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the
threshold.
"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from
the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you."
They entered.
Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered:
they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were
Belle Tête (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had
murdered more than three hundred of his engagés, whom he accused of
dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded
the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de
fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with
effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and
herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of
the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at
Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances
of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts
at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was
already great.
As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number;
they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding
conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with
a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor,
settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese,
also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had
taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the
proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed
for the proud nation.
It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of
the day.
"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for
I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits;
smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre
of the room.
The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses.
"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to
come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the
second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to
me?"
"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you,
whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you,
brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering."
"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered.
"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously."
They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who
recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy
was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the
proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them.
The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice,
whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience.
"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with
warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only
useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have
been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and
I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its
efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our
indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to
our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy
in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels.
It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance
which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness
toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just
now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts."
"That is true," Red Stocking muttered.
"But how can we alter it?" David asked.
"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible."
"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tête.
Montbarts smiled--that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the
heart cold.
"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we
like, we shall soon be a power."
"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up.
"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all
nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare
loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished
proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family;
from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form
the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private
expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to
offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the
ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our
comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to
crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first
proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer."
There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the
importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give
them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at
length William Drake replied in the name of all--
"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question
which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined
the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised
us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due
to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this
is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to
direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment.
It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret,
and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does
not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief,
the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in
working for the general good."
"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you
accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified
it?"
"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice.
"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should
be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him
at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not
strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of
the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and
that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed."
"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the
general good better than you, brother."
"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no
dissension can well be possible among us."
"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete
independence," Belle Tête reminded.
"Yes," Montbarts replied.
"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to
me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete
devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand
to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even
death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my
oath. Heaven help me!"
After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and
with a solemn accent.
They resumed their seats.
"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing;
it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the
glorious days of filibustering are beginning--twelve men like us,
united by the same thought, must perform miracles."
"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly
picked his teeth with a gold pin.
"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we
had better elect a president."
"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the
president."
"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of
the circle.
"Speak, brother."
"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the
hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever
perils they may have to incur in doing so."
"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically.
"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said.
"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely.
"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied,
with a smile.
"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of
a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen
unanimously," Michael continued.
"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more.
"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by
ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote."
"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts
remarked.
"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your
votes into it."
And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground
in the middle of the room.
Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and
in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling
up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap.
Then all the adventurers returned to their seats:
"Have we all voted?" David asked.
"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus.
"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim
the result."
David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads
in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand,
opened it, and read--
"Montbarts, the Exterminator."
And passed on to a second.
"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again.
It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and
last--all bore the words--
"Montbarts, the Exterminator."
It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this
man was the most obstinate enemy.
Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades.
"Brothers," he said, "I thank you--the confidence you place in me shall
not be disappointed."
"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted,
impulsively.
The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then
really became a formidable power.
[Footnote 1: Term of contempt for the Spaniards.]