ST.
DOMINGO.
27
flavery or death.-We have feen in what manner thofe orders
were executed.
IT is evident, therefore, that no alternative remained to the occupiers of Tortuga, but to turn on their purfuers, and wage
offenfive war on thofe who would allow of no peace with them.
If the jufice of their caufe be fill a queftion, let the records of
time be confulted; let an appeal be made to that rule of conduct, which (to ufe an eloquent expreffion of Lord Coke) is.
written by the finger of God on the heart of man ; and let hifory
and reafon determine, whether any inftance of hoftility, in: the
annals of mankind, can be defended on better grounds. To fuch"
men, in fuch a caufe, no dangers were too formidable, no obftacles too great. Inured by their mode. of life to the viciflitudes of the climate, united among themfelves, and animated by
all the motives and paffions which can inflame the human mind'
to great exertion, they became the moft formidable antagonifts
which the Spaniards had ever encountered, and difplayed fuch.
deeds of valour and fuccefsful enterprize, as (all circumfiances.
confidered) have never been equalled: before or fince..
FROM a party of thefe adventurers (chieffy natives of Nor-
mandy) the French colony in St. Domingo derived its origin. By
what means they were induced to feparate from their affociates
in danger, to relinquifh the gratification of revengq and avarice,and exchange the tumults of war for the temperate occupations
of hufbandry, it is neither within my province nor ability to explain. Many of them, without doubt, were men who had been
driven from Europe by indigent circumflances and defperate fortunes.;
C H A P.
IX.