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This Volume contains the Chevalier's Voyage to St. Domingo, and Hiftory of it. — The Hiftory of Mr. and Mrs. D'Aabigny. — His Voyage to the Ha^ vannab, with the Hiftory of that Place and the Ifle of Cuba. — His Voyage to, and Hiftory of Porto Rico, Jamaica, and St. Kitts*, and his return to' Marigalante and Martinico. ■k 'it I . \ ! ^\^i 1 u i II It, ,; r \ <*.y i 1! V iifl u ' i "1..I T ': O 2 r K ..- T V. O ", • .s 1.: -.1 .1 o 7 ti w o 3 ;i ^ ?.'!';■'.•. vi.'U jjIj inifno:; .o/ ^i;iT I on .. Jw^ :" . •■:; <>] :;L.s;/oV i") V • ^^a 1 ^ I J, ** ^ ,: /■>.,:■ I ^ r^' •H^llili nr,:' 'O.' UJ C - « *, * . »* • 4 .03iuijiLl/i Ln3 i til n THE VOYAGES AND ADVENVURES .01 THE CHEVALIER BUPONT. ; ' ■ i AT my rettirn I found my aunt waiting for mc, (he defir^ me to enter her apartment and gave order9 at the fame time, that qo perfon (hould come to interrupt us, till flie rqng tho bell. An unitrerfai tncmor kittdjM and a deadly palenefs over/pread my countenance. ** What are you afraid of^ *' Sir?" faid my aunt^ ** I hav« Vol. II. B « no. >^ - y ii >, n- m- )i ■i-m A 1^ V 4 *L ! I ( 2 Voyages and Adventures of cc i( nothing to fay but what will be agreeable to you : endeavor to raife your fpirits." She made me driok a glafs of water, in which (he put fome drops of ftrong fpirits, made me fit down by the fide of her and fpoke to me in the following words: ** I know not my dear Chevalier, what " impreffion the lad difcourfc we bad •* together has made upon jroii,' but I have perceived that fince that time you have ufcd every poffible means ^^ to avoid me ; it is not acknowledge •* ing my effeam for you fufficicnily I ^ thiriki I am not fo unjuft as to '*^*^i-eqaire that you (hoold love as ♦^'Violently as I do, I am too fcnfible **^of thc'dilproportion of our years, «c cc m 1 It Voyages and Adventures of 'XI H confirm what I had faid; (he oppofed them faintly and I withdrew with hade ifnto my chamber, leaft I fhould fuffer myfcif to be overcome, and repofcd myfelf a little after the fatigue of playo* ing a forced charader, which my dcli^ cacy has made me repent of frequently fince. The next day, being that before my departure, I received a vifit from Mrs. Bonneuil, who was already informed by her miftrefs of what had palTed between us J fhe informed me, that my aunt was determined to go with her an hour before my departure to the Abby, todiffipateheruneafinefs; therefore, fhe faid it was neceffary that I (hould not «C3 a alight The Chevalier Dupont. 7 alight till I came to the firf. poft^ or baidng place, Y^hich was about a mile farther than the Convent, and to wait there till the next day, before I paid her my vifit. She alked a ncre for my coufin, which (he promifed to deliver with her own hands ; (he pointed ouc the propriety of informing her of her good will to both of us ; (he a{rured me alfo that (he would take proper meafures with her relation ; that to fix her in our interefts, (he would begin with giving her feme louis d'ors and engage her to let me have ai^ anfwer from Mi(s D'Aubigny, the fame evening. At this indant, they came to inform me, that my aunt waited dinner for B 4 me; p ¥% m. 5 \ I Voyages and Adventures of a i' me ; I immediately went down, and after the repaft, I retired with her into kfit apartn:)entt where we paffed the re^^^ mainder of that day » in renewing the proteftacions of the preceding. When I was going to with her u good evening, (be gave me a gold fnufFbox with her pifture inclofcd, and a purfe of two hundred louis d'ors, promifing, at the fame time, tJiat (he would fend me more whenever I wanted it* Her generous behaviour aflPefted me in fuch a manner, as to make me repent, very fincercly, of the duplicity of my condu6l to her, though a continuation of the (ame conduct was neccllary i yet, if k The Chevalier Dupont. if (he had not taken me to fee her daughter, I found that I Ihould have been happy in uniting my fortune with fo generous a woman ; but I faw now no remedy for it, as I loved Mifs D'Aubigny to that violent degree, that I was determined to rifk every thing to call her mine : therefore not being able to recede, I perfifted in my refolution of adding treachery to treach- ery, at the fame lime, hoping that fomething would turnout more fortu- nate for us, than I could at prefent forefce. After thefe refledions and be- fore I went to bed, I wrote the foUevs^ |ng IcttCi t«>MifsD*Aubigny. . I B5 t( Since 10 Voyages and Adventures of ^: iC «c (i C( •* Since the time that I faw you, my " dear and amiable coufin, every thing ** has happened for the beft ; I am in my aunts favor, who comes to fee you tomorrow, immediately after my departure. Mrs. Bonneuil who will give you this letter, is my confidant *• and will do every thing in her " power for both of us ; therefore^ •* I beg you will give her your con- *' fidence alfo and I will anfwer for her, ** that (he will not abufe it. I wait at ^* the diftance of a mile from the >• Convent for your anfwer,^ which, "I defire you will deliver to her; •* fhe will inform you of the manner *' in which I (hall prcfcnt myfelf be- fo|e you, to prevent any furprife^ ^ my 4C The Chevalier Dupont. ix " my difguife might occafion, and fhe " will Inform you of the arrangemeats " we have taken that we may- hear " frequently from each other. Adieu •* my dear coufin ; love me if poffible, " with the fame ardor as I do you, *• and be aflured of the tender, faith- " ful and eternal attachment of. r! |4| ■^ • ! ■ 5'' " The Chevalier D'Aubigny." ....... i The next day, at fix o'clock in the morning, Mrs. Bonneuil came to me, I gave her my letter, recommended my intcrefts to her care and aflured her, chat (he (hould one day have reafon to be fatisfied with my acknowledgment; as I was going to depart, my aunt lent me I" :\ ^. i, I' la Vo /AGES and Adventures of P: ■! me word that fhe waited ro take fome chocolate with me : I immediately a- lighted and when Mrs. D*Aubigny faw me, flie told me that (he had not fhut her eyes that night and had got up (q early to have the pleafurc of embracing me once more before we parted 5 I thanked her for her attention in procur- ing me fuch a happinefs, which was the more agreeable, becaufe it was un- expefled; we breakfafted together, I took tny leave of her and mounted my horfe, followed by Duval, my valet de chambre. I rode to the firft poft or baiting place, where I was to wait till the next day. I defired a chamber, and under pre- The Chevalier Dupont. 13 • pretence of an indifpofition from my journey, went to bed ; I ordered no perfon but my own fervanc to eocer the room, where I waited very impatiently for the mefiTenger's arrival, that was to be difpatched from the Abby of V***, \ ■ . ^ -^ * • About noon, Duval came to inters ruptmy re&e£tions, to afk what I cboH^ to have for dinner ? " Nothing/' I an- fwered haftily. « Why Sir,'* he re- plied, " if all the travellers adtcd in *^ that manner, the inn- keepers would ^* not be at any great expence in paying ^' their cook's wages atid their kitchen *^ utenfib would be ufelefs } but bow-* ever, it is oeceflary to eat fometbing^ (( (C to i n •1! 1 ' ' 3a*i •'I. t ^,. *'i ' m 14 Voyages and Adventures of ^1 •f i« I •* to prevent the increafe of your •* chagrin, which otherwifc you will •* burft with." This propofal made me laugh, I ordered him to fit near me and liflen attentively ; I faid, that if he was fenfible and difcreet, he might expedt my favor, and I would hence*- fonhdifpenfe with his waiting of me, but if he abufed my confidence, he might confider himfdf as a dead mun. ' ' s * _, " I have always had a (hare. Sir,** faid that brave fallow to me, •* of ihofe ** eflcntial qualities you recommend fo •* much, and will give proofs of it on ** every bccafion that you plfcafc to era- *• ploy me: you may always be ^f- < '* ** furcd iC thil cc def cc hav cc fou cc figr at^ " even yourfelf;*^ but let us eat a bit iirft, that will ferve to make our heads clearer: and without waiting for my orders, he gave me my night-gown» ' obliged J?; ^. n The Chevalier Dupont. »7 obliged me to raife myfelf and eat my dinner. It was now (even o'clock and I had not received any news, I began to be very impatient and was going to ring for Duvalf to Tend him to meet the mefTenger, when he entered the room, with a young noan, ivho brougbx a billet direfted to the Abbot D'Arbois, at the golden ftar, at R***; I paid the porter and read the letter, which contained the following. ■ ■" * - i •* J can't write much to you my dear " coufin, in this letter, hn: fhall rcr ** fcrvc what I have to fay, till I fee " you tomorrow j do not lofe a ma- ** mcnr. !''1 ** 1 ' >i U I i ■■I \ i8 VovACfis and Adventures of -• 4 cc cc •* mcnt, I defirc you •, come and receive ** the afluranccs of the tendcrncfs of a ** heart, which, whilft I live, (hall be no other's but my dear D*Au- bigny's. " I (hall wait for you from ten " o'clock, till half pad eleven." " '■ ■ ? 1 II I If y I communicated the contents of the billet to Duval, who cried out with a kind of enthufiafm ; •' Morbleu ! cx- •* cellent education is that of a Convent! A young girl here, that has but ju(l got the egg- (hell off her head, ** knows as much as her parents. '' ' What cc Cft The Chevalier Dupont. ig «* What an amiable creature (he muft *' be to declare her fentiments fo Fully *^ at firft, and not amufe herfclf by " dallying, as the grcateft part of the " pretty charmers do, who fooliflily^ ^^ imagine, that it is neccflfary before *' ihey yield to the dcfire of their ^' lovers, to make them write an innu' '* merable quantity of iQ/)net5, without' ^^ once thanking them, jpr^ thinking " themfclves obliged by ir. Well " Sir," continued he, ** let us fee^ " what (hall we determine?** " To •* go from hence," I anfwered, " at " half paft nine o'clock tomorrow ** morning, and go to the . abby^ *' where you (hall wait in the church ■' whilfl: I make my vifit and return " to J i :V f-! iiif I .I'l I. I ii^A 20 Voyages and Adv£nturis of " to you.'* Affairs being thus fctried, I Went to bed and paflfed a dreadful night, between the fear of not fuccccd- ing and chat of being known ^ in (hort, the ttnne being come, I got up, dreflcd myfclf in my new uniform and went to the AbbyofV*** As foon as I rung the bell, the woman who kept the gate and was related to Mrs. Bonneui}, came to me and laid, <* Ah, it is the ** Abbof, go into the parlor, fhc will " be there at the fame time that you •* arc." Upon my entrance, I per- ceived Mifs D*Aabigny, who, with a laugh, faluted me with •* a good day *• Mr. Abbot." 1 approached the grate which (he opened to enable me to falute her. I muft now confcfs to you that The Chevalier Dupont. 2| that I never in my life received fach exquifice delight as from thofe kilTes; which has convinced me that the firft favors we receive from a beloved objefl-, trivial as they feemingly are,; arealway$ the maft delicious. We paffed an hour together, converfing in the language common to new lovers ^ we acknow- ledged the (entiments we mutually felr, refolved .to be dircdled by ^rs. Bonneuil and write to each othta' every week; we f wore an iiwio- lable conftancy^ and fidelity and did oot forget to give pledges for oqr fin-^ ccrityj the time that we coukl be together, being expired. Mils D'Au^ l^igny aga^in opened the grate, we iiniihed as we had b^an at>d p^.^tcd. I took L^ m\ i ' ■ '■ f I -^lU \ i Ml 22 Voyages and Adventures of I took care at my going out to thank the turnkey ; I made her a prefent of two louis, defired her to do every thing in her power for my coufin and afTured her, Mrs. Bohneuil and myfclf, would gratefully acknowledge her favors, I went to Duval, who waited for me at the place appointed and we returned to our inn, where we determined to pafs the remainder of the day. ^ " We departed the next day for Paris, where we arrived early the day follow- ing'. I made a vifit to niy colonel, with ' whom I dined and afterwards "weiit with him to fome company with whom he was engaged, where I had the good ftf^ une to win fix hundred louis l ors at 1 '. The Chevalier Dupont. 21 at play, which induced me to think of following my fucccfs, but the wifecoun- fcls of Duval prevented me. ■I ■I During the ihori ftay I made at, Paris, I wrote to my aunt, and to Mifs^ D'Aubigny under cover to Mrs Bon- neuil i and the fifth day after my arri- val I departed for Metz, the place of my diftinflion, where I took all tha neceflary precautions of keeping my corrcfpondence wiih my coufin a pro-. found fccret. ii During the firft eight months of my refidence in ^hat place, I had reafon to be fatisfied with the news I received % but the fccurity in which we lived ras not ' i- t"' »', f 1 : -I; 4 "A t\ 24 Voyages and Adventures of s a not of long duration ; for one evening returnig from a walk, Duval met me with a letter which contained the fol- lowing: " Violence at length, fuc- ^ ceeds the repofe we have propofed •* here, fince yoiir departure, my dear *' coufin i nnly mother is arrived here " this day with Mrs. Bonneuil, who " has given nrte your tail letter. This ** unnatural mother of .mrne, who, ** upon her entrance into the parlor, had' tears in her ' eyes, began with telling me that (he was almofl; ruined by the failure of her banker, *^ who' was made a bankrupt of, and ** had at ' that time forty thoufand ** crowns of hers ; that by this lofs fhe "found herfelf reduced fo much, as to <( it cc jua ■ ■ ^ - 's^ ■^. - ■ ^^ ng I ne t 1 01- 1 " IC- 1 " red 1 - rar 1 " *re 1 " ho 1 *' • H lis I 10, 1 *^ 5r, I ^^ th H W I 1 ^^ 5r, I *' id 1 ^^ H la I '' he 1 '' as 1 The Chevalier Pupont. 25 to oblige her to retire only with Mrs. Bpnqe^ili a cook, and a fpot* man *, (hat it was very happy my brother had attached himfelf to the fervice of the church, which did npt require fqcb cxpences a$ an eftablil^r ment in jhe open wprld •, thai the beft advice (he could give me, wa§i 10 follow bis ejcafmple j that (h? would. ufe her qtmoft efforts to prp- cure me a fcttlcment fufficient to atr tr»<3; the refpc(ft of the community j andbefidcs th?r, (he would sallow ii]9 a penfion of three hundred Ijvres a year, whiph ftould be punftually paid whilft I lived i therefore if I was wife, I fhould fubmit myfclf willingly to her dcfires, cfpecially Vol. II. C ^ "as „^.» ' '1 f , I. ?^^i^' ^ m ii ! ■ \ CC 1 ij iilA 'n aS Voyages and Adventures of " flic would write to you upon this ** fabjeft ; do not fuffcr yourfclf to be ** deceived by the fnares that my mother will lay for you ; aA as I do, deceive *, believe that no perfon ex- cept yourfclf, my dear D'Aubigny, fhall «vcr poficfs the heart* of your *** tender and conftant coufin, Fclicite.'* «« t€ C< %t I was not fo much furprlfed as might be expefted ; I knew my aunt*s difpo- fuions, Ihe had difcovered herfeif very plainly in the firft converfacion we had together ^ it is true, that at one time, I had very much changed my bpinion, and in fome meafure, condemned my ungene- if The Chevalier Dupont. Z9 ungenerous behaviour to her; but whea I faw thefe oew defigns, I cook my rcfolution and promifcd myfclf with the afliftance of Mrs. feonneuil, to be able to deltroy and counceraA her mea- furcs. I (hewed this letter to Duval, vho confirmed me In my defign of doing nothing without the advice and confent of Mrs. BoDneuil. Two days aficr- wards, I received a letter from Mrs. D*Aubigny, which I immediately open- ed to fee the deceit of that bad woman ; It was wrote in the following terms. " How neceflary my ^ar Chavaliet* ** is your prefcncc with me, to confole ^^ me for the grief your coufm occafi- C 3 " ons f A % ^^*ll f w II ■ \ ' * M 30 Voyages and Adventures of (C iC (C .ift ens me, who is determined to take the veil, notwithftanding I have done every thing in my power. to prevent it; flie is abfolutely deter- mined to confecratc the remainder of her days to a monaftry. I confefs, that if I was not afraid of making myfelf criminal before God, in op- pofing her voca ion, I would go and force her to morrow from ttie con- vents * *' I would engage yoa if I dare, to demand leave to come here for fome time to afQft me in turning my daughter from the refolution (he has taken, or to fupport me in the un- happinefs the lofs of her occafions C( mci The Chevalier Dupont. 31 ' me; but I will confcfs to you m/ ' dear Chevalier, that I as much fear ' now, what you did before your de- ' pirture. You ogght 10 undeiftand ' me } therefore, upon mature reflcc- ' tion and for our common happinefs, ' I advife you to pafs in the garrifoa ' the time that ftill remains to elapfe ' till the moment I can be entirely * yours, Cailliere D'Aubigny. ." , 1 ! Duval was fo enrsfged at the dectit of my aunt, chat he could not contain bis paflTion, and I believe, if I had not prevented him> he would have departed that inftant, to go and cleave afunder as he faid, that wicked wretch; that C 4 he ^•,. '1^ jt VoYAOSs and Advimturxi of he woukl throw one half of her inro ttve riter he faid, and (he other into the fire, in order to present the re- union of two parts capable of forming a creature fo horrid as to ftrike terror into the mod ferocious animals. I laughed heartily at the expreflions of this fellow, as I had never heard fuch before ; he was a Bifcayan, and had been a dragoon in my company for e:ght years, which he had been difcharged from, on ac- count of a wound in his left arm, which made him unfit for fervire, and he ra- ther cbofe to live with me, than accept of the eftabliOtment of an invalid, ^hich was offered to him. I made V The Chevalier Dupont. 33 T made my aunt the following an« fwcr. ^^ I am as much averfe to a forced vocation. Madam, as any man can be, and as much avcrfe to oppofing a voluntary one ; therefore, as my coufin's difpoRcions are fuch as you fay, I would advife you to let her a6b according to her own inclination ; you have adled the part of a good and wife parent, the reft is the work of God, to whofe will we ou^ always ta be refigne^)* u a cc i( C( iC H ., but at the liim# C 5 *J time ,[■ I I 34 Voyages and Adventures of " time, I approve of your motives to ** dcfirc my abfence. I hope (till la ** experience the continuation of your " goodnefs, and often think of the ** promife you have made me, to put *' the fcal to my happinefs as foon as " the time you have fixed fhall be " expired* *^ The Chevalier D'Aubigny." During the year tliat followed this period, the correfpondcnce between mf coufin and me was never interrupted : but as the time fixed for her taking the veil approached very near, Duval ob- fcrvcd, that it was neceffary to deter* mitit fomething i I took every neceffary ^ . . ' pre: The Chevalier Dupont. 35 precaution for the fuccefs of a plan I had formed, and remembered that money was not only abfolutely necefTary for the fuccefs of a war, but every other operation in life. In confequence of this, I wrote to the war office, that finding my hcahh decay very faft, without any hopes of recovery, if I remained in the army, I begged leave to part with my company in favor of an officer that I named, and their per- miffion to retire. * . I wrote alfo to my aunt, informing her, that the confinement of the garrifon injuring my health, and a^ there was no appearance of my being able to flatter myfelf with feeing her before i , 11' t^ ^ f f ' ' \ 36 Voyages and Adventures of berore fix months, I had wrote to Court todefire leave to pafs Four months abfence in the palatinate, from whence 1 would write to her frequently ; but being unwilling to do any thing with- out her confent, I defired her to give me permiflion and to fend with it the neceffary Turns to put mt in a ftate to appear equal to my family. 1 C ! 1 I' IM 1 Pi • fii > f m^^' i I informed Mrs. Bonneuil and my coufin of what I had done, and defired the former to inform me when it was time to exert myfelf to fave an inno- cent viftim, which Mrs. D'Aubigny wifhed to facrifice to her lull. About The Chevalier Dupont* 37 About fifteen days after I bad wrote to the war office, I received permiffion to fell my company, and at the- fame time, a penfion of fix hundred livres per annum, was prefented to me by order of the king. I fold my company for fifteen thoufand livres. I- :< ,1 wrH \i' I did not wait long for Mrs. D'Au- bigny's content to my going into the palatinate, (he added al(b, a letter of exchange for two hundred louis d^ors which I received at Metz, from the treafurer of the war office* Every thing thus far had fucceeded to my moft fanguine wifiies, and by the means of my oeconomy and luccefs I fo und ( , y > ,1 4-i\\ m ■■f, ! '.3 I - \ 38 Voyages and Adventures of I found myfelf at that time, pofleired of about thirty-fix thoufand livres, with- out reckoning my fmall trinkets or furniture; but the thoughts of what I had yet to go through, made me fometimes tremble, notwithftanding all, my faithful Duval could fay to afifure me. The evening of the day that I had fixed for my departure from Metz, I received a letter from Mrs. Bonneuil, which contained another from my coufin ; they both deQred that I would not go far into the palatinate, but flop at the firft place from whence I could write to them, till I received their anfwers^ I left The Chevalier Dupont. 39 I left Metz the next day to go to Manheim, a town in the palatinate^ where the eledlor commonly reflded. I learned that, the Marquis of T***, a french nobleman, to whom I had the honor of being related, was then at that court ; I made him a (hort vifit ; he received me in the politeit manner snd was willing to introduce me to the eleftor, from whom I met with a moft gracious reception ; I paffed the remainder of that day with the Marquis, and in the evening retired to the inn» where. I had alighted^ < m ! ■/lit ■4 ~ .i ''' 1 ; .t I wrote to my aunt and couftn before I retired to bed ; I informed them I fhould pafs fonae days in that lown^ an4 ^A > i\ *. ' l«ftt hM lA'H i^ f V •i4^ i^o Voyages and Adventures ,, and fhould not depart tWi I heard from them* In expeAation of their anfwersy 1 amufed myfclf with vifiting every thing curious in Manheim^ The Elec* tor*5 palace is one of the moft beau- tiful and ricbeft buildings in the palati- ftatCr The court of the Eledlor is very brillant and the citadel ftrongly fortified^ there was, at this tinne, a company of very good French commc- dkns in Manheim, which I often vi- ficed to difQpate my anxieties. I made my court with great affiduity to his elefloral highnefs, who fometimes did me the honor of admitting me to his table, and to play at the fame table that he did, where I conGderably in- creafed my funds y I pafied the.remain* der The Chevalier DupoNT. 41 der of my time, chiefly with the Mar* quisofT***. ^ > I had now been (eventeen or eigh- teen days at Manhcim, when re- turning fronn a wallc in the even* ing, Daval gave me two letters v one of thenn was from my aunt, which con* taincd nothing of con&quence and the other was from Mrs. Bonneuil, and contained as folbws. " It is three weeks, Sir, to the day " that is fixed for your coufin^s faking ** the veil ^ if you continue in the fame ** refolution upon her acooant, depart *' immediately, upon the receipt of this " letter, for the town where you lay " before^ • '■'\ 'i \V 11 1 !l f I; ;! '"I i ' f #1l!| I tf y u \- i i!!H I 42 Voyages and Adventures of i ' (1 i ! - .J 1 ■ ^ ■ 'A 1 '■■■I \ \ ' ' ', i ' 1 L^ 44 Voyages and Adventures of I had no Iboner declared my (cheme, than he faid, ** We muft go ifom " hence to-morrow ; you muft go " for Nancy, and myfclf for Mctz. •* Give me a letter this evening for the " officer who fucceeded you in your *' company, and aflc him to give leave ** of abfence for fix months to three *' of his dragoons to ferve you. They ** (hall be three of my friends, I know *' them brave honeft men, and capable ^^ of ex:ecuting any thing in cafe of ^' ncceffity. Before I give your letter '' to the Captain, I will found their *' difpofuions ; I will tell them of the ** reward you will give them, and ** I win conduft them to Nancy, ** well armed in four or five days.** I did The Chevalier Dupont, 45 SI I did not befitate, but gave him the letter he defired and the next day after having taken leave of the Marquis of T***, we fct out on our diflfercnt deflinacions. I arrived at N.incy the the third day after my departure from Manheim, and alighted at the inn we had agreed to meet at» where Dava! joined me with his company the fixth day after our feparation, It was neccffary to procure proper dreflcs for thefe three men, who left their uniforms in the care of the hoftefs till they returned. I provided an Abbot's drcfs for myfclf; the former I had returned to Mrs. Bonneuil i .i \ tM :\' ^-/' J i < f9 Jlii 46 Voyages and Adventures of Bonneuil, who had borrowed it for mc. In (he tenth day after my arrival at Nancy, I departed with my whole retinue; Duval who was at the head of them, had very much the appear- ance of a man, who came to levy a (Irong contribution ; at the expiration of five days we arrived at the Golden S(ar about nine o'clock in the even- ing. . I immediately fent Duval wiih a little billet to fifter Agatha, fuch as Mrs. Bonneuil had dire<5ted j I gave him orders to wait a (hort time and in in hal foUowl CC "^ tc my (( froi (C will (C fror C( felf <( and a Adi (( can tc bun !! » all The Chevalier Dupont. 47 in half an hour, hs brought me the following anfwcr. " You arc arrived in good time, my dear coufin, to deliver me from the hands of tyranny, .you will receive information to-morrow from Mrs. Bonneuil j conform your- felf exaftly to what fhe orders, and every thing will fucceed : Adieu, I embrace you, and if I can judge of you by myfelf,. you burn with defire to hold in your arms, yjur faithful and tender. if (( (C '■ '.' ■^1 ■; 1' 'J . ' i ' . 1 '■■■(' 52 Voyages and Adventures of w< duded us by the back of the walls to the Abbey, where a fmall gate opened int^ the garden ; he opened it very gently, took up a bundle whi(h was by tbe fide of it and put it into the chaife ^ here turned and gave a gentle wMSftle, and I immediately faw fifter Agatha advance with a young man, who, as fooD as he faw mCf, threw himfelf into my arms ; I embraced ' him and helped him into the chaife, and gave to the gardener the promifed reward ; he immediately (hut the gate, and we drove ofF. We never got out of the carriage till the next day at noon, as we only ftopped whilft we got freflb horfes at r ^,i every The Chevalier Dupont. 53 every poll ; but at noon the next day, we halted at a large inn to take a flight rcfrefhmenr, and continued our rout to Treves with the utmoflf expe- dition, where we arrived the fourtiienth day after our dcpariure. 1; ^iriv, '/ We agreed, that for the pref(;nt, (he Ihould continue in the drefs (he then wore, under the name of a young Nobleman, who was vifiting foreign courts, and I (houlJ pafs for his Governor, At this time, (he informed mc, that fhe had brought off her mo^ ther*s diamonds, which were of con- fidcrable value, and would be very ferviceable to us. ifT ■r 1 • , I* D 3 I informed ;i ,' ■f ;- : i ■,. I 54 Voyages and Adventures of I informed Mrs. Bonncuil of the place where we lived 5 I defircd her to inform me of every thing that had happened fince our elopemenr, and upon whom, my aunc fixed her fufpi- cions ; I alfo engaged- her to conceal nothing from me, in order that I might aft properly, and vvhiffl wait- ing for her letters, I ftiould, I in- formed her, advance our nuptials as much as poflible. As I had no pcrfon at Treves to whom I could lay open my projed, I refolved to leave tny coufm in that ^lice with Duval and two of his com- panions, and take the third with me to Manheim, to found the Marquis of .4 1 The Chevalier Dupont. 55 T***, my relation, and if I found his difpoficions favorable, I was determined to difcover every thing to him and afk his advice how to ad, I departed for Manheim thenext day and alighted at the fame inn I had ufed upon my firft vifu there j and as I entered into a room, the waiter brought me a letter which was from my aunt^ who with the greatcft, diflrefs informed me of the elopement of my coufin, on wh^t^ flie beftowed the n^oft odious epithets ; (he finilhed- with demanding me to come to her without any delay. D4 I did •■*•» ,1 ; > ly ■ n .. - '-i 56 Voyages and Adventures of I di^ not think proper to comply with her commands; I contented my- felf with telling her how much I was diftreffed at the unhappy news, (he fenc nie, that I fincerely fympathized with her in her trouble, and that I would wait of her as foon as my health was re- (lored *, in the mean time, I defircd that (he would not trouble herfclf with finding oiit the perfons who had carried otf her daughter, as it mod probably would be impoffible, but take care of her health, which wa;> dearer to me than my own. I went then to the hotel of the Mar- quis of T***, who as foon as he per- ceived me, aflccd the rea/on of my fpeedy return, u out <( on (( kinc C( ded (C to '. (( fron C( BanI (( whic C( me . w lence nutes a (C This C( /or J (( and (C accoi (( that i( provf to k m: The Chevalier Dupont. 59 Lil ** out a difpenfation from the Pope, *' on account of ^he near degree of " kindred between you an^d your inten- " ded wife. It is ncceflary to fend *' to Rome *» therefore you Ihall go " from me to Moufieur Nekre,' the " Banker ind cany to him a biller, " which I will give you :*' he left " me , reared into his ftudy, from whence he returned to me in ten mi- nutes and giving me the letter, faid, " This banker will tranlad your affliir " for you with the grcateft difpatch, and will treat you well upon my account 5 you may be aflqrcd, Sir, " that I will not ncgleft any thing, to " prove to you the great defire I have ''to ferve you .", He then informed me (( (( 1 1^^ . ; .ilf ■ /il ;ii 1?^ I %.\ V [ II , 1' 1 1' . i ^- 1 1 ^ i 6o Voyages and Adventures of me of the ufual formalities necellliry for us to obfcfvr, during the time we were waiting for the difpenfation, " and *' I am very glad," he continued, " to *• have an opportunity of informing you *^ that this marriage although valid in *' this country, will not be fo in your " own, unlefs it is again folemnized.'* I took my leave of the Prelate and went to the banker, who, after he had read the Bifhop's letter and exa- mined my papers, demanded a hundred iouis of me for the drfpenfation that the courier extraordinary, was to go cxprefs for. - I then returned to rriy inn, where I had nothing to do, but wait patiently foe Ml The Chevalier Dupoxt. 57 f .'I, return, and faid, that he fuppofed ic was owing to fomc advenrure, which he defined me to inform him of; and if his fcrvices and credit could be any ways ufcful to me, he would employ them to the grcaieft extent with pleafure to ferve me. This gracious reception encouraged me, and after requiring his word of honor to preferve my fccret, I informed him of every thing, I (hewed him my letters and ended with • dcfiring his good offices. '* Very wil- " hngly,** he faid, embracing me at the fame time, ** remain here " and wait for me, I will go and I " labor for you.** He returned ifi about two hours with a letter from the Chancellor of the Palatinate, to D 5 his Ml k.^-.^'- 1 1 ■ 4' m nil j 1- 58 V^OYAGES and Adventures of brother, who was Archbidiop and Ele6lor of Treves, and on his prefcnt- ing me with ir, faid, " depart imme- ** diately, terminate your afKiirs, and ** return here again, you will be here *' in fafety, and we will advifc together ** what is neceffary to be done to recon- " cile you to your aunt." ii ■' ■ % w '^1 lir I only (laid to dine with the marquis, after which, I got into my chaife and returned to Treves, to my dear coufin, to whom, I immediately gave an ac- count of my journey; I then went to the Archbifliop with my letter •, after he had alked me feveral queftions, which I anfwered fincerely, he laid> •* I can do nothing in your affair, with- " out vm The Chevalier Dupont- 63 difpenfacions, made fuch great expe- dition, that he returned with them the twenty-third day after his depar-, ture : I informed my coufin of it, who immediately put on the habit proper, to her fex and we went together to. inform the Archbilhop of it, who was willing to honor us with the nuptial ceremony himfelf ;. two ecclefiaftics and two of my fervants ferved as witneffes. I took a copy of the a<5l of celebration in proper form and went to dine with the Prelate who had invited us the evening before ; after dinner, he gave me a letter for his brother, wilhed us all happinefs and health and bid us adieu. . - if y 1 ' I ■*' # i rl Upon ! t \ 64 Voyages and Adventures of Upon our arrival at our inn, I re warded my three dragioons in an ample manner, and defired they would keep every ihing a fecret ; I gave them the cloachs I had bought for them and difcharged them ; they informed me they fhould (lay there fix months furlong out before their return to the garrifon and (hould go to Nancy to recover their uniforms 5 I payed all our cxpei :es whilft we had waited at Treves, I defired the landlord to take care of all letters that came there ad- dreffcd to me and forward them to Manheim, under cover to the Marquis of T***, and the next day we departed for that pl^ce. As The Chevalier DupoNT. 6i for ihe return of the courier. We em- ployed that interval in viewing v/hat ' was curious in the city, which is very ancient, large and populous; ic is the capital of the diocefe, the ArchbiOiap of which is an eleftor ; he gives the firft vote for the Emperor •, there is a univerfity and feveral renfiains of? antiquity in good prefervatioR. There are a great many churches and a very * fine cathedral, which is remarkable for the fize of the flones with which it is built, which arc fo very large, ' that ic is common to fay in that country that the devil only could have moved them. This town is very fubjeft to revolutions, when there is a war be- tween France and the Empire : it is fituatcd Lr u ' ,' ill III \i !h f i 62 Voyages and Adventures ot fKuated upon the river Mozelle, the country adjacent is very fertile, and they make great quantiiies of wine there, which is called after the river. The Eledtor does not ofien live here, but generally makes Coblents the place of his refidence ; which is a large town dependant upon his Eicftorate, and fituated upon the fpot where the rivers Rhine and Mozelle meet ; the country around that place is very fertile and produces large quantities of Wines. It was once an imperial town i .it is about twenty-three miles diftant from Treves. Mr. Nekre was fo much in pur intereft and the courier he fent for the djf. The Chevalier Dupont. 63 As it was late in the day when we arrived and we were a little fatigued, I fent Duval with a billet to the Mar- quis of T***, who came to us at the nioincnt we were (icting down to Tapper, who after the compliments of congra- tulation upon our new (late, was pleafed to fit down to partake with us. He aflved us what we intended to purfue, I informed him that there could be no hopes of a reconciliation between Mrs. D'Aubigny and us and the only means of avoiding her refentment, was to leave thecogniry. , r 4 The Marquis of T***, called . of us the next day to prelcnt us to his Eiedoral Hlghnefs, whom he had be- fore ,u i'^ ■'V , i -l^l ' 1* I, *■ a J 66 Voyages and Adventures bf fore informed of our hiftory. This Prince received us in a gracious manner and told us, that we might continue in his dates as long as we plcafed j that he would take us under his proteflion and defired we would not be uneafy. After having taken leave of the Eleftor, wcAvent to the chancellor to thank him for his recommendation to his brother 5 ■ \^: t t t 1 Ti i L i 'l 1 ■ 1 ^ 1 ,i li nf ! , \ 1 wi i! i / t . /' I 74 Voyages and Adventukes of d very good pUce there, to whom he would recommend us \ he faid, that wc (hould be well received upon his account and his uncle would take care of procuring us the firft opportunity of failing f6r Sr. Domfngb 5 wc accepted his offer with pleauie. He wrote us a letter immediately, and it was deter- mined that we (hould depart the next day, he ordered his valet de chambre and another of his fervants to efcort us, who he faid, were two fellows capa- ble of protecting us, if wc fhodd meet Vihh any violence. - *^ The Marquis tb^n cqnduiled us to the Elcftor to thatik biw>.. and to take our leave of him J wc went a)fo to the .; :l .TTChan. •v' • ^. The Chevalier Dupont. 7? Chancellor : we employed the remain- der of the day in preparing ourfelvcs and packing up our things. At eight o'clock the next morning we departed for Rochellc. We met with no interruption during the whole time of our journey, which was a very long one 5 and the day after our arrival at Rochelle, I took the Mar- quis's letter to his uncle, who infilled upon our refiding with him, during our ftay at that place, and fent his fervants immediately to bring our baggage. I fcnt the Marquis's fervants back after rewarding them very handfomely, I wrote a letter to their matter to ihank him for his favors. I wrote to Mrs. E 2 Bonneuil TT Tm i 1 X » ' :' 1 > J , 11 ■ t 1 V •> : ■ 1 11- "^ }■[■ • . ■ i{ If ^ I 76 Voyages and Adventures of BoitneuU and informed her of every chixig we had done> and promifed to write to her as foon as wc were arrived at St. Domingo. About three days after our arrival, a Captain of a (hip came to inform us that he was going to fail for Fort St. TPierre at Martinico, wher^ he was to receive money for a cargo that he had delivered there the year before and fhould proceed immedia4:cly from thence to St. Domingo. We accepted the offer and ordered every neceffary aboard) that we thought wc might have cccafioti for, and fmt all our baggage i;he day foltowiog. I had ^n opportu- nity of parting with my cbaife vicry ad- vantage- u Th: Chevalier DupoNT. 77 Vanfageoufly, therefore after taking our leave of the marquis's uncle, wc embarked. Our voyage was a very fortunate one to Martinico 5 on the thirty-eigth day afcer our deparrure fr^rn Rochelle, wc arrived fafe at Fort ^r. Pierre t where after waiting fix weeks we failed for St. Domingo. We had during the firfl: day, a very bad wind and on the fccond were overtaken by fo furious a tempeft ofiFDominica, that it is a nniracle we are now here •, our vcflfcl was driven afhorc upon Marigaiante, where (he foon went to pieces, and we were fo fortunate as to be amongft the number of fcvcn perfons who only were favcd out of E 3 thirty 1 :. i t •:] if h. \'f ' t \H m 'i ' m : \ ■ :■ ■[ I : (3' ; i , , i }': ■ m 'I < i !.!'■ fl l#liij i!''!' I I Ml'* .;• J j-8 Voyages and Adventures of thirty fouls, which compofed our ftjip^s crew ; and ic was not till after our being caft away and got fafe afliore, that my coufin informed me flie had the prefence of mind during the ftorm, to put the little cafquet in her pocker, which con- tained her diamonds, which we would have given with pleafure to have reco- vered our faithful Duval, who accord- ing to all probability was fwallowed up by the waves. * ^wt tk« ** This Sir," continued the Chevalier D^Aubigny, " is th& hiftory that you •* have defired to be acquainted with ; ** there remains only to thank you and " Mr. Prepont for the goodncfs and ^* obliging attention you . have both ; " flie wed --i\ I : %K The Chevalier Dupont. 79 .*^ flieweJ us during the whole voyage: '- I very finceVely wilh to find occafions " of (hewing my gratitude and proving " the attachn^enc 1 have confeffed,' I " have for you. But there is one thing " yet which embarrafTes me i it is to *' know in which part of this ifland, " which is faid to be of a very great " extent, Mrs. Ariinvilliers lives 5 for " this is a country where neither of us " have a fingle acquaintance. Although ** misfortunes have humbled me, m " my profperiry I was fond of fhewing " importance j and as ^ was then young " and in that (late, Idefired theCheva- " licr D'Aubigny to make himfelf eafy " upon that account; I promifed to " remove all difRculties, and advifed E 4 " him ■ ( m .. r if 1: 5 t h- I i III 'i\ » » w tM I to VoYAXiEs and Adventures of ** to prepare himfelf and coufin to go " afliore along with us 5 I told him •* that we would introduce him to •' Monf. Roche Allard, the Governor " of the iQand, who certainly would ** be happy in obliging them upon ** our recommendation.'* I kft him to give Mr. Prcpont an account of the offers of fcrvke that I had made the Chevalier and Mifs D'Aubigny (the mme fhe always pift by, for he was ignorant of their beirjg married and did not know that I was nt v|t5ainted wiih their hiftory.) " Whar,*' faid Mr. Prepont ! " do you give your protec- *' lion to ftrangers, with a Governor whom you have never fecn and fcarccly ever heard the name of! « you «c «( TL*-' Chevalier DupONT. 8r *' jrou may do as you pleafe, but I will " have no part to aft in ir.'* I an- fv^cred with fomc warmth, that though he condemned me for it, I would take the whole of it upon myfelf in fijch a manner as to come off with honor; *' I wiih you may," he replied, " we (hall fee what you will do.'* Mr. Prcpont did not condemn me for my good will to thefe unfortunate people, as I have had reafon to believfe fince, but, was willing to make me more cautious of offering protedlion to ftrangers though onfort;uu»(e for the future* ♦ When I, .4t •i i 82 Voyages and Adventures of When wc were ready, Mrs. D'Au- bigny ('or Mifs as Ihe was commonly called^ gave her little cafket into my care, which I locked up in my cheft and went afhore. j Before entering the Governors, I defired Mr. and Mrs. D'Auhigtiy not to enter at the fame time we did ; be- caufe I was willing to prepare M. Roche Allard before I introduced them, that "he might -afford them a more favorable reception. As foon as the Governor faw Mr. Prepont, he came to him with. opeQ arm^:, fahiiig him with, "a good day ** my den^ Prepont, how do you do ? " I am i il The Chevalier Dupont. 8^ f-vj «' I am very glad to fee you ; we will " dine together •," but obferving me faid, *' Who is that young man with « you?" . " It is,'* replied Mr. Pre- ponr, *' a gentleman whom the Marquis " de Champigny has put under my ** proteftion and he has a recommenda- " tion from that Governor to you.*' I prefentpd him ihy letter at the fame time, and he faid to me as foon as h«i read it, *' Yes, yes, you may depend " upon my doiiig you all the fervice ** in 0>y pQvver 5 you muft dine here ** tp d^y with Mr. Prepont. But " who, are ihofe yonder ?'* he faid on perceiving the Chevalier and his wife, who entered .at that inftant ; " They * afe, Sir,** I rep!ic(J, "cwounfortu- '• naie \rJmi - .1 U-^J a! ^ ■ 1 ■ft ■ 1*1 i I 84 Voyages and Adventures of :'i: f ,1 i ! ) a ** nate people of good facnily, who ** were caft away upon Marigalantc, ** and to whom we have given a palT- *' age here from ihat place. I hope *' you will favor ilvem with your pro- " icftion, which they (land in need ** of, to find out an aunt they have in *' this country, named Artinvilliers.** *4 How'* faid the -feovernor^ *' my ♦' good friend! (he lives at Houpelierev *' a houfe that (he has about thirty ** utiles from hence. I wiH inform her ** of it to-titorrowy** contintii^d the Governor, ** and till ihe coaies to " fetch you,** addrefTing himfelf ta the Chevalier and Mi's. D'Aubjgny, " you '* w:ill do me the plcafurc' of refidihg *' withnaei but your aunt bai told, me «^ that \ \ Ir^ The Chevalier Dupont- 8j? " (he demanded cmly one nephew or *' niece of her fitter in law and behold " there are two. So much the better, •' abundanceofweahh will never hurt*** 3 *^ Thefe two make but one>'* I faid lo the General ; ** a^d yet, as individur *' als, ihey are nephew and niece to " Mrs. Ariinvilliers/* *' Oh ! oh ^ he replied^ " coufin fleeps with coufin, " faith ! a good way to preferve wealth " in a family. But we will unravel this *' another time, and whilft dinner is ^* ceady, let us pafs into the ialoon.'* f I I. . Afxcr dinner, Mr. Roche Allard drew roe afide with Mr. Prepont and dcfired me to give \(\m the hiftory c^ his vifuors. I gave hitn all the fatiC* faSion i i ! T' 1 'It 1 M 1 ■1 i i \ I 'C( iC ^6 Voyages and Adventures of faftion he dcfired upon that fubjeft and did not omit the lead circumftance. " I am happy,*' faid the Governor, " in having it in my power to oblige thofe young people, and I will begin with fending a letter by a negro to ** Houpeliere to Mrs. Artinvillicrs, " who will certainly anfwer my invita- ** tion.*' unfortunate friends, who confirmed what I had before informed the Go- vernor of, and thanked him for the ■v. favor of his proteftion. Mr/ Prepont and myfelf took our leave of the Go- vernorand his company and went to lie aboard, after promlfing the G«- vernor to dine every day T/i^ith Wm as hn^ ^s we reniaincd at tbeiape. ^ As I w^nt'ttien tb feeic niy wo The Chevalier Dupont. 87 As foon as we were alone, Mr. Pre- pont obferved, that as the going back- wards and forwards would take up a confidcrabic time, he thought we bad better take a houfe afhore, whilft'wc remained at the Cape ; I agreed to it with pleafurc, as I hoped to make fomc acquaintance capable of difTipacing the diftreG I felt at being fcparated fo far from Mrs. Norfoy, who notwithftand- ing all the little infidelities I was guilty of, but where my heart never participa- ted, was really the only pcrfon I could love. In confcqucnce of this refoiution, wc went early afhore the next day, after fending our paffcnger*s baggage to the Governor's '\' ] - ^ ^■' 1 ■ i J' tlh :|!l :l\ ,>«=iii iWf'l I I ti ': ! ^ I ■( 1 92 Voyages and Adventures of (he akd Qut, " Ah ! my dear aunt ** I came from France with that gentle* ** man,'* pointing at me with her finger ; flic aflced me from what caufc ihe had the happinefs of fceit)g me again, I repeated to her ivhat we had before faid to her aimt« She told ui lit (he name of her avtnt that (he was tharmed with having zn opportunity of obliging US) clKtt het h^f^ cotsir monly let for Ctty piaftres a month, but we fhould have it for fifty. Wc faid how very dear it was; and at length after fome time ipertt in arguing it, W6 agreed for foriyj and Mifs Sylvia (who was Ait young lady I furprifed in fo ludicrous a fituatiofi, aboard of the Ihip we &tled in from • . i France) 1,1 The Chevalier Dupont; *' 9J Frtnce) proitiiled co come to the town the next day at ten o'clock, to order the hotffe to be (wept and cleaned and bring us the keys tbac wae wanting, jhe offered U6 a cold cdUxibo ^th fo much iotreaty that we could not think df refufing her, and made me T^ » 94 VoYAtJES and Adventures of ficccflary daring the time we propofcd remaining at that place. He alfo or- dered Ills lieutenant to lie aboaid the Brigantine every night for the future \ we went afhore the next morning and found Mifs Sylvia at the houfe, who had been waiting there a whole hour; ihe gave us all the keys and we went to pafs through the market-place ; as Sylvia had informed us that (he (hould continue two days in town to fecdc fome affairs, Mr. Prepont engaged her to fup with us . and take one of the beds during .ler ftay in town } we then left her and retired to the Gover- nor's to dinner. After V The Chevalier Dirpow. 95 ( I After dinner, a Svyifs Officer named Sshmif, accofted Mr. Prepont and drew bim afide, to ajk him if he had any tobacco from St. Vincent*s to pare with, that ic iiad dntMy failed in tjiac ifland and he would procMrc him ^ pwrr chafer for all the tobacco that he bad. aboard. ** Very well," faid Mr. Pre^, pont, ^^ fend to-morrow morning and ** we will talk about it.**, , . , •■ ■ . . • > . * Upon our departure from the Go- vernor's, Mr. Prepont told me to go aboard fhip and order mjr, tobacco :to be fent afliore, that he bad a very good opportunity of felling it and hoped it would turn out very advanjtageoufly. I thanked .him and mxntdimlf went aboard 11* \> I. ' I J^- Ife! *r ^M i'il I I .» ,i I 4 I .* .' J '^Uv 9^ Voyages and Adventuies of aboard, aiki except two parcels of to- bacco, which I refer vcd for my own ufe, I brought it ftil away wich me. . . ,r • .(.■■■ - Upon my arrival ac the iioufe, I found Mr. Preponic and Sylvia waiting for me ; we proceeded to the fixing on our chambers, when 1 chofc the lead and at the fame tfme, that ftcxt to Sylvia's ; we fupped chearfully together, took a little walk upon the (hore and each retired to their apantnents. . . i ( ( It was eight o^clock when Mr. Pre- ponciCQieped my chatober to repcoftch me for my lazineg, but be did not know t^u i had paflfed the greateft part of the fligbc awake (for 3 bad re- lired^ f I The Chevalier Dupont. 97 tired to Sylvia's apartment as foon as I thought he was aQeep) nor did I think proper to inform him. Soon after I arofe, Mr. Schimitt ar- rived with bis friend to buy my tobacco^ which produced me two hundred piaftres per hundred^ which with that I had fold at Santa Qru7, broqght me in more than three hundred per cent, befides the parcels I bad referyed for my own ufe. • * • • ■ V • 1 . - • i ' . When ihele two gentlemen were gone, Sylvia, who had feen them go out, told us, that the perfon who ac- CQtpganied the officer was a Swifs, dif« guifed to deceive the inhabitants of the Vol. IL F ifland. 1 ': r I- i' \ W'PM »♦ It! 1 t 98 Voyages and Adventures of ifland, as they dare not openly trafiick ; that if we had any cotton, indigo, cloths, rnuflin?, laces, taffecies, caftors, Ihoes, or any other kind of merchan- dife, except fugar, (he would procure us as good a fale for them as we could expert on the Spanifh coafts, without running the fame rifles. We accepted lier ofitr with pleafure and promifed her a geAteel gratuity; this being fettled, file faid, ^^ I will return to my *^ aunt's and fetch what linen and *^ other neceflfaries I fliall have occa- ** Hon for and return here again in two •* days." After The Chevalier Dupont. 99 I t Arccr her departure, Mr. Prcpont wrote CO his lieutenanc to order him to fend all his merchandife afliorr, except thefugar, and mine with it at the fame time; not only what was in the brigan- tine, but all the goods in both the fiiallops and to follow them alhore and wait at the ftorehoufe till our return ; we then went to the Governor's to din- ner. As foon as Mr. Roche Allard Taw us, he met us and took each of us b/ the hand and faid, ^^ Come . Gentlemen, *' let me prefcnt you to a lady, who ^^ arrived here yefterday evening with '* the Parfon of her parifby that (lie ** roa^ thank you for the favors bc- F 2 "(lowed '■] )\ ' ',>, .('' \ ,1 Ml • U k 100 Voyages and Adventures of •* ftowcd on her nephew and niece ; •V I have related their hiftory to her ^* asd ahhoc^h they have noe entirely •* ©bferved the laws of prudence, ** (he has pardoned theth^ efpecially " as tl.i! parfon whOi proves to be !* ihe brother of Mrs. D'Aubigny, V has promifed to celobnajte their, tx^r- ^^ riage again, with the pcrniiffion« ** chat he fuppofes he (hall obtain from *^ his fuperior, who is apoftolical vicar ** in this colony, nvhich with the other <' fomiialities that we Ihall obferve^ " will fupply the defcdl of thiq confcnc ** of her mother : therefoipc Mrs. Ar- ^^ tinviilier^ who wanted one nc^phew *' or nekre only, finds her&lf charged l^ with the whole family. IlhallGom- l ** municatc m :;•■(■ 'J 1 The Chevalier Dvpont. loi « mmuiiicate this afFair to the fecrctary •* at courtj that I may pi wvent, if pof- « fiblc, Mrs. D'Aabigny being guihy << of any frefh injoricd, prejudicial to " her family.*' Mr, Prepont and myfelf congratula- te thefe four perfons upon their unex- pefled happinefs and union } we em- braced them and (bon afterwards fac down todjinner. After dkner, as wc cxpefted our lieuxeoaac was waiting for us» we cook our leave of all the company, Mrs« ArtinyiUiers who w^ goipg to rcmra with her family to Ho«peli«re> inyitfd us in the ftrongeft manner to come an4 F 3 pafs ! i ( \> n '¥'f =1 '»; !».ii Irii /I k i i ro2 Voyages and Advektures of pafs fome days with her before our de- parture and the Governor, who faid he would condudt us there, obliged us to give them a promife. > We found our lieutenant widi great part of our merchandize, which we placed in the ftore-houfe and the next day we got all aQior^ except the fugar. Mr. Prepont ordered me to feparate what belonged to me and keep it apart, that we might each of us be able to find whatever we wanted with more readi- nefs. We went as ufual to the Cover* # nor*s, where the coriverfation turned upon Mrs. AriinvilKers and her family. in the afternoon, as we had but little to do, we paired into the falooh and : i with ■ I The Chevalier Dupont. 103 with the reft of the company, fdrmed parties ac Ombre and in Icfs than iwo hpurs, I won twenty- four Spanifli Pif* tolcs. 1 '■'■-.■ fs After we were returned home and fat down to fuppcr, Mr, Prcpont con- gratulated me upon the advantage I had gained and told me that if fuch good fortune accompanied me in trade, be did not doubt but that in two or three voyages I (hould be able to pro- cure a happy (late for Mrs. Norfoy ; *' that is all I defire/* I anfwered ; and prefcntly after perceiving the diamond ring upon my finger that Mrs. D' Au- bigny had given me, be aflced from whence it came, I informed him. " I F4 «t re- \M it t m ^ : , , *>J ' 't'ii'' .t if 1^ 1 •;; rf 104 Voyages and Adventures of *• refcrvc it," I faid, ** for my dear *' Viftoirc; I wife I knc^ by what ^ means I could fend a letter to her." •* Have your letter always ready," Mr. Prepont replied, " I will procure you ^* ^n opportunity of conveying it to *' her in a (hort lime/^ 1 retired im- mediately to my chamber and wrote the fdlowing. . i f a ^^ I take the advantage of the firfl: opportunity that I have found, fince ** my departure from Marrigalante, to *' write to yoof. I think of you with- *^ out ceafing, and curfe the fea which ^' divides us, as it deprives me of the ** happinefs of feeing you every mo- ment and giving you new proofs of ^ i. " my cc "', I m The Chevalier Dupont. iO;5 " my tcndernefs. The only thing that *' prevents me from finking under th^ *' defpair this feperation occafions, 19 '* the hopes of being foon able to unite " my fortune with yours forever ; Nep- ^' tune and Plutus have favored me ^ " 1 have the greateft credit in their "empire.^ Does, love favor me as " much i May I flatter myfelf ? I aflc '' my adorable Vidtoire, flie mufl: an-« " fwer roe. Adieu my dear, tender ^* friend, I quit you with regret 1 ne* " vcr lufpeft my qonftancy, fidelity '^ and inyiojabb attachment 10 you, *^ whilft life reniains in in ,1 I 1' , ( %: :l ** The Chevalier DuPONT. 9f F5 I gave ' i M'i imi i'\ ifr io6 Voyages and Adv£ntu"Res of 1j I gave Mr. Prepont my Icrter the next morning, who told mc he would not keep it long ; whilft wb were re- flefting upon the advantage that would accrue to us if we fold our goods, as well as Sylvia had given us reafon to hope, we faw her enter with two men, wha (he prefented to us as the people that dcfired to treat with us. Mr. Pre- pont, who forefaw that we fhould be engaged that day, defired me to go to Mr. Roche Allard to make an apology for our not waiting of him to dinner. When I piid my cbmpliments to the Governor, he fald in his ufual manner, " Very well, I confent to it for this *' day, but don't make a pfaftice of if, «« do you hear ? for I (hall not agree to The Chevalier Dupont. 107 •' if. I love people of their word^ " thercfore-no cxcufe for the future; " adieu." Mr. Prepont could not re- frain from laughing, when I gave him the Governor's anfwer. Prcfcntly after- rerwards, he drew me a(ide> and faid, as the two men whom Sylvia had brought, had not fufficient to traiHclc- with both of us, he thought it would be better to fell my lot Hrft ; I willingly confemed, and after dinner, I fold^ them all my goods, for two thdufand two hundred piaflres, except about forty qtiintata of lugar, two, pieces of difftiiyH four pair of filvcr mounted piftoll AUd afe^-other things that v»ere not of jny tonfidirable value. Thefc two merchants told Mr* Prepont, that r<^ they » ri' I,.,. ■ 'mi- h I •f: K '.. ( '\ y f I '; f! I ■• I -K'li i i i jo8 Voyages and Adventures of they would return in a fortnight and treat with him. Bat as foon as they were gone our, Sylvia told us that ano- ther merchant would foon wait of us ; who would purchafe of Mr* Prepont all his cotton and indigo, and would give him drafts upon the beft merchants in the ifland* We went the next day to the Gover- nor's to dinner and thofc who b^d loft their money with me two days before, required their revenge : I complied and won thirty-five piftolesi morq, j^i bfir- ]iev« if J had ren>^iQed long at tli^^&pcr I ftiould foon have, deprived tiicitt.pC the power of feeking thek rev^engei : -■■*■ r ■'? ; . i . , ^ X . 'y '• We . fa The Chev^icr PppQNTf IQ9 We retu/^ed tp our ftorf-houft early, where Sylva always waited during ouif abfence; (he complied witbk, in hope^ of a genteel prefcot at the pnd,„ .^,^ The next day (Sunday,) being at mafs, we Ciw M. Roche AUard enter, accompanied by fereral officers of the; garrifon* As Toon as he perceived tis, he ma(^ us a fign to con;)e to tiio^^^ic) iDformed us that he had.impor^n^ i>ew; to tell us. We ^ictrwja^rd^ went ^pinq with him, where he read :^s a kttei? which he bad received from Mrs. Ar- tinvilUer% wrl;u> infprrp^ bini t^t her flepbew,|hq4jp»iniq^^ I^a4 j9|l?{a^ h|s fupciiiQi:,, tf;^e,:^pQB^ilif^^ D^ceQary power to celebrate the m^^ riage r :f I h • ' I <.i .f , i ■., 1 I'm; I I io VoYAGBS arid Adventures of riage of his u..:r with his coufin, that the day df ceremony was fixed for Tuef-^ day following and (he flattered herfcif with having the honor of hrs company and that he would bring us with him to pafs the remainder of the week with them. Although this journey very much difconcerted our aSairs, we could not difpcnfe with it without hazarding the Governor*s favor, which was of great confequence to us ; therefore we pro- mifed to wait bf him by fetren o^clock the next morning. *|^'As feonf as we hid diriedj we retired and rettmrecj' home; -where* W^ were fortunate enough to meet with TSylvia, wBdm Vc dWired AottotjuSt the houfc - ' during ■m ii J ' I 'K' n The Chevalier Dupont, * 1 1 1 during the time wc were in the coun- try ; (he promifcd us, and Mr; Prc- pont faid, he would go aboard toVetl his lirutenanc what was neceflfary to be done and order him to lie in the (tore- houie every night during his abfence. Some time after we had been alone,^ a little Creole, who was very pretty came to pay Sylvia i viftif j (lie #a«* about fifteen years of Age, the daughter of an overfccr of an cftate and related ta Sylvia. Our converfation began to be very free, but Mr. Preponi*^ arrival put an end to it ; fh^ did not ftay much longer and Sylvia W^t to fpentf aiililli^ with her afterwards. ■ ^^^^^r^^^^^- j? Whilft r ! ' ,f »;• -J f I i It i 1 2 VoYACU and Adventur es of Whilft wc were at fuppcr, Mr. Pr^ pOQt iaformed nie that he had given my letter for Mrs, Norfoy to a mailer gf a vc0cl that he bad feeo aboard of the bri|;a{ncine wifh thq lieutei;)ant> who was bis intimate friend ; (bat he was to fail the Wednefday following for Marlgalante and he had defired him in the (Irongeft terms tp deliver it into the lady's own b^nd^ itnmcdiacely Mpon his arriv^l^and I might (Jepead upon bis punfluality. J. Befgp: jwp went to bed we filled a DQr^q^^^ua with lineo and neceflaries that we, fliQiUd, want when ia the coun- try ; I arofe early and awaked Mr. Pre- pont i we went to the Governor's be- , . ,»rr fore The Chevalier Dupont. iij fore feven o'clock, where we breakfafted and ftepped into the Governor's coach wich him and the ^olicitpr Gfnt^dl of the Council, who was foni^wbat related to Mrs. Arttnvilliecs I we arrived a| Houpeliere, the fes^ p£ Mrs, i^rtio* villiers^ about four in the afcernopn. - , . It is impoflible to exprefs the joy they teftiiied at our arrival i alt the guefts feemed to difpute which fl^ould fhew the the greatcft politenefs, and Mr. Prepont and myfelf received the thanks of the whole connpany. , - They read to us before? fupper the ar- tides of contrad« that had been agreed to by all parties 5 by which Mrs. Artin- villicrs --ij^i. >^ . f.. • •■ft U .'■} 1 1 l' . i-ii li II m If! Hii 1 14 Voyages and Adventures of I f-! i \l tl villiers left the married couple all her fortune at her death, but retained the poflcflion of it during her natural life. Wc figned it after the relations and the Governor, and the next day we affifted at the new marriage of the Chevalier and his wife, or father the ratification of the former one at Treves 5 ihis cere- mony was performed in a more pom- pous mariner than, had ever been feen in that country before. They gave a fumptuous dinner and a ball in the even- ing, at which thi^rc were prefent all the principal gentry around the neighbour- hood *, I played at cards and v/on two hundred Spanifh piftoles, which gave Gccafion to Mr. Roche Allard to fay, that I (hould have no need to make a trip '11' V. s The Chevalier DupoNT. 115, >'e all her aincd the itural life. IS and the ve affifted Chctalier atification this cere- ore pom- been fcen ey gave a the even- mt all the sighbour- v/on two hich gave 3 to fay, D make a trip trip to the Spanifh fctilcments, for with a hundred piftolesand my good for tuoe, a perfon might gain more in three; months, than the mines of FatofiwouM produce in a year. • •'. ' 'h'j^id:' mb :::sn Svif We continued at Hoqpeliere in a,con*i Itant fuccefiion of pleafures till Saturday morning; our buGnefs requiring our return, with fome difficulty we gained permiffion and we came back wit*;' the fame company as we went with and arrived at home at eight in the even- ing. *■ >' ; ' i- \. : ', h- [ ';i. ;,:. i 5V/ biU ^.ui3 We found SylVra and the lieutenane ac fupper together, we lalt down with ihem and made a very hearty meal, for w< :m\ ft )'i m '^i ' H m I! M ii6k VoYAQES and Adventures of for we had eat nothing flnce breakfad at Houpelisr. After fappdr^ Mr.Pre* pom fent the lieu^nant aboard, as there waa nobbed for him. The next day (Sunday) we went to m2&y at dinner, ai the Gonremor's, we fyotid the Governor's nephew of the ifland of Cuba; he wa& called Don Guzoiiade Tellafcos,, he bad arrived in a Spanib frig^tir, wbi^h VKa3 to fail ihe^ fame, day for Mexico. M. Roche I Allacd ajBSei:ed bim hh hwk whilft he| remained in the ifland ; we dined toge- ther and we afterwards learned that the| ^ai^(e of t^s voyage was to get a bark re- ilor^d which belonged to him andl yihic\i had been taketi; ah >iut thr^e weeks f^^- " before 1 ji if ! ;■ :r ? . A ■ i'l ■i\ The Chevalier Dupomt, i i 7 bcforei by a Trench coafter deftined to keep off and prevent illicit trade with the Spaniards. He ikid, that this bark was not a lawful prifc, that Ihe went from the Havapnah with a commiffion from the Governor to Porto Rico ; but that by a fudden fqualljof. wind with which they had been furprifed in the night, fhe had bcco driven oft the COHfts of that iflaod, ^ithotii having' the leaft de%a to trade; that it ")was-eafy to prove by the Comminder'j^ comraiffion^ which ftiil renfiained in the hand$ of the « commander of the French i coafteftt th^C Ihe was not properly armed for fuch a defign, as fhe aad only four pattereroes aboard and a compleQient of ten men s that lb fer from of&ring to defend her- felf I ;red h€;r, I refufed ic and retired to bed. As foon as I was up the next morning, I informed Mr^ Prepont G 5 J' I ■•' . ;, :^' '.. i ■ 11 ■ itf'i ■■ 'tft.. :' i i . 1^ '< ■M ! 130 Voyages and Adventures of Prepont that I had a great defire to have the negro arid if he was willing I would offer two Spanifli piftoles more, he confcnted to it and Sylvia finding that was the moft mority ' I would give, agreed to take it. We wcntout immediately after break- faft and Mt. Prepont took me with him aboard of the negro trader, where after he had delivered to the Mafter of her a written order from M. Roche AUard, he chofe out fix young (lout iiegros, from eighteen to twenty year's of age and we took them with us to the Governor's, who left Mr. Prc- ■pont tc t:;kc the two he liked bcft for two hundred pounds. The The Chevalier Dupont. 131^ The Saturday following ihe mer- chant who had bought our cotton and indigo, came again to fee us and bought the remainder of Mr. Prepont^s goods, which he paid for in piaftres. We afterwards went to the Governor's where we found the Chevalier and Mrs. D'Aubigny, who had come purpofely from Houpeliere to make a vifit to M. Roche Allard and to return him their thanks. I always thought Mrs. D'Au- bigny a very baadfome woman, but (he now appeared b.eau.tiful beyond defcrip- tioo,, r hinted to Mr. Prepont our giving a; i^int?er tp that hiippy couple and he took: upon himfejf tp i&ngage tb^ QoyernQr to • accompany/ \ 1 ' ( :■ ! 1 ■ IfflF ;'• I'. ■■ 'i .1. '^l'^: 1^ M 132 Voyages and Adventures ot accompany them and to fix upon other company proper for them : he had fomc difficuhy in engaging the Governor to comply, but he at length yielded to Ivis repeated follicitations. \Vc fixed Tuef- day following and invited to meet the Governor and his vifitors, Don Guzman Dc Telafcos the Solicitor General of the Council, the Lieutenant General of the Ifland, the King's Solicitor for the Ad- miralty, the King*s Lieutenant, the Major of the Town and the Comman- der of the Fort. Mr. Prepont at, the defire of M. Roche Allard, gave bis fteward a commifllon to procure a repad fuitable to the importance . and number of the guefts, to prepare every thfng m the Governor's kitchen and to furnifh . us i! i ■ -^^- "-Mr-'ff , Trt , - . 7-a wa r «i rrMrr > v - • -'iwa t t iamiMmm -The Chevalier DuPON'T. 133 us at the ftbrc-houfe wuh a table, dilhes, plates, and linen; in Ihort every thing neceffary, except bread and wne. Upon our rettjrn, from inviting the Governor, Mr. Prepoftt fent one of fiis negroes aboard to fetch afhore the' >(id and white champiaign which we had a good ftore of, fome few bottles of Malmfey and two of Barbadoes water -, all which we gbt fafe aftiore and put in the cellar before eight in the even- ing. \ The next day (Sunday) I went with Mr. Prepont to the Governor's ^s ufual, made a party at Ombre with Mrs. in SJ:t < I . ■ ! I, ! ■ . • i. I]. t'i J.; li^ li^' till ' < lift I X3i ! {♦'■ 1 Ww • 1 I il i ■ •^.t Kf JH k m dL m. 134 Voyages and Adven jres of D^Aubigny and returned home at eight in the evening. . i - The next morning when I faw Mr. Preponr, he appeared perplexed . about Sylvia* whom we could not admic with the company w^ were to have the : next day to dine witK u?.. I took upon myfelfcomake her not be offended and went immediately to propofe to her (o go and pafs the next day with her little coufin a()d gave her two piaftres for the cxpence (he m^ght inqjr- We went to the Governor*s as ufual, paflcd the after- noon at play and returned home in the evenings. 'avdi The ■M m i. i:Ml The Chevalier Dupont. 135 I The next day we took the few goods remaining in our ware-houfc that were not carried away and put them into our apartments. This was the faloon in which we received our company, wht> came precifely as dinner was placed on the table. A rcpaft well regulated, ex- quifitc meats, a fuperb defert, excellent wines, fin« liquors, coffee, &c. cn- creafed the natural gaity of our guefts ahd we fpent a mod agreeable day, which was clofed with a ball, at which we had the bed company in the ifland ; It continued till mid-night, when they returned. This coft Mr. Prepont a confiderable fum, as he would not admit me to fliarcit. We '%.- ;. ih. f 1 1 If' •1 1 <" I /-'I ti ' 1 36 Voyages and Adventures of We employed ourfelves earneftly to folicit in favor of Don Guzman de Tel- lafcos a decifion which would reftore him his bark ; Mr. Prepont applied to all his friends and acquaintances to that cffcft, with the greateft zeal; but we . could not get it determined that voyage. This affair was fubjedl to great difcuffi- . ons which woujd take up a length of time, therefore as Don Guzman could riot wait, we preparedto depart in a few days. We began by going aboard the bri- gantine to fee her put in a condition to keep the fca and as we did ;iot propofe offer ing the fugar to Tale at the Havan- • nah, we ordered it aboard of the (hal- lops, eW 'Sft ak The Chevalier Dupont. 137 lops which were to wait at the cape till we returned. We left four men only in each of our (hallops with a mafter and took the reft of them into the brigantine to reinforce our company, we ordered a) fo two guns more that were mounted aboard of the brigantine, with a fupply of mufquet^» piftols, battle axes, grenades, &c. and in (hort all the provifions neceflary for the month, as well as for a long voyage. The evening before our departure, Mr. Prepont fettled with Sylvia ar>d paid her for two mouth's ufe of the houfe, though we had Ijve^ in it no more 1 I 4 !F* V / I I <^! M, I !r, { i . V' >'' -I J J38 Voyages and Adventures of more than five weeks, but the furplus he gave her as a prefcm tor taking care of it and bringing the merchants 10 trade with us. He would not permit me to bear the Icaft part of the expence j his generofity, in fomc meafure, in- demnified me for that I had been at upon Sylvia's aiid Iiir coufin's account (with whom I hid an intrrgue) which amounted to more than fixty Spani(h piftoles, without placing to account the chagrms the latter occcafioned me after- wards- Having fettled atl our affairs, and nothing requiring us at the cape any longer, we went to dine with the Go- vernor the next day, when we took our leave The Chevalier Dupont. 39 leave of M. Roche Allard, and about four in the afcernoon accompanied b/ Don Guzman we went aboard the bii- gantines we immediately weighed an- anchor and after the ufual falutc^ failed for the Havannah, the capital of the ifland of Cuba, but a (hort diftance from Cape Franfois. . ■ f ' ■ ■ . Nothing extraordinary happened du- ring this voyage, and the fecond day after our departure, we anchored under Spanifli colors in the harbor before the town, having previoufly obtained the permiffionf of the Governor, ''to whom we had fent lieutenant Trairfort in the boat with a letter to him from Don Guzman de Tellafcos, with whom we foon -! h:h *.' i: I If H i: tmi', i. I liiil f»H| m i!? ' I iii' t ii 140 Voyages and Adventures of foon afterwards went afhorc to falute hu uncle, to whom he prefented us. The firft thing we derrvanded, was, that he would be pleafed to fend fome body aboard to examine our velTcl, where we aHured him they would find nothing but ammunition and provifions, that w? not only wifticd to prove to him that ow intention was not to trade, but dill more to remove the fufpicions our arrival might have created. Wc then added that the two only motives we had for taking that voyage were, firft to con- duft his Nephew home, fecondly, to dcfire his protection, if wc (hould have cccafion for it in recovering fome debts due to us from fome Frenchmen, who were eftabliflied in that town 5 and ; ^ ' ' by The Chevalier Dupont. 141 by the by, we had fent letters to fome Frenchmen by our lieutenant to inform them of our defign, that they might not contradid us if they were examined. The Governor did not fend any pcrfon to examine the vefTel, as he faid he be- lieved us men of honor and promifed to do every thing in his power to fcrve us ; we took our leave of him and his ne- phew and returned aboard, * i' „»-! It feemcd that Don Guzman de Tel- * lafcos rook care to inform his uncle after- wards, of the gracious reception he had met with from M. Roche Allard, of the regard that Governor had for us, and of our zeal in his intereft in the .... I . .1 affair 1 1 .';i I .1 'VF»1 m if i iiUt f fl 142 Voyages and Advektures of 18 ! i- I' I i 'i^ 4 t i affaif before the marine about the refto- ration of his bark i for the ncxc day in the ttiornti^g he fent his fteward to invite us to dinner and to make his palace our home, during the |];ax we made at the Havannahj whilcnw^ accepted wiih Hill niorc pteafuH ihdepfendant of the fatif* faflion of fpendlng our time with his nephew, in whofe friendfliip we placed our dependance ; as we (hould ftill have greater liberty of going and coming from the town when we pleafcd, with- out running any ritk at the palace, by befng lodged, of being perpetually trou'- bled by the people, who ara very fuf- picious ♦, therefore we (hould have an opportunity of feeing our correfpondenis » ftt all times, arijd to fettle with them the «-»,*»■«*«*♦ arrange* The Chevalier DupPNT.. 143. arrangements aeccflary jfor. ftUJ next, voyage and to profit of fo gpod' an op- portunity in loading oi|r^|)ti|^a^tiae in We accepted tne invitafion and put every thing we fhQ,uldfVant;^(ho;e in a boat and ordered tbem to be oirried up 10 the Governor s palace, vvhere we met with a very different receptlotil from that of t;hc preceding evening. We were regaled in the French, Spanifli and . American manner, but there was a great fcarcity of wine and liquors. Vfj^ com formed through prudence at this, firft repafl: with the cuftom of the nation but Don Gwman, who perceived our <^onfl:raint> advifed us to live from that , ' time f V- ..';* / :y. m^i ^l ■■1 ill ', i ' I 144 Voyages and Adventures of time as we liked, and he would himfclf bcof our party. After dinner the Governor who was near eighty yjears of age, and was ua- willing to fay that he always took a nap after dinner, charged his nephew before he left the room to accompany us where- evcr we chofe to go, which he faid his age would not admit him of complying with himlelf •, Mr. Prepont who feared his fcheme being made futile by fuch precautions, fcemcd to knit his brow at the charge he heard ; tJon Guzman ob fcrving ir,^ whifpered the 'following m his car 5 •* Dont ti'ouble your- felf my dear friend, fo far from [[ wilhing to injure, I will be more ** ufeful words cc uS:r ^iip. 'VT^M hi- \ '■i The Chevalier Dupont. 145 " ufcfal to you than you think of, as " my prefence will prcferve you from ^' being troubled by the infpedtors of " this town i therefore place your con- *^ fidence in aie, believe that you have " not a better friend and aft in confe- " qucncc of fuch belief.'* ..':* I. '.' '. Thcfc affurances determined us en- tirely ; we employed that day however, in ftroling about the town, but the days that followed we employed to more advantage ; for it was agreed between our correfpondenis and us, that we fhould meet the year following on the fifteenth of September, near the point ofF Port de Paix, in the ifland of Sr. Domingo, that we (hould keep the Vou IL H • fea n -; 1 146 Voyages and Adventures of fea without coming to an anchor, or xvithin fight of land till we Oiould hi known to each other; and to^iftinguifh each other, we fhould know the Spanifh veffel under French colours and we were tb fail under Spanifh colours, and that the common fignal to diftinguifh each other by, (hould be to place a large vans upon the main top- maft head ; but as we could neither guard againfl: unforef^en events^ that might prevent us executing our engagements ; the firft Veflel that arrived, on or after the fif- teenth^ Ihodd wait for the other during tight days^ by waiting off and on (a fea phfaft ihat fignifies failing backwards and forward) than each of the three laft days^ the firft arrivdd fbip Ihould . . ... fire m The Chevalier Dupont. 147 fire a gun morning and evening and on tbc ninth day they ihould return. We fettled alfo the fort, quantity and iquality of the goods wc. were to bring to exchange^ and each being well fatif- fied v/ith the agreement, each party took a counterpart of the contra<^. * U„V !.i Having fettled this affair^ we began to think very fcrioufly how we could get our brigahthe loaded 5 after the moft mature and ferious confideratlon, we could hit on no expedient to procure it without ii(s being known, therefore I propafed to iay our wilhes before Don Guzman and- dcfire his advjce. Mr. Prepont thatigfit my fchcme a very good oiic and immediately determined H 2 to /'.I- I'M m )« IB> n m 148 Voyages and Adventures of to put ic in execution ; in confequence of this refolucion, we went early next hiorning ro his apartment, and impar- ted our dtfign to him ; he embraced us, and faid, *' he was happy we thought him deferving of pur confidence and although the fcheme propofed was exceedingly difficult to execute, he would do every thing in his power to make it fuccecd. He then afked us what we wifhed, or propofed to load our veffcl with, we told him ** horfes, mules, tobacco, cocoa, gold «' duft, &c." ♦« I underftand you," he faid, " and where do you intend " failing to with them ?" " To the " cape,'* we replied, ** to unload and *' to fail afterwards to Porto Rico to •' prac- l!3kfj ^ The Chevalier DupONT. 149 ^< prafllfe the fame fcheme, if pofli- *' ble.'* ''I have myfelf," heanfwered, " a fcheme upon ihat plan, which I " will communicate to you when time ** and place fcrve ; but I can already fee " the neceflity of my afliltance, or " orhcrwife you will not fucceed " at cirhcr place ; therefore, to- " morrow give me an account of the " goods you arc willing to carry and " don*c trouble yourfclf farther about *' any thing, I will do my beft v I un- ** derftand a Uttle of this bufincfs, I " will not pay dearer for the articles "than yourfclf, continue here eight " days longer and I will procure you "every amufement in my power to H 3 . " diffipatc •i i : *l 1 '■ \ I '1: ri I' If'*' i tlii iiilj?v t4i ^ ii :-l f ' (-. i u\ Ut 'i 150 Voyages and Adventures ot ^* diffipate that time^ which will appear '' fo long.*' Wq went the ncxc day to deHver the account he defired, and gav^ him, at the fame time, three thoufand pounds, three fourth of which, belonged to Mr. Prepont and the remaining fourth to mc» we defired hioi to lay out the whole if he could, or more and we would repay him immediately, from this time, Mr* Prepont took mc into partnerlhipj allowing me a fourth part of the tradej free of all expences for that voyage only^ and upon condicions, that ever after I fhot^ld be at an cxpence proportionable to my part of the cargo. II The U The Chevalier Dupont. i5« The. next d;iy, as wc were at IVIafs with Don Guzman de Tellafcos, a very genteel fine woman paflfed us, but was quite covered with her veil •, (he placed herfclf on the fide oppcfiie to ours, I endeavored to get a view of her face, but in .vain ; I afked Don Guzman if he knew the lady, but could gain no intelligence from him. The next day, as foon as I was arifen,' Tion Ti'on, (the name of the negro I had purchafcd of Sylvia) came to inform me, that a woman waited in the anti- chamlb'er to fpeak with me. As I had made no atquaintanre fince my arrival at theHavannah, I thought it fomewhat ftrange, but told my flave to fliew her H 4 in ,!■ i"^' ! 'I: h m I I 1 ■i ■ l. I n-umw, ! ' i. '.! '^— u> m m r.m '» - ( n • m 'II 'ri 151 V^OYACES ai)' Adventures ot in, flic delivered me the following bille^ ** If the young ftranger who fo much obfervejd a lady at mafs yefterday, is really defirous of feeing. her, he v;ill come to the houfe of Donna Fabricia Sidonia, who lives near the church where he was yefterday and he will fee the woman who brings him this billet in the (Ireer, whom if he follows, he will foon enjoy the fatisfaftion he defires. If he is dif- creec he has nothing to fear i but if he refembles the generality of the people of his nation, he will be more prudent not to expofe himfelf 10 the trial.'* I was 4( Ci Ci (( r Ci ti fi it ic- u The Chevalier Dupont. 15^ I was not a little furprifed, upon the reading of this letter and alihough I knew not what to think» I told the woman I would be punflual, gave her a piaftre and difmiiTed her* I will ingenuoudy own, that if my own love was flattered, my embarrafP ment was very great, I did not know enough of the country to be guilty of an inconfiderate ftep that might be pro- produftive of unhappy confequcnces, without fear -, but I burned with impa- tience to fee this new Dulcinca, whoni my imagination (naturally warm) re- prefented as handfome as Venus herfelf at lead, or the Houries -of Mahomet. I (hould have been very glad of a friend H 5 capable ,H ■ ,M : f If Tf 1 f ^ 1 '' ' 1 g I 1 .i,r ^' ll 1 ' ! 1' 1 , ' 1) 1 , } ■ K I T ! 1 ' 1 : ill ' j n t ' ii !!;;■■ i 111!'!^' '1 ■ . ,'i '•'' » ( 'V t Ilia S II 154 Voyages and Adventures of capable of informing mc fufRcicnily 10 diffipate my fears, but I dared not truft Mr. Prepont in this, who certainly would have endeavoured to difuade me from my dcfign, by his wife counfels, which are but very indifFcrenily relifhed by young people, who generally are more governed by their defires than reafon ; in fliort, after having confi- dcred it pro and con and made every p>pflible rcflieftion, I determined by following the diredtion, to run the rifks of the adven:ure^ I immediately drefled myfelf to go and reconnoitre ijie place of afTignation, .that I might not be de- ceived at night, and at the inftant I was Dob lurpriled to fee me aloncj goiog out of the palace, I m^t Guzman, who lurpriied to fee i' ;■ U: i T' The ChevaKer Dupont. 15 alone contrary to cuftom, cfpecially in the morning, fiflccd me where I was going', I immediately determined to make him my confidant, therefore gave him the billet I had received, to read and at thie fame time, confeflcd my de- fires and fears. When he had read ir, be knew the author of it he faid, by the hand wriiing; that the lady was a young widow, about three and twenty, one of the mod amiable and cfleemed one of the mod prudent women in the ifland, he faid, that her hulband had been his acquaintance, that (he v/as rich and had a brother an officer in the King's flora, who commonly refidcd ap Carthagena. But paufing a little, be coDCinued, " indeed this is an invitation "that. »;- \ t MM'.. r ' ) •;■! 156 Voyages and Adventures 0} " that does not well coincide with the " charafter that lady poflcfles at prc- *l fent, and you iDuft needs have made ** a very ftrong imprcflion on her, to " induce her to hazard ii>c lofs of a re- ^^ putation in one day, that (he has ac- * - quired by a prudent conduft for the fpacc of ten years. However, I fwear to you» I will never rr»,ention it *' and will inform you that you have nothing to feat} but how will you prevent Mr. Prepont coming to the * •' knowledge of this ftep, I kr^ow that •* nofturnal interviews, fuch as this, •* will not end before day- break." •* As for that,** I anfwered, " J have provided againft every thing, except one, that perplexes me not a little, *^ that (C cc 44 4C CC cc The Chevalier Dupont. 157 ■ 11 " that is^ to know how I (hall return, " as the gates of the palace are not " opened before fix p'clocjlc in the " morning.*' ** Don't let that trifle " difturb you," replied Don Guzman, " I will obviate that; I will give you " my negro Balthazard, an experienced " fellow, whom I will order to follow *' you an hour after your departure " and to wait near the houfe of Donna " Sidonia till your return from Donn^ > *' Elvira de Cuzma v (for that is the " name of your progenita) he will *' bring you back to the gate that leads '' to the guard, and I wiJl fpeak to the " officer to let you pafs."^ I was fo rranfported with this newpaflfion, though I had never fecathc objed, that I would willingly *: \m\ ^^f. 1 ! ,i 11 fi il'i 1:1 :! |;i' h> i fM i 'i' i^ 158 Vo^tK . 1 1 > ■ i i 1 ^ 1 j I' ■ 1 1; I! ■ !.i;«:' ■:. I 4-M 162 VoYAGoes and Adventures of pcriboi which we*iejrefyift,«ifeing, were afliftcd by a -mofl elegant difhabille, thefe together, eonfpired to give my enraptured ikmi the highcft: deliglu. Being a little recovered from the afto- niiflimeot the firfl: fight of hct charm$ had oqcafioncdj I told' her hoAV happy i ought CO efteem myfelf, who, amidft thou(and&itl\3t^ were ready to;iacrific3 ibeiir ilmsct^i pica&v her^ israa : thus dif^ cingtn^ed by fb partieular a markof her Vffgaurd. ^ That atxiiablie wocnao took mc by>:th|e hafndl, tnade meifit on the.fopha •by^tbe fide lof bcf V anrifpojcjcta rtein thiefo^bwing t^rmki >^ I ama Spaniard ^ by birtb, fincere ^nd incapable of ** flattfiry, therefore, will own to yoa ** that when I faWtyouiat:0Uafe, I was pleafed C( i;m ^ The Chevalier DupoNT. 163 " pleafed with your figure, your atcen- " tion to my perfon flattered me, your "anxiety gave me pleafure and the " dcfire you (hewed to knov/ me by *' enquiring of Don Guznan who I " was, chained me ; upon my return, *' after fome confideration, I determi- *' ned to have an interview with you, " for thatpurpofe, I lent you the billet ** you received this morning ;. fo far " from repenting or being ferry for my " indifcrctionj you have confirmed the " good opinion I at firft entertained of •* you. 1! was married very! yoting,^ ** I lived chrec; years with tny buftMnd ** in a nfK)ft cruel flaveryv and I have " paffed the three years erf my widow- ** hood in this retreat, without eve^ ** being ; ', wirp ; «r^ H« 11 '•t' i t 'f. ' ■f;1 ^li ■1 il lii : I ^^^ 164 Voyages and Adventures of " being inclined to hearken to any pro- ** pofals • which have been made " me 5 1 have not been willing to ** attend to the addrcflcs of any of the *^ rfnrJemen of this ifland, upon ac- ** coun ^f their jcaloufy, to which **^chey arc very much inclined. I had " indeed determined never to have ano- ** ther connexion, but chance pre- •* fented you to me and I dirciSly al- •* lerei' my refolution. I know very " well that you are here only enpajfanty " nay for a few days only ; but I flatter V myfelf that it will not be the laft ** voyage you will makij to the " Havalinah and if I. am happy •* enough to fee you conftant, I (hall take a fincere pleafure in (haring my " fortune (C 'm\y I The Chevalier Dupont. 165 <* fortune with you, the poffcflion of " which, has for fome time been the ** ambition of the firft people jn the " ifland.** A flave coming in. at this inftant 10 inform Donna E'vira de Cufma that fupper was ready, 17 c gave me her hand and I led her into the fa- loon, where we fat down to a mod ele- gant collation ; when we had finiflie ' fupper, we withdrew into another apart- ment, where for the fpace of three hours, I revelled in the greateft hap- pinefs. It was four o'clock when I look my leave of niy pretty Spaniard. Her woman or female flave recondufted me the fame way back, till I knew where we were, when I gaivc her a piaftre anddifmilTed her 5 1 prefenily faw Balthazard It' 1 i 1 1. • V ' 1 • 1 i 1 i f, / ( '\ r M It r66 Voyages and Adventures of Balchazard who waited for me near Donna Sidonia's and conduced me to th^ palae€ by a privatjB way ; I rewarded hitn handfomely, afcendcd into my chamber and went to b?d. ;Ui- l^ k It was near eleven o'clock before I arofc, when J found ihat Mr. Prepont was gone out and had enquired after nie, of Tion Tion, who told him that I was not yet a wake. I went to make ^ vifu to Don Guzman, to thank him lor the favor He had done me, I told him thast I was to vifit Ponna Elvira every other evening, and he immedi- ately offered his negro whenever I had occafion for him. Mr. Prepont ,now joined us. Thus I) The Chevalier Dupont. 167 Thus my time 'paffcd for feveral (lays and Mr. Prcpont attributed my change of countenance to. my frequent bead-ach^, ithich I always Complained f)fMhen I wanted to fct Donna Elvira^ and hever fqfpefted fatigue being the caufe. There had more than a week cbpfed now, firtce Ddn Gazmait had Bndertodc our aflraiirs, wh^n onerfay he eame ^oiitforin ustha^we mightdeparc as foon as we pleakd and would sdvife us during dinner tiie feme day to demand our audience of leave: of bis uncle, and we (bould then know bow much he wi£hed to ferve us : he left 133 after thcfe words and we immediately refolved to a£t is he had advifed us.; VT 2^ Jl As 'I' f .'(- I? ; ■ ( , riff fi # I.' I n 1 'M ii t.. ■ l>! i68 Voyages and Adventures of As Toon as the deferc was ferved, we thanked ihc Governor for all his favors, we informed him that having received oiu: debrs and nothing further detaining us, we defired permiffion to take our leave. Don Guzman kept his word, and told his uncle that his prqfence being no longer neqeflary. at the Plavan- nah, he had a great defire to return with us to the cape, to take the advan- tage of the time, we (hould remain there to purfue the recovery of his bark, and as he (hould be glad to make fume prefents in return for the favors he had received, he defired his pcrmiffion to embark them aboard of our brigantine. The-Governor confented with pleafure and gave proper orders to the officers '\ of ■I'. ; 1 'K The Cbevaljdr Dvroj^r. . 169 of the port. Af(cr dinner (he uncle being retired to take bis nap, the ne^ phew gave us an account of the mer- chandife he had purchafai for usy amongft which were twelve fine young horfcs about four or five year's old each, four of which, were dapple greys, two chefnuts, and fix black, with twenty young tnules % the reft confided of co^ coa, Spaniih tobacco, wedge gold and gpld duft, with fome other things of lefs value, he then informed us that his going with us to the cape would ftdlkatc the embarkation of the cargo, which would have perplexed us very much, independent of the expencc and the rifque v^e ihould have run \ and befides he faid, if be was happy enough Vol. H. I to i f if i-A M n / f / ) "s m 170 Voyages and Adventures of to recover his- bark, he would do us fome new fervicesat Porto Rico, where he would go with us; that he had many friends and 'acquaintances there, to whom the goods in the bark were liirefted, which gave him fome uneafi* nefs he faid, as the bark and her cargo were worth five thoufand pounds. He finiflicd with faying, that he would himfelf fpeak to the officers concerning the embarkation, which he would order to begin that very evening; , Mr. Prepontand myfcif agreed to go and lie aboard the next night ; but when I was alone I r^ecolleftcd that I had thai morning promifed Donna Elvira to fup the evening before my * departure m The C^Qvalief ; D4;t»0NT. ; 1 f i departure atongwah her; therefore I immediately went to kek Balthazard and ordered hicn to Itt me know as foon as bis matter returned. I was with th« Governor and Mr. Preponr, when the negro came to me, I imtnediatcly arol'e and dt fired Don Guzman to engage Mr. Prepont to let, n^*. pals the evening of themorrow nig^hc with him afliore and we would join him aboard at feven o'dock the riext morning ; ic was not difEcuk to find out the caufe of my re- quefl: and he confcnted with pleafure. The embarkation of our goods, catile rnd forage, for them being finilhed by noon the next d^]^, ,we paid pm laft vific to our correfpondents. .^J^/JtvPre- I 2 pont '■■^\M f ' [i I f '! ' I..! J 1/ ■m I 172 Voyages and Adventukks of pont went aboard at feven o'clock, and I waited for night with the greateft ini- patiences P went to Donna Elvira's where I paffed one of. the happieft of my life^ We parted at! fix in the morning full of love and regret, when (he gave me a bracelet of hair, the work of her own hands, in which was her pifturc fct in diamonds, which I preferved till the fatal nwmcnt that I was robbed of that and my liberty to- gcther. I returned to Don Guzman about feven o'clock in the morning and he went with me direftly aboard of the brigantinc: as foon as we arrived we weighed anchor, falutcd the fort ' ' with A^. Il' The GhevaKel? Dupo!#t* Vi with ninb guns and failed for Cape Franyol^r The ifle of Cuba,, of which the Ma^- vannah is the capital town, is fituatcd at the entranee of the gnlph of Mexico ; it is two hundred and fixty leagues in length and about forty in breadch, it was difcovcred by Chriftopher Colunv- bos in the fifteenth century. It hafi^^ fevcn jDfovincts "'and four principal towns, befides other ^arge ones, with feveral ports, bays, capes, or head- landi Thefe is a mountain in this ifland from which there is a conftant exudation of lava or bituminous mattery there are likewifc feveral mines of gold I 3" ' and ; iiti ' V , i; i N 174 Voyages and Advsntu .es oi and copper 5 the foil is good and very fruitful. The Havannah which is the capital' -of the ifland, is fituaued on the north fiJe of it, in the latitude of t vy en ty- three degrees and nearly pppofite to Floridaj ,i(s port is very much celebrated t it is fo well fortified both by art and nature, that tjiis place-was thought impregnable, 'till the Etiglifh in the laft war convinced them of the fiUacy of the fuppofhion. On each fide of the port are two narrow ppints, upon each of which is ercfted a fort j the one is called the Moro^ which has upwards of fixiy brafs guns, each twenty- fpurpounJers-, above th( *!,! The Chevalier Dupont. 173 thefort i&erefted a very high tower, in- which there is always a Gentrnel kep% who is relieved every three hours; his duty is to difeover veflcls that are making for the port and to give a pro- per fignal to exprefs the nuiDber of them to the garrifons and inhabitants of the town •, the other fort is mounted v/iih forcy guns. The entrance into the port between thefe two points is fo very narrow that only one veflel can enter At a time, as the channel has a great num- ber of rocks on each fule ; but it be- comes wider by degrees and forms a biy capable of containing a thoufand veflels with fafety, as they are Oielrered from the wind by the neighboring mountains. Though the town is not v/alled round, i I 4 ic Ifi I? !•:' !"„i '■■ :ij ' iiH |i i f > ^ I ,11 "f ^ !fi!? 176 Voyages and Adventures ot k is very ftrongon the land fide, having two baftions and a fore at the en* trance into ir, which guards it from all Ihrprifc ; the g.irrifon in the town com- monly coniids of fifteen hundred or two tlH)ufand men. The town is nearly circular and 13 mofc than a league in circumference } the Areets are fracious, the bQufes very i»ea^ well built and elegantly finiflied "wirhip, and the inhabitarits are very rich. The trade is coofidera-ble, as '| the Spanifhflotas come there every year* The women are in general genteel, very [retty and very amorous^ There is a Uiffiap that always refides in the town. Brides thp.xatbcdraJ, there are fcveral The Chevallcf Dl/^^i^T.* 177 piridi churches, fevcn convents for mert and three for women. There wefercckonedlco be four him^ drcd Spanilh families in the town at that time, befides the French and Por^ tuguefc that ate eftablifhcd 'there. 'Eher^ are great plenty of fruU tr^eJl iflthe ifland, with timber proper for fheconftruftion of veffels. There is alb- abundance of game,, the flefhof which, i^^txcelkfit* l^is iflJnd pfoditeei gfeat quantity' of fugar, cotton, gVrtger, Caflla, cinna- fnoft,. indigo, maife and tobacco, which is" the belt that auy of the Spanlfh cclp- l5 5^ ^^^^ 1 f m i^r f t I ■i ' ■> / ! 1 y h' 1 If i V pwan If 178 Voyages and Adv ent.uk es of nies produce^ with every kind of herb and fruif, the growth of v/arm latitudes. They have great quantities of live cattle jn.,this ifland, which bu^ few of ihe other iflands have. . ,^ . ,,,, Though th^dift-ince is fo (hort from the Havannah to cape Francois, we did.noc aFrive,.ihere till the thirteenth day from pur departure, owing to the contrary winds we mej: with. As we did. notanqhor at cape f rancois till nine o*clock in the evening, we lajtfl^at night aboard and went afhore the next morn- ing to wait of' the Governor. As ibon as M, Roche AUard faw, us,, he cried QUf,; " Ah 1 i fdid not expeS you fo " foon : . w{iar!:have you finilhed your . " affairs The Chevalier Dupont.' 179 " affiiirs already ?*' We gave him an account of all ihat the Governor of ihe Hav^nnah had done for us froim confi^j deration of him) which had very much' contributed, to fhorten our abfi^nce..- We mentioned the rcftoration of the-- bark, But could not fay any thing very particular j^ he 5vas going to mafs, where we attended him.. After dinner Mf; Prcpont and myfwif went to pay a vifm to Mrs. Arvillon, vyhcf^ boufe and ouc.i QfficQS were now, more neccffiry than. Ijtfore to ftore our. cargo in. that we, had brought from the Havannah. .... • Upon our anrivab at her houfc we found things very much changed fince our, abfcnce; Svlyia. informed us. that her. aunt i . i. V' I '. s w 1 I, i r 1 3o Voyages and Adventures of aunt was dead and (he inherited all (lie died worth. When wc propofcd to take her houfe, with the liable, (which we had not taken before) flie was not willing (he faid to let them upon the fame terms as formerly, that fhe (hould infift upon ten piaftres a nrvonih more, \f^kK tae refer ve of a room for her owa u(e to which (he might come and gp whenever (he pleafed •, wc were obliged lo comply with her propo&l, extrava- gant as it was, for we couKJ get m> other 5 therefore wc foon afterwards took our leave and retv>rned ab(>ard. i. > f Nil I ''•'H, s Mifs Arvillon, for fkt had quitted the narnc of Sylvia fince the deaih of her aunt, was at ihc. houfe the next day ® w ■ — ■ > . » The Chevalier DupoNT. i5i day by the lime wc had got afliore. We paflTcd throi^gh the market and Mr. Prepont returned aboard to order ih^ carpenter with fome boards aliiore to put out houfe and ftable in ^ cofidicior^ capable of receiving our borfes, mules,' and other merehandife. During his abx' fence, I aflced Mifs Arvillon, if flie had: fucceedcd to any thing confidcrable, fhe anfvvered, tbac her forcime confided of that houfej the fimall one ffte lived in^' fovea or eight negros and fome lixile,' money •, but (he (hould be very eafy, ftie fold, if flie could always kt her houfc, but that was an opportunity that happened but fcldom ; I enquired news of her little coufin, ft.t told me^^ that fincc ibc death oi her aunt, the had B t -. -'^^ "! % '■-1; Hi- un !» ? :■ i I .) ' if IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^O <. .*\^ 1.0 1.1 ■a 12.8 125 lU u U£ 12.0 m >-25 |l.4 ||.6 < ■ 6" ► V / y Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MStO (716)E73-4S03 "^f^^ '^ ^ >% 'IJ m^M v * : I I r!t, tJz Voyages Jnd Anv^SrUiREs of bad'Tived wirh her^ and if I did not fe^ bcr the preceding everting, it wa^owirtg' IP hep i>o^ ,bcii)gdrct|grnerf ;froni her ^d:(he=eng^gfldtWl^'.bcfor€ ipaifiiiag toj qoctie to ftp hef fon)^;imes and dine, with hir, ttlHilg .mdjhatl flipuld enjaiy. aU the lib«r;y(tr£Qwld?dtfffrfe i];. T ] •loWhfcrt Mn-Prepont rcrarrtfd with ihe* tiic ftjible,: jpyflMcli. jvpuld then j&ont^in^ oi^Jy ;ei^«^ho^e?,l,jfofmg??l>^a5 to ^n>ak^< if.i^ap$blc7f>fhold4R& tsyfil^;,i:fei ^r^ qcf-^' bif^i^lfoip ^pqi the flore-houfe i^v a condiiionno hold the^ mules, to furtvi*^' if WJth;fftcl^^nc^^evfryi;|i^i|g proper %. theco[iy;|ni{ the ^' coafter i though that fum may be *^ confidecabtet be had better agree to ^^ give 4r, jt^an Jofe the vib^lc value.? We fcpinqded witt^ hi^ opifiupn and jre/« tired 10 confer with Don Gu^^man, who ■'. Tea- , I !■ :', ii 1 : 1' . .- ' 1 fi. 1- : ^^i '] ' I) i;, f : m'r' hi if . i\\ igS Voyages and Adventures of Mlk\y ne4]Mr* Guignard ¥' The Cbcv^Uer Dupowt./ 191 11 . Guignard in the cofts of the foit \ in conrfequcncc of which he received the two thoufan^ piaftres and Don Guzman cftecmed himfdf vefy happy in being rcleafcd for that'fum. I • •>. . ; t During this interval I went fome* times to Flaciere,- but nevtr ftaid dinner 5' not Wirig ^Ifeg to occafjon Mr. Pre- pont to reproach me again, whofe knowledge of iriy intrigue with both thofe girls; I only* feared on at?-' count df Mrs. Nt)rfoy ; but I wa* very far from forefeeing at that tiriic what happened on . rnf itturn "from • Jamaica. ' •^*'";~» '- : -<"■'<''» ■ ' ^wd'^RlT v*^^! >^ J •'*\^r-^.^^f^iU -i-^rj All* hm. ■ f I :• ■. •f '.!; '-hi 19a Voyages and Adventures of All (he atTairs of Don Guzman be- ing thus concluded, we agreed to depart in two or three days for Sr. Juan dc Porto Rico and that he (hould order into our brigantine all the efiefts which were in his bark, which he fhould leave at the cape till our return and afier* ^ards fail in her to the Havannih and in cafe of any thing happening to us, he ordered fix of his Spamfli failors aboard of the brigantine. As we were preparing to depart there arrived in the port a bafrk from Fort St Pierre, be- longing to M. Larcher who comman- ded her. On his paflfage he had met witli a dorm, which injured his veflel fo much that they could with difHcuhy ke^ her above w^ter till they reached the r- V The Chevalier Dupont. 193 tp the iQand ; Mr. Prcpont propofcd to take his mercantile goods with him and offered to allow him fifty pounds out of every hundred pouiKls profit, v/hich fliould arife upon an average from the whole ; and in cafe he met with any accident, he would pay half the price of the goods according to the invoice. This propofal equally favorable to both parties was agreed to by M. Larcher, and he ordered his goods to be fent aboard our vcflcl •, they confifted of cailicoes, thread of all kinds, linens, muQins, laces, hats, taffeties, fattins and about a hundred pound's worth of crude mercury or quick-filver which latter ar- ■'» ■ licle was generally very profitable. Vol. II K About ; r ' ■ •f^^hf' ll'fr :!:n-.'^ t • f- 1 % |!f 'Z ! ■ If I ^ I) i ' I'll I hi I9.4 Voyages and Adventures of About a month after our arrival at the cape from the Havannah we failed for Sc. Juan de Porto Rico under Spa- nilh colors ; noihing material happened in the courfe of the paflage and on the fourth day we anchored in the port of that towj, the capital of the '(land of the fame name. :i''i m^ - 1: 1^1 Don Guzman ordered his Spanifli Tailors into the boat and went afhore with them, to pay a vifit to the Gover- nor, who was a great friend of both his uncle and him ; he had b<"?n informed of the capture of Don Guzman*s bark, and he irnmediately acquainted him with bis recovering it again; but not being fit fo; fea, he continued, be had been obliged - li. VENTURES of /The Chevalier Dut^owf.' 195 obliged to hire our brigantifre t6 bring his cffcfts to the place of tneir deflfria- lion, and he defined his permifllon to land them, which he obwfneid without any diffictJhy. ' Dbn Guzman deTcf- lafeosf hired ^ ftor^-hdlife, wh^f^ lie ordered all tte merchandife both hisowh and burs, to difpofe of (Herri, tie ftcxc day foofe lis ^tl^ hitti toT tfte Goveryi^^ who received m very c6of/ and woufd fcarcely pefmif us to cdme afhor^ arid ndf by^i^ mefi^ilutfci'' us^tii Mp^^h. night dn the Ififairrd. fcbtt Guzttlaii v^^^'s flat willing to crrj^e him tbo muc% lekft he (hould give diTcnde to that Gdvcffiof, wh6 was very proud and fafpiciou^ Re'er«crtiinW\^ iffipiiCahk haVfecl w I !' .1 i ; ,m i^hi'M'^ IV F ^'^' *l^ . 1 - ! i 1 ; .,, , , ' ' I* I ■]♦■ ! i ' ... if , n i\ :i 1! I m h t"':d f-il .ii f-''i\> iH- tg6 Voyages and Adventures of }■ . ■ ..... - . againft all Frenchmen and had even an averfion to the name. ■■•li: ^ St. Juan de Porto Rioo, is fitaated on the north fide of the; ifland of the fame name, it is about four fcore leagues from ,St. Domingo ; it is badly fortified, hav- ing neither walls nor ramparts, the ftreets are wide and long, the houfes well built, though plain ; the windows ^re not furnifhed, as they are chiefly in all the Weft-India iflands, with very Bne capvafs inftead of glafs upon account of the havoc the dreadful hurricanes occafion. They make the doors of their houfes very wide, in «rder that the air may penetrate more cafily^ to temperate in fome meafure, the f^\ H The Chevalier DupoNt, ^97 W' the excefllvc hear. There is ^ biffiop a conftanc rcfident in this place. The athcdraMs a piece of good ftrufturc, beautifully ornamentedi there are alfa- fevera! other churches. This town is well peopled, the inhabitants are rfch and carry on a ]arg€ trade 5 the ladies^ pretty, but Icfs affable than at the Havannah, out of the town, there is a very pretty and^a very rich convene of bcnediftines* The port of this town is fpacious and cbmrnodiouS, ^e anchorage very good and the vefS^Is are fafe as well from the violence of winds^ as the in- fults of enemies. It is commanded by a forr, furniflied with good artillery and K 3 a ftrong M 1' . (' \g% Voy^GEs and Adven^turiis ol .^' h II I / m ^ ftfong garrifon. There is alio anb- t.hef fore which is called Fort a Lezza, >vhich is a fccurity to the king'i trca- fibres. i\ fiwoJ eul 7 .*j:)n:>"nMl T^ /;Thi9. tQWfi fe th^ pnafl: .todfiderable ^iod the capital of -the whole ifland of yprco Rico, which was' difqoyjered to- \y.ar|3s (be erid of the fifteenth century, hf. Cbf iftppher Cpluoibuii % it is fi.uaicd between feventcen and eight€^n degrees^ of northern latitude ; i^ is about forty Ifagu-s in leagth froi:n e^ft to weft and at>oiLK t^efity-^wQ over iit th« wideft part 5 it i^, very n^punt^rH^us notwith- fta^iding A^hich Jf^ has £odie beautiful pJ^ins^ though not a^ great many. . The vaUies are fertile en. account of the rivers The Chevalier DupONT.' 199 rivers that ran through them : this ifland abounds in fugar^ cotton, rice, maize, coffee, &c. the wild oxen and cows are very plentiful and their flcfh Is a confiderable article of their trade. . Ic produces a large quantity of fruit trees, and other wood fit for every kind of m wojk. They have plenty of game and the fea and' their rivers afford thenfi abundance of excellent fi(h. There are fpveral mines in the northern parts of this iflatid that yield gold duft in a very confiderable quantity. The natives of this country who are almoft all catho- lics or at lead in appearance, are of the fame origin as thofe of St. Domingo, with nearly the fame difpofitions and cuftoms. . K4 • Ic ''■ I'll' M I i 4t : 'it 1*1 ■ffi k ! t.f • '#5 i ■> 200 Voyages and ADV.'^NTURES ot Ic was the gold dud ibis country aboui>ded wich that made the Spaniards fo very defirous to conquer ir. It is very difficult fgr ftrangers to trade itr this idand, much mor« fo, than in any other of ihe Spanifli colonies •, it is ne- ceffary for them to aft with great fub- tilty and prudence, and to be well armed to guard and protecl ihcmfclvcs from the violence that is commonly excrtcdby that jealous and imperiousnation againft all ihofe whom they can injure with im- punity. • Commerce is generally tarried on aboard veflTelsi as ftrangers arc never permitted to land their goods ; when they af rivef with a cargo, they fire a gun or two^ which fignifies that they Want to traffic with the inhabitants cf the The Chevalier Dupont. icri the ifland, (Kcreforc thofc merchants or others chat want to barter^^'^oAie aboard. It js neceffary for people that do this, to be well armed for fear of a (urprife and not to let toa mainy come into the veficl at once ; they ought likewife to keep a (harp look-out^ for they are the greateft thieves in the Umvcrfe and wilt convey away every thing they can lay their hands upon. ',-^ ■Vj, During the three and twenty day$i that we remained at Porto Rico, Don * Guzman exchanged our merchandife . ■ * -■ * for cocoa, wedge gold, gold dud and piaftres, upon which we made a confi- derable profit j be fcnt every thing of 7 ^^r.-^ Si ii^ ■ ■ ' v:^' m' i: i jzai Voyages and Adventures of his ov;n 2od, ours aboard at the expira- tion of that lime •. r? Ografrair$ being Bniihed and nothing requiring our day any longer at that |(lind, where we were very narrowly watched ; we weighed and failed for Cape Franfoiss, where ,by.a moft favor- able wind we arrived in fifiy-four hours after our departure frona Porto Rico. " * t t • - As fponaswc^anoertoananchorj we went aflhoce. to the • Govef no.r*s anr^ m- formed M* Roche Allard gf the great obligations we ^ye^e under to. Poo Guz- man^ That Spa^iiard who, roade^ every yea fas he coi>fefled ta us a very confi- '• ■■>. * dcrable ^m^:. The Chevalier Dupont. 203 dcrable trad'rg voyage, for his uncle's profit as well as his own ; told us that he fl^ould cfteem himfelf very happy, if he (hould afterwards have an oppor- tunity of ferving us and even to treat with us himfelf. We accepted his offer with the greateft pleafure, as by his meanji we (hould be fafe from fuf- picion. ■ ■1 1%: We began to unload foon after our arrival, and ordered our goods into the flore-houfc and fent Don Guzman's aboard bis bai^k.. That gentleiman con- - tinucd witS us three or four days longer -, after having given reciprocal marks of oiJr friend (hip ahd regret at parting, I defired him^ onkttown to Mr. Prepont la mP^., M t I PiM' I'M ' t| tffH. 204 Voyages and Adventures of to charge himL with a letter for Donna Elvira de Cufma, and to convey it to her rn the moft private manner; he fM-omifed n>e, embraced and took his leave of u^, went aboard his vefTcl^ and immediately failed for theHavannah» We ordere^d all the fugar which was in the IhaHops to be brought aboard of our brigantine, as they wanted to be cleaned. Wc fettled our accounts with Captain Larcher and paid him the half of the profits arifing from the fale of his goods V we paid him alfo bajlf the profits ariHng from the iale of the quicidilver which was very confiderable we (hould not have taken that article if Don Guzman had not been.withus, frgm tl^e great rif^ues run in the offering it to I The Chevalier Dupont. 20^ ]f tofale; as that branch of trade is rc- fcrved entirely to the king of Spain. During our (lay at the cape this thne I was informed by one of Mr. Prepont's negros, who was difTatisfied with the* lieutenant's treatments of him during our^ abferice at Porto Rico, that there was"' fcarcely a night t>aired during the tinfie we were abfcnr, that Sylvia and her confin did not lie at the ftord^houfe with Trainfort and a marine officer who was ' one of his friends. I was fo enraged at * this condudt, that I would not hear^> them fpeak in their own defence and broke off entirely ^5th both of ' thei^* I . : J : . i Hi About i\ i t ki M i if- ! 2q5 Voyages. and Adventures ot A'^out ^iglu or tea days after Don Guzman's departure, we took our leave of M. Roche Allard, weighed and failed for Ja arnica, ao ^Qind belonging to the Englifb V [ we arrived fafcly there and anchored in the harbor of J?ori Royal up(,icr ipreteftp; of taking in wood and watjer,ftfi«^r having prjcvioufly obtained thftj^pnicnt of the G.qy^jporof ^^e Fort, which, i& the bt'ft piece of fanification I^havefcen in America ^ irdtfcnds the entrance jmo the po^r. 'This pore is, OH(^ pfjiht heft, fajcft aqd jaiioft eoinima- dious ia Anfierkra, •, It bas.gi.ven its name of Port'Rqyaltothe to^vfn chat is bu>U itfon a pcwnc.of Ifanri^y'Wc^ .fiE^rvcs to form the harbor 5 it is commanded by a very ftrong caftle, where there is a good ^vd* '^ garrifon The Chevalier DupoNTi-.- 207., garrifon and numerous artillery. The anchorage here is very good and ihe water fo deep ihat a vcffel of a ihoufand tuns burthen may lie fo, near the banks of the (hore as to load and unload by the mean? of a few boards without any trouble, which makes it preferred to alL the other harbors in the ifland ; there arrive .0i,crc!>ant$ here daifv, who have their ftorc-ho^/es. in the town and carry on a very great trade. The houfes are well, built, and they let very dear, oq account of ihe number of ftranger^ ilwts CQnftantly rcfor t there. , "W^e found ^ merchant in this towr> who was a Fiench refugee v he inrormecf us, thcra were feveral more at $u Jago dc . ' ,.! !!;.!," :ii ! 't f -4i "i'm IM'j'U ' .iR ;■• .«;' I' ' I . ■^■-r 2o8f VoTAGES and Adventitres of de la Vago,. the capital of the ifland about five leagues diftance, where he was going the next cv*cning; we re- folved to accompany him, efpecially as he offered to Tend us horfcs. This town is (ituated on a pretty pTain, upon the banks of a river; it is large and very populous and the (Ireets fpacious. The houies are neat arta well buiit, the fituation of the place very beautiful and lias fevcral fine walks, but that they calF the Havannah is the moft frequented. The ladles in 'general are genteel and handlgme, and their affability and vi- vacity make them very agreeable com- paivy. The Governor of the ifland and thje principal judicial ofScers cbmnionly make this town the place of tneir ren- dcnce. |ft--t !■ The Chevalier DupoNT. 209^ dcnce. It b very cxpenfiirc livings » efpecialty at the ta'^erns ; •' W remained ' feme days here and contradled many ac-' quaintances amongft the French refugee » merchants $ it was decerniined that im-^ mediately; upon' cur returrt to Port RoyaV we fhould weigh and fail out of the porr, and purfuc our courfe till we' had loft fight of it ; we wer^ then to lie > to (a terrtvufed by lea-foiing people tdf exprefs making no fail) aricJ vtrait fur tfce' merchants we had contrafted with, who' would join us in a few days with their bark. They were very exafl", for orl the (econd riight after our departure, w^^' knew them by the fignal before agtedd^ upon, and as the fca was very calm and fmpoth, we exchanged our goods with cafe ■jii&l ■ 1 ;>■ t iJ U ;i- :i I t 210 VoYAGE5 and ADVENTURES of rlf ! ( djze, we h«4 j|bo^rd| 4a4 ^bej^gave us in exchange, cocoa, leather, fotne pieces of ftufF made with ilie bark of a tree, which they call agctto, andfilyecin ba;rs. Irtoolc as mach: tobaocorof ji'hia fcoHnuy* which is ve^y fioej ^JW llnotfntfd t* the value of fifty Span! fli pi/loks and won- dered why Mr. Preponr, wfeo kjnew the gre^t pr^fit^Jf rfii;eiv;^d ifoixi-the fa!e of t^l .J brcHJght f^pm Sf. VincentV w0iild not pCirchafe any fbt* himfelL IK, .Hi it JamniCfi if one of tho largeft Klands in tiw ^eft-Indies, djfcpvere^ jby Chrif- tpfjiw.CQlqnii^a^ at th«!.e(?4 reif the fif- teenth century.. Ic belongcct to Spain 3t firftj but is now in the pc eflion of . . * th2 The Chevalier Dupont. 211 the Eiigliflrv it is ^bouc one hundred and forty fiv?; leagues norch Orf; ihe co(i- tincnt of America, fixteen fourh of. the; ifland of Cuba and tvyency weft of St. Domingo. Its figure is oval, it is about fifty league^; -long, twer^ty wde and one' hundred andfif^y^ in circuic^ It is divided by a ridge of very higl^ oipunrains running fropi ,eaft tp wefty which extend from one fhore tq ^iq other, and fupply the ifland with great p!et)ty of riv^rrs'i there are a great many plains filled with herbs whicH fcrve ff^ feeding the cattle* , ; ^< i Hi } >, ■»• ■ J t li 'r -O ThsVir is very healthful, and mott temperate ihaa in any of the adjacent ifless the beat here k not fa exceffivo^ and ;-l 212 Voyages and Adventures of r! ■ It >' Lil^l" and the ifl'and is very muth refrcQied by dews in the night and fcti breezes in the day J the hurricanes are much Icfs frequent herei ;hin in the other iflands. ' The rivers are ne* iMigable, but frequently over- flow and make incon- ceivable havoc, from the rapidity with whith tkey defcend from the moun^- tains^ .•1 ^^ The land in getieraf is very fertile; it f^roduces fugar, cotton, cocoa, in- digo, coffee, marzei ginger and the other articles of the Weft-Indies. They have great plenty of oranges, lemons, citrons. Sec. with all other tropical fruits. The woods in this Ui; ifland The Chevalier Dupont. 213 ifland, are very beautiful and produce the kinds proper for dying, houfe tim- ber, fhip building and various other purpofcs. There is a tree here, ,th€ bark of which is ufed in making drcffcs for both gentlemen and ladies. There are plenty of ganic in tbis ifland, iuch as partrldg^js, teal, plover, &c. Thzj have not many voracious animals or ve^ Domous reptiles, the only creatures they ^ave to fear are the crocodile, the (hark and the alligator $ this latter is an am phibious animal as well as the crocodile, inhabiting jthe rivers, ponds, and mea* dows -, they are from ieven to ten, fifteen, twenty and even twenty-five feet in lengthy their feet ferve them both to walk and fwim; the^ are aftive in 'i;- their I it to i, I 1: :i I i-H |i hi j;^ iAi'-^' :■ §h ■■:n i ij'' ; i ■si J>[ 4 [1 ■•'^*i ki4 VOTAcfes and Adventures of itbcir motions, but turn vinth difficulty as they have no vertebra: or joints in thelHhHftck; thciT back and fides are tovered with fcalcs that arc impenetra- bfe and it is not pofliWe to kill them, but by wounding them cither in the eyes QV Under the belly i. they will at- tack mei* when f try hungry, but they wrt fondeft of the fl«(h of bcaft^ efpc- daily the horfe and the dog. Their eggs are like thofc of rurkies; they draprthein uponptbe imi as tfae turtles do and the wacnith of the fbn liatcbes tliem $ their Isr i& heki in great efteem for the relteif of i gouty aiK) iheumaiie l^iko* Their geacrEUive paits* fmelH ftrcbglyfof.tnaft:^: whic&6fienid«piiiv^es iheETO of their prejri;. v thar odour "^hd: dif- difcovering ihcm and makirig all ani- mals feck their fefety in their flight. " 'ni'ii:(\ i; V ,: f\ m 'y. i ni The fea arrd the^ rivers %ftor^ ptcrtty of cxcclfent fidi and' ehcy feave abundance of turtles. They have likewife ereit plenty 6f Jittf <*at?le, Which arc very deltjcious food ^nid their hitks are a confkleraWe^^rrtd^ of Gartjmercc iit this ifland. - \ ' . ■ ^ . ; Tiris ifiand %ai fiwW t6#lis, and'^ greap many excellent harbors anid bays. I? h divided ima cighffcei^ 6r twenty jurifdidrorw, and is exceedingly populoos. * J • ; ^ \ ./ i . i i » The *-i: M : I 1 1 1^: iiiH ■ I' ; m J • I ■ f nil- |a^ Voyages and Adventures of 4irThe day afta- our, reparation from our /merchants and about nine o'clock in the mdrning, we perceived a veflel ^croud^d wich^Uthe fail (he could carry, • bearing down upon my (he appeared to be a very faft failpr and had the weather ^gage-qf qs ^ we cook, it to be a Spanilh Tcoafter ^t firfl:, which was giving us chafe ; therefore not ;43eing able to gee away from her, we lay by and waited for her coining up with us. As foon as ftl\cy wer^ within gun Ihpt they hoifted .Spanifl^ colours, we hoifted ours -, they •Jnunediately gave us a broad-fide, which '^id not touch us, bawled dpwn their Spanilh enfign and put out the black Hag, ordering us at the fame time to .JSrjke and they would give us quarter. We t: The' Glievalier Dcpont. 217 We found then that we had to deal with a pirate. As wfe were well armed and had our decks cleared and every thing ready for an engagement, wc did not think proper to ftrikc; therefore we put on a ^chearful countenance, re- turned their falute and poured in a broad4ide df nine guns, in one of which was a chained bullet, which drbck our enemies niizcn maft and ^ brought ic down by iWbbard. They gave us a fccond, by which one of our Tailors loft a leg, wc'/tetumed the falute, but as their fcip carried more guns than ours, we bore dd#ri upon ihcm and gave them a difchdrge of our fmall guns *, we then threw aboiirdctii^'grappling irons and chains slnd poured ii) abundance of hand V05L. 11, L gra- \'f n^i i II,,. Ml ■j • t ' r i 'V, ■. ^ <■ 1 Kv Mif' :i;>,':-s 196 Voyages and Adventures of granades, which confuftd them in fuch a manner by the havoc they made, that ihcir deeks were prefcntly cleared: Mr*. Prepont perceiving their difordcr and fc^r, cried out,. " Come on my .** lads, cpme on, let us board them, •* have good cheer my lads." Our mate armed with piftols ia his belt and a)battle axe in bis hand and iviio was be- fidts a very bcavc fellow,, was the 615ft man that Iea(ied aboard and was imme- diately foilowedby thegreatefl: part of rthp *crevy»; Thiqy tnadc sjn . iiicced Iblc ^ 5Uiriiage^dt>rif}g 9 few i;ni^ut^$ and in a i qii^rter ^fafibiQMtr became; mailer^ of the r vcfleli it was tinac.tlji^y iJi4:fof our i crew began to dwindfc.^ry mpcTj j for i jout of: forty^firt^ieo to^ri r that ©ur coip- -mii . . I . plemcnt « The Chevalier Dupont. 193 pletncnt confided of when they firft at- tacked us, there now remiiq^d only twenty-five. The complement of (be enemy confided of fixty, forty-fix of whom wfr^ flain. We attributed this viftory to the death of their captaini who was killed on the difcharge of our fmall armsj whpfe (}^^t|i was immcdi- diatcly followed by th^t of the officer who fii^ceededihinfj in the cpmipiin;!, which threw ;he whole Kjpmpany into a confternatjon and ocqafioned ip all pro- bahilitythcjpl^gf^ljjq^yfj^^^ We, ordered th? f9'^rt^?0 W*en f be^t rfi- pi^iniBd ^^ive into our brigapti^e, ,?ind at rt^l'Aw^ fW^ o'fjercd tep pf ibeff^ p belafhed tp^^be m^^n maft \ but they ei^bcjr J^t tfewftl^es or jji:m;ipecl into "r La the 11 f i! >■ ;i't ■ J III! i'l' Mi- i ■V'^ m ' 220 Voyages and Adventures of the fea whcrb they were cither drowned or devoured by (harks; we put ihe other four into irons and lafhed their veflfcl 10 oufSi in which we found f inde- ' pendant bf aniunitioti and flVips pro- * virions) in money, gold birs, gold duft and different kinds of commodities to the the value of about Eve thoufand pounds ;' withbut reckoning what was taken by our feamfen, in fpite of all the precautions we took to pti^irti their pillaging, which as we afterwards un- ''dcrftck)d, amounted to a very confidcra- ble furh. Wc then coniihucdour rout to 4he cape, where we anchored the day following' it three O'clock in the after- noon. Wc went afliore to the Gover- nor's, whore we informed M. Roche -^' -'-i . Allard i.. .! \ ; \ The Chevalfer DupoNT. 221 • Alliid of what had happened i we like- wife gave in an account of ic to the ma* rine office, and after all che ceremonies re- quifice in cafes of fuch a nature, which took up a confiderable length of time, the marine office proceeded to the con* demnation of the veiTcI and cargo, and the four men that we took aboard were broke alive upon the wheel. As foon as we were cleared of this trouble, we beg&n to think fcrioufly of our return to Martinico; and though we made all the neceflary preparations for that purpofe with the greateft dif- patch, we met with a further delay by two u^forcfeen cv^^nts. , , ?dl?l.l: r'tiv'/^'! )vnn L3 One • i 1* % ! ^ : ; ■\- ) - >M '■ip •I: > M lij 2 CO Voyages and Adventures ot *!l' i; 1:1: im ■ )'• It , v^ I ? ? ■ II. . '-J ' i ■ » llLli llf * ■ t» One day as Mr* Prcpont and myfcif iftit returning from the Gpvcmoi^s^ v^h'ere we had been to dinner, and as we #ere Entering into our ftorehoufe a flifit^gei' catiic up to u^ and aflced Mvblch of us wa« ftanfted Ghevdrlier Dupont. As fbcti asl had informed hwtt I was the per- fe*r, he dfcw a paper ftonfi out of his pockcf, on which he vi^rote two ^drds^^ and prefcnting it to me with a very low bow, firid, he hoped that I Would not be offended at him for executing his office ; rliat he was a baiUff, and in that quality he took the liberty of Informing methat there was a bill for fcdodlion filed againfl: me by Sufan Ronce, aged about fixreen years, whom I had abufcd under pretence of marriage, and had lefc with child be- fore The Chevalier 'Dupont, *97 fore my departure for the Havannah, and in'confequence of fuch bill, he fhea cited me to appear before the court in three days to aafvvcr, &c. &g. Ho then withdrew. I found myfclf fci much agitated #ithr different (enfations^ that irnfefi I had defifed Mr. Prepont'a aflBftartce, who, together wFth his Lieo-- tenant, had coi^v^yed me to my bed, I fbodd have dropped down, Notwith- ftanding the vinegar and every other means ufcd for my recovery from my IWoon^ I did not come to myfclf till a rurge6n ha^ opened a vein ^ a fever and a delifium (i^ccifcded this fit to To violent a degree, that the phyfreian, whom Mr. Preportt hatf ftht fori ordtred me to be blooded agarn tt) a confiderablc quan*^ 1-4 ^^Y 1 ■ 1', r 1 * ' it \ '!*> % rl f^i ^i M l\ il In I I 1 1:1 I I 1 i » h :)', ■ m I ' Mil' • ii y H a 2^4 VoY;^GES and Adventures of ■ 4 iuy,ai9d informed Mr. Prepont, that if the {tvtv did not decreafe in twenty- four hours, I (hould in twelve more be adprf^ing loft more blood. Towards evening I was fomcwhat bet- ter, , my ^-ver was decreafcd, apd my me '\< i J-. I J. Vv. The Chevalier Dupont. 225 ,1 1 i mci^ompoftd, Afked me to give him aa account of tl^e ^ afl'air^ that he might remedy if, if poQible. I related every, thing to him with the greateft fincerity,, and did not omit theriipfl trifling cir-' cumftanccj but vil^n he found that I bad not giyisjn ai?y promifc^ in writings he feriTi6d hj^ppy 5 dnd fo far ffom re- proaching me, as many weaker people would have done, he comforted me, de- ficed nie not to make m'yfcif uneafy,> alTurcdlmc that L ifboiild receive' ntij trouWe fronj theaflfairj^/and faid he wou^ci go and inform, the Govcri^pf to dcfire him,, in qafti.of n.eceSty/ to interpofcv his authority :; though aftei: all, he faid, he fcarc^ly thouglu i^ ii(e<|e0ar;y. Thar good friend did not .fiiffer me to lan-^ guilh alone, but returned to me in about liL,i> Vi -'' m 1 ^ I i I- i' ■ 1 1 ! hs r ' t • !i f ' rr* 204 Voyages and Adventures of 4 • about an hour, and informed me, that I might abfolutcly de()end tipori the pro- leftion of Mr. RcicKe Alkrd •, but he quite cotTipofcd my mind when he gave me his word of honor that Mrs. Nor- foy Ihoeild' bdver Kt infornfted of ir. This affurahCc, togdther wiih a ftfong conftitution, t)€rf^dlly re-eftaWi(hcd my health in a few days^ * I then thought it neceflary to ac- quaint Mr.* Prcpoht with what I krvew of the connexion becv/eei^ bis Lieute* nam and Mifs Arvillon^ I informed him of the manner how ! fir ft found is out, nor did I conceal frotti iiim what his negro had informed me of before my departure for Jamaica, whkh had been the. caufe of my breaiking off my €onne£tioo nkh thofe girl;. I defired him t< The Chevalier Dupont. 201 him to interrogate the fellow coricerrting ivhac had paflfed during my abfence be»- tween Mr. TFainforr, his friend, and Mifs Arvillon and her coufin. He did thi« fo eflFc£tually, that he learned more than necelikf to difi:over that they vrere true libertines and fufficient to prove jr,. if thqf were jobftmatfe ua Continuing the proccfs. He went to fir^d them, and intimidated them: fotnucb^ that he car- ried MiftRonqe to a Notary's, wh^re flie Sgned an order to ^ichdr^w the writ ; i^erw^rds he prefented her w^btw^eaiy^ five SpaDifh piftoli38 for the expcnce of her lying-in. Thus he; terminated: an- apfaic that occafioned .me much di%eft/ and trouble, and he never afterwards . -v; mentioned it to me again. He per< ceived; V !! I::'!- m 11 i \ M 228 VoYAGEs'and Adventurfs of ceived that it wbuld be a' very good lef- fon, and indeed it prefcrvcd mc from loch ftrapes a long timc^ i .ii,l ; r.. '. As foon as I was able to go our, I accompao ied Mr^' Ptepont, to the Go- vernor^, to tfaank hini/ for i the good will he had teftified for tne; lie laughed, a ad was very merry over the affair. After dinner wc returned to the ftore- h The Chevalier Dupont. lig than ten days to run, • was juft upon becoming a bankrupt, and if be did noc come and purfuc the proper meafures he would lofe all his money, as the mer- chant fcemed prep.iring to decamp. Mr, Prepontaflced me if I chofc to go along with him, to which I^ confer ted with pleafure i and as he deteripined tPgo by land, he hired a chaife, and ufed two of his awn horfes We went to dine at the (5^^rfvor> ihe (^ext day, apd M.. Ro(^c Allarfi gaye us ^ le^er . to the Governor pft^pgane, to defire hjm to arreft; M, Pu,mpi)^e if he refuCed to fa- lisfy Mr^ Preponr^ This is a prafticc chaQt$,|WhOf trade from ifland tojifland ifk qcfler to enable them to recover the value \>\ ''^: ■' f, ■ ^ , i I ->■ r.'-i ? i! ■11- 4 2o8 Voyages and Adventures of vali|C of their commodines> and not be obliged to wait the tedious forms of the law. We departed the next day, and Jay at Houpeliere, where the Chevalier and Mrs- D'Aubigny gave us a very genteel reception •• We had the utmoft rfifficuity to gain their conferit for our continuing our rout the day following,, ftor would ihcy confcnt until we pro- ryiifed to pafs two or three days* with thenv at our rctwn. We arrived on the fevemh day at Let^atiev and alighted at Mr. Lani^ucsf, who ha^ giVcti the in- teliigence of M. Dumond6'» failure to Mr. Prepont. We went the next day to vifit the Govetnor, to whorti we gave Mr. Roche Altafd% lettte He pro- ' The Chevalier DcjpoNT. 26^ mifed to do every thing in his power to fcf ve u^, and detained us \o dinger. i, I ...» V ' . After diir departure from the Govcr-^ ndVisi we wdnt to M. Dumonde, who certainly did not cxpeft us; Mr*. Pre* ponlt did riot conceal from him that he Had IH order fo arreft hint^ tl>erefore advifcd hrm' to finifli honeftLy witk him, to avoid a publick arreft, which W6uld infimcd'iately briiig^W Ms cre- ditors Upon hin^^ fo' thart it would beaf(t> itnpoffibilify for* him ever fo reco^rer himfeff. He dcfired Mr. Prepont to wait three days, which he eonfen ted tor v^y #iirrngly ; accbrciingfy we returned OH the, day appointed; he paid us in cocoa and money s be afterwards founded Mr. \' I tii.! ;/ m\ ■ 1' i I .A' I,; n i 'I h\ l'" In V i^ i'V ■ ! i 11; ' T-- 1^ .1 :ii i '' c! B' !■■ .•^M , ' ' day.s, H h'i <■■■ f> 1^ The Chevalier DupoNT* 233, % days, as we had promifcd the Chevalier^ who informed us that he had received, fince our departure, a letter from Mrs^. Bonneuil, which informed him that Mrs. Ey*Aubigny, upon the eve of mar^ rying again, bad been difappointC(^«| though (lie was ignorant how or by ^vhat means *» but her diArefs upon the occafipn bad been fo great, that jjle f^l^ into a languor which reduced her tq^ extreme weaknefs, and ordering a no-- tary to make her will, (lie had died be- tween her arms before (tje could Gga it;, that there bad been a feal4)ut t|pot^ all. her, eflcds both in the vown and country, and (he was ordered to writ« to her heir to take the nieafures ne- celTary in fuch a cafe. He added, that be W \ ^\ ■A \ i^ i )i iMr, n i« r nil ^ I .!'• ••J,*. i ■ 212 VovACEJ and Adventures of he ttioaght of going himfelf to France, furnifhcd with the ncceflary papers ^nd as his wife wa? pregnant, to leave her be- hind him with her aunt; that as foon as he had fettled his affairs, and made Mrs. Bonneuil cafy for life, as a reward fdr het* fcrvices; ht would return to his dear cbulin, for he continued to call h-u by that narme, in preference fo that of ^ife. We very mtJch approved of his fefolu'tion, and engaged him to take ihe advantage of the firft veffcl that failed for Francel We took our leaves 6f ihatamiablie couple and their aunr, amf arrived at tfie Gape on the twenty- firft day from otn: dcpatcure. " • The The Chevalier Dupont. ' idp The day after our arrival wc wct^t to the Govcrnoi s to thank M. Roche Al- lard for the prote£llon and afliftance he was wiUing 40 have afforded us if nccefiary« and at the fame tinie we de- livered him the letter from ih€ Governor : of Leogine. Wc inform';d him of the • news the Chevalier D*Attbigiiy bad rc*j ceiveid, and of hi& determination to &it for Fi:ance» The Governor approved: of bis dcfign^ After fomc little objec- tions we procured a paiTport for M. Dumonde (0 (ail with us (O Martinico,- where I . was certain of being able ta prV«;»ii!re him one to fail for Franc^f Weehi ployed the four or five days that we continued at tbeXape in em- barking 1# 'JlillV ' !. ^' %. '.'vl 'M > m li ■' i 1 f i ■^ ? ■ |i i' , ' H t! i ' I J t 'MS 236. Vov'AOEs arid Adventures of barking our mules, atid oiher commodi- tits, aboard of our brigantiixc and two fliallops. Wc fcnt Mr.Tcainfort toMifs Arvillon with the rent for her houfc, M;-Dumond6 arrived' in this interviil, and we, fent him immediately aboard of the brigaritiner The day before our departure we drncd with the Governor,^^ ahd took our leave of him ; he gave riie a lettfer for the Mai^-^uia de Gham- plgny, and we returned aboard that evening s the next morning we weighed art^lior Mnd foiled ' foir Martinfico. 01 tldf^ Tht iftaniil of Sf. DomStigo bfetengs both to the French and Spaniards, and is: certainly one of the largefl: iflands in the Weft-|ndies* U ii one hundred and , .^ ' fixty- ■^ i\i The Chevalier Dupont. 237 (ixcy-eight leases in leibgth from Eaft to Weft, abpuc thirty-five from North to South, (out hundred in cirCumftr- ^nb&i and>iif'the:ah§les arercckbhed it is nearifix, hundred rottncJ.r V* ,-il/. ;; :-'.i:".^' ^Tit l* ! AH the weftern part of the ifle belongs to the French, and the reft^ which is the lar^ft^nd befti tathe Spaniards.' The . pah :thc FretKfh ha^e 'is ^diVi^ed into the Sotitli and North diftriflifi, t^cH of JWhich h^si federal confiderable caWns, roads •andjhiirbwi- - •- - trjsaT .civ/(>j ivh IGape fr^fe?(As, 'Called akb CapcjTi- ttebon, j$ at' prefent the moffi :c6»fidcr- abfe. port, and the moft frequented of Isihy^' in - th^ |)ol8efllori - Of. ih6 Acnch ^in that m 1 !r . m •V i i >.; ii I ifci6 Voyages and Adventures of 'that ifland* Ic -is a kitid of bay^ and is very well fortified 5 it is upon the North fide of the ifland, and there isa confi- derable town built there now» which increafes veny much, though formerly it was but a fmall place, and was taken and burnt ftveral times by iht Englifli .and Spaniardaj bl^tHQw it i^ ?cry wfll fortified*/ nSTherfi ia^ ?■? O The Chevalier DupoNT. li^ t in poffeflTjon of ith« Frenchi Tlierc arc alfo in this town an intendanr, a com- miflary of the marine o/fice, a treafurer and^i^^t^itf qf the pw^ . sot: ^boiit two league^ frptn Cape Frarj- ^Qi§ tjicre 13 j^ fmall iA4Dd^ .fQnainQnIy called, Turtle IQai^d, from Its having the ap^pearance oftbiit animal at a flifi tance ; the French inhabited that iQ^nd before they went to St. Domingo, it is feven leagues ki. length and (wo wide* The north part is inacceflable from tl^e fea, tipon^count lof the v^fli number Df rocks, on that part of thecoaft li but the ibuih-fide, which is oppofite to the north point of St. Domingo h Very t;Jcar, Xhm is *i mowtnin tb«i5xt«?[4s.^Jr|i# I- ' iffi the "I i i. ! I ■■ . ■ ! ft it. m : i 1 ' -' >'' 1 '1 iiir ^'li I u '■■V m '■: 'n^^n I,! 1 • I. • t - rl \ I) ! ^24^ Voyages and Adventures of ^1 Prl^- hA '" !' f 1 i If inc Whole length of the ffland, dimi- 'nifliing infcnfibly and leaves about four W five leagues of very good land, where during the time ^itW^i 'Tuttivated, it produced the fruits and other articles comm6n to the tropics. Tnis iiwnd like wife pr6dac63 a fpecies of the cedar, and has great plenty of doves, parrots, fe?m/m &aft^^t^u^ ^itk^btcel. nMvM: 'LH J;- .1?: r^iiifl 1:3:-.; : ' ■-.; .jbiThere U very good anchorage in the port of this idand, which t^s a fmal! lortification, but there is great fcarcicy "-of ;^|rc(h tiratcr;^!? K> Titq :-.:-: '■■^:dr:m At a fmall diftance and nearly oppo- fit^ b tW^^fflirtd ill a^teWfl in Sf. I^^ ^' "* ' mingQ The Chevalier Dupont. 241 niingo, callcd-PortdcPaix; it is large, populous and rich. There is a church ferved by jefuits in the town and this fpot was the firft landing place of the French, from the fmall ifland oppofite to it; the anchorage is very good in the portaeJ the land around the town is the beft in the whole ifland and has feveral villas interfperfed ; there is great plenty of game and fifli. '■ w . Leogane, which formerly was only a paltry town is now the principality of the ifland ; it is fituate in an open crx- tenfive place, from whence the town derives its name ; it has a port extremely well defended. After it was conquered Vol. II. M by fe>:l f 1 » ,!■. ,1 •i ''^ vt \% '■: V 11 J'itR 242 Voyages and Adventitres of by the Spaniards at the end oF the fif- teenth century, it was made a princi- cipality, under the namie of Leogane, with a great extent of land on the Touch fide, in favor of a natural daughter of Phillip's the Third, King of Spain, who departed her life at this places Till within thefe fifty years there were the remains of a Callle to be di(tin- guifhed, which that princefs made her place of refidence, but there are now no marks of it left. It was fituated in a pjace they called the great Boucan, about three leagues frbrn Efterre, where the Buccaneers aflemble on their return from hunting, to divide the flcHi and fkins of the animals they have killed. This The Chevalier DtJPONT, 243 :| This plain is very cxtenfive and beautiful, having feveral rivers running through it. The lapd is good and very fertile, it procfuces all the articles common to thofe latitudes; there are alfo plenty of wood, the timber of which is fit for every kind of work. I The air here is but indifFerent, and even unwhoieiome for Europeans, by reafon of the greatnefs of the heat and the want of wind; thefe Joined uro- with ihe exccfs comtrion to me 'fi pcans, when they arrive in tliat ch'niatc occafion difeafes that carry ofi every year a prodigious number of peop )ie. M 2 Aboiit ^-^ V ■,p ^ 1 244. Voyages and Adventures of About the middle of the vale of .Leogane there is atown they call Efterre to which there is a road feveral yards ,\^ide and planted on each fide with a '■■""••'' i . '1 , -f , ,-^ . , row of citrons, which makes it very beautiful. a I'i 1 I fill 'it MW I' ' i mm This town has feveral ftreets in it, which are long and fpacious, the hdufcs are chiefly built of wood and no more than two flories high ; they are inha< bited by rich merchants, who have fpa- cious (tore* hou(es well filled. There are a great many artificers live in this place and there are a great number of taverns which are much more frequented than the church; thio latter is out of the town, built entirely of wood and ferved The Chevalier Dupont. 245 fcrved by Dominicans. The only coun- cil of affcmbly that was in the ifland before. die inftitu:ion of that at the cape was at this place *, the inhabitants are rich, affable, generous and fociable. The inhabitants of Sr. D:>minga, (when I fpeak of Sr. Domingo, I fpcak of the French part of it only) arc the greateft part of them acfcended from the ancient Buccaneers oF that ifland 3 ■ . , t . they are exceflively rich and equal noble- men in magnificence 5 but though their fortunes are immenfe, they fecure them- fclves from envy, by the good ufc they make of their riches and the univcrfai hofpitality they (hew to all ftrangers who come to the ifland, when they , >« . . , M 3 have \''\ '.^ \< k i I 1 I, iff! Mm |i N :,'". ' m it r I If I ?-'. m 246 Voyages and Adventures of have no friends or acquaintances. They are generous, a(!i\ble, ofHcious and compafTionare, and have more the good of the perfons in view, than the perfons themfclves whom ihey fcrve. However I blame them for the cxcefs in which they live, as their intemperance fre- quently cuts them off early in life. They are tall, well made, valiant, free, fincere and good friends and it feems, that the bravery fo much boafted of by their amcedors is hereditary amongft them. , The Ladies are alfo fair, genteel and handfome, but very whimfical, caprici- ous and inconftant ; but jealoufy is a diftemper unknown in that ifland 5 they > are The Chevalier bupoNT. are fprigh !y and agreeable, negligent and Indolent in all aft ions. . 247 j * but ;■ thief They feed their cattle chiefly upon what the negroes get out of the mea- dows and maize, which fervc inftead of oats; therefore as this is very cheap to ihcm, there are abundance of coaches kepr, indeed there is fcarcely an arti- ficer that does not keep his carriage. We had during the firft day of our yoyage from Sr. Domingo, a very fa* vorable, though light wind, which graduaUy died away and a great calm fucceeded, fo that we could not even rcfift the currents which carri:ed us out M 4 . of ,(•; If: f I II '\ 248 Voyages and AdventuxTes ct { :'{ 1;.. of ojr courfe antl towards Santa Cruz; j^c length, aficr having paflTed that ide, there came on a violent gale of wind which foon carried away part of our poop and our top gallant maftsj the thunder and lightening fuccecdcd each other alternately every minute, with but little rain and the fea ran mountains high, in fo much that we were every mi- nute in danger of becoming food for the (barks with which this fca iscroudcd; but happily the ftorni abated after fo- venteen hours continuation and we loft only one horfe and three mules aboard of the brigantinc ; but our fliallops fuffered confiderably : We were in fliort, fo much injured by it in all our veffcls, that we found it nccef- HI The Chevalier Dupont, 249 • - fary to put into St. Kitts to refir, v/herc we anchored in Baflcterre roa J the third day afccr the ftorm, having previoufly defired permifllcn of the Governor. We continued there ten days to repair our damages, and we employed the time in vifiting the different parts of the ifland. One day that we were goiiig to dine our, I favv a very rich and elegant fide faddle expofed to fale, to- gether with a bridle, with an elegant umbrella to fix upon the faddle, to keep off the fun*s rays. Thefe things thougli not quite new, h^d been uied only fix timea and could not be diftinguiftied from new 5 I was tempted to purchafe them for Mrs. Norfoy from their beauty' and elegance v I informed Mr. Prepont M 5 of ;^:!l•'l l|!:ri :1 k m V I lU ! 250 Voyages and Adventures of • ■ ■ of my defign, he approved of it and purchafed them for nic, for twenty-five Spanifli Piftoles, which was very cheap, as all the trappings were velvet fringed with filver, with Iilver ftirrup, &c. I bought a turban for Tion Tion my negro, and a filver Collar with other articles, to prefent -him tbgerher wich the handfomeft horfe Mr. Prcpont had to Mrs. Nbrfoy v which Mr. Prepont cheerfully complied with, as he thought my generofity well placed. >:.*l!. St. ChriftoplierS, or St. Kirt's, as commonly called, is another of the leward idands. It is fituated to the north of St. Barchotottiew^s and foutb of Nevis from whence it is divided by . a very The Chevalier DuPONT. 251 a very narraw channel ; it lies in the la- titude of 17 and 30^. It is about twenty- five leagues round and is very mountainous, though fertile and beauti- ful beyond dcfcription. This ifland pro^ duces all the commodities and fruits common to the warm latitudes. This ifland is well fortified and popu- loi'-6 ; i:h where 1 I iy' ri • Si: I i' 1 i" I ''I '. ' 'i^ t '<■ I 252 VoYAGHS and Adventures of where we arrived fafe, after we had . been fix months abfcnt from ir. - We aiade Mr. Trainfort come from one of the (hallops into the brigantine to take the command o£ her, whilft we went afhore ; we went firft to the Go- vernor's where we were informed, that the Marquis de Poincy had failed buc the evening before for Martinico, where he had been cited to appear by the council of that ifland. Wc then ad- journed to Mrs. Chanzy's, whom we found alone, and after teftifying her joy upon our return, told us, that her fon had failed in com[>any with the Marquis de Poincy for Martinicp, where the Governor General had or- dered In mmammmmf-'. The Chevalier Dvpont. - 253 dered birp, , jWithouc exprefling the caufc5 fhe alfo informed us, that her daughter Mrs. Norfoy was gone that day to her- brother^s houfe in the coun- try, where her prefcnce was neceflary and that (he would return the following evening. This delay not fuiting with my impatience, I defired Mrs. Cbanzy to give rne leave to go to her in the morning, isjnd at the farpctinie, defired fhe would permit me to prcfcnt Mrs. •Norfoy with a pretty horfe compkaily •c^aparifoncd . and ,a little, negro. Mr. .prcponi joined his cqtrea!tics,\yich mii^ and Mrs. Chanzy,-.whoknew thepurity of my intentions for her daughter, con- fented to our defires. We returned aboard and immediately chofe out the mod 1 1 SiOi '; 1 fv I' 254 Voyages and Adventures ot 'mod beautiful of the dapple grey hor- fes and fent him aftiore with hts accou- trements 5 wc fent alfo twelve pounds of tobacco that we bought at ihe Ha- ^annali and tw6 tdles of fonitr, that we bought at Jamaica, each roll weighing twelve pounds and fome of the bark of the tret proper for drefs^ We returned and fupped with Mrs. Ghanzy, where I !ay that night antf Mr. Prcpont re- •torned aboard, where, upon his arrival he found M. Diinaonde Waiting for our rettirn'; hi had taken thcopportunicy df lallth^lrt'j^^lftrthjftni^fbr Marti- ftieb ^atiti baited only ^ lor a letter from *ti§ to pfoctirfc his paffport from thit iflaiidto France.- ■ • -^ D-:;:>fn I arofe m sHi^ The Chevalier Dupon'P* 7 25^ I, I arofe early in the morning, made Tion Tion faddle the horfc and after he was dreffed, lead him by the bridle, tvhilft I rode M. Qianzy*s and we de- parted before fix o*clock for Charbon^ where we arrived before feven. Mrs* Norfoy was not yet awake, and notwithflatiding the vk)lent defirc I hai lit I got up early the next morning, and went aboard the brigantine to Mr. Pre- pont •, he informed me that he (hould not fceusafhore that day or the follow- ing, as he propofed to land our horfes and mules, and keep them in a liable he had hired during the time we continued at Marigalante, and (hould alfoland the goods for that ifiand, in order to deliver them to thofe Who had purchafed them of him ; that his de- fign was to be paid in piaftres, not being willing to barter, as he thought he had more goods than fufBcient ac his ftorehoufc at Fort St. Pierre for the next voyage, and of forts that he thought would turn to a very gtoct '^account. He informed me alfo, that he pro- pofed I The Chevalier Dupont. 265 pafed fending his Lieutenant; wkh one^ of the fliallops to Guadalupe, to latul the eorampfliucs, tji^re that wene fqr tbatifliq4» and ai his^return we (hould fail for Fore St, Pierre,. and go froni thence to Fort Royal. I breakfaftcd wich Mr. Prepont, and we came afliore together j *^ went after his bufinefs, aod I went to Mrs. Chanzy's. Vpon my return 1 found Mrs» Chanzy alone in the hall ; fl^e faid to me^ after a (hort convcrfijtion, that without waiting for a larger fortune than I at prefent poffcf* fed, and which I fliould ftill have the fame opportunity of increafing after- wards s if I wifbcd to give n>y htod to hejj dmighterr flxe was very ready to confejru to It* I anfwered,' that it was Vol. II, N my 11} I H tr I i if w. '•!•■ ^t M ■■ 266 Voyages and Advei^'ures of my utmoft ambition, but thought it would be mere prudent to obtain the confent of my unCle for various reafons, biit efpccially as Iwas not then of age ; that on my firft voyage to Fort Royal I would define the Marquis dc Cham- plgny to wrie to him on the fubjedl-^ and was certain that in fix months I Ihould be able to unite my for^^ue with hers, and I hope to the fatisfaftion of all parties. Mrs. Norfoy entered at this inftant, and we changed the topic of convcrfation. ' t I had already been a week at Mari- galante rafting the moft exquifite hap* pincfs, when brie evening before fupper Mr* Chanzy arrived from Port Royal, whcfrc 1 The Chevdier Dupont. 267 where he had been ordered-, by th-c Marqais de Champigny to be invefted with ihe-order of the crofs of St. Loui$. After he had received and returned the carefics of his family, he embraced me, and expreflfcd the utmoft fatisfaclion.ac my retiwn from my voyjge, thanked nicfor-the lall favor which he hud fo lately received upon my accounr, inde- pendent of thofc he had received before, and protefted that he would willingly prove his gratitude by the Jail drop of his blood, if necefiliry. Mrs. Chanzy interrupted him, by laying, '* Tlic ** Chevalier, my fon, will be content " with a lefler facrifice ; he loves your '' filler 5 he adores her ; and I have confcntcd to their union, as they fcem N 2 •' to (« 2 '68 Vo Y A G t s an d A D v e n t v r p s of fe /) ' M ***• to be made for each other.** She then, in a curfory manner, related cv^ery thing that had paffed betv/eea us froiri our firfl: acquaintance to that moment •, fhe informed him of my generofity, and then demanded if he coi'ld refiife his confenc to our m'j[ual happinefs. " No, ** Madani, (he anfwered) I am avtT" **' joyed to find a brotiier-in-law in the *' perfon of my befl friend •, I have too great a rtgard for both to cppofe their happinefs 5 but neverthtiefs I cannot but piiy ivlifs Langady, who ever fince the departure of the Che- valier Dupont, has been abforbed in • a profound melancholy, and will fee *' nobody, I know that fh'' loves him, ♦* and how will fhc be able to furvive "the 4C c The Chevalier Dupont. 260 y > * *« the information of my fifter engaging *' the perfoii wfio^vi^as the urrnoft am- *• bition of her love and wilhes.'* That *' is" but of fmall confequence to us/* replied Mrs. Nor foy ; " after all, if *' you are affefttd with her ficuation, " go and comfort her, and offer your- *' fcif in the plac: of the Chevalier Du- *' pont/* ** Your advice, Madam, I ** approve of," I faid; " for I am **^ convrnced fhe will be a gainer by th« ** change/* ** I will think of it," re- plied Mr. Chaiizy -, ** but I am con- *' vinted you are too much a man of *' honor, if you cannot return the fen- ** timcnts Ihe has for you, not to fiilfil *^ your promifc to her in engaging the " the Marquis dc Champigny to grant N 3 ^J the '%ti ."tftf* ^H n in n m fnii m. 3 t i in 1 ffl ^m 'I 1 ^ 'IB' / 1 ^ li ;|V' ; 1 • 1 m r. ■ if ^/.: 'I \- !V / #? 270 Voyages and Adventures of ^" the f^vor flie de^riands. I hope to ^l:'^^X^A^ honor (Qflcpng her. the day .** after to-mo»row, and I will inform •' her of your return; and ahhougb (he V is formed .to. give, I^ws> I aai con- *• vinced, Uiac under the prerence; of /Vfoliciting you, ftie will take the Brll *' ftep to contemplate thcpcrfonof her j" conqueror/* ** You arc very full of " raillery^ brother, methin|M i b't M' '%rjz Voyages and Adventures of «c «c « You may fey the^ moft cunning .*' if\tx\di too, xm coufin^ for he has de- *' ceivied both you ^nd mc ^o ferve him ; be has fiicceeded, and I am not forrjf ^ I (hajl pwq. eveo that I ** have fcnt for Mr. Chanzy to inveft *' him with the royal and miliiary or- *' dcr of Sr. Louis, in cqnfcquence of *' the commands I have received fiom CQurt; and there is the King's letter, as addceOibd to me by bis miniver, ^' whiqb I nosy pr6fcnt. him with/,*' ad- drefling. himfelf to M-r. Chanzy, and * ■ ■ • • gjvipgjbii^thc letter,. ;. Mr. Chanzy- informed us, that the Marquis de PQiDG]j feemed, thuisdcr- ftriidt at this. intfcUigentfe^ but prefeatly re- <(f .«c i^K. The ChcvalJer Dupont.* ?73 f^overmg bimfelf, be made him a very cold comptimenr ; \irhen be returned the next day ta tfad GQTernor'% be coit- tinuedy he recei^ved the commiflloo cff Su Louis from the Governor-general, vrho accompamed it wich the utmofl: politenf fsv ind detained .himito jditiner ; that the day Following he went and, took leave of the Governor and the Marquis de Poincy, and embarkfed for Fort St; Pierre, where he found a King's pin- nance ready to fail for Marigalance, where, he faid, he did not expeft to find the bappinefs of bis beft friend' and a brother-in-law united io the fame perfon. We paffed the remainder of the evening wich the greateft chearful- nefs, and Mrs. Norfoy and myfclf were much 'ft!.,-' •■17. u; LM I' i't 1 4 $74 VoYAOSS^and Ai>v£KTURJBs of Ifiucb happier than before, jia hence- iforth we could live, without conftraim. ^Mi^.f^epbi}C roi»rdd' aboard tltxjpf and 'Mif^ XDhaAsjr 'ordebcA m^ batnmbck to bp flung forbhnfelFin his chamber, a^ he 'would not take the bed, notwitbftand- littgHi :u(ed evebf $kgument to perfuade -I ; riiitjt ii , • : : :. ;■ . cj f)2c)>:A )on .Inb til .biii i?lf-%!)i9ftw ' sfiiil Uiij End-cif VoM Hi^^di Old j. ES of hcnce- ftraiiH. >9 and : to be . I as( he bftand* crfuade 1 < it J bnfi