Antigua and the Antiguans Volume I Part 3

"Monsieur,

"Nous avons receu vos semonces de venir a bord delivrant en vostre possession nos armes et munitions de guerre; laquelle chose, le changement de nos affaires est tel depuis vostre depart, qu'il ne vous la peut pas permettre. Monsieur le Lieut.-General de nostre roy ayant envoye icy le Col. Daniel Fitche pour son gouverneur, luy a donne pouvoir sur toute la milice de cette isle: si-bien, Mons., que nous sommes devenus tout-a-fait incapables de vous donner aucune reponse satisfactoire; et sur l'examination des affaires pa.s.sees, a trouve qu'elles estoient beaucoup a notres preiudice; et en particulier envoyant les Careibes deux fois sur nous contre l'obligation de vos articles, et les loix des nations, des personnes qui sont cruels, tout-a-fait barbares et ignorans de Dieu et de toutes civilitez. Neanmoins, Monsieur, nous vous supplions suivant ce que nous avons deiafait, d'en faire vos demandes a nostre dit gouverneur, qui est uniquement experimente en matiere de guerre. En attendant nous demeurons,

"Monsieur, vos tres-humble serviteurs,

"Bastien Baijer, &c. &c."[15]

"Mons.,

"Nous avons receu la vostre, a laquelle nous ne pouvons a present faire aucune reponse, si non qu'il n'est pas en nostre pouvoir de convenir a vos semonces, ni a aucunes choses cy-devant faites; parce que depuis vostre depart d'icy, est arrive le Col. Daniel Fitche, avec commission de Monsieur le Lieut.-Gen. pour gouverneur, auquel vos semonces et demandes doivent estre faites, comme estant seul commandant de la milice. Nous trouvons que nous avons receu grand preiudice a la rupture des articles concernans les Careibes, qui ont deux fois attente sur nous a leur maniere accoustumee, qui est cruelle et barbarienne. Nous serions reiouis de vous voir si le souhaittez; car on attend icy quinze navires de la Barbade, dont il y en a cinq de trente pieces de canon chacun, et deux de soixante, et huit navires marchands de vingt a trente pieces de canon, avec mil soldats du roy vestus de casaques rouges, avec quant.i.te d'armes: vous presentant vous rendrez service. Nous demeurons,

"Monsieur, vos a.s.seurez amis et serviteurs,

"Bastien Baijer, &c. &c."[16]

Upon receiving these letters, M. de Clodore held a council with his officers, the results of which were as follow:-

"As the enemy have made no answer to our summons, sent three days ago, to fulfil the conditions of the treaty made with them; but, on the contrary, they have sent these letters this morning, in which, after having sought vain pretences of rupture, they declare they are not willing to fulfil it, and at the same time they have disposed guard-houses along the coast, and caused several armed persons to oppose our landing; it has been found proper to accept the rupture they have made of the treaty, and after having fired a cannon-ball at them, to land, in order to make them return to their duty, without paying regard to the letters they have sent. Besides the absence of Monsieur de la Barre, and the necessity we are in to send back immediately the island troops to Martinique and Guadaloupe, to oppose the enemy, who, according to advices received, will soon arrive there, it is impossible now to keep the island of Antigua for the king. It has therefore been thought proper to land, attack the enemy, and, in case of success, place the island in such a state, that the enemy can draw no sort of profit from it.

"Done unanimously between us, the undersigned, in the harbour of Antigua, the 3rd December, 1666.

"De Clodore, Blondel, Hinsselin."

During the period the council was being held, several armed soldiers, (of the English troops,) impatient to know what answer would be returned to their letters, appeared upon the beach; upon which, according to the resolutions already pa.s.sed, a cannon-ball was fired at them, when they dispersed, and appeared no more, without a white flag in their hand. Before the French council broke up, an English officer came on board, bringing the following letter for M. de Clodore:-

"Monsieur,

"Nous vous avons envoye ce matin telle reponse que nous pouvions, estant sous le commandement et autorite de Mons. le Gouverneur, au pouvoir duquel n'estions pas capables de resister; mais depuis que nous luy avons fait voir amplement la raison de nostre premier traite et nostre refus de rompre, avons tant fait qu'il en est demeure d'accord, moyennant qu'il y soit, compris comme le reste des habitans; le dit traite et accord sera ponctuellement ratifie et effectue en toutes ses particularitez.

"Monsieur, vos, &c.,

"Bastien Baijer, &c. &c."[17]

But paying no regard to this letter, M. de Clodore wrote them as follows:-

"Messieurs,

"J'ay este fort surpris, lorsque j'ay veu que vous n'avez pas repondu a la sommation que ie vous ay fait faire, et encore davantage lorsque i'ay leu la lettre que vous m'avez envoyee ce matin, ou vous nous accusez de vous avoir traite avec rigueur, pour chercher pretexte de rompre comme vous avez fait, en manquant a vostre foy et a vostre parolle. Je descends a terre et vous vais trouver, pour vous mettre a vostre devoir par la voye des armes: ceux qui les poseront, auront de moy bon quartier, et les autres seront traitez selon la rigueur de la guerre.

"Vostre serviteur,

"De Clodore."[18]

Immediately after sending this letter, M. de Clodore and Hinscelin landed with the French forces; but, upon gaining the beach, they were met by a party of the English, bearing a flag of truce, and offering, in the name of the inhabitants, to give up all pretensions to this island, provided they would include Governor Fitche in the treaty.

To this proposition M. de Clodore would not a.s.sent, but forming his troops into battle array, marched to attack the English. The result of this encounter appears to me so remarkable, that it obliges me again and again to a.s.sure my readers I give the true translation: "marching to attack the new Governor and his eight or nine hundred men, only two shots were fired by the English, one of which wounded _their own sentinel_, and this was the only blood spilt in this engagement; and Governor Fitche hearing that M. de Clodore was coming up with all his troops, and four pieces of artillery, ran away in a boat with Colonel Warner and some others, saying to his soldiers only these words-"G.o.d be with me, and with you."

Thus have I narrated the reduction of Antigua by the French, following the steps of their own historian, "Du Tertre," who of course speaks in favour of his own countrymen. Antigua remained a French colony, although of no use to the nation, except from the plunder obtained from it, until the following year, when by the treaty of Breda, Louis XIV. restored it to the English crown.[19]

The French appear to have ever doubted their success; and their attack upon Antigua, in the first instance, seemed only intended as a feint; but by one of those extraordinary accidents, which we often meet with in the annals of nations, the island was reduced, and in the second attack, if we may believe Du Tertre, _only two shots_ were fired in its defence.

At the period of this conquest of Antigua, there were about 800 negroes upon the island, but of these the French could only find about 500, which they carried away with them, along with their plunder. The after fate of Colonel Carden was truly shocking.

Soon after the French had abandoned Antigua, a party of Caribs landed, and cruelly treated the defenceless inhabitants. At length they proceeded to the house of the ex-governor, Colonel Carden, who treated them very kindly, and administered to their want. Upon their leaving, they requested their entertainer to accompany them to the beach, who instantly complied; but the Caribs, more treacherous than the wild beasts that haunt the desert, had no sooner reached the place where their canoes were stationed, than they fell upon their kind host, cruelly murdered him, and broiled his head, which they afterwards carried with them to Dominica. Nor were they satisfied with this horrible piece of barbarity; for, to make the tragedy complete, they returned to Colonel Carden's house, seized his wife and children, and after telling them of the fate of their kind relative, hurried them away into a captivity worse than death.

The Bastian Baijer-whose name appears conspicuous in signing the capitulation, and in the after letters which pa.s.sed between the English and the French-was of Dutch extraction, and one who emigrated to this island at an early period of its colonization.

He died in London, in the year 1704, and in his will directed that his remains should be interred in the vaults of the Dutch church in Austin Friars, which was accordingly done. Many of the descendants (or rather representatives, for Bastian Baijer died without issue, and left his property to the person who a.s.sumed his name) of Bastian Baijer have resided in the island until within a year or two. The remains of one member of that family, Otto Baijer, Esq., moulders beneath the beautiful tomb, a description of which will be found in Chapter XV.; and the remaining scion of the house, a female, was shortly since united to the Hon. Owen Pell, of Antigua, and of Suwell, county of Northampton.

[8] It is said, that some part of Lord Willoughby's fleet escaped the hurricane, and reached Jamaica in safety.

[9] It must be remembered, that at the time we are now speaking of, surgeons did not hold that respectable rank in society as they now-that is, most of them-deservedly fill. Not so very many years ago, naval surgeons in particular were very little thought of; and even in the British navy, they were required to perform the office of barber, as well as attend to the bodily ailments of the crew.

[10] To shew the state to which the French reduced the island, the following extract from a letter written by Count D'Estrade, amba.s.sador from the French king to Charles II. of England, dated 26th May, 1667, and addressed to Louis XIV., is inserted:-"Il nous dit de plus que le Sieur de la Barre avat ruine celle d'Antigoa, et en avait fait transporter tout ce qu'il avait pu afin d'etre mieux en etat de conserver de St. Christophe."

_Translation_.-"He"-that is, the deputy from Zealand, with whom Count D'Estrade had had a conference at Breda, on 21st May, 1667- "informed us, in addition, that the said M. de la Barre had ruined the colony of Antigua, and had taken and transported from it all that he could, to the end that he might be in a better condition to retain possession of St. Christopher's."

[11] His tombstone may be still seen in one of the churchyards of St. Christopher's.

[12] For account of this gentleman, see Appendix, No. 3.

[13] "Sir,-My husband has been arrested by two officers and two soldiers this night, and what they intend doing with me and my family, I know not even now; but I fear that some ill consequences will attend it. I beseech you humbly, Sir, seeing that myself and family are abandoned by our countrymen, that it may please you to protect us who have never a.s.sailed you; and myself, and family, and many others, shall pray for your prosperity; and I take the boldness to qualify myself,

"Sir, your very humble and very obedient servant,

"Mary Carden."

[14] "Sir,-I should have had the honour of waiting upon you, but I have been intercepted by the order of Governor Fitche, and I have been in custody since. I hope, Sir, you will not believe or think otherwise of him who takes the liberty of subscribing himself, Sir, yours, &c.,

"Robert Carden."

[15] "Sir,-We have received your summons to come on board to deliver our arms and ammunition; which thing, such is the change in our affairs since your departure, as not to permit of our doing. The lieut.-general of our king having sent Colonel Daniel Fitche as his governor, has given him power over all the militia of this island. Thus, Sir, we are become entirely unable to give you any satisfactory answer; and, upon examination of the transactions which have taken place, we have found that they were so much to our prejudice, and in particular, sending the Caribs twice upon us, against the obligation of your articles and the laws of nations; persons who are cruel, entirely barbarous, and ignorant of G.o.d and of all civilities. However, Sir, we pray you, as we have already done, to address your demands to our governor, who alone is experienced in matters of war. In the meantime, we remain, yours, &c. &c., "Bastien Baijer. Gilbert Gregory.

Philip Warner. Henry Reynall.

Richard Boraston. Jeremiah Watkins.

Samuel Winthorpe."

[16] "Sir,-We have received your letter, to which we cannot at present give any other answer, but that it is not in our power to yield to your summons, nor to agree to anything done before; because, since your departure from here, Colonel Daniel Fitche is arrived, with commission from the lieutenant-general as governor, in obedience to an order from the king, which has been published.

It is to the said governor that your summons and demands must be addressed, for he is the sole commander of the militia. We think that we have suffered great injury at the rupture of the articles concerning the Caribs, who attacked us twice in their wonted manner, which is cruel and barbarous. We would be glad to see you, _if you wish_, for we expect here, fifteen ships from Barbados, five of which are of fifteen guns each, and two of sixty; and eight merchantmen, of twenty to thirty guns; with a thousand of the king's soldiers, _dressed in their red jackets_, and a quant.i.ty of arms. By coming, you will render service. We remain, &c.,

"Bastien Baijer, &c. &c."

[17] "Sir,-We have sent this morning the only answer we could give, being under the command and authority of the governor, to whose power we could not resist; but as we have shewn him the reason of our first treaty, and our refusal to break it, we have done so much that he has agreed with us, provided he be included in it, with the rest of the inhabitants: the said treaty and agreement will be punctually ratified and executed in all its parts.

"Bastien Baijer, &c. &c."

[18] "Gentlemen,-I have been much surprised when I saw that you made no answer to the summons given you, and much more yet when I read the letters you sent me this morning, in which you charge us with having treated you with rigour, which is seeking for a pretence of rupture, as you have done by not keeping your faith and word. I am landing and coming to you, to teach you your duty by force of arms: those who will lay down their arms will have good quarter from me, and the others shall be treated according to the rigour of war. Your servant,

"De Clodore."