On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel them.
The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced them to implore for mercy.
A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony.
As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real importance.
Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests of the colony.
The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his part 10,000.
D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command.
Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro.
This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed during the course of this story.
"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, without granting him the right to complain or break the contract entered into by him."