My dear Children, I can hardly hold my pen to inform you of the gloomy and unhappy end of both your Sisters; they are no more! poison has put them into the grave: for all the springs and wells were poisoned, by which perished many others also. Your Uncle and Aunt P.—— with their Children, in number thirteen, had their heads cut off upon a block in less than half-an-hour. Your Uncle V.—— was cut to pieces upon an hedge[4]. A great many of your relations I need not mention, perished in the most cruel manner: the magnificent City of du Cap-Francais is burnt down to ashes by the Negroes; no more for the present Adieu, Adieu, Adieu; my poor unfortunate Children, Adieu. M. L. F. M. L.
After reading this letter, the Director said unto us, "my dear little friends, I am deeply sorry for all your misfortunes, and still more so, that I am obliged to send you out of the College; but my means do not permit me to keep you any longer, you must be ready against to morrow morning, I shall bear the charges of your Travel from hence to Bordeaux: here is a letter for your Banker, that you are to deliver soon after your arrival thither."
Never was a sentence more dreadful to me than this; torrents of tears fell from my eyes; my Heart was almost broken: I was in such a deplorable situation concerning these sad tidings that I thought I should never be able to see the returning of the Day. Clouds of Gloominess hung upon my mind; all the night long no rest was to be found, neither in mind or body; and was forced to rise up, as I layed me down.
We begun our journey in a coach and went as far as Toulouse, a City, where we took a Boat, and finished our voyage by water, and arrived safe at Bordeaux. We went to our Banker, and were received with great kindness.
During our residence there, the most atrocious cruelty was exercised upon the people of the Town[5]; Blood was daily shed by those barbarous race of Human kind, who cry down Government: nothing was seen but terror and abomination; the innocent Blood was continually running under the fatal stroke of the Guillotine, and every branch of Royalty was to be destroyed: being afraid that we should be apprehended, we were put at an old Dutch Woman's house not far from our Bankers: there we enjoyed some little comfort, being quite retired from the World. She being a protestant, (and our banker likewise,) she used to entertain us with a deal of conversation about CHRIST, and shewed us all the errors of Popery; but all this did not enter into my mind, because I was always thinking about my unfortunate fate. My Brothers used to go with her to Chapel, which was just by the house; but as for me I was so unhappy, that I never could constrain myself to go; though she used to say, "your happiness that you have lost, will be found there, if you could take upon yourself to go:" but all this was quite new to me, and I gave but very little attention to it. I remained with her till GOD was pleased to put a stop to the sheding of blood.
About that time I heard that my Aunt V.—— was arrived in Town; I hurried myself to go and see her: and found that she was married again, and to a stranger, who received me with the greatest kindness. He being a man that followed the Tobacco business, made a proposal to our Banker that we should stay with him as being near relations to us, which was easily granted: and we began to work with him in his business. At first he shewed us a deal of kindness, but it soon vanished away, for he became a tyrant to us, especially against me who was the youngest: many a time I went to bed with a hungry belly; I wanted all the necessaries of life, hardly clothes to put on my back, beaten shamefully; I was the greatest slave that ever lived, for I used to go to work as soon as it was light, and work till midnight: many a time I was so harassed and tired, that I used to fall asleep at my work, and awoke in the same place to begin again my slavery. I was so tired of that course of life, that I resolved to run away; accordingly I did, and went to my Banker for protection; but my pretended Uncle knowing of it, came and told him not to listen to what I said, that I was a Child and wanted correction. But he said unto him, "those Children are not yours, they are under my care, and for that reason I will not have them treated in such a cruel manner; and am sorry I ever let them go to live with you, but for the future I hope you will behave better." He promised that he would.
My Banker bought me a suit of clothes which I took with me, and followed my barbarous Tyrant. When at home he appeared more reserve, but for all that, I could perceive in his dissembled face that he still bore a hatred against me. I was not mistaken, for he soon began again with me, and threatened to flog me. I rose up from my chair in a passion filled with despair, and said to him; "I am nothing to you, neither Child or relation, why should you thus ill use me? if my poor Father who is now mixed among the dust was alive, he would have taken my part, and not suffered me to be abused thus by such a Rascally beggar, and vile Wretch as you are[6]." He flew into such a passion, that he did not know what to do; till the Devil which was so powerful in him, excited him to dispatch me to the other World. For that purpose he seized a long knife[7] which was by, and run towards me to perpetrate his atrocious deed; but seeing him coming with such vehemence, I ran under the table, by which he missed his aim and fell all his length upon the floor: in the mean time both my Brothers jumped upon his back and were assisted by my Cousin and others, to take the abominable weapon out of his hands. He was in such a rage when he was set free, that he frothed like a wild beast. I took the opportunity while they were with him, to fetch a few of my clothes which was in the room next to that where he was, and coming again before his presence with my bundle under my arm, I said, "Brothers follow me, let this miserable Savage live by himself;" then I run from the spot and went to my Banker, and gave him an account of every thing that had passed. He was sorry to hear it, but said, "there is a Ship that is going to Guadeloupe in the West-Indies, I will send you there as soon as possible: when there you will perhaps find an opportunity to join your Mother."
We were made ready for our voyage that was to take place in a few days; our Banker gave us a draught for one hundred Dollars, on a merchant in Guadeloupe.
We took leave of him, and thanked him for the care he had taken of us during our residence in that Country. We began our voyage with a fair gale of wind, but it soon altered, and we were obliged to cast Anchor at the mouth of the River, and remained there till the weather was fair: the eleventh day seeing the weather and wind favorable we weighed Anchor, no sooner were we under sail, but there rose such a violent tempest, that we thought our endeavours would have been without success; for we were surrounded by dreadful rocks, and the Sea roared with such impetuosity, that it filled our Ship almost with water. Another Ship that was close by us, was already dashed to pieces against the rocks. Never was a scene more Gloomy, and cutting than this; for we had seventy Women and Children passengers on board, which put Terror into every Heart: nothing was heard but cries and Prayers. We were in such great dangers that no one had strength to work, and we left the Ship to GOD's mercy, expecting every minute to share the same fate as the other Vessel had. The most affecting sight was to be seen, every soul prostrated upon the deck, calling and exalting their voices for GOD's merciful protection; till at last a young Man who was a Passenger[8] started up and taking the helm, said, "my Friends do not despair, I will be bound to take you out of danger, revive your spirits, and help me says he, we shall soon get free from the rocks." So we did, and were relieved from perishing amongst frightful rocks. But for all that the wind appeased not, for it continued six and thirty days with great violence, very often we were near to be buried for ever in the Bowels of the Sea; at last we had fair weather and wind to proceed on our voyage, and arrived safe at the Island of Guadeloupe at the end of fifty-six days.
After we were Landed, my Brothers and myself went to the Governor for a pass, to go and join our Mother who was in the United-States-of-America; but the answer he made us was this, "the Republic is a good Mother, besides that, the Island is besieged, and we want Soldiers." As we could not get a pass, we went to seek for the Merchant that the draught was drawn upon, and having found him, we offered him the bill which he took and payed us generously.