inging
down from their fastnesses a multitude of men who had fled thither from
the vengeance of the whites and mulattoes, and to escape sharing in the
violence of the negro force which Jean Francais had left behind him, to
pursue uncontrolled their course of plunder and butchery. Glad, to
such, were the tidings of freedom, with order, and under the command of
one whose name was never mentioned without respect, if not enthusiasm.
The negro who did not know that there was any more world on the other
side the Cibao peaks, had yet learned to be proud of the learning of
Toussaint. The slave who conceived of God as dwelling in the innermost
of the Mornes, and coming forth to govern His subjects with the fire of
the lightning and the scythe of the hurricane, was yet able to revere
the piety of Toussaint. The black bandit who had dipped his hands in
the blood of his master, and feasted his ear with the groans of the
innocent babes who had sat upon his knee, yet felt that there was
something impressive in the simple habit of forgiveness, the vigilant
spirit of mercy which distinguished Toussaint Breda from all his
brethren in arms--from all the leading men of his colour, except his
friend Henri Christophe. At the name of Toussaint Breda, then, these
flocked down into the road by hundreds, till they swelled the numbers of
the march to thousands. The Spanish soldiers, returning to their camp
by such by-ways as they could find, heard again and again from a
distance the cries of welcome and of triumph; and one or two of them
chanced to witness from a high point of rock, or through a thick screen
of foliage, the joyous progress of the little army, hastening on to find
their chief. These involuntary spies gathered at every point of
observation news which would gall the very soul of Jean Francais, if
they should get back to the camp to tell it.

Jacques knew where to seek his friend, and led the way, on descending
from the hills, straight across the plain to the Breda estate, where
Toussaint meant to await his family. How unlike was this plantation to
what it was when these negroes had seen it last! The cane-fields,
heretofore so trim and orderly, with the tall canes springing from the
clean black soil, were now a jungle. The old plants had run up till
they had leaned over with their own weight, and fallen upon one another.
Their suckers had sprung up in myriads, so that the racoon which
burrowed among them could scarcely make