hands. President Boyer, who had succeeded
Petion, now took advantage of the confusion to incorporate the two
districts, and two years later he added the revolted Spanish portion,
thus bringing the whole island under one rule, the presidency of which
he held for twenty-two years.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

XIII.

EMANCIPATION OF THE SPANISH MAIN.

The influence of the French Revolution was felt in most of the other
islands, but nowhere did it lead to such disasters as befel Hispaniola.
In 1795 there was an insurrection in the island of Grenada, where the
coloured people, under French influence, nearly drove the English out of
the colony. Even when defeated they held their own in the mountains for
about a year, committing many atrocities on the whites who fell into
their hands. In most of the French islands there were insurrections more
or less dangerous, some of which were put down by the British
conquerors, who thus helped to keep the peace. It could not be expected,
however, that small places like Martinique and Guadeloupe would ever
have made such stubborn resistance as the great island of Hispaniola.

A very great impression was made on the Spanish colonies, who during the
war, owing to the distracted condition of the mother country, attained
to a degree of freedom hitherto beyond their reach. This led to
unfavourable comparisons between past and present, and the feeling that
grew up was fomented by the British, who now had many opportunities
from the measure of free trade which resulted from the peculiar
circumstances of that period. Secret societies were then common all over
Europe, and in Spain they were not wanting. In the early years of this
century one of the most energetic members was Francisco Miranda, a
native of Caracas, who had been a soldier under Washington, and had
distinguished himself by his prominence in many of the revolutionary
projects of the time. He was the prime organiser of the Creoles of South
America, and under his auspices the "Gran Reunion Americana" was founded
in London. Bolivar and San Martin were initiated into this society, and
took its oath to fight for the emancipation of South America. Miranda
did his best to ensure the co-operation of Great Britain and the United
States, but failing in this, determined to get up one or more
insurrections without their assistance.

On the 27th of March, 1806, he sailed with three vessels and two hundred
men from Jacmel, Hayti