ST.
DOMINGO.
79
rebellion foon began to break forth alio in the Weftern divifion. Here, however, the infurgents were chiefly men of colour, of whom upwards of two thoufand appeared in arms in the parifh of Mirebalais. Being joined by about fix hundred of the negroHaves, they began their operations by burning the coffee plan tations in the mountains adjacent to the plain of Cul-de-Sac. Some detachments of the military which were fent againft them from Port au Prince were repulfed ; and the infurgents conti nued to ravage and burn the country through an extent of thirty miles, practifing the fame exceffes and ferocious barbarities to wards fuch of the whites as fell into their hands, as were dif played by the rebels in the North. They had the audacity at length to approach Port au Prince, with intention, as it was be lieved, to fet it on fire ; and fo defencelefs was the ftate of that devoted town, that its deftruction feemed inevitable. Many oF the mulatto chiefs, however, finding that their attempts to gain over the negro flaves on the fugar plantations in this part of t h e country, were not attended with that fuccefs which they ex pected, expreffed an unwillingnefs to proceed to this extremity; declaring that they took up arms not to defolate the colony, but merely to fupport the national decree of the 1 5 t h of May, and that they were not averfe to a reconciliation. Thefe fentiments coming to the knowledge of M. de Jumecourt, a planter of emi nence, he undertook the office of mediator, and through his welltimed and powerful interpofition, a truce or convention, called the concordat, was agreed upon the 11 th of September, between the free people of colour, and the white inhabitants of Port au Prince, of which the chief provifions were an oblivion of the paft, and an engagement on the part of the whites, to admit in
full
CHAP.
VI.