Haiti continued - The Traveller's Tree: A Journey Through the Caribbean Islands - page 197

pediment and a cube of masonry roofed with rose-coloured tiles that rise above the main economy of the
palace. Corresponding towers are lifted at either end, and between them, rows of windows look down on
a noble promenade which seems to be held aloft by the spreading tributaries of the staircase.
Here, on state occasions and birthdays, the king would receive his nobles and his officers of state. Un-
like the pictures of the other Haitian heroes, he is not always smothered in gold braid and feathers. Some-
times he wore a blue cutaway coat, a high white stock, breeches, and buckled pumps: a tall, handsome-
looking man, with a complexion of the darkest ebony, of immensely powerful, bland Olympian aspect.
The queen would stand at his side with the princes and princesses of the blood. Behind them, anomalous
figures among the Negro grandees, Dr. Stewart, his Scottish physician, and the Philadelphian governess,
could be singled out; Evans the painter, perhaps, and sometimes a visiting British admiral, for Chris-
tophe's hatred of Napoleon had strongly tinctured his politics with Anglophilia.
A fanfare of heralds' trumpets scattered the birds from the trees. Stepping from gilt and emblazoned
coaches, their Serene Highnesses the Princes of Gonaïves and Limbé, carefully gathering their long black
and golden embroidered cloaks, proceeded slowly up the staircase. Their tunics were of white satin, their
knee-breeches of scarlet silk, and their white silk stockings ended in red-heeled shoes with gold buckles.
One hand rested on a gold hilted sword, and the other, ready for the deep obeisance stipulated in the court
protocol, held a black hat laced with gold, the brim of which was fastened back with a gold clasp from
which sprang five ostrich plumes of red and black. After them came the seven dukes and their duchesses,
led by the Ducs de l'Artibonite and Toussaint Brave de la Grande Rivière, and the fifteen counts and
countesses, notable among whom were the Counts of Marmalade, Laxavon, Limonade, Mirebelais, Leo-
gâne, Ouananinthe and Yacinthe du Borgne. A host of barons followed, each rank of the nobility in gala
robes carefully adjusted to their station; and finally the knights of the Order of St. Henry in blue coats,
red taffeta vests and breeches, white stockings, green maroquin shoes with square gold buckles, swords
slung on green baldricks and hats with a panache of two flowing green feathers. Like Napoleon, Chris-
tophe had omitted the rank of marquis from his nobility, as it savoured too strongly of the ancien régime ;
except in the case of the Marquis d'Avelasse, who was, however, also Duc de la Grande Rivière. The
Royal princes were Altesses Royales , the princesses, Madame Première and all the Mesdames . As the
assembly moved across the grass, the conversation crackled with honorific forms of address: ' Majesté,'
'Monsieur le comte,' 'votre grace,' 'Monseigneur,' 'Ah, chevalier!' …. [5]
Christophe loved these occasions. Never, indeed, in the melancholy procession from Timbuctoo to
Harlem can the Negro flair for colour and clothes and pageantry have been crowned with a more splendid
or more authentic fulfilment. All the misery of the past generations seemed effaced among the titles and
the trumpets and the sound of saluting cannon; a noise which now subsided as the court musicians, seated
under the trees, tuned their violins and their 'cellos….
The end of this colossus was as tragic, in its way, as that of Toussaint Louverture in his dungeon among
the snows of the Jura. His subjects were in rebellion and his enemies were threatening the kingdom when
he was suddenly struck down by paralysis. As he lay in canopied immobility at Sans Souci, the news
spread through the kingdom that he was actually dead. His European doctor could not help him, so an
African Houngan was called, who massaged him for many hours with a mixture of rum and red pepper.
Putting on his regalia of white and gold and blue, he contrived to walk to the front of his palace. His
troops were assembled for review, and a large concourse of the people, summoned to see that the king
was still alive, waited in silence. He made a few steps towards his charger, intending to mount it and re-
ceive the salute of the troops and populace. But, still a yard or two away, he suddenly crumpled up and