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clined to erect immediately the country into a British province, it was considered very desirable to encourage its trade and promote its commerce, and they naturally concluded that the sooner they were able to bring its trade into a conspicuous point of view, they would render it expedient for His Majesty's ministers to establish a provisional government !" This needs no comment; it is a delicate way of confessing that a fraud was intended from the start, and that the relations which are kept up with this coast, were maintained for purposes of ultimately accomplishing what it was feared openly to attempt. Some of the settlers therefore continued to remain, indulging the belief that the English Government would connive at a violation of the treaty, in event that it should ultimately be shown to be for the national interest. They accordingly, after the lapse of six or eight years, prepared a flattering exhibit of the extent, fertility, mineral wealth, and prospective value of the country, and dispatched it, in the year 1771, with one of their number, Colonel Laurie, to England. It was shown to Lord Hillsborough, then Secretary of State, and nothing was omitted which it was thought would secure his concurrence in the contemplated act of bad faith. These representations were so far successful that his Lordship secretly promised to support their project. A grand scheme was then got up, on the "city of Cairo" plan, and speculation commenced. These things came to the knowledge of the Spanish Government, and the Spanish guarda-costas intercepted some of the vessels, plying in furtherance of this illegal enterprise, between Jamaica and Black River, and interfered in various ways with its success. The principals became alarmed and dispirited as to the success of their plan. They accordingly requested the assistance of the British Government, and asked for a block-house, amunition, some of the cannon formerly removed, and a free company of 50 or 100 men. To this request Lord George Germain, who had succeeded to Lord Hillsborough as Secretary of State, on the 14th of June, 1777, returned an indignant answer, severely rebuking the authors of the request, and pronouncing it" in direct contravention of the 17th article of the treaty of Paris of 1763!" British subjects, nevertheless, under the

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connivance of the Governor of Jamaica, whose disposition to shelter and encourage smugglers and pirates seems to have descended to him by virtue of his office, continued to keep up a kind of relationship with the coast, inciting the natives by all means in his power against the Spaniards, and fondly anticipating that by some turn of events his hopes would be verified. This persistence was one of the causes which led to the war of 1780. No sooner was the war declared than this Governor made an attempt upon the Spanish settlements on Lake Nicaragua, but it signally failed. The Spaniards, in return, completely dispersed the adventurers at Black River, and cleared the entire coast. After a few months it was, however, again occupied in part by British forces,-the two countries being now actively engaged in warlike operations. Upon the 3d Sept., 1783, however, a definitive treaty of peace was concluded between Spain and Great Britain, at Versailles. It was by this treaty declared that:

"The intention of the two high contracting parties being to prevent, as much as possible, all causes of complaint and misunderstanding heretofore occasioned by the cutting of wood for dyeing, and several English settlements having been formed and extended under that pretence upon the Spanish Continent, it is expressly agreed that his Britannic Majesty's subjects shall have the right of cutting, loading, and carrying logwood in the district (now embraced in what is called Belize, and which is designated by limits in the treaty), and his Catholic Majesty assures them (the English) of all that is expressed in the present article, provided that this shall not be considered as derogating in any wise from his rights of sovereignty. Therefore, all the English who may be dispersed in any other parts, whether on the Spanish Continent, or in any island whatever dependent on the aforesaid Continent, and for whatever reason it might be, without exception, shall retire within the district, (Belize,) which has been above described."

Notwithstanding the treaty of 1783 (the objects of which, under any fair construction, are obviously to clear the Spanish coasts of English intrusion), Macgregor, in his statement of the British claim, says that, " after the full and deliberate discussion of the subject, Great Britain determined to retain the Mosquito shore under its protection and sovereignty." It was to

afford a pretext for this, he has the shamelessness to declare, that the English negotiators had substituted the "Spanish" for the "American Continent!"* This construction was not acquiesced in by Spain, who insisted that additional and more explicit articles should be agreed upon. Accordingly, after exhausting all pretexts for evasion, on the 14th July, 1786, Great Britain assented to a supplementary treaty, by the very first article of which, it was stipulated that:

"His Britannic Majesty's subjects and the other colonists who have enjoyed the protection of England shall evacuate the country of the Mosquitos, as well as the continent in general, and the islands adjacent, without exception, etc."

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This treaty also granted some further liberties in the territory of Belize, the limits of which are somewhat extended. But all British subjects are forbidden to cultivate the soil, to establish plantations, or erect mills; they may take away the "purely natural" productions of the soil, but none other. They may also fish on this limited section of coast, and refit vessels there, but they must conform to the Spanish regulations. In view of this, His Britannic Majesty engages to give the most positive orders for the evacuation of the countries above named, by all of his subjects of whatsoever denomination: but, if, contrary to such declaration, there should still remain any persons so daring as to presume, by entering into the interior country, to endeavor to obstruct the evacuation agreed upon, His Britannic Majesty, so far from affording them any succor or even protection, will disavow them in the most solemn manner, as he will also do those who may hereafter attempt to settle on territory belonging to the Spanish Government." The provisions of this treaty, interrupted by the war of 1796, were renew

As a specimen of British argument upon this subject, we quote from Macgregor: "Now the Mosquito shore was no part of the Spanish Continent; but a part of the American Continent, possessed by the Mosquito Indians, &c. Therefore the evacuation contemplated by this article had no relation whatever to that country!" This, with a full knowledge that all America south of Mexico was universally known as the "Spanish Continent," and the adjoining sea on the east as the "Spanish Main," is unparalleled for impudence!

ed by the treaty of Madrid, August 28,

1814.

"It was with the most painful reluctance, and only in obedience to positive orders," says Macgregor, "that the British settlers slowly and discontentedly left their plantations. Many of the Creoles and others preferred to remain at all hazards." Those who remained subjected themselves to Spain, and Mr. Robert Hodgson, who had been the first "British Superintendent," received in 1789, the appointment of Colonel at the hands of the king of Spain -"for," reads his commission, "the particular services which he has rendered the crown of Spain on the Mosquito Coast."

Up to this period, we hear but once of a "Mosquito King." Macgregor states that in 1775, "an embassy arrived in London, consisting of young George, his brother, Capt. Smee, and Capt. Richards, two Mosquito Chiefs." From the insight which we shall soon get into the character of Mosquito royalty, it may safely be presumed that this august embassy fell in dignity much short of the embassies (we call them by the more republican name of "delegations"), which we annually receive in Washington from our frontier Indian tribes. The objects of this mission do not seem to have been very important; the sole request having been, so far as we can learn, that the traders on the coast should be prevented, for the future, from carrying away the Indians and selling them for slaves,-a not unreasonable request, we should say, and not indicative of high standards of morality on the part of the aforesaid traders. Slave stealing is now, however, synonymous with piracy: it was then regarded as a crime of less heinous nature, and the pirates of Jamaica fell into it as they did into smuggling-without an effort.

But the transitory system of government, which, Macgregor informs us, was at the date of this "embassy" established on the Mosquito shore, must have been in direct conflict with the rights which the British Government now asserts have always belonged to the "Mosquito King." That government consisted, it seems, of a variety of officers, all of whom were under the control of the Governor of Jamaica, and in organizing it no reference whatever was had to the native chiefs.

This is a fact of importance, as showing that the English did not, at that time, regard the natives in a light at all differing from that in which they were every where else viewed by all nations.

With the treaty of 1786, Great Britain seems to have relinquished her efforts to obtain possession of the Mosquito coast as a British province. The claims of Spain were too strong, and she was still a power too formidable to be trifled with longer. The Spanish Captain General proceeded to appoint Governors on the coast, and sought by presents and otherwise, to conciliate the natives, wean them from their piratical associations and attach them to Spain. These attempts have lately been gravely cited as evidences of the independence of the Indians, and the presents of beads and brandy have been denominated "tribute;"-for the English advocates of Anglo-Mosquitian rights have not hesitated to place Spain in the list of States tributary to the august sovereign of "Mosquito," " the ally" of Great Britain ! The English, under the treaty, contrived to cut wood in the territory of Belize, in conformity with the permission granted them by the king of Spain. This permission was given, it will be remembered, with the express provision that it "should not be considered as derogating in any wise from the rights of sovereignty possessed by the King of Spain." Nevertheless, upon the decline of Spanish power on the American Continent, England continued to hold possession of this territory and still continues to hold it, although falling properly within, and belonging of right to, the free States which comprehended it while provinces of Spain. An armed force is maintained there, where, from time to time, have been concocted the villanies subsequently practised on the Mosquito shore. Says Macgregor, "the right to Belize by occupation and possession is, undoubtedly, vested in the British Crown." The extent of territory thus fraudulently held is, in length, about 175 miles, in breadth 110 miles; comprising an area of 16,400 square miles-about three times the extent of the State of New Jersey.

Notwithstanding the formal abandonment by Great Britain, of all pretensions in the Mosquito coast, and her absolute disavowal of any of her subjects who "dared" (that is the word) to remain there, some,

as we have seen, continued to remain, subjecting themselves to Spanish authority, but still cherishing the hope that Great Britain would ultimately break the treaty of 1786, as she had broken previous ones. In this hope they were encouraged by the speculators in Jamaica, especially those who had got up the famous plan sanctioned by Lord Hillsborough in 1771. Under their auspices, somewhere about 1820, a certain General Sir Gregor Macgregor, set himself up as an independent sovereign on this coast, in the vicinity of the celebrated Black River, where the English fortifications once existed. The title which he assumed was "Cacique of Poyais," and we have before us a book published in 1822, entitled, "A SKETCH OF THE MOSQUITO SHORE INCLUDING THE TERRITORY OF POYAIS, by Thos. Strangeways, K. G. C., Captain 1st Native Poyer regiment, and Aidde-camp to His Highness, Gregor, Cacique of Poyais !" A portrait of "His Highness," a burly Scot, embellishes this volume, and in the preface we are informed "that the chief of the very old clan of Alpine or Gregor, is directly descended from the ancient kings of Scotland, is generally known and admitted; and the author ventures to assert that, the right of His Highness Gregor, Cacique of Poyais, to the Chieftanship cannot be disproved!" Probably not; but where all this time was that august potentate, the early "ally of Great Britain," His Mightiness the "King of Mosquito ?" What right had the chief of Clan-Alpine of Scotland, to set himself up as Cacique of Clan-Poyer in America? The secret of the establishment of the Cacique may, perhaps, be discovered in the summing up of the volume just mentioned, in which it is said, that "if the Poyais establishment is sustained," the British West Indies would no longer be dependent on the United States for the necessaries of existence, a circumstance devoutly to be wished by every person interested in the welfare of Great Britain !” So ho! This is as early as 1822, before the " necessity" of being able to procure its cotton from other parts of the world than the United States, became a controlling consideration in British policy?

Macgregor passes over the attempt of the Cacique, referring to his plans as illjudged," and the administrations which fol

lowed him as "imprudent." The secret of this censure is simply because these plans were unsuccessful.

The attempts of the Cacique failed; meantime the Spanish colonies threw off the rule of the mother country, and organised independent Governments of their own. While they were involved in the distractions consequent upon the transition, Great Britain again directed her longing eyes to the coasts which she had been compelled to abandon. Circumstances now seemed favorable for a renewal of her at

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tempts. She hesitated not to recognise the independence of the new States, for she thereby weakened the power of Spain. The young and feeble republics, she well knew, could oppose fewer obstacles to her ambitious designs. But it was necessary to proceed with caution. The Government of the United States was watchful and had claimed that any interference with the new republics, by foreign powers, would be an act of hostility against herself. She had declared that the American continent was no longer to be considered as subject to colonization by any European power. It was not politic, therefore, to seize forcibly upon the Mosquito shore, as had been attempted before the treaty of 1786. In this emergency, the unscrupulous government of Jamaica, that hot-bed of roguery, and the equally unscrupulous directors of the quasi colony of Belize, were at hand with expedients.

The mixed and bastard brood, the strange agglomeration of negroes, whites and Indians, existing on the Mosquito shore, was to be raised to the dignity of a nation, independent and sovereign! This pretext, which was thrown aside as unnecessary, when it was safe to assert English interests by force, was now revived. The old speculators in Poyais and the Black River were " on hand." A convocation was held at Belize, and a course of action agreed upon. It was necessary to make a King" for the sovereignty of Mosquito, and Colonel M'Donald, the Superintendent, and his associates at Belize, were adequate to the task. The time for the Government of Great Britain to appear openly in the farce, had not yet arrived. Accordingly, as early as June, 1815, the British traders and secret agents got together a number of chiefs, and in a drunken bout, prevailed upon them to affix their "his

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to a document previously drawn up, and called an "Act of Allegiance to Prince Frederick," a sambo, who had been fixed upon as a convenient instrument to carry out the ulterior designs of the conspirators. He was taken to Belize and "crowned" on the 18th of January, 1816. Macgregor draws no very flattering character for his ebony Majesty. He observes that "he combined the bad qualities of the European and creole, with the vicious propensities of the sambo, and the capriciousness of the Indian." He was killed in a drunken quarrel, in 1824. His half-brother, named Robert, succeeded him, but being in the Spanish interests, the British managers thrust him aside, and took into favor a sambo named "George Frederick," a descendant, says Macgregor, "from a more ancient branch of the family." But he too was a bad tool, and died. or was dropped, very early in his reign, for "Robert Charles Frederick," who promised to answer every

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"On the previous evening, cards of invitation were sent to the different merchants, requesting their attendance at the Court-house early in the morning. At this place the King, dressed in a British Major's uniform, made his appearance; and his chiefs similarly clothed, but with sailor's trousers, were ranged around the room. A more motley group can hardly be imagined. Here an epaulette decorated a herculean shoulder, tempting its dignified owner to view his less famed neighbor with triumphant glances. Then a wandering button displayed a greasy olive skin, under the uniform of a Captain of Infantry. At one side a cautious noble might be seen carefully braced up to the chin, like a modern dandy defying the most penetrating eye to prove him shirtless; while the mathematical movements of a fourth, panting under such tight habiliments, expressed the fear and trembling with which he awaited some awful accident.

"The order of procession being arranged, the cavalcade moved towards the church; his

Mosquito Majesty on horseback, supported on

the right and left by the two senior British officers of the settlement, and his chiefs following on foot two by two. On its arrival, his Majesty was placed on a chair, near the altar, and the

English Coronation Service was read by the Chaplain to the colony, who, on this occasion, performed the part of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury. When he arrived at this part, 'And all the people said, let the King live for ever, long live the King, God save the King,' the vessels of the port, according to a previous signal, fired a salute, and the chiefs rising, cri ed out, Long live King Robert!'

"His Majesty seemed chiefly occupied in admiring his finery, and after his anointing, expressed his gratification by repeatedly thrusting his hands through his thick bushy hair and applying his finger to his nose; in this expressive manner indicating his delight at this part of the service.

"Before, however, his chiefs could swear allegiance to their monarch, it was necessary that they should profess Christianity; and, accordingly, with shame be it recorded, they were baptized, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.' They displayed total ignorance of the meaning of this ceremony, and when asked to give their names, took the titles of Lord Rodney, Lord Nelson, or some other celebrated officer, and seemed grievously disappointed when told that they could only be baptized by simple Christian names.

"After this solemn mockery was concluded, the whole assembly adjourned to a large school room to eat the coronation dinner, when these poor creatures got all intoxicated with rum; a suitable conclusion to a farce as blasphemous and wicked as ever disgraced a Christian country."-(Dunn's Central America, p. 26, 27, 1828.)

The coronation baubles of the kings of England are kept in the Tower of London, and exhibited, "for a consideration," to the curious. Not so with those of the sovereigns of Mosquito. We are informed by Roberts, in his work on this country, that "the crown and other regalia are intrusted to Jack, an old negro, at Patook River, who keeps them carefully concealed."

It would seem there is no occasion for this extreme caution on the part of old Jack, for Macgregor states that "the regalia consists of a silver gilt crown, a sword, and sceptre of moderate value, presents from the English !"

King Robert Charles Frederick does not seem to have conformed, in all respects, to the desires of his British "Warwicks." Of his sovereign will and pleasure, he proceeded to dispose of portions of his dominions, in return for divers barrels of whiskey and bales of red cottons. Macgregor

says that "it appears that these grants were made without the knowledge of the British agent, who had usually been residing (aha!) on the coast, to keep up the connection with England." He afterwards adds that upon "their coming to the knowledge of the British government, it very properly determined to disallow them " Queer protection, that!

These grants are important; for if the Mosquitos constitute a nation, and their chiefs are truly independent sovereigns, then neither England nor the Indians themselves have the slightest claim to more than a very small part of the Mosquito shore. If they do not constitute a nation, and their chiefs are not sovereigns, then Great Britain stultifies herself by her pretensions. She may take either horn of the dilemma she pleases: both are equally fatal to her claims.

One of the principal grants of his Majesty, Robert Charles Frederick, is as follows:

GRANT TO JOHN SEBASTIAN RENNICK.

BE KNOWN BY THESE PRESENTS, AND BY POSTERITY, THAT WE, ROBERT CHARLES FREDErick, KING OF THE MOSQUITO NATION, considering the services which may be made to us, and to our nation, by John Sebastian Rennick, of the city of London, merchant; and in consideration of the sum of £1,000, which said Rennick has paid to us, and the receipt of which we hereby acknowledge, with our own free will, wE GRANT and convey, by the same, under the Seal of our kingdom, in favor of said John Sebastian Rennick, his heirs and representatives forever, all the river Patook, located between 15 deg. 48 min. N. Lat., and 84 deg. 14 min. W. Long., at the distance of 40 miles from the mouth of a certain river of our kingdom, called Black River, to the E. S. E. thereof, together with the whole térritory adjacent said River Patook, viz: 10 English miles measured from each bank of said river, from its mouth as far as the Spanish limits, (according to the map of Com. Owen), with all the cultivable lands, meadows, pastures, waters, woods, forests, streams, and waterfalls, fisheries, duties and rights belonging to said lands, or to any part of them whatever. Item. Said Rennick and his heirs, or representatives, shall hold and possess said lands and properties, and they, and the inabitants of said lands, shall have the right to make use of them, to go in or out of them, and to navigate in all the rivers or waters in, or adjacent to them, without let or hindrance on the part of our subjects, and they may introduce foreigners, and all kinds of persons to populate and colonize said district, and cultivate lands, &c., &c., &c., &c., &c., and the said Rennick, his heirs, or successors, shall have the right to impose and receive contributions, taxes,

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